David Jones Food Hall (City store) has a wonderful selection of gluten free cakes, muffins and cookies. It's surprising, but wonderful, to see such a big name in Australian retail taking a positive role in bringing gluten free food to Sydney!

When you visit the Food Hall, stop by the Patisserie counter. The section closest to the Cookie Man counter has a few shelves of gluten free cakes and gluten free muffins by some amazing gluten free bakers. This includes Manna From Heaven, Robertos and Rowie's - all gluten free and great tasting!

From memory, there were flourless chocolate cakes, gluten free orange muffins, gluten free plum cakes, gluten free fruit and coconut muffins.

http://www.davidjones.com.au/services/market_st_foodhall.jsp
65-77 Market Street
Sydney, NSW 2000

Posted by Tracey

I was on the hunt for a quick snack that was wheat free and delicious (and new to me!)

DVC in Castle Towers had a whole rack of Mrs Mays products and I dived right in!

The Pumpkin Crunch is tasty and a great nibbley snack - and is Wheat Free, Dairy Free with NO preservatives or additives (which is even better).

I'll need to go back and grab a few more bags for my handbag!

Mrs May's is an American company
www.mrsmays.com

I found my Mrs May's at -

DVC Discount Vitamin Centre
Level 4 (Opp. Uncle Pete's Toys)
Castle Towers
Castle St, Castle Hill NSW 2154
www.dvc.com.au

Posted by Tracey | Comments 2

I recently tried the Apricot & Coconut gluten free Go Bar, and it was excellent! Perfect for a gluten free snack on the go, I stuck it in my handbag and whipped it out when I got peckish.

I picked up my Go Natural products from Coles, health food aisle.

Full list of gluten free products here

Posted by Tracey | Comments 0

While out hunting for a quick, wheat free snack - I stumbled upon this yummy Apricot & Almond Bar in the health food section of the pharmacy. Great tasting and enough for afternoon tea, or a bite between breakfast and lunch.

Gluten free, wheat free, dairy free.

Apricot & Almond Bar by Your Health, $1.95 from Ozepharmacy, Hills Homemaker Centre.

Posted by Tracey | Comments 0

Mum and I popped into SugarFix to buy some Dr Pepper and I spotted this on their counter!

Kinnerton's 'Careful Chocolate Company' DAIRY FREE, NUT FREE, GLUTEN FREE & EGG FREE Chocolate Bar is a first for allergy sufferers who until now have not been able to enjoy chocolate safely.

Very good dark chocolate, maybe as good as Green & Blacks even!

www.kinnerton.com

Posted by Tracey | Comments 0

A great alternative to herbal tea and water (the only things I seem to drink these days), is Bissap's Hibiscus Drink.

Taken from the website -
People in Egypt, Africa and also Jamaica use Bissap as a diuretic, beneficial to those with water retention problems. In the US the calyces (the outer part of the flower) of Hibiscus Sabdariffa are available in health food stores for making a tea high in Vitamin C.

Hibiscus has also been used in certain folk remedies for liver disorder. It is believed by many cultures to relieve the effects of hangovers, it is a digestive and an emollient (something which softens and soothes the skin).

It's reallly sweet, so I add alot of ice so it's both icy cold and mixed with a little water as the ice melts. Perfect!

Wikipedia Reference

Posted by Tracey | Comments 0

As seen on Queer Eye (episode 124), Ted teaches Mark how to make Raspberry parfait for his gluten-intolerant wife Cindy.

How cool to see more tv cooks get into gluten free recipes :D It's just a shame that I can't eat the cream. Let me know if you try this one yourself!

Raspberry parfait

Ingredients
1 cup fresh or frozen, unsweetened, unthawed raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy or whipping cream

Zest of one lemon (just the yellow part of the rind, grated)

Instructions
Combine the raspberries, 1/4 cup of sugar and the water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until boiling. Boil until the mixture is reduced by half, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and put in the refrigerator to cool.

Beat cream and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in a bowl with a mixer on the highest speed until it holds stiff peaks.

Assemble the layers of cream and raspberries in a tall parfait glass, separating each layer with a thin layer of zest.

Garnish with more raspberries if desired.

Posted by Tracey | Comments 0

I wanted to make a carrot cake this weekend, so when I found this Flourless Carrot Cake recipe, I got to it.

Relatively easy to make, coming out of the oven it smelt devine :D Frosted with cream cheese (and icing sugar etc.) my flourless cake was done within the hour. Yum yum.

Posted by Tracey | Comments 1

I didn't realise these were Australian - finally a fantastic gluten free chip to enjoy :D I was skeptical on whether it would taste like a corn chip (or end up tasting like cardboard), but they were really tasty - even Regan ate a whole bunch of them (before I devoured the whole packet).

From their website - We are proud to confirm that all Thomas Chipman corn chips are certified gluten free by Coeliac Society of Australia. They are Australia's only certified gluten free corn chips.

