Gluten-Free Whey Protein Isolate Deal

Gluten-Free Whey Protein Isolate

Isolated Whey Protein is one of my favorite gluten-free recipe enhancers and ingredients.  If you have followed this blog for any time, you have certainly noticed the importance I place on this substance — in fact, I have even referred to it as: "Whey Protein: the Miracle Gluten-Free Baking Ingredient" in previous blogs.  I use this stuff in all sorts of recipes because of its wonderful abilities to, at least in part, mimic gluten (another protein; one we can not consume).

Gluten-Free Whey Protein Price

I am sorry to report what most of you already know: contrary to what the government says, there has been substantial inflation over the past few years, especially among food products and most certainly among dairy or dairy-derived products.  When I first wrote a blog about this identical product in late-2007, it cost only 2/3rds of what it does now — or, another way to say the same thing is that this product costs 50% more than it did only 3.5 years ago.  Wow!  And, that is comparing the identical gluten-free isolated whey protein from Now (brand) at the best price I could find then versus the best price I can locate now.

This time around, I acquired a 5-pound tub (as pictured above) from a place called "AllStarHealth.com" for about $53.00 with shipping included.  Here is a link to their site if you are interested: AllStarHealth Now Whey Protein Isolate 5#.  They shipped quickly and I was pleased to see that the "best by date" on the container I received was January-2013, which gives me plenty of time to use this (it lasts a fairly long time, even when used as extensively as I use it).  I suggest keeping the container somewhere out of direct sunlight and/or heat for best results.

This giant 5-pound container of GF Whey Protein consists of what the label calls "81 servings", where each serving is an ounce essentially and there is a small included scoop that makes measuring a "serving" quite simple.  And, that 1-ounce serving is a pure 25 grams of protein that comes in very handy for our gluten-free recipes...

Gluten-Free Recipes using Whey Protein

I have used this product to not only simulate the binding-power of gluten in recipes, but also as a consistency-enhancer for all sorts of creations too  — a favorite being smoothies!  So, here are some ideas and real examples of how this baking ingredient can help you with regards to your gluten-free and wheat-free diet recipes:

• Gluten-Free Smoothies: whey protein is amazing in smoothies and other blended drinks.  It adds thickness and "body".  I especially like how the gluten-free whey protein allows you to use your blender (my preference is a VitaMixer) to whip extra volume into a smoothie as well as a thicker texture. Perhaps you could say it adds "fluff" or "fluffiness" to blended drinks as well as improving the overall smoothness and consistency.
  
  A favorite frozen drink "recipe" I use is approximately: one frozen banana, 6 or 8 ice cubes, 1/2 scoop of whey protein, a pile of cocoa (1/4cup+), some cinnamon, some rice milk or hemp milk, and (very much optional) some Gluten-Free Carolan's Irish Cream liqueur.  Just grind / blend / whip all that together in the Vitamixer until you have a very satisfying and creamy chocolate-banana "shake" (variations abound!)
  
  
• Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Recipes: we have used the whey protein in a variety of pizza-crust recipes, and here is a link to an example of a Gum-Free and Wheat-Free / Gluten-Free Thin-Crust Pizza Crust Recipe using whey protein.  Notice the "gum-free" part of that recipe?  Again, this is where whey-protein's binding powers are making up for gluten, and thus making up for the typical use of "gums" like Xanthan and/or Guar gum.  It will not necessarily replace gums in all recipes, but it sure can replace it in a lot.  If you wondered: no, we did not use Whey-protein in our GF Desserts cookbook recipes even though all those recipes are gum-free as well; though we have created variations using whey-protein since  — some of which we have posted online.
  
  
• Gluten-Free Bread Recipes: we have used whey protein in some of these recipes as well; again, its unique gluten-like abilities come in very handy.  One example recipe variation we published online is this Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe using Chia Seed and Whey Protein.  Sorry, but that recipe references one from our Gluten-Free Gourmet Desserts book, and build upon and extends that recipe using whey-protein and chia seed.  Experimentation is how we arrived at this variation, and you too will surely discover some nice recipe-alterations/variations by playing around a bit with whey protein (note: go lightly and build up; too much whey can lead to undesirable results).
  
  
• Pancakes: ahhhh... a favorite use of this gluten-free whey-protein for me!  I love making pancakes, and I have used whey protein to accomplish some wonderful feats of pancake engineering :)   Here is a link to my Gluten-Free Multi-Grain "Diet Pancakes" Recipe using Whey Protein and all sorts of other neat ingredients.  The whey-protein undoubtedly contributes the ability for this recipe to support some seriously thick and bread-like pancakes!  I have made all sorts of variations based on this type of formula with whey-protein offering that gluten (and gum) replacement ability I so like.

Certainly there are other examples of gluten-free and wheat-free recipes that can make use of, and benefit from, this gluten-free whey-protein isolate.  

IMPORTANT NOTE

Notice that this is unflavored whey protein isolate (not to be confused with flavored, sweetened, thickened, or otherwise diminished whey protein concoctions that may impart all sorts of strange flavors, added sugar and calories, and other unknowns into your recipes).  

Using flavored versions will almost certainly introduce tastes you may not like in many recipes, and most flavored versions of whey-protein products that I have seen include sugar and/or gums and/or other fillers.  For consistent baking, I always use this pure whey protein isolate since I know I am always comparing apples-to-apples : it is JUST protein.