Analysis of Allergies

An allergen-free cookbook does not exist. Sorry, the baked goods in this book are not suitable for people who are allergic to tree nuts. Dairy sensitivity shouldn't be a problem when there are so many milk substitutes available.

All are widely available and suitable for these recipes. Our mission is to serve as a resource for those who are gluten intolerant or struggle with sugar and carbohydrates. Once more, if food allergies prevent you from utilizing the recipes in this book, take a look at the Resources section, where we've included a number of cookbooks designed to work with additional food sensitivities.

Wheat and Gluten Factors to Consider

Gluten sensitivity is a growing problem that can cause everything from minor symptoms to serious health problems. We won't go into specifics, but we do believe it's useful to define a few terminology and make certain differences. At the mild end of the scale, wheat intolerance—which is very common—refers to problems digesting wheat. Symptoms including bloating, diarrhea, and exhaustion are typical. People may be able to tolerate small amounts of wheat or wheat hybrids like spelt if eaten infrequently, depending on their level of wheat intolerance.

The term "wheat allergy" refers to a real allergic reaction to wheat, which, in severe cases, may result in anaphylactic shock. Anaphylactic shock is obviously fatal, but it is also relatively uncommon, affecting fewer than 0.5 percent of Americans. Genuine wheat allergy sufferers must refrain from consuming any foods that include wheat or wheat hybrids.

Finally, celiac disease, a dangerous autoimmune illness of the small intestine that affects less than 1% of Americans, is referred to as gluten intolerance. It affects people of all ages and is strongly inherited. Chronic diarrhea and exhaustion are among the signs of celiac disease, which are frequently the same as those of wheat intolerance. However, symptoms might not appear until a serious health crisis is brought on by an accumulation of exposure. When that happens, the symptoms are often severe and unpleasant. In addition, those who have celiac disease are more likely to develop a variety of other illnesses, such as diabetes, intestinal cancer, and other autoimmune diseases.

An allergic reaction to wheat proteins, primarily gliadin, is what causes celiac disease.

(a gluten byproduct), which causes serious bowel issues that lead to overall malnutrition and ongoing inflammation. Gluten must be completely avoided as celiac disease's only known treatment.

Diabetes-Related Issues

Keeping the carbohydrate level of these meals as low as feasible was our goal. To determine the amounts of net carbohydrates, Denene counts her carbs. We'll presume you've used carb counting before. If not, you can learn more at nutritionvalue.org or www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search. The secret to figuring out net carbs is to deduct total fiber from total carbs, which are often measured in grams. The net carbohydrates are the outcome. The glycemic load decreases as net carbohydrates increase. Each of our meals has 10 net carbohydrates or less per serving, and the majority of them have far fewer. For instance, each serving of toasting bread contains 1 net carb. Note that this is only true for the recipes exactly as specified, which call for modest amounts of fruit, alternative sweeteners, and unsweetened soy milk. Utilizing full-fat dairy products is also necessary to achieve the low net carb count. If you choose low-fat ingredients instead of regular ones, there will be less fat to balance out any carbs the finished product does contain, which means the impact on blood sugar will probably be greater.

Function of Glucose

Glucose, often known as blood sugar, is simply sugar that our systems use as a source of energy. It belongs to the group of monosaccharides, or simple sugars, which are the fundamental constituents of all carbohydrates. It has many beneficial roles for us (including fueling the brain! ), but it is also at the basis of diabetes, a disease that is escalating to epidemic proportions in the United States and many other nations. Its root term in ancient Greek, glukus, means "sweet." We will provide a quick review because the origins and mechanisms of diabetes and related disorders are just too complex to explain here. The pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which aids in using or storing extra glucose in the blood. Blood sugar levels in a healthy body

After a meal, blood sugar levels somewhat rise, and the pancreas subsequently secretes insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels that are excessively high can harm the body in many different ways, including the eyes, kidneys, and finally the heart.

The final line is that high blood sugar levels are frequently an indication of diabetes or prediabetes and should raise alarm. You should get tested right away if you think you could have blood sugar problems, including hypoglycemia (abnormally low blood sugar levels). Your doctor will be able to decide which test to do. If your diet is anything like that of the majority of Americans, you're definitely consuming too many carbohydrates, which ultimately translates to too much glucose, whether or not you have diabetes or prediabetes.

