“What do Metamucil and baking Gluten Free Artisan Bread have in common?”, you ask. Excellent question.

The mucilaginous quality that is inherent to psyllium (and what helps you, um, you know, go #2), an ingredient in Metamucil, is the very ingredient that performs magic on gluten free bread when it bakes. In short, it helps it stay together, similar to the way xanthan gum behaves when baking gluten free. Because a lot of people who read my blog and subscribe to my Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest posts have issues with corn-derived xanthan gum, I decided to experiment with psyllium and see what would transpire.

Now, before you run to the kitchen and don your apron, a word of explanation. This is a dense bread. Not like a brick, but definitely a heavy bread. Smeared with your choice of spread, it is a slice of heaven. And dipped into a bowl of hot soup, a gastronomic gluten free and vegan homerun.

I did my homework before entering the world of gluten free baking with psyllium. I went right to one of my heroes – Gluten Free Girl, and watched her video about psyllium. And I also read about psyllium on Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen’s blog. And lastly, I’d had my eyes on this recipe for a Gluten Free Artisan Boule (though it doesn’t use psyllium AND isn’t vegan, as it uses eggs) and really wanted to try my hand at it. So after some study and mathematical maneuvering, I give you my recipe for Gluten Free, Vegan Artisan Bread, a blend of all of my studies. Next up, I will definitely be trying the Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen’s recipe as well as the Gluten Free Artisan Boule from Artisan Bread in Five.

Can’t wait to try some of these:
Luce’s Gluten Free Bread
Kitchen Travels Gluten free Artisan Bread
Gluten Free Girl’s Artisan Bread
Jenn Cuisine’s Artisan Bread

This post is a result of showing my sister-in-law how to make gluten free, dairy free homemade almond milk and having her be amazed at how easy and delicious it was. I figured there would be others interested in making it from scratch, so I created this video.

I’ve been making it homemade for a few years, but will admit that of late, I’ve been buying it at the grocery store. That is until recently. I discovered that all (at least all of the ones I’ve checked out) alternative milks have carrageenan in them. And it is a carcinogen.

Read about it here. Dr. Weil is one of the most respected sources for this type of information.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a pretty busy woman. The thought of making homemade almond milk on a regular basis (it’s my milk of choice)???? I might’ve said ” no way” but after learning this news about carrageenan, I’ll be making my almond milk from here on in.

Won’t you give it a try? Come back and let me know how yours comes out, ok?!?

I’ve been making the same homemade gluten free balsamic vinaigrette for years. It’s become my signature and I’m proud of it. I used to measure but after awhile I could tell just by the color and consistency when it was just right. Problem is, now I can’t give you proportions. But the truth is, I WANT you to become self-sufficient. I encourage you to try things, a little bit of this, a little bit of that, until it meets your specifications.

One more thing. A friend of mine, Hayley Hobson (www.hayleyhobson.com), suggested I add a few drops of doTERRA Lavender Essential Oil. It was a smashing success. It took a fabulous salad dressing and made it soar. Now that I’ve become a crazed-for-doTERRA-essential-oils consultant, I’m adding the magic potions to everything I possibly can. If you’re interested in learning more about the oils, click on the far right tab in my nav bar.

So, I’ll give you the basic template, and then I’ll let you go to town with it.

Yes, I realize that I’m one week late on posting my recipe for Valentine’s Day Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Love Bites. Please forgive this Gluten Free Diva, won’t you?!? (Gluten Free or gluten free?!?!?)

I have a confession to make; I hope you won’t hold it against me. My friend says I have a tendency for making bold statements, and he’d probably say that what I’m about to share with you would fit under that category.

I’ve not bought refined white cane sugar in awhile. I used up my last bag of it a good three months ago and haven’t replaced it. And I don’t intend on replacing it (bold statement?!?). Instead, I’m using coconut sugar, dates, agave, and stevia as my sweeteners of choice. Will I ever go back to the evil white stuff? No. With everything I learned from my studies at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and the importance with which I approach my work as a Certified Gluten Free Health Coach, I know that white refined cane sugar has no redeeming value. No nutrition at all, nothing but empty calories and an invitation for tooth decay. Not to mention other problems it carries with it. It is evil, in my opinion. And if you want further information about why we shouldn’t be eating sugar, read this.

