Gluten free cooking can be fun!

Are you looking for simple guidelines on how to avoid the common cross contamination of gluten and non-gluten products in your kitchen? Or are you now having to use unfamiliar foods in your cooking? Let me help...

Gluten free or not free, THAT is the question?

It can seem confusing at first, as you may have never cooked with alternative flours before. It can take a while to get used to how they behave when you use them to thicken liquids, and which give the best results in your gluten free baking.

So how do you gain this knowledge without wasting a lot of money experimenting?

The trick is to get tips from others who have already been through the learning curve. After 50 years on this diet, I have consolidated my learning's into 3 easy stages to work through and I thought it was time to share what I have discovered.

Gluten Free Celiac Designs No Way by ColorShow
More Celiac Aprons

Kitchen Hell / Kitchen Heaven?

Other pages will introduce the different gluten free grains, seeds and nuts that can be ground to make your own gluten free flour, however these can usually be bought in most good Health Food shops and online.

I will also advise you on family meal planning and how to make sure the person on the special diet is not made to feel as though they are a nuisance and "different".

Ready to start looking at those 3 easy steps and learn more about gluten free cooking?

1. Food Storage - the first step to safe gluten free cooking

• Time to check and empty those cupboards! Thoroughly wash down the shelves before storing gluten free products in, or on, them
• Make sure all frequent users of the kitchen know which cupboard/shelves are Gluten Free
• Transfer gluten free products into a labelled, sealable container before putting them away
• Store wheat flour in an airtight container, in a separate cupboard or area of the kitchen
• Store 'off limits' foods on higher shelves, out of the reach of celiac children
• Check the labels and throw out all products that contain gluten!
• If you can't throw them out, store them in a designated spot and label them with a big red cross!

2. Gluten Free Food preparation

• Before starting your gluten free cooking, thoroughly wipe down any surfaces.
• Don't use the family's bread board to chop your gluten free vegetables on!
• Do not marinate meats in soy sauce, unless you use Tamari, which is safe
• Do not dip meats into wheat flour before frying them
• Use separate utensils when cooking two meals on the stove at the same time if one of them contains gluten, and remember which is for which!
• Do not place breaded foods on the grill with gluten free foods.
• Do not strain gluten free foods in the same colander that has been used for wheat pasta. (Pasta leaves a sticky residue that is difficult to remove.)
• Use a separate deep fat fryer for gluten free foods
• Always place a gluten free meal on the top shelf of the oven to avoid the risk of spills
• Use a separate toaster to avoid contamination by wheat bread crumbs
• Invest in a new food processor to reduce the risk of cross contamination

3. Avoiding contamination when serving gluten free meals

• Do not pour everyone else's gravy onto the gluten free meal
• Don't pop a bread roll on the side of the plate, or sprinkle croutons on the gluten free salad.
• Teach everyone to use a clean spoon to take jams, jellies, honey or margarine out of the container, then use their own knife to spread it on their bread