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Sweet or Savory... Grain Free Flatbread is delish!
It is such a blast sharing these all-new, awesome grain free recipes with you this month! I love hearing you’re making and enjoying these tasty treats right along with me.

Check out this recent email from Alexa, a subscriber from Rhode Island:

“Gigi, Thank you so much for the Grain Free Chocolate Covered Sunbutter Bites recipe! I took your advice and made them for my mom for Mother’s Day! I put them in a candy box in individual white paper candy cups and tied them up with a giant pink bow. Mom loved them!! She is new to the world of food allergies (her allergies are eggs, peanuts, and wheat) and has been a little depressed over not being able to eat some of her favorite candies. She is also sensitive to rice and rice products like rice flour, rice syrup, and rice milk, so that rules out a lot of pre-packaged gluten free foods. That’s why when I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it for her. She absolutely loved them and now you have a new fan (she subscribed to your site and YouTube channel, too). Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I know I’ll make them again and again.”

So, don’t take my word for it, take Alexa’s (and her moms!). My Grain Free Chocolate Covered Sunbutter Bites are superb! If you haven’t already, be sure to whip up a batch soon. I know you’ll love them as much as Alexa and her mom do.

Thank you, Alexa, for your email. It’s inspiring to hear how something as simple as a recipe can make such a difference. Those of us living with multiple food allergies and intolerances know exactly how overwhelming, and yes, even depressing at times, navigating mealtimes can be. Food is at the core of every culture. It defines special occasions and holidays, holds memories of our childhood, and is necessary for life.

That’s why I love demystifying and simplifying gluten free (and other “free”) baking and cooking. Gaining confidence in the kitchen truly makes the difference between “just eating what we can” and really enjoying the foods we love.

This week’s recipe is definitely one for the “Foods We Love” file! I’m thrilled to show you Grain Free Flatbread is possible and delish!

I’m not talking about a dense, egg-y tasting, excuse for flatbread, either. My Grain Free Flatbread is light, airy, and bread-like! This is a versatile recipe, too! Form the dough rounds thicker for sandwich rolls you can slice in half, or thinner for tender, bendable wraps to fill with your favorite meats and/or veggies. You can also make this flatbread sweet or savory (more on this in the recipe!). No matter how you decide to make your flatbread, I know you’ll love this recipe! Let’s get in the kitchen!

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gluten free bread, gluten free biscuits, vegan bread recipes, vegan biscuit recipes
Add these chive biscuits to your gluten free brunch table!
Chives are one of my favorite spring herbs. This subdued member of the onion family, with its mild flavor and fresh green color, is a popular accent in dishes like scrambled eggs and baked potatoes.

Chives also make a flavorful addition to breads, like my Gluten Free Chive Biscuits.

Serve these at breakfast with eggs, at brunch filled with thin slices of ham, or at dinnertime to accompany your favorite spring vegetable soup. You won’t be disappointed!  

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It is hard to believe we’re wrapping up our month of reNEWal. Of course, we’ll keep renewing all year long with fresh ideas to balance and enhance our gluten free lifestyle!

We've got plenty of scrumptious ways to do just that, from using my favorite reNEWal elixir to cleanse and balance the system to making our own staple recipes like sunflower seed butter, Homemade Stock, and decadent Chocolate Chunks for baking (or snacking!).
 
We even redefined "comforting" when it comes to food and learned about how the Six Tastes Groups of Ayurveda can add satisfying variety to our gluten free diet. I received tons of email on nearly every post, but the “Six Tastes Groups of Ayurveda” post received the most...thank you!
 
Some of you told me how you’ve never seen the concept explained so clearly; others shared how what I wrote reignited a desire to explore Ayurveda all over again. Those are the reasons I write "A Side of Science" and your notes gave me a nice warm fuzzy feeling. Except one...It made me giggle.

A self-proclaimed “Man-Fan” (I love that!!) pointed out how Ayurveda leaves out a taste group... the BACON group! He explained how, to a true bacon lover, cured pork belly is in a category all its own. He also mentioned, in a super-sweet way, how I’ve left gluten free bacon loving folk feeling a little neglected.
 
He’s right. Not a single post mentions bacon. How can that be?! Some of you L-O-V-E bacon. While it's not a staple at my house, that doesn’t mean I can’t make some for you. After all, you deserve it! 

