Tips to help you get through a gluten free christmas.

Christmas should be an enjoyable time spent with family and friends. The last thing you would want to have happen is to not feel well from having a meal tainted with gluten.


Here are some tips for making your Christmas meal more enjoyable:


1. Contact the person hosting Christmas dinner. If you are the one hosting then you are in the driver’s seat. Find out everything on the menu including appetizers and desserts.

2. If the main dish being served is turkey or ham, find out what brand it is and check the company’s website or contact the manufacturer. Some turkeys have gluten injected into them. This will not be obvious to the person who bought it nor will it be on the label. With hams, a lot of glazes have gluten in them so it is best to be safe.

3. Bring your own dish that is gluten-free.

4. If any dips are put out as an appetiser, make sure to spoon out the dip on your own plate first before anyone dips their cracker in it! A good suggestion is to bring your own gluten-free crackers.

5. There are plenty of options for a wonderful gluten-free dessert and of course, follow LFGF recipe for making a delicios gluten free christmas cake.

6. Wine is gluten-free! Beer is a big no-no now unless you are fortunate to locate one of the gluten-free brands on the market. Riesling is an excellent choices to compliment turkey or ham.

7. Relax and have fun! With enough due diligence on your part you should be all set. Enjoy the holidays!

Ref: derived from http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=191283397564888

LFGF Egg & Bacon Pie

Ingredients:

Shortcrust pastry (see back of LFGF Pastry Mix for instructions) and don’t forget that for dairy free, use Nuttelex.

3-4 rashers bacon
6 eggs

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Salt  & pepper to taste

Method:

1.   Line or greased pie plate. Roll out half the pastry to line the pie plate.

2.   Remove rind and the fat (if you like) chop bacon; then sprinkle half in the pie plate.

3.   Break whole egg and place on the bacon in pie plate, Season with salt & pepper next   parsley & remainder chopped  bacon .

4.   Roll out remaining pastry to fit the top of the pie. Rub our wet finger around the edge of the pastry in pie plate. Place rolled out pastry on top.

5.   Cut pastry to fit the top of the pie. Press the edges together and cut a slit in the middle of the pie.

6.   Glaze the top of the pie.

7.   Bake at 200c for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 180c and cook a further 20 to 25 minutes.

Our Chicken Tendors

If you're wondering how to use our LFGF Chicken Seasoning, then follow along with Robyn as she cooks up some delicious Chicken tendors.
YUM YUM YUM!!!!

Christmas Nesselrod Rounds

Gluten Free / EGG Free / Dairy free Christmas yummies

Ingredients:

250g Butter for  dairy free use (Nuttelex )

2 ½ LFGF pastry mix

1 cup sugar

1 cup chopped mix glace cherries

1 ½  tablespoon  water

1 cup shredded or desiccated coconut

1teaspoon vanilla essence

½ cup finely chopped pecans

Method:

1. Beat together butter or (nuttelex )and sugar  until fluffy. Beat in the water & vanilla. 
2. Stir in flour until combined; fold in cherries and nut.
3. Shape dough into three rolls, about 18cm long. Roll in desiccated coconut to coat completely. Wrap separately in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
4. Cut rolls crosswise into slices.
5. Place baking paper on baking tray. Bake in moderately hot oven until edges are barely golden, about 12 minutes.
6. Cool on tray.

Marion's Vintage Tarts

Recently, we connected with Marion's Kitchen on Twitter and had a little looksie of her website www.marionskitchen.com.au

We discovered her delicious recipe for Vintage Tarts and with Marion's permission, we thoughts we'd share a Gluten Free version with you.

Ingredients:

4 sheets of prepared LFGF Pastry Mix
3 cups of finely chopped silverbeet (I used rainbow silverbeet from my garden, but spinach works just as well)
A handful of pinenuts, lightly roasted
200g fetta, crumbled into small pieces
1 egg
zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
anchovies (optional)
1 tbsp melted butter.
sea salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C.  

2. Blanch silverbeet in plenty of salted boiling water.  Drain, run under cold water and then squeeze out excess liquid.  

3. Mix together the cooked silverbeet, fetta, pinenuts, egg and lemon zest.  Season with salt and pepper.

4. Cut pastry sheets into squares.  Place squares onto an oven tray lined with baking paper. 

5. Pile your silverbeet mixture into the centre and spread out, leaving about a 2cm gap around the edges to form a ‘crust’.  

6. Drape an anchovy across the filling.  

7. Brush the pastry edges with melted butter.  Repeat until all the pastry and mixture has been used.  

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

Vintage tart is best served mid-afternoon with a cold beer.

