A Christmas challenge…

With Christmas around the corner and countless chocolates, sweets and biscuits in the shop windows, most of whom don’t cater for the GF people of the world, I’ve decided to set myself some christmas challenges.

I really like christmas. Correction, I love christmas.

I wear Xmas earrings and dress the dog up.

I am one of those people, so it stands to good reason that I also love christmas food.

This year I am attempting to re-create the annual christmas fruit cake gluten-free style. I would like to point out it’s never been attempted before. It is nanna’s secret recipe and there is a lot at stake.

Pride for one and disappointed bellies for two, come christmas day. My nerves are already on edge.

I also love rum balls. But this year, will attempt to make rum bliss balls. A much healthier take on the christmas tradition but with a hint of the good stuff.

I am also going to attempt some citrus spice fruit cake muffins and a desert. Thinking about what would make the most festive, but healthy desert. Forget the pav, I’m thinking of quinoa fruit spice puddings but will have to wait and see.

Fingers crossed as I’m planning on testing these recipes out over the next couple of weeks before the big day. Taste testers may be required 😛

x

J

Time for a Friday follow..

So I’m going to put up a weekly friday follow a bit more regularly. Basically a shout out to a blog, poster or organisation who deserves some blog love in this GF world.

The biggest one and most overdue one goes to the Goodness Gracious Organic Gluten Free cafe in Yandina.

They did my birthday cake this year. A chocolate raspberry brownie cake. Di-vine! So for the first time I had a birthday cake which not only didn’t make me feel ill, but tasted awesome and was one which didn’t leave a bucket load of dishes in the sink.

It is my absolute favourite place to go to at the moment, not only is everything in the cafe completely gluten-free, but they are allergy friendly too, with vegan, dairy, egg and sugar-free foods on offer.

Set in the most quaint little Queenslander house, in gthe sleepy sunshine coast town, Yandina. The cafe is spread out over a courtyard and within a house which is crowded with retro antiques and knick knacks as well as gluten, sugar and dairy free books.  It’s the first place since going gluten-free that I’ve been able to have pancakes outside of home. Just imagine, 12 months without pancakes for breakfast. A tragic scenario indeed. They also offer lunch and breakfast options which range from more than just a salad with no dressing or steak.

Happy days! I love it so much I’m planning on introducing every one of my friends to it, including one of my closest mates tomorrow for breakfast 🙂

happy friday and sending out a bag load of blog love to Goodness Gracious 🙂

x

J

 

I can’t believe it’s not wheat…

Usually this type of phrase is reserved for a blonde haired fabio when he’s talking about margarine.

But this particular phrase has been coming out of my mouth lately. Even more so from members of  my family.

I never used to be one for baking bread. In fact the last time I contemplated baking bread, we had a bread making machine in the kitchen.

Since turning GF I’ve added a couple of breads to my kitchen apron belt. Banana bread, peach and apple bread, raspberry and sultana bread, chocolate banana walnut loaf, apricot and lemon cinnamon bread and pineapple and coconut loaf to name a few.

But it didn’t happen overnight. I can remember my first triumphs and most clearly, my first and biggest failures.

Failures in rise, texture, dryness (as in too much), under cooked or the biggest failure, the taste.

Lately however I have seemed to have gotten my groove on and since becoming GF nearly 12 months ago, I’ve noticed I’ve influenced a few around me to also give it ago.

Most prefer it. In fact, most don’t even miss it. I know I don’t. ‘

I used to think I wanted wheat or the products containing it so it’s  funny how since finding out that these products and the gluten within them are the reason that I’ve been so ill in the past has managed to turn me off them completely.

The secrets to a wheat free existence? It’s all in the staples. I thought I would share some of mine 🙂

Plain GF flour – for basic baking, slightly dry texture but good for pancake or muffin base. Why waste time trying to combine multiple flours when some of the pre-done (bob’s) flour is one of the best you can get?