Of course, your well-being is important to me too. I don't want to share a recipes with you that might jeopardize your health. And we are talking about bacon - a food that doesn't exactly get a gold star when it comes to healthy foods. But why is that? I had to know exactly why bacon gets such negative press when it comes to a healthy diet. I thought you might be curious, too, so I did what any scientist would do... I turned to the research!
 
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I made my own chocolate chunks (yes, I made them and I've got the recipe for you here)...
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Homemade Chocolate Chunks ~ it's as simple as opening a bag of the store-bought kind!

...to add to these muffins so I'd have a terrific muffin recipe for you. To me, a terrific muffin recipe is a Staple Recipe!

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Good as Gold Gluten Free Vegan reNEWal Muffins

Here's the catch, though. You see, I planned to tell you these gluten free muffins are "incredibly good". 

But, before I used the word "good", I decided to look up the definition. I do this often, especially when I feel I'm about to use an over-used word. I've found over-use can skew a word's meaning. 

Turns out "good" is not an accurate description of my muffins at all. "Good" is really just "OK". 

{good ~ of a favorable character or tendency; suitable; fit; adequate; satisfactory}

These muffins are so much MORE than "incredibly OK"! 

From the way they came to be (my desire to create a healthy, easy muffin recipe for YOU that fits our reNEWal theme) to the nutrition packed into each one (high protein, high fiber, low fat), to the way they satisfy hunger and taste... these muffins are not good.

Perusing Merriam Webster, I discovered these muffins are "GOOD AS GOLD"!

{good as gold ~ of the highest worth or reliability}

That sums it up. A valuable recipe full of healthy, natural ingredients that can be made easily time and time again to help us renew truly is good as gold!

And that's what I want to be to you... good as gold... reliably providing you with valuable information and insights about living gluten free. I want to be your go to resource... what you think of first.

Each and every day I want you to be able to use what you find here at GlutenFreeGigi.com to improve and enhance your gluten free life. I want you to come back often and be a part of the gluten free community we are creating here. Yes. Good as Gold. That is exactly what I want GlutenFreeGigi.com to be for you!

Now, how about those good as gold muffins?



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Homemade Candied Ginger & Ginger in Syrup ~ Naturally Gluten Free!
Candied (or crystallized) ginger is a fantastic way to add a little sweet and spice to your holiday baking. It can also be a costly one if you don’t have my special way to make your own!

McCormick offers it for the special price of $9.54 for 2 ounces! That is, if you purchase three 2-ounce jars. If not, it’s a little more.

You can buy in bulk and get a better deal. Prices range from $10 to $30 per pound, depending upon how much ginger you purchase and the quality of the ginger used.

Those prices certainly aren’t palatable, but neither are some of my favorite recipes if I must omit the candied ginger. That’s why I make my own.

That’s right! I make my own candied ginger, and I’m going to share with you how to do it, too! It’s so simple and affordable, you’ll never buy candied ginger again! Fresh ginger root is available in most supermarkets. It is sold by the pound, with prices ranging from $2.99 to $4.69.

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For anyone living with Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or intolerance, or other food allergies, here’s the latest from Gluten Free Gigi’s gluten free recipe file. You’ll also find recipes that fit the Gluten Free Casein Free Diet for Autism. Enjoy!

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Gluten Free Cheesy Italian Rolls

Let Them Eat... Gluten Free Bread!
The number one request I receive for gluten free recipes is bread. A tasty, sliceable sandwich loaf that doesn’t cost a small fortune is a hot commodity in the gluten free world. That can be a tough recipe to master, even for the most accomplished baker!

When it comes to baking your own gluten free bread, at least in the beginning, a great way to start is by trying a quick bread recipe or two.

Quick breads are leavened with something besides yeast (like baking powder or baking soda, which makes bread making somewhat easier. That gives you time to get the hang of using gluten free flours, especially if you’ve never made yeast breads before going gluten free.

A quick bread recipe also means you get delicious gluten free bread on the table faster! There is no rising time like with yeast dough, hence the name.

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For all of us on a special diet due to a food allergy, here’s the latest from Gluten Free Gigi’s gluten free, dairy free, soy free, nut free recipe box, along with vegetarian and vegan options, too!

gluten free recipes, gluten free breakfast, applesauce, homemade applesauce, vegan recipes, gluten free vegan recipes
Naturally Gluten Free & Vegan Applesauce is simple and affordable!
This week’s How-To videos (click below to view):
Applesauce (Vegan)
Honey Pear Bread with Cranberries (Vegan)

~g~
Naturally gluten free, fruit makes a nutritious, tasty addition to your special diet. Apples, pears, and cranberries are autumn fruits that provide a terrific way to cut fat and still enjoy the flavors of fall during a time when it is easy to overindulge.

