MMMmonday- Baking with Sorghum Review and Recipes

I have had the opportunity to check out a new-to-me kind of flour over the past few weeks.  We've been struggling with whether to keep Liam on a GF diet or to re-introduce gluten, and I think we've decided to stay GF for now.  That means I am again looking for new recipes for new GF foods, desserts that our whole family can enjoy!


I was sent a sample of sorghum flour and made these two recipes:



Summer Sorghum Apple Crisp
Base:
4 cups sliced apples
½ teaspoon cinnamon


Crumble topping:
1 stick (½ cup) margarine
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup sorghum flour


For base, slice apples into 8 x 8 greased pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon. In bowl, mix topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle topping on base. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until topping is light brown.


Provided by Twin Valley Mills, LLC, courtesy of the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board.


Sorghum Brownies
¾ cup sorghum flour
⅓ cup sweet rice flour
¼ cup chickpea or soy flour
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons cocoa
1½ teaspoons Xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup chocolate chips
2 large eggs
¾ cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup butter or margarine, melted


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 x 13 pan. Blend the dry ingredients together. In separate bowl, beat eggs until light. Add applesauce, vanilla and melted butter. Mix and add to dry ingredients, stirring just until well blended. Spread into greased pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. When cool, frost or sprinkle with powdered sugar.


Provided by Trudy Clark/Milo Days Sorghum Baking Contest, courtesy of the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board.


My review:


Both recipes had good texture and very good taste - I didn't get to eat the  brownies myself, but they got rave reviews from the rest of the gang!    The sorghum Apple Crisp totally reminded me of others that I've eaten for years - you really couldn't tell that it wasn't full of gluten!


The sorghum flour behaved well and I had no complaints in the recipes or the flour.


A little more about Sorghum:

"Sorghum's light color, pleasing texture and taste similar to wheat make it perfect for use in gluten-free baking," said gluten-free expert and cookbook author Carol Fenster. "Plus, it is a healthier option since it has twice as much fiber and a third more protein than some other flours typically used in gluten-free baking." Sorghum can give those traditional summer treat recipes a tasty twist, delivering health benefits at the same time. Rich in fiber, sorghum contains higher levels of antioxidants than most other grains, fruits and vegetables. Research has shown that antioxidants and polyphenolics found in foods are believed to offer many health benefits, including helping to lower the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and some neurological diseases. Sorghum also provides iron, calcium, potassium, protein, as well as polycosinol, which research has shown to lower serum cholesterol and may improve heart health. Contrary to the perception of a blood sugar spike with some grains, research has shown that sorghumoffers slow digestibility and a lower glycemic index. Foods with a lower glycemic index are believed to increase satiety, which means people feel fuller longer, which can assist with weight management. Just what everyone needs during swimsuit season.

If you are looking for a good flour substitute in your GF diet - I highly recommend checking out sorghum flour. You can get it at your local grocery store in the health/whole foods section and use it in so many ways!