Gluten-Free beer at RedBay Brewery, Cleveland Brisbane QLD

One of the many things I had to give up, or limit myself with, was beer. I love beer, always have. I guess I am not alone.

When I heard that RedBay Microbrewery in Cleveland offered Gluten-Free beer I was overjoyed. I had purchased some gluten-free beers through ebay and online but they were fairly expensive. Their RedBay Gluten Free Golden Ale has 4.5% alcohol content and a lovely citrus, hoppy flavour. Delicious! It is Sorghum liquid malt extract syrup and as such has no gluten. I think it would be perfect with meat or seafood. It is similar in flavour to some of my favourite india pale ales.

In December I attended a RedBay Tasting event which I found as an online deal. Normally $100, my husband and I paid $45 each for a two hour tour and tasting of cider, beer and ginger beer. We then were allowed to bottle, cap and box a carton each. My husband wasn't feeling well so we decided to collect our beer after the new year.

I am happy to say that two days ago Redbay returned my calls and with the help of my Aunt and Uncle we bottled a carton of Gluten-Free beer and a carton of Knight's First - Redbay Brewery's take on Newcastle Brown.

Both beers were full-bodied and it is great to know that there are no chemicals or preservatives. It means you have to drink them in a timely fashion but I am sure that won't be  a problem ;)


Located in the Redland Trade Centre.

Red Bay Micro-Brewery

7/77 Shore st West
Cleveland Qld. 4163

Ph 07) 3488 2739
Fx 07) 3488 2740

mybeer@redbaybrewery.com.au

TRADING HOURS
Tuesday 11am — 6:30pm
Wednesday 11am — 6:30pm
Thursday 11am — 7pm
Friday 11am — 7pm
Saturday 8am — 3:30pm

CLOSED –Sunday and Monday     
redbaybrewery.com.au

Wray Organics Cafe: Gluten-free lasagne and salad with mocha

   

My favourite spot for organic food in
Cleveland, QLD is Wray Organics in Ross Court, off Bloomfield Road, Cleveland.

Their coffee is amazing and they offer alternatives to dairy milk in the form of soy, coconut milk, almond milk and quinoa milk.

They have a large selection of snacks and meals and a great majority of them are gluten-free and made from products from their supermarket. Everything tastes fresh and healthy. 

Gluten-free vegetable lasagne

Served with baby spinach leaves and an amazing dressing. 

So tasty and healthy and no stomach pains from eating wheat or gluten.

Wray Orgnics Supermarket and Cafe
197 Bloomfield St Cleveland QLD 4163
(07) 3488 2288

Recipe: Pretty in Pink Cheesecake

I love Foodbuzz. Whenever I am low on inspiration for cooking ideas or food photography a good dose of food porn always gives me a needed boost. This delicious looking cheesecake by Green Kitchen Stories caught my eye on the front page. I can't wait to make it! Plus it uses almonds and is gluten free!

Frozen Pink Cheesecake


Crust:
300 g (2 cups) almonds
10-12 fresh dates, pitted
2 tbsp coconut oil
a pinch of salt

Filling:
2 cups fresh (or frozen) raspberries & strawberries
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup honey
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 cup quark or curd (you could probably also replace it with a fat Greek or Turkish yogurt)
Topping: 
1 cup fresh summer fruit and a couple of edible flowers

Grind almonds in a blender or a food processor for about a minute. Add dates, coconut oil and salt and run the processor until it all comes together. Flatten it out on the bottom of an 8-inch non-stick spring form. Store in the fridge while you make the filling.

Blend berries, lemon juice and honey. Stir together mascarpone, curd and the blended berries in a large bowl. Pour it on top of the crust in the spring pan and put it in the freezer for 1-2 hours (you can keep it in the freezer for days but then you have to let it soften a bit before you serve it) .
Top the cake with fresh fruit and a couple of flowers. Serve immediately.

Recipe and photo by Green Kitchen Stories
URL: http://www.greenkitchenstories.com/frozen-pink-cheesecake/

Recipe: Coconut Chocolate Mousse

Another recipe that features Coconut Cream is Coconut Chocolate Mousse



1/2 cup Coconut Cream
75 g  dark chocolate pieces
½ vanilla pod, seeds only
2 tsp caster sugar
Strips of orange zest to decorate

   1. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, Allow to cool.

