About Kitchen Wizard Recipes and Me
I’m Barbara Binstock, a health-conscious wife, (in charge
of family cooking for 60 years), a Mom of 4, grandmother
of 8 (so far). Children are not ‘picky’ eaters. Sensitivity to
some aromas, textures, or seasonings warn some kids or
adults to avoid eating them. How many people are not
aware their health issues are probably hidden in their food?
Most people wouldn’t consider giving up any of their
favorite foods, unless they’re told they have no choice.
But by then it may be too late to repair the damage done
to their body by what they’ve been eating.
When we determined gluten was a migraine trigger
for my husband, we became gluten-free! When I had
read the ingredients listed the labels of packaged
gluten-free products, most were loaded with refined
carbs, highly processed oils, and foreign chemicals.
So I quickly decided to bake all our own baked goods
from scratch, creating healthier blends of gluten-free
ingredients, which I did extensive research. It will
explain why my recipes are what they are, regardless of
individuals who disagree with my choices.
“COMPOUNDS IN WHEAT CAN DAMAGE every tissue
in your body. Every bite is causing silent damage,” says
Well-known cardiologist, and researcher (Dr. Alessio
Fasano, prof.of medicine), and many other scientists,
showed wheat prevents weight control.
”THE BIGGEST HIDDEN DANGER TO YOUR HEALTH”
(Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition),
“Two slices of wheat bread,” spike your blood sugar
more than a can of soda, a candy bar, or 6 teaspoons of
sugar. Like biting into a slice of cheesy pizza, it keeps you
coming back for more.
The blood-sugar spike from high-carb bread elevates
dopamine, the origin of the word ‘dope.’ Manufacturers
ensure repeat sales by making their foods addictive.
When it comes to sugar, not only is it a highly addictive
substance (surpassing that of cocaine, according to
some studies), but other ingredients are also highly
addictive, especially salt and fat.”
But when you balance carbs with high quality protein,
like a steak, chicken or fish, you erase the sugar spike.
So you need to balance your carbs. Standard gluten-free
baked products are mostly fiber-free starch. (Rice flours,
corn starch, sugar, potato starch, and worse yet yellow
processed vegetable oils (corn, sunflower, canola,
safflower).
Why wait until your health is compromised?
These cleaner whole foods will quickly become
new favorites to you and family.
I’ve noticed Gluten-Free in itself is not necessarily
the cure-all for for people with health issues.
Only real food made from scratch can quickly
identify and eliminate any ingredients in our diet that
don’t agree with us. But packaged foods contain
hidden ingredients and chemicals that we can’t
identify and eliminate.
Giving up favorite baked goods never lasts. But now
you can enjoy all your favorite baked goods while being
gluten-free, using my recipes, and you’ll never give them
up! They’re more delicious than the classic original versions.
And they smell so appetizing!
No one needs gluten in their diet! Many people
(not even celiac) often feel better with a gluten-free diet.
But what else is tucked into your diet causing you
compromised health? Fiber is absent from traditional
white flour.
Sugar substitutes can also contribute to migraines.
They can also interfere with your body’s ability to
control many functions. Even Stevia, touted as safe
and natural, is actually deadly. These can even interfere
with some medications.
What sweeteners are safe and natural? Dates, Raw
honey, bananas, coconut sugar, berries, apples, just
to name a few. They’re easy enough to bake with as
you’ll see in my recipes.
Big food industries cleverly keep you addicted to
foods that make them huge profits and cause your body
to silently deteriorate inside where you don’t see it.
Your body tries to tell you, but you can’t usually
understand it’s language.
Which Gluten-Free Flour Should you use?
As I’ve been researching and writing this book to help
people fit new lifestyles such as gluten free, paleo, keto
and vegan, the number of traditional flour substitutes
grew. In fact, the amount of flour substitutes has grown
so large, you’ve likely found yourself wondering which
to choose.
