Here are some pictures I want to share with you. I made Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes this morning. I took Soft White Wheat kernels and ground those last night. I soaked the fresh flour overnight in buttermilk and put in a warm cabinet. Then, I made pancakes this morning. These pancakes, while slightly different than regular pancakes, are very tasty.

Most of us know how many nutrients we are missing when we cook with white flour. I've been doing some research lately and the difference in nutrient levels between white and whole wheat flour really captured my attention. We are only getting 17-40% of the nutrients depending on the nutrient when we eat foods made with white flour. Our society tells us that white flour isn't good because we aren't getting fiber. But, beyond that, when we think about only operating on 17-40% of the nutrients we otherwise would get, we've just got to realize that our diets (especially when you add all that sugar to the equation) are not sufficient.

But that isn't the whole story. Whole grains as they are marketed to us in our grocery stores, really aren't much better than white flour. This is mainly because of two reasons.

One, is that wheat (and other grains) go rancid quickly once they are ground, and also lose their vitamin content. One source tells me that 40% of the B vitamins are lost in 24 hours and 80% are lost in 48 hours. All flour purchased from the store has lost 80+% of its B vitamins!

Additionally, wheat products (and most grains) have a substance in them called phytic acid. Phytic acid binds any minerals (calcium, magnesium, zinc) that you might otherwise get from the grain product you are eating, and probably binds other sources of minerals in the food you are eating with the grain product. Fortunately, God also put a substance called phytase in most whole grains, which can neutralize phytic acid. The grains just need to be soaked.

When breads are eaten that haven't been sprouted or soaked only 1/12 to 1/2 of the nutrients are absorbed (how much is absorbed depends on which nutrient) when compared to eating properly prepared bread. Compounded with the most likely less than fresh flour the store bought bread contains and all the additives added to store bought bread, you can see why we are nutrient deficient in these modern time.

You can neutralize Phytic Acid in a number of ways - you can sprout your grains, then dry them, then grind them. (I have yet to do this myself.) You can soak your grains in buttermilk (or other acidic substance) for 12-24 hours. Or, you can make a long-rise sourdough product. Up until the last hundred years, this was common practice.

Natural food preparation is a favorite topic of mine. I love researching it. But, if you are not as "into" scientific research as I am, don't let that intimidate you. Bottom line, the way I was eating, I was sick all the time and dealt with major depression and anxiety. I needed to find a solution. And, for me, baby steps would move me in the right direction perhaps, but they weren't going to cure my problems. I truly believe, I was suffering from major deficiencies (and probably still am to some degree, but as time goes by it's getting better). If you have health issues don't give up. Nourishing Traditions is a great book and a great cookbook. Another good bread making cookbook is the Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book. She doesn't soak the grains, but she has great breadmaking instructions and lots of long-soaking recipes. She also explains a lot about using fresh grains. Another great website is Rebuild From Depression. And, this blog entry and blog is also interesting: Reversing Tooth Decay.

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I know my last entry was pretty long. It is really just me trying to process what I need to do for the health of our family. But, my overwhelming point is this - it is so vastly complex, BUT so wonderfully simple. It seems to me that's just how God works.

We have a sinful, fallen nature. Our bodies don't work like they should to begin with. And, some people have more physical problems than others due to genetics, due to family habits, etc. Yet, as a society as a whole we have changed A LOT. Lack of physical activity, additives, refined products, etc. weren't heard of a hundred years ago or so. We as a society have solved some problems with all of our inventions and medical advances, but have created other ones. This seems just so fitting. The arrogance of man that He could do better than God.

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I have been struggling to find answers to my girls' health issues. Perhaps their health issues aren't such a big deal, but they are my girls, and I was a little girl I told myself that I would not allow my children to go through health problems and not get them fixed.

I have asthma. And, as a child, it was out of control. We had pets. We had lots of dust. I didn't have the good medicine - I didn't get an inhaler until I was about 10 I think and I had gone to a camp with a girl who had asthma and had an inhaler. At that point I was taking some pill for my asthma - that made my heart race and tasted awful (I couldn't swallow pills so I broke them up in my food). So I got a rescue inhaler. But that didn't take care of it all the time. Sometimes I was just miserable - struggling to breathe.

