Gluten free recipes are taking the world by storm. They're lining the pages of cookbooks and health magazines, featured in newspaper articles, printed on flyers, scribbled on scrap paper, and posted on blogs. The irony is, even though we're surrounded by gluten free ideas we still struggle to decide what's for dinner free recipes!
Why is this?
What actually motivates you to take the next step from saving a recipe to actually giving it a try?
Being a wholefood chef and gluten free cookbook author, I often ponder this question. Part of my job is to present food ideas that stand out from the crowd; to develop dishes that grab your fancy enough to warrant a grocery excursion and a few hours with your stove. Many of the recipes floating about end up buried and forgotten under a stack of bills or tossed in the bin. They may be appealing on some level, but don't ultimately have what it takes to be transformed from an idea into an edible reality. Over time I've discovered that recipes which make the cut do so because of clever marketing and a good understanding of human behaviour.
Many things lure us toward a recipe. For example, glossy photos of decadent, gluten free cakes are generally quite tempting, and any dish involving chocolate is sure to draw people in like a magnet. That said, the word 'healthy' has become more alluring as obesity and other medical concerns multiply. Recipes labelled 'low-fat', 'healthy' or 'light' often get a second look at the very least. Gluten free versions of old classics also grab our attention; comfort foods reminiscent of days when all it took was a steaming bowl of Grandma's famous casserole to make everything right in the world. Personal recommendations and word of mouth are other powerful motivators for recipe testing -- I'm much more likely to try a dish my best friend raved about than one I tore out of the newspaper on a whim. But above all these influences on gluten free recipe selection, the strongest I've found is the FREE SAMPLE. If you've tasted something -- say a melt-in-your-mouth slice of gluten free cake or a tasty vibrant dip -- chances are you'll be craving more. In this situation, you're almost guaranteed THAT recipe will be carefully placed in the kitchen for imminent use.
Now it's all good and well for food to look enticing, and even for it to taste incredible. But there's more to a successful dish than meets the eye. Many other factors influence the success of a recipe, such as: innovation (is it fun and interesting?), satisfaction (will it satisfy and sustain you?), budget (is it affordable?); health (will it enhance or deplete your vitality?); co-eater feedback (will it make the kids happy?) and so on.
Most of us started eating gluten free because we care about our well-being. Whether the reason is a diagnosis of celiac disease, a gluten intolerance, or some other concern about excessive gluten intake -- the bottom line is, you're looking after your health in one way or another. Therefore it makes sense to be more particular about the recipes you try; more discerning about what you feed yourself and your loved ones. To ensure your gluten free recipe choices are wholesome and your cooking experiences pleasurable, try following these helpful tips: