I’m a bit of a recipe hoarder. Okay, it’s not “a bit”, it’s a huge problem. I love to collect recipes. How I manage them is another post for another day (mostly because this is a work in progress for me).
And despite an Internet full of wonderful recipes, I still collect cookbooks, though at a slower pace than I once did. One reason for this is because I haven’t been impressed with cookbooks dedicated to the gluten-free cook. This is why looked forward to the America’s Test Kitchen gluten-free cookbook with both eagerness and skepticism.
I should have trusted the eagerness. If you’re an ATK fan, you know they approach their recipes with rigor and out-of-the-box thinking. It’s not just the “what” of ingredients, but also the “why” of ingredients. I wouldn’t have thought to put almond flour in pizza crust, but, let me tell you, it works!
As with most gluten-free cookbooks, How Can It Be Gluten Free focuses a lot of time on converting traditional recipes to gluten-free versions. I’ve been very successful making the biscuits, breads (including the multigrain sandwich bread), and the aforementioned pizza crust featured in the cookbook. These are not fast recipes, but the flavor and texture are worth the effort.
(I’ve even enjoyed the pizza crust cold…it maintained enough texture and chew, without the toughness of regular GF crusts, that I almost thought I was eating regular pizza.)
Also, like other GF cookbooks, the ATK version reminds us of great recipes that are already gluten free. Specifically, they invite the cook to try making tortillas, arepas, polenta, and other great GF dishes. This reminder — and the accompanying recipes — will help you expand your weekly repertoire with great food ideas.
Whether you’re a long-time gluten-free baker or a beginner, I recommend this book. Read the recipes carefully and pay attention to the details and explanations offered by the authors before you start cooking for maximum success.
Have you tried any of The How Can It Be Gluten Free recipes? Tips, favorites? Please share them.
Tip of the Week
Gluten-free breads dry out quickly. Don’t store them in the refrigerator. If you can’t eat them within a day or so, wrap them tightly in plastic and store in your freezer. If you’ve made a loaf of a bread, slice it first. Your life will be so much better, trust me!
Menu of the Week
After I made the ATK multigrain bread, I became obsessed with sandwiches, mainly with trying to figure out the perfect sandwich to showcase all my hard work (okay, not so hard — I mean, the bread rose on its own, the oven baked it, and I, well, I did the easy part.). I settled on a tuna melt. And fries. Basically, a diner dinner.
The link below takes you to the recipe for the basic sandwich bread. This is also very good gluten-free bread! If you scroll down further, you’ll encounter an amazing-looking vegetarian sandwich. I’ll be making it later this week when I get fresh avocados.
- Tuna Melt with Gluten-Free Bread
- Fries
- Fruit (if you want to pretend you’re eating healthy!)