Having enough fiber content in your carbohydrates
slows down the digestion of sugar, (sugar spikes)
that over time can lead to insulin resistance and
diabetes. Flours I haven’t tried are *Teff and Millet
are gluten-free seed flours which should work as
flour substitutes, but too much can cause trouble.
Teff is a seed flour high in fiber that provides an
energy boost comparable to coffee, but without
that caffeine crash. There are a lot of diseases
whose main cause is inflammation. A person may
prevent inflammatory diseases (aches & pains) by
eating teff grains on a regular basis.
But Teff contains a high amount of phytate which
inhibits mineral absorption. So people with zinc or
calcium deficiency are recommended not to consume
teff in large amounts. So when it is taken as a major
staple food, a thiamine supplement is recommended.
Also, the excessive consumption of fibre might cause
gas and bloating.
After researching gluten-free flours I was convinced
that all gluten-free flours had a negative in them if
over-consumed. Organic, certified gluten-free oat flour,
almond flour, and tapioca were my first choices for
wheat substitute flours. They’re readily available and
work in most recipes in place of wheat flour.
Today’s wheat contains gut-punching lectins.
*I believe we need TREATS every day, not only for
pleasure, but to prevent deficiencies and add nutrient
in our diet. They can also help maintain a healthy weight.
I believed in this so much that I devoted 4 years to
research to compose this website.
Is everything that comes in a package safe to eat?
Is it FDA approved? FDA is approving many things you
should not eat. They allow manufacturers to omit from
the label up to 2% of any ingredient, that isn’t on the list
of known allergens.Yet many surprising common
ingredients like black pepper, onion, MSG, sulfites, and
sulfates produce a horrible allergic reaction in some
people who I know.
What’s in YOUR Gluten-Free food? Read the food
labels. Not only should we know what’s in our food,
for sensitivity and allergen reasons, but because
popular additives like gums, or carrageenan
can be at the root of your digestive issues or
unbalance and ruin the results of many recipes!
You need to read the ingredients labels on packaged
food Items. Watch out for chemicals like maltodextrin and
BHT. highly processed (high heated) oils like safflower, Palm,
and canola have become familiar names on labels, but they’re
some of your body’s worst enemies.
They are aging you prematurely, causing aches and pains,
inflammation, compromised immune systems, and slowly
developing into future major diseases.
No need to buy salad dressing. Just sprinkle on cold-pressed
olive oil (or avocado oil for a more neutral taste), with 1/2 a spoon
of balsamic or cider vinegar or honey and mustard. Quick, cheap,
tasty. No hidden emulsifiers and chemicals that erode your insides!
You’ll love taste and convenience and likely save money as well.
No need to give up Treats you love. There are gluten-free,
dairy-free alternatives that don’t spike your blood sugar like
similar recipes will. The object is to retain fiber in recipes
that have added sugar. I’ve devised, and made and
photographed all these recipes. I chose them for
familiarity of taste, healthier ingredients, availability,
reduced sweetening, and simplicity.
And best of all, you can tweak them to suit your taste
preferences. They go together quickly, made from
ingredients similar to all the other recipes. That keeps
these easy to stock up on. They seldom call for an electric
beater or rolling pin. Most are simple batters, with the
proportions changed to create breads, rolls. cookies,
muffins, fluffy baked donuts and cakes.
You can create healthy treats, even low sugar frostings
and condiments using these quick, easy recipes with simple
basic ingredients (or substitutes if you are sensitive to any of
these ingredients).
Researchers agree we need to eat frequently to avoid
cravings and binging. Three small meals and 3 small
healthy treats (like fresh fruit or nuts) can control calories
and hunger and avoid nutrient deficiencies.
Wheat can cause detrimental sensitivity and health
issues to everyone. No one needs gluten. It holds
baked goods together, but so do other substitutes as
you will see here.
When I first sought gluten-free
recipes, hoping to minimize
my husband’s migraines,
I noticed CUPS of sugar, or
‘sugar substitutes,’ ‘bad oil’
choices, fast-burning flours,
and culprits that send people
searching for the cause
of their distress. Symptoms of Celiac can resemble those
of other diseases. So, many folks suffer for years, because
they can’t identify the culprit in their food when they don’t
make it from scratch. Restaurants and frozen dinners can
contain chemicals you are sensitive to.
