A Guide to Gluten Free Grains ( part 1)
Read on to find out the best gluten free grains, how to cook them, and where to buy them with recipes.
There are many reasons that an individual may avoid gluten in their diet, including celiac disease, a wheat allergy, gluten intolerance or sensitivity or other digestive health conditions.
Read on to find out what gluten free grains you can eat, how to cook them, and what they taste like, along with recipes and an overview of my top 5 gluten free grains. Read part 2 here.
Luckily, following a gluten free diet doesn't mean avoiding all grains. Several grains are naturally gluten free. My favourites that I will be covering in this article are:
Amaranth - what does it taste like, how to cook it, recipes and where to buy it.
Buckwheat - what does it taste like, how to cook it, recipes and where to buy it.
Oats - what does it taste like, how to cook it, recipes and where to buy it.
Sorghum - what does it taste like, how to cook it, recipes and where to buy it.
Polenta - what does it taste like, how do you cook it, what are the recipes, and where to buy it.
Top 5 gluten free grains
Amaranth
Amaranth is an ancient gluten free grain that is similar to quinoa. The tiny, light tan-coloured seed is cooked similarly to rice and oats. It’s considered a "pseudocereal" rather than an actual grain since it's technically a seed. Amaranth is from the family amaranthaceae. Like other cereal grains and pseudocereals, amaranth can be prepared in its whole seed form or ground into flour.
Amaranth can be enjoyed in sweet and savoury recipes and is cooked by simmering, similar to cereal grains like rice and oats. This seed is much smaller than other common grains and is just slightly larger than a poppy seed in size.
Amaranth flour is a popular ingredient with gluten free bakers. Since it's heavy, it should be limited to 1/4 of the total flour in the recipe (by weight). Otherwise, the baked goods will be extremely dense. It combines well with almond flour and works nicely as a thickener in soups and sauces.
What Does It Taste Like?
Amaranth's flavour is nutty, herbal, and slightly peppery. It has a crunchy texture, similar to that of quinoa. Toasted or "popped" amaranth has a more enhanced nutty flavour and is lightly crisp.
How to cook amaranth
Amaranth is quick and easy to cook, Add 3 cups of water to a large pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add 1 cup of amaranth, then stir and cover. Simmer for around 20 minutes until the water has been absorbed. Serve and enjoy
Amaranth Recipes
Amaranth can be used in savoury dishes and sweet breakfast porridge. At the same time, the popped amaranth can be sprinkled over salads, stirred into soups, baked into bread and cookies, or enjoyed as a snack or even a breakfast cereal. The flour can be incorporated into baked goods like bread and pizza dough. Try these recipes:
Strawberry & cardamon porridge
Where can I buy amaranth?
At Holland and Barratt, the grapetree, online, or at health food stores.
Buckwheat
Buckwheat is often thought of as a cereal grain. However, it is actually a fruit seed related to rhubarb and sorrel. Its high protein content offers excellent structure as well as nutrition. It is one of my favourite gluten free grains to cook with, as it's so versatile. It might sound confusing as it has wheat in the name but I assure you that buckwheat is gluten free and safe to eat on a gluten free diet.
Buckwheat belongs to a group of foods commonly called pseudocereals. Which are seeds consumed as cereal grains but don't grow on grasses. ( like wheat, maize, rice, barley and oats.)
You can buy buckwheat as groats, which are the seeds, or as flour, which is milled; as kasha, which is roasted buckwheat; and buckwheat flakes that can be used to make porridge or as ready-made products like noodles, pasta, etc.
What Does It Taste Like?
Buckwheat has a nutty, earthy flavour that gives off a warm aroma of freshly baked cookies when heated. Its unique flavour pairs very well with dried fruits, nuts, and strong spices, which all inspired our popular chocolate and tea flavours.
Buckwheat has a robust and deep taste versus other common grains but has a similar consistency. What is truly unique is buckwheat's versatility: a gluten-free grain that is a central component of both savoury and sweet dishes. From bread to pancakes to porridge, buckwheat can be enjoyed in many different ways!
