My GF BFFs

Some months ago I did this wild thing where I just tried to not eat gluten and see how that made me feel.

I don't like hopping on bandwagons, usually they're sweaty and not well cleaned, but darned if I didn't experience a new way of living. No brain fog? No constantly feeling like an overstuffed sausage? No exhaustion after eating?

What magic!

Of course it was also no donuts. No huge bowls of pasta. No pretzels. No licorice even. "No fun foods for you, sorry ma'am."

You can only watch other people eat pizza and cake and bagels for so long before you turn into a tropical storm. Actual tears in Walmart, is what I'm saying.

So anyway, here are some of the ingredients, brands and foods that have not only gotten me through, but have, dare-I-say-it made me feel glad I ditched gluten.

Mochiko/ Glutinous Sweet Rice Flour

I used to get the little mochi nuggets at frozen yogurt places before I even knew what they were, before I had ever had mochi ice cream or tried the delicious mochi ube pancake mix from Trader Joes.

Mochi flour probably isn't for everyone. It's elastic, chewy, soft, a texture unlike most other flours, and I am addicted. Been working through an Amazon purchase of nine, one-pound boxes of Mochiko, on things like mochi donuts, mochi truffles, mochi cakes and cookies. No one else in my house is quite as taken with that and that is ok.

One of the things I like best about it is its versatility and how it gives a bounce to baked goods without the egginess.

Tapioca Starch/ Tapioca Flour

Tapioca flour and tapioca starch are the same thing. It also gives a chew to your recipes.

Every time I make a big holiday meal with rolls, I make myself up a batch of delicious Brazilian cheese bread. It's super easy to make and has cheese blended into it, making it super soft, chewy, and savory to the max. I try to highlight the gluten free-ness of them, so that my guests leave them alone!

Tapioca flour also works as a thickener, and I am partial to this super- quick three-ingredient vegan cheese sauce along with some gluten free elbow macaroni for a fast mac and cheese.

Almond Flour

Almond flour isn't for everything. Even though it's made of finely ground almonds, it is still coarser than most gluten free flours, it has a grit and a denseness to it.

But I love using it to make crackers, shortbread, almond paste, muffins and so many other things. While I don't also have tapioca flour or Mochiko on hand, I always have a nice big bag of almond flour!

Gluten Free Flour Blends

While I don't like bandwagons, I do like the fact that when companies get wind of them, they start making items to cater to them rolling through the grocery stories. I love that I can pick up a gluten free flour blend, one bag, and just use it in my favorite recipe, like these chocolate chip cookies. I don't have to have seven different flours and xanthan gum all powdering my counter, just one flour blend!

Making bread with them is a different story, and not all gf blends work. Also making your own gf bread...well let's just say I'm still on that journey.

Trader Joe's Gluten Free English Muffins

These taste like "real" English muffins. Actually they taste better than "real" English muffins. Does that make them the real "real" English muffins? I think so.

Katz Gluten Free

I first came across this brand in real life in the frozen section at Walmart. There were two boxes side by side. One looked exactly like Twinkies. The other was the same but chocolate.

I don't even like Twinkies.

That might actually have been the day I was crying in Walmart while singing a song about how I couldn't eat anything yummy. I obviously bought them, and when I defrosted one and ate it I was shocked. Better than a Twinkie. The cake actually tasted like something, like cake, like not a stale sponge. Even the cream was creamier, more substantial, more satisfying.

My biggest disappointment with Katz is that you can only find a very, very small fraction of what they offer at the store, at least at any store around here.

For my last birthday, I went over to Katz's website and went nuts. I'm a snack cake fiend, so I loaded up on their cupcakes, donuts, hand pies, oatmeal cream cookies, honey buns, and etc. Other than being delicious they also have so many great and unexpected flavors.

Oh, they bring me so much joy!

Banza Pasta

As a pasta lover, I've tried tons of pasta. Pasta made from lentils, brown rice, quinoa, and on and on. I was a little suspicious about Banza which uses chickpeas for their pasta, rice, and pizza crust.

I love Banza because it has a bite, but not so much of a bite that the pasta doesn't feel tender. Also, the chickpeas add a ton of protein. Another also is that the pasta comes in a variety of shapes like elbow and penne.

My favorites though are the shells and the cavatappi. The shells scoop up and nestle your sauce and veggies, making each bite an experience of the whole dish. The coiled, springy cavatappi are just so fun to eat!

Double Stuf Gluten Free Oreos

Sometimes I just need an Oreo, and I can usually find these at any store that sells normal Oreos. You get a bit less in the package, but the cookie is crisp and tasty, and the cream is somehow creamier than the original Oreos.

I have to be really, really careful with these!

FitJoy Pretzels

While I have a pretty ginormous sweet tooth, I am also susceptible to salty snack cravings. Most potato chips and popcorn are gluten-free, but I do love a good pretzel. I've tried pretzels from top, popular pretzel brands and they've left me a little wilted.

The FitJoy grain free salted pretzels, look a little blonde, but they are the most pretzel tasting gluten free pretzel I've ever had. They have the crunch, and the very slight bitterness, along with the very perfect amount of salt.