Between that and the influence of my Grandmother, who struggled to feed me right when I spent summers with her, and to influence my family to feed me right. Yet, I don't think she came close to figuring things out. Being from the south, she continued to fry our food. Yet, she believed the doctors and cut out animal fat from her and my Granddad's diet. She took lots of supplements. She fed me homemade yogurt popsicles and homemade bread (probably not whole grain, but wonderful memories anyhow). My granddad had congested heart disease, but still lived to a pretty good age. I came to find out later in life that my Dad (like his Dad) had serious sleep apnea and that this causes congested heart disease. I would think that issues like anxiety control and weight would contribute to the sleep apnea, but at this point my Dad has to use a machine which makes sure he breathes right during the night.

Anyhow, I'm just not black and white on any of these issues. If you need to take medicine, please keep doing so. I "need" to take three or four prescription medicines - and really I would desire to not have to take them, but this is where I'm at - and without them I would be putting my health at serious risk. Yet, as I do more and more reading trying to figure out my girls, I am starting to think that maybe our issues all have a common cause.

When I was a child, I thought a lot about what it would be like to have been born in another century. I felt like I would fit in better with a more innocent age, yet I was so thankful to have the medicines I have, that I was thankful to have been born now. (Of course, I now have the faith to know that God knew exactly what he was doing by having me be born exactly when he had me be born.) But...I wonder...I mean I think there are genes at play here, but I also think that we've been changing things so much with vaccines, additives, refined and processed food, and lack of physical activity and fresh air - that our genes have been exacerbated.

I've found out that my middle daughter does not have Celiac disease. But, I am learning so much more beyond that. And, I'm just starting to crack the surface - nutrition and God's plan for our nutrition they are so complicated, yet so simple.

So, when my middle daughter is off gluten, even though she doesn't have Celiac, she does a lot better. On gluten, she doesn't look me in the eye, has tons of potty accidents, sings repetitively, and touches everything. The doctors don't seem to think much of this. To fine tune her symptoms more I've taken her off of milk - MOSTLY. I'm having a hard time telling her she can't have cheese. Nonetheless - you can see a dramatic difference with how she eats. Now, recently I've thought about it - because of her kidney that was unfunctional and a balloon - she was on a low dose of Amoxicillin every day until she was about one (when the kidney was removed). This had to have just ruined the good bacteria in her gut - creating leaky gut syndrome.

Also, I think leaky gut syndrome is something that affects me. It's associated with a whole host of auto-immune diseases. Yet, it's not something that the mainstream medical community by in large even considers.

On to my oldest daughter. Well, she gets CVS - or stomach migraines. Also, she has GERD (heartburn) and some mild asthma from the GERD and also from dust allergies. Plus, she just gets colds for longer - I think maybe it has to do with post nasal drip from allergies or GERD. So, the GERD is mostly a physical weakness in her stomach valve. But, the asthma and the stomach migraines are also in the auto-immune classifications.

And, it turns out, they tested Abigail at birth (because they were looking for participants in a study) and she had the Diabetes marker. My husband's dad died of liver cancer. His uncle has been battling with cancer for eight years. One of the girl's cousins has classic autism (not mild). My husband's brothers and sister have all dealt with thyroid issues (also auto-immune related).

So, I don't think I'm over-zealous at all to be looking for a common thread and to be looking out for the future (as well as current) health of my family. There is a great quote from Charlotte Mason in what I'm reading this week. She is speaking of the child being outdoors. She argues that one hour doesn't do it - but during the mild weather season - four or six hours a day is more appropriate. Then she says, "Let me repeat, that I venture to suggest, not what is practicable in any household, but what seems to be absolutely best for the children; and that, in the faith that mothers work wonders once they are convinced that wonders are demanded of them." Well, with God's leading, I can go against habit and culture and do what wonder He has requested of me.

Here are a few things I am discovering. First off, the big four problems when it comes to leaky gut syndrome (associated with auto-immune diseases including allergies and also associated with depression) - are gluten, casein, soy, and corn.

