Cookies made with spelt flour

What does a girl do when all her roommates have gone home for the weekend and she’s got the house all to herself? Why, become a mad scientist, that’s what! In my bored state of mind I decided that I would conduct a teeny tiny “experiment “– bake three batches of chocolate chip cookies using the three different types of flour – all-purpose, spelt and kamut. All the ingredients, measurements, proportions etc. would be identical in each batch. The only difference would be the type of flour used. Why on earth would I decide to do something like this? Well a) I wanted to see exactly for myself the difference each type of flour had on the final product and b) I get to drown all my loneliness in chocolate chip cookies (sometimes I question whether I really am I nutrition student). Let the experiment commence!

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour ( or spelt/kamut)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/3 packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350^oF
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt
• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, mixing well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and beat just until combines. Fold in chocolate chips.
• Drop by ¼ cup measure on baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until puffed and pale golden. Cookies will still be soft to the touch in center and look somewhat undercooked. Let cool completely.

The Results

All-Purpose Flour

Cookies made with all-purpose flour

These cookies turned out exactly like any typical cookie should look like. They were light brown in colour, risen to the appropriate height, were a uniformed consistency and they tasted just how cookies were supposed to – sweet and smooth.

Spelt Flour

As mentioned earlier, spelt flour can make products heavier so it is essential that you add either 1-2 tablespoons of additional flour, an additional egg or increase the amount of baking powder in the recipe. It is also important that you do not over mix the batter to prevent a crumbly product. Since I chose to treat each flour equally I decided to omit these baking tips. As a result, these cookies almost turned out to be a disaster…well at least in my mind. After 20 minutes in the oven, I did not see 12, neatly risen cookies. What I did see was a flat blob of spelt cookies. Without the additions made to it, the dough did not rise, but instead expanded in width. All was not lost – after a few more minutes in the oven, and cutting the blob into rectangles, a taste test revealed these cookies to be chewy and crumbly in texture and sweet and nutty in flavour.

Kamut Flour

Cookies made with kamut flour

As demonstrated by the photo, these cookies were orange in colour and like the spelt flour; these cookies did not rise up as much as they all-purpose flour however still managed to retain their circular shape. After this “experiment”, I realized that kumquat kamut flour (as fun as it is to say) is not for me. I tried to determine how these cookies differed in taste compared to the all-purpose batch however was turned off by the texture – it was too grainy for my liking.

My roommate accidentally ate something that she wasn’t supposed to last night and I was reminded of this gem. Does anyone else miss the days when you would sit and home and watch “The Big Comfy Couch”?  Moving back onto topic, this is just a reminder that if you have allergies remember to read labels carefully – especially considering ingredients change from batch to batch and from product to product. Also keep in mind that you can call the manufacturer if you would like information on specific ingredients. This is strongly recommended if you’re curious about certain spices in a product. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry – my roommate can definitely vouch for that.

Interested in finding more information on food allergen labeling?

G’day and Happy eating!

These coconut cookies are not only allergen free but are bound to be a hit at family get togethers, picnics and as a midnight snack when you're pulling an all-nighter!

Ever since my roommate was diagnosed with her allergies I find myself constantly immersed in strange new items from the culinary world. One of these items includes coconut flour. Made from the fibre of the coconut meat after extraction of the oil, it is high in dietary fibre, protein and is gluten-free. What on earth can you make with this delectable flour? Why coconut cookies of course!

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• ¾ cup & 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup coconut flour
• 2 tbsp cinnamon

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375^oF
• Blend  in a large bowl egg, sugar, oil, vanilla, salt
• Stir in coconut flour
• Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes
• Roll balls in 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon and flatten on a cookie sheet
• Bake for 15 minutes

Fun Facts: 1) The kamut kernel is twice the size of the average grain of wheat 2) The Kamut kernel requires less water than wheat to produce the same amount

For some reason I can never get the name of this whole grain correct.  No matter how many times I tell myself it’s ka-moot, I always end up calling it kumquat – the Egyptians who first cultivated this ancient grain would not be impressed especially considering that with its sweet, buttery, nutty flavour, kamut is nothing to forget about.

Kamut can be used as a healthy alternative to wheat which is a sigh of relief to people, like my roommate, who are sensitive to products made with wheat. Like spelt however, it does contain gluten therefore it is not a good alternative for those who have celiac disease [1].

