EatingBritain.com » Special Diets

New rules for gluten free foods

Sarah Cabral — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:30:24 +0000

Under the new EU regulations, only foods that contain less than 20 parts of gluten in a million will be allowed to use the term ‘gluten-free’ on their packaging. Recent evidence has shown that this extremely low level offers better protection for those with an intolerance to gluten. Previously, a food labelled ‘gluten-free’ could have contained up to ten times more than this.

In addition, some foods made using cereals that have been specially processed to remove most of the gluten, but which contain less than 100 parts in a million, will be able to make the claim ‘very low gluten’. These include substitutes of certain staple foods such as bread.

The introduction of just two types of labelling will reduce consumer confusion in this area and help coeliacs to make safe and informed choices about the types of food they eat.

Sue Hattersley, head of food allergy policy at the Food Standards Agency, said:

“Around one per cent of people in the UK are intolerant to gluten, and packaging claims about gluten in foods are very important to these people.
The number of products marketed to them is increasing rapidly. Without rules controlling the levels of gluten in them, the amounts of gluten could vary greatly, which could cause serious health problems.

“The new lower limit of 20 parts in a million means greater peace of mind for people with a gluten intolerance , as they can be sure that foods sold as ‘gluten free’ do not contain levels that could be harmful to them.”

Manufacturers can use the new labelling system immediately, but in order to give them time to adapt to the new rules by reformulating products or changing existing packaging, products do not have to comply with the new rules until 1 January 2012.

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Order early from Johnsons for a 10% discount

Sarah Cabral — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:00:13 +0000

You can also pre-book your Christmas deliveries now and still take advantage of this saving and avoid that last minute rush!

You can choose which week you want your order delivered and raise money for your group’s funds too.

See the fantastic Christmas Selection for some great treats and gift ideas.

Helen will be at the BBC Good Food Show London this year, so if you’re going, make sure you pop by Stand D60, say hello and stock up on your special diet goodies!

BBC Good Food Show: Olympia, London – Friday 14th – Sunday 16th November - Stand D60 with Aunty Jee’s (Beautiful Mind Foods Ltd).

Heston, Baby James, Nigella AND Helen all at the same venue? Definitely one for the diary!

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How to use your cookery books

Kim McGowan — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:30:12 +0000

This is actually an approach for those with special dietary requirement as a way of looking for inspiration for gluten free recipes for example, and means that you can continue to use those Italian or cake cookbooks, just in a different way.

An example is the tome that is The Silver Spoon – a collection of over 2,000 recipes from home cooks all over Italy. It covers the principles of practically every regional and local Italian dish – and although not an obvious choice for someone with Coeliac Disease, it has an astonishing range of naturally gluten free recipes. The recipes include cakes using potato flour, chestnut flour or ground almonds, plus staples such as gnocchi, meat dishes and risottos. Additional to these are the recipes where a limited amount of wheat flour is used, and could be substituted with a gluten free replacement such as buckwheat or gluten free blend opening up many more meals to try.

While there are some great gluten free cookbooks available, its great to get some inspiration from further afield, so take a look at your book shelves for ones that you may have considered useless and search out those recipes which are naturally suitable for you or are easily adaptable. For further ideas here’s a list of some lesser known books to get your mouth watering:

Guide to cooking with grains – great selection of gluten free recipes using unusual grains / seeds such as amaranth, polenta, buckwheat and much more. Plus there are some interesting new breakfast ideas taken from all over the world too.

Bill Granger – All the books by this author are inspired by his native pan Asian cooking which is often naturally gluten free when using for example tamarai instead of soy sauce.

Silver Spoon – Stacks of inspiration especially for those with a sweet tooth.

Anthony Worrall Thompsons Low GI diet – It seems a low GI diet is also great for those who are gluten free and includes recipes for cakes and breakfasts – an area always needing energy.

Alice Waters / Chez Panisse Cookbook – The Californian cooking style embraced by Alice Waters at her restaurant means much in her books are gluten free naturally.

Sally Clarke – Dazzled by the work of Alice Waters, Sally Clarke approaches her cooking in much the same style and her restaurant in West London are a delight for anyone with an allergy.