Coconut flour – good for adding a bit of extra flavour but don’t use it as a complete substitute or it will end up feeling like you are eating a mouth full of coconut fluff. Crumbly and dry.

GF baking powder – my godsend and secret weapon for rising or at least lifting

Coconut oil – awesome for solidifying chocolate type biscuits or adding moisture to cakes. Think rich chocolate crackles or chocolate Torte.

Olive oil – great for muffins and biscuits

Maple Syrup – sweet hit without the spike in glucose

Chia seeds – Brings together mixture without drying it out

Bi-carb soda – an extra hit for rise

Buckwheat flour – perfect for pancakes or for savoury mini muffins/Quiches

Self raising GF flour – I hardly use this, find it isn’t as smooth or nice as Plain and can be a bit too dense

Polenta – excellent for adding some density to cakes

Almond Meal – my go to for creating friand type consistency or a good crunch in biscuits. Also combine it with LSA and dates for a wicked crumble on top of muffins or use as a crunchy base for tortes.

Quinoa flakes or Quinoa – great for adding to peanut butter/sultana cookies for crunchiness

Rice flour – Combine it with some almond meal for a near perfect shortbread type consistency for biscuits

Cinnamon/Allspice/Nutmeg – love these spices perfect with nearly everything including pumpkin, herb and fruit based recipes

Almond milk – the best for cooking/baking. It’s creamier and better consistency, rice milk doesnt combine as well and soy can be a bit too harsh

Dates/sulantas – when needing moisture these do the trick I add them to most of my recipes.

Honey – Used sparingly, no more than a tablespoon per batch adds a touch of sweetness

Ricotta/greek yoghurt – when mixed with maple/honey and a bit of lemon can make the best icing or filling along with cane sugar-free jam.

There are plenty more but these are my basic essentials, I would love to hear of any other GF/SF/DF tips for cooking staples out there 🙂

x

J

 

 

M.I.A…

Yep. I have been a bit M.I.A

Actually I’ve been a alot.

Apologies folks, its been a long time since the last post but I promise to get things up and going again.

I hang my head in shame, what would the other gluten free gods and goddesses out there  have to say about this?

Sure I have excuses, family illness, a new puppy and a strict running/racing regime… but there’s always time for blog love.

So just a quick post to say the I’ll be M.I.A no longer. More GF posts and recipes to come

🙂

x

J

 

catch me if you can…

So it’s two days til D-Day. My first 10km race of the year.

I haven’t run in two days just so I can save up energy.

And I’m buzzing.

Can.Not.Wait.

This running and competing in races thing sure is addictive.

It’s crazy to imagine that I only did my first running race last year.

I was 23kg heavier and did the bridge to brisbane in 61 minutes.

This year, I’m much lighter, healthier,  fitter and a damn sight happier.

So to up the ante I’m planning on tackling two 10km races, one 14km race and a 5km in 2012.

Achievable? yes.

Daunting? hell yes.

With the 5km one now under the belt, the next task ahead is the sunshine coast marathon 10km race.

Who said running and being GF didn’t mix?

There’s quite a bit out there that says GF runners can often struggle with poor energy due to the lack of gluten friendly carbs available, but this article has a few tips/insights into foods to eat prior to race day. Thought I would share!

Also for any GI or Coeliac marathon runners out there, who else but Elisabeth Hasselbeck could inspire you to keep at it? Great piece on Runners World on what works for her.

Another great blog I’ve come across is Gluten Free traveller. It is awesome and has some great tips on GI/Coeliac prep for running.

Bring on the weekend and let the running begin.

With a singlet like the one above how can this GF girl not do well? 😛

x

J

hide and seek in the pantry..

A bit of Monday true or false. Do jellybeans contain gluten?…

…….

……

True!

Something I didn’t find out until the weekend. By accident.

After I had eaten half a pack.

Crap and double crap.

It’s funny how most of my food patterns have been completely re-set, however there are some foods, when they are placed in front of me, I just reach for without thinking.

Open mouth, in it goes.