According to Nourishing Traditions - all dairy should be in raw or fermented form - the enzymes and healthy bacteria offer protection even against intolerance to casein. Also according to Nourishing Traditions (but I could list a lot of other sources) - all grains should be soaked in an acidic medium or should be prepared in a sourdough fashion. You should note that the Glycemic Index lists store bought whole wheat bread as causing a rise in your blood sugar just as fast as white bread! Nourishing Traditions says all grains should be soaked, not just ones that have gluten in them. But, that there is better tolerance by Celiacs or Celiac types when grains are properly prepared. Nourishing Traditions also teaches us that we get way too much Omega 6 in the typical American diet and we need more Omega 3 (what we get from pasture fed beef, pasture fed chicken, pasture fed chicken eggs, and salmon). NT teaches us that the polyunsaturated fats that we've all been taught are the "acceptable" fats - are actually cancer causing and artery plugging - especially given the ways we prepare them (high temperature). NT teaches you should consume first pressing olive oil, other first pressing nut oils, coconut oil, and animal fat (butter & lard from a pasture fed animal). NT also teaches that soy is bad (and is in everything processed), as it increases unwanted hormones and also blocks absorption of minerals.

Did you follow all that?

Now, others believe that due to the harm in the gut, even with proper soaking of the grains, some would do better to go off grain (or to go off gluten, casein, soy, and corn - GFCFSFCF) altogether. Or, at least, until the gut healed enough that grains, properly prepared, were not an issue anymore.

Added to that, I've long known that MSG is in a LOT of food, especially when you go out to eat. MSG is highly associated with migraines, but also with a lot of other auto-immune issues.

Now, I've recently discovered that glutamates are bound in many, many foods that we eat. When they are highly processed - the glutamates are released and they act just like MSG does. These free glutamates are in things like processed flour, processed milk product, parmesan cheese, sausages, yeast, fish sauce, soy sauce, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, soy protein, corn protein, dough conditioners, whey (not the homemade kind), medicines, chewing gums. Overwhelming list, huh?  

No wonder we have so much ADHD? IBS? Migraines? Asthma? Cancer? Obesity? Diabetes? We eat refined products galore. We eat refined, unproperly prepared grains. We eat MSG (or free glutamate) in so many foods. I've even read that the EPA has allowed, even in organic products, a glutamic acid product to be sprayed on foods - so we are probably getting some glutamic acid on our store bought foods, even if we select organic.

What to do? I want to go all the way. I don't think, at least at this point, that I am willing to go gluten, casein, soy, corn free. But, I can work to have my middle daughter follow that diet as she clearly seems to have the most issues. And I can learn to make my grains with a soaked or sourdough process. And, I'm seriously thinking about figuring out how to do some raw milk - either goats or milk. Or, at least go pick up the non-homogenized organic milk. I can tell you from the experience I've had with it so far, that food is DELICIOUS prepared this way. I can also just not buy anything processed. What we will save on going out to eat will make up for any additional cost.

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Why does this matter to me?? Because I'm searching for solutions to my daughter Rachel's learning issues and g.i. issues, and I'm hoping for a natural solution to Natalie's stomach migraines. But, also, I'd just like our family be healthier and feel better!

OK...here is what this blog entry is all about:

MSG, sometimes called MSG and otherwise known as free glutamic acid, is hidden in our foods in a myriad of other ways and causes a lot of serious problems, especially among sensitive individuals.

As I read labels, just looking at how often MSG in it's easy to recognize form (Monosodium Glutamate) is in various products is astonishing! But what is more eye opening is how it's hidden in our food. For instance, just the process used in milk processing plants of pasteurization, homogenization, and reconstitution of milk - changes the naturally occuring and bound form of glutamate into free glutamic acid (not to mention the nasty stuff it does to the fat, changing the nature of the fat to be artery clogging). Processed yeast is another source of free glutamic acid. Processed wheat products are another big source. And there are whole lists of food additive names which are synonymous for free glutamic acid. It's mind boggling!

