Gluten-free[k]

On the Right Side

2012-02-12T16:30:00.000Z

In the words of Genie from Aladdin:

"I'm history! No, I'm mythology! Nah, I don't care what I am, I'm FREE!"

I'm out of hospital, I'm free! I am delighted to be eating my mum's cooking and sleeping in my own bed! I can't tell you how much of a relief that is.

Don't get me wrong, I am full of gratitude for all the surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, physiotherapists and every other medical professional that brought me to this side of the surgery. It's just that hospital is not home. Stating the obvious, I know, but hospitals are places where we go to be mended, the real healing begins when you get back to your family and familiar surroundings.

This operation, unlike any others I have had, involved a rather unpleasant reaction to the anaesthetic and I spent Monday night shaking, vomiting and generally feeling very horrible. (Apologies again to the Husband and friend who were on the receiving end of that!) I have had a fair few general anaesthetics in my time and that was the first to cause that kind of experience, certainly not fun but over by the following morning and, given my condition, probably significantly worse for my loved ones than for me. The next challenge was the removal of the epidural. Sadly, with an epidural the real benefit is only realised on removal, when the pain it has been masking becomes quite real! It took a while to settle on a method of pain relief that was both effective and that didn't cause me to fall asleep at the end of each sentence... Once that was dealt with, however, I started to feel more like me again and I just wanted to go home.

As anyone who has stayed in hospital knows, the food is a hot topic of conversation! As the daughter of an ex-dining room manager of a hospital, I know that the food on the wards often gets unfair press. I was very impressed by the way the staff worked hard to ensure there was always a gluten free option available for me, even though some days I couldn't even look at food. I was most excited by gluten free sandwiches some days!

Egg and cheese (gluten free) sandwiches!

I honestly believe that the hospital food issue is a no-win area. After all, most of the people eating the food are quite ill (and even Michelin starred food would turn their stomachs) and there will always be limits to what hospital staff can produce under the time and money pressures that they already face. I am grateful for the efforts made by all to accommodate my dietary requirements and I'm hugely appreciative for all that the NHS has given me.

For now, I am quite sore, tired, and the various incisions are beginning to itch, but I don't care! I am home.

Under the Knife

2012-02-05T14:00:00.000Z

By the time you read this I might already be in surgery, or will be recovering in hospital. That's right, on Monday afternoon I go under the knife to remove my large intestine and to form an ileostomy! Once upon a time, (three weeks ago!) when I got the call to offer me this surgical appointment, this day felt a long way away. Now, as I type this post after I have packed my hospital bag, stocked up on reading material and ensured the Husband has enough food for a week, it feels like time has rushed by.

This surgery marks the end of a very long road of pain, sickness, fatigue and heartache. As anyone with chronic disease will tell you, sometimes you grow sick and tired of being sick and tired! I'm looking forward to the future with renewed energy and positivity. (Just as soon as the scars heal!)

Some of the people I have spoken to about this assume that this operation as a bad thing, they expect me to be downbeat about it. This is not the case. I am glad it's happening, this is a very good thing.

Let's just explode some misunderstandings before we go any further.

This is not reversible, I have had a permanent colostomy for the past 3 years - this surgery will completely remove my large intestine - there is no going back.
No, this won't cure my Crohn's Disease. Crohn's affects the entire digestive system and although my colon is the most damaged area it could present elsewhere, however this surgery is my best chance for remission.
Neither will it cure my Coeliac Disease. I will always require a gluten free diet. The part of intestine most affected by Coeliac Disease is the duodenam, the first section of intestine as it leaves the stomach (which will be unaffected, unless something goes very wrong!).

This post is my chance to thank everyone for their support. My Husband and family, as always, have been there for me, as have my friends. Thanks, too, to my Twitter friends, who have been enormously supportive, despite many of them having health issues of their own to contend with. And, of course to all of you who have sent such uplifting messages through this blog. I don't have the words to express just how much strength you have given me.

Here's to good health in the future!

Blueberry Pie

2012-01-27T20:00:00.000Z

I had my pre-op assessment today. After checking my heart and blood pressure, taking blood samples and swabs of my nose (I'm very ticklish), and asking me questions about every single aspect of my health, I am ready for surgery! I will be admitted to the ward on Sunday 5th February for ilestomy surgery on the 6th.

Yikes.

In no time at all, I will be free from the damaged colon that has caused me so much pain and discomfort over the years. I'm not particularly looking forward to the pain of recovery (who would?) but, I know that when the healing process is complete I will have a brand new lease of life.

With that in mind, I thought I deserved a wee celebration! I can't eat massive amounts at the moment so a mini pie seemed perfect.

Mini Blueberry Pies

400g gluten free shortcrust pastry (Dietary Specials shortcrust pastry would be ideal, or use homemade)

225g blueberries

2 tbsps caster sugar

1 tsp arrowroot powder

1 tsp lemon juice

1 egg

Combine blueberries, sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Lightly press the berries to release a little juice. Leave the berry/sugar mixture to stand for about 30 minutes for the juices and sugar to combine.
Roll out 2/3 of the pastry to 2-3mm thickness and cut out 12, 3-4 inch rounds, gently press them into a greased shallow bun tray.
Sprinkle the arrowroot powder over the berry mix (sieve if lumpy) and mix well. Place tablespoon sized portions of berries into each pastry case.
Roll out the remaining pastry and cut out rounds, just large enough to cover each pie. Place pastry top over each filled pie, pressing the edges to seal.
Brush the tops with a beaten egg and pierce a hole in the top of each pie to let steam out. If you do this the other way around you'll seal the hole and the steam will burst the pies!
Bake at 180 degree for about 15-20 minutes, until tops are golden brown.
Once baked, remove from the bun tray and allow to cool on a cake rack. (Or, eat whilst still hot!)

Leftover Haggis?

2012-01-26T14:00:00.000Z

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An' cut ye up wi' ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn, they strech an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve,
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
'Bethankit!' hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi' perfect sconner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bluidy flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll make it whissle;
An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thrissle.

Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o 'fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!

(Address To a Haggis, by Robert Burns)

Last night, Burns Night, the Husband and I enjoyed gluten free haggis from Findlays of Portobello. Today we were faced with the question: what to do with the leftovers? If you are wondering what to to with yours, I'd recommend a haggis toastie or this haggis-y version of bubble and squeak.

This is so easy! Just combine your leftover haggis, swede and potatoes (neeps and tatties) and place the lot in a frying pan, press flat and fry on a medium heat for about 5 minutes. Turn the whole thing over (I like to turn it out on to a plate then slide back into the pan) and cook for a further 5 minutes. You'll have lovely crispy edges with a soft inside, a perfect lunch!

Lavender Sugar Cookies

2012-01-19T18:00:00.000Z

Growing up, I spent many happy summers on my Grandparents' farm in Norfolk. There are many smells that can instantly whisk me 20 years back in time to those carefree days: ripe tomatoes, buddleja, and lavender flowers. Norfolk and lavender are synonymous in my book, and (possibly due to the many day trips to the lavender farm in King's Lynn) their sweet fragrance pervades every memory of my holidays there.

On a whim late last year, I decided to make lavender sugar. Perhaps it was a fit of nostalgia, maybe just a subconscious attempt to remember my Grandparents at a time of year when I miss their presence most. Whatever it was, I added a heaped teaspoon of dried lavender flowers and a recently deseeded vanilla pod into 500g (ish) of caster sugar, put the whole thing into a container, sealed it and left it in the cupboard for later. Apart from the occasional shake, I haven't given it much thought since. Until this week, when I was researching sugar cookie recipes and a spark of inspiration suggested that this might be a good use for the lavender sugar.

Well done to that spark! As the name suggests, sugar plays a significant role in a sugar cookie, so it was a brilliant way to showcase the deliciously scented sugar. In a nod to my Grandpa's prized buddleja (sometimes called a butterfly bush), I decided to dig out my prettiest cookie cutter.

Lavender Sugar Cookies

150g lavender sugar, sieved to remove the flowers (see above)

150g butter, softened

1 egg

150g white rice flour, plus a little extra for dusting

100g brown rice flour

Whisk together the egg and sugar until frothy and no grainy bits are left.
Sift in the flour and add the butter, combine well then turn out on to a floured surface and knead well until you have a smooth dough.
Wrap with clingfilm and leave in the fridge for about an hour.
Once the dough is chilled, roll out on a floured surface (about the thickness of a pound coin) and cut out your shapes.
Place cookies on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes at 170 degrees Celsius, until lightly golden.
Allow to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack (if you move them sooner, they'll be too soft and you'll break them).

I iced my cookies with plain water icing. Sift icing sugar into a bowl and add a couple of drops of food colouring. Mix in hot water, a teaspoon at a time to make a thick paste. Put a couple of spoonfuls into a piping bag with a thin nozzle and pipe the outline around your cookie. Thin the remaining icing with a little more water and spoon it in to fill the rest of the cookie. Use a cocktail stick to push the icing to the edges. Then decorate with edible glitter, chocolate beans, or whatever you fancy!

On the Waiting List

2012-01-15T19:00:00.000Z

A new year has well and truly dawned. January is a month when we reflect on the achievements of the previous year, our successes, our accomplishments. We look forward, make plans, set goals.

I have one resolution.

To be well.

Last year, 2011, began for me with active Crohn's Disease and crippling anaemia. 2010 dawned with active Crohn's and a painful bowel obstruction. 2009 started with active Crohn's and recuperation from colostomy surgery. 2008... Well, you get the idea.

This year, I'm on the waiting list for ileostomy surgery. It feels like I am, once again, in a Crohn's induced limbo; my life is on hold until I am well enough to start living it again. While my peers are building their careers and starting their families - I am on the waiting list. My only achievement has been to survive.

I am often told how brave I am, how well I cope with my illness; one consultant labeled me "stoic", friends think I am strong. I don't feel any or those things, I am barely hanging on. Some days, it is easy to feel positive, to look forward - past the next operation - to a time when I will be well. Other days, I can't see past my pain.

I have to make a conscious effort to pull myself out of such contemplation and remind myself of what keeps me going, who gives me the strength I need to hang on another day.

My Husband is my rock, my reason for getting up every morning. He holds me together when I'm falling apart. He has been by my side for this painful journey, holding my hand along the way. He encourages me and builds me up when I need it, he is my shoulder to cry on when it overwhelms me. He has endured my frustration at my illness, at the world in general, and has often been my verbal punching-bag when things are too much to bear. Yet, he is still here, loving me.

