Gluten Free

Do the words 'Gluten-free' mean 'flavour free' to you? With a little research and some creative substitutions you can make any meal into a delicious gluten-free version. 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.

MENU

GF = Gluten Free
DF = Dairy Free
V = Vegetarian

BREAD
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 :)

SHELLHARBOUR CITY:

GoVita Superstore

Sells: Gluten free products, frozen foods and wide range of gluten free and wheat free products including some of the Empower Foods range

Address: Unit 15 / 75 Cygnet Avenue,
Shellharbour City Centre, NSW 2529

p: (02) 4297 4916 f: (02) 4297 4920
e: herbactive@ispdr.net.au
w: http://www.govita.com.au

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Green Poppy
Sells: A wide range of gluten free food and mixes

Address: 2/8 Addison St
Shellharbour NSW 2529
p: (02) 4295 1234
e: green_poppy@bigpond.com
w: http://www.greenpoppy.com.au

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WOLLONGONG CITY:

Elementary Organics
Sells: Organic Fruit & Vegetables, Organic Groceries
Address: Unit 2 47 Crown St Wollongong NSW 2500
p: (02) 4226 6300
Website: None listed - Google search

House of Hope Food Barn
Sells: Wide range of gluten-free breads, biscuits and products as well as free fruit and vegetables for people with low income or on a pension. Gluten free bread, biscuits, cakes etc.
Address: Shellharbour & Northcliffe Drive Warrawong, NSW 2502
p: 02 4274 3837 e: admin@hoh.net.au
w: http://hoh.net.au

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Manic Organic Wholes Foods
Sells: Organic whole foods
Address: 409 Princes Highway Woonoona NSW 2517
p: 02 42859875

After my previous efforts to find Gluten Free items I am happy to share that there is a directory of Gluten Free Eating in Australia.

Welcome to the Gluten Free Eating Directory … a comprehensive gluten free guide dedicated to making gluten free eating easier across Australia! Our established free-to-use website provides detailed information about restaurants, cafes, takeaways, shopping outlets, products, manufacturers, gluten free online shops, services, publications and ‘eat’n’stay’ options that cater for gluten free diets. So if you have coeliac disease, gluten intolerance, dermatitis herpetiformis, or just prefer not to eat gluten, this site is for you.

http://www.glutenfreeeatingdirectory.com.au/online_shopping.php

Unfortunately there are no Illawarra restaurants or cafes added to the NSW map search but I hope that we can change that. If you have seen the words 'gluten free' on a menu near you, please let me know or contact the Gluten Free Directory directly. Many hands make light work and here's hoping the Illawarra restaurants and cafes will make it easier to find gluten free eats!

After a little research (and some help from @sejtraav ) I can confirm some gluten free action at Lee and Me in Crown St, Wollongong and at Beachouse Restaurant, Wollongong harbour. More to be added to http://illawarraglutenfree.blogspot.com


Gluten Free Eating Directory
For all enquiries, including feedback about our site, please contact:
Email: enquiries@glutenfreeeatingdirectory.com.au
Phone: (03) 5443 7777
Mobile: 0400 558 741

Update: I just heard from the lovely people from Gluten Free Eating Directory and there are two businesses listed in the south coast area



Gluten Free Options
Range of gluten free food hamper bags
Convenient, easy and deluxe gluten free catering option

http://www.glutenfreeeatingdirectory.com.au/view.php?business=335

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Available From
Orders can be placed directly with Berihurikari (see contact details above). Curry choices and prices are available on the Berihurikari website (click link on this page)
Deliveries are made to NSW Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Sydney suburbs. See website for details or contact Berihurikari direct
Berry Markets (1st Sunday of the month)
Kiama Produce Market (4th Saturday of the month)
Bowral Produce Market (2nd Saturday of the month)
Wollongong Mall Markets at Crown Central (every Friday)
Major events at Homebush stadium (from the food vendor area outside the stadium)
Various retail outlets including Manuka Fine Food Store (Canberra), Green Poppy (Shellharbour), Jamberoo General Store (Jamberoo), Kangaroo Valley Supermarket (Kangaroo Valley), Mangerton Convenience Store (Mangerton), Keiraville Fine Cuisine (Wollongong), Emporium (Berry)

More information:
http://www.glutenfreeeatingdirectory.com.au/view_manufacturer.php?business=76

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Update: GFED now lists several Illawarra, South Coast and Sydney dining venues as well as products, manufacturers, online shops and publications. If you know of any great gluten-free dining restaurants, cafes or products please let them know and that company will be invited to be a member of the site. Recent additions include:

• Country Kitchen - Shellharbour, New South Wales
• Bombora Seafood - Wollongong, New South Wales
• Zweefers Divine Cakes - Fairy Meadow (Wollongong), New South Wales

This weekend past I had the pleasure of trying the Empower Triple Choc Muffins that our friend Michael brought over for me to make with his daughter Siobhan who just loves baking and being helpful. When the muffins were cooking everyone was looking forward to sampling them, the aroma so heavenly we chanced burning our fingers to have a taste just moments from the oven. Delicious!



Today I decided to visit the website on the box ( http://www.empowerfoods.com.au ) and found a vast array of low carb and gluten free foods which I can see will be firm favourites.

FibreX Breakfast Cereal Now there's more to a low carb breakfast than just bacon and eggs..

Gluten Free Muffin Magic Mix What’s so magical about Empower’s Muffin Magic Gluten Free Muffin Mix? In a word… VARIETY!

Gluten Free Triple Choc Muffin Mix Finally, a rich, moist and truly decadent gluten free chocolate muffin the whole family can enjoy...

Gluten Free Chocolate Mud Cake Mix Empower’s super indulgent gluten free chocolate mud cake is so amazingly rich and moist you won’t believe it is gluten free.

Almond Innocence Cookie Mix Your guilt free snack between meals…

Chocolate Rush Muffin Mix For a lo-carb snack on the run…

LC Tomato Sauce A rich, home-style flavoured tomato sauce...without all the added sugar!

LC Sweet & Sour Sauce For those of us that crave something a little sweeter, LC Sweet & Sour Sauce is the perfect choice.

LC Satay Sauce LC Satay Sauce adds a rich peanut flavour to all your favourite recipes.

Premium Creamy Dark Chocolate A deliciously rich and creamy dark chocolate - high in antioxidants and sugar-free!

Premium Creamy Milk Chocolate A beautifully creamy, Belgium-style chocolate that just melts in your mouth. Now that really is low carb living made TASTY!

Golden Wholemeal Lo-Carb Bakery Mix Who says you can't eat BREAD and PIZZA on a low carb diet?

Gluten Free Wraps Ask anyone on a gluten free diet what they miss the most, and chances are they will say “convenience...”

They also provide a mail order service and postage is free on orders over $50.

Empower Foods
ABN 77 096 558 235

• 65 Industrial Drive
  Braeside Vic 3195, Vic 3195
• ph: (03) 9588 0311
• fax: (03) 9588 0821
• 
  Email us

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

Nuttelex
Ingredients: (all from vegetable sources) Sunflower oil, Canola oil^, vegetable oils, water, salt, emulsifiers (471, 322 sunflower lecithin), flavour, vitamins A, D2, E.

Nuttelex Olive
Ingredients: (all from vegetable sources) Vegetable oils 65% (21% olive oil), water, salt, emulsifiers (471, 322 sunflower lecithin), flavour, vitamins A, D2, E.

Tahini ( Sesame Seed Paste)
Ingredients: 5 parts Sesame seeds to 1 part oil