To see Kim’s last article, click here. Kim also has a great blog following her new gluten-free life and adventures, it’s very interesting reading, so make sure you have a look.

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Gluten free Profiteroles

Sarah Cabral — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 07:30:43 +0000

I know absolutely nothing about Profiteroles, except that they’re yummy but the ever informative Wikipedia had this to say:

The origin of both the pastry and its name profiterole are obscure.

The word profiterole (also spelled prophitrole, profitrolle, profiterolle) has existed in English since the 16th century, borrowed from French. The original meaning in both English and French is unclear, but later it came to mean a kind of roll ‘baked under the ashes’. A 17th-century French recipe for a Potage de profiteolles or profiterolles describes a soup of dried small breads (presumably the profiteroles) simmered in almond broth and garnished with cockscombs, truffles, and so on. The current meaning is only clearly attested in the 19th century.

Gluten free Profiteroles
Makes 20-25

Ingredients

1/4 pint/120ml water
1 1/2 oz /42g butter
1 oz/28g gram flour (chickpea)
1 1/2 oz/42g rice flour
1 tspn baking powder
1 egg

Method

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and lightly grease two baking trays

Sift the flours & baking powder together into a bowl.

Add the water and butter to a saucepan and heat until the butter dissolves and it comes to a boil Then add in the sifted flours and take off heat. Beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and comes away from the saucepan.

Leave to cool for about 5 min

Beat the egg and add into the dough little by little – some flours may need more /less egg. You want the dough to be soft, smooth and shiny, and holding it’s shape.

Use a teaspoon or piping bag to put dollops of the dough on to each tray, leaving the same size space between each

Cook for 20-30 min until golden brown and completely cooked through.

Leave on a rack to cool completely.

Cut two thirds of the way through to create a ‘hinged’ lid and fill the cavity with whipped cream or scoop in some vanilla ice cream and cover with hot chocolate sauce to serve. Deeeelish!!

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Diary of a Chron’s sufferer #3

Mary Cabral — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 09:30:31 +0000

Having followed an elimination diet and discovered all the things you can eat and not eat, having spent a couple of years eating healthily and not having had a flare-up nor symptoms of your illness, it is soooooo very easy to slide down the slippery road of temptation and bite by bite, eat foods you shouldn’t eat. The typical feeling is “it´s just a treat; just the one won´t do me any harm” and before you know it you are eating huge amounts of foods that are in effect totally poisonous to your body and sooner or later you fall ill again because you have provoked a flare up! The terrible symptoms of bloody stools and weight loss, tiredness and bad moods return, and to resolve all this discomfort you have to be put on cortisone medication again!

Speaking from experience, this can happen and I hope my advice to you about strong will power and how to resist eating what you shouldn´t will not fall on deaf ears. Every time you have a flare up and your intestines ulcerate they DO NOT RECOVER! Having bled and formed scar tissue your intestines cannot regenerate new tissue and eradicate the scars, they stay forever and the less you take care of your intestines the more restricted they will become and this will eventually lead to you having to be operated on, which is totally avoidable! So please stick to your personal diets, and be adventurous with your recipes, just because you cannot eat certain foods, this does not mean your meals have to boring and bland forever, you can add flavour to dishes with many natural alternatives and still remain healthy. Take a look at the links below to Recipes and even Restaurants that cater for your dietary requirements.

LINKS

Recipes:

http://www.cookingforceliacscolitiscrohnsandibs.com/index.php

http://www.the-gluten-free-chef.com/gluten-free-recipes.html

http://www.the-gluten-free-chef.com/gluten-free-food-list.html

Restaurants:

http://www.london-eating.co.uk/occasions/gluten-free.asp

http://www.celiachandbook.com/uk.html

http://www.foodforfriends.com/

http://www.gluten-free-onthego.com/

http://cliffblog.eadv.co.uk/blog/_archives/2008/3/4/3559636.html

In my next post I will be talking about different types of diets and how what we eat makes us who we are. Did you know that if you have Chron´s you are more likely to suffer from neck and back ache problems?? If you control what you eat you can reduce, or eradicate not only your symptoms from Chron’s or Colitis, but also the neck and back aches you suffer from.