My family have seen me at my worst and they still love me. I know that you love your child unconditionally, that your sister will always have a place in your heart no matter how many miles separate you, but I feel like such a burden on my parents and my brother. We live 400 miles apart, but it feels more like light years at time like this. I know that they worry and it breaks my heart that I put them through all of this.

When I have the strength, I can be found in the kitchen. The greatest gift my mother ever gave me (after life, of course!) was a passion for food. Cooking, mixing flavours, playing with textures and creating meals, is my therapy. It soothes me, calms the frustrations at life, and reminds me that I have a purpose - I am fulfilled when I cook. When I'm too weak, too tired to cook: that's when I start finding life with Crohn's an uphill struggle again.

My prayer for 2012 - my hope - is for health.

Sakata Crackers

2012-01-13T13:00:00.000Z

When the lovely people at Sakata sent me samples of their great gluten free cracker range I was delighted! I love a cracker, but the choice of gluten free ones is limited and I am always willing to try something new.

Sakata's crackers are Japanese rice crackers that are light, crisp, and tasty. They come in four great flavours, original, barbecue, cheddar, and sour cream & chives and are available from Waitrose, Ocado, and Sainsbury's.

I must warn you, theses crackers are incredibly moreish! I opened the pack of barbecue flavour, "just to try them," and before I knew it, they were gone... The flavouring on the cracker is not too heavy or overpowering, so that even though I don't usually like cheese flavoured snacks, I found the cheddar crackers were delicious! Similarly, the sour cream & chive crackers were delicate and didn't fall into the too-oniony category.

These crackers are perfect with dips. Try the sour cream & chive flavour with salsa, original flavour with hummus, or barbecue flavour with sweet chilli sauce for a delicious alternative to crisps. (I ate the original flavour crackers with a bowl of chilli and they worked as well as any saltine cracker you'd find in the USA.)

I would definitely recommend these crackers to you, they make a brilliant snack for anyone, whether they follow a gluten free diet or not. Sakata crackers are now a permanent addition to my gluten free survival kit!

Gluten Free[k]'s Famous Five

2012-01-06T13:00:00.000Z

Have you noticed that there is a new badge on my sidebar?

FreeFrom Blogs is (as you might have guessed) a directory of great blogs written for, and by, people with food allergies, intolerances, and Coeliac Disease. Whether you are dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, fish, free, soya-free, gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian, you will find the right blog for your diet! The 4 founders, Lucy, Amy, Amy, and Gemma launched the site this month - if you haven't done so - check it out now!

When Lucy, Amy, Amy, and Gemma suggested I write a post about my top 5 gluten free products, I thought it was a great idea. There are some fantastic products out there that really make life as a Coeliac a little bit easier. I haven't include any bread products, mainly because I think Genius and Warburtons have cornered the market as far as GF bread is concerned. Also worth a mention are DS Ciabatta Rolls and Breadsticks.

Here are my favourites (in no particular order).

Dietary Specials shortcrust pastry. I do make my own pastry, but this a great thing to have in the freezer for those days when life is just too short to be rubbing shortening into flour. This is a reliable, versatile pastry that I have passed off as my own on more than one occasion...
Young's Free From Fish Fingers. As a child, the only way I would eat fish was as a finger. My tastes may have broadened somewhat now but nothing beats the good old fish finger - I love them with chips, all covered in mayonnaise, or in a butty with Genius bread and loads of ketchup!
ASDA Free From All Butter Honey and Oat Cookies. I have mentioned these on my Facebook page because they are a favourite. Crumbly, chewy, sweet and perfect with a cup of tea.
Nairns Gluten Free Oatcakes. A definite store cupboard staple. Not just for cheese either, they are good with sweet toppings like jam and make a great grab and run snack. The oats in these oatcakes are farmed by coeliacs, so I am completely at ease about eating these.
Genius Gluten Free Cheese and Onion Slice. Deliciously flaky pastry filled with tasty cheese, potato and onion, these slices are available at Asda. I used to love Greggs cheese and onions pasties in my pre-coeliac life, and these gluten free delights are far better than I remember the Greggs version ever being.

Of course, there are many more brilliant gluten free products available. I would love to hear from you about your favourites.

Not biscuits, but biscuits

2012-01-04T13:00:00.000Z

Oscar Wilde said of the UK, "We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language." Writing a food blog has made this very apparent to me over the years. Using sugar? In the UK it's icing sugar, in the USA confectioners sugar, in the USA you have superfine sugar, in the UK we have caster sugar. Ask for chips in the UK and you'll receive deep fried potato sticks (or, french fries for you in the USA), in the USA you'll get deep fried potato slices (or, crisps for you in the UK)... Do you see what I mean?!

So when I saw that the theme for this month's Gluten Free Ratio Rally was biscuits... well, I knew I was in trouble. In the UK, biscuits are the same thing as cookies (although they tend to be crisp and crunchy instead of soft and chewy) so I had to seek help. The Husband's parents live in North Carolina, and biscuits are on his "must eat" list any time he visits them, however his description was sketchy at best!

"Something like a scone, but not a scone, savoury, not a dumpling, but fluffy."

Great. Loads to work with then! Armed with this sparse knowledge, and having seen a few photos on Google Images, I hit the kitchen. Since this was my first attempt at biscuits, I decided to keep it simple. My efforts were definitely thinner than the photos I'd seen, but the insides had promise, nearly fluffy. So I read and reread Ruhlman's description of biscuits in his book, Ratio, then I tried again...