I don’t even think about it.

What’s in it and definitely whether it is any good for me.

But within minutes I started to wonder if it did have wheat in it.

The waves of nausea, the drowsiness and mild headache had started to kick in.

One quick scan of the label confirmed the fears, it did contain gluten.

Lucky for me, I only experienced a couple of the side effects rather than the full suite which I often endure.

So thought I’d put up a post on the most random items which contain gluten, Jelly beans being one.

Other GF people be on the look out, it is in everything!

x J

Top 10 hidden offenders

1) Jelly Beans/licorice

2) Soy Sauce

3) Hot dogs

4) Processed meats – ie salami, ham, turkey meat, pepperoni, bacon

5) Blue Cheese

6) Malt vinegar

7) Beer

8) Red and White Wine (it is GF but the barrels it is stored is often coated in a substance containing gluten)

9) Pickles (yep when malt vinegar is used!)

10) Mustard – whole grain and djion are the toughest ones to find GF

choosing bliss this sunday morning

Blue skies. Sunshine. Light spring breeze. My runners and me.

The perfect start to a sunday morning.

My idea of bliss really. The rush after a run is like nothing else.

But to top it off today, afterwards I baked up a bit of a storm for morning tea and thought I’d share the end result

Fresh raspberry/strawberry scones. GF, NF, EF, DF, Vegan Friendly and SF.

I don’t need to tell you they were delish do I? ;P Happy Sunday all.

Also thought I’d share my favourite quote that I always think of on Sundays. Can set you up on the right foot for the rest of the week 🙂

x

J

“Every morning when I get up, the first thing I decide is: What do I want? Misery? Blisfullness? What am I going to choose today? And it happens that I always choose blissfulness. It is my choice, it is my life, “ Abdullah

my banana bread brings all the boys to the yard..

So my banana bread brings all the boys to the yard, damn right it’s better than yours. Well healthier anyway.

Who doesn’t love a good piece of banana bread? Toasted on a brisk morning and slathered with a nice bit of almond butter or honey. It’s refined sugar free, dairy free,  egg free, lactose free, gluten free and vegan friendly. It can also be made nut free.

The perfect other half to a cappuccino in my book. So I thought I’d share my banana bread recipe which has taken quite a while to perfect but which never fails to bring all the boys  and girls to the kitchen 🙂

The Goods:

2 cups of gluten-free plain flour

1/2 cup of coconut oil

2 tablespoons of honey (you can use agave syrup instead about 2/3cup will do if want to make it vegan)

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

1 cup of sultanas

1 handful of chopped walnuts

2/3 cup of Almond, Rice or Soy milk. I prefer soy for this one

1 1/2 cups of mashed lady fingers (about 4 decent sized ones)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 teaspoons of baking soda

1 teaspoon of xantham gum

2 teaspooons of baking powder

1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 apricots (fresh or tinned in natural juices, no added sugar)

1 teaspoon of nutmeg

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, xantham gum, cinnamon  and nutmeg until all combined.  Add the sultanas and walnuts to the flour mix and stir until all are coated.In the meantime heat the coconut oil and allow to cool lightly. In a separate bowl mix the honey, milk, vanilla and maple syrup together. Add the oil and stir well. Add in the mashed banana and apricot and stir well. Once all combined at the wet mix to dry and fold in carefully until well combined.

Line a bread tray with baking paper and pour in the mix. Bake in the centre rack for 30-45 mins at 180 degrees. Rotate the tin after 20 minutes. Check the bread at 30 mins with a measuring stick and once it’s nicely brown on top it is ready. Allow to cool before removing from tin and cut, if you can stand it.

x

J

ps. would love to hear if anyone else’s banana bread brings the boys to yard or other breads for that matter and their recipes 🙂

“If we’re not willing to settle for junk living, we  certainly shouldn’t settle for junk food.” -Sally Edwards

 

blowing a chocolate raspberry kiss..

