gluten free familyA mum's blog about gluten-free living in Australia

I’ve been working my way through some of Coles new freezer range of gluten free products. A while back I reported on the new Bellyhoo pies which come in fruit varieties as well as beef with veg or beef burgundy. And more recently I have had a couple of tries of the Tutto Pasta meat lasagne (I haven’t tried their vegetarian lasagne or cannelloni yet).

Now it turned out that a few of our readers were not as enthusaistic about the Bellyhoo pie range as I was. Some said the filling was a little sparse and dry for their taste. So I recently gave them another go (this time the beef burgundy instead of beef and veg) and I still rather liked them.

Even more important is that my little boy likes them – I think it’s because the pastry is quite tender and tasty. Read the rest of this entry »

Don’t get out much? Then I’ve got some tips to share from Sue Black who spoke at the Gluten-Free Expo back in August on the topic of The Social Coeliac.

I’ve been meaning to jot down the highlights of her presentation for a while. Her advice is particularly applicable to those with Coeliac Disease who are concerned about making a fuss in social situations: Read the rest of this entry »

Snack fatigue. That little phrase completely sums up our relationship with the vast array of gluten free snacks on the market.

What our little boy embraces with passionate intensity one week is often declared inedible the next, leaving my cupboard littered with half-eaten packets of yesterday’s favourites – which I hang on to in vain hope that they will swing back in favour one day.

You may argue that we pander too much, and he should just eat what is in front of him – but as every parent knows, it is quite difficult to argue with an untouched lunchbox. And so we tackle it a bit like we used to deal with his toy box when he was two.  We rotate often. Read the rest of this entry »

Gingerbread minimen from Dragonfly foods.

Our gluten free family has got used to doing without certain things when we are out and about. We mainly take it in our stride, but every now and then I have to explain to my four-year-old son why can’t have one of those delicious looking gingerbread men lurking temptingly at eye level when we visit certain food outlets.

I make a yummy gluten free version of these at home, and he always just assumes gingerbread is one of those things he is allowed to have. Read the rest of this entry »

Most people listen with interest, sometimes even fascination, when I describe my adventures with gluten—unless they are doctors, in which case they just think I’m a loon.

There are exceptions and I now have a great doctor for my nine year old son, who has Attention Deficit Disorder. I can’t bring myself to say ADHD (the correct term for his condition) because he’s not hyperactive—unless he has gluten.

Last weekend this doctor drew my attention to ground breaking research published in highly regarded medical journal, The Lancet, in February which found a significant link between food intolerances and ADHD, finally! Read the rest of this entry »

Vitarium crumpets

Ahhh the hot English treat that tastes as good with plain butter as any spread you can think of. Yes, its been a long time since I bought a packet of those home from the supermarket.

But all that changed last week after Vitarium sent me a box of their gluten free crumpet mix and asked me to give it a go.

I’ve seen it on the supermarket shelves and never quite had the courage to test it out, but with the royal nuptials on Friday night I decided there could be no better time to whip up an experimental batch for the family to munch on throughout the ceremony. Read the rest of this entry »

Allergy Riders food labels

Tucker time is a fortnightly institution at our school. We don’t have a canteen so every second thursday, the parents from one class bring in home-baked cakes and biscuits for all the kids to buy at recess.

Once upon a time the gluten free kids could only get their hands on the goodies if their parents sent in a cake – otherwise they would have to make do with a GF treat packed in their lunchbox – but things seem to be changing…  Read the rest of this entry »

The season of Easter hunts and bakery treats is almost on us once more, and while the littlies dream of shiny chocolate bunnies, my thoughts have been turning more toward toasted, buttery, hot cross buns.

It’s been a while you see. We missed out on hot crossed buns last year because I don’t have a gluten free bakery near me and as much as I love my Easter buns, I just couldn’t find the time (or inclination) to make my own.

But they are back on the menu this year because Simply Wize is selling some yummy gluten free hot cross buns (pictured above) in Coles’ freezer section alongside the other gluten free frozen goods like Bayview’s nuggets. Read the rest of this entry »

Its officially that time of year when gluten free bloggers set aside their oven mitts as they are sucked into the gravitational vortex of the silly season.

As neither of us are hosting festive dinners this year it will once again fall upon our shoulders to help the little ‘uns to duck and dive the wheaten onslaught of puddings and pies.

To this end we are getting ahead of the game by baking a little batch of gingerbread men that may help to ease the seasonal pain. The recipe was swiped from here. (I had hoped to experiment a little with my newfound knowledge about flour substitution but alas as always, time got away and here I am taking the easy road once again.)

As we munch our way through these tasty little fellas, please enjoy a safe and festive season and we will be back around mid January.

LH & MB

Every so often we unearth a new gluten free product that makes a big improvement to our quality of life.

Lately, however, it is some older products that have been reinvented or distributed in a new way that have proved to be our saviour – and it is the reinvention of two new breakfast staples that has me all a-flutter this week.

Rice puffs
Our big breakfast discovery for the week are these “new and improved” rice puffs from Freedom Food. We tried this brand a few years ago – but there was something amiss with the texture and taste so we swiftly moved on to Nature’s Path Crispy Rice, which we have been eating happily ever since.

Only problem is they are hard to find – and our local IGA only has them in stock sporadically so we need to buy up a truckload when we see them. Read the rest of this entry »