Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns from Simply Wize

Recently I tried the delicious hot cross buns from Simply Wize. I thought I would have to forgo this Easter treat but now I can indulge in this steamy hot treat with butter and perhaps some home made plum jam. Yumm!

Gluten is the protein component of wheat, spelt, rye, barley and oats. 
In people with coeliac disease, gluten causes damage to the lining of
the small intestine (villi). As a result, the ability to absorb nutrients is
impaired and people can become very unwell. Following a gluten
free diet doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of delicious
food and proper nutrition.

The buns are smaller than their wheat-based alternatives but I like the smaller portion size because I am trying to shed some kilos ahead of the summer months. It has been proven that Winter can be the best time of the year to lose weight due to the cold as long as you don't indulge in the comfort foods and staying indoors can mean more snacks and meals than when there is warmer weather.

Ingredients

Flour Blend [Maize Flour, Rice Starch, Tapioca Starch, Soy Protein, Egg White, Sugar, Salt, Stabilizers,(461,464), Dextrose, Emulsifier (472(e)), Guar Gum (412), Stabilizer (466)], Water, Dried Fruit (Sultanas, Currants, Mixed Peel), Sugar, Egg, Vegetable Oil, Yeast, Spices, Glaze [Sugar, Water, Glucose Syrup, Pectin (440), Carrageen (407), Citric Acid (330), Sodium citrate (331), Calcium Lactate (327), Potassium Sorbate (202)], Nature Identical Flavours

Allergy Advice

Contains Egg & Soy. May contain Sulphates

 Nutritional Information chart from Simply Wize



Simply Wize products are available in some Woolworths and Coles supermarkets. If they are not available at yours then ask them to order in. Persistence and asking to talk to the person who orders new products is often more efficient than asking one person one time. I get a thrill when I see a new product in the Gluten Free aisle and I am sure you will feel the same way.

Proactive and Persistence wins over Indifference over time is my motto :) Ask nicely and explain that it is such a treat to be able to eat a gluten-free equivalent of your favourite foods helps make life less grey than going without, especially at Easter when you have family visit or take them with you at the next gathering.

So, try out the Hot Cross Buns for yourself and make sure to take a photo of your Easter Fare for a chance to win a basket of Simply Wize treats. Just upload the image to our Flickr group with the tag

"simply wize hot cross buns" and "easter competition" to be in with a chance. Entries close May 1st with the winner announced on the 2nd.

Good luck!

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

Melinda's Gluten-Free Chocolate Fudge Brownies

I was shopping for Country Life Gluten-Free bread in Woolworths Warilla Grove when I spotted this pretty pink box of ' Melinda's Gluten-free Goodies: Heavenly Chocolate Fudge Brownie' mix.  Intrigued, I turned to look at the back of the box and saw that it had a packet of mix plus a packet of chocolate that you melt with some butter and stir into the mixture along with two beaten eggs. Even better, I saw that there was a 2 for 1 sale on all Melinda's products. Sweet! I purchased a box of the Chocolate Fudge Brownie and another box of Lemon Slice that looked nice. How had I not heard of these before?

I decided to treat myself and make up some brownies and warm up my kitchen on this chilly Winter Sunday with temperatures in the single figures. I had a helping hand in mixing and tasting, Master Levi, almost three. He loved pouring the chocolate pieces into the bowl and measuring out the butter until the scales said 120g. A master button-presser he helped as we melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave and then watched as I stirred it until we had made a delicious chocolate that he couldn't help but sample before it was poured into the cake mix. He then helped crack the two eggs and whisk them up with a fork. Everything was stirred in together and then poured into muffin tins and put into the oven on 200oF for 30 minutes.

The recipe on the box asked for a square tin but he was determined that we use the muffin pans that he then helped to butter. The result is a cross between a fudge brownie and muffin that had the benefit of delicious gooey soft centre and lovely crust outside. Win-win! I have to say that they are hands-down my favourite gluten-free sweet treat so far. You would not know that they were wheat-free, dairy-free and I can honestly say that they are so delicious they would delight even the most fussy eater. I love eating cakes and brownies when they are warm out of the oven. There is nothing like it. I have to be careful to stick to a sensible portion which the muffin tray with six fudge brownie muffins made easy.

