Foods to Avoid

For this Week, I am just going to go through what foods a coeliac in general should avoid. Wheat is the big thing that coeliacs  should avoid which means foods such as bread, buns, muffins, cakes, biscuits are not. But by using naturally Gluten-free flours this can be nurtured  these include

Rice Flour	Brown Rice Flour	Polenta	Maize/Cornmeal
Buckwheat	Corn Starch	Potato Starch	Tapioca Starch
Soya Flour	Potato Flour	Chickpea/Gram Flour	Lentil Flour
Cassava	Quinoa	Millet	Chestnut Flour
Sorghum	Teff

Local bakers can make gluten-free buns and cakes if they are asked or they can be bought in the gluten free section in big supermarkets such as Tesco, Cereals can be bought their aswell.

Mostly all meats are ok such as steak, pork chops but the ones that should be avoided are breaded chicken, chicken kievs, meat balls, ribs, chicken wings, sausages. Sausages can be bought Gluten-free if you ask your local butcher.

For Chocolates everything is nearly gone I am afraid ranging from Dairy Milk, Mars Bars, Snickers, Lion Bars, Galaxies, Malteasers. The ones that are ok are Dairy Milk, Crunches and Aeros.

Tattoes are gone as well but some can be bought gluten free if Coeliacs contact the Coeliac Society of Ireland.

For Alcohol all beers are gone, so is Guinness. shots such as baby Guinness are gone, whiskies too. All ciders are ok, so is vodka, alcopops.

Frozen foods should be watched out for unless they have the gluten free symbol on the back of the bag. Frozen Foods to avoid are some chips, burgers, wedges and chicken nuggets.

Fish is ok but some that breaded should be avoided like breaded cod, fish fingers or some fish where flour is used to cook it. Ask in Restaurants on how the fish is cooked before ordering.

Sauces should be closely looked at. check each packet. Most pack or tinned soups are not ok, gravies are out as flour is used to thicken it but gluten free ones are available if ask at shopping outlets. Pasta sauces are mostly ok such as Dolmio.

New Coeliacs that have been just diagnosed , Should contact the Coeliac Society of Ireland for queries or to become a member where they will send you out a book with everything you need to know on what is or what is not gluten-free.

Their were many recipes I could have put up but I only gave a few to give a guideline-more will come up over the next few weeks.

Lemonade Scones – Gluten Free

3 cups gluten free self-raising flour
1 cup thickened cream (do not use light cream)
1 cup lemonade (like 7 Up or Schweppes)
Directions:

1
Preheat oven to 230°C (or 210°C if using a fan-forced oven). A hot oven is called for in this recipe.
2
Mix all ingredients together until just combined.
3
Place on a lightly floured surface and lightly roll or press the dough out to about 1 inch( 2.5cm) high.
4
Cut with a scone cutter and place on a lightly greased baking tray (or you can use a good quality baking paper). Place the scones close together. Lightly brush the top of scones with a little milk.
5
Bake 10 -15 minutes on the top shelf of the oven.
6
Serve warm with jam and cream or butter and honey.

Mince Pies

Preparation:

Before you start, pre-heat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5.

Ingredients:

200g (8oz) Juvela Gluten-Free mix/fibre mix
50g (2oz) margarine
50g (2oz) lard
1 orange
2 medium egg (1 for glaze)
mincemeat* (for filling)
icing sugar (for glaze)

Method:

• To make the pastry, place the Mix in a bowl and rub in the fats to resemble breadcrumbs.
• Stir in orange rind, beaten egg and sufficient orange juice to form a soft dough.
• Knead pastry well on a surface lightly dusted with Mix, then roll out 2/3 and cut out rounds to line tartlet tins.
• Place a spoonful of mincemeat in each. Roll out remainder of pastry and cut out desired shapes to complete pies.
• Brush with beaten egg and bake in a pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
• Serve warm dusted with icing sugar.

Once again more will come over the next few weeks.

These are all the foods that a Coeliac can and cannot eat. It is a lot of rules that have to be followed. I have been a Coeliac for nearly seven years but what about the new coeliacs that have now just been diagnosed and have to get used to their new regime. To help put practice into perspective my house mate Anthony has agreed to go on a coeliac diet for a week. I will help him and give him guidelines. In week three I will give the results of  what he taught of the experience and how did his general health feel when he excluded Gluten from his diet.