Flours for Gluten Free Diet

Welcome to gluten-free cooking. One of the unfortunate things about baking for the gluten-free diet is that you can't use wheat flour. there are good things bout wheat flour, like how springy and tough it is. It is literally the perfect material to make bread from. When you're living gluten-free you have to learn how to use alternative flours which do not contain gluten. Here is a list of the more basic flours.

Almost all of these flours need to be used mixed with other flours. If you do a lot of baking you will probably find that it is a good idea to find a mix you prefer and have some handy.

Arrowroot - Ground from the root of a plant. can be substituted in equal amounts for corn starch. Stores nicely and has almost no flavor.

Cornstarch - Refined corn starch (so the starch has been refined from the corn.) Not much flavor and works best in mixes. Stores nicely.

Garbanzo Bean Flour - Ground beans. Garbanzos are also called chick peas. This flour has a lot of flavor and also is rick in protein. Needs to be refrigerated.

Millet flour - This is one of the oldest grains known to man, and is a kind of grass. The flour is good for breads and works well in flour mixes. Has a lot of protein and good for nutrition. Many people really like the flavor which is described as a little sweet.

Potato flour - Basically whole potatoes dehydrated and ground up. Popular for use in sauces, stews, and gravies. It imparts a "moist crumb" to baked foods. Should only be used sparingly in flour mixes. Has a lot of potato flavor and stores nicely.

Quinoa Flour - Counts beets among its relatives. Quinoa has a delicate flavor and has lots of protein. Should only be used mixed with other flours.

Brown Rice Flour - Nutty and more fibrous than white rice, it is good for use in flours to impart a "whole grain" feel. Must be used mixed with other flours and is good in breads. Needs to be refrigerated if kept for long periods.

White Rice Flour - Ground up white rice. One of the few gluten-free flours which can be used by itself. Imparts a light texture and springyness. Not flavorful or very nutritious. Stores nicely.

Soy Flour - Good when used with other flours in mixes. Since it is a bean it has a lot of protein. Is nutty in flavor. Used especially with rice flour. Doesn't keep well.

There are lots of other kinds of flour, but these will be the easiest to get a hold of. Some gluten-free flours can be really expensive and hard to find. Good luck! If you're looking for more information, here is a great place to learn about the gluten-free diet.