How to cook buckwheat groats
Rinse well through a sieve until the water runs clear. Toast in a dry frying pan for 2-3 mins until nutty and fragrant (this adds a roasted flavour to the buckwheat, but you don't have to toast it). Alternatively simmer in boiling water for 5-10 mins until the grains are tender but still have a little bite. Drain well. It can then be used to replace rice in most dishes; it’s less starchy and less likely to cause bloating.
Buckwheat Recipes
Buckwheat flour can be used to make breads, waffles, cookies and pancakes, to name a few. Buckwheat groats can be used to make a risotto, or used in salads in the same way quinoa or rice can. Buckwheat flakes can be used to make porridge. Read my article A guide to buckwheat and its uses in allergy free cookery for more information on buckwheat here. Take a look at these gluten free recipes using buckwheat:
Buckwheat pancakes with apple & cinnamon
Vanilla and buckwheat granola ( see picture below)
Where can I buy buckwheat?
Buckwheat groats and flour can be found at most supermarkets. Buckwheat flakes and kasha can be found in health food stores or online.
Oats
(Avena sativa) Oats have numerous uses in foods; most commonly, they are rolled or crushed into oatmeal or ground into fine oat flour. Oatmeal is widely eaten as porridge but is also used in various baked goods, such as oatcakes, oatmeal cookies, and oat bread. Oats are also an ingredient in cereals, muesli and granola. Oats are also used to make oat milk.
Oats contain avenin, which is a protein similar to gluten. Research has shown that most people with coeliac disease can tolerate gluten free oats without problems.
The issue is that sometimes oats are produced in the same place as wheat, barley and rye and then contaminate these other grains. Only oats labelled gluten free may be eaten by people following a gluten free diet. Uncontaminated oats that test at 20 parts per million (ppm) gluten or less may be labelled 'gluten-free. You can buy rolled oats, steel-cut oats, instant oats, Scottish oats, and oat bran. Read more about the different types of oats here.
What does it taste like?
Oats are generally quite bland and need to be used in conjunction with different flavours, like fruit or spices like cinnamon. Steel-cut oats are more hearty and nutty. It takes on a new flavour profile if you roast oats as I do in my porridge recipes. My porridge recipes literally taste like flapjacks. Recipes below!
How to cook oats
Oats are so versatile that you can make porridge. It usually takes around 15 minutes and turns into a beautiful creamy mixture as the starch is released. You can use oats for flapjacks and grind them into flour for use in baking like cookies, muffins, and tortillas. You can soak them and make them into milk too.
Recipes using oats
Oats are so versatile, you can use them to make crumbles, porridge, cookies, pancakes, flapjacks and other baked goods. Although oat flour is similar to all-purpose wheat flour, it cannot be substituted 1:1 in most cases. However, it does have a similar consistency and acts as an amazing alternative for baking. Oat flour can be used by itself or as part of a combination of other gluten-free flours, such as almond or coconut.
Spiced pecan and maple granola
Fig, blueberry and coconut porridge ( see picture below)
Blueberry, oat and lemon crumble bars
Where can I buy gluten free oats?
Some supermarkets will sell GF oats, and most health food stores will also sell GF oats.
Sorghum
(Sorghum bicolor), also called great millet, Indian millet, milo, durra, or shallu, cereal grain plant of the grass family (Poaceae) and its edible starchy seeds.
Sorghum is a tasty ancient gluten free grain shaped like a little ball coated with an edible hull. Sorghum can be eaten and prepared like any other grain cereal. It can be popped like popcorn and eaten as a healthy snack, topping on a dessert, salad, or granola bowl. Sorghum comes in lots of different varieties.
Whole grain: Whole grain sorghum comes with all of the parts of the grain intact.
Pearled grain: Pearled sorghum comes with the bran, and part of the germ is removed, so it is mainly just the kernel.
Flaked grain: Finally, flaked sorghum is just that – flaked! It is a crunchier option and looks more like cereal than a round grain.
Flour: sorghum flour can be used to bake cakes, cookies and other baked goods
There's also something called sorghum syrup, or sorghum molasses. It's created by milling the stalks of the plant to press out the liquid, which is boiled to create viscosity; this also gives it a brown colour similar to maple syrup.
