Customer Reviews

The Power of Flour: Cooking With Non-traditional Flours

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'll admit that I assumed from the cover photo and the topic that the book was about making baked goods with interesting kinds of flour. I'm on a homemade-bread kick at the moment and was hoping to find some new ideas to try. There are some baked goods recipes, but also a lot of soups, snacks, salads, and pastas, which wasn't really what I was looking for. I was disappointed that there seems to be no way to find recipes that work with a particular kind of flour, either. Most of the recipe names are so "cute" that they fail to include any reference to what they contain, and the index only lists them by name as well. If I wanted to look up "Razzle Me Dazzle Me Crunch" by name, that would be swell, but if I have a sack of barley flour and a sack of buckwheat flour and am in need of interesting ways to use them, I'm out of luck. I could also do without the author's cute stories about how much her family likes this or that recipe, but maybe that's because "chripy" people irritate me.

I was honestly a little skeptical when thinking about using all sorts of different flours that I have never heard of. But reading all about how wonderful they are I couldn't put the book down. Have you ever read a cook book cover to cover? Well, this one I did! I couldn't put it down, and I was so excited to start cooking! The first recipe I tried was "Pancake Day Banana Pancakes" for my three daughters on valentine's day. I didn't have all the ingredients, so I made a few substitutions as Tiffany suggests in the book; and so wonderful! My kids couldn't get enough! It makes me as a mother feel so good to be able to cook something for my girls that is so nutritious and DELICIOUS!! I am so anxious to try every recipe!! Thanks Tiffany you did an amazing job!!

Just browsing through the full color photos of finished dishes in Tiffany Haugen's "The Power Of Flour: Cooking With Non-Traditional Flours" will arouse even the most jaded of appetites. The dishes themselves are truly extraordinary in that they offer the kitchen cook an impressive variety of flavors drawn from an equally impressive variety of flours that go well beyond the usual bleached wheat flour that dominates most American baking cookbooks. Each individual recipe is clearly laid out in terms of ingredients and instructions, as well as being enhanced with a brief personal but relevant anecdote by Tiffany. The recipes comprising this spiral bound cornucopia of recipes include every aspect of a dinner menu from soups, salads and pastas, to breads, healthy snacks, and desserts. Of special note (and value) are the appendices on 'Nutritious Flours'; 'Substitutions'; 'Recipe Rescue & Bread Machine Tips'; and 'Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free Vegan Recipes'. From Rainbow Corn Cakes; Outside-In Pizza; High-Protein Bars; and Dark Bread Crackers; to Chai Latte Cookies; Dangerous Brownies; and Fanned Apple Tart, "The Power Of Flour" is a unique and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, family, and community cookbook collections.

The Power of Flour has been such a fun cookbook. My grandkids love all the pictures and have been willing to try many new flavors. The idea of adding different kinds of flours to traditional recipes is great. I know that even if we are eating cookies, they at least have added nutrients and fiber.

What more can I say? The day after I got this book I tried two recipes..."Blueberry Crumble Cakes" and "Cookies for Snack Again!". Both were exceptional...to quote my 10 year old, "These are amazing!" Everyone in the family was impressed, which is not always an easy task to achieve with a new recipe, especially one that has so many good-for-you ingredients. I was able to substitute several of the flours, just as the author says you can, and create something delicious and nutritious with flours I already had in my pantry. Now I've purchased several flours that I haven't cooked with before, and I'm excited to try the next recipe that catches my eye. Also, I really like the wide variety of items that are featured (soup, bread, tortillas, cookies, etc.), since the focus is on the health benefits of various flours, it gives me great possibilities for ways to incorporate less commonly used flours in our favorite family recipes.

The original introduction to this cookbook came from a search for a good ginger cookie recipe. A casual conversation at a coffee shop recommended the cookbook. This is the third book I've given as a gift. The author explores the new flours available for baking. In addition to the well tested recipes using specific flour combinations, she encourages experimentation with your own recipes. And yes, the triple ginger cookie recipe is excellent! Enjoy the discovery!

this book gave me the information I was looking for and arrived in an expedient manner and great condition. will use vendor again.

I've tried a handful of recipes in this book. What I like is that there are so many options given for using alternative flours. Several are for breads and others are for soups or cookies or tortillas. What is annoying is that I don't have even half the ingredients the book mentions in my pantry. I also don't understand the chemistry to baking. I don't understand what is needed to make a great loaf of bread and so I'm not readily able to experiment with different flours. All my experiments get thrown in the trash. And when you pay so much for the ingredients, it starts to hurt. I'd really love a book that taught how bread works and then how to use substitutions and what effect the substitution has on the whole.

This cookbook went way above my expectations. Having three young boys at home, I am always looking for creative ways to fill them up while being creative with nutritious options. I have to admit, I have been very accustomed to baking with white flour and really didn't know much about other varieties of flours and whole grains. The Wheat-Free Pancakes were very hearty and healthy. The Chocolate "Guess" Cookies, were"delicious" according to my nine year old and "very good", says my seven year old. It was fun trying bean flour and almond meal... never would have otherwise. Thanks for new inspiration in the kitchen. I look forward to adding new flours to my baking.

There are so many "alternative" flours available now, and FINALLY a recipe book that explains there uses and offers scads of unique and easy recipes the whole family can enjoy. I especially like the spelt flour recipes.
Bread makers, you'll love this book, too.
Anyone with gluten "issues" should have this book. You'll be able to enjoy breads, muffins, etc. that actually taste good!
I'm lovin' this book!