Once I read this book, I decided to try the SCD diet, but you probably guessed that from previous posts.  The SCD plan is gluten free, so what did I have to lose? At the very minimum, I’d gain firsthand knowledge of the issues and struggles involved in sticking to a diet that is even more strict than “just” going gluten free.  I also figured it would give me the opportunity to add a few different types of recipes to my cookbook - provided I could get a handle on the new restrictions and how these ingredients behave in baking.  Since baking presented the biggest challenge, I felt it was the perfect place for me to start experimenting.

I promised I’d give you product recommendations but, honestly, I thought those products would be kitchen equipment and kitchen gadgets.  It quickly became apparent that I’d need to start at the beginning and that means ingredients.  We all know that you need to use quality ingredients, but it may not be obvious that success depends on more than just quality.  Product selection goes beyond matters of quality. For instance, if something calls for butter, do you use salted or unsalted?  You probably know that one, the general rule is to use unsalted unless otherwise specified. Because you can’t read my mind, and because I don’t know your level of kitchen know-how, I decided it would be best to share what I’ve learned over the years. So this will likely be the first installment of a series based on “What To Consider When Selecting Ingredients”.

The first ingredient I’d need to tackle is something used by many GF and SCD bakers: nut flours.  If you’re not familiar with them, or even if you used them before, you may now be using them in very different ways. So, how do you know what to look for?  For instance, I know what a good nut should look, smell and taste like. I used commercial nut flours as “bread” coatings long before I ever needed to go gluten free. But I never had to depend on a nut flour as the ONLY flour in an otherwise starch free bakery type item.

Since I’m forced to live in the real world, I know we’re all feeling the crunch of rising food prices. Families with special diets are being hit particularly hard. I understand how much it stings when, after buying everything you need for a recipe you’ve excitedly plucked from a website, you go through the trouble to make it (and clean up afterward) only to get less than optimal results for your effort.  What’s even worse - you assume the "mistake" is yours, and you go through the process all over again -- getting the same lackluster results.  Hopefully it was at least edible!!  That’s why you won’t find a recipe posted by me till I’ve tested it seven ways from Sunday and it gets the thumbs up from my “trusted group” of testers.  All this testing means I go through massive quantities of key ingredients.  Lately, one of those key items is almond flour.

Before I share my recent experiences with almond flour, it’s important to understand my mindset when I cook.  My goal in developing any recipe is to get a product that comes as close to those products that I was able to enjoy before being diagnosed with celiac disease.  I try to make the ingredient list manageable and to simplify the preparation as much as possible.

I think everyone can agree that flavor is important, but let’s consider other important factors when producing a recipe. Food presentation is important.  We start eating with our eyes and start tasting with our nose, but I feel too many cooks put too much energy into presentation details and lose sight of other important factors which turn good food into great food.  It's my opinion it’s texture - how it feels in the mouth - that is the most overlooked aspect, particularly in recipes targeting "special diets".  I want food that matches as closely as possible the flavor and texture of the foods that I can no longer eat. It’s always been my opinion that special diets deserve truly special food.  My son has always had a well developed pallet.  If the food I prepared wasn’t better than what the other kids were eating, I know my son would’ve “cheated”.  In nursery school he couldn’t be expected to understand “health problems”.  He only knew what he liked.  The only down side to making truly great tasting food was having to make enough of his “special” food for him to share with his friends!  

One of my other goals in developing recipes deals with general good health.  Many GF baked goods are made with processed GF grains and starches, which means they’re low in fiber and high on the Gylcemic Index (GI).  There are many health benefits to eating foods that fall lower on the GI scale.  So my “everyday” recipes must pass on several levels when it comes to taste and they have to fall into the space I deem “healthy”.  Some of  the recipes I’ve developed fall into a category I call  “celebration” foods.  They are those special occasion foods that pass the strictest taste tests, but that are best put on your occasional indulgences list - i.e. brownies, which by their nature are high in fat and sugars.  But what holiday dessert buffet table is complete without something decadent?

