Hurray!

Lately I have been experiencing some good karma. I’m not sure exactly what I’ve done to deserve this recent string of good fortune, and although I’m sure not many of you GFers would be interested to hear the details of my mundane little life, I’m pretty sure you would be interested to know that one of the major fast food chains is offering gluten free food!!! That’s right folks, Domino’s Pizza have officially stolen my heart.  Pizza and movie night just became much less of a hassle. Enjoy.

http://www.dominos.com.au/menu/crusts/

Warning – you will need a very large saucepan and some spare time to prepare this soup, but it is well worth the effort. Make sure you have all your veg diced before you begin, it will speed up the process

• Olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 6 garlic cloves sliced
• 1-2 chillies (depending on your spice tolerance!)
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 litres of vegetable stock
• 4 potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 medium sweet potato peeled and diced
• 1/4 cauliflower diced
• 1 tablespoon of thyme or oregano
• 1/2 large fennel diced
• 2 zucchinis diced
• 1 red pepper (capsicum ) diced
• 1 stem of broccoli diced
• 1 large can of either peeled tomatoes or tomato puree
• 1 can of cannelloni beans drained and rinsed

Method:

1. Stir fry the onion, chilli and garlic until the onion is slightly brown then add potato, paprika and pepper the leave to simmer.
2. Once the potato is a little brown then add stock, thyme, cauliflower and sweet potato (you can use pumpkin if you prefer but it cooks quicker and should be added later on)
3. Once the potato ect. is soft add the rest of the vegetables (not the beans) and the tomato puree
4. Leave the soup to simmer for at least 30 minutes, then add beans and simmer for another 5 minutes.

I was a little worried because I didn’t have any self raising GF flour, or baking powder, but after a quick internet search I discovered I could use bicarb soda as long as I included an acidic ingredient. So, here is my gluten free Christmas cookie recipe!

• 2 cups of gluten free flour (I used white wings brand)
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarb
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup sugar
• icing sugar (amount depends on how you want to decorate your cookies)
• milk ( to mix with icing)
• food colouring
• 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 180C and lightly grease your cookie tray.

Mix bicarb, lemon and vanilla together, add egg and sugar and mix well.

In a separate bowl beat butter and add egg mix and flour, mix well.

The dough might be a little dry, but if you roll it in your hands for a few minutes the butter will melt and take on more of the flour.

Roll the dough so it is about a centimetre thick and use whatever cookie cutters you have to make Christmas shapes – I did trees, stars and reindeer

Bake for around 10 minutes and make sure you rotate the tray at least once and bake till you get an even brown colour.

Set aside to cool.

Mix your icing – now here is the trick I only learnt after I made my cookies  – mix a thick batch of icing using icing sugar, a tiny amount of milk and whatever colour you choose. Use a piping bag to ice around the edge of your cookie then make a slightly runnier batch of icing to fill in the rest. This way your icing won’t drip over the edge, but you will still get the nice smooth effect runnier icing gives.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Ok, brace yourselves…I have found the holy grail!

Light, fluffy, delicious gluten free bread!!!

This miracle landed on my plate while I was interstate, having brunch with a friend of mine. I ordered eggs with gluten free bread had already resigned myself to being served the usual dry, cakey, flavourless bread I am use to buying in the supermarket. Here is how it went down:

Me: Ummm I ordered gluten free bead

Waiter: Yes, that’s the gluten free bread

Me: I don’t think so

Waiter: Let me check with the chef

Me: Negligent bastards could have made me so sick!

Waiter: Yes, those are gluten free  quinoa rolls

Me: Are you sure?

Waiter: Yes, they are from the gluten free bakery two doors down

Me: WHAT?! WHERE?!

