Written by Michele of Veggie Num Nums
Up until 18 months ago, the only flour you’d find in my cupboard was the very basics—all-purpose, bread, and cake flours. Even though I did a lot of cooking and baking, I rarely strayed from these three. Since I’ve started blogging, and reading blogs, and doing research in cookbooks and nutritional books, I’ve become an alternative flour devotee. There are literally dozens of flours available made from grains other than wheat, and also from things other than grains. The reasons for using non-wheat flours are many, and in an article of this length I can only touch on the basics. But, I do hope to inspire you to experiment with different flours in your cooking and baking.
Baking or cooking with alternative flours, all of which are naturally gluten free, can expand the range of flavors, textures and nutrition to your food. All flours have a unique taste that can enhance or subtly change the flavor of your recipe. Some flours have a shy taste and others are bold enough to hijack your food. Another consideration when using these flours is their texture. Some starches or flours have a powdery texture and can billow around when you try to use them, while others have a slightly fibrous texture. Additionally, many alternative flours can have a significant impact on the nutritional quality of your food. For example, there isn’t much of any nutritional value to tapioca starch, while lentil and bean flours can add protein. Nut meals can add a wide variety of nutrients from protein and calcium to magnesium and more.
