REVIEW – The Cooking Light Gluten-Free Cookbook – With Recipe For Cinnamon-Raisin Muffins With Streusel Topping

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My son was diagnosed with Celiac Disease several years ago. We were a bit overwhelmed at first. Nothing was simple. It seemed like gluten was everywhere, since it may nt always be called gluten and can be found in products with other ingredient names. As the years have gone by, especially in the last two years or so, more and more people are becoming aware of gluten and the problems it can cause for some people. I love cookbooks, especially when they’re useful to me as gluten-free cookbooks are, which is why I accepted the offer to check out The Cooking Light Gluten-Free Cookbook.

THE COOKING LIGHT GLUTEN-FREE COOKBOOK

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Oxmoor House; Original edition (August 2, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0848734351
• ISBN-13: 978-0848734350

ABOUT THE COOKING LIGHT GLUTEN-FREE COOKBOOK

Hold the Gluten, Not the Flavor!

The Cooking Light Gluten-Free Cookbook Puts Pizza, Pasta, Bread and More Back on the Table

New York, NY — Gluten-free, flourless, wheat-free. For the 30 percent of Americans facing gluten-intolerance*, the resulting diet has long been about what you give up. Today, number one epicurean brand Cooking Light is focusing on bringing back the flavors and foods you love most—from pizza and cake to meatloaf and lasagna.

The Cooking Light Gluten-Free Cookbook boasts more than 150 recipes, a glossary of common gluten-free ingredients, advice for avoiding hidden gluten and more. The first gluten-free cookbook from a major culinary magazine brand, The Cooking Light Gluten-Free Cookbook will be available August 2 for $21.95 US. A preview is available here.

Offering a bevy of delicious, nutritious and simple options from a highly trusted, proven source, The Gluten-Free Cookbook is a delicious guide to cooking gluten-free. Each recipe has been tested and approved by the Cooking Light Test Kitchens, with the end goal of being delicious for the gluten-free and gluten-inclined alike.

Don’t miss:

· 100% gluten-free recipes that offer the flavor, ease of use and healthfulness Cooking Light readers have come to expect and appreciate

·Shopping advice, tips on decoding food labels, gluten-free pantry and shopping list and kitchen safety information

·A glossary (with pictures!) that identifies and describes ingredients commonly found in gluten-free meals—such as cornstarch, xanthan gum and tapioca flour

·A wide variety of gluten-free alternatives for recipes that are normally off limits, such as spaghetti and meatballs, oven-fried chicken and even desserts

·Simple advice on how to avoid natural and hidden sources of gluten

·Preparation tips for cooking delicious, healthy and satisfying gluten-free meals—accounting for special ingredients

Oxmoor House is an imprint of Time Home Entertainment Inc., a Time Inc. company, and publishes books and special edition magazines for Time Inc. brands such as Southern Living, Cooking Light, Health, and Sunset. Oxmoor House’s client list also includes Williams-Sonoma, Gooseberry Patch, and Weber. With more than 300 back-listed titles, it is recognized as one of the leading lifestyle publishers in the country. Oxmoor House books are distributed to the trade by Hachette Book Group and are available wherever books are sold. More information is available at oxmoorhouse.com.

Cooking Light is the world’s largest and most trusted food and lifestyle brand with the largest audience, most epicurean editorial and the most recipes. Founded in 1987, Cooking Light makes healthy food taste great, and makes healthy living an enjoyable part of every day. Each month, over 11 million readers turn to CookingLight and cookinglight.com for fresh and innovative easy-to-follow recipes, nutrition advice, and health and fitness tips.

Cooking Light is published by a subsidiary of Birmingham, Ala.-based Southern Progress Corporation.

MY THOUGHTS

The Cooking Light Gluten-Free Cookbook does a nice job of explaining what gluten is in a simple manner and how to read product labels to check if there is gluten in the product. The book also contains explanations of commonly used gluten-free grains, flours and starches, as well as as well as lists of foods that are safe to eat, need to be checked or are definitely not safe to eat.Chapters include Gluten-Free kitchen, Appetizers & Snacks, Breakfast, Main Dishes, Pizzas & Pastas, Sandwiches & Soups, and Desserts. Helpful cooking tips are scattered throughout the book. The recipes are all easy to understand and most include an appetizing color picture. Ingredients are a mix of fresh/scratch or ready to use. I like that each of the recipes includes nutritional information, and that any ingredient that might contain gluten is highlighted in red. I wish the recipes included cooking and prep time, they’re things I find invaluable when choosing what recipe to make. Recipes that I am looking forward to trying include Diner Style Onion Rings, Strawberry Muffins, Yang Chow Fried Rice, Three Cheese Baked Penne, Ham Cheese & Apple Panini, Baked Potato & Bacon Soup, Chocolate Layer Cake, and Strawberry Chocolate Trifle. There are over 150 recipes in this book, including the one below. This cookbook would be helpful for anyone that wants to cook gluten-free meals but isn’t sure what to make.

RECIPE FOR CINNAMON-RAISIN MUFFINS WITH STREUSEL TOPPING

pg 74

Streusel:

• 1⁄4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown rice flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 11⁄2 tablespoons canola oil or butter

Muffins:

• Cooking spray
• 3.3 ounces brown rice flour (about 3⁄4 cup; such as Bob’s Red Mill)
• 4.1 ounces potato starch (about 3⁄4 cup)
• 2.1 ounces tapioca flour (about 1⁄2 cup)
• 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 11⁄2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup raisins
• 1⁄4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
• 1⁄3 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup plain soy milk

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. To prepare streusel, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl with a fork until mixture resembles small peas.

3. To prepare muffins, place 18 paper muffin cup liners in muffin cups. Coat liners with cooking spray; set aside.

4. Weigh or lightly spoon brown rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, granulated sugar, and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in raisins and walnuts; make a well in center of mixture. Combine oil, vanilla, and eggs in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in soy milk; add to rice flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle batter evenly with streusel topping.

5. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until muffins are lightly browned and spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack. Serve warm. Yield: 18 servings (serving size: 1 muffin).

The product(s) featured in this review was provided free of cost to me for the sole purpose of product testing and review. This review has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.