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Coeliac UK awards 2008

Sarah Cabral — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:10:54 +0000

The Coeliac UK Awards celebrate people who raise awareness for the coeliac community and go that extra mile to really help coeliacs manage their diet and day-to-day lives. The work these people do is wonderful and it’s so important to support them, these well deserved awards say a big thank you and pay tribute to all that hard work.

Here is the list of winners:

1. Outstanding Achievement – Rob Strinati, Fairwater Fish and Chip Bar

2. Awareness Raising Champion – Helen Pengelly

3. Community Champion – Muriel Telford

4. Supporting a family member – Ruth Paterson and Home Farm Trust Bedfordshire

5. Supporting a Friend – Anne Agapiou

6. Fundraising Champion – Jacquie O’Dea

7. Young Person of the Year Award – Amy Packer

8. GP of the Year – Dr Fayyaz Chaudhri

9. Dietitian of the Year – Kristina Zaremba

10. Pharmacist of the Year – Louise Cradock

The winners will be presented with their accolades at the Volunteers’ Conference in October where they will also have a special lunch.

For more information on the winners and the categories, please click here.

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Rude Health re-vamp

Sarah Cabral — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:30:59 +0000

I have been a huge fan of Rude Health ever since I first discovered them at a Good Food Show a couple of years ago. My favourite has been their Ultimate Muesli and I’ve been treating myself to a bag every couple of months. I say ‘treat’ because it’s not cheap and although its really good for me, I think of it as a bit of an indulgence.

So Dave and I went shopping a little while ago and it was my ‘treat’ time but when I reached the place where the Rude Health products live, the shelves were bare. I was disappointed but thought they may have run out and thought nothing more of it. On a more recent shopping trip, again I went straight to the usual place to find my treat and yet again Rude Health was nowhere to be seen. I admit it, I was upset, I REALLY look forward to my Ultimate muesli and I feared that Rude Health was no more!

I got home, fired-up the laptop and immediately clicked on the Rude Health website to find out what the hell was going on! Then it all became clear…”See, they’re just re-vamping” Dave said. Oh the relief! I know it seems sad that a grown woman should be so concerned about muesli but you see, since the IBS diagnosis, so many foods I loved and enjoyed are now prohibited to me and not only are Rude Health products safe for me to eat , I also absolutely adore them! The idea that they might be gone forever was truly horrible.

To my delight, Rude Health is just undergoing an exciting overhaul, including new packaging, a revamped brand image and new products (all of the products are still organic, wheat-free and contain no added salt and sugar).

The new packaging is really eye catching and the bag is biodegradable within a recyclable cardboard box. The new addition to the muesli family is No Flamin’ Raisins – the first widely available, organic muesli to be completely free from raisins, currants and sultanas. Rude Health developed the product after research revealed that 30% of people either don’t like raisins or would prefer not to have them in their breakfast cereals.

Personally I have nothing against raisins but No Flamin’ Raisins has mangoes, apricots, apples, almonds, Brazil nuts and dates instead… and it is so delicious you can’t help forgetting about raisins all together!

Now the colder weather is on the way I know I’m going to want warming-up in the mornings so next I’m going to try the Morning Glory porridge, it sounds fantastic with all sorts of grains and seeds added to make it smooth but crunchy.

If you haven’t discovered Rude Health yet, keep an eye out for the new range and give them a try, and don’t forget to let me know what you think!

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Gluten-free chef of the Year – Winners announced

Sarah Cabral — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:30:51 +0000

Earlier this year the search to find the Coeliac UK gluten-free chef of the year was launched. The competition was judged by Michelin star chef Giorgio Locatelli and here are the winners and their great recipes:

Gluten-free Chef of the Year Joint Winner: Christine Bailey

Christine is a health food writer, advisor, chef and cookery trainer. She is currently studying for a degree in nutrition with the Centre for Nutritional Education and Lifestyle Management validated by Middlesex University.

