Hi there. I’d like to take some time to answer several of the interesting questions that are left in the comment section of this site. Here goes…
Storing Gluten Free Bread
Mollie left this question on the Flax Focaccia Becomes Parsely Bruschetta Post:
Q. I made this bread yesterday and having been eating it with some homemade dairy free pesto. Delicious!! Just one question – how do you store it?
A. Storing breads is easy and significantly extends “shelf life.” After baking the bread, I usually allow it to cool in the pan overnight. I then remove the bread from the pan, wrap it in a paper towel, then place it in a Ziploc bag. Next, I write the date on a piece of tape, dog ear the tape and then place it on the bag (dog-earing the tape makes for easy removal so that you can use your bags over and over again and place a new piece of tape with the current date on it for each use). The final step is to refrigerate. Stored this way, I find that my breads last for at least one week.
Storing Almond Flour
Candice asked this question on the Almond Flour post:
Q. How long can one keep the almond flour before it goes bad?
A. I keep mine refrigerated for up to 6 months, sometimes longer. Freezing seems to extend shelf life even more.
Olive Oil Versus Grapeseed Oil
Rachel asked this question on the Bran Muffin post:
Q. Why have you changed to [olive oil] in your baking? Have you tried these with grapeseed oil and you didn’t like how they came out?
A. According to some of my internet research, grapeseed oil has polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) which may not be the most optimal of fats. I will still be using grapeseed oil, however, I am looking into other oils as well. In the Bran Muffin recipe, I was also aiming to create a Paleo friendly dish and I have heard that grapeseed oil is not Paleo.
The Taste of Grapeseed Oil?
Ashley asked this question on the Vegan Chocolate Frosting post:
Q. Great recipe- although I do wonder if there are any other oils you may recommend, as I have made frosting with grapeseed oil once and the taste of the oil was very overpowering. Either that, or is there a particular brand that might be better? Thanks in advance! :)
A. For the ingredients found on my site, I link to the exact type and brand of product that I recommend, this is of course, the case with grapeseed oil as well. Grapeseed oil has a wonderfully neutral flavor, that replaces butter quite effectively in recipes for baked and other goods; so I am wondering if your grapeseed oil was rancid.
You say Elena, I say Elana
Carey asked this question on the Dark Rye Bread post:
Q. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Rye is my husband’s favorite and I just haven’t made it because I didn’t want to do a wheat version and didn’t have a GF version til now. Thanks for posting this. I’ll comment on the outcome. You rock, Elana! (how do you pronounce your name?)
A. The first syllable of my name is “E” as in “Eagle,” the second two syllables are pronounced “lana” as in “Lana Turner.”
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I hope you enjoy the answers to your questions above. I also want to point out that the FAQs and Forums are great resources for any inquiries you may have.
In other news, my book, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook is receiving excellent press and I am delighted. Some highlights from the past week include: a live interview on Radio Pacifica with the incredible Niki Guluchi of Page2Pantry, a live radio interview with Judy Gilliard on Judy A La Carte and also a feature story in the The Daily Camera food section.
Patty says
A couple of years ago my doctor gave me a prescription for a water pill because he thought a medication I was taking for my atrial fibrillation was causing the swelling in my right foot and ankle. My left ankle never swells. The pill worked for a while but then I found more frequent swelling. A trip to the orthopedic doctor advised me that it was due to arthritis. In January 2015, I followed a Whole 30 diet with great success and found that my swelling was gone. I went off the Whole 30 during the bitterly cold and snowy winter months because it was difficult to get to the store. I noticed the swelling returning so I eventually returned to a combined Whole 30 and Paleo. The swelling disappeared. I have to determine which food or foods caused the swelling. I am 73 years old and this symptom has been with me for about 3 years. I am trying to stick with Paleo but have to admit that today is a rough day. It’s cold and rainy out and I’m starving. But I will persevere. Unfortunately my weight yo-yo’d when I went off the diet during February, March, and part of April but I’m looking forward to a remarkable loss soon.