The ratio is actually pretty simple, 3:1:2 - 3 parts flour : 1 part fat : 2 parts liquid. Ruhlman suggests that the lift is created by rolling and folding the dough (as you would with rough-puff pastry), but I added baking powder to help it along!

While this batch was baking, I spent the whole time with head in hands and bum in the air, peering into the oven to check that the biscuits were rising. The finished product were still a bit thinner than the photos, but when the Husband tasted them his eyes lit up! They were fluffy! They tasted like biscuits should! Then, the Husband told me that they should be eaten with sausages and scrambled eggs. Now, this could have easily been a ruse, he might have just fancied scrambled egg and sausage, but they did go well together.

For the round-up of the Ratio Rally this month, head over to Gretchen's blog at Kumquat.

American Style Biscuits

110g butter, chilled
330g all purpose gluten free flour mix (I used Dove's Farm Plain GF Flour)
1tsp salt
2tsp caster (superfine) sugar
2tsp baking powder (make sure it's gluten free)
220g milk
cornflour, for dusting
a little extra milk

Weigh the flour into a bowl and add the salt, sugar, and baking powder and mix gently to combine. Add the butter and rub together with your fingertips, until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Add the milk and combine well until a wet-ish dough forms. Tip out on to a floured surface and knead gently, be careful not to knead away those little lumps of butter.
Dust your worktop with cornflour and roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thick, fold into thirds and roll out again. Repeat this rolling and folding 2 or 3 more times. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Remove dough from the fridge and pat out to 1/2 inch thick and cut out rounds with a 3 inch cutter.
Place on a baking sheet, brush the tops with a little milk, and bake for 10-13 minutes at 220 degrees Celsius.
Eat while still warm.

Oh, and my favourite UK/USA word-definition difference? Pants.

And here's the rest of the gang!

Amanda at Gluten Free Maui made Classic Biscuits and Gravy

Amie at The Healthy Apple made Gluten-Free Wasabi Parsley Biscuits

Caneel at Mama Me Gluten Free made Whole Grain Pecan Drop Biscuits

Charissa at Zest Bakery made Eggnog Biscuits with Grated Nutmeg

Erin at The Sensitive Epicure made Scallion Biscuits with Sausage Gravy

Gretchen at Kumquat made Sweet Buttermilk Biscuits

Heather at Discovering the Extraordinary made Almond Coconut Tea Biscuits

Jean at Gluten-Free Doctor Recipes made Jammers

Jonathan at The Canary Files made Vegan Sesame Shiso Biscuits

Karen at Cooking Gluten Free! made Biscuit Template with Dairy Free Substitutions

Lisa at Gluten Free Canteen made Fluffy Biscuits, Gluten Free

Mary Fran at FrannyCakes made Gluten-Free Espresso Orange Biscuits

Mrs. R at Honey From Flinty Rocks made Turkey Pot Pie with Biscuit Topping - Gobbler Cobbler!

Rachel at The Crispy Cook made Hummus in a Biscuit

Silvana at Silvana's Kitchen made Gluten-Free Sausage-n-Cheddar Bialy Biscuits

TR at No Ones Likes Crumbley Cookies made Lemon Basil Biscuits

You Take the High Road, I'll Take the Rocky Road...

2011-12-27T13:00:00.000Z

The best thing about making your own gifts is not the thrift, nor is it how clever and talented you look when everyone opens their presents. It's the fact that you can prepare them whilst wearing pyjamas with a cup of tea in one hand - they tend to frown on that in Debenhams. For the reluctant shopper, or the too-tired-to-drag-myself-round-the-shops shopper, making your own gifts is perfect, especially when these gifts require nothing more sophisticated than a glass bowl and a fridge.

A couple of weeks ago I found the recipe for Not Quite Nigella's White Chocolate Rocky Road and was instantly taken by how pretty it was. I decided to make some to give as Christmas gifts and I was not disappointed. Tied up with cellophane and a piece of ribbon, this struck me as a very feminine present, perfect for Mums and Aunties. Another bonus, as the Husband so rightly pointed out, "it looks quite expensive", no one will realise that you've only spent a few quid on ingredients (until they read this...)

I adapted the Not Quite Nigella recipe a little to better suit the ingredients I had to hand (the original recipe uses macadamia nuts, but I think the green pistachios add an extra touch of colour that goes well with the pinks and creams already in there). I used regular baking chocolate and stirred in the seeds from a vanilla pod to add a touch of luxury, if you use fancy chocolate you can omit that.

White Chocolate Rocky Road (adapted from this recipe by NQN)

450g white chocolate

seeds from 1 vanilla pod

125g rose Turkish Delight, cut into 1/2cm cubes

50g Nougat (the pink and white bar you used to buy in your school tuck shop), cut into 1/2cm cubes

75g shelled pistachio nuts

100g dried cranberries

50g pink and white mini marshmallows

Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl sitting over hot water, or (carefully!) in the microwave. Add the vanilla seeds and stir in well.
Stir in the Turkish Delight, Nougat, pistachios, cranberries and marshmallows until well mixed.
Pour into a 20cm square cake tin, lined with clingflim.
Leave for about 2 hours to set, then cut into small squares (you'll get about 25 squares)

After I made this I wanted to make something for the men, something a bit more "masculine", so I came up with a kind of grown-up tiffin that would appeal to Dads, Uncles, and Brothers alike!