Marion's Kitchen Food Range includes a variety of Thai Curry's, Fishcakes and Satay Sticks. Her website is www.marionskitchen.com.au Please not we're not sure if her range is Gluten Free but why not ask her: info@marionskitchen.com.au :)

 

Gluten Free Christmas Cake

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....which means it's time to start preparing your Christmas Cakes for the big day. LFGF founder, Robyn Walton has been working on this recipe in the test kitchen for the last few weeks and, it appears, has found an amazing, mouth watering way to bake not only a gluten free christmas cake, but also a Vegan one.

If you do bake this recipe, we'd love to hear your thoughts xx

 

Ingredients:

1kg mixed fruit 

1 ¾ cups water

100g cherries 
½ cup sherry

250g Nuttelex 
½ tsp each of cinnamon & ginger

150g raw or brown sugar 
¼ tsp mixed spice

2tbsp golden syrup
200g mixed nuts
______________________________________________________________

3 tsp of egg replacer (no egg)
½ tsp lemon essence

½ cup sherry
1 tsp baking powder (gluten free)

1 tsp bicarb soda (with a little hot water)
2 ½ cups LFGF bread mix

Method:

1. Place first 10 ingredients (above the line ) into large saucepan and bring to the boil then simmer for 3-4 minutes then allow it to cool. 
2. Add egg replacer (no egg), second ½ cup sherry, bicarb soda and lemon essence and mix well. 
3. Then add bicarb soda to LFGF bread mix and fold through fruit mixture.
4. Prepare 23cm spring cake tin with 2 layers of greaseproof paper and 1 layer of baking paper. 
5. Bake at 180 for 1 ½ -2 hours or until a skewer comes out clean. 
6. Whilst hot pour 3 tbsp of sherry over cake and allow to cool, wrap and store.

Vegan variant (fresh out of the oven)

NB: (10/12/2011) We've received an email from one of our lovely LFGF'rs and she writes that "when making the LFGF Christmas cake, I found that 180c was too high a temperature and in fact, 150c was the right".Obviously, all ovens are different but this tip might be helpful. Thank you so much for the email Deidre :)

LFGF Gluten Free Pizza Bases

We recently were asked if you could use LFGF to make pizza and the answer is absolutely yes! Here's the instructions on how to make Robyn's LFGF pizza base.

1. Add 2 cups of LFGF Bread or Pastry mix into a bowl and mix in 7g dry yeast mix (use the satchel from your LFGF pack).

2. Add 1 tbs oil and ¾ cup of warm water.

3. Mix together with lightly floured hands until the dough comes together to form a ball. 

4. Place dough on a lightly flour surface and knead for 10 minutes. You can divide dough into 2 small portions or you can make 1 large base. 

5. Roll or press out to form the pizza base. Place on prepared baking tray.  

6. Place in a proving oven (see our handy hint on proofing ovens) and leave in a warm location for at least 2 hours. 

7. Bake for 5 -10 minutes until lightly brown. Or you can add your topping then bake for 15- 20 minutes until cooked.

Quiche Lorraine from Ali V

Ingredients:

• LFGF shortcrust pastry (see instructions on preparing the pastry)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 4 rashers bacon, rind removed, finely chopped
• 1 cup grated tasty cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon GLUTEN FREE plain flour
• 250ml Lactose Free cream
• 3/4 cup Lactose Free skim milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease a fluted 3cm deep, 23cm (base), loose-base flan pan.
   
   
2. Line base and sides of flan with Gluten Free pastry. Trim excess. Line pastry with baking paper. Half-fill with dried beans or rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove paper and beans. Bake a further 10 minutes or until golden.
   
   
3. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and bacon. Cook for 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cool. Sprinkle over pastry. Top with cheese.
   
   
4. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C. Whisk remaining ingredients and salt and pepper in a jug. Pour over bacon. Place onto tray. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve.
   

   

   
   

   (Serves 6)

   
   

   Receipe courteously of Ali V - it's all about Gluten Free Sept/Oct 2011 e-newsletter. Ali V suggests Liddells Lactose Free cream/skim milk.

   
   

Cornish Pastries

Example image shown.

Part 1 - The Pastry.


Ingredients:
* As per the instructions of the back of the LFGF Pastry Mix pack
1 1/2 cups of LFGF Pastry Mix
60g butter or Dairy free alternative like Nuttlex
3-4 teaspoons water (as required)


Method:
1. Place LFGF Pastry Mix into a bowl.


2. Rub in butter with finger tips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.


3. Add the water gradually, making it into a workable dough.


4. Turn onto a lightly floured board.


5. Roll out thinly. Should be enough for 2 large pastries to bake on a flat cookie tray.




Part 2 - The Filling.


