Look no further for a beautiful gluten free grain substitute – almond flour may be your harmonious match (if you aren’t allergic to tree nuts of course). Similar to coconut flour, it’s low carbohydrate content makes it a winner in the world of diabetes and celiac disease.
What is Almond Flour?
Almond flour and meal are often referred to synonymously. They are both made of finely ground almonds.
Almond Meal versus Almond Flour
Almond Meal- This “meal” has more of a rudimentary feel to it, rougher and inconsistent.
Almond Flour- The “flour” version has a finer grind than almond meal; lending itself to recipes with remarkable success. Almond flour is typically made of blanched almonds with the skin removed. This allows for a texture that is fluffier with a light color and bland flavor.
There are many store bought brands available; or you can try your hand at making your own.
Make your own almond flour with a vitamix, food processor or new coffee grinder; blending in small batches until smoothly ground. When this process is complete the flour can also be sifted for a finer consistency.
According to Elana of Elana’s Pantry “with several hundred gluten free almond flour recipes on elanaspantry.com, I am asked this question at least once a day. Almond flour is highly nutritious, easy to use and readily available. For those of us watching our glycemic index, almond flour is high in protein, low in carbohydrates and low in sugars.”
“Unlike other alternatives to wheat flour almond flour is moist and delicious. After having tested just about every gluten free flour out there, I can save you a lot of time and hassle when I say that almond flour is far superior to other flours in terms of taste, nutrition and ease-of-use.”