Then, vaccines use glutamic acid and aspartic acid (the main component of aspartame) as an ingredient for preservation (vaccines intended for adults still use mercury as well). We are quoted by the medical community over and over that studies do not substantiate a link between vaccinations and autism. Yet, there are a ton of anecdotal evidence that a child was developing normally, then they got a vaccine and autism suddenly developed. The Amish practically have NO autism. There are major flaws with these studies! For one they don't seperate out other issues such as the consumption of other problematic additives. Also, many studies only address the idea that vaccines cause autism - whereas the real argument might be that vaccines rapidly accelerate a genetic pre-dispotion to autism.

Something worth considering...

Or...Do you buy that all these issues like autism, asthma, migraines, diabetes, even obesity are just better reported today, and that this is what accounts in the rise of these diseases?

Do you believe that all those studies we are always quoted about the safety of food additives and safety of vaccines the way they are currently used, are well designed and unbiased?

http://adventuresinautism.blogspot.com/2008/03/mitodnaautismgfcfglutamate-thoughts.html

http://www.westonaprice.org/modernfood/dirty-secrets.html

http://www.msgtruth.org/avoid.htm

Some REAL Food for thought...Pun intended.

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OK. This is not me yet...

But I want it to be.

To tell the truth, my eating and health has taken a leap backwards since I broke my wrist. I am after all homebound, feeling soory for myself, and finding sleep difficult and uncomfortable. But, I must not give up. I must find a way. I must change (sorry I didn't mean to use that phrase). I must for me. I must for my dear husband. I must for my kids. Somehow. Someway.

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Do you ever just have a BAD day? Sometimes those days are filled with challenges that were unforseen and it seems you were pressed in on every side. Yet, you can say, "I wasn't crushed."

But do you ever have a BAD day that you know was your fault? Oh, I have those all the time. Yesterday was one such day. My sins? (Let's just call them what they are.) Giving myself over to deceptive food, and not watching out for the needs of my family.

On Monday, I bought my middle daughter corn flakes. She is on a gluten free diet. That was the only cereal that came close to gluten free at the store I was at. I thought, that will be a treat! Why do I think like that?? You know corn flakes has tons of sugar in it in various forms. So the next day she had that for breakfast. She was bouncing off the walls.

Later in that day, I had a Peppermint Mocha (which I've been making a habit lately) and then when I was at the grocery store I bought some lindt chocolates and proceeded to down them. We all make a joke out of chocolate being our downfall. But, what about when that's true?

Additionally, I didn't pay much attention to the needs of my toddler. I didn't spend time with her in the front pack, I didn't cuddle her. So, she was needy and whiny. And, I, being overstimulated by my five year old and my own sugar high and low, I just wanted my space.

I really want to cut sugar from my diet. I know that sound harsh to a lot of people. Kind of like cutting out television. That sounds pretty extreme to a lot of people.

But, Jesus said if your right arm causes you to sin, cut it off. I think some people are more given to food addictions than others. I think I'm one of those people, especially when it comes to sugar - even sometimes in natural form (although that is better). And, let's face it, all the foods we have readily available to us were the foods of (disease ridden) rulers and kings and nobility of yesteryear. Have you ever heard of the diseases they have found in the Egyptian rulers that basically didn't exist elsewhere until recently in history?

Here are some scriptures about food and bad habits to challenge me and perhaps you (if food is an issue to you).

Proverbs 23:1-3

When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.

Daniel 1:3-14

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility- young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service.

Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you."

Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see."  So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

Matthew 5:30

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

I Corinthians 6:19-20

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

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Ok. So I've been negligent in posting any words to go with this picture. I just wanted to put it up right away - so things were in the order in which they happened. On Sunday, we had my parents came over. Usually when my parents come to see us, we go out to eat with them. But, this time I made dinner for my parents at my suggestion. And it was nice, they relaxed and stayed around for a while. They got to see our family the way it is. I just love it - my middle daughter, Rachel, she really has a thing for my Dad. And, my Dad, is kind of an awkward guy that a lot people don't know what to say to him - unless they are into showing dogs or something... But, anyhow, my Rachel wanted to sit next to him at dinner. She wanted to sit next to him at the couch. It's so sweet.