But I don’t want to get on a pedestal and preach, so instead, please let me share an updated version of my Raw Chocolate Balls of Deliciousness with you. I made them for my “Ooh La La Essential Oils For You & Your Sweetheart” class I taught last night.* I must say that it’s totally cool to be able to marry my passion for doTERRA Essential Oils with my cooking. The peppermint oil is optional, of course, but such a lovely touch that will make your mouth smile and your taste buds wake up and be glad they saw another day.

*I am a doTERRA Essential Oils Consultant and have made it my mission to teach others about the therapeutic value of pure essential oils made by doTERRA. It’s not just about putting lavender on your pillow so that you’ll sleep peacefully. There are SO many ways you can use them as alternatives to over-the-counter meds you buy at your local pharmacy. And they work! And they’re naturally gluten free! If you’re interested, let me know. Happy to share!

Dear Gluten Free Diva subscribers:

I am excited to announce that I’ve begun participating in a month long blog challenge via two amazing business women – Michelle Shaeffer of http://michelleshaeffer.com and Michele Scism of http://decisiveminds.com. I hope you’ll stick around and read each of my posts. I’m not sure I’ll post each and every day, but I’m trying to at least post for half of the challenges. And I especially hope you find the information valuable. My goal, always, is to make your gluten free life better, one step at a time.

I’m so grateful to have almost 2000 people who subscribe to my Gluten Free Diva blog. At the risk of sounding sappy, you are like family. I love writing posts for you and I especially love writing posts that serve a need you have. I’m always open to hearing about anything you’d like me to write about so feel free to leave a comment below.

Meanwhile, though, I want to bring your attention to some of my colleagues. These are women who have been writing their own blogs for a number of years and who are prominent in the world of gluten free blogging. If you’re not familiar with them, I invite you to click on over and read through some of their posts. I think you’ll be very pleased.

If you’re a blogger and I haven’t included you on the list, please know that my intention was to simply whet the appetite of my readers with some of my favorite (though not exclusive) blogs. Feel free to leave a comment with your blog url in the comments below.

Gluten Free Easily

The Whole Gang

The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen

Gluten Free Girl

And when you’re done, if you haven’t seen my recent post for Gluten Free Flax Bread, please take a moment and read through it. I only made and posted it a few days ago but it’s already become my new favorite go-to homemade Gluten Free Sandwich Bread. I’ve been eating it every day, mostly toasted with Earth Balance Organic Coconut Spread and a little bit of himalayan pink salt. And a cup of Sweet & Spicy Tea, of course.

P.S. I just added a snazzy new Facebook Like box in the sidebar. If you’re not yet a fan of my Facebook Gluten Free Diva page, feel free to click on “like”. Thank you!

I can eat an entire bag of Mary’s Gone Crackers Gluten Free Sticks & Twigs Sea Salt Pretzels in one sitting. I won’t. But I could. And I bet you could too. They’re that good.

I am not an affiliate. I have nothing to gain other than your undying love and devotion for introducing you to them. Mighty strong words for a silly stick. But once you taste these, you’ll understand what I’m talking about.

Plain. Dipped in hummus. Accompaniment to a salad. Spread with a thin layer of almond butter. They are divine. They have just that right combination of salt and crunch to satisfy anyone jonesing for a potato chip. Only they’re MUCH healthier. Brown rice, quinoa, sesame seeds, flax seeds, amaranth, millet and a few other ingredients. Great fiber, lots of super uber nutrition in a little stick. And unlike potato chips, the saturated fat in these sticks & twigs is negligible, hardly worth mentioning.

