Products: Orgran Rice and Millet Spirals

I must admit I've had a love / hate relationship with gluten-free pasta and spaghetti. I love being able to eat pasta without getting stomach cramps and other symptoms when I eat wheat. What I didn't like was the texture of the pasta after it was cooked. Some brands are very fragile and can go to gloop when cooked.

A few months ago I spotted Orgran Rice and Millet Spirals in Woolworths and I was intrigued. Made of brown Brown Rice (94.5%) and Stoneground Millet (5.5%) they taste nice and whenever I have cooked the pasta it has kept its shape and form. Finally a pasta that is healthy AND tasty!

I love the Orgran range and get excited whenever I see a new product. Check out their range today!

Crunchy beetroot and mint salad with labne

Today I received an email from Gourmet Traveller website. It's a wonderful free resource that you can subscribe to. I love drooling over the food porn and learning how to cook foods that have just come into season.  Many of the recipes are gluten free and absolutely delicious!

From gourmettraveller.com.au

Australian Gourmet Traveller mint recipe feature including recipes for raspberry and mint mojito, goat's curd and mint tartlets, crunchy beetroot and mint salad with labne and many more.

I just bought some baby beets and was wondering how to cook them when I saw this series of mint recipes and found the perfect salad incorporating beetroot, mint and labne (yoghurt). Yumm!

Serves 4
Cooking Time Prep time 20 mins (plus standing) 

Crunchy beetroot and mint salad with labne

4	beetroot, cut into matchsticks on a mandolin
2	Lebanese cucumbers, seeds removed, cut into matchsticks
1 cup	(firmly packed) mint leaves, coarsely chopped
Labne
200 gm	natural thick yoghurt
Lemon dressing
150 ml	olive oil
50 ml	lemon juice

1	For labne, place yoghurt in a fine metal sieve placed over a bowl and refrigerate overnight to drain (discard excess liquid).
2	For lemon dressing, whisk ingredients in a bowl to combine. Season to taste and set aside.
3	Combine beetroot in a large bowl, add lemon dressing, stand for 5 minutes, then add cucumber and mint, toss to combine, transfer to a platter, dot with spoonfuls of labne, season to taste and serve.

This recipe is from the June 2010 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller. To sign up for the newsletter visit the website and fill out your name and email address on the right hand side column (see screenshot below) and you will be emailed with weekly features, recipes, etc.

Dining out: Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar

On Thursday October 15th I photographed the Opening Night of the new branch of Crust Pizzas in 53 Crown St Wollongong. I had a great time photographing the many patrons and friends and family of the Crust Pizza Bar owners, business partners and staff.

I was lucky enough to sample some delicious pizza (I am in love with their Mediterranean Lamb Pizza - Drool!) and they have even achieved what sounds impossible - the healthy, heart-friendly pizza that tastes delicious!




Costa Anastasiadis, (right, in above image) founder of Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar, is proud to say that Crust’s six Heart Foundation 'Tick approved' pizzas were launched in early 2008 and reported to have up to half the fat and saturated fat of comparable pizzas from other takeaway outlets, between 50-70 percent less sodium, virtually no trans fat and each provide up to 80 percent of the recommended daily fibre intake for an adult. Crust's Creative Chef Peter Augoustis tracked down the best gourmet ingredients to create six of the best tasting and heart-friendly pizzas that are winning awards and fans around Australia.



“We spent a considerable amount of time in product development to ensure that the Tick pizzas could offer a higher quality, healthier choice of takeaway to our customers while still tasting great,” says Costa. “The feedback we have had from customers has been fantastic, and awards such as this are further testament to the fact that there is a growing market in Australia for healthier takeaway foods..”


Crust is located next door to the Oxford Tavern in lower Crown St and offers Gluten-free options for all pizzas. Most definitely the best pizza I've enjoyed in Wollongong and wonderful service from staff who are more than happy to provide gluten-free options for pizzas and really know their pizza .












 More images from the night:
 http://www.vanessapikerussell.com.au/food-photography/crust-pizza.html


Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar
53 Crown St Wollongong
http://www.crust.com.au