This plain chocolate tiffin uses up any dried fruit that you might have left after making mince pies or Christmas cake, use whatever you have to hand. I used Drambuie in mine but any whisky or whisky liqueur will work well, or if whisky's not your thing then rum would be good, too.

Dark Chocolate Tiffin

300g plain chocolate

150g unsalted butter

2tbsp golden syrup

150g mixed dried fruit

100ml Whisky liqueur

200g gluten free ginger snaps or Kent & Fraser Spicy Ginger Crunch biscuits, crushed

50g stem ginger, chopped

Simmer the dried fruit in the liqueur until liquid is completely absorbed.
Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over hot water, add the butter and syrup and stir constantly until it is all melted and well mixed.
Add the whisky soaked fruit, broken biscuits and stem ginger and mix well.
Pour into a 20cm square cake tin, lined with clingflim.
Leave for about 2 hours to set in refridgerator, then cut into small squares (you'll get about 25 squares)

Both will keep for a couple of weeks, but you'll need to keep the tiffin in the fridge or it will become a bit soft.

Free From & Festive - Day 12

2011-12-23T13:00:00.000Z

Here we are at the final day of this free from and festive extravaganza! By now I hope we have inspired you and filled you with excited anticipation for the days ahead. In just 2 days time, the turkey will be in the oven (or maybe on the table!) and soon, it's very probable that you will have leftovers.

It's a time of year when it's so easy to waste food, the abundance can feel quite decadent and we become blasé about the fate of those scraps of meat. Before you chuck that turkey carcass away, stop! Those bones will make a delicious stock (I I chuck any leftover roast veg in there, too) and that will make wonderfully warming soups and risottos.

Then, what do you do with that leftover turkey meat? How do you prevent turkey-boredom by the time Boxing Day closes? Is there life beyond turkey curry? (For a different type of curry, why not try Rick Stein's Sri Lankan Turkey Curry?)

Personally, I like to make a pie! Using my flaky pastry recipe, I line the bottom of a pie dish with pastry, then fill with leftover turkey, roast veg, and gravy, and place stuffing balls on top. Add a pastry lid, brush with egg and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 50 minutes, until golden brown.

We hope that this Christmas is a wonderful and allergy/intolerance/Coeliac friendly time!

Free From & Festive - Day 11

2011-12-22T11:00:00.000Z

Trifle.

Need I say more?

Surely the trifle is the greatest of all the desserts? OK, it's a bit "retro" and I'm sure there are loads of food snobs out there who are sneering at me as we speak, but I don't really care. In my opinion, Christmas is about home comforts, family favourites and a healthy amount of nostalgia. Otherwise, why do we watch all those old films and repeats of Christmas specials year after year?

The only part of a trifle that is not gluten free is, of course, the sponge at the bottom so I have some suggestions for effective substitutions. I have used, with success a few slices of banana bread, a couple of muffins, and sponge cake (especially useful if you have overcooked your cake - don't chuck it out - remove any burnt bits and freeze until you need it) in place of sponge fingers.

As we near the end of our 12 days of gluten free Christmas recipes and reviews, it falls to me to bring you a recipe for trifle. Admittedly I have not gone for an entirely traditional trifle recipe, instead I have combined it with another traditional dessert, Crannachan.

Crannachan Trifle

250g gluten free sponge (I think Fran's gingerbread cupcakes would work well in this)
2-3tbsp Drambuie, or other whisky liqueur
250g frozen rasberries
500ml custard (use ready made, there's too much going on at this time of year to be fussed with making your own)
300ml double cream
3tbsp gluten free oats

Cut your sponge into slices and cover the bottom of a large bowl, or about 6 individual glasses.
Sprinkle the Drambuie over the sponge and leave for about 5 minutes to soak in.
Cover the sponge with the raspberries. (As they defrost the juice will soak into the sponge.)
Pour the custard on top and spread evenly.
Whisk the cream until just at soft peaks (I do this by hand because you're less likely to over-whip), if you like you can fold a touch more Drambuie into the cream at this point, then cover the custard with the whipped cream.
In a dry pan, gently toast the oats, moving constantly, until lightly browned. Leave to cool before sprinkling on top of your trifle. (Since it's Christmas, I mix a little edible glitter in with the oats before sprinkling -let them cool first)
Keep chilled until serving.

My favourite thing about the Christmas holidays is that you don't feel guilty about eating leftover dessert for breakfast, and the trifle is the king of the cheeky-pudding-brekkie!

Free From & Festive - Day 10

2011-12-21T13:00:00.000Z

As we near the end of our 12 days of fantastic gluten free Christmas recipes and reviews it is time to talk about stuffing. For some (the Husband) it is the most important part of the entire Christmas meal! So, what's your preference? Good old sage and onion, chestnut, or something a bit sweeter? I have been really impressed by Marks & Spencer this year for the range of gluten free stuffings (as well as bacon wrapped chipolatas, gravy, Christmas pudding and cake!) and I have started on the Pork Stuffing with Cranberry and Orange rather early!

If you haven't been dreaming of stuffing for the past few weeks and still don't know what to cook for the incredibly imminent Christmas meal, the wonderful Mrs D at Adventures of a Gluten Free Globetrekker has some sensational stuffing suggestions for you, pop over to her blog to check it out.