I also happen to love the Snyder’s Gluten Free Pretzel Sticks. But their ingredient list leaves this Gluten Free Diva health coach scrambling for the hills. Oh, I’ll still eat them. But not a steady diet of them. They are pure simple carbs and nothing more. They really have no redeeming qualities other than that they’re delicious.

So, do tell. What are some of your favorite gluten free snacks?

P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter. See the box in the right column with the bright green header. Just add your name and email and after you confirm your email address, you’ll immediately get 3 Gluten Free Bread recipes from me – my favorite ones. FREE!

So, what do you think is the #1 secret to making homemade delicious gluten free bread? You might think I’d share a baking tip with you. But instead, I’m going to share a tip that might surprise you for its’ simplicity. Have patience and don’t give up. That is the secret. I’ve made more gluten free loaves of bread than I care to admit. And the ones that didn’t come out so great, I turned into breadcrumbs, croutons or doorstops. You just need to have patience. You need to keep trying, again and again. Of course, it helps to have the right recipe. But even with the “right” recipe, your ingredients as well as other contributing factors (type of loaf pan, temperature of kitchen, etc.) will affect the finished product.

I’ve been experimenting with baking gluten free bread ever since I was diagnosed with Celiac in late 2005. I’ve made a number of very decent, respectable loaves, but this one might be my favorite. I have Brenda of http://www.facebook.com/SharingGlutenFreeRecipes to thank for this recipe. I contacted Brenda and asked her if I could share it on my blog and she very generously agreed. Give it a try, I think you’ll agree, this one is a keeper. I have adapted some of the recipe instructions.

Please know that while I’m still a HUGE fan of Breads From Anna gluten free mixes, far and above the BEST gluten free commercially bread mix on the planet, sometimes the bake-it-from-scratch part of me wants to well, make it from scratch! For homemade gluten free bread recipes, this recipe is the queen mother of them all. This recipe produces a gluten free sandwich bread that has the taste and texture of what I remember to be a hearty wheat gluten-full bread.

What would you like to read about on my blog? Do you have any questions or topics that you’d like me to address? Please leave a comment and let me know and I promise to do my utmost to follow up with relevant blogposts.

Gluten Free Flax Bread

Place the following dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a bowl and hand mixer) and mix until combined:

1 ¼ c. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
¼ c. sweet white sorghum flour
½ c. potato starch
¼ c. ground flax seed meal
¼ c. cornstarch
1 tsp. salt
2 ½ tsp. xanthan gum
2 ¼ tsp. yeast

In another bowl, combine with a wire whisk:
1 c. milk heated to 110* (I used almond/coconut milk)
2 whole eggs
2 egg whites
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp honey

NOTE: Eggs should be room temperature. If need be, place in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes before using.

Add the wet ingredients to the mixing bowl containing the dry ingredients. Turn mixer on low and mix for one minute, then scrape bowl down. Turn on high for 5 minutes.

Spray a 8×4 loaf pan (original recipe called for 9×5 loaf pan but I found it works best with an 8×4 loaf pan) with cooking spray. Pour dough into the pan. Use a wet spatula to help coax the dough out of the mixing bowl and also to spread the dough evenly in the loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray to keep the bread from sticking to it while it rises. Place in a warm place 45-60 minutes.

NOTE: Per recipe author’s instructions, wet a kitchen towel with water, wring it out, fold it and microwave for about 2 minutes until steaming hot. Place dough on towel in microwave to rise.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bread for 25 minutes. Cover with foil if it is browning too quickly. Bake for another 20 minutes, removing the foil for the last 5 minutes. Use a thermometer to check the bread. When the internal temperature reaches 205-210 degrees, bread is done.

Remove from pan. Before slicing, place on rack until completely cool. If the bread won’t be eaten up by day two, slice and freeze in a freezer ziplock bag.

If you want to watch Brenda’s youtube video, go here.

