Carla's Gluten Free Recipe Box
1,900 Gluten Free Recipes by Retired Recipe Developer, Carla Spacher
Articles on gluten-free ingredients such as sugar substitutes, replacements, warnings on cross-contamination, gluten free flour, ways of saving money and more.
Learn how to use xanthan gum from my over 13 years of gluten free recipe development for manufacturers as well as the general public. View the chart showing how much xanthan gum to use in different types of gluten free recipes. Many people who are just beginning a gluten free diet wish to know what xanthan gum is and if it contains any allergens. Learn all of the above as well as how it effects your digestive tract.
Continue reading “How to Use Xanthan Gum”
Often times, going gluten free isn’t enough. If you’ve decided to try or are already on a dairy free, you’ll many substitutes for dairy items. Let’s get started by addressing a dairy free substitute for butter!
Read more: Dairy Free Substitute for Butter (Gluten Free)Butter is usually the hardest dairy item to substitute. Let’s look at what butter is made: 80% fat + 20% water.
Coconut Oil or Refined Coconut Oil
I have tried using 80% refined organic coconut oil (refined doesn’t have any coconut flavor) plus 20% water and it came pit awfully close, but just did not quite contain enough fat. So, when using refined or regular coconut oil, try using 80% + 20% full-fat coconut milk or 90% coconut oil + 10% water.
Palm Oil
My favorite substitute for butter or coconut oil using the above formula is palm oil made by either Essential Depot or Okanarur. I first began using palm oil in gluten free vegan cookies for a recipe development client and they all turned out amazing! He thought so as well.
Your Feedback
Let me know how it goes by commenting below.
Continue reading “Dairy Free Substitute for Butter (Gluten Free)”
Making a pina colada soon? There’s no need to make a special trip to the store to buy a can of Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut (which most people call coconut cream). You can make your own homemade coconut cream mix using a can of full-fat coconut cream (or even light). If you’re a gluten free baker, you probably have all you need right in your pantry/cupboards. Just use three simple ingredients.
Continue reading “Homemade Cream of Coconut (Coco Lopez Substitute)”
Learn to make yogurt that is creamier than you can buy in the stores, which you can make sugar-free, refined-sugar-free, or using the sweeteners of your choosing. You can even make lactose-free yogurt as I did, pictured above. Read how easy it all is to do! See Notes section to make Greek Yogurt.
Continue reading “Yogurt Recipe (Lactose-Free, Dairy-Free, Traditional, Custard, or Greek)”
Have you ever wondered what you can use to substitute molasses in my Gluten Free Pumpernickel Bread Recipe or how to add color to gravies? Or maybe you have wondered what you can use to replace caramel color in a commercial product when trying to duplicate their recipe. Wonder no more! This super easy caramel color recipe will add not only color to your recipes but flavor as well. Continue reading “Caramel Color Recipe – Gluten Free – Browning Syrup – Burnt Sugar Syrup”
After years of trying to help those with food allergies, I have come up with a new, amazing recipe for a buttermilk substitute. This magic mixture may be made with or without dairy. Whether dairy tolerant or not, buttermilk is a gluten-free baker’s best friend. It makes cakes and biscuits lighter and rise higher, meat and poultry tender, and adds a little tangy flavor to bread and other baked goods. This recipe makes a buttermilk substitute that is the same consistency of regular buttermilk. While you do not need lemon juice or vinegar, a specialty ingredient is required, available on Amazon. Continue reading “Dairy Free Buttermilk Substitute Recipe (Vegan) – Faux Buttermilk”
Food coloring is usually gluten free, but after reading an article about one person having a gluten reaction to a yellow food coloring that was confirmed to contain gluten, I always purchase brands labeled or sold as gluten free.
Food coloring comes in a few varieties such as powdered, liquid, and gel/paste. I don’t use any commercial brand of powdered coloring, but I explain all of the others available that I know are gluten free and safe for anyone to use. I even explain how to make your own at home. Continue reading “Gluten Free Food Coloring Brands and Homemade”
Whenever you’re throwing a birthday party, whether it is immediately family or a huge crowd, you do have to consider your guests, not just the birthday person. Therefore, it’s important to serve a gluten free cake that no one will be tell it’s gluten free. I’ve included a couple recipes that people rave about whether they are on a gluten or gluten free diet. People are known to say, “This is the best chocolate/carrot cake I’ve ever had!” I’ve also included a few answers to frequently asked questions. Enjoy! Continue reading “Gluten Free Birthday Cake Recipe & FAQs”
Buckwheat may sound like it contains wheat or gluten, it does not. In addition, to being gluten free, it is also grain free as it is actually a seed, not a grain. Just be sure to purchase a brand that is labeled gluten free. When it is not, it may contain wheat or other gluten grains due to its processing method.
Interestingly, while wheat tends to spike glucose levels, buckwheat lowers them. There are several studies that show a patient’s glucose levels lowered after consuming buckwheat on a regular basis. Not only do the whole grains helps control diabetes and the prevention of same, but products baked with buckwheat flour do such as well. Continue reading “Is Buckwheat Gluten Free? – Diabetes + 5 Recipes”
I am interested in making a copycat recipe of the Gluten Free Trios that some of the girl scout troops are selling this year. The Trios are just amazing cookies! However, I noticed that one of the ingredients is invert sugar (the consistency of high fructose corn syrup, but different). It keeps baked goods moist without crystallizing. Honey will work the same; however, invert sugar does the job without imparting a honey flavor. Not having on hand, I decided to make some myself. I hope you appreciate the recipe, as it is extremely easy to learn how to make invert sugar. However, you can also purchase invert sugar online. Continue reading “How to Make Invert Sugar: The Secret to Moist Cookies”