Waiter: Right over there, (rolls eyes) I have to get back to work

Me: nom nom nomnom nom

Deeks gluten free bakery in Dickson ACT – I will be requesting care packages.

https://secure.deeks.com.au/index2.html

Woe is me…my favorite gluten free haunt has changed hands! My initial reaction was fear, a deep pit formed in my stomach as I pondered the questions: Will they keep it gluten free? Will the food still be good? On my first visit to the new cafe, I noticed many differences, least of which was the new name ‘SACS’…not as witty as the old name, but my spirits were lifted when I noticed the chalk sign at the door ‘This is a gluten free zone’ …phew!

There were more changes to take in upon entering, gone was my favorite red leather couch facing the window. The twang of loss I felt for my favorite people watching spot was quickly replaced by excitement when I noticed the rather fancy looking new breakfast bar. Speaking of breakfast, the new menu included some rather delectable looking breakfast items including my personal favorite: eggs florentine…everyone with me now *Mmmm gluten free hollandaise sauce*

All in all my experience at the new ‘SACS’ surpassed my expectation. I went there expecting the worst and instead was greeted with superior service, new stylish fittings and a more exciting and varied menu. While many things had changed, all the things I fell in love with about the original ‘Silly Yaks’ still remain. It still serves nothing but gluten free food, meaning that you can happily walk into the cafe and order any order anything that takes your fancy minus the questions and contamination anxiety! It still stocks many exciting gluten free products that are not available in the supermarkets. And finally the new ‘SACS’ still serves food so delicious that you can drag along even the fussiest non-gluten free eater.

‘SACS’ 105 High Street Northcote VIC

• 4 Large eggs
• 200 grams of gluten free chocolate
• 200 grams of gluten free butter/margarine
• 1 cup of caster sugar
• 1 cup of gluten free flour
• 100 grams of nuts of your choice

Place broken up chocolate and margarine in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 minute or until all melted.

Combine caster sugar and egg.

Add melted chocolate, mix well then add gluten free flour and nuts and mix well.

Line a baking dish with foil and poor in brownie mix.

Bake on 180 C for roughly one hour, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 1 hour or until the bix is firm.

•  Gluten free corn tortillas
• 1 can four bean mix
• 1 can tomato puree
• 1 large zucchini chopped
• 1 large red pepper (capsicum) diced
• 1 large onion peeled and diced
• 5 cloves of garlic peeled and diced
• 2 teaspoons of chili flakes
• 2 teaspoons of curry powder (make sure its gluten free)
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• Grated cheese

Fry onion and garlic in oil until brown, add spices then zucchini and red pepper fry for a few minutes.

Add tomato puree. Drain and rinse beans and add to pan, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, grill one side of corn tortilla, flip add cheese and grill until melted.

Fold tortilla in half and fill with burrito mix.

Serve and enjoy

90 grams butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 large banana
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 ¼ cups of gluten free self raising flour
1/3 cup plain yoghurt
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add lightly beaten egg, the peeled, mashed banana and the lemon juice. Fold in dry ingredients and yoghurt. Stir in half the chopped walnuts, mix until smooth. Spoon mixture into greased and greased paper lined 25 cm x 8 cm (10in x 3 in) bar tin, sprinkle with remaining walnuts.

Bake in 180C oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow cake to cool 5 minutes in tin, turn out and cool on wire rack. When cold, cut into slices, serve with butter.

• Muffin Break - Usually have a choice of two or three different types of gluten free muffins both savory and sweet.
• Wagamamas - Will cook you up a gluten free meal and most stores offer gluten free soy sauce on request.
• Nandos - Have a couple of items on their menu listed as gluten free.
• Dominos - Gluten free pizza bases, and pretty good knowledge of which topping may contain gluten.
• Lord of the Fries – gluten free chips and nuggets, currently not offering GF burgers.

Finding it hard to find anywhere to eat out? If you are sick of asking about gluten free options and receiving nothing but a blank stare in return. Try one of these restaurants which offer gluten free options

• Dare Foods, Shop 22 The Rocks
• Thai Princess Restaurant, 118 Crown St East Sydney
• Wellbeing, Lower Ground Floor QVB
• The Ivy  Cafe, Shop 209 Level 2 / 77 (Sky Garden) Castlereagh Street Sydney