Flax flatbread

I've been eating gluten-free for about six years now. Trust me, it's very easy to gain weight when you go gluten-free. Many of the alternative flours and thickeners are simple carbs that are high in calories and lacking in fiber and protein. I probably put on five pounds in next to no time when I first went gluten-free. In my mind, I thought these foods were healthy for me since they were safe. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

After I was diagnosed with candida, I became more aware of what I was eating. Even if you don't need to follow a low-glycemic diet, you should be careful when purchasing gluten-free products. I know here we go again just when you thought you didn't need to read labels anymore.

Here some ingredients you should look for and avoid as much as possible:

• Tapioca starch has no nutritional value whatsoever and is high in carbs. For some individuals, it is difficult to digest.
• Potato starch is used as a thickener but again has no nutritional value.
• White rice flour is high in calories, carbs and devoid of nutrition.

Look for these better choices:

• Quinoa
• Brown rice
• Garbanzo bean flour
• Buckwheat
• Coconut flour
• Amaranth
• Oat flour made from gluten-free oats

Even better choices are:

• Veggies
• Fruit
• Meat or soy
• Dairy or alternative dairy beverages

Here's a recipe for a low-carb bread you might want to try. It's high in fiber and protein. But remember it still has calories. Cut it into small squares to limit your potion size.

Flax Flatbread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup golden flax meal
• 3/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• egg replacer for five eggs (Technically, this is a unhealthy ingredient as it contains potato starch. If you can eat eggs, that would be a better choice.)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup olive oil

1. In a large bowl, combine the flax meal, flours, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.
2. In a smaller bowl, mix together the eggs or egg replacer, water and olive oil.
3. Stir wet ingredients into dry, mixing well. Allow to stand for 2-3 minutes to thicken the batter.
4. Pour the batter into a 11-by-7-inch glass pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and cool.
7. After cooled, cut into 1 1/2-inch squares.
8. If desired, sprinkle squares with sea salt, olive oil and herbs de provence. Toast squares on a baking sheet.
9. Serve