 {EXCITING NEWS}

10 Day Ultimate Gluten Free Diva Cleanse: A Kickstart Formula For Losing Your Belly Bloat & Finding Your Sexy Glow

I think this cleanse is gonna rock your world. I know it will, cause it rocked mine. I lost 7 lbs. in 10 days and have kept it off. I know that you know that I am already a good doobie when it comes to Gluten Free, after all, I AM the Gluten Free Diva:). But the cleanse I did (and now am offering to you) took my health to a whole new stratosphere. It’s an amazing journey – you’ll communicate with other cleanse participants on our private Facebook page, as well as oh, about a million other goodies that come with the cleanse when you register.

Click on this link and then sign up fast cause there’s only room for a limited number of participants.

Oh, and one more thing: You’re already subscribed to this blog on which I mostly write about my recipes. But I’m also going to be publishing a newsletter with more recipes, lots of guest articles from other bloggers, and links to the most relevant Gluten Free information that you’ll want to know about. SO, click on this link, add your name and email address and then stay tuned. I have LOTS of goodies in store and I want to make sure that you are the first to hear about them. (SHHH!! Don’t tell anyone – I’m working on a report titled ”10 Essential Secrets To Traveling Gluten Free” – as soon as it’s published, if you’ve signed up on my email list, you’ll be the first to get it!).

So, two things to do:

1. Click on this link and sign up quick as can be for the cleanse, cause there’s only room for a limited number of participants and I know you want to get a head start on feeling great (ok, and looking great too!) as we head into the holiday season.

2. Click on this link, add your name and email address to get my what promises to be my totally rockin’ newsletter.

Be well! And remember, it’s SO easy to be gluten free! 

Warmly, Ellen Allard

Gluten Free Diva

One of the hardest things about going gluten free was thinking I’d never be able to eat Gluten Free Waffles and Gluten Free Pancakes ever again. I dispelled that myth long ago and am here to give you yet another recipe for Gluten Free Waffles from my ever-growing recipe collection.

Lucky for me, I had all the ingredients to make Gluten Free Whole Grain Waffles this morning. The recipe I chose fit my criteria for perfect waffles – crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Add maple syrup and I was one happy Gluten Free Diva.

This recipe came from a new cookbook that is not only fantastic, but guess what? I have 3 copies to give away! Keep reading!

The cookbook is called Nourishing Meals: Healthy Gluten-Free Recipes for the Whole Family by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre. This book is soon to become the Gluten Free version of the classic Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer. It is chock full of valuable information and has recipes upon recipes that will keep you busy for years of happy gluten free cooking and baking.

This morning, when I realized that I had a yen for waffles, I got my butt down to the kitchen, donned my apron, and began assembling the ingredients for the recipe in Nourishing Meals that I’d bookmarked a few days before. Within 15 minutes, I sat down to a plate of gluten free steaming waffles, swimming in maple syrup, and a cup of tea. I’m so pleased with this combination of flours and starches that I’m thinking of making a big batch of it and having it at my fingertips for instant waffle making.

Bonus Tips: 1. The waffles freeze beautifully. 2. They make great sandwich bread.

Would you like a copy of this book? I have 3 copies to give away. If you would like a chance to win this amazing book, READ CAREFULLY! (WINNERS CHOSEN – SEE BELOW)

You must do both #1 and #2.

Here’s how to enter to win a copy:

1.  Sign up for my newsletter by clicking here.

2. Leave a comment below, on this blog post, telling me your favorite topping for waffles.

I will draw 3 winners from the comments but the only way you’ll have a chance to win is if you sign up for my newsletter.  Just in case you forgot, go back to step number 1 and sign up for the newsletter, then leave your comment below.

Good luck to all.  Deadline for entries is Monday, September 17th at 10pm EST.  I will notify the winner via email for mailing information.

I’m happy to announce that the 3 winners of this contest were chosen and have been sent their cookbook. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Something’s been knocking at my Gluten Free Diva door and it just won’t go away and even though I’m in the middle of something called my gluten free diva life, it just wants me to pay attention and so it won’t stop knocking. Phew. Long sentence.

About five years ago, shortly after I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I started flirting with eating a Raw diet. Didn’t take long before I went into it with full, dogged force. It didn’t last. No way. Too hard. Too restrictive. Way, way, way too unconventional.

Fast forward to spring 2012. It appeared on my radar screen again. I met a fellow Holistic Health Coach (you can find her here) and her client base includes people healing from cancer by following a raw diet. She blew me away.

I decided to give it another try, though this time I decided to employ moderation, a concept generally unknown to me, but necessary if I wanted to not bag out again like I did the first time. So, rather than expecting myself to eat 100% raw, I don’t even apply a percentage. Just doing it when I feel like it, cause I feel like it.

So, you’re probably wondering “What’s defying convention got to do with this post?”.

First, it’s pretty unconventional to follow/eat/believe in/subscribe to a Raw Diet, don’t ya’ think? Way more unconventional at this point in time than being gluten free.

Second, I’m participating in a blogging event called “101 Revolutionary Ways To Be Healthy” which I learned about from Sarah Kay Hoffman over at A Gutsy Girl. Sarah is a fellow student at IIN (the Institute for Integrative Nutrition) and I’ve learned a lot about social media from her. Today is post #1 of the challenge. The question remains: can I do the other 100 days of this challenge? Stick around.

Meanwhile, I’m determined this time to see what the big brou ha ha is about following a raw diet, albeit partially raw like I’m doing. So far, so good. I feel like a million bucks. With my new focus on eating more raw (than not), I NEVER have indigestion. I eat a TON of food. I NEVER have any produce-turned-fuzzy-science-experiment in my frig. I use everything I buy. That in and of itself is amazing! And I’m still eating cooked food, mostly plant-based, non-processed food. And I feel like a million bucks. Whoops, I think I said that already:).

This Raw Fig Tart with Cashew Creme and Date Nut Crust would fall under the category of raw. Nothing with a face spared its’ life for my little summer indulgence. I had it for breakfast two mornings in a row. Loved it! I think you will too. Won’t you give it a try? Feel free to substitute any other fresh fruit of your choice instead of the figs? I’ve already made it with fresh mango, strawberries, and blueberries.

Being the Gluten Free Diva comes with certain responsibilities, which I take very seriously. I take great pride in letting my readers know how important it is to eat lots of dark, leafy green vegetables every day. Enter stage right: the Green Smoothie. A perfect vehicle for getting in your fruits and veggies.

I decided, with two education degrees under my belt (Bachelors of Music Education/Performance and Masters of Education), it was high time I made a video and learned how to edit it in iMovie. It took awhile. Actually, it took a REALLY long time. But I didn’t mind because I had a blast learning the program.

So without further ado, please take a look at my first official Everyday Green Smoothie made using iMovie. The recipe is at the end of the video, and it’s also at the end of this post.

Making Gluten Free Matzo with a friend, especially a blogger friend, might be one of the most fun blogging experiences I’ve ever had. Cara, from Cara’s Cravings, is a new friend. We were initially in touch with each other via email about a year ago but then you know what happens. Time has a way of getting away from you. And then through serendipitous musical circumstances, we finally met and I’m so glad we did. Though there are over 20 years between our ages, you’d never know. We talk like we’re old friends reconnecting. So much to talk about! Cara asks me which gluten free flour I use for this or that recipe? I ask Cara how she so deftly substitutes coconut sugar and stevia in recipes that use conventional refined sugar (she has an engineer’s mind!). Needless to say, I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to develop a friendship with Cara! And her husband Ben and her sweet new puppy Eve are also delightful! And if that weren’t enough, we decided to put our gluten free aprons on at the same time! And then after making our gluten free matzo, both of us could blog about our experience.

I’ve blogged about my other gluten free matzo recipes. Go to this page to see a number of links for my gluten free matzo recipes. Far and above all of them, my favorite previous Gluten Free Matzo recipe is this one, using Breads From Anna’s gluten free flour mix. Here’s the recipe as included on the Breads From Anna website. I will probably always remain loyal to that one because of lots of reasons not the least of which is that it was the first gluten free flour that made really kick-ass GF matzo. But this new recipe is also a good one. I wouldn’t hesitate to make either one.

