I am very envious of the folk in New South Wales. I read this article and wished all across Australia they could do the same! There are 2 Oliver's between Gosford and Newcastle - lucky people!
What is so great about them? Its a fast food place, but as they say, "Real Food, Real Fast". They are the healthy alternative to the normal junk food that we see along highways. And they cater for gluten free people! YAY!!
I would love it if they became a chain retaurant, I would rather take my son there then any other place that sells burgers, chicken and fries.
Well done Oliver's!
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Magazines
I love it when I see magazines have a gluten free special. It is a guarenteed purchase from me!
Two this month have caught my eye - Better Homes and Gardens and Women's Health and Fitness. The latter is much better than the first but both should be encouraged and thanked for having gluten free recipes and information in them.
Two this month have caught my eye - Better Homes and Gardens and Women's Health and Fitness. The latter is much better than the first but both should be encouraged and thanked for having gluten free recipes and information in them.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
What?!
I was browsing the net today and come across this article.
I cannot quite believe this? Adding this to normal ingredients makes the items allergy free?
Does it really work and if so, how come the whole coeliac universe doesn't know about it? (the article was written in Dec 06)
has anyone used it?
I cannot quite believe this? Adding this to normal ingredients makes the items allergy free?
Does it really work and if so, how come the whole coeliac universe doesn't know about it? (the article was written in Dec 06)
has anyone used it?
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
It is coming to that time of year
One I hate as a coeliac, I really do. Where to go for Christmas lunch/dinner/evening out?
This year it is simple. Christmas Day is at my place. My family and in-laws don't know it yet but the whole day is going to be gluten free. I simply won't allow non gluten free food in the house. In order to do this, I will need to buy and cook all the food myself, but that is the sacrifice I will make in order to not worry about what is going in my mouth.
However, the office parties I have no control over. Thta's fine, I simply won't go. People ask me why. I reply because I don't want the hassle of trying to organise a gluten free meal.
I have been flexible, I have been easy going about going to different places and trying to organise a meal. But the time for that has ended.
Once place in Melbourne made me so cross and angry. It was a work do, a work lunch. The person organising it said that - despite it being a buffet meal - that I would be looked after. She rang the restaurant 3 times to confirm that a gluten free and vegetarian meal would be supplied. Yes they said, no problem. I was reassured. Sort of. We got there. All of the other 15 people got up and went to the buffet. I sat at the table by myself. The waitress asked me if I was okay. I said I would like my gluten free meal. She knew nothing about it. She went and asked the restaurant supervisor. He went to the front desk. He went to the kitchen with a menu in his hand. It was clear he knew nothing about it. They came back to me. I could have a plain steak. I don't eat meat. Back to the kitchen.
Now they knew all this supposedly! By this time everyone had finished their soup and was on their mains or the pasta/salads. I am starving and all this food around me is being eaten.
A word on buffets. No matter how nice a restaurant - I will never ever eat from a buffet. Why? Cross containmation is the coeliac's worst enemy. I tell people I cannot take the risk of bread roll crumbs or something like that going into the salad - the only thing on the buffet that I could possibly eat . What one tiny crumb? Um yes. One tiny crumb can make me sick for days on end. I don't know about you but who can afford to be sick so often? Not to mention the damage to my insides!
Finally I get a plate of roasted vegetables. And a pot of brie cheese with salad. While it was nice and I got to eat. It was not worth the $25 they charged. Plus I didn't get offered any dessert :( Everyone else had a huge selection of desserts.
I am never, ever, going out to a lunch again. I don't care if it makes me an unsociable misfit and outcast. It is easier being that then being dealt like you are a nusiciance andf a pain just because your body cannot handle gluten!
Yes I should be more positive, I will be. It is downright discouraging. If you are not a coealiac or gluten intolerant - please think about what it is like to never have a choice on a menu.
This year it is simple. Christmas Day is at my place. My family and in-laws don't know it yet but the whole day is going to be gluten free. I simply won't allow non gluten free food in the house. In order to do this, I will need to buy and cook all the food myself, but that is the sacrifice I will make in order to not worry about what is going in my mouth.
However, the office parties I have no control over. Thta's fine, I simply won't go. People ask me why. I reply because I don't want the hassle of trying to organise a gluten free meal.
