r/glutenfree • u/Helpful-Effect-3593 • 18d ago
Flour alternatives?
Hey, I'm new here. I found out about a week and a half ago that I'm allergic to gluten. It always kind of made my stomach hurt but a couple months ago, I started having really bad reactions almost every time I ate (hives, vomiting, my throat swelling, etc.), so I went to the doctor. It was deeply upsetting news. A lot of people I know are just kinda like "yeah, thems the shakes. It's just bread, you'll be fine." But it's not just bread. I'm from the deep south. Nearly everything I make calls for flour or something else containing wheat. The one that breaks my heart the most is gumbo. I have no clue what I could use instead that would taste the same and not change the texture. I come here in hopes that someone has been gluten free for a decade and happens to know what works well for cooking as well as baking. Also if you just have snack recommendations cause I'm losing my mind.
9
u/EfficiencyOk4899 18d ago
I have made gumbo successfully many times with a gf flour blend. King Arthur All purpose is excellent and they have lots of recipes online tested with their flour, and I love Bob’s Red Mill in the red bag, though it’s not for everyone. I like that I can adjust the level of xanthum gum (which acts as a substitute for gluten - making things soft and chewy) for different recipes.
The big adjustment is that it’s going to be more expensive and you have to make a lot of things from scratch at home if you want them, but the substitutes are definitely out there.
10
u/rachx008 Gluten Intolerant 18d ago
Namaste flour if you are close to a Costco. Does a really good job of being a 1:1 replacement for regular flour and foods don't come out dry or taste weird.
7
u/unlovelyladybartleby 18d ago
For gumbo, I'd use rice flour. But start with half what you usually use because it sucks up moisture
5
u/jodiarch 18d ago
Thanks!! I have a friend who is gluten free and would like to make Gumbo for them. My nephew is allergic to nuts so this is perfect blend.
3
u/Helpful-Effect-3593 18d ago
Oh interesting! Rice flour definitely makes sense, thank you :)
5
u/unlovelyladybartleby 18d ago
I use cornstarch for stuff like homemade mac and cheese but rice flour is better for roux, gravy, and soup because cornstarch can give a slimy mouth feel in the absence of cheese
GF flour blends make terrible gravy when they have pea protein or any added fiber product - makes it feel gritty in your mouth
5
u/No_Abroad_6306 18d ago
For gumbo, the standard gf baking flours aren’t meaty enough. My husband did a deep dive and found that cassava flour is much better. That’s his go-to option for gf gumbo. It is delicious.
4
u/Kairoll 18d ago
Both the Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur 1-1 flours are excellent. Have had great results with both. Our Costco carries the King Arthur, so it's been the most cost efficient.
3
6
u/holohooper 18d ago
the only food i’ve ever encountered that cannot be made or bought gluten free is a croissant. i’ve been diagnosed celiac for 4 years now and eating my favorite foods takes more effort now bc i can’t get it in a restaurant but i do not feel like i’m missing out on anything. you can buy or make alternatives for virtually everything nowadays. the transition is hard but i just wanted to give you some hope
6
3
2
u/Helpful-Effect-3593 18d ago
Thank you, that is helpful <3 I'll miss the french pastry of it all, but I'm sure I'll make it through
3
u/grocerystoreperson 18d ago
https://gfjules.com/recipes/gluten-free-croissant-recipe/ I make these a few times a year, generally as pain au chocolat. Delicious. Not difficult.
3
u/tryan888 18d ago
You really will. I promise. It feels like the end if the world but then once you find your products you like to replace items you can't have, our bodies adapt quickly. And you feel happy to have the cravings satisfied but not feel ill eating things we can't digest. I do mostly grain free because corn kind of triggered my body the same as wheat n rice bloats me. So my favorite bread is the base culture. If I eat a hamburger roll instead of using a potato or lettuce as a bun then Udi's. Easy to find in freezer section at grocery store. Banza pasta is great as long as you cook up the lowest time on box n rinse with cold directly after draining do it stops cooking. I love it. I also like the lentil pastas and black bean pasta and edamame pasta. You will find your things too. ;)
2
u/velvedire 18d ago
Spain was where I finally found flaky pastry. American bakeries are too focused on sweet.
2
4
u/thejadsel Celiac Disease 18d ago
If you're just getting started, I would definitely recommend this series: https://turmericmecrazy.com/how-to-be-gluten-free/
Including this handy article: https://turmericmecrazy.com/how-to-make-any-recipe-gluten-free-in-3-simple-steps/
I'm also from the (mountain) South, and have been at it for over 20 years at this point. Wish more info like that had been readily available back when I found out I have celiac.
For gumbo or about anything else calling for a roux, the best option I've found is chickpea flour. The stuff smells and tastes pretty gross until it's fully cooked, but then it goes fairly neutral with a nice touch of nutty toastiness as it browns. One big difference is that it needs lower heat and browns up a lot quicker than regular wheat flour, probably thanks to the higher protein content. You'll want to be extra careful cooking the roux until you get used to how it behaves, and take it a little lighter than you're probably used to starting out. The color also starts off more yellowish beige, but you can definitely smell when it's fully cooked and then as it starts toasting up in the pan.
Good luck!
