To excite your palate with new flavors and textures, while sneaking healthy nutrients into your next batch of baked goods, replace a quarter to a third of a recipe’s wheat flour with one of these five gluten-free flours.
Milled from South American quinoa seeds, quinoa flour is easy to digest and full of protein, magnesium, fiber, zinc, and folate. Its delicate nutty flavor is ideal for banana bread, biscotti, light muffins, shortcakes, and pizza crust. Also great for dredging fish, chicken, or pork cutlets before cooking.
Try: Ancient Harvest organic quinoa flour
Commonly used in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine, garbanzo bean (aka chickpea) flour is sky-high in protein and fiber—6 and 5 grams per quarter cup, respectively. Garbanzo flour has a complex, slightly “beany” flavor; work it into breads, savory pie crusts (check out how to make a gluten-free pie crust), falafel, hummus, and burger or meat-loaf mixtures. Also try as a thickener for soups, stews, gravies, and sauces.
Try: Bob’s Red Mill garbanzo flour
Related to rhubarb, not wheat, this flour gleaned from buckwheat groats has a robust, earthy flavor and is chockablock with B vitamins, fiber, and rutin–a powerful antioxidant that helps protect the body from oxidative damage. Buckwheat flour adds a distinct taste to pancakes, crepes, bars, scones, quick breads, and maple cookies.
Try: Arrowhead Mills organic buckwheat flour
Indigenous to Ethiopia, teff is the world’s tiniest grain and yields a sweet, malty flavor when milled. The tan-colored flour is a good source of calcium and energy-boosting iron. Teff flour perks up flat breads, waffles, gingerbread cookies, and anything baked with chocolate.
Try: Try: Bob’s Red Mill teff flour
Dark chia flour is mildly nutty; white chia is more neutral in flavor. Chia seeds and chia flours are a particularly rich source of omega-3s, which deter heart disease and boost cognitive functioning. Chia flour works well in muffins, brownies, sweet breads, fruit crisps, and homemade crackers. Or mix a heaping spoonful into oatmeal or granola.
Try: Navitas Naturals sprouted chia powder