Fork over the snacks, and nobody needs to get hurt.
I love this cookbook! It is hard This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
5 Stars!
Fork over the snacks, and nobody needs to get hurt.
I love this cookbook! It is hard for me to talk about this cookbook without getting a little personal so I am just going to go for it. My husband and daughter both have Celiac disease. When my husband was diagnosed about 10 years ago, we tried to adjust but did a poor job if I am being honest. Then my daughter was diagnosed almost 3 years ago and I was determined that we would get it right. My husband also decided it was time to set a good example and strictly follow the gluten-free diet.
My entire household is gluten-free because it is a medical necessity for my husband and daughter. Even the tiniest crumb of gluten can make my daughter extremely ill so we take this very seriously. I still remember how lost I felt when she was first diagnosed and I was trying to figure out what we could eat. It wasn't long before I stumbled upon Nicole Hunn's blog, Gluten Free on a Shoestring, and found the guidance I so desperately needed. I fell in love with Nicole's philosophy that gluten free food should taste good - my family deserves to eat food that tastes great.
I love her cookbooks for so many reasons. This cookbook, like her others, offers sound guidance. The best advice that I have received regarding gluten-free cooking was to start with the flour. I purchased my first 25 lb bag of Better Batter several years ago and have never looked back. Nicole really breaks everything down, including advice on where to buy some of the ingredients so that anyone can be successful with the recipes in this cookbook.
If a baked good tastes "gluten-free," as compared to just simply delicious, it's just not good enough.
The recipes in this cookbook are phenomenal. Do you see the cover of this cookbook? All of my favorite Little Debbie and Hostess recipes are here (in copycat form-of course). But there is more, Girl Scout cookies, Keebler cookies, Entenmann's muffins, Tastykake, Keebler and Nabisco crackers, Quaker Breakfast cookies, Kellogg's Nutri-Grain bars, Kellogg's Po-Tarts, granola bars, donuts, and even candy bars all make an appearance.
Obviously, these are not the kind of recipes that you should base your diet on but when your child is asking for a twinkie it really is the best feeling in the world to be able to provide it. I have been a long time fan of Nicole Hunn and I have her other cookbooks and I have come across some of the recipes before but I really like having a cookbook that has all of them in one place.
I would highly recommend this cookbook to everyone who likes a gluten-free snack. It is easy to follow, the treats are delicious, and the cookbook is well laid out with lots of wonderful photos. I can only think of one complaint - the number of hours in the gym that I will have to endure to work off all of these wonderful treats!
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Perseus Books Group, Da Capo Press and Net Galley for the purpose of providing an honest review....more
I am rating this cookbook 5 stars. It is more involved than her previous 2 cookbooks but just as straightforward and easy to follow. One thing that juI am rating this cookbook 5 stars. It is more involved than her previous 2 cookbooks but just as straightforward and easy to follow. One thing that jumped out at me is that the recipes in this cookbooks take time. For those of us who use her previous cookbook Gluten-Free on a Shoestring, Quick and Easy: 100 Recipes for the Food You Love--Fast!that focused on quick and easy recipes that may be a shock. Good bread takes time. Many of the recipes in this cookbook are going to have a proofing time of 12 hours up to 5 days.
Another major difference with this cookbook is that she uses more than just a basic all purpose gluten free flour in most her recipes in this cookbook. She several different blends of flour: gluten free bread flour, high quality all-purpose gluten-free flour, make it simpler all purpose gluten free flour, basic gum-free gluten free flour, whole grain gluten free flour, and gluten free pastry flour. These seem easy to mix with just a couple of things added to your basic all purpose gluten free flour. Which flour blend you use depends on the recipe you are making. This was slightly disappointing to me because I could not jump right in and start making some of the recipes. I need to order a couple of things in order to make the bread flour. There are some recipes towards the back of the cookbook that do use a basic all purpose gluten free flour.
The cookbook is simple to follow with some photos. Each recipe does not have a photo but there are quite a few in the book. There are quite a few photos in the section of the book where she illustrates shaping the dough which I greatly appreciate. I have made the recipe for Glazed Yeast-Raised Donuts found in the book but I used Better Batter with not addition in place of the Gluten Free Bread Flour and they were delicious. I bet they would be even better if I have made the bread flour that the recipe calls for....oh well, what can I say I am a kitchen rebel!
The back of the book has some resources to help you figure out where to get some of the things mentioned in the cookbook. It also has a wonderful index which I find myself using all of the time in her previous cookbooks. ...more
When my daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I was lost. What would we eat? What could we eat? I spent tons of money at the stores on food thatWhen my daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I was lost. What would we eat? What could we eat? I spent tons of money at the stores on food that was not as good as the gluten filled versions. I found this blog and quickly bought the cookbook. I made the decision that if I could not buy good tasting gluten free food....then I would have to make it myself. I jumped right in and ordered a 25 pound bag of Better Batter and went to work. Nicole does use a gluten free flour blend and recommends Better Batter for her recipes. I have used this type of flour in the recipes and everything has been great.
The popover shown on the cover frequently show up on my dinner table. Some of our other favorite recipes are the buttermilk biscuits, flour tortillas, chicken and dumplings, pizza crust, and dinner rolls. I usually make a double batch of the buttermilk biscuits and freeze them for quicker meals when needed.
As far as the money saving advice in the book, I don't think there is really anything new found here. Basically if you cook instead purchasing ready made items....you will save money. This book was the first book that made me believe that I could make delicious food that happens to be gluten free. Now when I make something new and my family eyes me suspiciously, if I tell them that I got the recipe from Gluten Free on a Shoestring they are eager to try it. ...more
I simply can not say enough good things about this cookbook. Hardly a weekend goes by without using one of her recipes. I can honestly say that I do nI simply can not say enough good things about this cookbook. Hardly a weekend goes by without using one of her recipes. I can honestly say that I do not know what I would do without this book. My husband and daughter both have Celiac disease. When they were first diagnosed, I was lost....how would we eat....what could we eat. I stumbled upon the Gluten Free on a Shoestring blog and I found hope....and donuts...and cookies...and all kinds of tasty items. I own both of her cookbooks and have the next one soon to be released ordered. This is my favorite so far.
We don't eat desserts and bread everyday but we want these things every so often. I love the section in the back of the book where she gives you the recipes to make your own mixes. I have baked the brownies and brought them to many pot lucks and nobody every even knew that they were gluten free....they were just gone. We have made the donuts on the cover, the muffins in the mix section, chocolate cupcakes from the mix section, vanilla cupcakes from the mix section, flour tortillas, and the cinnamon rolls just to name a few.
Not only are the recipes delicious and easy to follow, Nicole has written the cookbook with pieces of her sense of humor which I love. I would highly recommend this cookbooks for anyone who wants to eat gluten free but still wants to eat good food. Food should not be good for gluten free.....if I am going to serve it to my family it needs to be good and gluten free. ...more
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