05 May Top Ten Gluten-Free Pantry Essentials

If you love whipping up delicious cakes, muffins and desserts, but want to keep those goodies healthy, this is the perfect place to start. The Faithful to Nature Baking range is full of gluten-free, vegan-friendly ingredients for all your family’s favourite recipes – and the list below will give you a guideline on how to use those baking essentials, and why they’re so good for you.

1. Agar Powder

What is it?

• The perfect vegan-friendly alternative to gelatine
• Perfect thickening and stabilising agent
• Ideal for jellies, jams & cheesecake

What makes it special?

• Gluten-free, fat-free, sugar-free
• Made from a sea vegetable
• Source of potassium
• A rich source of fibre (approx. 80%!)

2. Agave

What is it?

• A healthy sugar alternative
• Use to replace refined cane sugar in baked goods
• Use to sweeten coffee or tea

What makes it special?

• Suitable for diabetics
• Low GI
• Vegan-friendly
• Very low calorie content
• 30% sweeter than sugar! A little goes a long way

3. Almond Flour

What is it?

• A gluten-free substitute for wheat flour
• Made from fine-ground blanched almonds
• Ideal for making wheat-free cakes, breads, muffins, cookies & desserts
• Use to thicken soups, stews & smoothies
• Has a mild, pleasant nutty flavour

What makes it special?

• Low GI
• Vegan-friendly
• Gluten-free
• Low in carbohydrates
• Full of vitamin E, calcium & magnesium

4. Aluminium-Free, Gluten-Free Baking Powder

What is it?

• A leavening (raising) agent for breads & cakes

What makes it special?

• Free of harsh chemicals like aluminium
• 100% gluten-free
• Vegan-friendly

Baking tip: You only need to use half as much of this baking powder for your recipes as ordinary baking powder.

5. Arrowroot Powder

What is it?

• A gluten-free thickening agent
• Great for pies, soups & sauces
• Helps to make breads or cakes light & fluffy

What makes it special?

• Gluten-free
• Vegan-friendly

Baking tip: Arrowroot doesn’t mix well with dairy-based recipes; agar is more suitable.

6. Coconut Flour

What is it?

• A gluten-free substitute for wheat flour
• Great for baking cakes, cookies & muffins
• Use coconut flour as a substitute for wheat flour

What makes it special?

• Low GI
• Gluten-free
• Vegan-friendly
• Suitable for diabetics
• High in fibre & protein
• Low in carbohydrates

Baking tip: You may have to add a little more liquid to your recipes, as coconut flour is drier than ordinary flour.

7. Coconut Oil

What is it?

• A healthy cooking oil; great alternative to butter or ordinary vegetable oils
• A spread for bread and toast; healthier than butter or margarine
• Perfect for cooking, baking or frying

What makes it special?

• Gluten-free
• Cholesterol neutral
• Suitable for diabetics & vegans
• Heart healthy
• Doesn’t break down at high temperatures
• Naturally resistant to oxidation
• Full of essential fatty acids (eg lauric acid), vitamins & minerals

8. Coconut Sugar

What is it?

• A healthy substitute for processed cane sugar
• Use as a replacement for ordinary table sugar in baked goods & desserts

What makes it special?

• Gluten-free
• Low-GI
• Vegan-friendly
• High in potassium, zinc, calcium & essential fatty acids
• High in sucrose, low in glucose & fructose

9. Guar Gum

What is it?

• A stabiliser & emulsifier, made from ground guar beans
• Improves the elasticity & texture of gluten-free recipes
• Adds volume to baked goods
• Ideal for cold foods (ice cream, pastry fillings etc.)

What makes it special?

• Gluten-free
• Non-allergenic
• Vegan-friendly
• Only a tiny amount is needed for each recipe

Baking tip: Unlike guar gum, which is made from guar beans, xanthan gum is made from microorganisms. Xanthan gum is ideal for yeasted bread and baked goods with a high acid content (eg lemon juice).

10. Xanthan Gum

What is it?

• A stabiliser & emulsifier
• Improves the elasticity of gluten-free dough
• Improves the texture of gluten-free baked goods
• Adds volume to baked goods
• Ideal for gluten-free & dairy-free recipes

What makes it special?

• Gluten-free
• Non-allergenic
• Only a tiny amount is needed for each recipe

Baking tip: Unlike guar gum, which is made from guar beans, xanthan gum is made from microorganisms. Xanthan gum is ideal for yeasted bread and baked goods with a high acid content (eg lemon juice).

Happy Baking!