Two and a half years into SCD and GAPS, I have recently purchased my second related cookbook: Elana Amsterdam’s The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook. Its recipes are simple and delicious and very GAPS-friendly. Substituting honey for the agave, I’ve so far made the Lemon Bars and the Classic Carrot Cake. Both simple to make and delicious! For those committed to SCD or GAPS, I recommend this book.
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Step-by-step guide to GAPS!
161 pages. For details, click here.
I have that one too, and really like it. I’m curious to know what you do on recipes calling for baking soda. So far I just whip the egg whites and then fold the rest of the ingredients in, but wonder if you have any other ideas. I agree, her recipes are great. She also has a ton of them on her blog, elanaspantry.
Hi Rebeca,
I sometimes use the baking soda and sometimes skip it, depending on how “fluff dependent” I’m feeling that day
Per Dr Natasha, I recommend people avoid it early in GAPS and test it later on.
Best,
Baden
Hello, I am new to the GAPS diet only on it now for a few weeks. I am wondering how much almond meal type products are safe in a given day/week. My family has started this diet and we are eating almond meal muffins several times a day. How much is safe?
Hi Kelly,
It’s different for everyone, but most cannot handle several servings per day. My son can handle only about 1/8-1/4 cup nuts per day. (He does better with reduced oxalates.)
Per GAPS intro, start with none, then intro a small amount, then increase slowly to see where each one’s tolerance is, then back down a bit.
Best,
Baden
Baden – I love that cookbook also. And I’ve made the carrot cake several times (with honey and no baking soda). What do you use for frosting????
Thanks,
Ada
Hi Ada,
I made no frosting for it – It was delicious without!
All my best,
Baden
I enjoy her cookbook too — and her blog recipes — her pumpkin/squash muffins have become a staple here.
I plan to try the carrot cake, now that you’ve suggested it. My kids have been asking for a cake.
Did you use a frosting?
I may try the “marshmallow frosting”. would like to try the
“coconut cream frosting”, but I don’t know what I would do about the arrowroot.
Thanks very much for sharing your journey! Your book was very helpful.
: )
Noel
oops — I see that you did not use a frosting, as I guessed.
I’m hoping someone will share one that they like. I make coconut cupcakes for my kids to take to birthday parties, and I’d like to frost them for these ocassions (sp).
: )
Noel
Hi Noel,
Thank you for the positive feedback earlier about my own book
Although I did not frost this cake, a frosting I like is Whipped Cashew Cream in Jordan Maerin’s Raw Foods For Busy People. It’s cashews, dates and vanilla, with optional lemon juice or other whole foods flavourings. This book was only about $14 (or download it for $7.50) and has several recipes just right for or adaptable to GAPS.
All my best to you,
Baden
Baden,
Thank you for your reply. I don’t see any negative outcomes thus far I am just wondering in general how much almond meal should one body consume in a day….GAPS aside.
Prior to GAPS we would eat maybe a handful of Almonds 2-3x per week. Now given the muffins daily in stead of beads/grains it is likely more like 3/4 cup Almond meal per 2 muffins. I guess that would be about a cup of Almonds per day which doesn’t sound like too much.
What do you think? Has this ever been discussed before?
Thanks!
Hi Kelly,
GAPS aside, if no negative outcomes are seen, I would go ahead with any amount. Every body is different, and generally speaking almonds are healthy: full of good fats and minerals.
Have you done intro? Intro will often show ‘negative outcomes’where none where previously noticed, but if you have done intro and are fine with this amount of almonds daily, I wouldn’t worry about this ingredient
All my best,
Baden
Thanks a bunch!
I’ll check out the Whipped Cashew Cream frosting recipe.
: ) Noel
Baden, Noel,
I bet Mrs. Ed’s Cream Cheese frosting would be awesome on the Carrot Cake! If you haven’t tried it yet, check it out here http://mrsedsresearchandrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/11/cream-cheese-frosting-scd.html. It’s easy and very yummy.
