Back to My Gluten-Free Roots (and Into Sourdough Adventures)
I started my gluten-free journey around 2010—long before I really knew what “gluten-free” even meant. I had been allergic to wheat for years, but once I made the switch, the difference in how I felt was night and day. Like most people starting out, I spent a lot of time (and money) trying every gluten-free bread I could find.
Let’s be honest… most of it tasted like cardboard.
That’s what pushed me into my own kitchen. If I couldn’t find something I liked, I was going to make it myself. After plenty of trial and error, I invested in a bread machine—one with a gluten-free setting, because yes, it really does bake differently. Eventually, I found a recipe that works beautifully. I can toss everything in, walk away, and a few hours later I’ve got a fresh loaf that’s better than anything I’ve ever bought. It’s simple, reliable, and I’ll be sharing it on the site so you can try it too (especially if you have a bread maker—oven results may vary).
Somewhere along the way, though, I slipped out of the habit. A few weeks ago—maybe a month—I realized I was buying bread again instead of making it. And apparently, I’d been doing that for years without even thinking about it.
So, I went back to my roots.
The loaf you see at the top is from my bread machine, and it comes out like that every single time. It has a soft, even crumb and a really nice flavor. The only downside? You have to eat it fairly quickly or freeze it. There are no preservatives here, and I’m very particular about the flour and yeast I use. It’s a big loaf, though, so freezing is usually the way to go.
Now, onto my newest adventure: gluten-free sourdough.
This one’s a bit more of a challenge—no commercial yeast, just a starter that I’ve been nurturing for about a month now. It’s bubbling along nicely, which feels like a small victory in itself. I’ve baked a couple of loaves so far. The first one was just okay—I don’t think I gave the starter enough time. The second one, though? Much better.
It had that beautiful, crunchy crust and the tangy flavor you want from a good sourdough. The inside texture, however, was a little gummy and a bit dense. After doing some digging, I learned that gluten-free sourdough really benefits from hitting the right internal temperature—somewhere between 205°F and 210°F. So I’m thinking the fix might be as simple as baking it a little longer and keeping a closer eye on that temp.
It’s all part of the process.
This is definitely an ongoing journey, and I’m leaning into it. I’ll keep experimenting, tweaking, and learning as I go—and of course, I’ll share the recipes and results here once I’ve got them where I want them.
And yes, I’ve already heard the suggestions… cheese, jalapeños, all the good stuff. We’ll get there.
For now, it’s back to the kitchen—mixing, baking, and figuring things out one loaf at a time. That’s really what this is all about: learning, growing, and enjoying the process along the way.