For those of you who have hectic lives or those of you who are athletes, kamut can be a great substitution to your diet seeing it has a higher percentage of lipids in comparison to other grains [2]. This makes kamut an excellent energy dense food. Additionally, kamut typically has 20-40% more protein and contains a greater amount of amino acids, vitamins and minerals such as selenium, zinc and magnesium [3].  A ½ cup of cooked kamut kernels contains:

• 140 kcal
• 1.1 grams of fat
• 6 grams of proteins
• 32 grams of carbohydrates
• 5 grams fibre
• 90 micrograms of selenium.

Looking to include kamut into your diet? Kamut is a great in pasta, bread, cereal and baked goods such as muffins and crepes.

Final product: Spelt Crepes with grain fed pork.

What do you get when you mix together eggs, apple sauce, water and spelt flour? Why, it’s spelt crepes! Follow these simple directions to create a delightful breakfast that will make your stomach sing and your mornings a little bit brighter.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• ¼ cup water
• ¾ spelt flour
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce

Directions:

In a small bowl mix together spelt flour. Gradually add in water and stir in egg and unsweetened applesauce to make up a batter. On medium heat, lightly grease a saucepan with olive oil. Pour batter into saucepan forming 3 crepes approximately 5 inches in diameter. Flip when crepes begin to bubble and bottoms are golden brown. Crepes are done when the other side is also golden brown in colour. It’s as simple as pie (well, providing that this said pie contains so glucose, fructose…well you get the drift)!

I don’t know about you, but crepes are not crepes unless they are paired with scrumptious toppings. Here are some tips for picking out toppings that even your allergies will be delighted with.

Maple Syrup

Lyle's Golden Syrup

The key with maple syrup when you have severe allergies is purchasing a brand that is 100% pure. Brands such as “Aunt Jemima” contain glucose and glucose-fructose which are ingredients my roommate is allergic to. Pure syrup on the other hand contains natural ingredients and is free of chemicals, preservatives and added sugar. The only downfall to it is that it has the tendency to be on the pricier side. A 500mL bottle of regular maple syrup typically costs around $2.39 (Aunt Jemima’s regular maple syrup) whereas a 500mL bottle of pure maple syrup is around $5.99 (Irresistible’s Bio Organic). Costco sells 100% pure maple syrup that gives you the most bang for your buck. A cheaper alternative might be to purchase cane syrup such as “Lyle’s Golden Syrup”.  For $3.19 you can get a product that is free of gluten, artificial colours, flavours and preservatives which taste great not only on crepes, but pancakes and other baked goods.

Jam

...Jamming?

Typically, jam contains glucose/glucose-fructose which is a big “no-no” for my roommate. Companies such as Kraft offer a “pure” jam that is in compliance with her diet. Ingredients such as sugar, citric acid and fruit pectin comprise the jam making it functional and does not sacrifice flavour. They come in both strawberry and black raspberry flavours.

G’day and happy eating!

Organic Gummi Bears can be found at the Bulk Barn

Have a sweet tooth for gummy bears? Well, try these “Organic Gummi Bears” on for size. Unlike typical gummy bears they do not contain glucose syrup thus are in compliance with my room-mate’s diet. They taste delicious and are identical in both taste and appearance when compared to normal gummi bears. They contain:

• Organic evaporated cane juice
• Organic tapioca syrup
• Organic grape juice concentrate, pectin, citric acid, ascorbic acid
• Natural flavours

G’Day and happy eating!

Spelt grains are nutty in flavour and are an excellent substitute for whole wheat flour in muffins, cookies and cereal

Spelt is an ancient grain that has been cultivated for centuries in central Europe and the Middle East and is once again being embraced by the general public. Those with wheat allergies (like my roommate) are able to use this as an alternative since the proteins it contains are more easily digestible than that found in typical wheat flours. However, those with celiac disease should not use this as an alternative as it does contain gluten.

When buying spelt flour in bulk, to ensure freshness it is recommended that you make sure the bins are properly covered and find out if the store has a good turnover rate.

