Customer Reviews

Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free Cookbook for Kids and Busy Adults, Second Edition

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

 

 

To make many of the recipes in this book you need to make up your own gluten-free flour mixture. There are two options. The first is a mixture of rice flour, potato starch, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, cornstarch, garbanzo bean flour and xanthan gum. Most of these items are easy to find online or at your local health food store. The second option requires you to mix together brown rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, coconut flour, garbanzo bean flour, golden flaxseed meal, cornstarch and xanthan gum.

Once you have these flour mixtures made you can then make a number of interesting and delicious dishes. Not every recipe requires the flour mixture, some indicate which type of product to buy, like for instance: gluten-free tortillas. The author recommends you buy Frito Lay Tostitos, which are gluten free.

Here are a few of the recipes you may want to try:

Homemade Granola
Peanut Butter Smoothie
Spicy Cheese Muffins (requires 1 cup gluten-free flour)
Breakfast Enchiladas
Banana Pancakes (requires ¾ cup gluten-free flour)
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Mixed Bean Salad
Banana Biscotti
Chocolate Cherry Cake

Many of the recipes are not only gluten-free they are also dairy-free. At the start of the book there is a long list of items that contain gluten. It might be helpful to know that commercially packaged frozen hamburger patties contain wheat-based fillers. There is also a list for people who want to live dairy-free. If you are new to cooking you will also appreciate the list of kitchen hints and cooking techniques. Most of the main dishes serve 4-8.

If you don't want to make up your own flour blend, you may also be interested in:
Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour. I've used it in a few recipes in the past and it seemed to work fairly well. It does however seem to have more bean flours than the flour recipes in this book.

~The Rebecca Review

Having suffered from IBS for years, I have chosen to eliminate wheat and gluten foods from my diet, and the result has been dramatic! This book has been an incredible resource for helping me still eat foods I love and not feel deprived. You definately don't need to be a celiac to enjoy these recipes - they are for anyone looking to enjoy delicious meals using commong ingredients that are also time and budget friendly. I refer to this book all the time now, and haven't yet tried a recipe I didn't like. My family enjoys the food as much as I do, even though they don't realize they are now eating healthier fare. To them, it's just plain yummy. I have several other cookbooks by Connie Sarros and this one definately doesn't disappoint. Her recipes are direct and understandable, and are punctuated by her trademark witty, funny and insightful dialogue. If you haven't tried her other cookbooks yet, I highly recommend you buy the series and see what a huge difference it makes in your cooking knowledge. If you're a celiac these books are, I'm sure, invaluable resources. But in my experience, non-celiacs will enjoy them too as would people trying to avoid wheat. TWO THUMBS WAY UP!!!

This is a wonderful cookbook--a must in most kitchens! The recipes are so simple and the author's wonderful way of making recipes approachable for busy parents, but most importantly for kids themselves! Eating wheat-free and gluten-free isn't just of those with celiacs, but it's almost everyone--the health benefits are tremendous. Also, with the newly included casein-free options, those allergic to the milk protein have a great source for great meals.

The book includes everything from fun drinks and incredible snacks all the way to to breakfast, entrees, sides, and my favorite, desserts!

We are wheat-free at home (not gluten-free, just wheat) and I can tell you, it requires a consciousness about ingredients and menus. What can you do when breading, coatings, baked goods, pastas all have to be either special ingredients or just not made at all?

This book has kid-friendly menus with dishes like gluten-free Spaghetti Pie and Tuna-Noodle Casserole (gluten-free pasta takes to baking rather well, I find.) And gluten-free chikken-nuggies, coated with wheat-free cereals like puffed rice. I think nuggies are over-served to children and cause them to have limited palates but they are here along with seasoned french fries. Who am I to try to stem the tide of these nursery horrors? If your kids are demanding nuggies and fries, they are here in gluten-free form and probably a darn sight healthier than the fast-food commercial versions.

There are lots of cakes (Mississippi Mud Cake stands out) as well as nice muffins and even puddings. And lots of desserts but note, some have peanuts like Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, so you peanut- or nut-free as well as gluten-free will not be using these (except maybe with soy nut butter?) A lot of the recipes are things you find anywhere, rice and spinach, glazed yams (do kids eat these? I sure didn't) and meat-and-rice concoctions. The reason they are in a gluten-free book is to give the harried mom or dad-cook ideas of regular family fare that is free of gluten and generally liked by all. At the end of the book are some fun craft projects for the family.

If you are new to the gluten-free regime and have kids, this is a very decent cookbook. You will need a more comprehensive baking book on gluten-free bread if you want bread; this book has muffins and a cracker recipe but no bread.

This book is probably fine for middle school and high school aged "kids", who probably wouldn't want you to call them a "kid". It relies heavily on seventies-style casseroles and tuna dishes, chili, nachos, and other things that don't tend to be in the palate range of the under-tween set. I also think that at times the herb choices are a bit strange for recipes geared towards kids. I would return it if I could.

After searching through all the gluten-free cookbooks I could find at the library and book store, this one is the BEST. It has simple and easy recipes. Down-to-earth ingredients. Each recipe is versatile with ingredients. Other gluten-free cookbooks had a couple recipes that I could use. This cookbook had oodles of recipes. If you are looking for regular, every day, home cooking recipes that are simple and easy to substitute ingredients, then you will love this book. As a retired librarian with Celatic Disease, I highly recommend this cookbook.

Great fast recipes that even fussy toddlers love. With this book, eating gluten free isn't difficult, time-consuming and limiting. This book also offers dairy free alternatives throughout which makes it invaluable. Highly recommend it for any gluten-free library.

This ccokbook has easy recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Now that we are eating gluten free I cook most of our meals from scratch however after a long day at work it is not always easy but this cookbook has allowed me to cook from scratch meals quickly.

My family and I have really enjoyed this cookbook and the ingredients for the recipes have not been hard to find. I have a son with Celiac Disease and Type 1 Diabetes so I really appreciate that there are nutritional facts listed for each recipe. Some of our favorite recipes are Beefy Bean & Tater Casserole, Four-Ingredient Casserole, Spaghetti Pie, Baked Chicken Stew & Spanish Rice. So far all the recipes we have tried have been quick and easy and our kids have had no complaints. This cookbook also includes some recipes for kitchen projects such as Scented Gift Ornaments, Face Paint, a Bird Feeder, Eggshell Art & Potpourri. I can't wait to try the Rocky Road Bars, Toffee Squares, Lemon Sugar cookies & Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. This cookbook also includes casein-free options & recipes for a Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mixture & a High Fiber, Gluten-Free Flour Mixture.

We recently gluten free due to a suspected intolerance in our 22 month old. The first recipe I made was the Apple Bread. Delicious! It was the best gluten free baked good I've had. Our very picky toddler was also a fan.