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Baking - flour substitutes?

hula808
hula808 Posts: 172 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I do alot of baking. I bake muffins for the kids lunches, make pizza dough in the read machine. cookies for lunches, etc.. I dont like to buy store bought granola bars, cookies, etc. I dont use marg or butter and substitute yogurt or apple sauce instead in my baking and it works well for me. However I am wondering if there is a better substitute for flour. I use plain old white flour now. I'd like to try alternatives that would work in baking (multipurpose) and doesnt cost a fortune.

Any suggestions....I have heard of spelt flour? why is this better and where do you get it? is it "all- purpose"?

Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Try subbing in some whole wheat flour (instead of some of the white). The more whole wheat flour you use, the better, but this may be an aquired taste for your kids .... start out in small doses. This will not cut calories, but adds fiber & protein. I use whole wheat flour in pizza dough all the time.

    For pastry/cookie type baking, there is whole wheat pastry flour (it's more fine). I've not tried this yet.
  • Ribena145
    Ribena145 Posts: 201 Member
    You might want to find some recipes that don't require as much flour, but add in other ingredients such as flax meal or oat bran. I make some muffins using Bob's flaxseed meal - wholesome, good and filling - I actually make them smaller because they're too big/filling otherwise. Here's the link to their recipes:
    http://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes.php
    Good luck! I'll let you know of anymore ideas when I think of them :)
  • macnotes
    macnotes Posts: 210 Member
    I found this while "googling" because I too wish there was a subtitute for the high calorie flour (440 calories a cup!!?)

    For 1 cup sifted all purpose white flour, substitute:

    1/4 cup soy flour plus 3/4 cup white flour
    1/3 cup wheat germ plus 2/3 cup white flour
    1/3 cup whole wheat flour plus 2/3 cup white flour
    3/4 cup coarse cornmeal
    3/4 cup rice flour
    1 cup rolled oats
    1.5 cups oat flour
    It was also mentioned that these substitutions may require additional leavening, so add 2.5 teaspoons baking powder per cup of flour to compensate. These alternatives to white flour will result in a heavier yeast bread product.

    I noticed on my bob mill's soy flour, it is 30% protein...which might be better than carbohydrates? It's still pretty high calorie and more than regular flour.
    http://www.soyfoods.org/soy-information/soy-fact-sheets/soy-flour-fact-sheet

    Looks like Oat Flour is slightly less calories.

    Oh and check out this other topic: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/506964-protein-powder-as-flour-substitute?hl=flour+substitute&page=1#posts-7060165

    People are substituting flour with protein powder!
  • socalgirl68
    socalgirl68 Posts: 85
    Oat flour works amazing!!!

    coconut, almond, hazlenut, soy, rice.... anything!
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    Gluten Free, Soy Free, All-Purpose Flour Mix
    3 parts brown rice flour
    3 parts corn starch or tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour) or potato starch or arrowroot flour
    2 parts sorghum flour or garfava flour or garbanzo bean flour
    1 part masa harina or almond flour
  • nsblue
    nsblue Posts: 331 Member
    i hear coconut flour is a good alternative...google it n have a gander...
This discussion has been closed.