Gluten Free Peach Crisp

Whenever we have family over for dinner, I always make dessert.  Our son in love cannot have gluten because he was diagnosed with  Celiac disease several years ago.  In case you are not aware, gluten is lurking in many, many products that you would never think about, not just bread and pasta.  Be sure to read the label of any food product you buy.  Wheat is NOT the only thing containing gluten, so it is necessary to learn to read food labels for all the hidden gluten containing ingredients.  Fortunately there are many more gluten free products on the market today than when he was first diagnosed.  That makes it easier for everyone who has to live gluten free.  Even many more restaurants are now offering some gluten free fare.

For Memorial Day, I made a peach cobbler for the majority of the family because fresh peaches were in at the farmers' market.  It's just not fair for everyone to be enjoying something decadent while Chris can't, so I have been trying lots of gluten free recipes.  Thankfully, Bisquick now has a gluten free baking mix that is good and has lots of recipes on the box.  That way you don't have to buy a bunch of specialty flours to bake with.  Trader Joe's also has gluten free oats.  Yay!!  Did you know oats have gluten in them?  They do.  Gluten is in so many prepared food products.  You have to learn to read food labels and know all the terms that could mean gluten is in the product.  The good thing is, many labels now say "gluten free" which is a big bonus.  Trader Joe's has a list of all gluten free products in their market.  I just carry it with me and check the list to make sure a product does not contain gluten.  Talk about helpful!

Anyway, I  made this peach crisp in an 8x8 baking dish, so that is what the recipe is for.  You will need gluten free Bisquick baking mix and gluten free oats.  Make sure the label says gluten free.

Here is what you need:

4-5 cups sliced peaches, sweetened to taste
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 stick butter

Peel and slice peaches, enough for 4 - 5 cups.  Sweeten to your taste with sugar and let sit while juice develops.  Place peaches with juice in an 8x8 pan, sprinkle with cinnamon.  Slice the butter into very thin pats and randomly place over the top of the peaches.

Topping:

1 cup gluten free Bisquick baking mix
1/2 cup gluten free oats (make sure they are gluten free)
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter, room temperature
pinch of salt
4 TBSP cold water

Put the Bisquick, oats and sugar in a bowl and mix with a fork.  Cut the stick of softened butter into the mixture using a pastry cutter or fork(or your hands) until it forms pea sized pieces.  Add a pinch of salt and the cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until it clings together  Spread over the peach mixture in the baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees until brown.  Serve.


This is a really easy recipe and is quite delicious.  Chris certainly enjoyed it.  He even topped it with home made ice cream.  If you want ice cream with your peach crisp and don't have home made, Chris eats Breyer's vanilla as it is gluten free.  Be sure and check labels before consuming other flavors.

There are more and more people being diagnosed with gluten intolerance due to easier tests.  Did you know one of the reasons for the increase in gluten intolerance is because wheat in the US now has up to 400% more gluten due to genetic modification?  Yes, it makes better pizza crust and bread, but it is causing lots of problems for a lot of people.  And please, don't self diagnose.  If you think you have a problem, consult a physician before going gluten free.  Gluten is important in our diet and to our health.

If you have gluten intolerance or Celiac, I hope you will give this recipe a try and that you will enjoy it. It's just nice to have something sweet that doesn't taste like sawdust ( that's what lack of gluten can do).  Gluten can be a good thing for many and a real problem for some.  As we become more aware and there are more gluten free products on the market, it will make life easier, especially for the household chef.

Everyday Donna

Things to remember:

“After I was diagnosed with celiac disease, I said yes to food, with great enthusiasm. . . . I vowed to taste everything I could eat, rather than focusing on what I could not.” 
― Shauna James Ahern