The FDA only requires 10 known allergens to be
listed as ingredients on the label. They also allow up
to 2% of possible digestive irritants to not be listed!
Onions and black pepper are never mentioned. But
they’re used in so many readymade foods, and can
put a multitude of people in their doctor’s office. “Just
take a pill to relieve the symptoms,” a doctor may say.
there’s no profit in telling you to avoid such allergens.
You will see that my recipes are not just treats.
Their purpose is to replace most classic wheat flour
baked goods with healthy gluten-free & Dairy-Free
delicious ones. But I bake our loaf of flaxseed bread
as our staple every week.
My flour of choice is Organic Oat plus some nut
flours or ground seeds. Most of these recipes can be
egg-free if necessary, using egg substitutes.
My sweeteners are either coconut cream in coffee, or
honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, molasses, dates,
or overripe bananas in baked goods. They are the least
likely to ‘spike’ your sugar. I do not recommend any
other sweetener.
My oils are: coconut, avocado, or olive oil. You
can have peace of mind knowing I’ve successfully
made and photographed all the recipes on this site.
These recipes are Gluten-free, Dairy-free,
Sugarcane-Free, And (‘Kosher Pareve,’ which
means certified to be “dairy free”). Many
people aren’t aware of all the allergens (even
plant-based) that are troublesome (to them or
their children).
You’d be surprised to learn most children aren’t
being “picky” when they stare their food. Their instinct
may be warning them about something that doesn’t
agree with them, because allergens are hidden in
Some foods that just don’t agree with them, and they
don’t have the ability to express that.
We all think any food in a package is ‘SAFE.’ (The FDA
approves of it). But 2% of the ingredients are not required
by law to be listed on the label, unless it’s on the ‘known
allergens’ list, (only of tree nuts, eggs, wheat, soy, shellfish,
dairy milk and cheese).
WHY doesn’t becoming ‘Gluten-free’ work for a lot
of gluten-sensitive people? Because of what else is
in THEIR gluten-free food? Onions can give similar
reactions to gluten. It took years for my husband to figure
that out. He actually had an allergic reaction to onions
being fried and filling the air in a kitchen. So many prepared
foods contain onion that he has to ask wherever we eat.
Common ground black pepper threw my daughter-in-law,
into a full-blown allergic reaction!
Did you know…You can leave out onion and its
relatives, and never notice it is missing? Celery,
especially the leaves, imparts intense flavor, and
chopped celery (even if sautéed) is a perfect texture
substitute. So are many more seasonings. Garlic
is often tolerated by many who can’t eat onion.
Dillweed, basil, coriander, rosemary, cilantro, thyme,
parsley, etc. add flavor and appear not to aggravate
any tummies.
You’ll notice my treat recipes are made, from
scratch, gluten-free, mainly organic oat flour. I buy
it from Whole Foods or make it myself by grinding
organic oatmeal into flour in a coffee grinder and
shaking it through a mesh strainer.
It’s so worth doing! You’ll not only get great results,
you won’t be swapping healthy whole grains for
non-nutritive, fast-burning starch. To lighten the
density of the baked goods, I mix in tapioca starch,
or arrowroot, which are healthy slow digesting resistant
starches made from the Cassava root.
Flaxseed bread
We not only avoid gluten. We avoid
the cane sugar overload in packaged
gluten-free mixes and products, and
fast-digesting starches which also
spike your sugar, and chemical
additives (carcinogens such as
Metabisulfite), is on too many labels.
It’s a banned health hazard in NJ,
known to cause people a variety of
problems. (e.g. Just Google, “Polysorbate 80”). It’s used
as an emulsifier for plastic as well as in food. It’s used in so many
packaged foods, and ice cream. Even if the FDA says it’s safe,
(why should we eat it)?