Adding pureed fruit to recipes like my Honey Pear Bread with Cranberries is a great way to increase the nutritional value of a simple gluten free quick bread while also reducing the amount of fat required.
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For Mother's Day, or any spring or summer day, these muffins are an absolute treat! I love lemon combined with other flavors like blueberry and coconut, but my favorite way to enjoy this refreshing citrus is all on its own. Here's the perfect way to do just that!
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Doughnut Bread - Free of gluten-soy-nuts-refined sugars & Vegan
When Melissa from "What Can I Eat?" contacted me about being a Guest Contributor on the site, I was ecstatic! Not only because this would be an excellent opportunity to share more simple gluten-freedom with an entirely new group, but also because this is an Australian site!
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Gluten-Soy-Nut-Free Vegan Lamingtons
If you haven't been reading, and wonder why this is a big deal to me, please read my post where I share a gluten-soy-nut-free vegan version of Lamingtons. Australia, I love you!

But today, it's not the lamingtons that I'm sharing for this first guest post.
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Hot Cross Buns! Hot Cross Buns!
One a penny, two a penny - Hot Cross Buns!

Remember that rhyme? It always made me hungry as a child. And as an adult. Actually, it still does. Good thing I've got a pan of...Easter Sweet Rolls rising.

You thought I was going to say Hot Cross Buns, didn't you? Well, prior to going gluten-free, I made these fruity, spicy rolls at Easter time for years until I realized that I was the only one eating them. We don't really have any huge raisin or currant fans in the house, and when my oldest daughter realized that those weren't chocolate chips in there, she was kind of over the whole hot cross buns thing. It seemed the dough play, X-mark of icing, and rhyme singing were not enough.

I abandonded my Easter bun baking for several years, but after going gluten-free, it occurred to me - we can have our own version of these sweet Easter rolls. We have our own version of everything else. You see, that's what going gluten-free can do for a girl...it can open your mind to the new, exciting possibilities that food can offer. It forces you outside the box, and I think that's a great place to be!

So, much as I love British cuisine, I tossed out tradition and got my buns in the kitchen...and here's what I came up with...a bun for everyone!

Sure, I know it's not the traditional Hot Cross Bun, but it's really, really tasty; slightly sweet from the honey inside and the glaze on top, sturydy, yet tender, and best of all - no dairy, no eggs, only a bit of heart healthy olive oil, and honey as a natural sweetener. And on top - no crosses - no point in misleading folks. I added what I like to call "nature's sprinkles" - fresh citrus zest. I used lemon, orange is also tasty! Give them a try - enjoy!

Easter Sweet Rolls
1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup cornstarch (or tapioca flour)
1 cup King Arthur gluten-free multipurpose flour blend (I believe you could sub a combination of other flours here, such as brown or white rice, teff, amaranth, millet, quinoa, etc. - I would try a blend of 3 of these, using 1/3 cup of each)
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/4 ounce yeast
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon mace
1/4 teaspoon ginger
3/4 cup coconut milk creamer
1/4 cup very light olive oil
1/4 cup honey (or other sweetener)
Egg replacer (prepared) to equal 1 large egg (if you eat eggs, use 1 large egg)

For brushing rolls after baking:
1 Tablespoon honey
1/2 Tablespoon Earth Balance (or other dairy-free) buttery spread (I use soy-free)

For topping rolls after glazing:
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon or orange zest (for sprinkling on top after baking)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a baking pan (or line with parchment).

In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, yeast, xanthan gum, and spices. Stir with a whisk to combine.

Heat coconut milk creamer until very warm (about 115 degrees F); add oil and honey; stir.

Add warm liquid and egg replacer to dry ingredients. Stir until mixture forms a dough that is moist, but stays together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Divide the dough evenly into 16 portions, shape each into a ball, and place in the prepared pan close to one another (approximately 1 inch apart).

Cover with a lint-free, clean kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place (I place my pan on top of my oven - the heat from preheating helps the rising) for about 40 minutes.

Bake rolls for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Stir honey & Earth Balance together until smooth. Remove rolls from the oven and brush with the honey/Earth Balance mixture. Top with citrus zest. Serve warm.
Makes 16 rolls (approx. 2 1/2-inches across)
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