Ep 198 Flax and the Gluten Free Diet with Valley Flax Flour
Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –
On this episode I chat with Howard Selig who is not only a Registered Dietitian, but a trained chef. After recognizing the nutritional benefits of adding flax in the preparation of some foods for residents of a care home, Howard branched out filling the needs of other care homes by grinding flax seeds for them. Providing flax in different forms to others soon became a business. Howard explains the many nutritional advantages of flax and how it can be a benefit to the gluten free diet. With his baking skills, Howard decided to formulate a flour mix, gluten free of course, along with baking mixes (the one for bread just needs you to add water!). Salene Pyke works with Howard and she explained what products they sell and how to get free shipping. You can find out more on their website at www.flaxflour.com .
Sue’s Websites and Social Media –
Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com
Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com
Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com
Celiac Kid Stuff – https://www.celiackidstuff.com
Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com
Instagram – @suesgfbaking
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL
Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com
Other Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com
My Thoughts –
When it comes to food, and especially gluten free food, I often over-think things. I remember, years ago, I was alone preparing something or other in my bakery when I started to wonder if I could only have one grain in its many forms (nothing gluten containing) what would I choose.
For me, it wouldn’t be rice. I do like rice and often use rice flour, rice noodles and spring roll wraps, but rice just didn’t do enough. We have some pretty amazing flours at our disposal when baking gluten free, which made my pondering harder.
After much thought, I settled on corn. You may be one of those people who avoids corn for different reasons, but the more I thought about it, the more forms of corn I enjoyed in my diet. Fresh corn in the summer is almost a season on its own. Frozen kernel corn is so easy to use, and retains it’s freshness and flavour. Then I began to think what I enjoy made from corn. Every trip I used to take to shop in the US, always included gluten free Corn Chex – everyone has their favourite flavour, mine, hands down is the corn.
When it comes to baking, corn comes in different forms and varieties – corn flour, corn starch, corn meal, white corn flour. Whenever I am running low on a starch for a recipe, I use corn starch to substitute, it’s available at every grocery store and isn’t expensive.
I remembered my single ingredient obsession while I was talking with Howard Selig of Valley Flax. He was able to explain the many uses of flax, and how it can work with other gluten free ingredients to make a very healthy addition to almost any recipe. With my flax allergy, I have to stroke it off my list, but I can clearly see how flax might be your can’t live without gluten free ingredient. Flax has many nutritional benefits, and best of all, just a small amount added to your diet, gets big results.
Maybe flax will be your over-thinking single ingredient – it would be a great choice. For me, I’ll stick with corn. Now I’m thinking about popcorn – oh no, over-thinking again!