Besan Tortillas -- gluten and grain free

Besan is, also, known as garbanzo bean flour, chickpea flour or gram flour.  It is a grain free flour alternative that has a slightly nutty flavor.  It is suitable for paleo diets, gluten free and grain free diets, as well as the IC diet because it is non-acidic.  It is fairly easy to work with, and I've been experimenting with a variety of flat-bread recipes using it.

This recipe for Besan Tortillas (aka, garbanzo bean flour tortillas, chickpea flour tortillas) is really simple to make and they hold together fairly well.  They are more like a pancake in texture, but they are significantly better than not having a tortilla at all, which is where I was when I went grain free.

Besan Tortillas

This recipe makes about 6 tortillas.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together:

2 1/2 cups besan flour (chickpea, garbanzo bean, gram flour)

2 tablespoons potato starch 

1 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups hot water (hot tap water)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Allow the batter to rest about 15 minute.  It will thicken to about the consistency of thin pancake batter.  Using a 1/2 cup measure or ladle of the same size, pour the batter onto a fairly hot 10" to 12" skillet or griddle sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.  Pour the batter in concentric circles going from the center outwards.  Carefully use the back of the ladle/measure to smooth the dough into an 8" circle.  Bake the tortilla on the hot griddle until the bottom is set, about 2 minutes, then carefully flip it over with a large spatula to set the other side.  After flipping the tortilla, it will only take a few seconds for it to set.  Remove the tortilla from the pan and place it onto a plate, as shown above.  Repeat for the remaining tortillas, placing a paper towel or waxed paper between each one to keep them from sticking to each other.

Serve warm and fill as desired.  I had Carne Picata Tacos in mine :)

As can be seen from the photo, I wrapped my taco in a paper towel to help it hold together, as well as, to keep my hands from getting messy.

I might try adding a packet of unflavored gelatin next time I make these to see if they'll hold up even better to being filled.  They did work just fine as written.

Enjoy!

Grain Free Alternatives -- Being Really Gluten Free

Grain Free Alternatives -- Being Really Gluten Free

Several months ago I learned from Gluten Free Society (Dr. Osborne), that all grains have glutinous proteins -- not just wheat, barley and rye, but all grains.  Sorghum, millet, rice, corn, quinoa, oats, wild rice, all have glutinous proteins.  All these foods that people with gluten sensitivity have been told are safe to eat, really are not safe.  This leads to chronic inflammation and disease that we, as a society, could be avoiding just by changing our dietary habits.  It makes me sad to think of all the extra money I alone spent on "gluten free" products that were really only contributing to my inflammation, pain and dis-ease.

I thought that being "gluten free" by the standard definition was hard, being completely grain free is eye opening.  Grains and grain products are in nearly everything from envelopes to supplements to hidden ingredients in packaged foods.  I once had a pretty severe reaction to licking the glue on an envelope!  I've yet to find an acetaminophen product that doesn't have a grain derivative in it.  Supplements are another issue.  Here I'm spending all this money on vitamins and such to help me feel better, only to discover they are part of my problem!  Yikes!  

Here's a helpful article on how to find hidden gluten sources.

So, once I eliminated the grains from my diet, what am I supposed to eat?

Condiments.  There are not any commercially prepared salad dressings, ketchup or mayonnaise that I can eat because of my interstitial cystitis (IC), besides that many of them contain white vinegar and grain based oils.  Thankfully, I've come up with some recipes to satisfy that need.  Look to the side bar for recipes.

What about bread?  I haven't had regular bread for a long time, so that's not a big issue for me.  However, I do miss things like tortillas and buns.  I used to use sorghum and corn flours extensively when I was "gluten free" the traditional way.  Now that I'm completely grain free, those are eliminated from my diet -- what am I supposed to use?  I did some reading online and discovered that many people on grain free (paleo) diets use legume flours, like garbanzo bean (chickpea, lentil, besan, gram) flour, nut flours, like almond, and potato flour and starch.  Coconut is, also, a valuable staple on grain free eating plans.

After doing some searching, I've found some pretty reasonable sources for garbanzo bean (aka, chickpea, lentil, besan, gram) flour, nut flours, like almond, potato flour and starch, and coconut products.  I live near a large city that has an Indian Asian market where I can get besan flour very reasonably.  When I'm not able to go there, I order products online.  My local grocery store carries almond flour and unsweetened shredded coconut.  I just put the shredded coconut into my food processor and grind it finer if that's what I need.  Potato flour and starch are a bit more difficult to find, but I can get them at my local health food store or online.  I have a large chest freezer, and I buy these products in bulk when I can; so I can get a better discount and free shipping in a lot of cases with my online purchases.

I've been experimenting with some bread product recipes.  Breads on a completely grain free diet aren't the same as the normal fluffy white bread I grew up on.  No, sirree!  However, if the goal is to have something to put jam on that is pretty tasty, or something to keep my hands from getting messy when having a burger, then I've come up with some very useful recipes.  I've got a biscuit recipe that I enjoy, as well as a bun recipe that I like.  Check the side bar for the recipes.  I'm continuing to experiment, and I'll continue posting as I come up with them.

