Which gluten free grains
do you need in your kitchen?

When I was first diagnosed with celiac as a child over 50 years ago, gluten free grains were nearly impossible to find. No-one at that time, it seemed, had thought of grinding them into flour!

The Internet did not exist and cookbooks with gluten free recipes were few and far between so my mother had to experiment. You have no idea how many batches ended up as bird food rather than on the table!

a coloful array of gluten free grains

Choices! Choices! Choices!

Fast forward to today, where there are so many gluten free grains, seeds, nuts and beans available that it's difficult to decide which to buy!

I suggest starting with a small selection and then adding others as you get more experienced in using them.

Some I would consider essential to any gluten free kitchen and there are others which help to ring the changes now and then. Don't be afraid to trial new grains to see if they deserve a place in your pantry.

From the tiny teff grain to large beans; from the pure white tapioca to the earthy colors of buckwheat and millet; from the exotic coconut to the humble potato; all can be put to use.

Some come flaked, others are dried, cracked or even left whole. They can be cooked as an accompaniment to a meal or ground into the finest flours for baking.

My essentials

This first list contains the gluten free grains, nuts, seeds and beans that I like to keep at hand all the time. For more information on how to use each one click on the links.

Almond flour low carb alternative to wheat flour
Arrowroot (great as a thickener for soups and sauces)
Buckwheat (not a form or wheat, despite its name)
Chickpeas or garbanzo beans (ground into a flour called Gram or besan)
Corn or maize
Millet (not just bird food!)
Potato (ok so its not a grain, seed, nut or bean, but still a useful gluten free flour)
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) a real superfood!
Rice a good form of starch but with less protein than other grains
Tapioca (used for more than that horrible pudding you ate at school!)

Other gluten free grains

Amaranth (extremely nutritious)
Carob (a sweet flour, it is made from the ground bean pods rather than the beans themselves)
Coconut flour
Job's tears can be used as a substitute for pearl barley
Lentils (a small round pulse that doesn't need soaking overnight before cooking)
Soy beans can be used in a similar way to grains...flakes, grits, flour and bran
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Sweet Chestnuts
Sorghum or milo
Teff grain - the tiniest grain in the world!

Where to get your gluten free grains

I am finding that more and more of these ingredients can be picked up from the grocery store when I do my main food shopping. As I have a grain mill, I tend to buy my rice and quinoa from there and grind them into flour at home. I like to think that only grinding them as I need them ensures I use the freshest flour.

Depending on where you live, you may find that some of these gluten free grains can only be found in the health food stores or online.

Which have you tried?

Have you included one or more of these grains into your diet successfully? Do you agree with my list of essentials? It would be great to hear from you! Why not tell us what you tried, and how successful you were. Maybe you could share your favourite recipe?

Your favorite gluten free grains

Do you have a favorite grain or gluten free flour that you use all the time in your cooking? How do you use it? Have you had any disasters when cooking with alternatives grains and flours?

Maybe you have some questions on how to use the flours in your cupboard? Or you might be able to help someone else learn to use these new ingredients.

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