So, I had some Foster Farms chickens from the store that were a good price. And, I cut them up and made Oven Fried Chicken. At the same time I took the backs and wings of the chicken and threw in some stock vegetables and made this wonderful chicken broth. I'm proud of myself. Oh, homemade chicken broth tastes so much better than from the store. And I'm sure it is better for you too - even from store bought chickens. It really wasn't any extra trouble. I think so much of eating homemade food is just being used to doing things old school.

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I was asked below about whether I had recipes on my blog for the meals I posted I was making this week. Well, I try and only post recipes I make up or alter significantly enough that I figure the recipe is mine now :).

Spaghetti Pie

So, I can't post the Spaghetti Pie recipe because I think I got it from someone who got it from a cookbook. But, I can tell you it's easy and my kids love it. It contains spaghetti, meat, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, parmesan, noodles, egg, mozzarella cheese, a small amount of sugar and salt, oregano, and parsley. There, I didn't give you the recipe.

Deluxe Nachos

What do I do for deluxe Nachos? Well, I buy a bag of Baked Tostitos Corn Chips. I put those on a big cookie sheet. I cut up some olives. I open up a jar of jalepenos. I open up a jar of bean dip. I put the olives, jalepenos, and bean dip on the chips. Add lots of cheese (around here you must buy Tillamook Cheddar, it's the best). I put it in my oven, on broil, low. I wait till the cheese is thoroughly melted, but not burnt. I pull it out. I add sour cream (I love Daisy Natural Sour Cream). I add salsa.

I must say this is all pretty natural - except the bean dip. If you don't want yucky added preservatives - do it without the bean dip. I also might add guacamole if the avocados were good.

Penna Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes & Artichoke Hearts

Ok. This recipe is mine. Actually, I modified it from a dish I had in a restaurant. I used to work in an Italian Restaurant before I was married and you would see how their specials, really they just chose good ingredients and threw them together. So, this is what I do here. And it's easy. And since the Sun Dried Tomatoes and the Artichoke Hearts are sold at Costco in great big jars, it's pretty affordable too. Costco also has the pine nuts for a great price. Here's what you put in it:

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Cooking A Storm

I've been cooking a storm lately.

Two days ago - I made Chicken Broth. It was the first time I had done that. And, I have a book from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) which is just on soups. Did you know, for instance, that you should always start your broth with COLD water. That is...you should put your meat and vegetables in with the water still cold. It gives it a better taste. Also, you should skim the foam off the top, that makes your broth clearer. Well, I have a special distaste for store bought soup and soup made from store bought chicken broth in general. I'm a picky eater. Yes, it is true. And, for the longest time I couldn't stand eating my own food that I made (pre and early marriage). It hardly ever hit the mark for me. But over the years and especially lately, I've been really figuring out this cooking thing. And the biggest thing to me that I notice, is that foods made the traditional way are better.

So, today I made Chicken Soup, with homemade broth and homemade noodles. Ohhhhh...it was so yummy. And my kids liked it. Well, Rachel didn't, but that's another story. She did like the broth.

And, tomorrow being Thanksgiving, I made five (count them 5) pies! And they are so yummy. Well, I haven't actually tasted them, but they look yummy. And I did taste the pumpkin insides, as I had some extra pumpkin and and made a little extra without crust. My pie secrets??? Well...

• I don't use shortening at all. I use butter. 100%.
• I put ice cubes in a bowl of water which I take my water for drizzling into the butter/flour mixture.
• I don't mix my pie crust too long, just till it just sticks together.
• Then, I use parchment or waxed paper to roll it out.
• ALSO...for the pumpkin...I used actual sugar pumpkins fresh from our garden (well, you cook them in the oven first).
• AND...this year I got some little aluminum covers to go around my pie edges so they didn't get burned.

I still have some frustrations with making pies, such as my apple pie still popped open on one side. But, it's getting better, and as time goes on I learn more. I love this about being a mom and wife and homemaker and homestead participant. I keep learning. And, I will be able to teach my kids and they will have skills starting at a young age. I'm so excited about that!

