• Gluten intolerance and nutrition
• Millet cake with fruit
• Pudding with chia seeds, fruits and cherry sauce
• Simple Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
• Muffins with cocoa fruits
• Chocolate fondant, which is a cake with liquid chocolate

Gluten, a protein found in rye, wheat, and barley grains, is responsible for the texture of baked goods made from these grains. It gives bread its slightly moist and sticky texture. This ingredient is found in most everyday products: bread, pasta, cereals, ketchup and mayonnaise, ice cream, rolls, cakes, cookies and biscuits, dumplings, milk chocolate, etc.

Gluten intolerance and nutrition

Although most of these products are present in the daily diet of the average Polish family, a growing number of people are being diagnosed with gluten hypersensitivity or gluten intolerance and are forced to adopt a gluten-free diet. Otherwise, they are exposed to unpleasant digestive problems that can affect our overall well-being and general well-being. People with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder characterized by a persistent gluten intolerance, must also avoid gluten-containing products. In celiac disease, gluten consumption leads to atrophy of the small intestinal villi, which are responsible for nutrient absorption. If absorption is impaired, unpleasant clinical symptoms develop. The only treatment then is a lifelong strict gluten-free diet.

Since gluten is present in most common foods, at first glance it might seem that a gluten-free diet is difficult to maintain and requires many restrictions and sacrifices. Gluten has a very high water-binding capacity, elasticity, and ductility, which allows it to form elastic, sticky membranes that maintain the "spongy" consistency of the dough during fermentation and baking. The gluten content is what makes bread fluffy and stays fresh longer. Gluten is used by producers as a food additive to enhance flavor. However, due to the growing demand for gluten-free products, access to them is becoming increasingly easier. We have gluten-free breads, pasta, and flours. What if we get a craving for something sweet? Let's see which desserts are safe for people with gluten intolerance.

Millet cake with fruit

Ingredients:

• 50 g millet groats ,
• Egg,
• a glass of your favorite plant milk - maybe almond or coconut
• a teaspoon of baking soda,
• a few tablespoons of corn flour ,
• fresh fruit (e.g. raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, peaches).

Although millet is more commonly associated with dinner, not everyone knows that it can be a delicious and easy-to-prepare dessert. To make the millet dough, boil the millet in lightly salted water for 15 minutes. Once cooled, mix with cornmeal, egg, baking soda, and plant-based milk. If the dough is too runny, you can add a little flour. Pour the dough into a baking dish lined with parchment paper, arrange the fruit on top, and then bake at 170 degrees Celsius until a skewer comes out dry.

Chia seed pudding with fruit and cherry sauce _

Ingredients for the pudding:

• 3 tablespoons chia seeds,
• 400 ml coconut milk,
• Teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Ingredients for the cherry glaze:

• about 300 g frozen cherries,
• Spoon of chia seeds.

Additionally:

• Blueberries for decoration and seasoning,

Pour thick coconut milk into a bowl and mix thoroughly with chia seeds and vanilla extract. Let stand for about 10 minutes, then mix again. Place the frozen cherries in a saucepan and heat on low until completely thawed. Then, toss the fruit, add a tablespoon of chia seeds, and mix thoroughly for at least one minute. Serve in salad bowls, glasses, or jars, alternating coconut and chia pudding with cherry sauce until colorful layers form. Sprinkle the top with fresh blueberries.

Simple Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients:

• 100 g cornflakes,
• 150 g dark chocolate,
• 20 g coconut oil,
• 50 g dried cranberries,
• 40 g agave syrup,
• Teaspoon of vanilla sugar.

Melt the coconut oil and dark chocolate in a saucepan. Add the melted chocolate, coconut oil, vanilla sugar, and agave syrup to the crushed cornflakes and mix thoroughly. Once all the ingredients have combined, add the chopped dried cranberries and mix. Using a small spoon, form cookies from the mixture, place them on baking paper, and refrigerate for at least one hour to set.

Muffins with cocoa fruits

Ingredients:

• 150 g natural yogurt at room temperature,
• 120 g melted butter,
• 90 g sugar,
• 3 eggs,
• 200 g gluten-free flour (can be rice, corn or both)
• 20 g cocoa,
• 2 tablespoons of your favorite jam
• 150 g grated apple,
• a teaspoon of cinnamon,
• half a teaspoon of soda,
• a teaspoon of baking powder,
• a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.

Combine flour (one or more varieties), cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, add the sugar, natural yogurt, and melted butter, and mix well. Add the previously mixed dry ingredients to the resulting mixture and mix briefly. Finally, add a grated apple mixed with a little vinegar to the batter. Line muffin cups with muffin cups and pour in the batter, filling the cups 3/4 full. Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.

Chocolate fondant, which is a cake with liquid chocolate

Ingredients for one serving:

• 50 g dark chocolate,
• a spoon of coconut oil,
• a teaspoon of rice flour,
• a teaspoon of potato flour,
• 1/3 cup of your favorite plant-based milk
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar.

Grease a heatproof baking dish with coconut oil and line it with baking paper. Melt the chopped chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler. In a bowl, combine both flours, milk, and sugar; whisk to combine. Then, add the melted chocolate and coconut oil and blend briefly with a hand blender. Pour the finished mixture into a baking dish and bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 14 minutes, until the sides are firm. Leave the cupcake in the dish for about a minute before transferring it to a plate. Serve the fondant warm; the chocolate should flow from the inside when cut.