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  Gluten Free and More January Update  


   

Our January update from Gluten-Free and More in 2004 offers more news and exclusive articles from program partners the likes of Danna Korn, Carol Fenster, LynnRae Ries, the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America, The Celiac Disease Foundation, the Celiac Sprue Association, Nu-World Amaranth and Celiac.com. Our goal is to keep you informed and offer support to help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions!

Perfect Puffed Pie Crust

Bread Machine Tips, Tricks and Techniques

CD – The Key to Better Health

Top 10 Gluten-Free Cooking Tips

Self-Management of Celiac Disease

Upcoming Events

Perfect Puffed Pie Crust
By Nu-World Amaranth Inc.
www.nuworldfoods.com

1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups puffed amaranth or puffed amaranth cereal

Butter 9" pie plate. Combine honey, sugar and butter in saucepan. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Add puffed amaranth and stir to coat. Press evenly onto bottom and sides of pie plate. Chill 15 minutes or until firm. Just before serving fill with your favorite pudding, yogurt or fresh fruit.

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Bread Machine Tips, Tricks and Techniques
By LynnRae Ries
Author of Delicious Gluten-Free Wheat-Free Breads for the Bread Machine and Oven, 2003 www.whatnowheat.com; www.glutenfreecookingclub.com

Longing for soft, warm and delicious gluten-free breads? Then consider a bread machine, one of the most popular kitchen appliances – and perfect for our home made gluten-free breads

When you think of it as a small oven, free of drafts and temperature changes it is easy to understand how it can turn out beautifully risen breads with great texture and remarkable taste.

There are many benefits to using a bread machine.

  • Frees up regular oven for other uses
  • Keeps kitchen cooler
  • Saves money on electricity
  • Move it around the kitchen, put it in your camper or take it to your dorm
  • Avoids cross contamination
  • Lends itself to creativity in the kitchen
  • Safer for younger family members to use
  • Less expensive than purchasing a second oven
  • Perfect for those who have had difficulties with yeast breads rising in the oven

Success Starts with Purchasing the Right Bread Machine for your needs

Before you make your purchase, answer these questions:

  • What is your budget?

    Bread machines run from $29.99 through $249.99. The good news is all price ranges offer the required features for successful gluten-free breads.

  • How much space do you have?

    Sizes vary considerably. Measure the space where you will be using the bread machine. Some machines have shorter cords than others so notice the distance to electrical outlets. Remember you must have enough clearance space to be able to open the bread machine lid.

  • Do you want a bread machine that is fully programmable or one that may require you to manually change the settings during the baking process?
    • The more programmable the machine, the more money it will cost. The most programmable machine is the Zojirushi BBCC-V20. Retail is $249.00. Look for it on sale.
    • Bread machines with less programmability, such as Oster, Toastmaster, Welbilt, ( $50 - $60 price range) also bake great bread. You will need to manually change the programming from the one hour Dough Cycle to the one hour Bake Cycle, unless you use the No-Knead No-Rise Method.

Look for these features:

  • The most important features are the two cycle indicators: DOUGH CYCLE and BAKE CYCLE. You will need both.
  • Are indicators easy for you to locate and read? Do not purchase a machine if the cycle indicators are hidden under the lid or are too small to read.
  • Look for a large window. You will want to know if the bread is mixing well, or if it has risen to its full height, all without lifting the lid.
  • Purchase a bread machine that will handle 1½ to 2 pound loaves for the sake of versatility.
  • Open the box and look at the bread pan inside the ‘oven’ (the bread machine). Does it pop out or twist? Is the pan easy for you to operate?
  • Can you find the English instructions in the manual? Does it say whether the wet or dry ingredients are placed into the machine first? Either way will work, but it is important for you to know.

Some of the most common questions I receive about purchasing a bread machine:

  • Does gluten-free bread have to rise more than once? No. One rise is sufficient. That is why we recommend the Dough Cycle and the Bake Cycle rather than the full cycles.
  • Does gluten-free bread have to knead? This is a matter of semantics. It does not have to ‘knead’ since there is no gluten. However, it does have to be fully mixed. Our experience, after baking over 500 loaves of bread, all in bread machines, is that using the Dough Cycle provides sufficient mixing time.
  • What are your favorite bread machines? This is tough since models keep changing. I have used over 8 different styles of bread machines, and every one of them has their good and their “Gee, I wish this was different” features. This is no different from the other tools we use in the kitchen, our sewing machines or even tools in our tool box. My three favorite machines are the Zojirushi BBCC-V20, the Welbilt ABYK and an old round bread machine that I purchased at a garage sale. Prices I paid were $169.99, $39.99 and $5.00, respectively.
  • How long a Bake Time should I look for in a bread machine? I recommend a 60 – 90 minute bake time option. This is not available in every machine style. If the model you like only has a 60 minute bake cycle, see if you can restart the Bake Cycle after the 60 minutes are over, just in case the bread is not done.
  • Do breads usually take longer than 60 minutes to bake in the bread machine? Just like your full oven, it depends on the bread recipe. Fruits, vegetables or heavy flours may take longer to bake.
  • Is the Add-in ‘Beep’ feature necessary? My technique is to add all wet ingredients in the beginning, this includes the fruits and vegetables, since they contain water which will affect the water to flour ratio. Dry ingredients, such as nuts, seeds and cheese can be added at the beep. You will develop your own style.

