No, really. You cannot live without it. Consider it this way – your life has not begun because you have not purchased this book.

The Gluten Free Every Day Cookbook by Robert M Landolphi should be your bible. Live by it, learn to love cooking food again because of it, and make others jealous with all the things you can eat from it.

Notable things to love about this cookbook:

1. You don’t need any fancy ingredients.
2. Most of the meals can be made in less than 30min.
3. The cooking instructions are simple and easy to follow.
4. There are tid bits of information throughout that make GF living a little easier. For example: Lists of Celiac Organizations all over the world and easy ways to help prevent cross contamination in your kitchen.

BUY IT. LOVE IT. Then thank me for showing it to you!

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These are questions that we all think about. All the research I’ve done has lead me in circles. There are different views on the topic, the legalities of GF can be very unclear and each person I’ve spoken too has different levels of comfort with the topic.

Given the complexity of the issue – I am not prepared to comment directly on the topic, nor am I comfortable making recommendations. I will continue to research and when I feel comfortable talking at length about it I will.

Until that point I’d like to simply draw your attention to an organization I have come across: The Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO).

The GFCO mission statement is:

Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) provides an independent service to supervise gluten-free food production according to a consistent, defined, science-based standard that is confirmed by field inspections, in order to achieve heightened consumer confidence and safety.

Give it a look, it’s worth consideration and recognition.

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Well, here’s a piece of information for you: Buttercream Bake Shoppe thinks you’re funny.

Back story: I went to the Bridal Fair in Calgary this weekend. Planning a wedding is a big job and I thought it would be a great place to gather ideas and get a look at what options are available. And, one of the things I’m always thinking about is GF cakes. I love wedding cakes. And since it’s MY wedding I WILL have a great cake. It’s not my fault I have a gluten allergy and therefore I will spend the next year looking for the best GF wedding cake around. Case in point – the wedding fair. It gave me access to a number of bakeries in Calgary and allowed me the opportunity to ask if GF is even an option.

This is where Buttercream Bake Shoppe comes into the story. They had a great booth set up and a crowd of people gathered. They were professional looking, interactive and all smiles. AND they were all laughs when I asked if they did GF wedding cakes.

Here’s how the conversation went down:

Cake Lady: Hi ladies, would you like to to try a sample of our chocolate cake?

Me: What are the chances that is gluten free ~smirk and smile~

Cake Lady: (insert laugh out loud) Um, no it’s definitely not.

Me: Do you make gluten free cakes?

Cake Lady: (insert more laughing) Um, NO. You see, our concept is to make cakes out of the freshest ingredients. Fresh creams, organic wheat’s – you know, all the best ingredients. There is no way we would be able to do a gluten free cake and still maintain our quality. So, no we wont do gluten free cakes (insert more laughing)

Me: Oh I guess you’re right. It is a total downer to me. (insert stern look)

Cake Lady: Um…ya.

So the moral of the story: Buttercream Bake Shoppe thinks that being you interferes with their business. So, no, they wont help you. They’ll just laugh at you.

On a surprising and happy note: CO-OP does make GF wedding cakes and so does Nectar Desserts. We do have options and people do recognize us. I’ll be blogging more on that later. It’s not all doom and gloom…at least it’s not if you avoid Buttercream Bake Shop.

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I happen to find that word funny. Why? No idea. But every time I type it or read it I find myself giggling. Immature? Yes. Apologies? No.

Legumes comprise one of the largest groups in the planet kingdom. They include a variety of beans, lentils, peas etc. Recent concerns regarding the lack of dietary fiber and the abundance of fat in present day diets has brought legumes back into the spotlight. The emergence of Celiac Disease in the general consciousness of society and chefs has also contributed to the rise in popularity of legumes as a gluten substitute.

Legume flours offer a great substitute for wheat flour. This flour alternative is high in fiber, protein, and calcium – three things absolutely lacking from traditional wheat flour. The extra sugar and protein in legume flour flour makes it great for baking  and cooking. Caution: Due to the lack of gluten, a leavening agent should be added. Gluten free baking powder could work.

Practical Applications

Garbanzo bean flour is a great thickening agent. It adds a stronger flavour then wheat flour. Garbanzo flour can be used in breads, cakes, and in combination with cornstarch, tapioca flour and/or Romano bean flour.

* Garbanzo beans are also referred to as Chickpeas. I personally just like the word Garbanzo better then chickpea. If there was a gluten free super hero I might suggest Captain Garbanzo as a great title. I may even fashion up a cape and some tights and go as Captain Garbanzo for Halloween next year!

Stoneground Romano Whole Bean Flour: A dark coloured flour best used in recipes where the particular beany taste will not be overpowering, such as those with spices and/or fruits and nuts.

Helpful hint: Soaking legumes in water will help to reduce cooking time and produce a better texture result. Discarding one or more batches of soaking water helps eliminate the complex sugars that can cause bowel upset.

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