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Saturday, May 17, 2014

5 items that will liven up a gluten free pantry

Kuttu ki puri (recipe below), pic by me - use as you wish as long as you link back

After fiddling with a gluten free life for a while, on and off, I figured out some essentials that make my life easier, especially in the past couple of months, when cravings started getting bigger. I have kept myself firm on my eating choices because I feel more and more how eating GF gives me more energy - I used to be always empty of energy and full of things that shouldn't be in me for so long.

While I am not looking forward to eat as much baked goods as before, both for health and practical reasons, I do include some ingredients for it in this list because I, too, help myself out with pastries and sandwiches sometimes, but I am convinced (from experience) that great food can be really easy.

Here are my current top 5 ingredients:

Eggs. Because instead of reaching for a bread, the quick and easy I-am-hungry solution will be those white and yellow bundles of happiness which, by the way, are pre-packed snacks by nature for those active days. Unless you are rich and can afford pre-made gluten-free bread every day, or you are handy enough to bake them yourself all the time, that is the best choice. I don't bother. And eggs are a much more nutritious fuel, by the way. Here is why they will rock your world.

Coconut flakes. It will help feeding your sweet tooth, believe me; and in quite an affordable way if you know where to source your ingredients. I'm talking about making coconut rochers (or macaroons). They are ready in a whisk (and a bake), infinitely easier to prepare and more nutritious than regular standard wheat cookies, and it is a real crowd pleaser. Recipe here.

Rice noodles. Ever present in Asian shops, and definitely more appealing than those corn gluten free pastas in my perception, they are rather affordable (again, know thy shops :-) ). I make pasta sometimes for dinner: a nice veggie tomato sauce (recipe coming up soon), rice pasta for me, wheat pasta for my husband. Quite convenient and you don't have to miss or eat just the sauce with a bit of egg (been there) on a pasta night.

Rice paper. Another great finding from Asian shops, it will give you nice, instant wraps. They are also pretty thin and light so it might be a good travel food, and a yes-yes to take if you are staying over with friends. Great for playing with leftovers and just plain, simple fun! How to wrap it here and how to choose the best rice paper here.

Buckwheat flour. Because making kuttu ki puri is an addiction, and eating it is double as much addictive! Choose the finest flour you can find, read reviews online. I had to wait a while to find a flour that gives the results I want (Doves farm if you live in Europe, I buy it on amazon.co.uk, and I usually hear good things about Bob's Red Mill in general in America). You can also mix half tapioca and half buckwheat and see if it works for you.

Which are your gluten free essentials? Which is your favorite buckwheat flour?

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