Proposal for future contest

Nope. Neither.

Allergies to nuts are so common and I think thats another great idea. So Boulangere you can't eat chocolate or nuts?

Absolutely, boulangere! Amaranth is my new favorite--high in protein and not quite as flavorful as quinoa so it bakes up really well with added healthiness to the product. Nuts in gluten-free baking are great, but so limiting. They also make baked goods very heavy, where a lot of gluten-free flours bake up wonderfully light. I'm right there with you in finding new ways to make people happy with food that aren't punitive. I remember the dark days of extremely limited (and disgusting) gluten-free products. At least more people are aware of gluten and nut allergies now. (In a few years, when I open my gluten-free cafe, I'm seriously toying with the idea of having a nut-free kitchen as well.)

Oh yes, I agree. The range of *flours* available now is so much greater. I'm not gluten-intolerant, but I teach classes to many who are, and it's greatly expanded my horizons that they have become a much more vocal food force. The flavor profiles have been so interesting to explore. I love finding new ways to make people happy via food that suits them in extremely flavorful (not punitive) ways. Many of the gluten-alternative grains are so wonderfully high in protein (and low in carbs) that adding nuts is almost beside the point, do you think?

I've found it to be quite simple to avoid both gluten and nuts in a lot of gluten-free recipes; however, that wasn't always the case. When I first started my gluten-free experiments 10 years ago (out of sheer desperation), I used a lot of nuts because it was easy and there were more recipes doing that. Now, with the wide variety of flours out there, I really don't think nuts are a requirement in most gluten-free recipes.

Thanks, Syronai; I'll gladly take a look. It just can't be that hard to eliminate both gluten (which is neither a problem nor a requirement for me in a dessert) and nuts.

That's a great idea! Maybe best nut-free dessert? And Boulangere--check out the recipes I've tossed into the gluten-free contest this week. I try very hard not to base my gluten-free recipes on nuts because I know so many people for whom that's a problem.

the nut free would have to be defined in a category say desserts or pies or cakes I assume.. if so that wd be fantastic..