Spelt used to be found only in health and speciality food stores; however with it’s escalation in popularity it is now more readily available and comes in a variety of shapes and forms. Spelt can be purchased as flour, which is made from the whole spelt grain and milled into a power or unbleached spelt flour which has a portion of the bran and germ removed giving rise to its softer texture and lighter colour. Additionally, whole grains of spelt can be dried and fatted to produce spelt flakes or the whole spelt kernel can be soaked and cooked to give rise to spelt berries.

Spelt’s rise in popularity also revolves around its strong nutrient profile. ½ a cup of cooked spelt flour contains:

• 123 kcal
• 0.8 g fat
• 26 g carbohydrates
• 5 g protein

Additionally spelt flour is an excellent source of selenium, vitamin B12, niacin, thiamine, copper, vitamin E and A, phytochemicals, antioxidants and fibre. ½ cup of spelt flour contains 4 g of fibre compared to ½ cup of all-purpose wheat flour which has 1.7 g. Spelt also has a high water solubility.

Some baking tips when working with spelt:

• Spelt has the tendency of making baked goods heavier so either increase:
  • the amount of baking powder in a recipe (my roommate is allergic to baking powder so as an alternative she uses 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar and 1 teaspoon of baking soda)
  • the amount of eggs/egg alternatives in a recipe
  • The amount flour used.  Add an additional 1-2 tbsp to a recipe.
• It is important that you do not over mix your batter as the gluten contained in spelt flour is much more fragile thus is broken down more easily. Over mixing may result in a crumbly texture. When making breads with spelt less kneading time is needed.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups and 2 tsp of spelt flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ½ olive oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ allspice
• ¼ cup water

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350^oF
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, baking soda
• In a large bowl, combine puree, oil, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and water
• Mix the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients. It is essential that you do not mix too much and that you mix it gently to prevent the batter from getting gluey.

1. Pay Close Attention to Food Labels
When grocery shopping, it is essential that you take the time to carefully read through all the ingredients. In the initial stage of shopping, long lists of ingredients can be overwhelming and difficult to decipher. The situation can become even more nerve-racking if you are unfamiliar with the alternative names of allergens. When first starting out try looking at foods that have a shorter ingredient list and contain items that you are familiar with. Organic foods and products are an example of a good starting point. They contain no preservatives and well…are made with organic material so you don’t have to worry about synthetic chemicals that may be used to harvest the crops (which you may be allergic to). Many people are misinformed about food labels; if an allergen doesn’t appear in the first five ingredients they assume it is alright to consume the product. It is for this reason that you talk to your allergist about the severity of your allergies so you know whether this method is right for you.

2. Use the buddy system!
Helianthus annuus, Solanum lycopersicum and xanthan gum can all appear to be gibberish. Is glucose-fructose the same as plain ole glucose? These are some of the situations my roommate found herself in while transitioning over to her new diet. Whether you suffer from allergies, or are diagnosed with another ailment, it is always beneficial to have a support system. Whether it is a friend, neighbour or doctor, having someone by your side plays an integral part of the transition and can help in the deciphering process. My roommate’s mother provided much encouragement and helped her navigate her way through the supermarket. What would have been a daunting experience was made pretty simple with someone by her side. She made an effort to learn about her daughter’s allergies and pointed out things that would have otherwise been overlooked.

3. Be imaginative!
With tomatoes, eggs, wheat, mushrooms, rice, lettuce and corn listed among things that my roommate couldn’t eat she found herself up against a wall when it came to putting together a meal. However with time, dedication and a little research she soon found herself once again being able to enjoy a hearty meal. However, the key to reaching this “food nirvana” is to be open and imaginative with your meals. Whether it be pairing grated carrots with chickpeas, substituting normal flour with spelt flower, applesauce for eggs or pairing anything under the sun (providing she isn’t allergic to it) with green peas, my roommate constantly finds herself thinking outside the box so that her allergies are not a handicap. This notice extends to the places you shop at. Farmer’s markets organic and whole food stores are excellent places to shop at; however places such as Shopper’s Drug mart have an excellent selection of food for those of you who have allergies. Also pay attention to local family run grocery stores which carry items such as hemp protein powder.

4. Don’t be discouraged!
Adjusting to your allergies may take some time but don’t give up hope! Change is a gradual process and doesn’t happen overnight. Grocery shopping at times can be a trial and error process –with or without allergies. Keeping note of things that work and don’t work for you while you are shopping help make the transition a whole lot easier.

G’Day and happy eating!