Angela Bunce of Clarkston is considered a local expert on celiac disease.
She is a registered dietician who specializes in gluten intolerance and, to that end, sees individuals for nutrition consultations at Tri-State Memorial Hospital in Clarkston.
Celiac is an inherited, autoimmune disease in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged from eating gluten and other proteins found in wheat, barley and rye.
The 38-year-old Bunce grew up in Moscow and graduated from the University of Idaho in Moscow in 1994 with a bachelor of science degree in food and nutrition.
But it was not until nine years ago when her husband, Wayne Bunce, was diagnosed with celiac disease that she became an expert in gluten-free baking.
"I learned early on that flour made a mess and also made my husband sick," she says.
Wayne is an engineer at Clearwater Paper in Lewiston. The couple have three children: Zach, 13, Madeline, 9, and Mia, 4.
The entire family follows the gluten-free diet, but Bunce says it wasn't an easy transition for her.
"When Wayne was diagnosed with celiac, we immediately saw a dietician at St. Joseph (Regional Medical Center in Lewiston) and I started checking out books at the library and searching the Internet for recipes. There was a lot of trial and error."
Bunce often is invited to speak to groups about the disease and for several years has conducted gluten-free baking classes. She frequently tells her audiences that avoiding gluten can be a challenge since "gluten-free baking sometimes turns into an adventure in weirdness."
In addition to her husband, Bunce's mother-in-law and two nephews battle with the disease, so there was more than enough incentive for her to hone her gluten-free cooking skills.
"The entire family follows a gluten-free diet as does any company we might have. One of the kids' favorite Halloween treats to take to school is meringue piped into the shape of bones."
Bunce shares her meringue recipe below.
"During a vacation in England, my husband was almost always offered meringues at tea time because they are a naturally gluten-free cookie When we got home I tried to buy them, but discovered I was going to have to make my own instead. Luckily they are very easy to make."
But gluten-free cooking doesn't come cheap. Items such as xanthan gum and teff flour called for in the recipes below can be found in major supermarkets and health food stores, but according to Bunce, they are "about five times more expensive."
"The expense and effort is worth it because my husband's health has improved tremendously."
There are no benefits to people eating gluten-free unless they have celiac disease.
"Following this diet offers no advantages, plus it takes significantly more time and money to eat gluten-free."
The recipes Bunce shares with readers are not originals, but rather ones she has converted to her own tastes. The Apple Betty is a family recipe passed on by her mother-in-law. The Chocolate Chip Ginger Bars, which was a winner in the Moscow Food Co-op's 2006 baking contest, are two recipes she merged into one. She describes the Irish Soda Bread as her favorite gluten-free bread to bake.
"It is delicious hot out of the oven and makes good French toast. Everyone has their favorite gluten-free flours and I changed my recipe ingredients to reflect ours."
Although Bunce previously has led celiac support groups and continues to teach gluten-free cooking classes, she admits to rarely following directions when baking.
"So when giving my recipes away, I am always needing to modify the ingredients and instructions from the way they were written to add my own cryptic handwritten notes from the margins," she says with a laugh.
People interested in celiac consultations or speaking engagements may contact Bunce through Tri-State Memorial Hospital.
Chocolate Chip Ginger Bars
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
11/2 cups soy flour
1/2 cup potato starch flour
1/2 cup finely chopped candied ginger
1 cup chocolate chips
Cream margarine and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla until blended. Add salt, soda, xanthan gum, spices and flours. Mix well before stirring in chocolate chips and ginger. Bake in 9-by-11-inch greased pan at 300 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Irish Soda Bread
2 cups white rice flour
3/4 cup potato starch flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups sour milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted margarine
21/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease loaf pan. Sift dry ingredients together. Whisk milk and egg, then add to dry ingredients. Add margarine. Mix until combined, but do not over mix. Pour into pan. Bake for 50 minutes until top is brown.
Apple Betty
8 cups sliced apples
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup teff flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup margarine
Spread apples in a 9-by-11-inch greased pan. Combine dry ingredients and cut in margarine. Top the apples with the dry mixture and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
Meringues
2 egg whites (at room temperature)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar while mixer is running. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon mixture onto a parchment-lined cooking sheet swirling into 2-inch circles. Bake for 35 minutes, then turn off heat but leave meringues in hot oven for 1 hour.
Makes approximately 2 dozen.
White is food editor of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. She may be contacted at vnwhite@cableone.net.
Gluten-free cooking classes
MOSCOW - Angela Bunce of Clarkston will be teaching three gluten-free cooking classes for the Moscow Food Co-op's "What's Cookin'!" series beginning today.
Each class will include a cooking session with sampling and discussion and will be held in the kitchen of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse, 420 E. Second St., in Moscow. The cost is $24 per class and registration is required and can be completed with any cashier at the co-op, 121 E. Fifth St.
l "Savory Baking," 5:30 to 7 p.m. today: features popovers, granola and crepes using a variety of flours such as teff, soy, amaranth and sorghum.
l "Sweet Baking, 5:30 to 7 p.m. next Wednesday: features chocolate-chip ginger bars, oatmeal cookie bars, pie crust and crustless pumpkin pie.
l "Pizza Party," 5:30-7:30 p.m., April 28.
Participants in the last class will be able to bring a recipe from home and receive Bunce's advice for adapting it to gluten-free pizza.
