My daughter cannot have gluten or dairy. This bread recipe is the first I have found that I would put up against any wheat-based bread. It's ridiculously good bread, never mind that it is GF. Also, it is stupid easy to make. If you don't have oat flour, put oats in a blender and push the button. Voila, oat flour. :-)
http://www.yammiesglutenfreedom.com/2012/11/gluten-free-honey-oat-bread.htmlMy wife makes outstanding pancakes that are also GF. Here are some of her favorite basic recipes:
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2011/08/karinas-gluten-free-pancakes.htmlhttp://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/healthy-oatmeal-gluten-free-pancakes/On the whole, we stay away from the mixes. We keep the following in our cupboard, and mix according to need. You just need to learn which starches do what and you can take it from there:
arrowroot powder
tapioca starch
brown rice flour
almond flour
sorghum flour
buckwheat flour (not actually wheat...it's an herb)
potato starch
oats
corn starch
Get them in bulk, as they are expensive in the small packages. Our local co-op has them in bulk at very reasonable prices.
My wife, who generally does not like to cook, but has taken to GF baking with gusto and is our household GF baked goods expert, says the following:
"It is really all about the starch to flour ratio. You can make anything as long as you have a 1/3 starch to 2/3 flour ratio.
Flours:Bean flour- excellent binding properties, great for baking, good texture. The taste is strong, so I recommend using it in savory dishes. Some folks will use it in everything.
Brown rice flour- a staple, easy to find, but super dry, so always mix it with a moist flour like almond or oat.
Buckwheat- an excellent all around flour. binds better than most. Slightly bitter so use a tiny bit of sweetener in most recipes (honey is good for this).
Almond flour- Great flour, excellent texture. Use it with a starch and a more basic flour (like brown rice or sorghum).
Sorghum flour- Another great all purpose flour. Less dry than brown rice, but harder to find and more expensive.Nice texture and flavor.
Quinoa flour- good dense flour, nice in savory dishes. Some folks taste the quinoa taste more than others.
Coconut flour- Great all around flour if you are independently wealthy. :-)
Starches:(always use at least a 1/3 to 2/3 ratio of starch to above flours)
Corn starch- great, easy to find, you will taste the corn flavor a little
Amaranth- also has a distinctive taste, slightly harder to find, works very well.
Potato starch (this is NOT the same as potato flour)- binds smoothly and nicely, slightly denser than the other starches
Tapioca starch- virtually tasteless, binds nicely, good general purpose starch."