I have been flexible, I have been easy going about going to different places and trying to organise a meal. But the time for that has ended.
Once place in Melbourne made me so cross and angry. It was a work do, a work lunch. The person organising it said that - despite it being a buffet meal - that I would be looked after. She rang the restaurant 3 times to confirm that a gluten free and vegetarian meal would be supplied. Yes they said, no problem. I was reassured. Sort of. We got there. All of the other 15 people got up and went to the buffet. I sat at the table by myself. The waitress asked me if I was okay. I said I would like my gluten free meal. She knew nothing about it. She went and asked the restaurant supervisor. He went to the front desk. He went to the kitchen with a menu in his hand. It was clear he knew nothing about it. They came back to me. I could have a plain steak. I don't eat meat. Back to the kitchen.
Now they knew all this supposedly! By this time everyone had finished their soup and was on their mains or the pasta/salads. I am starving and all this food around me is being eaten.
A word on buffets. No matter how nice a restaurant - I will never ever eat from a buffet. Why? Cross containmation is the coeliac's worst enemy. I tell people I cannot take the risk of bread roll crumbs or something like that going into the salad - the only thing on the buffet that I could possibly eat . What one tiny crumb? Um yes. One tiny crumb can make me sick for days on end. I don't know about you but who can afford to be sick so often? Not to mention the damage to my insides!
Finally I get a plate of roasted vegetables. And a pot of brie cheese with salad. While it was nice and I got to eat. It was not worth the $25 they charged. Plus I didn't get offered any dessert :( Everyone else had a huge selection of desserts.
I am never, ever, going out to a lunch again. I don't care if it makes me an unsociable misfit and outcast. It is easier being that then being dealt like you are a nusiciance andf a pain just because your body cannot handle gluten!
Yes I should be more positive, I will be. It is downright discouraging. If you are not a coealiac or gluten intolerant - please think about what it is like to never have a choice on a menu.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Potato Cakes
I made these yummy potato cakes the other night. My lovely and wonderful friend, JH, is a great cook and she always thinks of me. She made the batter for her family and shared the recipe with me. Very very simple!
1/4 cup gluten free cornflour
1/4 cup gluten free plain flour
2 eggs
little water
Mix all together - thinly slice potatoes, coat with the batter and fry in oil. I don't like using heaps of oil, so I used a little in the bottom of my fry pan and it worked wonders! These potato cakes taste like the real thing! I am not kidding! Don't they look scrummy?
Enjoy!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Menu Plans
I wanted to mention that I have another blog that is all about the everyday things - Nellbe's Scribblings . I blog my menu plan for the next week. In an attempt to organise and be a little more in control of my life, I have menu planned my and my son and Husband' s meals in advance and cooking them on the weekend to free up the weeknights.
For this reason I like quick, fast and simple meals. They also need to have the added bonus of being gluten free (for me at least). I discovered a great website, Calorie King, which has heaps of recipes on it, all of them indicate if they have gluten or not. Fantastic!
For this reason I like quick, fast and simple meals. They also need to have the added bonus of being gluten free (for me at least). I discovered a great website, Calorie King, which has heaps of recipes on it, all of them indicate if they have gluten or not. Fantastic!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Gluten free article
I like this article from the Sydney Morning Herald. It explains gluten free and being a coeliac really well. It also says that coeliacs can spend up to $1000 more a year for due to the gluten free diet. I am not surprised as while it is handy to have all those wonderful gluten free products in the store, you do pay much more than the non gluten free equivalent.
Gluten Free Wheat Free Show in Melbourne
It only comes but once a year! The Gluten Free Wheat Free Food Show is back in Melbourne for 2007 ! If you are a coeliac, or cannot tolerate wheat or gluten then this show is the once for you. It is on at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre (Jeff's Shed to all the Victorian's) on October 20th and 21st 2007.
I went to the one last year and it was HUGE. So many people, so many shopping carts, so much gluten free food in one spot - I did not know what to do first! This seriously has to be the biggest event on any coeliacs calender.
So wear your most comfortable shoes, bring your appetite, bring your money and bring a friend to help carry all the food and enjoy yourselves!