When I showed my husband the Gluten-free brownie mix earlier in the week he gave me a 'that's nice, dear' type comment and didn't share my excitement - until today when  he came back from shopping and tried one.  I could hear the same moans of enjoyment and he quickly poured some cream onto a plate and yummied one portion up in record time.

One of the muffins was only half-filled in an experiment to see how it affected the cooking flavour. As you would expect it cooked a lot faster and turned into a crunchy and delicious fudge brownie cookie that we fought over and dipped into the last of the cream. YUMMM!

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

The Chocolate Fudge Brownie is a heavenly mix of the finest ingredients including fair trade Dutch cocoa and specially sourced lactose-free chocolate. Quick and easy to prepare, only add 2 eggs or egg substitute and some butter or margarine for a delicious treat.

           Gluten-free
           Wheat-free
           Yeast-free
           Lactose-free option
           Egg-free option

 

Creative Variations

Sprinkle 100g of chopped milk Toblerone™ over brownie mixture before baking. Bake for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with icing sugar or drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Ingredient List

Dark chocolate (23%) (sugar, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, emulsifier (soy lecithin, 492), flavours, Cocoa solid (12%)), gluten-free self-raising flour (maize starch, tapioca starch, soy flour, rice flour, raising agents (575, 501, 500)), brown sugar and cocoa powder.

Allergen warning

May contain traces of nuts as this product is packed on the same machine as other products. Machine is cleaned after other products packed but we cannot guarantee our product is 100% nut free.
The choc pieces are dairy-free however produced in a factory that contains other dairy products so must be labeled lactose-free. We have tested our product and they have tested as dairy free. However, we cannot guarantee our product is 100% dairy free.

	AVG QTY PER SERVING	AVG QTY PER 100g

ENERGY	764kJ	1910kJ
PROTEIN	2.68g	6.7g
FAT, total	6.2g	15.5g
- saturated	5.24g	13.1g
CARBOHYDRATE	28.76g	71.9g
- sugars	8.24g	20.6g
SODIUM	52mg	130mg
GLUTEN	None detectable	None detectable

Now that I have looked online I can see there is an extensive range of Melinda's products for me to experience. Look out for them in Woolworths and take advantage of the special price of two boxes for $10 whilst it lasts. Trust me - $5 for five portions of the best gluten-free brownies is great value!




http://www.glutenfreegoodies.com.au/

My journey to a Gluten-Free diet

What prompted you to change to a Gluten-free diet?

Over the years I have become aware of foods with gluten which can trigger nasty side-effects. Most of the times they are foods that I crave, such a starchy breads, cakes or doughnuts. Consumption of these 'comfort foods' can result in painful side-effects such as stomach cramps, wind, bloating, diarrhoea, facial bloating and sometimes headaches and 'brain fog'. Now it has a name - Gluten sensitivity.

"Gluten sensitivity (GS) encompasses a collection of medical conditions in which gluten has an adverse effect... Gluten is composed of the sticky, storage proteins found in wheat."1

It wasn't until I started to note the link between diet and my body's response that I realised I was sensitive to gluten and yeast. When I removed these foods from my diet I found I had more energy and very little bloating and my bowel problems all but disappeared.

Since delving into Gluten-Free diet I have learned that it is not only wheat which I have to avoid, but a wider range of grains and some sauces which use wheat-based thickening. It is the hidden sources of gluten in food which makes dining out or buying takeaway meals so difficult.

"A gluten-free diet is a diet completely free of ingredients derived from gluten-containing cereals: wheat (including kamut and spelt), barley, rye, and triticale, as well as the use of gluten as a food additive in the form of a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent." 2

I have friends who are Celiacs and for them any gluten can trigger a world of pain - even a crumb. The term coeliac derives from the Greek κοιλιακός (koiliakόs, "abdominal")

"Coeliac disease (pronounced /ˈsiːli.æk/), also spelled celiac disease, is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy on up. Symptoms include chronic diarrhoea, failure to thrive (in children), and fatigue, but these may be absent, and symptoms in other organ systems have been described. A growing portion of diagnoses are being made in asymptomatic persons as a result of increased screening... Other cereals such as maize (corn), quinoa, millet, sorghum, teff, amaranth, buckwheat, rice, and wild rice are safe for patients to consume" 3

At first the changes I made was to limit the amount of bread I ate to two slices a day, switching from the cheap white bread to gluten-free Soy and Linseed bread. I also cut out wheat-based pasta and switched to rice and corn-based varieties purchased in the health food section of Woolworths and Coles.

