Article: Gluten free? No problem

September 03, 2009

Section: Feel Good

JENNA THOMPSON
jthompson@kiamaindependent.com.au

When Vanessa Pike-Russell changed over to a gluten-free diet, she never expected her menu to expand to dramatically.
“Instead of decreasing the amount of foods I can eat, I’ve increased that list significantly through research and now I’m having a lot of fun choosing what I can make and eat next,” she said.
Vanessa said that those who are gluten free need not fret about local restaurants and coffee shops catering to the healthier diet.
“It’s suprising to find that there are more places in the Illawarra than most people think who cater to gluten free diets, it’s just a matter of finding them or asking when you’re out,” Vanessa said.
As a keen blogger since 2005, Vanessa has compiled an impressive list of gluten free products, restaurants and recipes for others to enjoy.
“As the list of gluten-free flours grow it is getting easier to cook our favourite meals without a loss of flavour or texture,” Vanessa said.
“I’m excited by the use of coconut flour (made from finely ground coconut meal) and coconut oil for shortbreads and other biscuits but also in pastries and pie crusts.
“Rather than feeling saddened by the need to restrict gluten in my diet I am excited by the alternatives that are out there and look upon this as a way of widening my ingredients list and exploring some of the long established gluten-free alternatives used in cuisines around the world.”
For those looking to find out more about gluten free products, Vanessa suggests starting online such as her blog www.illawarraglutenfree.blogspot.com.
“It’s amazing how much you can find when you do a little bit of research,” she said.

Butterfingers Gluten Free Shortbread

I love shortbread. I love making my own and putting it into gift tins as Christmas presents. I always use rice flour and everyone loves the crumbly texture and flavour.

Recently I was browsing the gluten free aisles of Woolworths Warilla and spotted my favourite brand of Shortbread - Butterfingers.

This deliciously smooth pure butter shortbread is gluten free (tested) and has been made for people with a wheat intolerance. Look out for new flavour varieties on the supermarket shelf. 

Butterfingers Gluten Free shortbread is packaged in a single sealed tamper-evident inner and packed into cartons of 12.

For further product information please contact info@butterfingers.com.au

Sugar Cube Belgium Waffles, Wollongong:Vanessa Pike-Russell

Today I finally made it into The Sugar Cube in Wollongong and enjoyed a gluten-free waffle with strawberries and cream. Such indulgence!

I also enjoyed a mocha and sat down at the cute red stools and table and enjoyed having a few moments to myself and just taking my time to enjoy my first ever gluten-free belgium waffles and a cup of Lazumba mocha coffee.

Definitely not the last time! I would love to try their Banoffee waffles. A great way to warm up on a cold, overcast day.

The service was fantastic and so friendly. Definitely worth a visit!

The Sugar Cube Coffee & Treats
13 Crown Street (Corner Crown & Harbour Streets)
WOLLONGONG NSW 2500
Tel. 02 4227 3888

OPENING HOURS

Mon – Thurs 7.15am to 6pm
Friday 7.15am to 10pm
Sat 8.30am to 10pm
Sun 8.30am to 6pm

Sugar Cube Belgium Waffles, Wollongong

More Illawarra Food and Restaurant Reviews at http://illawarrafoodreviews.blogspot.com

Photography by Vanessa Pike-Russell
http://www.vanessapikerussell.com.au

Recipe: Gluten-free Strawberry Cake

Image courtesy of  glutenfreemommy.com

Note: You can easily substitute 3 cups of your gluten free flour mix for mine- just watch the liquid content.

1/2 cup almond meal

1 1/2 cups brown rice flour

3/4 cup tapioca flour

1/4 cup sweet rice flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons strawberry Jello® mix

1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum

2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup pureed strawberries

3/4 cup milk (or until consistency of cake batter)

FROSTING:

2 packages of cream cheese, softened

1 stick of butter, softened

3 cups or more of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

squeeze of lemon juice


DIRECTIONS FOR CAKE:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 inch cake pans. In a med. mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients including the Jello® . In your stand mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the strawberry mixture. Slowly pour in milk a little at a time until the cake reaches cake batter consistency- about 3/4 cup. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake cakes for 30-40 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean. Remove the pans from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Invert on to cooling rack. Cool cakes completely before icing.

DIRECTIONS FOR FROSTING:

In your stand mixer, combine cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla. Slowly add the powdered sugar until desired consistency. Squeeze in just a little squeeze of lemon juice.

Recipe and photography by glutenfreemommy.com

Mal's Pizza Bites, Bega

Path:  Home > Bega > Business > Mal's Pizza Bite

Trading hours Mals new trading hours are : Monday to Friday  10.00am - 9.30 pm Saturday and Sunday  4.30pm - 9.30 pm PHONE ORDER: 6492 6000 (Closed Xmas & Boxing day) Alfresco Our new outside eating area is now open. Enjoy a hot cup of coffee or just relax after shopping View Larger Map Now available: Pork spare ribs in delicious hickory smoked BBQ sauce or sweet plumb sauce. full serve $15.00  or 1/2 serve with oven baked wedges $12.00 Home Delivery $3.00 for all deliveries within 8km radius of the shop - Please leave a light on Deliveries close at 9.30pm (The Delivery charge goes to the driver)

For Lovers of Pizza Prices may change without notice

http://www.thebegavalley.org.au/malspizzabite.html

Recipe: Dacquoise (Meringue)

Dacquoise

I was reading about Grabyourfork's food tour of Newtown, Sydney and saw a reference to the Strawberry, rose and watermelon cake with a description of " almond dacquoise layered with thin slices of refreshing watermelon and garnished with ruby red strawberries." Yumm!

Dacquoise is a term I had recognised from a Gluten-Free cookbook and decided to refresh my memory with a Google search. I am so glad I did! What a perfect way to kick off my Spring Fling Lunch by the Sea event to celebrate the coming of Spring in a few weeks. I have been craving melons and berries and this Strawberry, rose and watermelon dacquoise sounds amazing!

Wikipedia defines dacquoise as: "a dessert cake made with layers of almond and hazelnut meringue and whipped cream or buttercream. It takes its name from the feminine form of the French word dacquois, meaning 'of Dax', a town in southwestern France. It is usually served chilled and accompanied by fruit. A particular form of the dacquoise is the marjolaine , which is long and rectangular and combines almond and hazelnut meringue layers with chocolate buttercream. The term dacquoise can also refer to the nut meringue layer itself."

I love the idea of a layer of watermelon and garnish of strawberries and the fact that it includes ground almonds and no wheat-based flour means that it is yet another Gluten-free recipe to add to my Cookbook in the making! I am looking at the layers and wondering how pastry chef Christopher Thé of Black Star Pastry managed to keep the layers separate when you consider how fragile the ingredients are. Definitely something to experiment with. I might add one layer of tempered dark chocolate above or below the watermelon for structural purposes. I can't wait to try this!

Martha Stewart has her own recipe for Dacquoise which looks like a good base to start from. I have substituted Gluten-Free plain flour for all purpose flour but I will share the recipe for dacquoise from the gluten-free cookbook when I track it down.

This recipe is used to make the dacquoise layer for the Almond Dacquoise Cake. The layer of dacquoise and a layer of genoise are iced together with whipped ganache to form a neat loaf shape.

Ingredients:

* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
* 1/4 cup White Wings Gluten-free plain flour GF
* 1 cup finely ground blanched almonds
* 1/2 cup superfine sugar
* 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
* 4 large egg whites

Method:

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush with 1 tablespoon butter; coat with flour. Set aside.
2. Whisk together the almonds, 1/4 cup superfine sugar, and the confectioners' sugar; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. One tablespoon at a time, slowly add remaining 1/4 cup superfine sugar; continue to beat until mixture forms stiff peaks. Fold in the nut mixture. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet until it is 1/4 inch thick.
3. Bake the dacquoise 2 hours; then turn off the oven, and leave inside until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.
4. Using a serrated knife, carefully cut dacquoise into three 4-by-7-inch pieces. Wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap, and set aside. Save the leftover dacquoise for another use. The dacquoise can be made several days in advance and stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Read more at Marthastewartweddings.com: Dacquoise

Links:

Newtown food tour by Grab Your Fork

Recipe: Dacquoise (Meringue)

Wikipedia: Dacquoise

Gluten Free Illawarra - shopping in bulk to save

I love shopping at Warilla Grove. It has most things you want and you don't have trouble with parking or moving from one end of a huge shopping center to the other. Another reason I love it is because there is a huge greengrocers with deli, fruit juice bar and cooking needs.

