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Gluten-Free on a Shoestring: 125 Easy Recipes for Eating Well on the Cheap
Gluten-free cooking has never been this easy—or affordable! Tired of spending three times as much (or more) on gluten-free prepared foods? If you’re ready to slash the cost of your grocery bill, you’ve come to the right place. In Gluten-Free on a Shoestring , savvy mom Nicole Hunn shows how every gluten-free family can eat well without breaking the bank. Inside this comprehensive cookbook, you’ll find 125 delicious and inexpensive gluten-free recipes for savory dinners, favorite desserts, comfort foods, and more, plus Nicole’s top money-saving secrets. Recipes include: Apple-Cinnamon Toaster Pastries • Focaccia • Spinach Dip • Ricotta Gnocchi • Chicken Pot Pie • Szechuan Meatballs • Tortilla Soup •Baked Eggplant Parmesan• Never-Fail White Sandwich Bread • Banana Cream Pie with Graham Cracker Crust • Blueberry Muffins • Cinnamon Rolls • Perfect Chocolate Birthday Cake
With advice on the best values and where to find them, meal planning strategies, and pantry-stocking tips, Gluten-Free on a Shoestring is your essential guide. Never fall victim to the overpriced, pre-packaged gluten-free aisle again. Roll on by—happier, healthier, and wealthier.
With advice on the best values and where to find them, meal planning strategies, and pantry-stocking tips, Gluten-Free on a Shoestring is your essential guide. Never fall victim to the overpriced, pre-packaged gluten-free aisle again. Roll on by—happier, healthier, and wealthier.
257 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2011
120 people are currently reading
825 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Hunn
10 books52 followersI write a gluten-free recipe food blog, Gluten-Free on a Shoestring, and gluten-free cookbooks. Gluten-free food can be very expensive, but it shouldn't be. I help you make it enjoyable ... and affordable.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 4, 2017
My husband got me this cookbook as a present since I've been wanting it for a while. There seem to be a lot of basic, easy recipes for tasty foods but I have a few major problems with it.
1. Every recipe calls for Better Batter flour or an all purpose GF flour mix. There are no recipes at all for making your own basic GF flour mix. If you truly want to make GF foods "on a shoestring," you cannot get any more frugal than mastering a few basic mixes for breads and general cooking. If you look at the author's blog, you'll see that Better Batter is one of her sponsors/advertisers and I suspect this is the reason she always recommends them instead of posting a good flour recipe of her own to really save money.
2. The author admits that many folks who are GF have to eat dairy-free too (and she said her family did in the beginning), but the recipes are heavily dependent on dairy. She says to just swap non-dairy substitutes for dairy, but lots of the recipes call for ingredients like ricotta, sour cream, butter and whole milk. She specifies often that low-fat milk is okay but not no-fat, and that leaves me mystified as to whether non-dairy milks will work, since most of them don't contain fat.
3. The author doesn't really seem to understand frugal living, even though the premise of the book is supposed to be "eating well on the cheap." She comes across as almost snobby in the section on what kitchen equipment you need. She says she has Le Creuset pans, which are VERY expensive. She says a "serviceable" food processor should cost "no more than $150." What? You can easily get a perfectly good food processor for less than a third of that. Her favorite knife was $75, her favorite pan was $85... I'm not sure why she felt the need to tell us how expensive all of her kitchen tools were when the book is supposed to be about being frugal. Then for non-dairy substitutes she recommends a particular brand of "vegan gourmet" cheese, and I'm pretty sure if I look that up it's not going to be very cheap either.
I can't comment on the recipes yet, since I don't have any all-purpose flour mixes and am not sure which of my homemade mixes to use. I've found that some types of flours work better for some types of foods than others and they don't seem to be interchangeable, even though she uses the same BB flour for every recipe in her book. The recipes do look very easy, so I have hopes that once I figure out what to use for a basic mix I'll be able to make them work for me.
1. Every recipe calls for Better Batter flour or an all purpose GF flour mix. There are no recipes at all for making your own basic GF flour mix. If you truly want to make GF foods "on a shoestring," you cannot get any more frugal than mastering a few basic mixes for breads and general cooking. If you look at the author's blog, you'll see that Better Batter is one of her sponsors/advertisers and I suspect this is the reason she always recommends them instead of posting a good flour recipe of her own to really save money.
