Yesterday I posted on Facebook that I had received an Amazon order containing a couple of new gluten free cookbooks. Several of you asked what cookbooks I had bought, so I thought I would share with you today what gluten free cookbooks I decided were worth buying and a little bit about why I choose them.
I have posted before that I have had mixed results with gluten free cookbooks and that I often have better results just adapting family favorites. However, I have several goals in mind for this year when it comes to gluten free cooking and I am hoping a few new cookbooks will help me with those goals.
My first goal is to experiment with some of the healthier, more whole grain, gluten free flours. I am hoping that gluten free cookbooks will give me some ideas and inspire me to try some new things.
I also have two recipes that I am determined to tackle and get right this year. One is a really good and healthy gluten free bread. The other is gluten free pie crust. I miss pie and I want/hope to figure out a really good gluten free pie crust. I hope these new cookbooks, might have some ideas that help me with those two things.
My other goal is to get my kids in the kitchen more. My girls are 10 and 13. They used to bake with me all the time. In fact they had several recipes for cakes and cookies that they made all on their own without me even stepping into the kitchen. Over the last year and a half that has changed. Our multiple food issues have complicated cooking. They no longer find baking fun. Yes, they often help me in the kitchen, but they are wanting to tackle some things on their own, and I hope to find some easy gluten free recipes that help them do that.
Here is what I got bought. I just received these yesterday, so I have not had time to cook anything from them yet. I will give more detailed reviews as I use them.
Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy Delicious Meals
: I have read mixed reviews on this book. I am not dairy free, but this book looks interesting and some of the recipes look really good.
Free for All Cooking: 150 Easy Gluten-Free, Allergy-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Can Enjoy
: Again I have read mixed reviews on this book. It deals with multiple food allergies, some of which we do not have problems with, but the recipes in the book look interesting and I hope to find some good ideas. The first book I bought after going gluten free was a Jules Shepard book. She really helped me get through those first few really difficult weeks, so I hope I can lean something from her new book also.
The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free
: Now this one may surprise some of you because I have stated before that I do not use a lot of mixes when I cook. I bought this book with my girls in mind. I have several of the Cake Mix Doctor’s other cookbooks and my girls used to make recipes from them all the time. They loved the fact that they could easily make a cake that looked special and tasted great. I am hoping that this book will give them that again. I am hoping it helps them learn that gluten free baking can be easy and fun. I am hoping it helps them enjoy baking again.
I would love to hear your thoughts on these books. Do any of you have them? And have you tried any recipes from them yet?
Oh, looks like you’ll be having some fun in the kitchen! I love getting new cookbooks, and marking all the recipes I want to try in there.
I have the cake mix doctor book, your girls will LOVE it! I mix up Carrie’s (Gingerlemongirl) yellow cake mix, and use it instead of the store bought mixes. It works fantastically!! And so many recipes in the book call for the yellow cake mix. Carrie also says that you can add 3 Tbsp of cocoa to the mix to make it a chocolate cake mix (haven’t tried that yet though). Here’s the link to her cake mix recipe: https://gingerlemongirl.blogspot.com/2010/12/homemade-gluten-free-betty-crocker-cake.html
Enjoy the new books!
I can help you with the Cooking for Isaiah. I have made several recipes from this book. The Double Corn Bread (p.74 &75) turned out fantastic. My gluten-eating husband fought me (not literally) for the last piece. My kids loved it also. The Pumpkin muffins were fantastic; they froze really well and tasted great even 3 weeks later. Penny’s Apple Brown Sugar Coffee cake (p.54&55) was AMAZING! I have also made the homemade French Fries that turned out great. My only recipe that was a half way flop (my own fault) were the brownies. I under baked them so the center was gooey, BUT the outside that was baked was delicious! I am very new to the GF diet so I remember how the originals taste and all of the above are keeper recipe’s for me.
If you ever find that great homemade gluten free bread I would love to know about it:)
I am glad to hear that you like the Cooking For Isaiah book. I will have to try some of those recipes that you recommended. Thanks!
I have all three of those books and unfortunately, I don’t think any of them are really heaving on the “healthy” gluten free grains.
Cooking For Isaiah has some good, but not healthy recipes; but I really hate that she recommends a tapioca flour that is processed in a facility with wheat. I usually just sub another starch for the tapioca because I think most tapioca flours/starches taste gross.
The Free For All book has some good ideas, but I have had mixed results with the recipes I have tried.
The Cake Mix Doctor is pretty much what you’d expect from the author; I never owned any of the others, but there are some great ideas and I think they are perfect for kids/teens or those wanting to make a quick dessert.
Enjoy your new cookbooks!