What Does Sorghum Taste Like?
The sorghum flavour is mild, with a trace of nutty sweetness and an earthy undertone. There's also a nuance of fresh-churned earth that gives a bit of richness to the grain. Its texture is firm like a wheat berry, and cooked sorghum spheres can "pop" in the mouth when eating.
How to cook with sorghum?
You can soak and cook it to make a porridge, grain side dish, or stuffing for peppers. It's also good stirred into a soup or stew, thickening the broth and adding even more heft to this cold-weather dish. Overall, cooked sorghum pairs well with mushrooms, dark green vegetables, eggplant, tomatoes, red meat, roasted chicken, roasted carrots, and an array of herbs.
Sorghum Recipes
This ingredient is an excellent addition to any hearty meal, especially when it needs to be gluten-free. Try it as a side dish, in a casserole, soup or stew. It can so be made into flour for baking purposes.
Where can I buy sorghum?
I've never seen sorghum in supermarkets here in the UK. I always buy it online or at my local health food store. If you can't find it at your health store, then always ask to see if they can order it for you.
Polenta
An Italian store cupboard staple, polenta has its roots in the peasant cuisine of northern Italy. Polenta is a northern Italian dish made of coarsely ground corn. Freshly cooked, polenta is soft and creamy, like porridge and makes a terrific bed for sauces. It's an excellent gluten-free substitute for just about any dish that calls for pasta. When polenta cools, it firms enough to be sliced and fried or layered like pasta sheets.
It's made by grinding corn into flour or meal. It has a rich yellow, yolk-like colour and has a slightly sweet flavour.
Polenta can be cooked creamy and thick or allowed to set and then sliced. Serve it instead of pasta, rice or potatoes. Use in place of breadcrumbs to coat chicken or fish when frying.
Uncooked polenta makes a delicious addition or gluten free alternative to flour in cakes, biscuits and pastries. Cakes made with polenta tend to be moist and dense with a pleasantly grainy texture.
What Is the Difference Between Polenta and Semolina?
As polenta is made from corn, it's gluten-free. On the other hand, Semolina is coarsely ground, high-gluten durum wheat used to make pasta, cakes, and bread.
What does polenta taste like?
The flavour profile of polenta is incredibly satisfying, offering a sweet corn taste with a texture and consistency similar to that of porridge.
How do I cook polenta?
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Once the water is at a steady boil, add your polenta grains and cook for around 45 minutes.. Make sure you stir it consistently as it cooks so that the grain will cook evenly and puff up to the desired texture. To add more flavour, swap out the water for chicken stock and add thyme, a bay leaf, and some chilli flakes for extra spice.
Polenta recipes
Polenta with harissa chickpeas ( see picture below)
Where can I buy polenta?
From most supermarkets and health food stores.
What grains should I exclude from a gluten free diet?
There are types of grains and grain products that should not be included in a "gluten-free" diet because they contain the form of gluten that is not safe for people with celiac and most gluten intolerances. Or have a high chance of cross-contamination in their production, The list of gluten containing grains are:
Barley
Barley malt or extract
Bran - Wheat bran
Bulgur Wheat
Couscous
Durum
Farina
Faro
Kamut
Malt matzo flour or meal
Orzo,
Panko,
Rye
Seitan
Semolina
Spelt
Triticale
Udon
Wheat
Wheat germ or wheat starch.
It is always essential to read product labels. Some products, such as soy sauce and other seasonings and sauces, contain wheat. If you need more information on how to eat a gluten free diet take a look here. And if your looking for more inspiring recipes, take a look at my gluten free collection here.
This is part 1 of 2 articles that I wrote on gluten free grains. There were so many options for grains to eat ( more than grains you can’t eat) that I couldn’t fit it all into 1 article. Read the 2nd article here.
Further reading and references
https://www.mashed.com/442720/what-is-polenta-and-what-does-it-taste-like/?utm_campaign=clip
https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-amaranth-5077691
https://kamsokhi.com/articles/buckwheat-and-its-uses-in-allergy-free-cookery
https://celiac.org/gluten-free-living/what-is-gluten/sources-of-gluten/
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