Safe Personal Care Products

In my inbox this morning, I had an email from the Environmental Working Group (a wonderful resource!) about how to choose safe personal care products, for ourselves and for our children. http://www.ewg.org/healthyhometips/ingredientsinpersonalcareproducts I knew the importance of "paraben-free"; but, this article takes it a few steps further, highlighting all of the ingredients to avoid (just a few) and are so, so important to remember. Because, as the article points out, our government does not require testing on personal care products. So, companies can label their products, "natural" or "hypo-allergenic" or anything else that appeals to consumers so they can sell their product. It is up to us to educate ourselves on what is good for our bodies (and what is bad!).

Gluten Free Flour Substitutes

A few months in to my gluten-free life, I have been tampering with more recipes and finding my favorite substitutes.

I have tried Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour and I don't like the flavor very much (most likely the bean flours). In most of my recipes (my scones, my chocolate chip cookies, my oatmeal cookies and my pancakes to name a few), a substitution of half rice flour and half oat flour (along with some xantham gum) works the best.

I purchased a 4-pack of Bob's Red Mill Organic Brown Rice Flour on Amazon.com for a few dollars less than I could've gotten it at the grocery store (if they even carry it).

I have also found that rice flour works just as well in my roux for cream sauces and soups.

I have tried quinoa flour (not bad, but expensive!) and I will also try making some bread with it.

I have tried corn flour which I have had before and I may try with some other combinations.

I have also tried sorghum flour and millet flour (as part of a bread mix) and I find them both a little too sweet.

I will keep working on combinations; but, my favorite "go to" flour is definitely brown rice flour.