SPLENDID GLUTEN-FREE BAKE MIX 2

SPLENDID GLUTEN-FREE BAKE MIX 2

This is the bake mix I favor these days. Gelatin is very healthy for the digestive and immune system and does not cause digestive distress like xanthan gum can. Gelatin helps bind the wet ingredients and also the dry “flour” components of the bake mix to prevent crumbly outcomes, which is what the xanthan gum accomplished in the original bake mix. For the record, I never weigh the ingredients! This is a very forgiving bake mix and so easy to use. There is so much one can do with it! I love it and it totally changed my low-carb lifestyle. If you do not want the oat flour, you can look at some of the alternatives or use this bake mix in pre-maintenance and maintenance levels of the Atkins diet. Please read the older link for the bake mix for tons of info on how wonderful gelatin and oat flour are for our health, let alone the heart-healthy almond flour. If I only mention the former bake mix, it typically means the recipe has only been tested using it, however, I believe that the two bake mixes are typically fully interchangeable! This is the updated version as seen in revised copies of our Low-Carbing Among Friends cookbooks. Volumes 1, 3 and 4 have been revised and are organized by category, instead of by author. They have lots of lovely photos. Volume 5 also has photos and is organized by category. Volume 2 and 5 are the next books that are being revised. I am hoping to have a new cookbook one of these days in addition to Kindle books (my recipes only with perhaps a few from each of the team of Low-Carbing Among Friends). Note: I used to use almond meal (using sliced almonds and a coffee bean grinder), but these days I feel enormously blessed to be able to order 25 lbs of the best almond flour ever from Honeyville Grains online). ADDING GELATIN: Here is a little known secret: The truth is that most recipes will work without adding in the gelatin with the wet ingredients of a batter. I almost always leave gelatin out of cookie recipes. Gelatin is only used to prevent crumbly outcomes, because the Gluten-Free Low-Carb Bake Mix is made up of several components. However, if I have mentioned that I used gelatin in a recipe, it is safer to leave it in, because that is how the recipe was tested. However, when you branch out and make your own favorite recipes and are experimenting anyway, feel free to leave out the gelatin. NOTE: There is now a Gluten-Free, Grain-Free Low-Carb Bake Mix that can be used cup-for-cup instead of this one or Gluten-Free Bake Mix 1: Click here for the recipe.

12/3 cups almond meal, OR (400 mL; 182 g)

almond flour

3/4 cup certified GF oat flour, (175 ml; 100 g)

(Bob’s Red Mill®, not Legacy Valley®)

2 tbsp coconut flour, (30 mL)

(Bob’s Red Mill®)

In large bowl, combine almond meal (grind sliced almonds in coffee bean grinder), OR almond flour, oat flour and coconut flour. In container with airtight lid, place bake mix and shake well to combine. When measuring oat flour (only with the oat flour) into measuring cup, make sure to tap the cup on the counter top and fill to top to get the correct yield for the bake mix. Keep bake mix at room temperature for up to one month or freeze or refrigerate for longer storage.

Instructions for substituting the bake mix in your own flour-containing recipes: Add 1/4 cup (60 mL) additional bake mix when substituting for 1 cup (250 mL) or more than 1 cup (250 mL) flour and use 2 tbsp (30 mL) more if substituting for less than 1 cup (250 mL). Always begin by adding an extra egg in muffins, loaves, cakes and coffee cakes, except for cookies and except if bake mix required is less than or equal to 1 cup (250 mL). Withhold 1/4 cup (60 mL) of liquid/wet or fat ingredients; add in as needed (usually need it all). If batter after processing at least a minute is still too thick, add more of the wet ingredients, and if accidentally the batter ends up too sloppy, then add a little more bake mix. If all the liquid has been used and the batter is still too stiff, add another egg.

Adding Gelatin: Use 1/2 tsp (2 mL) unflavored gelatin for less than and equal to 1 cup (250 mL) Gluten-Free Bake Mix. For more than 1 cup (250 mL), use 1 tsp (5 mL) gelatin. For 2 cups (500 mL) or more use 11/2 tsp (7 mL) gelatin. Gelatin is added to wet ingredients in a food processor or mixer and mixed well. Add dry ingredients and process until well combined. That’s it. It couldn’t be easier! Here is a little known secret: The truth is that most recipes will work without adding in the gelatin with the wet ingredients of a batter. I almost always leave gelatin out of cookie recipes. Gelatin is only used to prevent crumbly outcomes, because the Gluten-Free Low-Carb Bake Mix is made up of several components. Some of the health Benefits of Gelatin

Applications: Gelatin option works in muffins, biscuits, donuts, cakes, donuts, scones, loaves, bundt cakes, cupcakes, squares and cookies. The gluten-free bake mixes need eggs in almost all applications. Gelatin is not always required; usually it is self-explanatory - for example, breading, crusts, etc. or simply where I’ve elected to omit it in a recipe. The other thing, too, is that many recipes will be fine without gelatin. Sometimes I simply forget to add it and it works!

