Hi Meagan:
I'm a diabetic and, like you, I use alternative flours in my baking to significantly reduce carbs (so going 100% GF isn't my main goal). I'm T2 and have a nephew who is T1, so I know what you're going through and the need to reduce those carbs as much as possible. I'm always experimenting with recipes that we can eat, especially for my little nephew who wants to eat what his big sister can!
To answer your question, what I suggest is experimenting with a combination of flours, as I have done with much success. If a recipe calls for garbonzo flour, try substituting a different flour, such as almond flour. Or, if your daughter can tolerate gluten, try a combination of almond flour with wheat flour, which should still reduce the carbs per serving quite a bit (if that is your main purpose).
I don't know what recipe you're looking at, so I don't know if coconut flour would be an acceptable substitute. I usually use coconut flour in baked goods (such as cake or cookies), but if only a small amount is used in combination with almond flour which is more neutral in taste, it might be substituted without altering the flavor too much, especially if other ingredients in the recipe mask the coconut flavor. Because I can have gluten without a problem, in my recipes I usually replace a larger portion of the wheat flour with alternative flours so I retain the same texture and flavor of the original, while still reducing the carbs to fit into my diet. I've been very pleased with my results, so far.
I realize the alternative flours are expensive, but maybe for a while you'll need to budget for them as you experiment with recipes and find some that satisfy your child's tastes and fit into her food plan. Soon you'll get the hang of using them and will have a better sense of what combination of flours work and taste best.
Good luck!
Kathy
http://diabeticsrejoice.blogspot.com/