I’m glad to see other GAPS/SCD families using Elana’s cookbook! I’d be interested to know how you are adjusting recipes that call for arrowroot. So far, I’ve had some success substituting a scant amount of coconut flour in exchange. For example, today when I made snickerdoodles, I used 6T of coconut flour rather than the called for 1/2 cup (8Tbsp) of arrowroot. The end result is generally pretty good, but I’d love to know what others are doing.
All the best -
Bobbi
That looks like a good one, Bobbi!
I’ll try that one as soon as we add dairy yogurt back in or when I learn how to make coconut yogurt.
My holdup is in trying to learn how to make yogurt using coconut cream to make the milk.
Baden, the Cashew Cream worked out very well. I liked the consistency and the taste. Would work well as a frosting or a fruit dip, sweetened to taste with honey. The color’s not that pretty. So I experimented with some yellow (plant based) food coloring — it wound up looking like mustard. Maybe pink or blue next time.
Thanks,
: )
Noel
Awesome, Noel! I love the Whipped Cashew Cream for cakes -I’ve used it on the Everyday Grain-Free Gourmet‘s Apple Cake (my other SCD cookbook)- or just as a portable (non-melting) “ice cream” for picnics, etc.
Mustard, lol
Do let us know if you find a colouring approach that works!
Best,
Baden
Hi Baden – do you have any recommendations for egg substitutes when baking. I currently also can’t have squash and fruit. Thanks! Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Orange squash, or a single banana, are common subs, but with those out of your personal range, I’d recommend 1 tbsp milled flax seed + 3 tbsp water. Flax is approved by Dr Natasha after the initial stages of healing.
Other than that, I would just keep on Googling!
Best,
Baden
Hi Baden and friends, I am looking for a low-oxalate alternative for nut flours and carrot pulp as both are high in oxalates. I have found that chesnuts are low in oxalates and have found them available for order online frozen. I was wondering if they are ok for GAPS…as I loaned my books to a friend and have not yet received them back
According to the chart I found online, they are ok on GAPS, but there was a star and I am supposed to check GAPS guides for more details.
Much thanks, Anne G
Hi Anne,
Yes, you could go with chestnut flour.
My primary recommendation, though, would be coconut flour -it’s low in oxalates, relatively readily available, with recipes available. I use it regularly and my (low oxalate) son does well with it. It’s very high in fibre, so allow at least a few months of healing before introducing it, and then start with a very small amount and work up slowly.
Best,
Baden
Hello,
I am new to the GAPS diet. I am wondering about the fermented cod liver oil with the added butter oil.
I think I read that early on in the GAPS diet, no dairy is allowed except for ghee.
Does this include the dairy in the fermented cod liver oil?
Thanks,
Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Butter oil and ghee are essentially the same, and ghee can be had from very early in intro. Feel free to start the butter oil at the ghee stage.
All my best,
Baden
Dear Baden,
I just came across this article tonight, see the link:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2564212/posts?page=2
This may not be news to seasoned GAPS gurus, but it was totally awesome to me!!
If that link does not work, try this one:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/03/science/03milk.html
Cheers!
Mike
Those lemon bars caught my eye too. What did you do about the arrowroot?
Hi Elizabeth,
I skip the arrowroot in all recipes. Works fine!
All my best,
Baden
Hi Baden,
Thank you for the suggestion on the cookbook. I just ordered it today. I noticed that you had suggested substituting honey for agave. Do you substitute it in the recipes that call for heating to 350 degrees, etc. Does the honey loose its nutrients when heated? What about the maple syrup?
Thanks!
Raechel
Hi Raechel,
I use only honey (no agave, no maple syrup). I imagine unpasteurized honey does lose its nutrients when heated, but I don’t eat cakes for nutrients
so I never worry about that.
All my best,
Baden
no one has mentioned stevia as a sugar substitute on the GAPS diet. What are the thoughts on that. I am just starting to investigate the GAPS diet for my granddaughter who has extreme ecema. We use stevia alot and wanted to know h if it would fit in the diet. If not why?
Hi Donna,
Stevia is not approved for GAPS. This is apparently because of concerns around its steroid-like components. This said, some people who are otherwise doing GAPS strictly do use stevia and find it a positive part of their healing journey. The only sweeteners approved for GAPS are fruit (fresh, dried, etc) and honey.
All my best,
Baden