Mrs D makes Foodamentalist's Cranberry and Herb Stuffing

Free From & Festive - Day 9

2011-12-20T13:00:00.000Z

Like pork and apple, or lamb and mint, turkey and cranberry sauce are the perfect partners. Although cranberries aren't native to the UK (neither are turkeys while we're on the topic), they have become synonymous with our Christmas dinner. These tart little gems are a brilliant accompaniment to the richness of our traditional meal.

If you plan to make your own cranberry sauce for this Sunday (yes, really, not long to go!) then now is the ideal time and we have some great ideas for you.

Fran at Fran's Food has a fantastic cranberry and apple sauce recipe for you to try. I promise, your house with smell brilliantly festive as you make this!

For more great cranberry sauce ideas, check out Punk Domestics.

Free From & Festive - Day 8

2011-12-19T13:00:00.000Z

This is the season when drinks parties are rife. "Come round for drinks and nibbles", for the Coeliac means, "come round for drinks, but go hungry." Bread or pastry based canapés, battered and breadcrumbed finger-foods, and little bowls of gluten filled snacks means that there is usually slim pickings for the gluten free eater. What do you do?

Annie runs the UK's only completely gluten free underground restaurant, so she is the perfect person to come to our rescue! Go over to Annie's Supperclub to see her tasty (and thrifty) suggestions for canapés.

Annie's Cucumber and Prawn Canapés

Free From & Festive - Day 7

2011-12-18T13:00:00.000Z

I make more cookies at Christmas than I do in the rest of the year combined! At a time when you have more guests in your home than usual, and you are visiting friends and relatives, cookies are ideal. What could be better than greeting visitors with cookies, warm from the oven, or a tin of homemade cookies as a gift for your host?

The holy grail for the cookie baker is that deliciously soft, but chewy, American-style cookie. Bunmi at Foods You Can has come up with the perfect cookie recipe for you to check out.

"All very well," I hear you say, "but I don't bake. Never have."

Neither had Alex over at Food Allergy and Intolerance Ink. He has baked Spicy Mesquite Cookies for the very first time! Head over there now to see how it went!

Bunmi's American Style Cookies

Free From & Festive - Day 6

2011-12-17T13:00:00.000Z

There are a few spices that instantly say Christmas to me. Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger. The scents of any of those wafting through the house is enough to fill your soul with the sound of jingle bells! In my opinion, the best of these spices is ginger. I think the attraction to ginger during cold winter months is the delicious warmth that it spreads through you, hot - but not chilli-hot.

What better way to spread a little warmth and festive cheer than to celebrate gingerbread! This versatile little item has so many forms at this time of year, biscuits, cakes, even made into houses!

Saara at The Gluten Free Student Cookbook has made some gorgeous Christmas tree decorations that you have to check out and try.

Saara's delicious Christmas tree decorations!

Fran at Fran's Food has made these really cute gingerbread man topped cupcakes, head over to Fran's for the recipe.

Fran's gingerbread cupcakes

Free From & Festive! - Day 5

2011-12-16T13:00:00.000Z

Brussels sprouts.

You either love them or loathe them.

This little brassica is possibly the most divisive element of the traditional Christmas dinner, but it is here to stay so we best get used to it! Have you noticed that every year, we are warned that there is a Brussels sprout shortage and yet, there are always some going spare on your plate?

If you are a loather, we are here to help!

Obviously, the first thing you need to do is cook them properly. Don't boil the things to mush - 5 minutes in boiling water is all they need, you can also steam for about 10, or roast for 40 minutes. I find that tossing them in a flavoured butter (nutmeg butter, or orange zest butter, are good choices) before serving is a good way to pep them up.

The brilliantly creative Ruby at Rubelle's Moon has a great way to make this year's Brussels' more than just a cabbagey afterthought. Head over now to see what she has come up with.

Free From & Festive! - Day 4

2011-12-15T13:00:00.000Z

If there's anything more difficult than being a Coeliac at Christmas, it's being a vegetarian Coeliac at Christmas. I do not envy all you gluten free veggies out there; most vegetarian options are pastry or pasta based and Christmas dinner has the potential to be just a gravy-less plate of sprouts if you're not careful. On this day when turkey gravy is consumed and the oven is filled with that big bird, what is a vegetarian to eat? Assuming you don't cook goose-fat potatoes, or put pancetta through your sprouts, all you really need is a good centrepiece.

On day 4 of our Free From & Festive we are here to help! Ruby over at Rubelle's Moon has been inspired by a vegetarian friend and has come up with a great suggestion for a gluten free vegetarian main. If you fancy a colourful nut roast on your plate this Christmas, head over for the recipe.

I took on this challenge too, I'm guilty of a complete lack of imagination where meat-free is involved and I thought this was a good time to remedy it!

Mushroom and Kale Suet Pudding

This steamed pudding solves the lack-of-oven-space issue, and the individual puddings cook while the turkey is resting. This recipe serves two.