Since moving to a gluten-free diet the price factor has hit home, especially when my freelance photography and web design work has dried up and I've been living on very little money. It makes you more cautious about buying and searching for the best prices.

At Mitchell's Fruit for Less I noticed there are bulk quantities of Polenta (corn meal) and Almond meal.

At Woolworths it is $33/kg in small bags ranging from 110g to 250g. Mitchell's Fruit for Less sels 1KG of Almond Meal for $13.99. That's a BIG saving.
There are many recipes where Almond Meal can replace other flours. It is widely used in muffins, crumble, cheesecake bases, friands, biscuits, cakes and pancakes. Mmm.. pancakes.

I've tried buckwheat pancakes but now to try out a new recipe I found today.
The lesson is learned is that the more uses you can find for an ingredient the more motivation to buy it in bulk and save yourself money over time. The one thing I have heard about Almond Meal is that when making macaroons don't freeze Almond Meal because you'll lose the 'feet' or frilly part that is so attractive. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup water (for puffier pancakes, you can use sparkling water)
• 2 T oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 T sweetener

Preparation:

Mix ingredients together and cook as you would other pancakes. I like to use a nonstick pan with a little oil. The only real difference is that they won't "bubble" on top the same way as regular pancakes. Flip them when the underside is brown.

Serve with sugar-free maple syrup, Easy Three Berry Syrup, strawberry topping, or other low carb topping.

Yield: Six 4-inch pancakes

Nutritional Information: Each pancake has 1 gram effective carbohydrate, plus 2 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein, and 155 calories.

References:
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/products/p/almondmeal.htm
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/breakfast1/r/lowcarbpancakes.htm

How to cook Polenta the tradiitonal Italian way

As a lead up to the Tutti in Piazza, Italian Day in Wollongong mall I have been making Italian recipes and one which I have wanted to learn is Fried Polenta.I did a search on Google and found this series which I love and hope you do as well.
Polenta is corn flour and is gluten-free.

Gluten Free Products: Simply Wize Crusty Bread

I just received an email from Wize foods about their new crusty bread mix. Very soon I will be receiving a sample of their Crusty Bread Mix which I am really looking forward to.  They also have a Bread Stick mix which I am really excited about as I love to make antipasto or mezze platters and have been missing nice crusty white bread for the platter.

Simply Wize Crusty Bread Mix produces bread of excellent quality, flavour and appearance, and is 100% gluten free. Made from the finest blend of baking ingredients, this bread mix has the same texture as conventional dough, and the same deliciouse taste.

After visiting the website I am getting hungry for some crusty gluten-free bread. There is a helpful
video showing how to make the bread and information about Stockists and Distributors.







I also found out a that  Simply Wize Brand is a major Sponsor, alongside Coles Supermarket, of The Ceoliac Society’s upcoming Gluten Free Expo to be held in Sydney on Friday the 6^th and Saturday the 7^th of August.
Definitely something to put in my  Google Calendar.

Recipe: Light and fluffy Gluten-Free Buckwheat pancakes

Whenever my eight year old friend Siobhan stays over for a visit we make Buckwheat Pancakes from a packet mix by Orgran. Today we decided to experiment with the mixture, breaking from the tradition of following the Ranch Style directions on the pack in favour of some fluffier, tastier versions.

 
Recipe:

1/2 pack of Buckwheat Pancake mix
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of dairy-free milk such as oat milk, rice milk or soy
2 eggs 
butter or oil for cooking (coconut oil in this case)

Method

1. open the packet and pour out half of the packet mix into a large  bowl
2. slowly add  the water and milk a little at a time
3. whisk the eggs and add to mixture
4. continue whisking briskly until a good consistency is reached
5. pour into hot pan with oil (coconut oil used in this recipe).
6. once the bubbles start to appear on the pancake all over
7. move the pancake in the pan by using a swirling action.
8. take the frypan with two hands and gently flip it in the air like Julia Child!
9. wait two minutes and then check by flipping once more
10. Serve with a thin drizzle of honey, agave syrup, golden syrup or maple syrup. 

Fluffy, soft pancakes which are gluten and dairy free!