2. The author admits that many folks who are GF have to eat dairy-free too (and she said her family did in the beginning), but the recipes are heavily dependent on dairy. She says to just swap non-dairy substitutes for dairy, but lots of the recipes call for ingredients like ricotta, sour cream, butter and whole milk. She specifies often that low-fat milk is okay but not no-fat, and that leaves me mystified as to whether non-dairy milks will work, since most of them don't contain fat.
3. The author doesn't really seem to understand frugal living, even though the premise of the book is supposed to be "eating well on the cheap." She comes across as almost snobby in the section on what kitchen equipment you need. She says she has Le Creuset pans, which are VERY expensive. She says a "serviceable" food processor should cost "no more than $150." What? You can easily get a perfectly good food processor for less than a third of that. Her favorite knife was $75, her favorite pan was $85... I'm not sure why she felt the need to tell us how expensive all of her kitchen tools were when the book is supposed to be about being frugal. Then for non-dairy substitutes she recommends a particular brand of "vegan gourmet" cheese, and I'm pretty sure if I look that up it's not going to be very cheap either.
I can't comment on the recipes yet, since I don't have any all-purpose flour mixes and am not sure which of my homemade mixes to use. I've found that some types of flours work better for some types of foods than others and they don't seem to be interchangeable, even though she uses the same BB flour for every recipe in her book. The recipes do look very easy, so I have hopes that once I figure out what to use for a basic mix I'll be able to make them work for me.
April 4, 2011
I just now pulled a crusty, flavorful, tender loaf of gluten free bread out of my oven. I could have cried. And it's thanks to this book here.
I've previously bitched about gluten free cookbooks that were either a) gross or b) weirdly complicated. Most cookbooks I've seen have either been written by nutritionists (boring, complicated, strange reliance on powdered gelatin) or require a professional kitchen to pull off. Here is - finally - a useful, simple gluten free cookbook. No weird admixtures or expensive ingredients, no overly complicated steps. After the awesome way the sandwich bread turned out, I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the rest of the recipes (cream puffs!! bagels!! cheese crackers!). I may never buy a mix again.
I've previously bitched about gluten free cookbooks that were either a) gross or b) weirdly complicated. Most cookbooks I've seen have either been written by nutritionists (boring, complicated, strange reliance on powdered gelatin) or require a professional kitchen to pull off. Here is - finally - a useful, simple gluten free cookbook. No weird admixtures or expensive ingredients, no overly complicated steps. After the awesome way the sandwich bread turned out, I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the rest of the recipes (cream puffs!! bagels!! cheese crackers!). I may never buy a mix again.
October 31, 2011
So far I have made pumpkin-carrot muffins and pumpkin granola cookies (which are actually from the author's blog this past week, but whatev) and also the apple crisp. All of them tasted great, but what really got me was the sandwich bread. My husband made it for me last night (cuz along with an aversion to cutting veggies, I also hate making bread). It is phenomenal. I used Better Batter, which is what the author uses and I've found I pretty much like everything using this flour. Maybe because it doesn't have garbanzo flour so it doesn't have a funky bean taste, I don't know. What's so good about this bread is that it didn't sink, it doesn't taste gummy, and it smells like my Grandma's. Heck, it even kind of tasted like Grandma's, albeit a little more dense. I borrowed this book from the library and as soon as I take it back, I will be purchasing my very first gluten free cook book. GF on a Shoestring for the win!
Update (10/31/11): I have now tried the sugar cookies and the perfect chocolate cake. Sugar cookies didn't quite turn out... the dough was sticky and I couldn't form shapes. I finally gave up and (with wet hands) rolled the dough into little balls, then flattened them with a fork like I do peanut butter cookies. Still tastes good! The cake on the other hand, absolutely freaking delicious.
Update (10/31/11): I have now tried the sugar cookies and the perfect chocolate cake. Sugar cookies didn't quite turn out... the dough was sticky and I couldn't form shapes. I finally gave up and (with wet hands) rolled the dough into little balls, then flattened them with a fork like I do peanut butter cookies. Still tastes good! The cake on the other hand, absolutely freaking delicious.
December 5, 2024
This book is very informative and interesting. I will definitely be trying some of the recipes. I especially like the sauce recipes because I put sauce on almost everything!!
September 11, 2017
Nicole Hunn starts off this cookbook by giving nine tips for how to save money while on a gluten-free diet, but weirdly, not buying commercial gluten-free flour mixes ($$$) isn't one of them, and in fact most of the recipes in this book call for "all-purpose gluten-free flour," though I can't see a place where Hunn recommends a brand, which is always very fishy. The recipes with flour also call for xanthan gum, which means whatever mix you use shouldn't already have gums in it.
