Pantry & Other Staples
One of the most important components to a happy xgfx belly is a well stocked pantry. Until the day when we can go to a market and pick up foods that are pre-made and guaranteed to be both animal friendly and void of gluten, we just have to make our own damn cookies.
Fats
Vegan Margarine: There are a few margarines on the market that are animal friendly. Earth Balance is probably the most widely available and it tastes and cts just like butter. It is also gluten fee and comes in soy free as well.
Coconut Oil: This stuff is an amazing natural replacement for hydrogenated shortening (Crisco etc.).
Non-Hydrogenated Shortening: Usually made form palm or coconut oil, this stuff works just like Crisco, even leaving you with that “bad for you” greasy aftertaste.
Olive Oil: Use it in baking or just drizzling onto pasta.
Safflower Oil: Great for high temperature cooking. Light flavored and very versatile.
Other Vegetable Oils
Sugar
Many of the table sugars are not vegan by means of processing through bone char to make the sugar whiter and brighter. Buying organic sugar is a good way to ensure your sugar is vegan.
You should be able to locate fairly easily organic varieties of sugar such as:
Turbinado
Evaporated Cane Juice
Brown Sugar
Powdered Sugar
Honey
These are wonderful honey replacements… and they can also be used as refined sugar replacements if cavities and sugar highs aren’t so much your thing.
Agave
Maple Syrup
Brown Rice Syrup (just make sure it’s labeled gluten-free)
Milk
Almond Milk: A non-dairy milk that is growing quickly in popularity. Tastes and acts eerily similar to dairy milk. Excellent sweetened or unsweetened, and very versatile.
Hemp Milk: A hearty milk that has a fairly low fat content and is packed with protein.
Soy Milk: Excellent all purpose milk. Comes sweetened and unsweetened, flavored and not. Works just like whole dairy milk in recipes.
Rice Milk: Thinner in consistency and is very similar in texture to skim dairy milk.
Coconut Milk: Light coconut flavor and very rich.
Coconut Cream: Works exactly like heavy whipping cream. Use to make ice cream, whipped cream, cream sauce or anywhere you would use heavy cream. Chilling makes it even more firm… and the thickness will vary by brand.
Other Staples
Agar Agar: Can be bought in flakes or bars. Use in place of gelatin.
Arrowroot Powder : a thickener like cornstarch, but more neutral tasting. mixes well at lower temps and can be cooked longer than cornstarch & doesn’t give as cloudy of results when used in sauces and such. use arrowroot in acidic dishes. use when the dish or sauce is to be frozen later. cornstarch gets spongy when frozen.
Baking Powder: This common pantry staple may actually have gluten lurking about… so beware, and as always, read the labels.
Flax Seeds: Ground flax seeds can be used as an egg replacer in baked goods. For 1 “egg” combine 1 tbsp of ground flax seed with 3 tbsp of warm water. Mix until “eggy” and you’re all set.
Silken Tofu: Use as an egg replacer in baked goods, or puree along with some spices and flavorings for a quick Alfredo type sauce. About 1/4 cup of this stuff, well blended, equals 1 large egg.
Gluten-Free Flour Blends
Gluten-free flour mixes can sometimes seem like your best friend – they’re there for you if you’re just starting out xgfx and feeling a little intimidated, haven’t quite developed your favorite mix yet, and the commercial mixes are great for when you haven’t got the time (or the cash) to restock the flours you need, or just want something easy peasy so you can sit back and relax a little. For times like these you can rely on those gluten-free flour mixes to meet your needs. Here are just a few…
DIY
Bryanna-Clark Grogan’s Gluten Free Flour Blends
Gluten Free Gobsmacked’s Flour Blends
Carol Fenster’s Gluten Free Flour Blends
Commercial Mixes
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Mixes
* Indicates the company is entirely xgfx, if you don’t see the * make sure to check ingredients as not all the mixes offered will be xgfx.
Please keep in mind, the lists on this page are not reviews or endorsements, but simply a compendium to help our readers find vegan and gluten-free resources.
Gluten Free Baked Goods by Courser Farm Kitchen
Tuesday Linkage
Halloween Goodies!
Julie Hasson’s Not So Secret Love Affair
