More often than not, I continually find myself  having to source G/F and D/F products for my recipes. Some of these I use only every now and then, whereas others have become a staple of my refrigerator or pantry!

And once I have found something that I really like, I often look for or create recipes that I can use this product in more.

However, the problem with a lot of products is that they are often either G/F or D/F, but not always both! So finding the raw ingredients to create my own version of a product often ends up being easier. However, there is also a lot of experimenting, through trial and error, until I get to the stage where I’m happy with the end result. Also, once you get the hang of it, it often ends up being cheaper to make it yourself than buy a product off the shelf.

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Products

In terms of  ‘brands’ that I use, I have come to find the following as both trusted and of good quality when formulating recipes. They are my personal preferences (until I find anything else that is better!), but I know that not all of them are available everywhere. However, I hope it gives you an idea of the sorts of products that I use in my recipes.

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Product Replacements

As I said before, sometimes you just can’t get the product you need or get one that meets with all of your dietary requirements. This is where I have found it is easier to just make it. So after constant searching around the net and tweaking my own ‘formulas’, I have come up with some of the following methods for product replacement for my recipes. Where these have come from helpful contacts, blogs or other resources online, I have provided you with a link to the original recipe.

Coming Soon

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Staple Ingredients

With all of my recipe ideas and creations, there are staple ingredients that I just cannot do without. These are the one’s that are always in my refrigerator or pantry and I regularly use and replace. 

Agar Agar – un-flavoured and un-coloured, which you can readily find in Asian Grocery Stores

Apple Cider Vinegar – I use the Lotus Organic Foods or Naturals by Melrose brands

Cacao Nibs – I use the Power Super Foods brand

Cacao Powder – I use the Power Super Foods brand

Coconut Palm Sugar – I use the Power Super Foods brand

Coconut Syrup – I use the Niulife brand

Dark Muscovado Sugar – Billingtons is the one I prefer to use

Desiccated Coconut – I use the Eco brand 

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil – I use either the Eco Organics or Banaban brands

Extra Virgin Light Olive Oil – available in any supermarket

Gelatine – available in any supermarket

Guar Gum – I use the Lotus Organic Foods brand

Light Muscovado Sugar – Billingtons is the one I prefer to use

Macadamia Oil – I use Pressed Purity brand

Natural Honey – available in any supermarket

Nutritional Yeast Flakes – I use the Bragg brand

Pure Maple Syrup – Canadian Organic is always the best, available in any supermarket

Pure Vanilla Extract – I use the Premium Gourmet Food brand

Rapadura Sugar – I use the Eco Organics brand

Raw Organic Sugar – available in any supermarket

Sea Salt Flakes – I use Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

Shredded Coconut – I use the Eco Organics brand

Vanilla Sugar – I make my own by storing spent vanilla bead pods in a jar full of caster sugar

Xanthum Gum – I use the Lotus Organic Foods or Nu-Vit brand

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Flours 

With so many foods having flour in them, one of the main issues with any G/F recipe is finding which one’s you are going to use as a replacement. Some of these are available ‘off the shelf’, but these don’t always do the job. Often they end up making your creations too heavy, too light, too dry, too crumbly…..you know the story!! So I found myself spending quite a bit of time in the early days trialing different home blends of different flours, until I got the right mix for what I happened to be making. Of course, a lot of the time, some of this comes down to personal preference and taste.

The main flours that I use in my recipes and creations are:

Amaranth Flour – I use the The Gluten Free Company brand

Arrowroot Starch – I use The Gluten Free Company brand

Brown Rice Flour – I use either the Coles or The Gluten Free Company brand

Buckwheat Flour – I use Chef’s Choice, The Gluten Free Company or Coles brand

Chick Pea Flour – also known as Besan Flour, I use the Lotus Organic Foods brand

Coconut Flour – I use the Eco Organics brand

Corn Flour – also known as Corn Starch in Australia, I use The Gluten Free Company brand

Millet Flour – I use the Chef’s Choice or The Gluten Free Company brand

Potato Starch – not to be confused with Potato Flour, I use The Gluten Free Company brand

Quinoa Flour – I use the Lotus Organic Foods or The Gluten Free Company brand

Sorgham Flour – I use the Bob’s Red Mill brand

Sweet Rice Flour – also known as Glutenous Rice Flour, which you can readily find in Asian Grocery Stores

Tapioca Starch –  I use the The Gluten Free Company brand

Teff Flour –  I use the Bob’s Red Mill brand

White Rice Flour – available in any supermarket

But at the end of the day, most people just want to create something that is as close to the gluten filled version of what they are making. Be it a bread, a cake, a pie or a pastry, there is nothing quite as satisfying as creating something which those who can tolerate gluten not only eat, but enjoy without knowing it is G/F. And every now and then, they actually prefer the G/F alternative!!!

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Packaged Foods

Although I’m never a big advocate for packaged foods, sometimes even I don’t feel like baking or cooking! So I try to have something in the freezer that I can just pull out and re-heat whenever I need it. Again, these are just some of the products and brands that I have found to be great, when either you don’t have the time or the inclination to get your inner domestic goddess working!! 

Silly Yaks – make a great range of G/F foods, with many of them also being dairy, egg, nut and/or yeast free

Gluten Free Bakery – make a large range of sweet and savoury gluten free products 

Zehnder – make a really good range of bread

Bodhi’s Bakehouse – our local G/F bakers, who make a wonderful range of breads

Schar – an International Brand, which is sold just about everywhere these days

Country Life  or Burgen – are the sliced breads we tend to use the most 

Again, these are just some of the brands which we use. So check out your local supermarket or specialist store to find out what’s in your area.