Making a decision on which machine to purchase and learning how to operate your bread machine may take about one to two hours of your time.

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Top 10 Gluten-Free Cooking Tips
By Carol Fenster, Ph.D.
Author of Gluten-Free 101: Easy, Basic Dishes without Wheat www.savorypalate.com

So . . . .your doctor says you shouldn’t eat wheat. What now? Well, join the 10-15% of Americans who routinely avoid wheat due to food allergies, auto-immune diseases, autism, and celiac disease. Here are our top 10 gluten-free cooking tips to help you get started:

  1. Choose a cookbook specially designed for wheat-sensitive persons. This assures early success and builds confidence until you are a pro.
  2. Replace wheat flour with a mix of flours, not just one flour. Choose from a wide array of flours to suit your preferences––amaranth, rice, soy, others.
  3. Measure flour by loosely spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling the top with flat side of a knife.
  4. Use more spices, herbs, and flavorings to compensate for the loss of wheat flavor. 1/3 to 1/2 more than normal does the trick.
  5. Use special ingredients such as xanthan gum, which compensates for the lack of gluten, improves texture, and ensures baked goods don’t fall apart.
  6. Choose baking pans and utensils wisely. Use smaller, non-stick baking pans, dry measuring cups to measure dry ingredients; liquid measuring cups for liquid ingredients.
  7. Take advantage of modern appliances and aids. Invest in a bread machine for perfect wheat-free bread every time. Food processors and heavy-duty mixers are also effective.
  8. Read the recipe to make sure you have all the ingredients you need in advance, along with the right pans and utensils.
  9. Take time to measure ingredients correctly or you can yield up to 20% more flour than you need.
  10. Be creative. Gluten-free baking doesn’t have to be boring. Mix your meals up with innovative ingredients; just be sure they are on the gluten-free safe list!

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Celiac Disease: Giving You the Key to Better Health --- article from Danna Korn

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Self-Management of Celiac Disease
By Jean E. Guest, MS, RD, LMNT and the Celiac Sprue Association
www.csaceliacs.org

Self-Management

What a relief it is to be diagnosed with celiac disease, and know that it was not all “Just in your head.” Newly diagnosed individuals quickly learn that not all medical personnel are equal in their knowledge of celiac disease. They also learn that today’s information may not be tomorrow’s. No one individual can know everything about celiac disease. That is why many join with others in support groups.

The successful treatment of celiac disease requires individuals to partner with their physician dietitian, pharmacist, or other health care personnel with expertise in celiac disease. These experts diagnose, prescribe, and monitor celiac disease. However, once an individual treatment plan is developed the only way to assure success is through management by the one individual who is always present – you! Self-management involves taking information provided by experts and applying it to your individual circumstances.

Self-management is not a new idea. Probably the most visible example of self-management is type1 diabetes. Clinical studies in type 1 diabetes have demonstrated that tight control of blood sugar levels can prevent complications associated with this disease. Proper self-management of the day-to-day dietary decisions for those with celiac disease means living a full life minimizing the risks of complications.

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Upcoming Events

Each of the partners in the Gluten-Free and More program have sponsored events in the upcoming months. Check out each of the partner's web sites for more information!

www.nuworldfoods.com www.celiac.org
www.csaceliacs.org www.gluten.net
www.glutenfreedom.net www.lynnrae.com
www.savorypalate.com www.celiac.com

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Message board. We invite you to post your personal pledge to living Gluten-Free in 2004. Find inspiration from others….share your thoughts and ideas. Click here to post your pledge. Click here to see all who have pledged so far!

 

Live chat! Join us for our "Gluten-Free and More" online chat on Thursday, January 29th at 8:30 PM EST with celebrity guests -- cookbook author Carol Fenster, Ph.D. and the executive director of Gluten Intolerance Group, Cynthia Kupper, RD. Celiac Disease. Click here to find out the details and to register for this exciting event!

 

   
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