Still, if it had more pictures, I might consider keeping it around, but there are less than ten photos for 125 recipes, though the few it has make the food look good, and I went ahead and made a copy of the scones and pizza dough just because they looked so nice in the pictures.
Maybe save your money even further and just visit Hunn's blog, Gluten-Free on a Shoestring, where everything still requires a flour mix, but at least she gives you recipes for mixes you can make yourself instead of purchasing them, plus everything has photos!
Still, if it had more pictures, I might consider keeping it around, but there are less than ten photos for 125 recipes, though the few it has make the food look good, and I went ahead and made a copy of the scones and pizza dough just because they looked so nice in the pictures.
Maybe save your money even further and just visit Hunn's blog, Gluten-Free on a Shoestring, where everything still requires a flour mix, but at least she gives you recipes for mixes you can make yourself instead of purchasing them, plus everything has photos!
May 18, 2012
I have been gluten free for almost two years now. And until I ran across this it was ridiculously expensive, I have celiac disease, gluten allergy and an allergy to most crops (wheat, oat etc that can contain smut mold). In addition, my husband is allergic to all tree nuts, peanuts, oats, cherry.... And the list goes on. So between the two of us eating is tough. While this book did not fit all out combined needs it only needed minor adjustments to fit our lifestyle and our wallets. It helped us realize that while eating for our dietary needs is more expensive there are lots of ways to cut down o. Costs.
September 5, 2014
blah! this cookbook only had like 3 pictures so returned to the library. I need visual aids.
April 7, 2018
Good for a debut, but it is clear that the author has become much better with experience and it is a shame about the lack of pictures.
*3.5 stars *
*3.5 stars *
December 19, 2018
It may have been a very helpful book for others. I did not need the advice section and I found no recipes that were helpful for me. The book was attractive, well organized, and seemed good, but not for me.
May 2, 2012
I am not a person who chooses to eat gluten-free, or has to eat gluten-free. I do, however, watch my carbohydrates and stick to a fairly regimented diet for health and fitness purposes. As anyone who is forced to stick to a diet that is gluten-free knows: it can be tedious, time-consuming, and pretty expensive. This book solves all those issues. The author cuts through all the extras associated with baking and cooking within the parameters of the gluten-free world by noting that it is alright not to buy several different flours and sugars, etc. in order to get one recipe that works. She also makes it easy to throw a recipe together and have a tasty result in hardly any time.
This is a great resource for the gluten-free dieter who does not want to devote their life to seeking out crazy recipes, who only has a limited amount of time (moms and working people: take note!), and also those who may not have access to Whole Foods or other natural/organic/health markets. I live in the rural Midwest, and I can actually find everything in these recipes at my local Kroger and Meijer stores. This is a must-have resource for those tired of the tedious world of gluten-free or those just starting out. Yes, a few more pictures would be nice, but the content far outweighs my need for visuals.
Finally: Gluten-free made easy- AND delicious!
This is a great resource for the gluten-free dieter who does not want to devote their life to seeking out crazy recipes, who only has a limited amount of time (moms and working people: take note!), and also those who may not have access to Whole Foods or other natural/organic/health markets. I live in the rural Midwest, and I can actually find everything in these recipes at my local Kroger and Meijer stores. This is a must-have resource for those tired of the tedious world of gluten-free or those just starting out. Yes, a few more pictures would be nice, but the content far outweighs my need for visuals.
Finally: Gluten-free made easy- AND delicious!
August 1, 2016
I always enjoy reading cookbooks. Never mind that I don't like to cook, somehow, by the time I get to the end, I'm always convinced that I'd be great at it. Then I get home, and it's late, and that microwave dinner doesn't sound that bad after all. Sadly though, I have to give up gluten and all of its glorious deliciousness. That means that soon, very soon, I'm going to have to learn how to really cook. Blech.
I thought I'd go all Paleo at first, but then I realized I needed food I might actually be able to make on a routine basis. Probably smarter to start with some of the recipes in this book, and with any luck, I won't totally starve.
I thought I'd go all Paleo at first, but then I realized I needed food I might actually be able to make on a routine basis. Probably smarter to start with some of the recipes in this book, and with any luck, I won't totally starve.
