So what's the deal with flours?

When Justin and I started our "going against the grain" adventure, we figured that our food choices would be limited. To our surprise, it has been anything but limiting. In fact, because we no longer eat (and thereby limit ourselves to) wheat-based products, we have discovered many naturally gluten-free options. So many in fact that we are often overwhelmed with all the options available to us! Case in point flours and meals. First off... who knew there were so many alternatives to wheat flour? Rice, corn, millet, potato, sorghum, and quinoa just to name a few. What's more, not all flours and meals are created equal. In fact, not all are made of grains. Some are actually grass (in the case of millet). Others are made of nuts (almond meal and coconut flour), beans (garbanzo), or seeds (buckwheat). If that is not enough to make your head spin, each have characteristics that make them great for some recipes while lousy for other recipes. For example, arrowroot creates a shiny gloss that is great for dessert sauces or glazes. But its slimy texture is not meant to be used with dairy products. Meanwhile, if you intend to use dairy products, then corn starch is a better choice. Then there's coconut flour which is great for soups and sauces. Its nut counterpart, Almond meal is really dense and expands with liquids so very little is needed in your favorite recipes. We're also told don't get confused between potato starch and potato flour as each have very distinct characteristics and uses. At the end of the day though, both work better when mixed with other flours and meals rather than alone.So how do you make sense of all it? How do you know which flour or meal to use and for what purpose? A great resource is WholeIntentions.com. You’ll find a list of common flour substitutes along with a description of their characteristics. There's also a reference chart listing the amounts of flour to use when using it in place of wheat flour and another noting which gluten-free flours make the best thickeners. Also click here for a Gluten Substitution Chart which will help you to select the best gluten-free alternative in your favorite recipes.

Do you have any favorite sites that help you to stay organized when baking gluten-free? If so, please share. Thank you!