“SAFE” by FDA standards only means most people who ate it
had no immediate adverse reactions to it. It doesn’t mean what
quantity was deemed safe, or who is it NOT safe to serve it to?
Or what are the effects on your organs after a length of time?
Processed sugar substitutes are proven to not satiate the brain’s
desire for something sweet. Xylitol can kill a dog. Stevia has a
metallic aftertaste. Agave gives a worse sugar spike than sugar.
I believe in making everything from scratch. Not even a
packaged mix! (Yes, these recipes are quick and taste good)!
When you don’t know what you’re eating, if you or your family
develop health issues or allergies, you’ll run to find a ‘medical’
remedy, which can make your symptoms worse, instead of
finding and eliminating the cause.
I realize how little time there is today for most parents to
follow the health reports I’ve accumulated. I’ve based my
recipes on medically validated health information.
Having had two diabetic parents, and my own tendency
toward high cholesterol and sugar, I’ve been on guard for
many years. I’ve added my personal tweaks to the original,
‘presumed healthy’ recipes in this book. I’ve reduced the
sugar, substituted excess oil with unsweetened applesauce,
or banana, and swapped wheat flour for gluten-free organic
oats.
I avoid using processed packaged foods, canned fruits,
jams, or prepared mixes by anyone.
I use only healthy oils (e.g. coconut, olive, avocado)
instead of unhealthy *ultra-processed oils which you’ve been
led to believe are healthy, (like canola, safflower, grapeseed,
corn and sunflower), I stick with plant-based, organics. All sugar
substitutes have no long-term proof of safety, especially for
children, pets, or guests who may eat what you make. (Use
them at your own risk). They’re shown to not satiate your
sugar craving and to alter your brain’s perception of sweet.
Yes, it’s difficult to find
uninterrupted time to cook
and bake from scratch
while I manage a busy
business,(and create this
recipe website as well). So
I jump on any recipe that
gives the security of homemade,
(and the taste and aroma)
that can be put together in
minutes instead of hours. I focus on easy-to-get ingredients
that are most likely already in your pantry. And I freeze a
lot for future convenience.
Researchers have said for many years the reason the USA
has an obesity problem is due in part to 60 percent of the
calories Americans eat coming from *ultra-processed foods
like bread, soda, chips, baked treats, fast foods, artificial
sweeteners, and candy. If we just focused on that, we could
probably wipe out 60 percent of diet-related disease.
Just Eat Real Food.
So The Kitchen Wizard is about
gluten-free recipes that are healthy,
REAL FOOD quick to put together
from scratch, with simple,
natural ingredients that you’re very
likely to have on hand or obtain easily in most food chains.
I favor gluten free, Dairy-Free, low in fast digesting carbs
and no processed oil.
I avoid butter and dairy in favor of organic plant-based, I
minimize quantities of healthy sweeteners (and avoid refined
sugar). I’m sorry to say, I still avoid and don’t trust sweetener
substitutes and (non-nutritive) sweeteners. There are natural
low glycemic alternative sweeteners: coconut sugar, raw sugar,
bee or date honey, maple syrup, molasses, fruit pectin, etc.
I started this website to help keep my friends and family
healthy, not for any financial or personal gain, nor is it
supported by advertisers who could influence my truth.
I have a retail website where I sell many hard-to-find
useful kitchen items. I don’t need to annoy you with
pop-up ads.
I hope you’ll enjoy the lovely products I sell and the
awesome easy recipes. Please join us by signing up. I
promise never to annoy you with emails unless something
new and worthy is added.
*Health Disclaimer: Information in this book is approximate,
and provided to inspire your own research. Always read labels, warnings,
and directions before using or consuming products.
Content in this book is not intended to substitute advice by your health
professional. We recommend that you do not use this information
to self-diagnose or treat a health or medical problem. Dietary information
and statements within are here to inspire your own research. The author
and J. Mark Press do not assume liability for inaccuracies or misstatements,
or endorse or warrant any websites, brands or products as healthy. For full
product information always contact its manufacturer.
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