January 12, 2017
I love the Sweet and Sour chicken recipe! yummy! lots to be tried and revisited
June 24, 2018
My son was diagnosed with a wheat allergy almost 3 years ago. Before this, I was an avid cook and bread baker as I learned many years ago that we needed to avoid artificial ingredients for this same child.
I bought and used many gluten free cookbooks in the time following this diagnosis, but Nicole Hunn is by far my favorite gluten free cookbook creator. These recipes are so simple, straight forward, and cost effective that I go here first when looking for a recipe. I have now bought many of Hunn's cookbooks, and I have been impressed with the both the taste and texture of her gluten free creations. Her advice on which flours to use and how to create the best gf flour blends were fabulous when I transitioned away from grinding my own wheat and into the realm of wheat-free cooking and baking.
I highly recommend this series of cookbooks for those starting a gluten free lifestyle.
I bought and used many gluten free cookbooks in the time following this diagnosis, but Nicole Hunn is by far my favorite gluten free cookbook creator. These recipes are so simple, straight forward, and cost effective that I go here first when looking for a recipe. I have now bought many of Hunn's cookbooks, and I have been impressed with the both the taste and texture of her gluten free creations. Her advice on which flours to use and how to create the best gf flour blends were fabulous when I transitioned away from grinding my own wheat and into the realm of wheat-free cooking and baking.
I highly recommend this series of cookbooks for those starting a gluten free lifestyle.
December 20, 2023
Best tasting food if you have to eat GF
I have used Nicole’s recipes for several years from FB mostly. I love cookbooks because they open your mind to possibilities & other options. So I bought the book with the best normal food adapted for GF diets. My daughter has been GF for at least 10 years for medical reasons. Thanks to Nicole she can eat cookies & cakes & breads that come closest to normal. (My definition is ATK! My favorite group for non dietary restrictions recipes)
I highly recommend Nicole Hunn to anyone who wants good tasting GF food!!!
I have used Nicole’s recipes for several years from FB mostly. I love cookbooks because they open your mind to possibilities & other options. So I bought the book with the best normal food adapted for GF diets. My daughter has been GF for at least 10 years for medical reasons. Thanks to Nicole she can eat cookies & cakes & breads that come closest to normal. (My definition is ATK! My favorite group for non dietary restrictions recipes)
I highly recommend Nicole Hunn to anyone who wants good tasting GF food!!!
September 29, 2017
Lots of great recipes
I like the variety of recipes on this book. I was looking for mainly some traditional desert and comfort foods. I wish there were pictures in the digital version.
I like the variety of recipes on this book. I was looking for mainly some traditional desert and comfort foods. I wish there were pictures in the digital version.
October 28, 2019
I'm a longtime fan on Nicole's blog and nearly all of her recipes turn out the first time for me. Since all of her recipes rely on her chosen flour blend it can sometimes be a little tricky, but still doable with some experience.
March 23, 2018
Most of the recipes had too many step for my liking. I did save a few recipes that I'm curious to try, especially the savory olive oil crust and spinach pie.
November 9, 2022
One of my favorite gluten free authors. Down to earth recipies.
Read
November 25, 2024Struggling to make any of these work...
April 1, 2023
Nice that author points out added expense at the start. Cooking food cuts way down on food costs from eating out. Also offers several flour mixes one can make. What would be great is to see recipes that use other flours in addition to these using blends.
March 11, 2017
I enjoy her recipes, but the book doesn't retain your attention very well. It is good for a quick glance.
November 21, 2013
When my daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I was lost. What would we eat? What could we eat? I spent tons of money at the stores on food that was not as good as the gluten filled versions. I found this blog and quickly bought the cookbook. I made the decision that if I could not buy good tasting gluten free food....then I would have to make it myself. I jumped right in and ordered a 25 pound bag of Better Batter and went to work. Nicole does use a gluten free flour blend and recommends Better Batter for her recipes. I have used this type of flour in the recipes and everything has been great.
The popover shown on the cover frequently show up on my dinner table. Some of our other favorite recipes are the buttermilk biscuits, flour tortillas, chicken and dumplings, pizza crust, and dinner rolls. I usually make a double batch of the buttermilk biscuits and freeze them for quicker meals when needed.
As far as the money saving advice in the book, I don't think there is really anything new found here. Basically if you cook instead purchasing ready made items....you will save money. This book was the first book that made me believe that I could make delicious food that happens to be gluten free. Now when I make something new and my family eyes me suspiciously, if I tell them that I got the recipe from Gluten Free on a Shoestring they are eager to try it.
