Tips & Tricks for Gluten-Free Snacking Success
- Flour Power: Gluten-free flours can be tricky. If your dough seems too dry, add a tiny bit of water at a time. If it's too wet, add a very small bit of flour. Different blends have different levels of absorbency, so practice and be patient. If you find a specific GF flour mix that is working well for you, stick with it!
- Xanthan Gum Necessity: If your gluten-free flour blend doesn't already contain xanthan gum, you'll likely need to add a little – start with 1/4 teaspoon to the chickpea crackers for this level of quantity. This magic ingredient helps with the structure and "stick-together" properties of gluten-free doughs.
- Ingredient Swaps: Don't have almonds? Use any nut butter of your choice (peanut butter, cashew butter, etc.) for those energy bites. For the apple chips, feel free to use other spices like cardamom or ginger instead of (or in addition to!) cinnamon. Experiment to find what you like best!
- Sweetness Adjustment: Adjust the sweetness in the energy bites to your liking, more honey or syrup if you have a sweet tooth, or a squirt of lemon or lime for a touch more tang.
- Make Ahead/Meal Prep: All three recipes store very well for meal prep. Make them on a weekend, so you have snacks for the week ahead.
- Toasted Oats: Toasting your gluten-free oats for the energy bites for 5 minutes at 375 degrees will help the texture/flavor, but you also get all of the nutritious benefits of an oat too!
- Patience is Key: When baking gluten-free goodies, it's essential to be patient. The timing might vary slightly depending on your oven.
- Get Creative!: Don't be afraid to play around with the recipes to find your perfect combination. Baking is a lovely science and art form!
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Recipe 1: Cheesy Herb & Garlic Chickpea Crackers
Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Serves: multiple
Ingredients: 1 can chickpeas, 1/4 cup GF flour, 1/4 cup parmesan, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp herbs, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 2 tbsp water.
Instructions: Mix all ingredients in a food processor. Roll thin on parchment, score into cracker shapes. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 min until golden/crisp.
Recipe 2: Sweet & Spicy Almond Butter Energy Bites
Preparation Time: 15 minutes Chill Time: 30 minutes Serves: multiple
Ingredients: 1 cup rolled (GF) oats, 1/2 cup almond butter, 1/4 cup honey/maple, 1/4 cup coconut, 2 tbsp chia, 1 tbs flaxseed, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla.
Instructions: Mix dry ingredients then the wet ingredients in a bowl. Roll into balls, chill.
Recipe 3: Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips
Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1-3 hours Serves: multiple
Ingredients: 2-3 apples, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, pinch of salt.
Instructions: Thinly slice apples, toss with lemon juice and spices. Bake at 200°F for 1-3 hours or until curled, crisp.
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