Sunday Dinner - Why Miss Out?

A challenge of having to live gluten free is to find ways of making your favourite foods from pre-coeliac days safe to eat.

I think my all-time favourite meal would have to be a traditional Roast Dinner. Today is the perfect day for this. We don't have to go out anywhere, it's a beautiful Autmnal day outside, I have a nice warm house with my lovely family all wrapped up inside and a few hours to spend in the kitchen. A roast is just what I want.

Many newly diagnosed coeliacs may think that they can no longer enjoy a 'proper' Sunday Lunch, but most parts of a roast dinner should be safe for coeliacs anyway. There is no gluten in fresh meat (unless it is seasoned with something unsafe), there is no gluten in fresh vegetables. It's the part of a roast that make it fantastic that need some thinking but CAN be made (and even bought!) gluten free. Yorkshire puddings, stuffing and gravy. Even bread sauce can be made with gluten free breadcrumbs.

Yorkshire pudding

I have tried (and failed) various recipes for these, but I never seem to have much success. I can get the taste right, but the texture and appearance is usually more akin to a very light muffin! If you want to make your own with a prepared mix, this one from Foodamentalists is great. I have never failed using their mix.

If you want ready-made yorkshire pudding, Dietary Specials make some, available to buy in most large supermarkets.

Stuffing

I admit, I have yet to try making stuffing from scratch. I haven't done it because in our house, it's only me that likes it and it just seems like too much effort for one person! I do love stuffing though, and it just so happens there are some pretty good gluten-free ones. Take a look in your local supermarket's Free From section. There are packet mixes such as Mrs. Crimbles and Hale and Hearty, but my favourite is Marks & Spencers fresh stuffing. Did you know that ALL their fresh stuffing is gluten free? (Look out for a further post on how well M&S caters for coeliacs in the future)

Gravy

When it comes to homemade gravy, it depends how you would usually make it, but it might already be safe anyway. If, like me, you make it using meat juices, stock and flour, you can continue to make it this way but use either cornflour or gluten-free plain flour to thicken it. Ensure your stock is either homemade or using a gluten-free stock cube.

Instant gravy can also be bought gluten-free. Personally, I'm not too keen on the dedicated gluten-free ones I've tried myself but this is just my opinion. Again, have a look in your supermarket to see what is available.


And there we go, with a few little tweaks, you CAN have a 'proper' Sunday Roast!

'Snickers' Cookies

These cookies were what I'd like to call a 'happy accident.' I was playing around with a basic peanut butter cookie (recipe to follow) and this is what I came up with. Naturally gluten free, they contain no flour and the result is a chewy, chocolatey, nutty treat, hence their name. They are also incredibly moreish, so be careful! Ensure your other ingredients are gluten free by checking the packaging, as some cocoa powder 'may contain gluten' for example.

'Snickers' cookies:

260g Peanut Butter (crunchy or smooth, crunchy gives you more texture though)

200g Caster/Icing sugar

20g Cocoa Powder

50g dark chocolate chips

50g fudge chunks

1 medium egg

Mix everything together in a big bowl until it forms a doughy texture. Roll into balls between 30-50g and press down onto a baking tray, leaving enough room to spread a little. I made 9x50g, and 6 smaller 30g ones.

Bake at 200 degrees for 10 minutes.

Chinese 'Fakeaway'

One thing I really miss as a Coeliac is chippy meals. While it's true that some of their meals should not use gluten-containing ingredients, it is too much of a risk to take for most people. In most chip shops, they use the same woks to cook all their meals and the same oil to fry chips/battered products.

Since my diagnosis in May 2010, I have been practising different Chinese meals. The following recipe is what we call our "Chippy Tea" and my boyfriend would probably prefer this over one from a proper chippy, so I think I'm doing something right!

Chicken in Black Pepper Sauce with Salt & Pepper Potatoes, Egg Fried Rice and Prawn Crackers

Chicken in Black Pepper Sauce (serves 2-3)

2 chicken breasts cut into small cubes/strips

1 green bell pepper cut into large chunks

1 small onion cut into large chunks

1 garlic clove finely chopped

Gluten-free Soy Sauce (Tamari - can be found in most major supermarkets in their Free From section)

Freshly ground black pepper

150ml Chicken stock (either fresh/homemade or using a gluten-free stock cube, such as Knorr Stock Pot

Optional:

Chilli flakes (if you like it hot!)

Cornflour to thicken the sauce

Begin by liberally seasoning the chicken with the pepper. Fry over a medium heat until the chicken is cooked and place on a plate until later. Next, fry the garlic (and chilli if you're using it) in a little oil and add the onions and peppers. Cook for a few minutes and then add the chicken back into the pan. Pour over about 2-3 teaspoons of soy sauce and toss all the ingredients in the pan to coat. Add the stock and simmer for another 5 minutes or so until it has reduced. If the sauce is still very thin, mix half a teaspoon of cornflour with a little cold water and add to the pan a little at a time, stirring until your desired consistency is achieved.

