Your Gluten Free Life

Gluten free puddings and hampers

2008-10-27T19:35:00.002+11:00

If you are after some special treats for Christmas, have a look at the offerings we have at Gluten Free Life. In store now, is a range of gluten free puddings (choc orange pudding with cointreau and of course the traditional plum pudding), hampers, biscuits, and mince pies.

We've moved

2008-06-22T16:29:00.002+10:00

Hi, just letting you know that Your Gluten Free Life has moved to a new url - www.glutenfree.net.au Our new blog has an improved layout and you can now leave a comment without needing to register! View all of our gluten free recipes and articles -all within one click from the home page!

Easy tiramisu

2008-06-12T16:41:00.000+10:00

1 pkt Orgran Choc Biscotti
250g mascarpone cheese or Philadelphia cream cheese softened
½ cup cream
2 tbsp castor sugar
100ml strong coffee
2 tabs Frangelico (optional)
Grated chocolate (gluten free) to serve

Combine cheese, cream, sugar and frangelico until well mixed. Arrange 1 layer of biscotti on the bottom of 4 serving bowls or a larger serving dish. Pour over half the coffee, then spoon over half the cream mixture. Repeat layering. Top with grated chocolate. Chill until set.

Minestrone

2008-06-12T16:39:00.000+10:00

Great for winter!

50g butter
1 onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
½ cup parsley chopped
100g bacon, chopped
2 sage leaves
3 celery stalks sliced
2 carrots sliced
2 potatoes peeled
2 tins, 850g crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 ½ litres Massel Chicken or Vegetable Stock
2 zucchini chopped
200g frozen peas
120g green beans
1 tin, 425g borlotti beans
¼ cabbage shredded
black pepper
150g Buontempo Macaroni pasta
Grated parmesan cheese

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion, garlic, parsley, bacon and sage. Cook over low heat until onion is soft and golden. Add the celery, carrots and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste and season with pepper. Add the stock and bring slowly to the boil. Cover and leave to simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini, peas, green beans, borlotti beans, cabbage and pasta. Simmer until pasta is al dente. Top with grated parmesan cheese to serve.

Fresh gluten free bread delivered to your door!

2008-05-15T09:23:00.003+10:00

We are very excited to announce that you can now order fresh bread from our website! We have sourced some fantastic gluten free bread from a small bakery in Melbourne, Knead Bakers. The bread is lovingly hand-made in true artisan style. Each loaf weighs 750g, so is larger than most brands of gluten free bread available in supermarkets. Prices range from $6 to $7.50. Choose from seven different varieties: · Plain white loaf · Olive and rosemary · Fig and walnut · Seeded loaf · Sourdough · Cornbread · Buckwheat soda bread The baker at Knead, Angela, is an experienced pastry chef who worked in London for four years with one of the world’s top pasty chefs. She started making gluten free bread based on demand from customers and has spent time perfecting the loaves. Knead have also consulted a local naturopath to make sure that the bread suits a variety of dietary needs. Ordering information: You will need to place your order for bread with us by 12 noon each Friday. We pick up the freshly baked bread each Monday morning and send it to you via courier or Australia Post. Most customers should receive the bread within one to three days. The bread keeps well for 7 days, however we recommend putting in the freezer as soon as possible.

Gluten free pancakes

2008-05-09T14:16:00.000+10:00

1 ½ cups Casalare Pancake/Pikelet mix
3 tablespoons castor sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
¾ cup water

Add pancake mix, sugar and egg to a bowl and combine. Add 1 cup of milk and stir well, adding water slowly until you get the consistency that you desire.

Can add more milk and less water, if desired. Makes approximately 6 pancakes. For pikelets, add less milk/water so the mixture is thicker.

Easy Chilli Chicken Stir-Fry

2008-05-09T14:13:00.001+10:00

250g Changs Rice Noodles
2 tablespoons oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
350g chicken mince
1 red capsicum sliced
50ml lime juice
2 tbsp Changs Soy Sauce (Tamari)
3 tbsp Changs Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce (Tamari)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 bunches bok choy
Lime wedges to serve

Place noodles in a large bowl, cover with hot water for 5 minutes and drain. Heat oil in a wok or large fry pan and stir fry onions and garlic until onions are soft. Add the chicken mince, stir fry until cooked. Add capsicum, noodles, juice, sauces and bok choy to the pan and stir fry until heated through. Serve with lime wedges.

New products - May 2008

2008-05-09T14:10:00.000+10:00

We have some great new products in store this month:

Orgran Lemon and Poppyseed Biscotti – yummy gluten free biscotti, perfect for mum on Mother’s Day. $3.05 per packet.
Healtheries Simple Golden Syrup Steamed Puddings – a traditional moist steamed dessert, smothered in golden syrup sauce that you can just heat and eat. $5.45 (contains two puddings)
Basco Multi-Purpose Mix – can be used for a variety of sweet and savoury baking such as cakes, muffins and pizza. $4.30 per packet.
Basco Instant Pumpkin Soup – with winter arriving, you can take this yummy soup to work and just add boiling water. $1.25 per packet.
Select Foods Potato flour – great for a variety of cooking needs, including as a thickener and for making bread, cakes and pancakes. $4.65 per 500g packet.

