Cooking Tips
Baking
Baking with nut flours is certainly different to baking with wheat or rice flour. Firstly, nut flours contain a large amount of oil, therefore limiting the amount of butter needed to moisten the baked goods. Nut flours do not contain any binding agents such a gluten, which makes the dough more crumbly, necessitating more eggs to bind the dough. Nut flours are also heavier so use of egg whites will lighten the dough. Baking Soda/Bicarbonate Soda is normally used as a raising agent instead of baking powder, which is different and not allowed on the SCD diet. Nut flours essentially contain a larger amount of moisture due to the oil content and therefore need longer baking times.
To achieve a crusty exterior on sandwich buns, such as the onion buns, it helps to toast them under a grill on 180°C before use. The pumpernickel bread also will become nicely crunchy when toasted.
When baking a loaf of nut flour bread, carefully press the centre of the loaf after the given baking time. The dough needs to feel firm and spongy. To prevent the bread from burning, place it on one rung down from the centre of the oven and keep the temperature low - at around 150°C/300°F. This depends on the type of oven you use. If it is fan forced, turn the fan off if possible. Otherwise bring the heat down to 140°C. Lining a baking tin with waxed baking paper will ensure a perfect extraction from the tin. For muffins, it is best to use non-stick muffin tins or the soft latex muffin tins now available on the market.
I have also found for that the glass Pyrex dishes are the best to use for pie bases. I always lightly oil the base with grapeseed oil. The pie bases need to be cooked slowly to become more biscuit like. Letting them rest in the oven after the given baking time, while the oven is cooling down, will help to achieve the right texture. The crust will absorb moisture, and therefore it is better to add filling while the filling is cold, and then bake again.
Thickening Stews and Soups
Thickening sauces using almond flour (also called almond meal) is quite effective, but using nut butters is just as effective. Using about 1 Tbs of almond flour or ½ Tbs of butter per liter/4 cups will do nicely.
How to sterilize jars
Sterilizing Jars and Bottles
Sterilizing Tips:
Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with a glass, plastic, or metal lid, which has a rubber seal. The rubber seal should be intact and viable. It's best to use new ones. Two-piece lids are best for canning, as they vacuum seal when processed.
To sterilize jars, before filling with jams, pickles, or preserves, oils, vinegars, vinaigrettes, etc, etc; wash jars, lids, tongs, etc with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Leave in a preheated 175 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Or, boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes. Also, they say a quick wash in the dishwasher works, but I still do it the old-fashioned way!
Use tongs when handling the hot sterilized jars, to move them from either boiling water or the oven. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes. Cool down before handling!
http://www.giftsfromyourkitchen.com/present/sterilizing.html
Sausage making
This website gives great information on how to make sausages:
http://sausagecraft.info/