Sugar Load and Glycemic Index

The glycemic index (GI) measures how diets high in carbs affect blood sugar levels. The evaluation is specifically focused on the rate at which the carbohydrates breakdown and release glucose into the bloodstream. Their GI increases with the rate at which they release glucose into the blood. While foods with a high GI cause blood sugar levels to rise more quickly, those with a low GI release glucose more gradually and steadily. The majority of diabetics today, as well as people who have used different diet plans like the South Beach Diet, Sugar Busters, or the Belly Fat Cure, have a good understanding of the glycemic index. It's a useful tool for managing insulin and blood sugar levels. (The Resources section contains connections to trustworthy sources with more information on this topic.)

By taking into account both the size of the serving and the food's glycemic index score, the glycemic load (GL) method ranks the carbohydrate content of foods. Knowing how that portion will affect your blood sugar levels is made easier by this. Glycemic load is calculated by multiplying the GI by the quantity of accessible carbohydrates and dividing the result by 100. (Available carbs are measured in grams and do not include indigestible fiber.) Glycemic index multiplied by the quantity of carbohydrates in a serving provides a clearer understanding of how that serving will affect blood sugar levels.

glucose levels. For instance, a 100-gram portion of fruit with a GI of 70 and 6 grams of carbohydrates results in the calculation 70 6 = 420, which is then multiplied by 100 to yield a GL of 4.2.

The addition of fat or fiber inhibits the absorption of glucose into the blood, reducing the total glycemic load. In this cookbook, we set out to develop recipes with extremely low GL values that won't raise blood sugar levels, making them suitable for those with insulin and blood sugar problems. However, keep in mind that GI and GL are merely tools and that each person is unique and that there is no one dietary strategy that is suitable for all. If you have diabetes, you probably already know more about this subject than we were able to convey in this succinct explanation. Moreover, we hope that you are managing your condition in conjunction with a physician.

THE SUGAR-FREE AND GLUTEN-FREE PANTRY

Some of the ingredients you'll need for the recipes in this book are fairly common and might already be in your refrigerator or pantry. Some of them you'll have to make yourself, while others you could need to buy. When it comes to commercially available ingredients, many of them can be found at well-stocked natural food stores and even supermarkets. If not, they can also be purchased online or by mail order (for suppliers, see the Resources section or our website).

Almond flour was rarely known a few years ago, but thanks to gluten-free cookbooks written by writers like Elana Amsterdam, it is now widely used. It's off to a wonderful start. Now, we're going to push the envelope in this book and use flours made from a variety of other nuts and seeds. Almond, coconut, hazelnut, pecan, and sesame seed flours are the ones we use most frequently, along with flaxseed meal. Almond flour, coconut flour, hazelnut flour, and flaxseed meal are the only ones of these that can be bought in stores; pecan flour is available from select suppliers but is difficult to locate. (And take note that they might be labeled "meal," not "flour," as in "almond meal.") Bob's Red Mill manufactures all of these flours, in addition to a large range of other gluten-free goods, and these are typically offered in well-stocked markets—and are always accessible online. You can find detailed directions for creating each alternative flour in the section that follows.

Of course, substitute sweeteners are also quite important in these recipes. Additionally, we've made these recipes adaptable in terms of ingredients like butter, milk, and eggs because we are aware that many readers may have other dietary requirements. So, sure, these dishes are basically all vegan-friendly in addition to being free of gluten and low in carbohydrates. By the way, we'll update our website with new sources as they become available, so check the Resources section if you have difficulties locating any of the commercially available ingredients.

Different Flours

We occasionally request flours made from pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and even garbanzo beans (chickpeas) in addition to flour made from almond, coconut, hazelnut, pecan, and sesame seeds as well as flaxseed meal. You'll also notice that many of the recipes have modifications that call for utilizing various flour types. The combinations are practically limitless and all nut and seed flours are interchangeable. We advise you to experiment with the recipes in this book as a starting point. Play around with the different flours and blends to see what characteristics each one adds and which combinations you prefer. Additionally, you can use other nut-based flours in their place, like pistachio flour.

even peanuts and macadamia nuts.

We are aware that flour manufactured from nuts, seeds, and legumes is more expensive than flour derived from grains. Although this is regrettable, we think the flavor payoff more than justifies the price. Furthermore, if you've had to avoid bread and baked goods due to dietary restrictions, you'll probably think the cost is reasonable. Even so, creating your own flour and purchasing nuts and seeds in bulk can significantly cut down on the cost. A pound of almonds, for instance, costs about half as much as a pound of almond flour. This discrepancy can rapidly pile up. In the long term, we think that baking your own breads and other sweets at home won't be much more expensive—but will be incredibly more delicious—if you had to choose between store-bought "dietetic" goods.

