Rosemary Potato Bread, photo by Sarah Schatz
For years I avoided delving into the process of creating gluten-free baked goods because it simply seemed too daunting to me. At the time, I didn’t know of any good gluten-free baking books and part of me believed that gluten-free really wasn’t going to taste that great, so why try? I got by with gluten-free frozen breads but I always felt like I was eating to to fill my stomach, instead of actually enjoying what I was eating.
This usually led me down the path of “eating wheat or spelt in moderation” which always came back to kick me in the bud. I have now learned that for me, I have to stick to my gluten-free diet completely, otherwise I slowly start to go overboard with my consumption of glutenous products.
But one thing that truly helped me with this transition was the discovery of “good” gluten-free baking. It truly opened my eyes (and taste buds) to what gluten-free baked goods can taste like with the right combination of gluten-free ingredients.
And to be quite honest with you, once I got over the “withdrawal hump,” I actually didn’t crave them as much. This may happen to you, too. I also don’t miss regular bread because the gluten-free alternatives can be so good.
I will add one more note here about gluten-free baking. It takes patience. Patience with yourself to keep trying, even after you bake something that doesn’t turn out well. To me, learning to bake gluten-free was like performing experiments where I often felt like I was chemistry class!
If you are new to this as I once was, it can be overwhelming to look at a list of gluten-free ingredients and know where to even start. It can seem overwhelming to even think about where to buy them, how much it is going to cost and what to do with them once you have them! If this is you, I am writing this post for you.