The popover shown on the cover frequently show up on my dinner table. Some of our other favorite recipes are the buttermilk biscuits, flour tortillas, chicken and dumplings, pizza crust, and dinner rolls. I usually make a double batch of the buttermilk biscuits and freeze them for quicker meals when needed.
As far as the money saving advice in the book, I don't think there is really anything new found here. Basically if you cook instead purchasing ready made items....you will save money. This book was the first book that made me believe that I could make delicious food that happens to be gluten free. Now when I make something new and my family eyes me suspiciously, if I tell them that I got the recipe from Gluten Free on a Shoestring they are eager to try it.
January 8, 2013
My one gripe: lacking photos for every recipe. I'm someone who likes a visual guide. The breadmaking in particular would benefit from a step-by-step series of photos. I understand this ups publishing costs, but even a gallery on the official site would be great. I'd also appreciate maybe some tips for someone who doesn't tolerate corn well or more recipes without it (kind of like the adaptations mentioned for dairy-free diets).
That said, the recipes taste great and the opening section's lists and tips are incredible helpful. I've been flailing in frustration with my new gluten-free status and this book has given me so many more ideas.
That said, the recipes taste great and the opening section's lists and tips are incredible helpful. I've been flailing in frustration with my new gluten-free status and this book has given me so many more ideas.
January 3, 2017
Gluten free for five years now and this is the best gluten free cookbook I have found! Not only are the recipes incredibly frugal they taste better than any others I have tried at any expense and they taste far far better than anything store bought at a tiny fraction of the cost. The texture is amazing. The directions are easy to follow and don't require obscure ingredients. There simply isn't a bad recipe in the book.
This book was a turning point from making a diet change to becoming one with my gluten free life.
My favourite recipes that have become major staples; the mac&cheese and the lemon cupcakes.
This book was a turning point from making a diet change to becoming one with my gluten free life.
My favourite recipes that have become major staples; the mac&cheese and the lemon cupcakes.
January 22, 2013
I found this cookbook to be accessible in terms of ingredients, skill-level and general tastiness. It was the first gluten-free resource (online/blog/cookbook) that I felt truly recognized how expensive specialty cooking can be and advised ways around it. Also, the author provides lots of suggestions for adapting recipes to be low-dairy or dairy free, and I greatly appreciated that as many recipes I've found that are adapted to be GF go heavy on the cheese content. So this was an added bonus.
March 15, 2012
I feel like I have found this missing link: something I could afford + some recipes to fill in the gaps (tortillas anyone).
My only "bummer" is that the recipes rely on you purchasing "gluten free flour". I would have a recipe to make the flour myself as the GF four is very expensive. But most people will actually like that she does it this way.
My only "bummer" is that the recipes rely on you purchasing "gluten free flour". I would have a recipe to make the flour myself as the GF four is very expensive. But most people will actually like that she does it this way.
May 28, 2012
Every recipe looks absolutely amazing! (Even the meat-based ones! (I'm a vegetarian.)) In the whole book there's only one recipe I'm not interested in making. (I don't like beets.) And there're only a couple recipes that are labor intensive–and even then those recipes aren't all that labor intensive. I can't wait to eat as many of these as possible!
March 19, 2013
I read this all the way through, then went back and marked the recipes I want to try first.
I'm new to wheat-free/gluten-free eating, and my cooking skills are not what they should be, but this is the first set of recipes I've seen that don't make me feel overwhelmed about the process.
More pictures would be nice, though.
I will report back after I've tried things!
I'm new to wheat-free/gluten-free eating, and my cooking skills are not what they should be, but this is the first set of recipes I've seen that don't make me feel overwhelmed about the process.
More pictures would be nice, though.
I will report back after I've tried things!
September 16, 2014
Very helpful in identifying a gluten free flour that I can order and try for making pie crust. My daughter has gone gluten free and has not had a migraine in 7 months, so I want to be sure we can make a pie for Thanksgiving that she can eat. I ordered from Better Batter and have a recipe, so here goes!
November 4, 2015
Some awesome recipes, and some good recipes. Lots of good tips and tricks for keeping costs of GF cooking down. Her bread recipes weren't my favorite, and my son refuses to eat her dinner rolls, even thought I thought they were pretty good. I don't know if I should try the GFOAS specific bread cookbook or not. The blog the author keeps up is pretty awesome.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews