FAQ

Here is a list of the most Frequently Asked Questions that I tend to get on a weekly basis:

How would you define your eating style?

I am not a vegan. I actually have a very difficult time defining the way I eat because it depends on the day. What is consistent is that I eat a lot of vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and fruit. I’m not a huge fan of meat (I never was as a kid either) and so I choose to eat what is called a mainly plant-based diet. In fact I have yet to post any recipe with meat here on the site simply because I am more drawn to vegan food. I have poor digestion issues and get sick rather easily off of gluten (ie: bloating and horrendous stomach pains) and dairy (I’m allergic). I also have a strange aversion to the smell of eggs in baked foods (not to mention the smell it leaves in the bowls it is mixed in) so that is why Fork & Beans is sans gluten, dairy, and eggs.

How did you find out about your food allergies? What do you recommend I do about getting tested?

I went to a well-known allergist in my city who ran a couple of tests (blood and that back-pricking method) to figure out why I was feeling so sick all my life. You can read more about what I was suffering from here. I was shocked to learn that dairy was on the top of that list. (Does that mean that I don’t eat any dairy? Nope. I’m human and am weak–I steal in some cheese here and there. I need help).

If you are suspect that you have food allergies, I suggest you find a trusted doctor that specializes in this or even a holistic doctor in your neighborhood. I am not a medical professional so I’m limited in my knowledge–all I can tell you is what I did.

Who designed your logo?

Great question! (and one that deserves to be answered). Kat Marshello is the genius behind my logo and the fun touches that you see around the site. Want to hire her? You can contact Kat here.

Are you classically trained in baking?

Heck no. I’m just your average, every-day gal who had to learn this new way of baking without any sort of background prior to (unless you count making a homemade cake from scratch from a box). The recipes that you find here are a labor of love. Do all of them work out effortlessly? Nope. Baking is difficult. Throw into the mix that you cannot use butter, eggs, and even gluten–yeah, good luck! It’s tricky and I am not perfect. I make mistakes often and I still don’t fully understand the science behind everything BUT I am trying my darndest to learn every day so I can be of service to you. My philosophy is to always keep an open-mind when it comes to baking, experiment in the kitchen, and be gentle on yourself (and me if a recipe is a flop!) This is a huge learning curve so let’s get cozy and support each other…

I heard that you wrote a cookbook. Tell me more about it!

Okay nobody really asks that question, this is just my way of sneaking in another plug for my book (yay self-promotion!) I actually have an entire page dedicated to that question, lucky you! Check this post out to answer all of your cookbook-loving questions.

Why do some of your recipes not have xanthan gum in them? I thought that you need a gum in any recipe you make.

You can read about my thoughts on that issue here.

I’m new to going gluten-free. Help!

I must have read your mind because I wrote this to give you a boost of gluten-free living information 🙂

What is “Cara’s All-Purpose Flour Blend”?

It took me over a year of experimenting with various flours to create an all-purpose flour blend that works beautifully in most recipes. When it comes to baking, I like everything to be ready on-hand which is why I love using a blend that has already been premixed:

What I like to do is put all the flours and starches into a big ol’ container, store it in my pantry and when I am ready to use it, shake it up and measure it out. Read this post to learn how to create your own gluten-free flour blend!

What if I cannot consume sorghum, may I substitute another flour? What about flaxseeds? I’m highly allergic! Can I use something else?

I’m a huge advocate for experimenting in the kitchen and am always encouraging others to try something different if they cannot consume x. Now having said that, the recipes that I create are based off of exactly how it is written so any changes made to the recipe, even down to the type of flours used can change the texture and flavor. So by all means, substitute away! In fact, here is a great resource guide for understanding gluten-free vegan baking and all-things in the substitution world. There is just no guarantee that the end product will be the same but never allow that to hold you back from trying. Just think about all the fun you will have in your kitchen!

I tried your recipe but I used _ instead of _ and it failed. What did I do wrong?

Chances are it’s because you used _ instead of _ . As stated above, a slight variation to any of my recipes can produce changes in the end product. Why is that?
Unfortunately gluten-free vegan baking is SO fickle when changes are made.

May I share your photos and/or recipes on my site?

I love it when someone is inspired by my recipes, I really do! It makes what I do worth it. Please just be considerate of the content here–would you want someone to have ripped off your recipe and photo styling? Please do leave a link to my site as to where you got it the recipe and I believe that rule of thumb is if you make at least 3 changes to a recipe then you can use the “Adapted by” and then a link to the original recipe. Otherwise it’s best to just refer your readers to the original link for the recipe. If you have any questions email me at myforkandbeans@gmail.com.

May I write a guest post for you?

I do have a great collection of guest posts, however I have personally invited these awesome bloggers to Fork & Beans based off of relationships I have with them. If you are someone random who wants to pitch an idea about a guest post, at this point I am not interested, sorry.

Will you review my product?

I’m always on the lookout for quality products to review! If you are a company that you believe fits into the Fork & Beans lifestyle and have a great product that my readers will love, I would love to hear from you. Please email me at myforkandbeans@gmail.com and I will send you my Partnership Kit.

Still have a question that is not listed here? I’d love to hear it! Contact me at myforkandbeans@gmail.com.