Gluten- Free Substitutes: Almond Flour

For those who have Celiac disease or are gluten-intolerant, cooking with wheat flour is impossible. Almond flour is one alternative. Made by grinding blanched almond nuts, this flour works especially well in desserts, such as pies and cookies. Almond flour is also highly nutritious, full of protein, potassium and vitamin E. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Nutritional Benefits

Almond flour is ground from blanched, peeled raw almonds. Almond meal is made similarly, but from almonds that are left unblanched and unpeeled. Both products are high in protein. They are rich sources of potassium and vitamin E. They are also provide monounsaturated healthy fats. Research shows that almonds regulate blood sugar after a meal and contain antioxidants that are thought to protect against cancer.

Storing Almond Flour

Almond flour and meal, spoil much more quickly than processed wheat flour. As such, they must be stored in a way that prevents them from going rancid. Store almond flour and meal in half-gallon or quart-sized mason jars, depending on how quickly you will use it. Keep one in the cupboard and the rest in the freezer. The flour or meal will stay fresh in the freezer for at least six months. Only keep as much in the cupboard as you can use in a month.

Using Almond Flour

Almond flour, due to its slightly sweet, nutty flavor, works well in dessert and baking recipes. It can replace wheat flour in pancake recipes with good results. Because almond flour does not contain gluten, which binds together wheat baked products, other binders are necessary when replacing almond flour for wheat flour in breads, muffins and other baked products. There are cookbooks available that tell you how to make these substitutions in recipes. Eggs are often used to bind gluten-free baked products. Almond flour can be used to thicken soups and stews, replacing wheat flour or cornstarch. It can also be used to dredge meats prior to browning.

Making Your Own

For almond flour, blanch the almonds by boiling them in hot water for a few minutes until you can easily slip the skins off them. For almond meal, do not blanch. Place dried almonds in a blender and process until finely ground. Over-processing results in a nut butter. Place in a sifter and work through to remove any large chunks, resulting in a fine flour or meal.