Now I prefer to eat Gluten-Free bread such as Country Life Bakery Low-GI Gluten Free which can be purchased through Woolworths. It is made with a combination of rice flour, tapioca flour, Linseed meal, psyllium husks, buckwheat, rice bran - and tastes fantastic!

These can be expensive but if you limit yourself to two pieces of bread a day and keep some bread frozen in sandwich bags in packs of two they can last longer. The loaf size is half that of regular bread and twice as expensive but you can't put a price on your health. Before I go shopping I visit Woolworths HomeShop (homeshop.com.au) and do a search for Gluten-Free. You would be surprised at the range that Woolworths stocks. Sometimes you may need to ask the store manager to order in some products in a range, as I have found that some of the smaller stores such as Warilla Grove do not carry the full line but are often willing to order them in if there is a need. Woolworths now delivers to more areas including Lake Illawarra where I live, which makes things easier.

What Gluten-Free products do you use?

Favourite brands stocked at Woolworths include:

Country Life Bread Gluten Free Sliced 510g $6.13

Woolworths Free From Pizza Dough Gluten Free 320g

$3.40

Woolworths Free From Choc Chip Muffin Mix Gluten Free 450g $5.28

San Remo Pasta Macaroni Gluten Free 250g

Leda Gluten Free Gingernut Cookies 155g

3.18

Freedom Foods Gluten Free Wraps 170g 4.37

Orgran Flour S/Raise Wheat Gluten Free 500g

3.51

Nu-Vit Linseed Gluten Free 500g 2.28

I also enjoy the Empower range of Gluten-Free cake and muffin mixes available at health food stores.

I often make my own breads, including Cornbread which is made from using three types of corn flours (polenta, cornfour and white maize). It is wonderful for sandwiches or as an accompaniment to dishes such as stews, curries and soups. It tates great when toasted with some chilli and cheese and you can add other ingredients to it to make it more savory, such as jalapeno chills and Parmesan. Today I made some jalapeno chilli and Parmesan cornbread muffins which are cooking as I write. The smells reminds me a little of the cheesey scones my Grandmother used to make.

Does having a Gluten free diet equate that you can have a boring menu?

As the list of gluten-free flours grow it is getting easier to cook our favourite meals without a loss of flavour or texture. I am excited by the use of coconut flour (made from finely ground coconut meat) 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 example, Besan or Gram (chickpea) flour "is a staple ingredient in Indian and Bangladeshi cuisines... and when mixed with an equal proportion of water, can be used as an egg-replacer in vegan cooking... the flour is used to make pakoras, papadums, and onion bhajis, Burmese tofu, and jidou liangfen."3

When I realised this, it explained why I had less problems with much of the Indian cuisine I enjoy than I did when ordering pizzas or other wheat-based fast food favourites. If you don't have access to Besan Flour then you can make some yourself using chickpeas which are available in many supermarkets and health food stores. The following recipe for besan flour is from Wikipedia, a wonderful source of gluten-free flour information, as is the Celiac Sprue Association.

How to make Besan Flour at home:

1. Take pre-cooked chickpeas, rinse thoroughly and drain.
2. Spread evenly across an un-greased baking tray and cook on medium heat for 2–3 hours then turn off oven and leave overnight to cool.
3. Place into a mortar and pestle and grind to a fine consistency.

There are other recipes available on Illawarra Gluten Free and available online. I suggest you start by printing out a list of gluten-free flours and working from there.

What are some of the most well-known varieties of Gluten-free flours?
There are many types of flours that are naturally gluten-free. Some are nut based, others plant or seed based.

