If you need to follow a gluten-free diet due to medical reasons or personal preferences, you don’t need to feel limited in your recipe choices. There are plenty of ways in which you can eliminate gluten from any recipe. Here are some tips for you to keep in mind.

Gluten-free flour

If your recipe requires flour, you can still enjoy it fully by opting for gluten-free flour instead of regular flour. You can use this type of flour in various recipes including cakes and biscuits. Corn flour and rice flour usually don’t contain gluten. However, it is always best to read the label to make sure that it is truly safe.

Pay attention to the weight of ingredients

In most cases, recipes will call for standard cup measurements but this is not always as accurate as we’d like. This is why some dishes and desserts don’t come out quite as they should. The weight of regular flour will vary from that of gluten-free flour. The latter can be up to 20g heavier. While it might not sound like much, it can affect the end result and the texture of the dish you are making.

Test each substitute one at a time

There are a number of gluten-free substitutes that you can use in your recipes. The key is to try one out at a time. In other words, if you are going to substitute one of the main ingredients, you should leave the rest as they are and see if it comes out right. Next, substitute another ingredient and continue as such until you have completely perfected the recipe without gluten! Make sure that you take note of any problems and how you rectified them so that you can refer to your modified recipe in the future.

Beware of hidden gluten

Just like sugar, gluten can be hiding in places you never even knew! Read the labels of all ingredients before using them. For example, while you may expect gluten in flour and other wheat products, you can also expect to find it in gravy, bullion, cheese and even pickles!

Remember, when sending a gluten-free gift to a loved one or friend, you can find it easy to shop by selecting the diet specific gifts section. You can rest assured that all of the products included in these hampers are safe for those with gluten allergies or intolerances.