I went to the one last year and it was HUGE. So many people, so many shopping carts, so much gluten free food in one spot - I did not know what to do first! This seriously has to be the biggest event on any coeliacs calender.
So wear your most comfortable shoes, bring your appetite, bring your money and bring a friend to help carry all the food and enjoy yourselves!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Hello all
This blog is all about my experiences about being a coeliac. This very basically means that I cannot eat anything that has gluten or wheat or any of its by products in it.
When I say basically - that is exactly what I mean. Gluten, it seems, is in almost all foods on this planet. Okay I am being dramatic and there are so many foods that do not, the frustrating part is that most foods that are easy and everyone has have gluten in it.
Let me explain. All takeaway/fast foods have gluten in it. And if by some chance they do not, then more than likely they are prepared in the same area as food that does have gluten in it. This is known as cross contamination and something I will explain further down the track.
But, I hear you say, takeaway/fast food is bad for you. Why would you be disappointed that it does? Well, think of this way. Could you never ever ever eat takeway again? I mean never? Think back to that last time you had fish n chips, or a burger, or Subway, or a pizza, or roast chicken? Why did you have it? Having a bad day? Couldn't be bothered cooking? The kids were nagging you for a Happy Meal? You worked till 10pm at night and hubby hadn't thought of leaving you dinner? Just felt like it? All very good and valid reasons I think. If you are a coealic, you know you very well could not dash out to pick up something. You would have to cook something and if you had nothing at home, then you would have to go to the supermarket, think of what to make, buy gluten free ingredients and then go home and cook. Then eat and then clean up.
If you are a coeliac then I am sure that you get people coming up to you and telling you how much easier it is these days. To be a coeliac that is. There is food everywhere! I beg to differ. Yes, it is a little easier and a little exciting to see all those gluten free food products on the supermarket shelves. But, you still have to be responsible for all your own cooking. And in reality, 2 full shelves of food products you can eat in a whole supermarket, isn't really that much.
I think I am sounding down and bitter about this and I should be happy that I no longer have pain and I am alive and I am lucky to have the choice of eating good food.
I just want to explain what it is like to be a coeliac. So other coeliac's know that there is someone who understands what it like, who goes through what you go through. And for their family and friends, to know what it is like for them. To know perhaps how to make life a little bit easier for them and to know that you can invite them around for a meal and know what to make without asking them, "now what will YOU eat?"
When I say basically - that is exactly what I mean. Gluten, it seems, is in almost all foods on this planet. Okay I am being dramatic and there are so many foods that do not, the frustrating part is that most foods that are easy and everyone has have gluten in it.
Let me explain. All takeaway/fast foods have gluten in it. And if by some chance they do not, then more than likely they are prepared in the same area as food that does have gluten in it. This is known as cross contamination and something I will explain further down the track.
But, I hear you say, takeaway/fast food is bad for you. Why would you be disappointed that it does? Well, think of this way. Could you never ever ever eat takeway again? I mean never? Think back to that last time you had fish n chips, or a burger, or Subway, or a pizza, or roast chicken? Why did you have it? Having a bad day? Couldn't be bothered cooking? The kids were nagging you for a Happy Meal? You worked till 10pm at night and hubby hadn't thought of leaving you dinner? Just felt like it? All very good and valid reasons I think. If you are a coealic, you know you very well could not dash out to pick up something. You would have to cook something and if you had nothing at home, then you would have to go to the supermarket, think of what to make, buy gluten free ingredients and then go home and cook. Then eat and then clean up.
If you are a coeliac then I am sure that you get people coming up to you and telling you how much easier it is these days. To be a coeliac that is. There is food everywhere! I beg to differ. Yes, it is a little easier and a little exciting to see all those gluten free food products on the supermarket shelves. But, you still have to be responsible for all your own cooking. And in reality, 2 full shelves of food products you can eat in a whole supermarket, isn't really that much.
I think I am sounding down and bitter about this and I should be happy that I no longer have pain and I am alive and I am lucky to have the choice of eating good food.
I just want to explain what it is like to be a coeliac. So other coeliac's know that there is someone who understands what it like, who goes through what you go through. And for their family and friends, to know what it is like for them. To know perhaps how to make life a little bit easier for them and to know that you can invite them around for a meal and know what to make without asking them, "now what will YOU eat?"
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