Natural thicking agent for gravy?

[trcg]

What is a good GM item to thicken gravy with? Flour and cornstarch are MM so what can be used to keep the meal GM?
Renee

[HF]

I like brown rice flour - thickens nicely and doesn't break down. They also sell mochi powder (Japanese white rice), which also works well, but is probably MM!

Have a great day!

Helena

[chicharronita]

How about powdered gelatin? I use Bernard Jensen's. It's from cows tested free of Mad Cow Disease: http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/prod.cfm/ct/4/pid/1054

[semmens]

Would arrowroot or tapioca qualify?

Laura
O+ secretor

[trcg]

Thanks for the ideas. These are all gluten free, but I wonder if they still fit into the GM/MM guidelines? I'm thinking they are still considered MM what do you think?

Renee

[Honeywell]

Xanthan gum but I'm not sure where it falls under GM or not. I am assuming it does.

I use it to thicken my salads dressings.

Brenda


"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." unknown

[myCelia]

I second the arrowroot suggestion. Also, I would think that flour is man made if it is extensively processed and not organic. If you get your own organic grains and grind them yourself, that should be OK. In the guidelines, Teresa considers some breads, grains and rice as god made, i.e., whole grains, whole grain breads without preservatives, and brown/wild rice. Hope that helps.

Derya :)

[gillmings]

I use freshly ground organic whole wheat flour and never give it a second thought, since the only "processing" it's getting is grinding. Whole wheat pastry flour (from soft white wheat) gives the nicest results, but the regular hard red wheat flour does fine, too.

-Moyne

"She is too fond of books, and it has addled her brain." -Louisa May Alcott

[olsonsquiverfull]

Another thickening agent is Agar Agar. :)

OlsonsQuiverFull
+*~+*~+*~+*~+*~+*~+*~+*~+<h5>"The Bible calls debt a curse and children a blessing. In our culture we apply for a curse and reject a blessing. Something is wrong with this picture!" Doug Phillips of Vision</h5>Christian T-Tappers: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChristianT-Tappers/join

[Mermaid]

tapioca and arrowroot would be the least processed thickening agents. They are simply dried and ground up, whereas any white flour from grains or rice would be processed, and agar agar is also somewhat processed from seaweed (although healthy in my opinion). I think that the various gums like xanthan, guar, carob bean, etc. also undergo some processing.

Just a note about gravy: Sally Falon in her Nourishing Traditions cookbook talks about "hydrophylic coloids" as being very good for your digestion and liver. Personally I have found it to be beneficial to health. Just thought I'd throw that in there.

[fierywoman]

If you roasted whatever meat it was with some carrot, celery and onion, you could make the gravy and then use a blender --handheld or whatever -- to blend in the veggies and that will get you some thickening. Nothing however --sigh!-- is as good as white flour!!!

Dori

[trcg]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. We usually don't thicken our gravy, but when company comes over giving the juice broth alwasy gives for strange looks. Also there are times you just want a thicker broth in some soups.

Thanks again,
Renee