The 6 Best Gluten-Free Flours
Some might say that there’s a fine line between a muffin and a cupcake—but I like to think that there’s a fine line between a muffin and a salad. Okay, okay—so maybe that’s a maaaaaajor stretch, but if you choose your ingredients wisely, you can do yourself a real nutritional favor the next time you’re craving a delicious home-baked treat. You’ve probably already tried replacing oil with applesauce and eggs with ground flax and water, but have you moved beyond your container of all-purpose flour? Gluten free flours can can give your favorite baked goods a flavor AND nutrition twist, so it’s time to update your pantry. Today, I’m sharing my favorites. The 6 Best Gluten Free Flours Almond Flour – Great for those seeking low carb, higher protein treats. While high in fat—and mostly “good fats”—almond flour also contains a large amount of omega-6 fatty acids. Though it’s an essential fatty acid (your body can’t create it on it’s own so you must get it from your diet) they are also proinflammatory, and therefore potentially detrimental to your health in high amounts. Try balancing the flour with chia or flax seeds – good sources of anti inflammatory omega-3s. Try making banana bread with almond flour instead of your favorite all-purpose gluten-free blend. Almond flour is a source of calcium, which is important for optimal bone health, magnesium, which helps the body absorb calcium and relax your muscles and mind, and vitamin E, which helps to protect you against free radicals and toxins that speed up the aging process. Coconut Flour – A dietary fiber powerhouse, coconut flour is not high in fat but the fat that it does have is of excellent quality. Because it’s highly absorbent and a little goes a long way, recipes with coconut flour tend to call for more eggs or liquids than recipes with other flours. Baked goods made with coconut flour have a particular dense texture—and, of course, delicious coconut flavor. One of my fave treats to make with it is a cookie that’s actually healthy and perfectly portable for an on-the-go breakfast: mix ⅓ cup coconut flour with 1 cup of your favorite nut butter, 1 egg, ¼ cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon of salt and add in about 1 cup of your favorite mix-in combo (think hemp, chia or flax seeds, shredded unsweetened coconut, dried cranberries, dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs…) Scoop out tablespoon-size dough balls and flatten with your fingers or the tines of a fork and bake at 350-degrees on a parchment lined sheet for 14-15 minutes (should make about 20 or so cookies—enough to share or freeze for another week!). Coconut flour is a source of trace minerals such as manganese (for hormonal balance), iron (vital for muscle health) and copper (which keeps connective tissues such as hair, skin, nails, and ligaments, strong). Quinoa Flour – An excellent, all-purpose and versatile flour, quinoa flour is high in protein and works great in many classic recipes. It’s a great way to get more of this ancient super-seed in your diet. It’s also easy to make at home: just put your uncooked organic quinoa into a strong blender or use a coffee grinder and pulse until a fine powder forms. Then try using it in your favorite cookie recipe. In addition to being high in protein, quinoa flour is a source of manganese, calcium, and vitamin B2, which helps in energy production. Garbanzo/Chickpea Flour – So much love for chickpea flour! Between the fiber, the protein, and the versatility, it’s a go-to for savory and sweet recipes alike. My favorite use is for binding healthy fritters; zucchini, carrot, sweet potato—you name it. You can also make very simple crêpe-like wraps by mixing a 1:1 ratio of chickpea flour and water, allowing to sit for 30 minutes, and then cooking just as you would pancakes. Chickpea flour is a source of folate, which helps with cellular repair, and also iron and magnesium. Cassava Flour – Especially great for those who can’t have nuts or coconuts, cassava flour is made from the whole cassava root, also known as yucca. It’s great for gluten-free tortillas, pizza dough, and pasta. Delicious and chewy pasta dough can be made with a simple mixture of: cassava flour (1 cup), eggs (2 + 1 yolk), olive oil (2 tablespoons) and salt (¼ teaspoon). Roll the mixture into a ball and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes, then roll it out and slice or shape. Top your cooked cassava pasta with a beautiful veggie sauce for a decadent and healthy meal! Cassava flour is a source of vitamin C, which helps the body heal and repair—it actually has more C than potatoes or yams! You can also bump up its nutrition profile by including mix-ins like chia, hemp and flax seeds. Tigernut Flour – There are no nuts in Tigernuts; they’re actually tiny tubers and a super-ancient superfood. This small root vegetable is a stellar source of fiber and resistant starch, which fuels your gut’s good bacteria. The flour is also naturally sweet so you can cut down on sweeteners (which is always good to do regardless!) You can make delicious no-bake chocolate chip cookies with tigernut flour. It’s hard to come by in regular grocery stores, but if your local health health food shop isn’t carrying it, you can purchase it online. Tigernut flour is a source of phosphorous, which is just as important as calcium for healthy bones, and zinc, which supports immune system health. There really isn’t one golden-ticket in the gluten free flours department, so grab your mixing bowl and spatula and dive in to discover which ones call your name. Also, you’ll be nudging even closer to “salad status” if you include your favorite veggies or fruits in your baked goods—zucchini, sweet potatoes, apples, even avocado—and consider throwing a savory treat into the mix every so often (warm basil and feta
Is Ghee Healthy?