   2. Whisk up the coconut cream in a large bowl then carefully fold in vanilla, sugar and chocolate into the cream until mixed.

   3. Pipe into glasses and serve chilled.

Recipe: Gluten-free hamburger buns

(Re-posted from my Illawarra Gluten Free blog )

If there is one thing that I have really missed since switching to a gluten-free diet it is a tasty Australian hamburger with the lot. It's not like I ate them every day, week or month - but when the craving hits there is just nothing like the combination of bacon, beetroot, onions and sauce - magic.

I have to confess that last month I broke down and bought a hamburger at McDonalds Warilla. It was on a day filled with medical appointments and I just caved. I knew what the gluten in the bun would do to me but my restraint had just disappeared. I was riding past the sign for McDonalds when headed to the car park of Warilla Library when I found myself headed into McDonalds instead. Despite the fact I knew what previous visits had triggered (stomach cramps, bloating, irritable bowel, discomfort, brain fog etc) I just couldn't help myself. Sadly the hamburger was very disappointing and I was wishing that it had been a tasty hamburger with the lot. 

As I look at the photo I took of the Hamburger with the Lot from Metzi's Tasty Takeaways it prompted me to make a challenge to all takeaway operators in the Illawarra and readers of this blog

MAKE YOUR OWN GLUTEN-FREE HAMBURGER!

I have found a number of recipes online and online stockists of gluten-free burger buns.


About.com - Gluten Free Burger Bun

Gluten Free bun featuring white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch and amaranth flour  

http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/glutenfreebreads/r/gfburgerbun.htm

Gluten Free Girl - Gluten-Free burger bun recipe

Includes almond and rice flour as well as a pre-bought flour mix 

http://glutenfreegirl.com/gluten-free-hamburger-buns/




And for those that don't have the time, I can recommend SimplyWize Crusty Bread mix


 
Simply Wize Gluten-Free Crusty Bread

Open the box, make up the mixture and bake some of the tastiest crusty burger buns you can imagine.  

Simply Wize has a growing range of gluten-free products to choose from. Ask your local supermarket, health food store or retailer to order some in today.

I have been fortunate to sample many of their products and look forward to trying them all.

Momentum Foods - Simply Wize
http://www.momentumfoods.com.au/products.html


 And after much searching I have found hamburger buns pre-made which could be frozen and kept on hand in home or at a cafe
SOL Gluten Free Hamburger Rolls - pack of  4 

SOL Breads Gluten Free bread is famous for both taste and the added health benefits. Our gluten free bread is not only gluten free, but also free from yeast, dairy, soy, additives and emulsifiers.

This is a bag of four rolls each weighing 150g.

Bodhi Gluten-Free Rolls

"A great tasting gluten free loaf that Coeliac sufferers just can't stop talking about. Free of wheat and gluten but still providing an excellent source of Omega 3 without the use of animal fats and preservatives."

Only $5 for a pack of 4 rolls





Do you know of a takeaway or restaurant that offers gluten free hamburgers? Let us know!

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

Recipe: Marzipan

Another recipe with almonds is marzipan. If you've ever watched Cake Boss or Ace of Cakes you would know some of the amazing cakes and decorations formed out of marzipan. I found a medieval recipe for marzipan that I have added to my files and thought to share with you. Gluten free and a great addition to your desserts platter for special events.

The Commonplace Boke of Lady Avelyn Grene - Marzipan
* 1/2 lb blanched almonds, ground*
* 1/4 lb sugar**
* 1 Tbsp Rosewater
* 1 Tbsp water

Mix Ingredients for marzipan together. Marzipan should resmeble a dough - you should be able to mold it a bit.

*Using a food processor to grind the almonds is recommended. Also, the finer the grind, the more smooth the marzipan. Grinding the almonds to the size of sand granules works well. Be sure to not grind them to almond flour."

Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar and almond meal. Some marzipan is flavored with rosewater. Persipan is a similar, yet less expensive product, for which the almonds are replaced by apricot or peach kernels. In Goa (formerly Portuguese India) almonds are replaced by cashews. Many confectionery products sold as marzipan are made from less expensive materials, such as Soy paste and almond essence. (Source: Wikipedia)

Definition: Marzipan Wikipedia URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marzipan
Image: http://www.jepska.com.au/products/about_marzipan.htm

Recipe: Homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi

I made this recipe and it was absolutely delicious!  



