Baking breads, muffins, etc can be challenging for anyone who has never baked before.  Finding out everything needs to be gluten free often seems overwhelming for the person who has recently found out they need to avoid all gluten products.  

Having lived the gluten free lifestyle for over 30 years I have managed to make many wonderful breads and also some gigantic failures.  Baking is more than just putting the ingredients in the pan and throwing it into the oven to bake, it requires getting to know the ingredients and how they interact.  Many times I don't have all the exact ingredients called for in a recipe.  Knowing how to substitute different gluten free flours when you are out of the flour listed in the recipe can make it much easier to stay on the GF lifestyle. Click here to download a GF characteristics  chart. 

There are many GF baking blends on the market you can use, typically they are rather costly and if you don't have a source nearby you will have to pay shipping.  These blends are a great way to begin since most of them substite for white or wheat flour 1:1.  As you continue to learn how to use GF flours, try experimenting and building your own GF flour blend  out of the flours readily available to you.  My suggestion is to buy a small container of the flour, try it and if you like it buy it in bulk, providing you have a place to store it.  

If a recipe seems like a failure the first time - don't give up on it.  There are many factors that can influence success or failure - water temperature, room temperature, humidity, rising time for yeast breads, even your mood when you are putting the recipe together.  

Almond Muffins These are great for anytime of the day, substitute blueberries or chocolate chips for the raisins for a change of pace. They also travel well. 

French Bread/ Pizza Dough Mix This is a fairly versatile mix you can use in many of your own recipes.

Zucchini Bread this recipe is a 'hit' with my grandchildren (even the one who doesn't like zucchini)

Pumpkin Bread

Pizza Crust Pizza crust dough can be used many ways.  Make small individual 4-6" size and use them like flat bread, or do it thin and use as a wrap. 

Sourdough requires a starter which is easy to use.  The Brown Rice Sourdough Starter is available under the cultured and fermented foods tab.  Once the sourdough starter is going you can store it in the refrigerator, get it out the night before, take out the amount you need, feed it with equal parts brown rice flour and water and let set overnight.  It will be ready to use the next morning.  Measure out how much starter you need and stir the remainder into the starter stored in the refrigerator to feed it for another week or until you need to use it again.

Sourdough Bread

Sourdough Oat English Muffins When you are using oat flour, be sure to purchase the gluten free oat flour.