My Gluten Free Pantry

Welcome to my Gluten Free Pantry!   It's a little low right now, but here are some pictures of my staples.  I always have a good balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, olive oils, apple cider vinegar, etc for salad dressings and cooking. 

 I use dried fruits in muffins, salad's and on yogurt.  You can also see my slightly messy Asian noodles stacked with Rice cakes and of course Starbucks coffee.  I'm a Seattle girl born and bred. 

When I make bread or hamburger buns I add dry milk.  It really adds a nice texture. 

Many seasonings have gluten in them.  I threw most of them away initially and now just use what I know is safe. 

Honey is my first love..I put in on my homemade yogurt with some walnuts for breakfast or a late night snack.  I also adore Parmesan and Romano cheese.  I keep the shredded on hand in the fridge for pizza, pasta and just about everything else.

Yikes, I'm out of Agave...I need to go shopping!  but, these days I'm using Stevia more and more.  I really love the liquid vanilla stevia drops too.  Coconut oil cannot be beat for baking. 

 I always have tons of beans and nuts.  I keep most of my nuts are kept in the freezer

Yes, I eat Cocoa pebbles  :) not much anymore, but they are wonderful.  Chex cereal saved my life when I first went gluten free.  I lived on it! Now I just keep a box on hand for breading fish or chicken.  Yerba Prima Psyllium husks are amazing for adding fiber and structure to baked goods, breads, smoothies..so good for you.  I still use xanthan gum as a binder in my baked good but I'm working on also using gelatin and psyllium. .   

 I keep rice, masa, coconut palm and brown sugar, baking soda, curry powder, etc in the canisters. 

Even when my pantry is low I know I can make basic baked goods with Brown Rice or garbanzo bean flour, tapioca starch and xanthan gum.   A girl needs a cookie once in awhile!

Here's my favorite Protein Powder.  I love the flavor in my smoothies.  Apple cider vinegar and a good oils are great in the large size.

I keep my flours in the fridge and my nuts and seeds in the freezer so they will stay fresh.  Hope you enjoyed a peek into my gluten free home. 

My Gluten Free Pantry and Kitchen

When you go completely gluten-free, and/or refined sugar-free, you will need to do some rearranging in your kitchen.  Once you have gotten rid of all the wheat, rye, barley flour etc, cookies, crackers, cereals, malt, processed foods with gluten, pasta, spices, sauces, soy sauce, and refined sugars, (there are many more- see bottom of post) Here are the essentials that I use to replace them with.
 
Cooking and Baking Staples

My Flours, grains and seeds:


Bob's Redmill Brown Rice Flour (the most useful and common wheat flour substitute)
Bob's Redmill Millet Flour (the ancient grain millet has a mild flavor for baking)
Bob's Redmill Garbanzo Bean Flour (my favorite economical low carb, high protein flour)
Bob's Redmill Sorghum Flour (light and slightly sweet.  perfect for cakes or cookies)

Masa Flour  (make tortillas, wraps and cornbread) make sure it's gluten free
Sweet Rice (Glutinous) Flour  (good for thickening gravies or adding to flour mixtures)
White Rice Flour 
Cornstarch (although it is a highly refined corn derivative, sometimes it is necessary for baked goods such as pancakes or for those times when you need a flour substitute for thickening gravy, etc.)
Tapioca Starch
Potato Starch
Brown Rice (I buy brown rice instead of white rice, it is a whole grain and much more nutritious)
Quinoa (gluten-free grain high protein, contains all 8 amino acids, very tasty, great substitute for couscous)
Golden or Brown Flax Seed
Sesame Seeds

Bob's Redmill Oatmeal
Quinoa Flakes (instant hot breakfast cereal made by Ancient Grains – perfect oatmeal alternative)
Coconut

My Staples:

Tinkyada Brown Rice Pastas (a life-saver! similar in taste and consistency to wheat pasta)