1tbsp light olive oil

1 small red onion, sliced

175g mushrooms, thickly sliced

50g kale, roughly chopped

1tsp thyme leaves

100g gluten free self raising mix (plus extra for dusting)

50g vegetable suet (Atora make a gluten free one, or try your local health food shop)

Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion and mushrooms. Gently fry for about 5 minutes to soften then add the kale and thyme and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes - you want to cook it so that the liquid mostly cooks away or you'll have a stodgy pudding! Remove from the heat, season and leave to cool.
Sift the self raising mix into a bowl with the suet. Slowly add cold water, mixing gently to form a soft dough. Cover and put in the fridge for about 30 minutes to rest.
Dust your worktop and rolling pin with flour and roll out 2/3 of the dough to 2-4mm thick and line two individual pudding basins with it. Fill this with the mushroom and kale mix.
Roll out the last third of pastry and top your puddings. Cover the puddings with a piece of greaseproof paper then with foil and secure with string. (If you fold a crease into both, then you'll make space for the pastry to rise)
For a better description of how to do this, have a look here.
Steam the puddings for 45 minutes. I just put them in a covered saucepan of simmering water, on top of an upturned plate.
Once cooked, remove the string, foil and greaseproof paper and turn the puddings out.

(If you want to be prepared, this will freeze well, uncooked, for up to 3 months.)

Free From & Festive - Day 3

2011-12-14T13:00:00.000Z

'Tis the season to be jolly, or so the song goes. 'Tis definitely the season where the odd tipple will be consumed, even those who aren't particularly heavy drinkers will usually indulge at this time of year.

This time last week, I extolled the virtues of mulled wine, I have since been introduced to the concept of mulled white wine and would definitely recommend you give it a try! Of course, let's not forget egg nog - incredibly popular with our friends in the USA, but not so commonly found over here.

With the weather most certainly turning wintery, what could be more comforting - when the rain and wind are battering the windows - than to be snuggled up inside with a deliciously spiced mulled cider? Lucy at Glorious Gluten Free has a brilliant recipe for you to try.

Lucy's Mulled Cider

Free From & Festive! - Day 2

2011-12-13T13:00:00.000Z

I think that leftovers are possibly even better than Christmas dinner itself! Nothing beats the turkey sandwich (made, perhaps, with a Dietary Specials Ciabatta Roll?) and, assuming that you don't have Monica from Friends infamous "moist-maker", it's the chutney that really makes the sandwich sing. If you have a ham this Christmas, you'll want a generous helping of chutney on your plate - or try a nice appley, or pear-based, chutney instead of cranberry sauce with your turkey.

A jar of chutney is the perfect gift, the ideal addition to any hamper or gift basket and it's always extra special to receive a present that has been made with love.

If you haven't already guessed - our Free From & Festive theme of the day is chutney!

Today, the lovely Hazel at A Flicker of Fully Fun has come up with two brilliant chutney recipes for you to cook up. I think either one would be delicious with a cheese board, or in that obligatory sandwich on boxing day. Head over there to check them out!

For more festive chutney ideas, check out this collection on Punk Domestics, with thanks to the ever wonderful Sean.

Free From & Festive! - Day 1

2011-12-12T13:00:00.000Z

Mince pies, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, stuffing, gingerbread, trifle, even those little sausages wrapped in bacon - Christmas is a minefield of gluten. Canapes are mostly bread and pastry based, and don't get me started on all those desserts! So how do you survive the festive season unscathed?

Way back at the beginning of November, when the Christmas trees went up at work, I reminisced about my first Christmas as a Coeliac. I had been living gluten free for 8 months so it wasn't new to me, but Christmas gluten free was a different story. My mum was an absolute star, buying up all the gluten free treats she could find and cooking gluten free and gluten-full items separately, on top of juggling all the usual elements of Christmas dinner. It was hard work (for mum, I was next to useless) and it wasn't necessary to cook all those different elements for me. As time has gone on, we have learned from our mistakes, I've actually cooked Christmas dinner - not just got in the way, and we've picked up a few hints and tips along the way.

I don't claim to be the authority on gluten free cooking and baking, and two heads are better than one, right?. So how about 12 heads?!

I have gathered together a bunch of fantastic gluten free bloggers to share their winning recipes with you over the next 12 days. Want a tried and tested mince pie recipe? Need a vegetarian main course? Never baked (gluten free, or otherwise) before? We're here for you. We even have suggestions for your leftovers.

Today, we're making mince pies. Saara, from The Gluten Free Student Cookbook has made some scrummy sounding mince pies with crumble topping, you must go at have a look!

Dietary Specials have very kindly shared their recipe for Starry Mince Pies, too.

Dietary Specials Starry Mince Pies

Come back tomorrow for some cheeky chutney recipes.

Dietary Specials - Starry Mince Pies

2011-12-11T09:00:00.000Z

Mince Pies are a traditional Christmas treat and now people diagnosed with coeliac disease or suffering from a gluten and wheat allergy or intolerance don’t have to miss out! We save time and use our DS-gluten free Shortcrust Pastry, it’s great for sweet and savoury baking and resists the urge to crumble. Gluten free bakers will appreciate how hard it can be to make gluten free pastry from scratch, especially at Christmas when the kitchen can get quite hectic!

So skip a few steps this year and enjoy the fun part of making mince pies (the eating). We also love the Christmassy design.

Quick reference

Makes 12 depending on shape of tin

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Oven temperature 190°C/375F/Gas Mark 5

Ingredients

1 x 200g pack DS-gluten free frozen Shortcrust Pastry, defrosted

http://www.dietaryspecials.co.uk/gluten-free-products/our-products/frozen-other/shortcrust-pastry/

Sweet mincemeat (gluten free)

Milk for brushing

Caster sugar for sprinkling

1 x 12 bun tin

Fluted cutter 7 ½ cm (3inch) and a star cutter or a large star cutter and a small star cutter.