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet by it’s very nature is a low gylcemic diet.  Starches and sweeteners (other than honey) are strictly forbidden.  So if you’re looking for breads, muffins, croutons or crackers, you have to go nuts - nut flours that is. Almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachio nuts and walnuts in particular, are a good source of protein, contain “healthy” fats, are a good source of fiber and may have significant health benefits.  Through my cooking and baking demonstrations and seminars I’ve met so many people and they’ve shared concerns, frustrations and even their “wish” lists when it comes to recipes for their health concerns.  I’ve learned that  there are folks who don't do mail order (I know, hard to imagine right?), those who are not GF but are looking to lower their carb counts, those new to GF diets that need fast, easy options and those that just want to include “healthier” eating options. Because Bob’s Red Mill Blanched Almond Meal is easy to find in supermarkets and health food stores around the country, I figured it was a good brand to use as I started testing new recipes.  

After reading the favorable reviews on Amazon, I placed my order for several boxes of Bob’s Red Mill Blanched Almond Meal.  The product arrived fast thanks to Amazon’s Prime program; it arrived fresh, and good condition, but freshness isn't the only hallmark of a perfect baking product. I noted upon opening the package that the product was fairly chunky for something called “flour”.  I could probably get the same results with my Kitchen Aid food processor, but that involves work and one more thing to wash and as you’ll learn - I love cooking, hate doing dishes!

Based on my experience, I decided that blanched nut flours would be the best choice to produce a finished baked product which is light in color and has a mild nutty flavor. Ideally, by using a light, fine meal, I hoped to achieve a product with a fine texture and a "light" crumb.  I wasn’t sure Bob's would do what I wanted, but testing, lots of testing, is the only way to know.  As I suspected, Bob’s didn’t perform well for my intended purpose - my desired results. The recipes tasted fine, but they didn’t meet my texture requirements.

Most recipes don't specify what brand/type of meal was used to formulate the recipe. The nature of the grind will affect the way the batter handles moisture, which is an important factor, since nuts flours don’t readily absorb liquids like starches and more traditional flours.  Differences in the grind could result in very different outcomes especially with regard to texture; the difference between a dense or light texture.  It could also yield products that fall severely upon cooling. While still tasty the finished products were visually unappealing; well not exactly unappetizing - just not up to the standard I set for these recipes.

I decided that for the recipes I was testing, what I really wanted /needed was a super fine, EVENLY ground nut meal/flour (the terms are used interchangeably in the industry).

Bob's, when used right out of the package as the main or only flour for baking, produces a batter which looks lumpy. The finished product isn’t smooth in the mouth - it’s a bit gritty - has more "tooth".  That would be a great texture in a hearty, more rustic muffin but doesn’t give you that light fine “cupcake” type of texture I was looking for.

I particularly like this product for making almond milk.  Most recipes call for you to grind whole almonds. I’ve met a great many people through my cooking demos and one of the things I hear quite often is that not everyone has an arsenal of heavy-duty tools in their kitchen. This is especially true for young people starting out, those on tight budget or those whose kitchen’s are counter and storage space challenged.  I have plenty of electric “heavyweights” in my kitchen (I like power tools!), but sometimes bigger isn’t better.  Besides, I truly hate washing out big items when a smaller one will do as good a job or better. I make really good almond milk using Bob's Blanched Almond Meal in a small "personal" blender.  I'll post that recipe along with my pick for a "personal" blender.

In other words, if you’ve had some disappointing outcomes, it might not be the recipe or your culinary technique; it could be your brand choice for that particular usage. Because I value your time and money, when it makes a difference, I’ll specify my brand preferences and the reasons why along with my recipes.  The rest is up to you!

Editorial Note - as I was getting ready to post this entry, I had an idea that I’m going to try out this weekend.  I’ll let you know the results!