Vanessa Pike-Russell
vanessa.pike.russell@gmail.com
http://www.vanessapikerussell.com.au
http://illawarrafoodreviews.blogspot.com
http://illawarraglutenfree.blogspot.com/

Gluten Free Polenta cake

After sampling the delicious Lemon Polenta cake from Out For Lunch at Wollongong University I decided to hunt around for some recipes featuring lemon and polenta. There were some delicious recipes for Lemon Polenta Cake and some intriguing looking Lemon Polenta Whoopie Pies. 

The good thing is that Mitchells Fruit for Less in Warilla Grove (and Dapto) sells natural almonds which you can grind down to a flour if you can't find almond flour locally. There is a large range of polenta available in stores these days. I purchased mine from the Contentental delicatessan in Warrawong.

Lemon Polenta Cake 

    For the cake:

•     130 g ground almonds (or almond flour)
•     130 g shredded coconut
•     130 g fine polenta (or yellow cornmeal)
•     1 t baking powder
•     grated rind of 3 lemons
•     270 g soft butter
•     270 g caster sugar
•     4 eggs (55 g each)
•     juice of 2 lemons

    For the lemon glaze:

•     juice of 2 lemons
•     sugar to taste

    For the lemon icing:

•     250 g icing sugar
•     juice of ½ lemon, approximately

-Combine ground almonds, coconut, polenta, baking powder and lemon rind, and set aside. Using electric mixer beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
-Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Fold in dry ingredients and lemon juice until just combined. Pour mix into greased and lined 9-inch/24-centimeter round cake tin (not springform) and bake at 325°F/160°C for one hour or until golden and just coming away from the side of the tin.
-Meanwhile, make the lemon glaze by heating the lemon juice and sugar gently, until the sugar is just dissolved.
-Remove from the oven and cool in the tin. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen. Pour on lemon glaze while cake is still warm.
-Allow to cool completely in tin before turning on to a plate, as the cake falls apart easily while warm.
-Spread the lemon icing over the cake when cooled completely. (You can make the icing more like a loose glaze by slightly reducing the amount of icing sugar.)

Photos and recipe by A Whisk and a Spoon

---

Lemon Polenta Whoopie Pies

Lemon Polenta Whoopie Pie Recipe (printable version):

Makes 16 pies

For the whoopie pie shells:

125g butter, at room temperature

200g light brown sugar

2 eggs

450g gluten free plain flour

1 tsp salt

1½ tsp baking soda

250ml buttermilk

225g polenta, soaked in lemon juice (roughly 175g dry polenta and the juice of 4 lemons)

For the chocolate ganache:

300g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa, broken into small pieces

300ml double cream

Juice of 1 lemon

50g butter

½ tsp salt

To decorate (optional):

100g dark or milk chocolate

50g ground pistachios

1. Preheat your oven to 180˚C. Line two baking trays with baking paper or silicone mats.

2. Whisk together the butter and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt and baking soda.

3. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk.

4. Fold in the polenta. Fill a piping bag and pipe 5cm rounds (or however big you'd like your whoopie pies to be).

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when touched. Allow to cool before filling.

6. While the whoopie pies are baking, heat the double cream to the point just before it boils over a medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice, salt and butter. Stir until the butter melts completely

7. Add the hot double cream mixture to the chocolate pieces and whisk vigorously until the heat of the cream melts the chocolate, forming a thick ganache. Allow to cool.

8. Fill a piping bag with the chocolate ganache and pipe onto half the whoopie pie shells, cover with the other shells. To decorate, you can melt the milk chocolate over a hot water bath, spread a teaspoon full over the whoopie pies and top with ground pistachios.

Photography and recipe by Mowielicious

---

For more Gluten-Free recipes using Almond Flour I recommend

The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam

   

Book: The Gluten-Free Gourmet Cooks Comfort Foods

I have just ordered a new book which has really excited me.

The Gluten-Free Gourmet Cooks Comfort Foods:
Creating Old Favorites with the New Flours

The latest addition to the bestselling series of cookbooks that have sold more than 350,000 copies—now in paperback

In this latest addition to the Gluten-free Gourmet series, Bette Hagman turns her hand to hearty, filling foods that were once off-limits to celiacs. Using the new gluten-free flours that are now available she puts old favorites such as macaroni and cheese, chicken pot pie, and lasagna back on the menu. Best of all, these more than two hundred all-new recipes are so mouthwatering delicious you won't believe they're gluten free.