Update on Bread Thank you to everyone who responded to our article on fresh bread. We are talking with a few bakers to work out who will be able to provide us with great tasting gluten free bread at a reasonable price. We'll keep you up to date with our progress. In the meantime why not try baking your own bread? We have three excellent bread mixes - Orgran, Basco and Well & Good. You can easily make a loaf of bread for around $3 - $4 See http://www.glutenfreelife.com.au/Bread-p-1-c-269.html

Events - gluten free show in Brisbane

2008-05-09T13:54:00.000+10:00

Gluten Free & Allergy Show – Brisbane May 17-18 Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Bank If you can get to Brisbane on May 17 or 18, why not head along to the Gluten Free & Allergy Show and check out some of the great food that will be available to try. Most of our suppliers will be exhibiting at the show, so it's a great chance to try out some of the food that we sell. If you find anything at the show that you think is fantastic, let us know. Send an email to jason at admin@glutenfreelife.com.au.

Specials - May 2008

2008-05-09T13:52:00.001+10:00

Looking for a bargain? Here are the products that we have on sale during May. You can view all our specials on the one page at www.glutenfreelife.com.au/Specials-p-1-c-282.html

Thomas Chipman Corn Chips - $3.00 - save 50 cents
Casalare Pancake mix - $5.40 - save 55 cents
Freenut butter - $4.50 - save 99 cents!
Corn thins (Original only) - $1.90 - save 40 cents
Empower Triple Choc Muffin Mix - $4.95 - save 65 cents
Vegechips multi-pack - $5.90 - save $1.20!
Basco bread mix - $3.20 - save 75 cents

Intolerance versus Coeliac Disease

2008-04-05T11:23:00.004+11:00

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

Pizza Base

2008-04-03T06:26:00.000+11:00

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

Pumpkin Bread

2008-04-03T06:22:00.001+11:00

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.

Specials - April 2008

2008-04-01T13:25:00.003+11:00

The following products are on sale during the month of April.

Queen Ruby:

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

New products in store - April 2008

2008-04-01T13:04:00.003+11:00

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

Nanna's Lemon Pie

2008-03-26T12:58:00.005+11:00

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.

Muffins in a matter of minutes

2008-03-19T22:29:00.002+11:00

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!

Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns

2008-02-19T15:26:00.002+11:00

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:

Where to find gluten free recipes?

2008-02-11T18:07:00.001+11:00

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!

Recipe: Meatballs

2008-02-02T10:32:00.000+11:00

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.

Recipe: Choc Biscuit Cream Cake

2008-02-01T14:23:00.000+11:00

Such an easy dessert!

Ingredients:

1 packet Freedom Foods Chocolate Daydream biscuits
300ml cream
Your favourite chocolate to decorate

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.

Eating out gluten free

2008-02-01T13:44:00.001+11:00

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.

Product Recall

2008-01-15T19:39:00.001+11:00

There has been a voluntary recall of all Piranha Vege Chips in 100g and 25g packs. If you have purchased and not consumed this product, please be aware of this recall and do not consume the product. If you purchased the product from Gluten Free Life, contact us on 1300 794 170 or admin@glutenfreelife.com.au We will contact Piranha to discuss procedures for organising refunds or replacement product where applicable. You may be required to return the product for a refund.

New Products in Store

2008-01-15T13:45:00.000+11:00

We have added some new products to our store this month. Massel stock powder - these stock powders are made from vegetable products, so besides being gluten free, are also suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Lotus maize cornflour and white rice flour - these two types of flours are used regularly in gluten free cooking. Eskal ice-cream cones - just in time for summer! Sue’s deli puffs - Deli puffs are made from whole corn kernels, and are a great alternative to popcorn. They are available in Indian Butter and Thai Sweet Chilli flavours.

Recipe - Shortbread Biscuits

2008-01-12T12:22:00.000+11:00

Shortbread Biscuits

Want to make your own shortbread? It’s easy!

Ingredients: 250g butter 1/2 cup sugar 1.25 cup gluten free plain flour 1/4 cup gluten free cornflour 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.

Recipe - Crunchy Asian Salad

2008-01-12T12:20:00.000+11:00

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.

Cooking for Friends or Family with Coeliac Disease

2008-01-10T14:55:00.001+11:00

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.

Ideas for summer

2008-01-09T21:21:00.001+11:00

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.

International Delivery Now Available

2008-01-09T20:34:00.000+11:00

We are now able to deliver to customers overseas. Or, if you have a friend or relative living outside Australia, we can organize delivery to anywhere in the world. Information about delivery fees is available from our website. We use Australia Post International Express Post to ship orders quickly. For example, delivery time to the United States is 3-6 days.