Q: Is ghee healthy? A: Ghee is actually healthy? Say, it is so? Everyone wants to slab a little butter on their morning toast and doing so in the name of health is just so. much. butter, I mean better. As a little refresher, butter is a dairy product made from churning milk until the buttermilk (liquids) separates from the butterfat (solids). It’s this solid part that’s known as butter, the creamy yellow product that pretty much makes anything and everything taste better. “Ghee”, is a form of clarified butter and is different from traditional butter in that it’s made by boiling butter until the water in the butter has evaporated. What you’re left with is three layers—whey protein, liquid fat, and casein particles. After skimming off the top protein layer, you’re able to pour off and separate the liquid fat layer. This liquid fat is what’s known as clarified butter, a more pure version of traditional butter. Ghee is a form of clarified butter and only slightly different in that it’s prepared by simmering longer at a lower heat (versus simply boiling) until the butter is caramelized and then strained again. Thanks to this lower heat preparation, ghee retains more nutrients than other forms of clarified butter. While ghee may now be popping up in grocery store aisles across the globe, this rich, golden clarified butter has been used for thousands of years in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking. It even plays a key role in Ayurveda medicine for its proposed anti-inflammatory, digestive, and healing attributes. Ayurveda recommends roasting cooking spices in ghee to boost their flavor and nutrition. So, should we all start spreading, melting and drizzling clarified butter or ghee on all of our fave dishes? Let’s discuss. Ghee vs Butter One tablespoon of traditional butter offers about 100 calories and 11 grams of fat (7 of which are saturated fat). Ghee has 123 calories and 14 grams of fat (8 of which are saturated fat). Not that big of a difference, right? But, we all know that just like actions speak louder than words, ghee’s health benefits count more than calories. The traditional yellow butter you know and love might be on par in terms of calories, but ghee is richer in vitamins A, D, and E, which can help repair damaged skin, improve vision, help balance your hormones, and regulate your metabolism. Ghee also contains 25 percent medium and short chain fatty acids compared to normal butter which contains only 12 to 15 percent. Unlike long-chain fatty acids, medium chain triglycerides are rapidly broken down and go straight to the liver where they can be used as an instant energy source and are less likely to be stored as fat. Butyric acid, one of the short chain fatty acids found in ghee has been linked to better gastrointestinal health, anti-inflammatory properties as well as helping the body use it for fuel more efficiently. Recent science has even shown that people who consumed higher amounts of ghee had a lower occurrence of coronary heart disease, lower LDL cholesterol, improvements in psoriasis, and enhancement of memory. It may even have a positive effect on wound healing. Ghee is also a better choice if you have a milk allergy or lactose intolerance. Because ghee separates milk from the fat, you won’t find any lactose or milk proteins in this butter alternative. When it comes to cooking, ghee has a higher smoke point compared to its traditional butter counterpart. This means that next time you’re whipping up that asian stir fry, you’re less likely to inhale smoke or consume any carcinogenic byproduct that’s produced by drizzling your cooking oil into a searing pan. So, if you’re planning on frying, sauteing, or grilling, ghee might be a better choice. It will also add a sweet, nutty flavor and richness to any of your dishes. You can try melting it into your mashed potatoes, drizzling it on top of your veggies, or even tossing your popcorn with it. The only exception is with baked goods. If you love that classic buttery flavor in your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, then it might be best to stick with traditional butter. Now, back to the fat issue. Even though ghee is high in saturated fat, studies have shown that the old school thought of of all saturated fat is ‘bad’ for you might be a grand oversimplification. The relationship between the dietary intake of fats and health is complicated. Fats overall, even including some saturated fats, are important for our health and wellness. Like just about all foods, there’s of course a spectrum of crummy fats (think processed, refined, and hydrogenated) and then there’s nutrient powerhouse fats like those found in ghee and avocado. But this all comes along with a balanced mindset. A diet overabundant in anything (including good healthy fats) can still be harmful to your health. Ghee is often marketed as a “health food” but even the healthiest of foods can be overdone. After all, it’s still a form of butter, and butter is a ‘use in proper portion’ kind of fat. A little healthy fat goes a long way, but too much can work against you in attaining or maintaining your health and weight goals. I’m a big fan of a little bit (think a teaspoon or two) of real nutrient dense fats at every meal. Add ghee to the list next to avocado, coconut or almonds as a fat food that can play a healthy role in your diet. Just don’t eat with a spoon out of a jar no matter how tempting it may taste and how many health benefits you can rattle off.
What is Aquafaba?
Q: What is aquafaba? A: Aquafaba may be a new word for you, but it’s definitely not a new food for you. In fact, you’ve probably poured it down the drain as you prepped what you were actually planning on eating for dinner. Yep, aquafaba is the lovely name given to the liquid that legumes are cooked in (usually chickpeas or white beans). You know, that gooey stuff you usually rinse off your beans after popping open a (hopefully bpa free) can or boiling them in water. Who knew the goo was good for you?! Though aquafaba has existed since the beginning of cooking white bean and chickpea time, actually using it is a little more novel. It contains protein, good carbs, and other plant compounds that have moved from the beans into the liquid during the cooking process. You know, like bone broth. The consistency of aquafaba mimics the feel of egg whites and can be used for thickening, emulsifying, and binding. You can use it to create pretty much anything that calls for egg whites. Zucchini muffins, anyone? Perfectly peaked egg-free meringues? Healthy vegan mayo for your next bread spread? So while it may look like yucky bean remains at first glance, aquafaba is anything but yucky. The next time you begin to pour it down the drain, recognize that you’re saying buh-bye to a whole lot of health and a potentially delicious vegan creation. As if you needed one more reason to love a garbanzo.