Thomas Chipman Corn Chips
www.chipman.com.au

They'll be at the Gluten Free Gourmet Expo! And you can buy them online at Gluten Free Favourites Australia or in person at Macro Wholefoods, IGA or Woolworths

Posted by Tracey | Comments 2

I'm all for great sweet treats that are okay for me - which is why I was happy to find Iku's Black Rice Pudding!

Ingredients include - black & brown rice, water, palm sugar, coconut, sea salt

Next up! A trip to one of their stores!

www.iku.com.au

Posted by Tracey | Comments 0

Another gluten free find!
Australian company Copperpot have a great range of dips - including the Basil Pesto one I've been eating practically every day on toast or in my pasta.

Copperpot’s complete range of dips is gluten free and the company sponsors the various Coeliac Societies nationally.

All cheese based dips substantiate the Dairy Good symbol, as does the pâté range. The non-cheese based dips are suitable for vegetarians, contain no gluten and no artificial colours or flavours.

Found in the fridge section with the dips and cheeses, in Coles, Woolworths, Bi-lo and Franklins.

Posted by Tracey | Comments 0

Great tasting chocolate - definately something I would eat again! But unfortunately, I shouldn't of had any - being on a cocoa-free diet. I was trying to introduce chocolate back into my diet but I didn't react very well to it.

Still, I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a nice, gluten free, dairy free, dark chocolate. Just never tell me how nice it is and how 'just a little' will be fine, lol

Tropical Source Raspberry Dark Chocolate Bar
Ingredients - Evaporated cane juice, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, freeze dried raspberries, roasted soy flour, soy lecithin (emulsifier), pure vanilla extract. Made in a plant that processes peanuts and tree nuts.

Posted by Tracey | Comments 2

Orgran have a great line of cookies to try. My first was the Orgran Sultana & Cinnamon Cookies

Wheat Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Lactose Free, Casein Free, Egg Free, Yeast Free, No added cane sugar, and 98% Fat Free!

Not bad, definately will try their other cookies.

http://www.orgran.com

Posted by Tracey | Comments 0

FANTASTIC cakes - and gluten free!

It took me a while to track them down, but now I've tried the raspberry muffin and the carrot cakes. Yum. My favourite is the muffin though, the carrot cake was too crumbly for my liking (but I wouldn't say no if offered!)

www.cookiesandbiscuits.com

Posted by Tracey

Because I can't have chocolate, carob is my source of sweetness when it comes to snacks.

Mellow Yellow have a wide range of healthy snacks (I love the Paw Paw) and ontop of that - the BEST carob I've ever had.

When it went out of stock for a few weeks, I went on a hunt for a replacement carob but nothing succeeded it and I went without. That's until I checked my Coles one night and there it was, fully stocked!

I bought 4 packets, and tend to stock up on more for our pantry.

Posted by Tracey

Ryvita (www.gwf.com.au/brands/ryvita.htm) has been great for me, so I tend to eat it for breakfast and as a snack.

Here are my suggestions -

Ryvita on it's own
Ryvita & Avocado
Ryvita with tomato & avocado
Ryvita with peanut butter & honey

Posted by Tracey

ingredients
1 cup of unsalted butter
1/2 cup of bittersweet chocolate
3 eggs
1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa
3/4 cup of sugar

directions
1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees celsius.
2. Butter the cake pan or muffin tin.
3. Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt with butter in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally to blend.
4. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs at medium speed until thick, about 1 minute.
6. At low speed, beat in sifted cocoa and then the sugar to partially blend.
7. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula.
8. Beat mixture at high speed until thick, about 1 minute.
9. Add the melted chocolate and beat at medium speed until blended.
10. Scoop 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup or pour into cake pan.
11. Place muffin tin on jelly roll pan in the center of oven.
12. Pour enough hot water into the pan to reach 1/2 inch up the sides of muffin cups. (This is not necessary for cake pan.)
13. Bake for 20 minutes or until done.

Posted by Tracey

ingredients
1 cup of peanut butter
1 cup of sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

directions
1. Mix peanut butter and sugar until fluffy.

2. Add eggs, stir in vanilla.

3. Mix well.

4. Roll in 3/4 inch balls.

5. Use fork to flatten.

6. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 180 degrees celcius.

7. Cool on baking sheets.

Posted by Tracey

ingredients
2 cups of carob buds
1/2 cup of honey
2 cups of peanut butter

directions
1. In the microwave, melt the carob buds and honey (be careful not to burn it!)

2. When carob buds are melted, remove from stove and add the peanut butter.

3. Stir well until blended.

4. Pour into greased tin (rectangular in shape).

5. Refrigerate until set and then cut into squares.

6. Serve and enjoy!

Keep finished fudge in the fridge.

Posted by Tracey