Select Foods Gluten Free Pizza Dough

On the Valentines Day weekend I tried the Select Foods Gluten Free Pizza Dough. My Mum and I were babysitting my little friend Siobhan (8) who has become a little Sister to me since the day we met many years ago. Siobhan loves sleeping overnight at my house and we bake gluten free cakes and bread together. She is on a cancer-fighting diet due to a tumour which is now in remission and enjoys our experiments with gluten free flours and is quite the little help with mixing and pouring.

It was the first time I had made Rice Flour pancakes for breakfast. She normally enjoys the Buckwheat pancake mix from a packet but I decided to try the recipe from the Mckenzie Rice Flour information page this time, which she loved. "Dee-licious", she declared!

For lunch we made a pizza with the Select Foods Gluten Free Pizza Dough, some home made bolognaise sauce, pineapple pieces and a sprinkling of grated cheese. As it was cooking it smelled divine and after half an hour we checked to see whether the crust had cooked properly. Normally I cook pizza on a thin metal tray but I had forgotten to take one to my Mum's. Instead we used a thick ceramic baking dish which may have affected cooking time, stretching it out past the 20-25 minutes on the packet instructions. After 35 minutes we decided to try the pizza and whilst it was nice I do think the next attempt will be even better. The taste of the dough was quite pleasant but not as nice as that from Pizza World in Warilla.

Rice Flour Pancakes

• Delicious dessert rice flour pancakes, also suitable to eat with your favourite curry.
• 

  Amount Convert	Ingredient
  2 cups	McKenzie's Rice Flour
  2 1/2 teaspoons	Ward's Baking Powder
  2 teaspoons	brown sugar
  To taste	McKenzie's Natural Sea Salt
  2 cups	milk
  1	egg
  2 tablespoons	butter or margarine melted

• 
• Mix and then sift, McKenzie's Rice Flour, Ward's Baking Powder, sugar and McKenzie's Natural Sea Salt.
• Beat the mixture while adding the milk, egg and melted butter or margarine. Let mixture rest for 10 minutes.
• Preheat generously greased fry pan until hot. Cook rice pancakes and eat immediately. Enjoyable as a dessert or to mop up delicious curry sauce.

Pizza World offers Gluten-Free options

For $4 extra you can now order a pizza from Pizza World, Warilla that has a gluten-free base.

I sampled my favourite variety - Seafood - and it was SO good! The crust reminded me of the

Country Life Gluten Free white bread and was a welcome change to the standard stodgy pizza base.

I would definitely buy it again!

Pizza World & Sizzling Ribs Warilla maps.google.com.au 1/115 Shellharbour Rd Warilla NSW 2528 (02) 4297 1444 Get directions - Is this accurate? Write a review More information »

Gluten Free Cheese Crackers

One of the things I have missed about cutting out wheat from my diet is cheese crackers. I adapted the recipe from Cooks.com and substituted wheat flour for gluten free flour.


350g grated cheddar cheese
500g Orgran Gluten-Free Plain flour
500g Rice Bubbles or other puffed rice
2 sticks melted butter (8 oz.)
1 tsp. salt or seasoned salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Combine flour, salt and cayenne pepper and sift. Add grated cheese and mix well.
Make crackers the size of 50 cent pieces then use a fork to flatten them. Place on tray lined with baking paper.

Bake at 190°F for 15 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp. Cool on wire racks for half an hour and store in an airtight container.

I used the Orgran Plain flour for this recipe. You'll need the whole 500g packet which costs $3.51 at Woolworths and substituted Perfecto Italliano Pizza Shredded Cheese for the Cheddar.  You could use Parmesan cheese or Pecorino instead. Other variations to this recipe include the addition of  fresh or dried herbs or garlic powder.

Shopping cart suggestions:

Orgran Flour Plain Wheat And Gluten Free 500g

Unit Price $0.70/100g 
Woolworths price $3.51


Ingredients: Maize Starch, Tapoica Flour, Rice Flour, Vegetable Gums; guar gum & methylcellulose.








Perfect Italiano Pizza Shredded Cheese ($6.71 for 500g)
 Ingredients:   cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan trio. 
It adds an extra bite and texture with a mix of cheddar, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses .
