Ingredients:
400g sirlon steak chunks (or 400h mince meat)
2 medium potatoes, peepled and sliced thinly
1 medium leek, chopped
1/4 cabbage chopped finely
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons butter or Dairy free alternative like Nuttlex
(Can use other vegetables of your choice)


Method:
1. Place the garlic, butter, leek, potato and meat into a saucepan and cook for 5-7 mins to gently brown the meat. Stir frequently.


2. Once the meat is cooked, remove from heat.


3. place the rolled out pastry onto a piece of baking paper on a flat cookie tray.


4. Divide the meat mixture between the 2 pastries. Don't be shy!


5. Fold pastry up over the sides and top.


6. Pinch together at the top.


7. Bake in a hot oven (200℃) for 1 hour.


Eat and enjoy!!


**Recipe from the RPA Allergy Unit. 9-11 Layton Street, Camperdown, 2050**

Gluten Free / Vegan Parathas with Potato Filling

Dough 

2 Cups Live Free Gluten Free Bread mix

½ teaspoon salt   

100g Nuttelex ( or you can use butter if you like )  

½ Cup of water                                                                      

2 teaspoons baking powder

1.     Place LFGF bread mix & baking powder in a large bowl, rub in the nuttelex or (butter).

2.     Stir in enough water to make ingredients cling together.

3.     Turn dough onto A floured surface, knead about 10 minutes or until smooth.

4.     Divied dough into 16 portions and roll each portion on a floured  surface into a thin 16cm round.

5.    Stack rounds between layers of plastic wrap to prevent drying out. You will need 2 rounds for one parathas.

6.     Divide filling among the rounds, spread filling over ½ the rounds, leaving 7mm borders. Brush borders with  water, top with remaining rounds. Press edges together to seal.

7.     Bake in moderate oven 180 deg until golden brown                                                                                                 

Filling

1 large (300g) potato, chopped

½ (125g) kumara, chopped  

1 teaspoon coriander Seeds

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ cup firmly packed fresh Coriander leaves

8.    Boil or steam potato and kumara until tender.

9.  Mash vegetables  coarsely, stir in spices and coriander.

10. Serve with a fresh green salad for lunch or eat hot or cold for a snacks when on the run.

LFGF Pumpkin and Fetta Galette by Neat Eats

Despite the somewhat fancy name, a galette is possibly one of the unfanciest things you can make in the oven – in a good way. It’s a kind of freeform tart that means no stuffing around with cutters or pie tins; it’s all hand -made and still manages to look good even if it’s a bit wonky.

The best thing, however, is that you and get as creative as you want with the ingredients. It can be sweet or savoury, so just throw in anything that you have to hand.

You will need:
1 batch of Live Free Gluten Free pastry (see below)
500 g piece of pumpkin, peeled and cubed
1 onion, thinly sliced
75g fetta cheese
Handful of pepita seeds
1-2 tbs oil

Preheat the oven to 180C. Add your cubed pumpkin to a baking tray, drizzle it with a bit of oil and season lightly. Bake until soft through but not too browned (turn the oven down if needed). While this is cooking, add the onion and some to a frying pan over low-medium heat. You want to caramelise the onions really slowly – it should take at least 10 minutes and they should remain soft (not crispy).

Prepare the pastry mix according to the packet (details below), roll into a ball and set aside while the pumpkin and onions cook and then cool.

Once you have everything prepared, roll out the pastry into a rough circle, about 2mm thick. If you’re feeling a bit fussy you can remove any unevenness with a knife. Cover a baking tray with greaseproof paper and relocate your pastry – it’s important to do this before you put the filling in.

To fill, simply spread the onions over the base, leaving enough pastry around the edge (about 5cm) to fold up afterwards. Top with the baked pumpkin, crumbled fetta and pepita seeds and fold the extra pastry up around the sides. Return to the oven and cook for about 20 minutes until browned.

This galette is nice hot or cold but particularly good at picnics.

Live Free Gluten Free short crust pastry:

1 ½ cups LFGF pastry mix
60g butter
3-4tbs water (you may need more)

Place LFGF pastry mix into a bowl. Rub in butter with fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the water gradually, making it into a workable dough. Turn on to a lightly floured board and roll into desired shape.

Big thanks to Neat Eats for this delicious recipe. 

To see their original entry from their test kitchen, visit

Website: www.neateats.com.au/2011/09/pumpkin-and-fetta-galette/ 

Facebook:www.facebook.com/pages/Neat-Eats/198777693508067?sk=wall

Twitter: @neateats

Neat Eats,  news for food nerds.