Is this recipe for Gluten Free Matzo kosher for Passover? It depends on your level of keeping kosher for Passover. It contains oats, one of the five grains that are mandatory to call something kosher for Passover. It bakes for less than 18 minutes, another criteria for it being kosher for Passover. As far as the ingredients themselves being kosher for Passover, that’s another story. If the package doesn’t say kosher for Passover and you keep strictly to the laws of kashrut (kosher), you will have to decide for yourself whether it will work for you. I looked on my Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten free flour mix, and while there is an underlined K on the bag, it doesn’t specifically say that it’s kosher for Passover. But since I do not adhere to strictly kosher for Passover, it works for me. I also might add that in Jewish law, children, the elderly, and the infirm are considered exempt from having to follow the letter of the law. I believe that if you have Celiac Disease OR if you have a gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity, you fall in that category.

This recipe uses Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour. Though I like a lot of other Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free products, I am not a fan of this flour, as it has a very heavy bean-like taste. However, mixed with the ground oats and almond flour, there is no bean-like taste AND it performs beautifully.

We didn’t try using this matzo as a substitute for matzo meal, but you can be sure that I will be trying it before our matzo eating holiday of Passover is finished.

A zissen Pesach (pay-sach – the “ch” is a guttural sound that comes from the back of your throat) to you all! This is a Yiddish saying that people say in wishing others a happy Passover – zissen means sweet and Pesach is the Yiddish word for Passover.

You’re in for a treat when you visit Cara’s blog for her post about our gluten free matzo fun. And you’re in for a treat when you take a look at these three other recipes from Cara’s blog that are great for Passover:

Leek & Artichoke Kugel (use either our GF matzo recipe or after you gasp at the price, buy a box of GF matzo like this one)
Sephardic Charoset
Spaghetti Squash Kugel with Apples & Raisins

I am in Gluten Free Pancake Nirvana. I think I’ve finally found my go-to recipe for making gluten free pancakes. And it was one of those serendipitious moments that brought these discs of  deliciousness to my kitchen. You see,  an amazing performer friend of mine, Jackson Gillman, gave me this recipe based on the work of Sally Fallon. After I made them, I have to say they were best gluten free pancakes I’ve ever eaten. I’ve posted about gluten free pancakes here and here and here. And these waffles which I recently posted about were darn good. So, I hope you don’t think me fickle for declaring my new pancake love:).

This time, this is the truth of the truth of the truth. These were perfection in a pancake. They were beyond perfect. I ate 3 of them and wanted 3 more, but exhibited a lot HUGE amount of willpower by not giving in to my desire to eat every single one of them. That’s not entirely true. When the phone rang, I took a break from blogging and while I was chatting with a friend,  sauntered upstairs and took one more huge bite. That’s not overindulging, is it?!?

I think I know one of the reasons that these pancakes were so fantastic. I believe it has something to do with soaking the grains overnight. Doing so releases the phytic acid which is an anti-nutrient that takes away from the nutritional value of the grains. For an excellent discussion on this subject, see this thorough post on the nourished kitchen blog.

My friend Jackson told me that after he heard Sally Fallon speak at a 3 day nutrition conference, he and his family began following the work found in Fallon’s book entitled Nourishing Traditions. This change in his diet came after he was a vegetarian for a good number of years. If you want to hear an interview with Sally Fallon, click here. 

It’s somewhat of a coincidence that Jackson shared this recipe with me. You see, for the last few years, I’ve been circling around Nourishing Traditions, reading blogs and articles about her work, wondering about the benefits of returning to a diet centered around certain foods that I’ve heretofore come to believe aren’t good to eat, at least for me. Some bloggers simply experiment with the philosophy of Nourishing Traditions, while others (here and here) are clearly committed to following it. After this positive pancake experience, my curiosity has been piqued, especially after learning about the work of Sally Fallon and the Weston Price Foundation, one of 100 different dietary theories I’m studying as part of the curriculum at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I’m enjoying discovering how I can blend the Nourishing Traditions philosophy into my own food choices.