Revised recipe from Cooks.com

Almond and Rice Flour Bread with Poppy Seeds

75 minutes Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 55 minutes
108 calories per serving view nutrition facts

Ingredients
1/2 cup almonds whole, with skins
1 1/2 cups rice flour, brown
4 tsps baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsps poppy seeds
1/2 cup yogurt, low-fat
1/2 cup water
1 large egg
1 large egg whites
2 tbsps vegetable oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan.

Place almonds and 1/2 cup of the flour in bowl of a food processor and grind until a fine meal is formed (the flour will prevent the nuts from turning oily). Add remaining rice flour, the baking powder, salt and 2 teaspoons of the poppy seeds; process briefly.

Combine yogurt, water, whole egg, egg white and oil in a 2-cup measuring cup.

With processor motor running, pour liquid ingredients through feed tube over flour mixture, processing just long enough to mix.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining poppy seeds, and bake for 55 minutes. Turn out onto a rack to cool. (Bread slices best after several hours, or the next day).

Makes one 18-ounce loaf (18 slices).

PER SLICE: 90 calories, 3 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat (1 g saturated), 12 mg cholesterol, 115 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle by Jacquline Mallorca, re-posted on RecipeLand

[Photo to come]

Gluten Free Recipe: Homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi

I made this recipe and it was absolutely delicious! 




Homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi
from Gluten Free Italian Cookbook
by P. Rigoli & E. Nicolaci

• 1kg Sebago potatoes
• 400g pumpkin, finely grated
• 2 eggs
• 400g White Wings GF Flour
• Extra White Wings GF Flour for dusting

Serves 4 people

1. Place potatoes in a saucepan of salted water, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered until cooked when tested.

2. Drain potatoes, peel and place in a large bowl, mash until smooth.

3. Add grated pumpkin and eggs to potatoes and mix thoroughly.

4. Add flour to mixture a little at a time and work with hands until dough consistency

5. Dust bench with extra flour, turn pumpkin mixture out and gently knead until smooth

6. Roll into large sausage shape and divide into 8 pieces.

7. Dust bench again and roll out each piece approx 1cm diameter and cut into 2cm lengths.

8. Roll pieces on gnocchi board (or gently press over the back of a fork)

9. Cook gnocchi in rapidly boiling salted water with a splash of olive oil.

10. Once gnocchi floats to the top of the saucepan, cook further one minute, drain and serve immediately with your favourite sauce. Enjoy!

Note: You could substitute sweet potato for the potato to make it even more healthy. 

Recipe from the Gluten Free Italian Cookbook

by P. Rigoli and E. Nicolaci

Laucke Easy Bake Gluten-Free Meals & Grains bread mix

There is nothing better than home cooked bread. I just love getting it out of the oven and tasting some whilst it is still warm. Heaven! So when I visited Woolworths and found the Laucke Easy Bake Gluten-Free Meals & Grains bread mix I was really excited.


The packet weighs 1kg and includes two bags of 500 grams mix. Since I only have small loaf pans I decide to divide the mixture up and make half a batch. It came out to almost two level cups of bread mix to which I added 180ml of water at room temperature

And this is the result!

One of the best tasting breads I've ever eaten, gluten free or packed full of gluten. Next time I will use a larger bread tin and leave it to rise more but what it lacked in height it made up for in taste. I loved the kibbled corn and the addition of sesame seeds (not in the pack) really added to the texture of the bread. I have enough for three more small loafs or one and a half large one.


The only negative is that I can't stop myself from eating it! This bread is so nice to eat you'll have to hide it from yourself.

Gluten-free Hazelnut Kiss Macaroons with Chocolate icing

Recipe and photo by Better Homes and Gardens

 

Ingredients

• 200g hazelnut meal
• 200g icing sugar
• 2 Tbsp Dutch cocoa
• 1 eggwhite
• 1/4 cup cream
• 100g dark chocolate, finely chopped

Seive:
200 grams hazelnut meal
200 grams icing sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Mix:
it all in with hands and work it into a paste with one egg white

Form:
then use lightly damp hands to form up teaspoon sized balls and put them onto a lined baking tray

Bake:
at 180oC 7-8 mins

Ice:
While they bake, make the icing
Pot on the stove, 1/4 cup cream to warm not boiling then add
100g dark chocolate chopped fine, then stir it all together

Once they have firmed in oven sandwhich together with chocolate icing so they 'kiss' like every good biscuit should