At the beginning of this week, I also made bread, which I am here to share. The bread is gone now and I'm due to make more. But I wanted to share my experience with you. I got a grain mill about a year ago and I can't rave about that enough. Whole grain quickly goes rancid and then can be irritating to your system and a cause of health problems just in and of itself.

But, there is so more to it than that. Freshly milled whole grain tastes good! It's great. That off flavor you get when you make stuff from whole grain from the store --- most of that is because the grain is rancid. Also, just within a few hours - most of the vitamins disappear out of the flour (so if you buy whole wheat flour from the store it's bound to be less nutritious). This is why, just to avoid major diseases, we had to add artificial vitamins back into our white flour, when white flour started being used so widely. Plus, the "whole wheat" bread you buy in the store just has to have whole wheat as the "flour" and even that whole wheat flour can be reconstituted. It usually contains added wheat gluten and the dreaded high fructose corn syrup.

I still buy the store bought bread, don't get me wrong. This cooking things from scratch has been a gradual process. But, it is one I find rewarding and the longer I do it - I just think it is a skill that doesn't really need to be harder - you just have to get the skill down. We find this in homeschooling all the time.

So, here is my bread. No added wheat gluten (most whole wheat bread recipes call for this). Just fresh whole grain flour, water, yeast, honey, and salt. I rise my bread a total of three times. That helps it to not need the gluten. I got my instructions for making bread from The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book. If you want to make whole grain bread, this book is a must. My original inspiration was from Nourishing Traditions, which is also just a phenomonal book. I've made the Rye/Wheat sourdough out of that cookbook and I like that very much. But, I prefer straight whole wheat for an everyday bread for sandwiches and breakfast and the like.

I would like to make a sourdough whole wheat - since the sourdough process enhances the nutrition of the bread. Alas, unlike rye flour, whole wheat flour is tricky in terms of keeping a sourdough starter going. I believe you have to be more precise with its feeding and temperature control.

But here are some pictures of my bread making process:

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I'm posting this as part of Mary's (aka Canadagirl's) Show and Tell Friday. To see more Show and Tells visit her here.

YUMMY

OK. So, I have wanted to try and figure out a recipe to match (or exceed) some local Gluten Free Scones we buy at a coffee shop here. The coffee shop owner had a sign up on the scones for the longest time stating, "Gluten Free Scones". They still are gluten free (I asked), but I noticed she took her sign down. I think the scones were more popular when people didn't know they were gluten free. So, here is a recipe of the same (or better) caliber. The ingredients are found in your health food aisle of your Fred Meyer or Whole Foods Market.

Note: the cream of the tartar is a substitution for baking powder, which has nasty (alzheimer's causing) aluminum in it. I've used the aluminum free baking powder from Fred Meyer as well, but the rising is unreliable, so I prefer Cream Of Tartar.

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar + 1/4 tsp Baking Soda = 1 tsp Baking Powder

Cathy’s GF Huckleberry Scones

¾ cup potato starch (potato flour)

¾ cup white rice flour

¾ cup white sorghum flour

¼ cup tapioca starch

2 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 ½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ cup (8 Tb) cold butter

¾ cup buttermilk

1/3-1/2 cup evaporated cane juice (or sugar)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup huckleberries

1 Tb rice flour, for dusting

2 Tb milk, optional

1 Tb evaporated cane juice (or sugar), optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Thoroughly mix potato starch, rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture looks like a grainy paste. Form a well in the middle of the flour/butter mixture. Add sugar, egg, cranberries, orange peel, and orange juice to flour/butter mixture in the middle of the well. Mix with spoon until it starts to stick together (do not overmix). Push together the rest of the way with your hands and transfer to a flat surface coated with the 1 Tb rice flour. Form into a ball and flatten so that flattened ball is about 1-1 ½ inches thick and circle is about 8 or 9 inches. Cut into 8 wedges. Transfer to cookie sheet. Brush with milk and top with sugar if desired. Cook for 15-17 minutes, until just barely light brown.

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