If you’re interested in finding out more about my work as a Holistic Health Coach, please visit my new (and still under construction) website at Open Up To Wellness. I’ve begun seeing clients and am scheduling complimentary Health History consultations for those interested in making a change to their food and lifestyle choices.

A few notes: As a general rule, I do not eat dairy. I don’t have an allergy per se to it, but I am not a happy camper when I eat it. It’s not uncommon for people with Celiac Disease to have an intolerance to dairy. I found, though, that with the little bit of butter used in this recipe, I’ve had no negative reaction. You can most assuredly substitute Earth Balance buttery spread (although after studying about the soy industry and the impact of eating non-fermented soy on our health, I would opt for the soy-free version of Earth Balance or even the Coconut version) or Coconut Oil.

As for coconut oil, when I suggest that my clients use it, I get reactions ranging from “Oh no, that’s too fattening!” or “Isn’t coconut oil full of saturated fat? Won’t it raise my cholesterol?” or “My doctor says to stay far away from all saturated fat.” Guess what? We have been led to believe (don’t get me started!)  that this information is true. But I’ve done the research and I’ve learned that not all saturated fat is bad. To begin with, coconut oil is full of lauric acid which Dr. Joseph Mercola calls a “miracle compound” containing anti-viral and anti-bacterial health-promoting properties. As if that weren’t enough, it can improve heart health, boost your thyroid, increase your metabolism and promote weight loss as needed not to mention supporting your immune system. And who wouldn’t want to eat something that has anti-aging and regenerative effects? If you want to learn more about Dr. Mercola’s beliefs about coconut oil, read this.

I got the oat bran from a company called PrOatina. They grow and manufacture certified gluten free oats and other oat related products including the oat bran I used in this recipe. If you can’t get your hands on oat bran, sub in another gluten free grain. Also, please note that I ground the oat bran to be finer and powdery using a coffee bean grinder that I use only for grinding my non-coffee bean products.

Happy Pancake Day! Hope all is well in your part of the world.

I have a new gluten free best friend and her name is Iris and she writes this amazing blog called The Daily Diatribe and I’ve been following her for years and she totally rocks. There, I said it. Why does she rock? Because she did a TON of work to figure out how to make gluten free, dairy free and egg free waffles, giving me (and you) the opportunity to just throw the ingredients together and cook up some delicious waffles. Crisp waffles indeed! Oh, I’ve tried making waffles. I’ve posted about them here and here and here. But none of them come even close to the delicious perfection of this recipe for this gluten free diva. And one of the best things is that sometimes gluten free waffles can be gummy. Not sure if that’s from the amount of starches used or the xanthan or guar gums. But these waffles aren’t the least bit gummy.

You have to read her post to believe it. She experimented for three days. Three days, I tell you! She made over 24 batches of pancakes AND waffles. Iris, you are my gluten free hero. You just made my gluten free life much sweeter.

I followed her recipe exactly as posted. FYI, I cut the recipe in half and still ended up with almost four single waffles. I used 3/4 c. Almond Flour (Honeyville or Nuts Online – either are excellent) and 1/4 cup Potato Starch. And I used water as my liquid. Iris notes that the potato starch is key. I took her at her word. I used the smaller amount of water (1/4 cup) and that was enough. Depending on the flours/starches you use, your climate, the temperature of your kitchen and your waffle iron, you might need a different amount of water. This is my waffle iron. It produces excellent results.

These were indeed crispy. I want to try using either eggs or chia egg replacer next time, just to see if they can be a tad fluffier. But still, no complaints from me. They were delicious and crisp as is. Lots of little nooks and crannies for the melted Earth Balance and real maple syrup to pool. Oh, and did I mention, these gluten free waffles were really crisp?:)

Thank you Iris. You are da’ gluten free bomb.