Yoga_Journal_-_December_2014_USA

FLOURS Most grocery stores now carry

at least a few gluten-free fl our blends.

They typically contain four kinds of fl ours,

including starches like potato or tapioca to

help bind and tenderize. If you are trying

to go low-carb, seek out nut- or bean-based

blends, which are generally higher in pro-

tein, fi ber, and other nutrients; use them

in recipes with chocolate, spices, or other

strong fl avors that mask the fl our’s slight

beany notes. For lightly fl avored cakes,

such as angel food, choose a mild-fl avored

blend with white-rice fl our at the top of

the ingredients list. Single fl ours like

almond, coconut, or quinoa work well,

too, but be sure to add a binder.

BINDERS When baking without wheat,

you need to add a binding ingredient to

re-create the gluten-based structure that

forms when the wheat fl our is mixed with

liquid and which serves to hold together

ingredients. Otherwise your goodie will fall

fl at or crumble. Replace 1 / 4 cup of liquid

with one egg. For a vegan alternative, mix

1 tablespoon ground fl ax with 1 / 4 cup water

in place of one egg. Or try xanthan or guar

gum, powdered binding ingredients sold

at health food stores. For bread, use 1 tea-

spoon of gum per cup of fl our; for cakes

and cookies, just half a teaspoon—any

more and they will turn out rubbery.

PANTRY STAPLES Gluten-free fl our blend,

eggs or fl ax seeds, xanthan and guar gums

WHOLE-FRUIT PUREES Most sugar-abstainers

are ditching refi ned sweeteners like table

sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, but

some even avoid unprocessed simple sugars

like honey and maple syrup. Luckily, it’s pos-

sible to bake sweets without most of these by

substituting in a whole-fruit puree, which

also adds antioxidants, fi ber, and other nu-

trients to the dessert. To make, soak dates,

prunes, or other dried fruit for a few hours

or overnight, drain, and puree in a food

processor or blender. Replace up to half the

fats and sugar with an equivalent amount

of puree. (You’ll need to experiment to get

the proportions just right.) Use purees in

fruit-based recipes, such as blueberry muf-

fi ns or fruitcake, or in chocolate desserts,

which harmonize well with fruit fl avor.

FOR LOW-SUGAR BAKING

FOR GLUTEN-FREE BAKING

1-800-PILATES (745-2837)

pilates.com |

Pilates: the perfect addition

for ultimate results.

Call for your free “Pilates Advantage”

DVD and catalog (code YJ08).

58

december

2014

yogajournal.com

eat well

NOURISH