Apricot, Orange Polenta Cake

A delicious tangy cake the whole family will enjoy. It combines whole pureed oranges and dried apricots to increase the nutritional and fibre content and eliminates the need for lots of sugar. I actually made this for my twins’ birthday and spooned the mixture into individual muffin tins instead of a large cake. This is a simple, easy to make cake full of fruity flavours, healthy and gluten-free.

Makes 1 x 20cm cake or about 8 muffins

Ingredients

Zest of two oranges
2 oranges peeled, cut into half
200g dried ready to eat apricots
125g unsalted butter
3 eggs
3tbsp honey or agave nectar
100g gluten-free flour – a mix of rice and potato flour works well
150g quick cook polenta
2tsp gluten-free baking powder
Glaze: 4tbsp pure fruit apricot spread or fine cut marmalade

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4
2. Grease and line a spring form 18-20cm cake tin
3. Place the orange zest and oranges in a food processor and process to form a thick puree. Add the apricots, butter, eggs and honey and process again until smooth.
4. Place the flour, polenta and baking powder in a bowl. Add the puree and beat well. Place in the cake tin and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until a skewer placed in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.
5. Heat the orange marmalade or apricot spread until runny then brush over the top of the cake while warm.
6. Leave to cool before serving. Great as a pudding or afternoon tea time treat served with crème fraiche

Joint first Gluten-free Chef of the Year: Vanessa Scott

Vanessa has led the award winning kitchen as head chef at Strattons Hotel in Swaffham, Norfolk for the past 18 years. Under Vanessa’s instruction the kitchen is very proactive regarding guests’ dietary requirements, especially as her daughter-in-law has coeliac disease.

Twice-baked Binham Blue & Potato Soufflé

Makes 8-10 soufflés

Ingredients

butter to grease the moulds
100g spinach, washed & finely chopped
100g rice flour
4 eggs, separated and extra egg white to create lightness
350g Binham Blue cheese
450g/1lb floury potatoes
½ tsp horseradish
salt & black pepper
1 tsp raising agent

Raising Agents Baking powder should not be used. This often contains wheat flour as a filler. There is no need to mix a gluten free baking powder beforehand, simply use the pure raising agents as required. We use this mix depending on the recipe; Bicarbonate of Soda, Sodium Bicarbonate This white powder releases carbon dioxide when it is mixed with an acid solution and warmed. These gas bubbles expand causing the mixture to rise. If there is
no acidity in the mixture, bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar should be added in equal
quantities and well mixed in. Cream of Tartar This is a weak acid in powder form for activating bicarbonate of soda.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190°C
2. Butter 10 metal moulds or 8 glass ramekins
3. Cook and mash the potatoes with the 4 egg yolks, stir in half the cheese and all the flour.
4. Season to taste with salt & black pepper. Fold in the finely chopped spinach and horseradish.
5. Whisk egg whites until stiff, fold into the mixture.
6. Spoon the mixture into the moulds
7. Place in a bain marie and half fill with boiling water.
8. Bake 18-20 minutes until just set. Allow to cool and sink. Cover with cling film and store in fridge.
9. When ready to serve preheat oven to 200°C. Run a knife around the edges of the soufflés and turn out onto a baking dish. Crumble the remaining cheese with cream to make a paste & spoon over the soufflés and return to the oven for 10 minutes until crisp. Serve immediately with a mustard dressed green salad.

Outstanding achievement winner: Sophie Haskins, Catering Student

Sophie Haskins has just completed a BTEC national diploma in Hospitality and Catering Management at City of Bristol College. She has passed the course with three Distinctions and is going to Bournemouth University to study International Business in Hospitality and Catering Management.

Oshi Sushi

Makes 20 pieces

Ingredients

340g sushi rice
20 halved cooked prawns
Cucumber
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
30g chopped pickled ginger
Soy sauce to serve* (Please check Coeliac UK’s Food and Drink Directory for a suitable gluten-free product)

Method

1. Cook 340g sushi rice in 375ml water.
2. Lay 20 halved cooked prawns in diagonal rows in an 18cm x 27cm cake tin lined with cling film.
3. Peel cucumber in strips and lay between the prawns.
4. Mix 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds and 30g chopped pickled ginger into the rice.
5. Press firmly in an even layer on top of the prawns and cucumber in the tin.
6. Chill for 1 hour.
7. Then cut into symmetric neat squares.
8. Serve with soy sauce.

