Gluten Free Italian Breadsticks

This is my absolute favorite breadstick recipe that I got from theglutenfreevegan.com!  It is hard work, but it is well worth it!


Gluten Free Italian Breadsticks

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. dry active yeast
1 1/3 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch
2 tsp. xanthan gum
2 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use coconut or rice)
2 tsp. agave nectar or sugar
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

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Buttery Topping:

2-3 tbsp. melted earth balance butter (I use soy free in the red tub)
1/8 tsp. granulated garlic powder
1/8 tsp. dried parsley


Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425 F
2.  Combine dry ingredients, including yeast, in your mixer.
3.  Add liquid ingredients slowly and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
4.  If dough bounces too much, add 1 tbsp. at a time of dairy free milk until it no longer bounces.
5.  Prepare a baking sheet by greasing it with olive oil.  Or use silicone liners (this works best and there is no stick!)
6.  Grease up your hands and divide dough up into 6 equal portions.  Form each portion into a long breadstick that is uniform from end to end, and place each one not touching on the greased baking sheet.  (What I found works best, is to actually use a plastic bag with a corner cut out and to squeeze each breadstick directly onto the pan.)  Make sure to smooth out any bumps. 
7.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine melted vegan margarine, garlic powder, and parsley. 
8.  Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, until nice & golden brown.  There is no need to let them rise in advance, as they will rise as they bake.
9.  Brush with garlic butter mixture & serve fresh & hot!

Egg Substitutes

Before I forget, I wanted to share what we discovered about eggs/egg replacer!  While we were at Whole Foods, a sweet gentleman who works there shared a word with me about egg replacers!  He told me that the best thing he has found to work (and that is the healthiest substitute) is simply to puree a banana (until it is all frothy & light)! Just use that in place of an egg!  It adds lots of flavor and is packed with vitamins and all the good stuff that the egg replacer stuff just doesn't have and it helps hold things together like an egg does.  I have not found it to be an exact replacement, but then again, the egg replacer isn't exact either.  When I use it, my baking is very dense.  Anyhow, I am trying to perfect things with the banana & hopefully I will be able to share some recipes soon!

Update:
It has been a while since I wrote this.  I have found the best egg replacer to be ground flaxseed.  One tablespoon of ground flaxseed plus three tablespoons of water equals one egg.  Add the ground flaxseed with the water, and mix.  Let it set for a couple minutes, and then it is ready to use.

This does not work well in some recipes like brownies, meatloaf, quiches, etc.  Things like waffles in a waffle machine really don't work well without eggs, at least that has been my experience.  Experiment with it and have fun!  Good luck!