Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Howdy!

I recently (read: just today) was told that I will be needing to live a gf lifestyle. I am completely new to this, and am a little puzzled at where to start. I have been looking at some of the vegan gf cookbooks and few seem alright- but I am not sure what I should be looking for. I am excited to become involved with this new style.

Do you have any suggestions/tips/advice specifically or generally?

Live Long and Propser

Here are a few I like a bunch:
Allergy Free Cook Bakes Bread http://kitteekake.blogspot.com/2012/10/ ... bread.html
Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats http://kitteekake.blogspot.com/2012/09/ ... w-and.html
Gluten-Free and Vegan Bread http://kitteekake.blogspot.com/2012/11/ ... ecker.html
Also, my zine Papa Tofu Loves Ethiopian Food is vegan and gluten-free, too. http://kitteekake.blogspot.com/p/papa-t ... -food.html

Hey! Thanks Kittee! I really appreciate the recommendations. I will definitely give these a try.

Today I tried making something sweet with a gf flour mix, and it came out terribly wrong. I looked at the package and it said it was garbanzo bean flour, are there different flours for different types of food (sweet, savory, etc)?

Were you using straight up garbanzo bean flour? I personally stay away from mixes and especially ones with bean flour in them. Try some of those books, until you get an idea for flours and flour proportions!

xo
kittee

I'm not gluten-free, but my experience with cookies and the like made with chickpea flour is that...they taste like chickpea flour! Not good.

Haha, the brownies did taste like chickpeas, which wasn't great.

It was bean flour with some starches. Is there any reason in particular that you stay away from the bean flours?

Because they taste of beans.

True, but maybe that might taste alright in bread? Maybe not, definitely not in something sweet though.

Bean flour tastes beany in baked goods, period. I generally stick to chickpea in savory food or in roux. I make a scone recipe from Flying Apron out of chickpea flour, but it' the only recipe I use it for, and even in this application it tastes beany.

I stay away from mixes in general. Mixes vary dramatically from brand to brand, so I don't believe you can just "stick" them in a recipe and expect them to work. The books I listed give specific amounts of flours and starches you need for a recipe, or have you mix up your own to use in their book.

There is really no get around, IMHO. I buy a lot of flour and starches and just try to keep them organized as best as possible.
xo
kittee

Allyson Kramer's Great Gluten Free Vegan Eats is fantastic, and I'd also recommend Dreena Burton's "Let Them Eat Vegan" (not 100% gluten-free, but I think at least 90%)

Could anyone guide me as to what might be the best vegan cookbook to give someone who is intolerant to gluten and sugar/sweeteners, doesn't use recipe books and doesn't have much cooking equipment? I know, a bit of a tall order... Maybe a book with simple meal ideas rather than detailed recipes? Specialized ingredients are not a problem since the person works in a health food store.

Thanks for all the comments. I ended up getting a good number of the books suggested. I also got a gluten free bread book by reinhart. I am looking forward to trying some new recipes, hopefully most of them will find their way to the plate rather than the trash can ! :)

I use Bob's Red Mill gluten free mix at my bakery. I make cakes, cookies, coffeecakes and more with it. It is a mix that includes some bean flour, however I've found that if I add a little extra cinnamon or whatever I'm using it tastes fine. Most of my customers who aren't gluten free end up liking the gluten free options better! I have to add in xantham gum extra, but the bag it comes in gives proportions based on what you're baking. One thing I've noticed is that things taste better with a little extra oil/fat as well. I use mostly coconut oil.

Garfava is less beany tasting to me than chickpea. I use it in a mix of other flours in almost all my cookies and they are enjoyed by xgfx and non-xgfx alike. People that don't know me don't even notice that they're not "normal"