Surely a little bit of gluten won’t hurt? Well, that depends. If you have coeliac disease, then yes, even a small amount can do damage. However, if you are gluten intolerant your body may be able to cope with small amounts. This article explains why.

Coeliac disease

Coeliac disease is an abnormal immune response to ingested gluten. Normally, our immune system functions to protect us from disease by producing antibodies against foreign, harmful microorganisms and other microscopic particles. In coeliac disease, the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies as harmful the enzyme that helps to break down gluten, and produces antibodies against it. This leads to inflammation of the small intestine lining, which decreases the amount of nutrients absorbed by the body. Without absorbing all the nutrients that the body needs, other problems may also develop, for example, osteoporosis(from a lack of calcium).

The inflammation of the small intestine lining also leads to undigested food passing through to the large bowel. In some people, this causes gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, cramping and diarrhoea. However, it is important to note that there is no relationship between the severity of the symptoms and the damage being done to the lining of the small intestine. So, someone with little or no symptoms may have significant damage to their small intestine lining. For this reason, it is crucial that coeliacs do not ingest any gluten.

Gluten intolerance

In contrast, gluten or intolerance is a digestive system response to gluten, rather than an immune response. Generally, the severity of the symptoms is proportional to the amount ingested. Symptoms of gluten intolerance include nausea, stomach cramps, heartburn or reflux, diarrhoea, and bloating.

For example, individuals who suffer from gluten intolerance will suffer more severe symptoms when ingesting larger amounts of food containing gluten. If they eat only a tiny amount, they may not suffer any symptoms.

Conclusion

So, regardless of the severity of symptoms experienced, someone who has Coeliac disease should not ingest gluten, as unseen damage may occur to the small intestine lining.

Someone who has an intolerance to gluten, may be able to tolerate small amounts of gluten, depending on the severity of their gastrointestinal symptoms, without any significant internal damage. Over time, they may be able to work out how much their body can cope without symptoms.

References

http://food-allergies.suite101.com/article.cfm/food_allergies_vs_food_intolerance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coeliac_disease
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_intolerance

Ingredients

• 275g Casalare plain baking flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 1 egg
• 150ml natural yoghurt

Method

• Place the baking mix and salt into a bowl.
• Beat the eggs with the yoghurt and gradually mix into the dry ingredients
  until a soft dough is formed.
• Knead lightly on a surface lightly floured with baking mix and roll
  out to a circle large enough to cover the base of a 20cm round baking
  tin.
• Spread with tomato puree and vegies, salami, cheese, olives, or any
  other ingredients you desire.
• Bake at 200°C for 25 minutes until the base is cooked through and
  the cheese is beginning to brown.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Casalare

Ingredients

• 400g Well
  and Good Instant Bread Mix
• 150g Cooked and Mashed Pumpkin
• 450ml Water
• 50g Pumpkin Seeds
• Salt to taste

Method

• Preheat your oven to 215°C/420°F (fan forced 210°C/410°F).
• Grease a 21-25cm x 7cm (8-10in x 2.5in) high loaf tin.
• Mix the Instant Bread Mix, Salt and Water for a total of 3 minutes.

  (30 seconds on slow until free of lumps, and then 2.5 minutes
  on high)

  (For thin sliced bread option, mix for 2 minutes).

• Add the Mashed Pumpkin and Pumpkin Seeds, combine well with a wooden spoon, and then spoon the mixture into the tin.
• Lightly spray with oil to increase the crust, and garnish with some pumpkin slices if desired.
• Bake for 40 minutes.
• For best results, cover the loaf with foil for the first 20 minutes in the oven to avoid burning.
• When ready, let your loaf cool in the tin for 10 minutes to retain moisture.
• If you like a softer crust, brush the crust lightly with water while the loaf is still warm.

Alternative Method (No Mixer Required)

• Preheat your oven to 235°C/455°F (fan forced 220°C/430°F)
• Simply mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture is free from lumps.
  Then combine the Mashed pumpkin until the mixture is smooth, finally
  adding the Pumpkin Seeds and combine well.
• Follow the rest of the first method…

Recipe reprinted with permission from Well & Good.

• Amaretti – was $7.00, now $6.05
• Cinnamon Sticks -was $7.00, now $6.05

Casalare:

• Pancake / Picklet Mix – was $5.95, now $5.40

Healtheries:

• Simple Heat & Eat Vegetable Korma – was $7.95, now $6.90

We’ve added quite a few new products to our store over the past few weeks.

• Honey Rings – Basco
• Fettuccine Carbonara – Basco
• Corn Chips – Thomas Chipman
• Popcorn – Sea Salt
• Outback Animal Cookies, Fun Pack – Orgran
• Macaroni pasta – Buontempo (Orgran)

Ingredients:

• 1 pkt gluten free plain sweet biscuits (try Naturally Good Coconut Crunch cookies)
• 50g butter
• 4 eggs
• ¾ cup castor sugar
• Juice from 3 lemons plus zest from 2
• 1 cup cream

Method

• Grease a 24cm oven proof pie dish.
• Preheat oven to 150 degrees.
• Finely crumb gluten free biscuits. Put in pie dish.
• Melt butter. Pour over crumbed biscuits and combine.
• Press crumbs into the sides and base of the pie dish, with the back of a spoon, to form the crust.
• In a bowl, whisk eggs and gradually add sugar, lemon juice, zest and cream.
• Pour filling into crust.
• Put in oven for 50-60 minutes until filling just set but still a little wobbly in the middle.
• Allow to cool slightly before serving.
• Sprinkle with gluten free icing sugar.

Can also be served cold.

Note: You can also use gluten free plain chocolate biscuits crushed (such as Freedom Foods Daydream Chocolate biscuits) to form the bases/crusts of chocolate desserts or cheesecakes.

We’ve been experimenting in our house lately with baking muffins and cakes. We’ve tried the Well and Good mixes, Empower, and Basco. All have proven to be quite good. A few tips that we have developed in the process:

• Use a little less oil than described on the packet mix instructions
• Add some frozen berries to the muffin mixes – they taste amazing!
• Cook the muffins for a few extra minutes to ensure that they don’t end up soggy the next day
• Give it a try – it only takes 30 minutes including preparation time to make!

Don’t want to miss out on hot cross buns at Easter?

Gluten free buns from Simply Better Biscuit Co were given a score of 8/10 by The Age hot cross bun taste test – this was a much higher score than many hot cross buns made with wheat flour! Other brands that are gluten free include Livwell and Lifestyle Bakery.

Here are a few links to blogs / forums that have recipes if you wish to make your own:

• ABC local radio
• Vogue forums
• Gluten Free Gossip

I have been looking at a few great websites lately that have gluten free recipes. If you are like me and don’t follow recipes to the letter, it’s always good to at least get some inspiration. Here are a few sites that are worth having a look at:

• Gluten-Free Girl does a lot of blogging about gluten free issues and has put all her recipes into a blog called Recipes from Gluten-Free Girl.
• An Australian site is Best Gluten Free Recipes. They have quite a good selection of simple to make meals.
• Rosemary’s Gluten-Free Recipes has 26 recipes available, including an Australian favourite – Anzac biscuits.

If you know of any more sites, just add a comment to let us all know!

Ingredients:

• 500g mince beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 small green capsicum chopped finely
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 cup gluten free crumbs
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• Salt and pepper
• Gluten free plain flour
• Olive oil