Simply buy the nuts or seeds whole and then grind them into a powder if making nut and seed flours at home. Occasionally, blanched almonds are used to make almond flour; however, for these recipes, that is not necessary. Similar to almonds, hazelnuts do not require skinning before being ground into flour. The skins in both situations offer fiber and nutrients, which is a healthy thing. Having said that, if you prefer it or if it's what you have on hand, you can certainly use almond flour made from blanched almonds.

Your best bet is to buy nuts and seeds in bulk from a store with a high percentage of customer turnover. They will remain fresh that way, and you may purchase just one or two pounds at a time as needed. You might need to purchase more if you order by mail. In either case, keep the nuts and seeds in an airtight container and place it in the fridge or freezer, if you have the space. They'll stay fresh for months. In particular, coconut flour and pecan flour should be stored in sealed containers because they have a strong propensity to dry up when not.

One other thing to keep in mind when working with nut and seed flours: Just like with wheat flour, some brands of pecan or almond flour could be drier than others, and homemade nut flours like almond and other nuts might have a variable moisture content. The consistency of a dough or batter may not be as specified due to these inherent differences.

in the dish. Start with the amounts of components specified in the recipe, but pay particular attention to the descriptions of how various mixes and the finished result should appear and feel (this can also happen due to poor measuring, using different sizes of eggs, etc.). It's acceptable to add additional liquid as necessary if a combination appears to be too dry to mold into the desired shape. Similarly, if a mixture seems overly wet, feel free to adjust the consistency by adding a little more nut or seed flour.

The two situations where the flour will absorb more moisture than usual are when using coconut flour that has been exposed to the air and dried out further, or when using professionally ground pecan flour rather than home-ground pecan flour. In some cases, more liquid (beyond the amount called for in the recipe) may be required to get the right consistency, up to an additional 14 cup for every cup of pecan flour. However, because the level of variation is challenging to predict, we describe in every recipe how the batter should feel and appear; rely on these cues to direct your adjustments.

Working with nut and seed flours has its advantages over working with traditional flour and yeast because the recipes are frequently more adaptable and tolerant of such changes. The recipe will most likely work out just fine if a batter or dough is excessively watery, in actuality. It can take longer to bake than the instructions suggest, but your oven's accuracy could also be to blame. The secret to success is to carefully read the method's instructions, modify the batter or dough as necessary, and use the visual and textural cues as your primary indicators of doneness.

preparation of nut and seed flours

Making your own nut and seed flours is simple if you have a coffee or seed grinder, though you might need to prepare many small batches to get the quantity needed for a recipe. If you plan to frequently make nut and seed flours, we advise investing in a high-quality seed grinder. (You can also use a food processor or blender, as suggested below.)

grinder. They normally hold around 12 cup (120 ml) of seeds or nuts (about 1.75 oz. / 50 g). (For instructions on how to make coconut flour, see Making Coconut Flour; for instructions on how to make garbanzo bean flour, see Working with Garbanzo Bean Flour, though it is now readily available already ground at most natural foods markets.) Pulse a couple of times, then grind constantly for about 5 seconds. Examine the consistency after removing the lid. If the flour is still unevenly ground, break it up and remove it from the grinder wall with a spoon or a small spatula before grinding for a few more seconds. The most crucial instruction is to only grind until a fine meal is produced. If you do, you can end up with nut or seed butter instead of flour. Till you have enough flour for the recipe, repeat the process.

Although it also works well, a food processor's metal blade attachment can't usually grind flour as finely as a coffee or seed grinder. However, you can grind more at once—typically the entire amount required for the recipe. These substitute flours, with the exception of coconut, are larger than the raw materials they are made of. Use roughly three-fourths the volume of the flour you intend to manufacture as a starting point. So you might start with 3/4 cup of almonds to make 1 cup of almond flour. After roughly 10 seconds of processing, remove the cover to examine the consistency of the nuts or seeds. Until the flour has an even consistency, keep grinding as needed, using brief pulses rather than a lengthy processing time. Once more, take care not to overprocess the flour or you risk creating a paste.