By Margaret Malsam
The young lady in front of me in line at Wendy’s ordered a hamburger without any bun. I mistakenly assumed she was dieting, but she explained she has gluten intolerance and that wheat and other foods containing gluten can make her sick.
After reading the book 100 Best Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster, Ph.D., I realize that this is a real problem for millions of Americans because many of our favorite foods, such as cakes, pies and breads, contain gluten. Fortunately, the author points out whipping up a gluten-free version doesn’t have to be difficult.
Carol Fenster
Fenster, who lives in Centennial, is one of the top gluten-free diet experts in the world. She explains that a gluten-free diet is used to treat a variety of medical conditions, including celiac disease (an inherited autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive process of the small intestine). People with celiac disease cannot eat wheat because it contains a protein called gluten (also present in barley, rye, and spelt) that prevents the absorption of nutrients. Gluten sensitivity should not be confused with celiac disease, which is a severe and permanent intolerance to gluten.
Fenster said she has dealt with gluten intolerance for many years.
“After a lifetime of chronic sinusitis, I was diagnosed with a wheat intolerance. Now, for someone who was raised on a farm in Nebraska and married into a wheat-farming family this seemed rather un-American,” she said. “It also threatened to severely curtail my fondness for breads, muffins, cakes––and eating in general. This diagnosis, hard to believe at first––I didn’t know a single other person who didn’t eat wheat––sent me to the kitchen in search of alternatives. Dusting off my decades-old home economics degree, I set about modifying my family recipes so I could eat them.”
Author of many books on gluten-free living, Fenster has created this easy-to-use cookbook filled with four-color recipe photos, information on shopping guidelines, explanations of food labels, tips on organizing and stocking a gluten-free pantry, plus quick tips and advice on cooking with gluten-free ingredients. All of her recipes are gluten-free and have timesaving icons identifying vegetarian recipes, children’s favorites, and quick ‘n easy recipes that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. She also provides readers with extensive information on living a gluten-free life and information on all the flours and grains used in her recipes.
The Colorado author’s recipes take advantage of new food products such as gluten-free chicken broth, flours and pastas. Surprisingly, many unsuspecting, processed foods contain gluten, such as bouillon cubes, cold cuts, candy and packaged vegetables with sauce.
In the cookbook, she tells how to make everything gluten-free from breads to main dishes. For example, she has recipes for such family favorites as spaghetti with marinara sauces, pepperoni pizza, buttermilk biscuits, flourless dark chocolate cake, chocolate brownies, and cherry pie. She makes fruit tarts in coconut crusts.
“The coconut crusts provide a crunchy contrast to the fruit and are an easy alternative to pastry crusts,” she said.
Her recipe sounds so delicious, that I intend to try it sometime. Fenster also gives her recipe for a basic gluten-free piecrust made with her sorghum flour blend, which is a basis for many dishes.
The book’s chapters are divided into sections on breakfasts; breads and muffins; soups, salads and snacks; grains, beans and pasta; main dishes; and desserts to help home cooks find the recipes they want. For more of her recipes and cooking tips, visit 1000GlutenFreeRecipes.com or www.SavoryPalate.com, the website of her company that provides cooking information for those living the gluten-free lifestyle. Recipes printed below are from 100 Best Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster.