METHOD

Dust the work surface with gluten free white mix and knead the defrosted pastry for 1 – 2 minutes until pliable. Roll out pastry on a surface dusted with White Mix. (The thickness of your pastry will determine how many little pies you make.
Cut out mince pie bases with large fluted or star cutter and stars using all the pastry, place the larger rounds as bases in the bun tin.
Place 1 tsp mincemeat into each pastry case and top with a star of pastry in the centre of each little pie.
Brush star with milk and sprinkle with caster sugar
Place in preheated oven for 10 – 12 minutes
Serve as required.

The DS-gluten free Shortcrust Pastry is available from Asda, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.

Mulled Spice Cookies

2011-12-07T14:00:00.000Z

Nothing says Christmas like the scent of mulled wine. Not just Christmas - winter. I remember the snowboarding holiday (actually, for me it was a sitting-on-my-bum-in-the-snow holiday) where I first tried vin chaud - warm, spicy wine, cradled in frozen hands, it was almost as beautiful as the scenery. All I need now to be transported back to that snowy mountain-top is a whiff of mulled wine!

This month, the Gluten Free Ratio Rally are making cookies. Head over to Caroline at The G Spot Revolution to see the results. The ratio for cookies is 3:2:1 - 3 parts flour : 2 parts fat : 1 part sugar. What could be simpler?

Since it's nearly Christmas, and the weather has (finally) turned frosty, I found myself wondering - could I make cookies with some of the appeal of mulled wine? To achieve this I used some of the spices that give Glühwein, Glögg, and all their friends their aromatic goodness. (Doesn't the fact that practically every cold weather country has its own variation of mulled wine tell you just how wonderful this particular beverage really is?!)

All I need now is some snow!

Mulled Spice Cookies

70g light brown sugar
10g maple syrup
160g butter, softened
160g brown rice flour
80g white rice flour
1tsp vanilla extract
pinch ground cloves
1tsp ground cinnamon
1/4tsp ground ginger
1 star anise, seeds only
1 green cardamon pod, seeds only

Grind the anise seeds and cardamon seeds until they are a fine powder. Mix with the other spices then combine with the flours.
Beat the butter, sugar and maple syrup together until light and fluffy, add the vanilla extract and combine well.
Add the flour and spice mix and fold in until you have a stiff-ish dough. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
You can either roll the dough into a sausage and slice 1/2cm thick rounds off that, or roll the dough out on a floured surface and cut shapes. Place the cookies on a baking sheet and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.

Variation: before you put the cookies in the oven, place a blob of marzipan on top of each cookie, then bake as before.

Clementine Icing: Juice one clementine (you can also zest it if you like) and add the juice to 3-4 heaped tbsp of icing sugar (powdered sugar) mix well to make a smooth, runny icing. Spoon over cooked and cooled cookies, or use as "mortar" to hold together a cookie-tree like the one above.

Amanda | Gluten Free Maui | Simple Shortbread

Jean |Gluten-Free Doctor Recipes | Chocolate Reindeer Cookies

Jenn | Jenn Cuisine | Basler Brunsli

Banoffee Cupcakes

2011-12-03T14:49:00.001Z

There's a bit of a cake culture where I work. Whenever someone brings cake into the office, a kind of party atmosphere descends and everyone gets very greedy. It would be a competition, but our admin manager used to be a chef so when he brings cake, you know it's going to be amazing. He made Nigella Lawson's Flourless Chocolate Orange Cake weeks ago and people are still talking about how good it was! For me, taking cakes to work is based on mainly selfish reasons; firstly, if I bake them I know I can eat them (even the odd flourless cake that makes its way into the office is hit-or-miss depending on what baking powder has been used). Secondly, I bake so often that I have to give some cakes away or else the Husband and I would quickly become obese!

These banoffee cakes were a take-to-work bake that I'm quite proud of. Roasting the bananas gives a lovely sweet banana-y taste to the cakes, while filling them with dulce le leche (optional, and time consuming) adds decadence.

Banoffee Cupcakes

For the cakes:

2 bananas

190g gluten free self-raising mix

190g margarine

190g light brown soft sugar

3 large eggs

For the icing (frosting):

100g dulce de leche

75g butter or margarine, softened

175g icing sugar

dried banana chips, to decorate

Optional:

200g dulce de leche

Heat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place the bananas, unpeeled, on a baking tray and roast for 15 minutes. Leave to cool, still in their skins.
Peel the bananas and chuck in a food processor and pulse a few times to mash.
Add the self-raising mix, margarine, sugar and eggs and whizz up to a smooth batter.
Line a cupcake tin with paper cases and pour batter in each case, about two-thirds full. You will get 12-15 cakes with this.
Bake for 17-20 minutes (at 180 degrees C), until a skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin.

Optional: Fill a piping bag attached with an eclair filling tip with 200g of dulce de leche. Push a knife tip into the centre of each cupcake, about half-way down. Pipe the dulce de leche into each cupcake until you see it reaching the top of the cake.

Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl. Add the softened butter and the dulce de leche. Whisk together until you have a fluffy icing (frosting). (You can beat the dulche de leche and butter together first, then add the icing sugar, but I find that the icing is too soft when I do it that way.)
Fill a piping bag attached with a star tip with the icing and pipe on to each cake (or you can spread the icing over each cake - you won't need as much icing to do it that way).
Decorate each cupcake with a banana chip.

Actually, there is a third selfish reason - I like watching other people enjoy my baking, it's a great ego boost!