Going gluten-free fixed her health issues
Architect Isabel Berenguer Asuncion revives her childhood hobby of baking, using simple, affordable recipes
For 14 years, architect-designer Isabel Berenguer Asuncion endured gastritis, that burning pain in the stomach. Results from endoscopy and bacterial infection tests recommended the avoidance of fats, stimulants and dairy, while wheat was allowed. As she continued to eat crackers, bread and pasta, she felt lethargic and experienced migraines, sinusitis and brain fog.
Last year, a specialist in functional medicine told her to take a food intolerance test. It turned out that the gluten, the structure-forming protein in bread and pasta, was the culprit.
From the onset of the pandemic, Asuncion revived her childhood hobby of baking, and has been making gluten-free bread and crackers for her family. Her pantry is stocked with coconut flour, almond flour and flaxseed, which serves as the binder and flavoring. She throws in pumpkin and sesame seeds, to replace the butter fat and add a nutty taste. Rosemary and oregano lend a Mediterranean flavor while nutritional yeast is a source of umami.
Simple and affordable
The recipes can be simple and affordable, such as the crackers made from rice flour, water and coconut or palm oil that are baked to a crisp. The crackers are topped with ham, peanut butter or mock cream cheese, made from cashew nut milk, cashew pulp, tapioca starch, spices and lemon for the umami. Her husband is delighted that she uses dairy substitutes since he is lactose-intolerant.
Gluten-free flour produces a soft, spongy texture which makes it ideal for bread. When she bakes scones with gluten-free flour, she uses ground flaxseed or chia seeds as binder and virgin coconut oil or ghee (clarified butter) from the Indian store.
However, one would think twice about paying a small fortune to buy almond and glucoconut ten-free flour despite their nutritional benefits.
Asuncion has affordable alternatives. She makes pancakes from homemade oat flour (oatmeal pulverized in a blender) and mashed banana and topped with chocolate morsels for indulgence.
Her gluten-free donuts and donut holes consist of tapioca flour and mashed sweet potato with baking powder and baking soda. The taste reminds Asuncion of carioca, glazed glutinous rice balls flavored with coconut.
Instead of using wheat for fried chicken and other breaded food, Asuncion recommends potato flour, cornstarch and chickpea flour from the Indian stores. The taste of egg omelette can be achieved with chickpea flour and nutritional yeast.
Asuncion and their famiant. ly still enjoy desserts despite certain dietary restrictions. The classic sticky date pudding substitutes the bread crumbs, milk and butter with oat flour, milk and ghee with lots of dates and coconut sugar. It is drizzled with coconut cream.
Health benefits
Her standard crust for pies and tarts is a mix of almond and coconut flours. “The crust doesn’t get in the way of other flavors,” she says.
Her children’s favorite is the layered fruit and nut tart with blended nuts and dates and a topping with cashews and coconut cream. Asuncion’s quick fix is a raw chocolate tart made with coconut cream and pure cacao. Her version of key lime pie is calamansi pie with a filling of egg yolk, calamansi and coconut sugar. White sugar is replaced with monk fruit.
“When you have food intolerances, you want to know what goes into your food. I once ordered Chinese food and I got mild psoriasis. It was probably triggered by additives,” she says.
The gluten-free and nomilk diet has provided health benefits. “In the beginning, I thought my low energy was due to hormonal changes. Exercising drained me. Gluten was like my kryptonite. The gluten-free diet has given back my energy levels. I bike some 10 kilometers and I have been taking classes in dance, yoga and Pilates,” she says.
Her advice on going gluten-free: “Start slowly and experiment [to find] results that can work for you. Cut down on things that aren’t that importWe eat meat and free-range chicken but less beef and pork. I buy lamb because it’s grass-fed instead of getting choice-cut beef. We’re not purists but we choose to eat cleaner.”
Oatmeal Banana Pancakes
2 bananas (about 1 c)
2 large eggs
½ c oat flour or rolled oats ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1¼ tsp cinnamon powder 1 Tbsp melted butter or ghee (if sensitive to lactose)
¼ c nut milk (cashew, almond or soy are preferred) ¼ tsp salt
Honey or maple syrup
Place rolled oats, bananas and eggs into a blender. Add vanilla, cinnamon, melted ghee, salt. Blitz until blended. Add milk to achieve desired batter thickness.
Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes. It will thicken. Add milk if the batter is too thick for your preference.
Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Melt some butter and pour pancake batter in ⅓ cup portions. Oat pancakes will not bubble like flour pancakes, and they are slower to cook, so allow some 4 minutes per side to cook these pancakes. Keep your fire medium-low. You’ll need to work with the timing.
Serve with maple syrup infused with oranges and orange rind or serve with honey.