This is a documentation of my attempt to make the recipe at:
http://www.sheletthemeatcake.com/2010/09/gluten-free-and-vegan-apple-bread/#.T69efL8zJ6F
I had some apples that needed to get used before they went over the edge. While I'm not vegan, only dairy free, I was excited to find this recipe which is not only gluten-free and vegan but very focused on coconut which I am very into these days. No refined sugar is a plus too! I went into this experience knowing this wouldn't be decadent delight, but a good snack or an emergency breakfast.
The recipe given on the website, with my adaptations in parenthesis:
1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour mix (1/2 cup Gluten Free Pantry mix and 1 cup coconut flour)
2 tsp organic cinnamon (have you tasted the difference?)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 1/2 tbsp of ground flax combined with 3 tbsp warm water (ground Chia)
1 cup coconut sugar (I used coconut crystals - I think that's what they meant)
1/2 cup melted coconut oil, plus more for brushing
1 cup peeled, shredded apple (I put 1 1/2 apples in the food processors, which was more than 1 cup, all of which I put into the batch)
My batch:
The ground chia seed and water combination was very thick, but mixed okay with the apples. I'm sure ground flax seed would work much better, but I didn't have any. The apples smelled like a great apple cider, the cinnamon was fragrant. I was getting excited about the potential. Once everything was mixed together, the dough was not as I expected. I was never a big baker until I went gluten free and have recently been making muffins and brownies with pre-made mixes. These have been much more liquid. Worried about how dry the dough was, first added 1/4 cup almond/coconut milk. I added another 1/4 cup. Still not as fluid as I thought it should be, but I was afraid to add anything else. At this point I was able to smooth it out in the pan decently, so I threw it in the oven. After the recommended time, I felt it needed more. It started to brown on the edge, so even though it seemed very moist still, I took it out. After my friends and I sampled some, I'd say it's good but amazing. I'd be willing to try it once more using flax seeds.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
About Me and My Blog
Hello readers.
I am gluten-free. This is not a choice. I'm not following a fad. I'm not trying to lose weight. A doctor diagnosed me with Celiac disease and explained to me how eating even tiny amounts of gluten could cause me to develop cancer, osteoporosis or other serious health issues.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder, where the immune system attacks the small intestine when gluten is present. This damage causes malnutrition, and can result in a variety of complications as mentioned above, including more immediate symptoms: stomach pain, lethargy, depression and anxiety, irregular bowel movements, brittle bones, tooth decay are some of the common ones.
When I was recently in the phase of getting a diagnosis, which took a long time and was not easy to diagnose, many people asked me if I had ever tried a gluten-free diet before. Well, yes, I thought I had. But with my recent education on gluten-free issues, I realized that I probably hadn't been 100% gluten free since there is so much hidden gluten and gluten contamination is a huge issue for Celiacs. Additionally, I had only tried it for about a month, but as it turns out, it can take 3-6 months for the small intestine to recover after eating gluten.
It has been very hard to be assured that I am 100% gluten-free if I eat out. Because of this, I am avoiding restaurants more and more and focusing on cooking at home. I always enjoyed cooking, but never was a great cook. I am creative and can make stuff up, but since going gluten-free, I have been trying several recipes and wanted to share what I've learned from these experiences. Additionally, I wanted to share with you my experiences looking for gluten-free products, including bath and beauty products.
Also note, I cannot tolerate dairy and the Paleo diet has been recommended to me by several health practitioners.
I am gluten-free. This is not a choice. I'm not following a fad. I'm not trying to lose weight. A doctor diagnosed me with Celiac disease and explained to me how eating even tiny amounts of gluten could cause me to develop cancer, osteoporosis or other serious health issues.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder, where the immune system attacks the small intestine when gluten is present. This damage causes malnutrition, and can result in a variety of complications as mentioned above, including more immediate symptoms: stomach pain, lethargy, depression and anxiety, irregular bowel movements, brittle bones, tooth decay are some of the common ones.
When I was recently in the phase of getting a diagnosis, which took a long time and was not easy to diagnose, many people asked me if I had ever tried a gluten-free diet before. Well, yes, I thought I had. But with my recent education on gluten-free issues, I realized that I probably hadn't been 100% gluten free since there is so much hidden gluten and gluten contamination is a huge issue for Celiacs. Additionally, I had only tried it for about a month, but as it turns out, it can take 3-6 months for the small intestine to recover after eating gluten.
It has been very hard to be assured that I am 100% gluten-free if I eat out. Because of this, I am avoiding restaurants more and more and focusing on cooking at home. I always enjoyed cooking, but never was a great cook. I am creative and can make stuff up, but since going gluten-free, I have been trying several recipes and wanted to share what I've learned from these experiences. Additionally, I wanted to share with you my experiences looking for gluten-free products, including bath and beauty products.
Also note, I cannot tolerate dairy and the Paleo diet has been recommended to me by several health practitioners.
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