Asian rice noodles
San-J products: especially Low Sodium Tamari Sauce (a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce)
McCormick Spices
Old Bay Seasoning
Pure Vanilla
Clabber Girl Baking Powder
Hersheys Unsweetened Baking Cocoa
Enjoy Life gluten free cereal (my favorite is Perky's Crunch Flax)
Chex cereals
Agave Nectar (all-natural low-glycemic sweetener that tastes like honey, can be used in baking and as a substitute for sugar, honey, or maple syrup)
Honey
Truvia Stevia Baking blend
Vanilla Liquid Stevia
Pure Maple Syrup
Olive Oil (high in Omega-3 fatty acids)
Coconut Oil
Canola Oil (mild flavored oil, use for frying)
Unsalted butter and gluten free margarine
Apple cider vinegar and Rice wine vinegar  (malt vinegar has gluten in it)
Knox Original Gelatin
SAF-instant Yeast
Dry milk
Protein Powder
Parmesan cheese
Beans/Legumes: dry or canned, pinto beans, white beans, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, split peas, lentils, chickpeas/garbanzo beans (great source of carbohydrates, protein and fiber)
Chicken Stock (great for adding flavor when cooking gluten-free grains and for use in soups, sauces, curry etc)  I boil a whole chicken and save the broth each week
Almond Milk  (make your own here)
Nuts: almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts or macademia nuts (great source of carbohydrates and protein, makes a perfect snack when you are out or on the run)  Use in crusts, baked goods and make your own homemade nut butter
Dates, raisins, dried fruits  (low-glycemic, stores well, great for use in trail mix and baked goods)
Garlic
Onions
Sweet potatoes
Bananas
and lots more  :)  

Get to know your local health food store.  You are much more likely to be able to find these items there than at the standard supermarket.   Or use Amazon's Subscribe and Save option for your favorites.  I save so much time and money with this wonderful service.


Cookware and Other Essentials
Crockpot (the number one necessity for making easy meals and soups in large portions)
Food Processor (huge timesaver, makes chopping vegetables and grinding nuts much easier)
Stainless Steel Cookware: 1 medium and 1 large frying pan, small medium and large saucepans (Throw out your non-stick cookware!  It contains toxic chemicals called PFOAs that flake off into your food and can also be released into the air if your pan becomes too hot)
A Good large and small Cast Iron Skillet (Once well seasoned, they will become almost non-stick and last forever with gentle cleaning and care. Always oil your cast iron after washing )
Coffee mill
Large stand mixer
Bread Machine
Large mixing bowls
Flour sifter
Tupperware for storing baked goods in the refrigerator

Final Note:

I'll keep adding to this list and provide links for the products that I use.  


Disclaimer- I share my experiences with products and links that I feel are useful.  Whether you participate is up to you, and I carry no liability for the accuracy or performance of any of those offers, whether it be products, purchases, or the accuracy or safety of any of those items.   I am only providing this for your information and I am not a medical professional.  Always consult your doctor before changing your diet.  I don't get paid by any of the product manufacturers listed above. I cannot guarantee that any product is gluten free.  Always check with the manufacturer if you are in doubt of a products safety.  Make sure you buy Certified Gluten Free products that are not manufactured in a facility with gluten products. 


Here's one guideline list online of some of the foods containing gluten .  You can find many more detailed sources if you search Safe and Unsafe Foods for Celiac.

1. Grains and Starches

   • Grains and starches are a major source of gluten in the diet. Many of these foods would be considered bad for people with celiac disease. Any foods made with wheat including: wheat starch, wheat bran, wheat germ, cracked wheat, hydrolyzed wheat protein, graham flour, durum flour, enriched flour, farina, couscous, plain flour, self-rising flour, semolina and white flour are on the bad list. Wheat-like grains such as einkorn, emmer, spelt and kamut should also be avoided. In addition, any foods containing rye, barley and triticale may trigger reactionary symptoms.
     Starches on the bad list include pasta, bread, cakes, most crackers, gnocchi, and soba noodles. According to the Better Health Channel website, this also includes: breakfast cereals, porridge, and corn or rice cereals with malt flavoring.

   Meat and Dairy

   • Processed meat and dairy products may contain gluten as an added ingredient. Mayo Clinic recommends that people with celiac disease should read food labels carefully to avoid foods with gluten. Bad meat and dairy choices for people with celiac include any meat prepared with breadcrumbs, sausage, hot dogs, cold cuts, salami, imitation fish, malted milk, some cheese spreads, some soy milks and ice cream cones.

   Fruits and Vegetables

   • A new labeling law, called the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, enacted in January of 2006 states foods with allergens, such as wheat and gluten, must be easily identified on the ingredients list.  Other foods bad for people with celiac disease include vegetables with sauces, texturized vegetable protein, and some fruit pie filling.

   Miscellaneous Foods

   • Additional foods bad for celiac disease include some potato chips, french fries, bouillon cubes. Some candy, gravy, seasoned tortilla chips, soups, self-basting turkeys and soy sauce, should also be avoided.

   Alcoholic Beverages

   • Beer, ale, stout and lager contain gluten and are on the celiac bad food list, according to the Better Health Channel.