The Celiac Cookbook is the must have manual for any one newly diagnosed celiac or gluten sensitive/intolerant. There you go my review is over. Not really. But in all seriousness this is the book I wish I had when I learned that gluten was the root cause of my gastrointestinal issues over 3 1/2 years ago. Since that time I have read many books and cookbooks about the horrors of wheat, how to bake, cook, live and eat gluten free and none of them come close to giving such an in depth almost encyclopedia like break down of celiac disease, gluten, wheat and how to cook and bake gluten free.
With the foreward presented by one of the leading experts in IBS/ food allergies, intolerances, and the digestive ecosystem Dr. Stephen Wagen of the IBS Treatment Center in Seattle (www.HealthierWithoutWheat.com) the cookbook helps you fully understand celiac disease, what it is, how it effects the intestines, and how to treat it through a gluten free diet. This cookbook initally reads like a mini encyclopedia giving a break down of all of the gluten free grains and their properties as well as describing how each grain works in baked goods. This is key since all gluten free grains are not created equal and it is important to know and understand how to use these flours in your cooking.
All of this information is presented in a user friendly easy to follow way holding your attention and keeping you engaged. But make no mistake, this is a cookbook and putting the information aside the book is loaded with recipes for scrumptious cakes, pies, breads, scones, biscuits, muffins and more. There are over 300 recipes for just about every meal you could imagine and since I’m a cook this is my dream. I only wished there were more pictures presented to see how some of these recipes look but that is what my camera is for. Another facet that makes this cookbook great is that it gives you 5 gluten free flour mix recipes that are needed for the baked goods contained within the book. These blends are listed at the beginning so you can be prepared to bake many of the treats that follow.
Many of these flours are those of which I have yet to fully immerse myself with as a chef but for me that is the joy of baking. For some people, the various flour blends like quinoa, teff and sorghum might be a little on the pricey side and hard to find in your local area. But with a little web tenacity one can find a plethora of discount grocery sites online like Vitacost that carry all of these flours and more.
The Celiac Cookbook is a wonderful addition to any cooks collection whether they are gluten free or not. The information on celiac disease alone makes it worth its list price and the plethora of recipes only add to its value. Click on the photo above to purchase your copy today!
Check back with me next week to see my feature of one of the awesome recipes I re-created in my kitchen!
Rating 4/5
Happy Baking,
the gluten free chef
