Most people don’t realize how difficult it is to avoid gluten until they actually need to. People that can’t handle gluten know what I’m talking about. And I will tell you when you mess up and end up eating gluten by accident, you pay a painful price.
Buying a lot of gluten-free products is super expensive when they are pre-made. It’s really a shame that when you can’t have something due to a health issue, you have to pay more money to get an alternative. Again, it’s one of those things that people don’t understand until it directly affects them.
The alternative flours are great, but they also tend to get expensive when buying constantly. There aren’t many options for buying in bulk, and when there are, it doesn’t save much money. It’s a great way to find out exactly which flour you prefer but isn’t great to do in the long term.
Oat flour is definitely my favorite alternative in any baked goods that I make. It dawned on me that maybe I could save some money on it by actually trying to make my own. I set out to do some research and it turned out that I was right. I could definitely make it at home.
From what I discovered, I’d need to use my food processor to do it, which totally made sense to me. So I pulled out my food processor to prepare it and get it clean since it had been a while since I’d used it.
My blades were looking kind of dull, which probably would not make great flour. So back to the Internet I went, to see if I could find replacements. I managed to find KitchenWorksUSA, where they sell authentic Cuisinart 14 cup food processor parts. I bought myself new blades, along with a dough blade since I knew I’d be making baked goods also.
When I got my parts and had what I needed to make the oat flour, I was anxious to get it going. I was shocked, but it seemed like I got it right the first time I tried it. I was so excited! It was easy and great for saving money. I could make way more at home for the price of one bag at the grocery store.
Oat flour works great for a lot of my favorites, like banana bread, muffins, and some cakes. The texture isn’t for everyone, and it can take some getting used to when you’re only familiar with regular flour. But just like with anything else, you adjust to it.
I’ve learned a lot about different flour blends too, which is a little more specific when it comes to recipes. It’s awesome for gluten-free pizza, which is super expensive to buy at a store or restaurant. I’ll splurge sometimes, but usually, I do it myself at home. Plus, I made the dough in the food processor too.
Being gluten-free definitely comes with its own set of challenges, and it can be super frustrating. But to be honest, the consequences of eating gluten are far worse for me. I’m just thankful that I found ways around it. I definitely wouldn’t be able to make it work without my Cuisinart food processor.