Cookies: Often cookies do not require gelatin. If you notice on my blog or Facebook or in this book that I have a cookie recipe without gelatin, it simply means it worked without. Keep number of eggs called for in cookie recipes the same and follow the instructions for replacing flour with the bake mix. Cookies will usually be somewhat fragile immediately out of the oven. Allow to cool completely on the cookie sheet and using a thin metal spatula, place cookies in a container for the freezer or refrigerator (separate with wax or parchment paper).

Alternatives for Oat Flour, Almond Flour and Coconut Flour: Please note there is now a gluten-free, grain-free low-carb bake mix: click here. If you are intolerant to certified gluten-free oat flour (could be the avenin), substitute some other gluten-free flour like sorghum flour, which others have had success with in the bake mix. Other ideas: quinoa flour (a seed not a grain works very well, however, it might have a strong taste – try Bob’s Red Mill® and toasting the flour first to create a mild taste and store in the freezer), Carbalose flour, Spelt flour (weak and a different gluten to wheat), Einkorn flour, an ancient, healthy wheat (last three are not gluten-free – available at Netrition.com or Amazon). I like the health profile of oat flour (it makes up a small portion of the bake mix and helps our baking taste more normal), as it lowers cholesterol very effectively. It now turns out that oat flour is actually Paleo, as ancient stones were analyzed and oat flour remnants were discovered. Instead of almond flour, use sunflower seed flour (baking soda will turn baked goods greenish; use baking powder) or hazelnut flour. Others have tried pumpkin seed flour: here. Instead of coconut flour, use golden flax seed meal or possibly oat fiber. You could experiment with half oat flour and half oat fiber. To sit down to a bowl of oats for most of us is no longer something we can do, however, using the bake mix with the oat flour diluted by twice the amount of almond flour, the insulin response in a small portion of a recipe will be much less than sitting down to a bowl of oats, which is not recommended for most of us with insulin resistance, weight issues, or just simply being older. Note: I have just order Buckwheat flour which apparently has no particular harsh flavor anymore. That may work instead of oat flour, too. It is not a grain in case you are wondering. This is an alternative for grain-free folks, same as the quinoa flour. I will be testing the buckwheat flour. I already know that quinoa works very well, however, one has to get rid of the strong taste as I mentioned above.

Helpful Hints: I buy NOW® Brand gelatin in a 1 lb (0.45 kg) bag from Netrition.com. One can use regular, store-bought, unflavored gelatin instead. If substituting this bake mix for some of my other more robust bake mixes, then 2 tbsp (30 mL) to 1/4 cup (60 mL) more of this bake mix will be required depending if one is replacing less than 1 cup (250 mL) or 1 cup (250 mL) or more (last 2, latter amount). Follow same rules. It is convenient to double, triple or quadruple the bake mix. Almond meal: sliced almonds or blanched almonds ground in a coffee bean grinder (it is coarser than almond flour). Honeyville Grains makes the best almond flour at a good price – available online in bulk). I keep mine in large, sealable plastic bags in the freezer or refrigerator. I buy 25 lbs at a time.

*If you are using the gelatin application for my recipes that use the original Splendid Gluten-Free Bake Mix 1, page 241, it should be a straight exchange, however, you can make small adjustments with more bake mix or liquid. I usually keep my bake mix in the container shown above. We have a hot and humid climate and we don't use air conditioning other than in the one bedroom. It normally is fine at room temperature in the airtight container for at least a month . If I need to store leftovers for longer, I freeze it and typically use that for "breading" veggies and fish, etc., as usually I don't have a lot to freeze. However, after thawing completely and shaking it in your container to mix well, it should be good to go for baking. I have also used it straight out of the freezer - somehow with the other ingredients in the bake mix, it typically doesn't form clumps, which almond flour on its own has a tendency to do when frozen (just use your food processor (use the pulse button) to process briefly to get rid of clumps). Yield: 21/2 cups (625 mL) 1/4 cup (60 mL) per serving 125.0 calories 4.5 g protein 8.9 g fat 5.7 g net carbs

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