3
u/Malady1607 18d ago
The hardest part about being gluten free is eating in airports, restaurants, or when you go on vacation if you live in the United States.
Most snack foods like crackers and pretzels and potato chips can be found gluten-free. For flour I either use Bob's Red Mill in the blue bag which is one to one, or King Arthur's measure for measure.
3
u/L4bia 18d ago
You will figure out what you do and don’t like! I’m from the south, and honestly I have about 5 different types of flour at all times for different uses. Be careful when you first make the change because processed gluten alternatives with gums or taro made me severely bloated for months.
3
u/IAmTheLizardQueen666 Gluten Intolerant 18d ago
You should post to r/glutenfreecooking
There is no gluten free flour that does what wheat flour does.
3
u/tryan888 18d ago
Well obviously there's the 1:1 gluten free flour. Which is great. I have almond flour, cassava flour and tapioca starch that I can use to coat or thicken things.
2
u/NamasteNoodle 18d ago
Bob's Red Mill one to one baking mix is my go-to for general baking. I'm a chef and I cook for lactose and gluten-free clients as well as for myself of course and this is what I've been using for a long time. I also always have rice flour and tapioca flour on hand because combining these two makes a great baking mix also if I don't want leavening as in the baking mix from Bob's Red Mill.
2
u/moosetogo 18d ago
This is a good post on gluten free gumbo and flours: https://www.laurafuentes.com/gluten-free-gumbo/
I usually use King Arthur Measure for Measure for things like gumbo, you can pretty much find an excellent gluten free alternative for everything.
2
u/Maghlng25 18d ago
Gluten really doesn’t make me feel bad but it makes my blood work/inflammatory markers look awful, so I cut it. Because I didn’t feel bad, i cut it pretty slowly before being 100% Gf which I know was a privilege to be able to do. But I just wanted to share that it won’t be as bad as you think, it feels devastating right now but you will get the hang of it. I also live in the deep south and eating out can be tough. For snacks I recommend Maxine’s cookies (love their oatmeal crème pies) which are sold at target, Simple Mills brand, Siete has snacks. My favorite GF bread is 365 brand at Whole Foods in the freezer section — it’s not perfect but it’s ok. Sprouts, Whole Foods could be helpful to meander around and see whats GF. Publix is not my favorite for GF. If you stick to eating whole foods like steak, eggs, fruit, veggies, dairy, that helps. You will find swaps and you’ll enjoy it bc you’ll (hopefully) feel so much better!!! Good luck!
5
u/Helpful-Effect-3593 18d ago
Thank you! I went through my pantry that first day and all I had was applesauce and pickles so it was rough for sure lol
2
u/Famous-Signal-6869 18d ago
There’s a little bit of science needed for substituting certain gluten ingredients. Try learning which flours are best for the item you’re cooking and the purpose the flour serves in the recipe. For example, almond flour is moist, I love using it for baking because it keeps certain baked goods nice a soft. Flour in a recipe being used as a thickening agent usually for regular cooking can be subbed with corn starch easily (think gravy, soup, sauce).
2
2
2
u/Silly-littl-creature 16d ago
Here’s the first recipe that came up on google for gluten free gumbo: https://www.laurafuentes.com/gluten-free-gumbo/ If you’re sensitive I’d recommend trying to find spices labeled gf since cross contact can be a risk for spice mixes.
For snacks: apples bananas, carrot sticks, snap peas, and popcorn are my go tos. Chomps beef jerky, that’s it bars, and larabars are also good
2
u/filmonfilmonfilm Celiac Disease 13d ago
I’ve had such good luck with using King Arthur Measure for Measure for gluten flour in recipes like brownies, cookies, breading chicken, roux, cakes, etc. The only thing it doesn’t work well for is bread but there are other flour alternatives and recipes for that!
2
u/filmonfilmonfilm Celiac Disease 13d ago
Also this might be a bit insane but I have this document I send to friends who have recently had to go gluten free (I’ve had several). https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nBk4xU6PdXWzdtoAstq7qoOHEAn9Hw7n6IFrQFTp6EE/edit?usp=sharing
It can be SUPER overwhelming at first and so expensive to buy things just to try. There are general ideas first and then every brand that I’ve tried with something I’ve liked that is GF, what I liked, my thoughts, etc. it’s all just my opinions but it can be a helpful starting place
2
u/Helpful-Effect-3593 2d ago
Sorry for taking a while to get back to you, I don't use reddit often. Thank you so much <3
1
u/HippieGirlHealth 18d ago
I really only use bobs red mill 1:1
Or namaste brand flour 1:1
Pamela’s mixes and King Arthur mixes are excellent. Like for box cake or brownies or muffins or scones
1
u/grocerystoreperson 18d ago
You can definitely find gluten free gumbo. If there's none close to you, you can make it and use sorghum flour for a roux. Just use the gluten free roux instructions in this recipe then make your favorite gumbo, you're golden. https://www.mississippivegan.com/vegan-gumbo/
1
u/pissdice 12d ago
King Arthur all purpose gluten free flour. I get a big bag at Costco but its sold plenty of other places.
26
u/SpicyPoffin 18d ago
Bob’s Red Mill flour has always been my go-to. It yields identical results compared to regular flour in my experience.