Feb
02
2008
Meatballs
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
Method:
Combine all ingredients except flour and oil in a large bowl and mix well.
Roll mixture into small balls. Roll meatballs in plain gluten free flour.
Heat oil in a large frypan. Fry meatballs over medium heat until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
Serve with your favourite tomato based pasta sauce.
Feb
01
2008
Such an easy dessert!
Ingredients:
Method:
- Whip the cream.
- On a piece of foil, spread one side of each biscuit with cream and press into the next biscuit.
- Repeat until all biscuits are joined together to form a log.
- Spread remaining cream over the top and sides of the log.
- Cover creamed log with foil and refrigerate for at least an hour. (The biscuits will become beautifully soft and mushy.)
- To serve, shave your favourite chocolate over the top of the log.
Feb
01
2008
If you need to maintain a gluten free diet, eating out can be daunting experience, particularly initially. Often dishes on restaurant menus contain gluten. Many are obvious, such as dishes with pasta, pastry or bread, other uses of gluten may be more hidden, eg if stock powder is used in risotto and sauces, or flour is dusted on food so that it doesn’t stick to the pan when being cooked.
Many Australian restaurants are becoming more gluten aware and offering gluten free options because more people are asking for them. Some restaurants even indicate the gluten free dishes on the menu. Others still will modify some dishes to be gluten free if you ask. So the best way to enjoy eating out is to speak up and ask! And don’t be embarrassed; restaurants get asked about catering for specific dietary needs all the time, and this is only increasing.
Some key tips for enjoying eating out:
- Contact the restaurant prior to going and ask if they provide gluten free options
- Before ordering, ask the waiter which dishes are gluten free or could be gluten free, they may be able to modify some dishes
- Don’t assume dishes that sound gluten free, eg, risotto, are in fact gluten free. Always check with the kitchen
- Ask The Coeliac Society in your state if they have a list of local gluten free friendly restaurants.
For some of the hidden uses of gluten that you may not be aware of, check out our previous blog “Gluten Free Cooking Tips for Family and Friends”. This blog also provides some handy hints for cooking for people who need to eat gluten free.
Jan
12
2008
Shortbread Biscuits
Want to make your own shortbread? It’s easy!
Ingredients:
250g butter
1/2 cup sugar
2.25 cups
gluten free plain flour
1/4 cup gluten free cornflour (or rice flour)
Good pinch salt
Method:
Sift flour, cornflour and salt. Cream butter and sugar, add dry ingredients. Turn onto board and knead well.
Cut dough into round biscuit shapes. Bake at 160 degrees until they just begins to colour—about 20-30 minutes. Allow to become quite cold before storing in airtight containers.
Makes approximately 30.
Jan
12
2008
Crunchy Asian Salad
Ingredients:
2 bok choy shredded
1 celery chopped
1/2 carrot grated
3 spring onions chopped
100g almonds chopped
75g Changs fried rice noodles (gluten free)
Dressing:
1 tsp Changs Tamari Soy Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp fish sauce (gluten free)
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2cm cube ginger grated
1 tbsp coriander chopped
Method:
Combine all vegetables and almonds in a large salad bowl.
Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
Pour dressing over vegetable mix. Lastly sprinkle crunchy fried rice noodles on top.
Jan
10
2008
So you are having someone over for dinner who needs to eat gluten free. What do you cook? What does gluten free mean? This article provides some of the answers for you.
Most importantly, gluten is in all foods and products containing wheat, barley, rye or oats, so these foods need to be avoided. This obviously means the standard products made from wheat flour such as breads, pastas, biscuits. Note, there are many gluten free substitutes for these foods.
However, gluten may also be contained in foods that you may not expect, such as some brands of corn flour. In order to determine if a product contains gluten, you need to read the ingredients list. It is mandatory in Australia for ingredients containing gluten and other allergens to be specified. The main things to remember when reading labels and ingredient lists are:
- If a product is labelled “gluten free”, this claim overrides the ingredient list and you can be sure that it is gluten free
- If the ingredient list contains any mention of wheat, barley, rye or oats, this food contains gluten. This includes ingredients such as wheat starch, wheaten flour and those with wheat in brackets, eg. maltodextrin (wheat)
- The exception to rule above is that the ingredient “wheat glucose syrup” is OK as it has been so highly processed that it has no detectable gluten
- Malt products like milo, some mayonnaises or malt vinegar, contain barley and therefore, gluten
When in doubt, leave it out.
Jan
09
2008
With summer and daylight savings in full swing, there are some great ways to enjoy simple gluten free meals with family and friends.
Having a BBQ?
Yackandadah Simmer Sauces also make ideal marinades. Simply brush some of your favourite sauce on to the meat a couple of hours before you cook. Yackandadah sauces come in the following yummy flavours — Honey & Soy, Thai Satay, Bushies BBQ and Louisiana Southern Style Cajun.
Love Pizza?
Gluten Free Tortilla Wraps make a great base for homemade, healthy pizzas. Just add all your favourite toppings and bake!
Kids School Holiday Cooking.
A great way to occupy the kids on school holidays is to cook muffins or a cake. We have a range of packet mixes that are really simple to use. The multipurpose mixes are great as you can add fruit or choc chips to them.
Going to the Cinema?
Why not take along your own gluten free popcorn? Cobs Organic popcorn is available in 100g packets. It is free of preservatives and artificial colours.
Gluten Free Chips anyone?
Vegechips come in a range of flavours and are free from preservatives and artificial colours. Special sale this month—all 100g vegechips packets are selling at 10% off the regular price. Flavours include: natural, bbq, chilli/lime, french onion, and sweet’n'sour.