Almond meal *
Amaranth flour
Arrowroot flour *
Artichoke flour
Besan (chickpea) flour *
Brown rice flour
Buckwheat flour
Channah (type of chickpea) flour
Coconut Flour (finely ground coconut meat)
Corn flour *
Corn meal *
Cottonseed flour
Dahl or Dal flour (Indian split peas or beans ground as flour)
Flaxseed meal (also known as liniseed meal) *
Garbanzo meal (chickpea aka besan and gram)
Lentil flour
Maize (Corn) *
Millet flour
Nut meal
Peanut flour
Quinoa flour
Semolina flour*
Sunflower seed flour

Items with a * are available at most Woolworth stores. Others can be found at Health Food Stores and online.
If you do want to eat out at restaurants and cafes that cater to gluten-free diets pay a visit to the Gluten Free Eating Directory of Australia I have also discovered Green Poppy in Shellharbour has a wide range of gluten-free products and been introduced to Lee & Me in Wollongong Mall by a friend, making my trips into Wollongong more enjoyable. The Educated Palate in Wollongong also offers gluten-free cakes and products. The biggest find has been the Go-Vita Superstore in Shellharbour Medical Center which stocks a wide range of gluten free breads, flours, pies, pastries and ready-made meals. With the help of Woolworths, Go-Vita and The Green Poppy my search for gluten-free products has been made so much easier.

As you can see the reduction of Gluten from my diet has been a positive experience. If you still believe that Gluten-free means flavour-free take a look at a sample gourmet gluten-free banquet.

MENU
(from A Gourmet Gluten-Free Dining Experience)

GF = Gluten Free
DF = Dairy Free
V = Vegetarian

BREADS
Cornbread: Cornflour, Yellow Polenta, Salt, Gluten-free self-raising flour, butter, agave syrup, buttermilk) GF DF
Tortilla: Corn tortillas, some lightly toasted for dipping in Guacamole

ENTREES
Guacamole (Avocado, lemon juice, garlic, salt, gluten-free home made tortilla chips) GF DF
Goats cheese & lyonnaise tart with beetroot, hazelnuts & baby endives GF

MAINS
Spinach and ricotta gnocchi with choice of sage butter or homemade tomato sauce GF V
Mussells marinara in a spicy marinara sauce (mussells with tomato, spices, herbs, grapeseed oil) GF DF
Surf and Turf - Scotch Fillet topped with Garlic prawns (GARLIC PRAWNS: Prawns, Garlic, Coconut Oil, Salt) GF DF

DESSERT
Ricotta cheesecake with Passionfruit couli (gluten free biscuit base, ricotta cheese, agave syrup, passionfruit pulp) GF
Fruit salad (Kiwi fruit, lychees, longan, pineapple, mango)
Gluten free chocolate biscotti

Each menu item is gluten free and offers a vegan-friendly entree or main. It also includes a few dairy-free items for those who are intolerant or sensitive to dairy or lactose.

I have chosen a range of mains (dairy, seafood, meat) so that there is a choice and the colours will look great in photos. Picture the green of the spinach in the spinachand ricotta gnocchi complemented by the red of the homemade tomato sauce. The lush green of the guacamole and the cute and pretty lyonnaise tarts with cubes of roasted beetroot and justo decorate the plate. For the meat eaters, a healthy portion of steak with prawns on top. And to finish the evening some delicious and colourful desserts destined to please and convert anyone who held beliefs that gluten free means a lack of flavour :)

I hope that providing a hub of Gluten-Free information tailored to the Illawarra will be of benefit to others in similar situation. If you know of a gluten free product, company, restaurant or cafe please leave a comment and I will add it to the site.

References:

1. Gluten Sensitivity by Wikipedia
   URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten_sensitivity
2. Gluten-Fre Diet
   URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten-free
3. Celiac disease by Wikipedia
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celiac_disease
4. List of Gluten Free Flours by Illawarra Gluten Free
   URL: http://illawarraglutenfree.blogspot.com/2009/07/gluten-free-flours.html
5. Besan / Gram flour by Wikipedia
   URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gram_flour
6. Gluten-Free Diet by Wikipedia
   URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten-free
7. Gluten Free Eating Directory of Australia
   URL: http://www.glutenfreeeatingdirectory.com.au/
   

Shopping

1. The Green Poppy, Shellharbour
   Shop 2/8 Addison St
   Shellharbour, NSW 2529
   Phone: (02) 4295 1234
   http://www.greenpoppy.com.au/
   
   
2. Go-Vita Superstore Shellharbour
   
Unit 15 / 75 Cygnet Avenue, Shellharbour City Centre, NSW 2529 p: (02) 4297 4916 f: (02) 4297 4920 http://www.govita.com.au
3. 
   Woolworths
4. Coles
5. Happy Bellies Food Co-Op at University of Wollongong