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A positive approach to being a “fussy eater”

Kim McGowan — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:09:33 +0000

A career in the food industry coupled with a passion for eating out and always eating whatever is put in front of me, was thrown into chaos after diagnosis with coeliac disease. Working in the commercial food industry as a product developer – meetings stuffed with tastings and talking about food – quickly became an issue and is not a long term career option when you can’t eat wheat. As most people diagnosed with any dietary condition will know, the news can throw you into a frenzy of questioning who you are, what you eat, and in my case what I did for a living.

After spending 10 years of my life investing in a passion for food, I decided to use the diagnosis as a positive… to learn even more about food, just ones that were gluten free. It remains a challenging disposition but I have so much to learn and just 18 months on I have barely scratched the surface. I am fascinated by the cooking opportunities presented by many of the under utilised naturally gluten free grains. A recent disaster with amaranth while interesting, proved I have masses to learn and understand, but all this is done –mostly – with a positive approach.

In my experience, the food industry and catering world see special diets as an inconvenience. Faced with my own dietary requirements that impact on my long term health, I wanted to prove that we aren’t just “fussy eaters”, a reputation that can be stressful to deal with and often ruin a meal out. I believe its all in the approach and here’s how I personally chose to go about it:

Keep eating out! – Even though it can be stressful, I refuse to miss out on one of life’s pleasures and continue to eat out. Restaurateurs must be challenged to accommodate their diner’s needs if they are going to remain competitive. The more people that raise the profile of dietary requirements, the easier it will become for all of us.

Be organised – Let’s face it, food spontaneity is reduced when you have special dietary concerns. I always struggle with breakfast on the move so try to have snacks with you, or know where you can always get something.

Book a table – Let the restaurant know of your condition beforehand when you book the table – it prevents putting the chef in a panic.

Research restaurants – I am always on the look out for places that I think will accommodate me and add them to my list of places to try.

Study the menu– Just looking at the menu will give you insight into whether the place is suitable for you. If there are lots of fried foods on the menu for example it probably won’t be the best option. I find places that use simply cooked seasonal ingredients are the best bet – it shows confidence in the kitchen.

Talk to staff – I always have a quiet word with the waiter to explain my condition and the importance of safe food. Take a deep breath – I do every time – and make sure you eat safe food. I find being positive, smiley and patient makes the experience pleasant for all involved. Remember we are often educators and ambassadors.

Say thank you – If the meal was a good experience, they treated you well and the food was good and safe, let them know. I often tell them the reaction I get at other restaurants, and say that I will be adding them to my list of trusted places.

Must try harder – Likewise let them know if there are improvements to make – in a charming way of course. With chain restaurants I often get the head office address to share my experiences.

Too much? – If all this seems like too much work and effort, eat out less! In all honesty that’s what I had to do. We used to eat out a couple of times a week – now it’s only twice a month. But the best bit is we eat at much nicer restaurants who are charming and accommodate me effortlessly.

Kim has a great blog following her new gluten-free life and adventures, it’s very interesting reading, so make sure you have a look.

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Changing times for Johnson’s Provisions

Sarah Cabral — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:19:34 +0000

The credit crunch seems to be hitting everyone fairly hard at the moment. It’s not just food and fuel prices but rents too that are going up and up!

One of my favourites – Johnson’s Dietary Provisions – has become a victim of these cash-strapped times. Helen will be moving out of her shop and this Friday is our last chance to visit the gluten free store in Shoreham-by-sea.

Is this the end of Johnson’s? Hell no! From next week, Wednesday 27th August, there will be a weekly stall in Worthing Market and there will be other stalls around the country soon too.

The mail order service is unaffected, although there may be a few delays and out-of-stocks over the next couple of weeks, as the changes take place. But essentially nothing changes.

Johnson’s Provisions will be open for the final time between 10am and 2pm, this Friday 22nd August 2008, so get there if you can and show Helen your support!

Hopefully I’ll see you there!

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