So as a little thank you to the hospital staff for all their care, compassion and understanding last week I though I’d send them a chocolate raspberry kiss.

Well an edible one anyway.

Along with some choc raspberry nut biscuits, I sent up some kale and carrot muffins, apricot and banana muffins and a couple of choc cherry muffins. All made GF, LF, DF, EF and vegan friendly chocolate.

Thought I’d share a pic of the biscuits. Saved a couple for home and they don’t look like they will last the day 🙂

x

J

 

Kombucha kure?

Kombucha what? Kombucha tea. Still no clue? Think back about 10 years ago. It was the big diet/health trend where everyone made it at home. It is a bacterial colony that resembles mushrooms, commonly consumed as a sweetened black tea. It is hailed as a digestive, weight loss and well-being tonic.

Well its now in the middle of one hell of a comeback. Only this time, its being marketed and sold in bottles at whole/health food stores and markets. Considering the increasing popularity which Kombucha tea is currently enjoying I thought a blog post dedicated to it wouldn’t go astray.

I’m all for raw, organic, health and wellness products but as someone with food intolerances and also a compromised immune system I am always a bit wary of what I put in my mouth. Especially when it is a product promising to be the health elixir for all illnesses.

I recently went to west end markets in Brisbane and tried a few samples of Kombucha at a health stand.  A day and a half later I was in hospital with one of the worst stomach bugs I have ever experienced. Vomiting and abdominal pain so severe I was placed on morphine and admitted and fed intravenous antibiotics for three solid days. The doctors concluded it was not just a coincidence.

Now while I got very ill, I don’t have a particular axe to grind. These things do happen. But from what the medical team told me, there had been a few cases recently, from people doing it from home as well as buying from stalls who have presented with similar symptoms across the Queensland South East.

So because it’s not just a once off I thought I would put up a post on it.

It’s especially relevant for those who have auto-immune diseases and compromised immune systems. Not only can it cause vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness but since mold may develop during the fermenting process, people with mold allergies are at heightened risk of experiencing allergic reactions.

Toxic reactions, or adverse physical reactions have been reported as well, however, most alarming is the effect which various types of bacteria, fungus and yeast may develop during the brewing and fermenting processes can have for people with cancer, HIV/AIDS and other immune related problems. Due to the bacteria and often potent germs which can grow within the substance it can cause very serious and often life threatening side effects.

As I don’t have a spleen, my own immune response was severe. It scared not only me, but my family.

What scared me further, was the thought of what would happen if I had a family member who had cancer consume it? With their immune system already lowered and struggling due to chemo or radiation, the introduction of such a substance could end up placing them back in hospital with an internal bacterial infection and potentially make them further susceptible to other life threatening illnesses.

It might be a nice, light and refreshing tonic for most people. But for others, there really needs to be a caution or warning.

Dr. Andrew Weil, a doctor and leader in alternative health, wrote on his Web site: “I don’t recommend Kombucha tea at all. I know of no scientific studies backing up the health claims made for it.” He even warns people of home-brews containing aspergillus, a toxin-producing fungus. This could seriously harm those with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, children and the elderly.

Most people don’t even think twice about trying a free sample at a market but for those with  immune issues or other health related intolerances and conditions, think twice. At best it could save you a hospital stay.

I’ll be forwarding this blog to the Kombucha group who produced the tea. For all the medical reports on its benefits the company includes in its brochure, there really should be something on some of the risks to those with immune problems.

Just some food for thought as always and if it prevents someone else with a lazy immune system avoiding a hospital stay then it’s worth it

x

J

For anyone who wants to read more, check out some medical blogs/reports on some of the dangers there:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/134737-dangers-kombucha/#ixzz23UQVIZZx

http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2010/07/kombucha-tea-dangerous-health.html

nb: obviously this is not to be taken as medical advice, merely insight into some of the side effects this product can produce. If you do experience vomiting, abdominal pain, sweats, aches and pains, high fever and nausea you should seek a medical professional for assistance on diagnosis and treatment.