You could also play around with this recipe to replicate your own favourite Chinese meals. Perhaps change the meat for beef or prawns, or try adding different vegetables such as mushrooms. You could even chuck in some black beans and use less pepper to make chicken in black bean sauce. The possibilities are endless here and I often experiment with different meals!


Salt & Pepper Potatoes (serves 2)

2 Medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes

A handful of spring onions, cut into diagonal slices

1 garlic clove

1 small red chilli pepper, deseeded and finely chopped

Oil for frying

Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

First of all, you need to cook the potatoes. I do this either by deep-frying them, or to be ever-so-slightly healthier, toss them in oil and cook in the oven for about 25 minutes at 200°C. Leave to cool slightly once cooked. Next, fry the chilli and garlic in a little oil in a wok for a minute or so. Add the spring onions and cook for another minute. Add the potatoes with black pepper and salt to taste (usually just a few twists of the grinder will be enough) and then toss everything in the pan to coat the potatoes.

You could also use this recipe to make Salt & Pepper ribs or chicken wings.


Egg Fried Rice (serves 2)

Cooked rice (I use one of the 125g boil in the bag ones as that serves 2 generously)

handful of chopped spring onions

Tamari/Gluten-free soy sauce

2 medium eggs, beaten

Oil for frying

Optional:

Handful of cooked frozen peas

Begin by heating a couple of teaspoons of oil in a wok over a medium-high heat. Add the cooked rice and coat in the oil. Sprinkle over 1-2 teaspoons of soy sauce and stir into the rice. Add the spring onions (and peas if you're using them) and cook for a further couple of minutes, continually stirring to make sure the rice doesn't stick. Lower the heat slightly, and push all the rice up one side of the wok, leaving an empty space at the bottom. Pour in the beaten eggs and allow them to cook slightly. Stir the egg mixture to cook a little more, and then gradually stir the rice in too, breaking up any large chunks of egg.

You could also add cooked, shredded chicken, prawns or vegetables to make this a meal in itself.

The prawn crackers I use are these ones from Asda. Don't use Sharwoods as they are not gluten free. Just check the back of the packaging and you'll probably find that most supermarket own brand prawn crackers are fine. Or you could make your own!

And that's it. It's a bit of work but doesn't take too long and is definitely worth it when you fancy a Chinese but can't rely on your local chippy!

Alcoholic Beverages

Picture the scene. You're a recently diagnosed Coeliac. You're going on a night out to celebrate the fact that you will never be able to eat a Greggs Sausage Roll again. You get to the bar and realise you have no idea what you can drink. Allow me to help!

The main alcoholic drink off limits to us is beer. This was no big deal to me, as I can't stand the stuff! However, if my boyfriend was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease, I have no idea how he would ever cope, so I can understand that to some people this would be hell. Fret not though, as you CAN buy gluten free beer in supermarkets now, so you don't have to go without completely. Estrella Damm Daura is one that I've seen, but I haven't tasted it myself. You can even purchase some gluten free beer in La Tasca tapas restaurants. Perhaps they even sell it in some pubs?

Anyway, that's enough about beer. Whiskey (Bourbon, Scotch etc), Guinness, bitter and other ales are all off-limits too. Basically anything that's made from barley, wheat or rye grains.

Safe drinks include but are not limited to:

• Wine
• Port
• Sherry
• Liqueurs
• Cider
• Brandy
• Champagne
• Spirits such as Vodka, Gin and Rum

Be careful with spirits though. There are certain drinks, which are made from grains and even some wine contains gluten (though it is very rare and is usually cheap wine). Distilled spirits are apparently okay for us as they are so highly processed, all traces of gluten are removed. I have not tested this theory myself though, and I am still trying to find out if particular drinks are actually fine for us. Baileys and Southern Comfort in particular.

My usual drinks are wine, cider or Disaronno and I know that they are gluten free so that's good enough for me!

Your best friend here is the internet. I have been known to trawl various forums and websites on my phone while I'm sat in a pub trying to decide what to drink, but it's not ideal. Try getting in touch with the manufacturers of the drink you want information about.

There are plenty of options out there for us, just don't drink so much you forget you're a coeliac and order a pizza or kebab on the way home!

Eating Out - Wetherspoons

Eating out is one of the toughest challenges when it comes to Coeliac Disease. You have to be incredibly careful what you eat, need to know exactly what ingredients are used and you need to ensure there is no risk of cross-contamination. Unfortunately, the last one is never going to be possible unless it is strictly a gluten-free restaurant you're eating in.

However, awareness of gluten free food is becoming more and more common. More people are being diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and people are now going gluten free as a lifestyle choice. It is with this increase in awareness that many mainstream restaurants are starting to cater for Coeliacs.