Dairy products are often problematic for folks with grain sensitivities.  The grains that the cows eat, cross into the milk.  I've not found any dairy products that don't cause me inflammation, specifically in my joints.  I'm experimenting with small amounts of Pecorino Romano made from sheep milk.  I'm not sure if it works for me or not.  I've eliminated all other dairy, including butter.  When I really need "milk" for something, I use my Homemade Almond Milk recipe.  I'm toying with the idea of using it as a base for some dairy-free yogurt or kefir.  (By the way, I do have kefir grains if anyone needs them in exchange for postage cost.)  I might even try my hand at some cheese if the yogurt or kefir works out.

Butter and oils are another issue.  I don't know if it's the case for everyone with grain sensitivities, but I can tolerate very few of the liquid oils.  A lot of them are grain based.  What I've found that I tolerate are peanut oil, olive oil and coconut oil.  I would use lard, but I can't find any brands that are not filled with preservatives.  I often reclaim usable fat from my cooking when I prepare a roast or such.  In cooking, if the recipe calls for a solid fat, like butter, I use coconut oil.  Coconut oil is solid below 70F.  For liquid oils in a recipe, I use peanut or olive oil.  I use olive oil or coconut oil when preparing things like cooked vegetables and potatoes.  Walnut oil is another delicious oil that I've recently discovered.  It is fantastic on salad and baked potatoes!  For frying, I use reclaimed fat or peanut oil.  Olive oil is not heat stable and will break down if not combined with another oil when heated to frying temperatures.  

I hope this information is helpful.

Blessings,

Sharron

More thoughts on this topic

About Gluten Free Diets

I published this article on my other blog "JAMSGems4U" on Septmeber 17, 2013.  It shares why I made the transition to being completely grain free, not just "gluten free" according to the standard definition.

About "Gluten Free" Diets

Hi there,

I've been "gluten free," or so I thought, for about a year now, plus the time when I was off of nearly everything for a year and a half before that!  I thought I would see a lot of improvement, but I really haven't.  My joints still hurt, and, in fact, have gotten worse.  I need knee replacements now.  I'm still tired most of the time, and don't sleep well at night because of interstitial cystitis (IC).  I have other symptoms, too.  I've known there was "something" that was my root problem.  I thought maybe it was the IC, but it doesn't explain cataracts and some of my other issues, like the advanced arthritis -- I've had that since I was in my 20s.

Then, a couple of days ago, a dear friend of mine who has been "gluten free" for about as long as I have, with basically the same results, showed me a website that I'd not seen before:  Gluten Free Society.  On that site, the doctor, Dr. Osborne, contends that every grain has glutinous proteins in them.  He says that if a person is gluten sensitive, it's not just wheat, rye and barley that are the problems, but all grains!

To be honest, that rocked my world.  I've used corn extensively since my allergy testing three years ago, plus other grains like sorghum and recently, rice.  I had just purchased quite a lot of "gluten free" breads, bagels, tortillas, etc.  I decided to "test out" his theory.  I had a couple of pieces of my "gluten free" bread before I went to bed.  I had a horrible night!  That was enough for me.  I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired!!

I am redefining my definition of "gluten free" to being "grain free" from here on.  ...  I guess one could say that I'm going paleo because I will, also, be dairy free.  I discovered months ago that I don't do well with any dairy -- not even the dairy substitutes.  ...

I hope my discoveries will help someone else...

Blessings,
Sharron

More thoughts on this topic




My gluten (grain) free bun recipe

Inflammation and Diet

Inflammation

This blog will highlight my personal journey battling inflammation and its underlying causes.  I have a few conditions that are directly linked to inflammation.  The two biggies for me are arthritis and interstitial cystitis (IC).  The one that causes me the greatest distress is the IC.  I’ve suffered with this condition for most of my adult life, only having it diagnosed in the last couple of years by my naturopathic physician.  I am doing a number of things to help with the pain and urgency, but the real bottom line is diet.  It can be overwhelming trying to figure out what “works” and “doesn’t work” with an IC diet, but I discovered this wonderful document that really takes a lot of the guess-work out of it.  Generally, my body agrees with what the document lists as safe and unsafe on an IC diet.  It is the 2012 ICN Food List 

Some may recognize me as the author of Extreme Lo Carb Cuisine and Extreme Lo Carb Meals on the Go.  They would be correct.  While doing a modified Atkins / Paleo approach, I lost 90 pounds a few years ago.  I have since regained the weight because of this underlying inflammation.  I hope to continue to lose weight while regaining my health.

Since food is the biggest issue with interstitial cycstitis, a majority of this blog will be recipe-focused.  In addition to the general guidelines for IC, I follow a dairy-free and grain-free protocol, that some might consider a “paleo diet.”  I will share recipes as I write them.  I hope the content will bless and encourage folks struggling with IC and other inflammation- related conditions, like arthritis.  It is possible to eat well, while following a strict IC eating plan!

Blessings,

Sharron Long

cSharron Long and Adams Media, Inc. 2014



My dairy free almond milk recipe