Homemade Pumpkin Gnocchi
from Gluten Free Italian Cookbook
by P. Rigoli & E. Nicolaci

• 1kg Sebago potatoes
• 400g pumpkin, finely grated
• 2 eggs
• 400g White Wings GF Flour
• Extra White Wings GF Flour for dusting

Serves 4 people 

1. Place potatoes in a saucepan of salted water, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered until cooked when tested.

2. Drain potatoes, peel and place in a large bowl, mash until smooth.

3. Add grated pumpkin and eggs to potatoes and mix thoroughly.

4. Add flour to mixture a little at a time and work with hands until dough consistency

5. Dust bench with extra flour, turn pumpkin mixture out and gently knead until smooth

6. Roll into large sausage shape and divide into 8 pieces.

7. Dust bench again and roll out each piece approx 1cm diameter and cut into 2cm lengths.

8. Roll pieces on gnocchi board (or gently press over the back of a fork) 

9. Cook gnocchi in rapidly boiling salted water with a splash of olive oil.

10. Once gnocchi floats to the top of the saucepan, cook further one minute, drain and serve immediately with your favourite sauce. Enjoy!

Note: You could substitute sweet potato for the potato to make it even more healthy.  

Recipe from the Gluten Free Italian Cookbook 

by P. Rigoli and E. Nicolaci 

Lemon Polenta Whoppie Pie recipe

Lemon Polenta Whoopie Pie Recipe

Makes 16 pies


For the whoopie pie shells:


125g butter, at room temperature

200g light brown sugar

2 eggs

450g gluten free plain flour

1 tsp salt

1½ tsp baking soda
250ml buttermilk

225g polenta, soaked in lemon juice (roughly 175g dry polenta and the juice of 4 lemons)





For the chocolate ganache:


300g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa, broken into small pieces


300ml double cream


Juice of 1 lemon


50g butter


½ tsp salt




To decorate (optional):


100g dark or milk chocolate


50g ground pistachios




1. Preheat your oven to 180˚C. Line two baking trays with baking paper or silicone mats.


2. Whisk together the butter and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt and baking soda.


3. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk.


4. Fold in the polenta. Fill a piping bag and pipe 5cm rounds (or however big you'd like your whoopie pies to be).


5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when touched. Allow to cool before filling.


6. While the whoopie pies are baking, heat the double cream to the point just before it boils over a medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice, salt and butter. Stir until the butter melts completely


7. Add the hot double cream mixture to the chocolate pieces and whisk vigorously until the heat of the cream melts the chocolate, forming a thick ganache. Allow to cool.


8. Fill a piping bag with the chocolate ganache and pipe onto half the whoopie pie shells, cover with the other shells. To decorate, you can melt the milk chocolate over a hot water bath, spread a teaspoon full over the whoopie pies and top with ground pistachios.


Photography and recipe by Mowielicious

Recipe: Gluten Free Polenta cake

(Re-posted from Illawarra Gluten-Free)

Lemon Polenta Cake 

    For the cake:

•     130 g ground almonds (or almond flour)
•     130 g shredded coconut
•     130 g fine polenta (or yellow cornmeal)
•     1 t baking powder
•     grated rind of 3 lemons
•     270 g soft butter
•     270 g caster sugar
•     4 eggs (55 g each)
•     juice of 2 lemons

    For the lemon glaze:

•     juice of 2 lemons
•     sugar to taste

    For the lemon icing:

•     250 g icing sugar
•     juice of ½ lemon, approximately

-Combine ground almonds, coconut, polenta, baking powder and lemon rind, and set aside. Using electric mixer beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
-Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Fold in dry ingredients and lemon juice until just combined. Pour mix into greased and lined 9-inch/24-centimeter round cake tin (not springform) and bake at 325°F/160°C for one hour or until golden and just coming away from the side of the tin.
-Meanwhile, make the lemon glaze by heating the lemon juice and sugar gently, until the sugar is just dissolved.
-Remove from the oven and cool in the tin. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen. Pour on lemon glaze while cake is still warm.
-Allow to cool completely in tin before turning on to a plate, as the cake falls apart easily while warm.
-Spread the lemon icing over the cake when cooled completely. (You can make the icing more like a loose glaze by slightly reducing the amount of icing sugar.)

Photos and recipe by A Whisk and a Spoon