Wetherspoons is one of the most prevalent pub chains across the UK. There are nine within a 5 mile radius of my postcode!

If you visit one of their restaurants, you will notice that their menus now have a 'GF' symbol next to food that coeliacs can eat. This includes pub favourites such as steak, gammon and curries. They also have a menu builder on their website for people with special dietary requirements. Take a look here. Wetherspoons isn't known for fantastic food, but I believe you get what you pay for and I've never been disappointed when I've eaten there. Obviously it will differ from branch to branch, but there is quite a lot on the menu for coeliacs, including a tasty fruit crumble in the Dessert section!

There is a disclaimer on the menu regarding the safety of gluten free items and cross-contamination, so it would be best to speak to your server with any concerns you may have.

Potato Cakes

Potato cakes remind me of being little. To me, they're a truly nostalgic comfort food and I used to love eating them with half a block of butter! To my knowledge, a gluten-free version you can buy off the shelf doesn't exist (though please feel free to correct me!) and the other week it was just what I fancied!

I decided to use a random recipe off the internet and tweak it so it was gluten-free.

Here is my recipe. Heart-shaped cutter is optional, but it's all I had. I think they'd look pretty nice just rolled out and hacked up into little 'rustic' pieces.

Gluten Free Potato Cakes

200g mashed potato
25g butter
1 large egg, beaten
100g Dove's Farm Rice Flour
1/2tsp xanthan gum
Pinch of salt & pepper to taste
Extra butter or oil spray for frying.

Yield: 10-12 small cakes.

Mix ingredients together in a large bowl to form a soft dough.
Roll out onto a flat surface to about 1/2cm thick.
Use a cookie cutter to make small cakes, or slice into squares if you don't have one.
Heat oil spray or butter in a frying pan and use to cook a few cakes at a time. Cook on a medium heat for a few minutes each side until a golden brown colour. Spray oil on top side before turning over.
Leave to cool on kitchen paper and store in an airtight container for a couple of days.
Can be toasted, grilled or microwaved to reheat and topped with butter or cheese, or anything you like!

Enjoy!

REVIEW: Pizza Hut

It's here! The Holy Grail to many coeliacs. With such mainstream restaurants as Zizzi and Bella Italia already long on board with gluten-free pizzas, we have all been waiting for the more well-known pizza joints to jump on board for years. We didn't think it was ever going to happen, and then in the space of a week we hear that Pizza Hut, Domino's and Prezzo are all joining in!

I went to my local Pizza Hut last night and am here to give you my opinion!

When we arrived at the restaurant, we were greeted and seated by the manager, so I was able to ask all my questions before we ordered. I asked how they were prepared, how they avoid cross-contamination, how it is cooked etc and placed my order. A short while later, out came my pizza:

Isn't it pretty? I was made up with it! It comes as a standard 9" square base, which I actually think is better than the round pizzas. No crust, but toppings right to the edge!

It tasted fantastic, possibly one of the best gluten-free pizzas I've had to date if I'm honest. I was expecting a thin, concrete base as I have been served in other restaurants, but it wasn't like that. You can still tell it's gluten-free, let's be realistic here. But it was light and not too cloying. The only downside for me is that there wasn't enough sauce on it, but I think that's just down to personal preference and it did not detract from the taste of the pizza.

HOWEVER. PLEASE BE WARNED! At the time the pizzas were launched, Pizza Hut claimed that all of their toppings were now gluten-free. This is not the case. If you look here and scroll down to the toppings section, Pepperoni and Ground Beef are highlighted as 'C' - "'C' means that this allergen is present in the manufacturing site/factory/supply chain & our suppliers believe there is a risk that this allergen could cross-contaminate the food."

It is entirely your choice as to whether you would risk having those toppings based on that information, I personally would not, but as pepperoni is probably one of the most popular pizza toppings, I think it's worth pointing out that risk.

You still get the free salad bowl with your meal at Pizza Hut, but again this is at your own risk as there is quite a high chance of cross-contamination at the salad station. About half of the products there are gluten-free, but there are also a few toppings, coleslaw, pasta, croutons etc to steer clear of and it would only take one tiny spillage to contaminate some of the 'safe' food. Personally, I did take the risk here after inspecting the area. The restaurant wasn't busy at all and everything looked fine. Had it been during a busy period I probably wouldn't have chanced it.

Take a look at the allergy menu above, there are a few other items on there that are safe for coeliacs such as the Nachos (but not the salsa - what's the point?) and the ice cream (but not the sauces!) and a few of the toppings.

Still, it's a great start to be able to have a Pizza Hut pizza, and hopefully they will expand their menu when they see how popular it is. It might also encourage even more mainstream restaurants to jump on board!

I had a great meal, and no nasty after effects either!

Roll on November so I can FINALLY order from Domino's, instead of looking longingly at my boyfriend's takeaway pizza while I tuck into a plate of salad!