Grow Your Own Magazine

A friend of mine is quite ill at the moment. She thinks her condition may be agravated by wheat and is trying to avoid it. She has also recently split with her long term partner and has lost a lot of weight as a result. I am trying to help her put a bit of weight back on so am looking for some tasty wheat free recipies to cook up for her. Can anyone help?

My fella has got a wheat allergy and it is an absolute pain, so many things have wheat in, its unbelievable. I find cake using soya or wheat free flour goes down a treat, especially chocolate cake!

Lasanga using the wheat free pasta sheets also goes down well

However, if your friend is feeling low, I find nothing helps better than a box of wine and a big bar of chocolate and/or a tub of ice cream!

Don't know if any of these may be of use:
www.WiltshireFarmFoods.com
www.trufree.co.uk
www.TescoDiets.com

Also my niece Ella is allergic so my sister in law buys the supermarket products which state they are free from...wheat, cows milk etc etc.

Hope this helps.

Bernie aka Dexterdog

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

when my pal bonnie whos allergic comes over we dont buy wheat free stuff as she says it tastes nasty, we make cakes and bread from sprouted wheat seeds, apparently once they have sprouted the allergen is gone, then you grind the sprouts into flour. its quite a lengthy prosses but it tastes devine.

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Yo an' Bob
Walk lightly on the earth
take only what you need
give all you can
and your produce will be bountifull

Hi serenity. I make bread using a book called gluten free bread and cakes from your breadmaker - don't know if you have one, the pizza dough in it is divine. I've also found I'm ok with spelt flour, rye, barley and oats. There are some lovely rye flour cakes around. I've also found that if making rich fruit cake substituting rice flour is unnoticeable, although it is usually a bit crumblier, a good excuse for picking pieces off the cake board if you ask me

As well as the sites DDL lists try

http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/index.html
Doves Farm
BBC
http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/Food/Wheatfree.html

Buckwheat pancakes are great - it is a relative of rhubarb. Don't forget rice and potatoes are ok.

If your friend's symptoms continue it is worth her speaking to her GP to arrange blood testing although this isn't hard and fast. My intolerance doesn't show up at all. Alternatively and this may sound wacky, speak to a kinesiologist how can do muscle testing to identify the problem foods. This is generally very accurate. I have been dowsing and this works for me. York Labs do a good blood test but it is costly.

I hope your friend is feeling better soon and she recovers from her relationship breakdown. Sending thoughts and good wishes.

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Bright Blessings
Earthbabe
If at first you don't succeed, open a bottle of wine.

thanks for that earthbabe, will pass on the details to my friend.

Wheat makes me bloat, so I eat rice instead. Does your friend like curries ?

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

yes loves them

Hi Serenity

Your friend could try some of the books by Barbara Cousins. I'm wheat and dairy free and she does a great book called 'Cooking without' - has some really lovely recipes in.

Blessings
Squash Muppet

Does she have a sweet tooth? I have a very nice carrot torte recipe (almonds & hazelnuts & carrots & eggs) if you'd like me to type it in?

Also she could treat herself to a cheap ice-cream maker, there's lots of yummy recipes to make?

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

that would be great sbp. If she doesn't like it I know someone who will

Carrot Torte

Delicious warm or cold.
Serves 8

2 x 100g packs whole blanched almonds
1 x 100g pack whole blanched hazelnuts
300g (11oz) grated carrots
4 large eggs, separated
75g (3oz) clear honey
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F gas mark 4. Roast the almonds and hazelnuts for about 20 minutes until golden then grind together. Oil and line the base of a 23cm (9") round cake tin.

2. Mix the carrots, nuts, egg yolks, honey, lemon zest, cinnamon and baking powder in a large bowl.

3. Whisk the egg whites until stiff then fold into the carrot and nut mixture in batches.

4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and cook in the centre of the oven for about 40 minutes until risen and just firm to the touch.

5. Cool on a wire tray then serve either warm or cold, cut into wedges dusted with icing sugar or drizzled with a little extra honey.

Serve with yoghurt or creme fraiche separately - or try serving with passion fruit seeds drizzled over.

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

Italian Lemon Polenta Cake with Rosemary Syrup

Serves 8

1 x 250g pack butter, softened
200g (7oz) golden castor sugar
3 large eggs
200g (7oz) polenta meal (cornmeal)
1 tsp baking powder
Finely grated zest 1 large lemon
50g (2oz) mixed cut peel

For rosemary syrup
100ml (4fl oz) fresh lemon juice
100g (3 1/2 oz), plus 1 tbsp, golden castor sugar
1/2 pack fresh rosemary, cut into smaller sprigs

1. Preheat the oven to 190 C / 375 F / gas mark 5 and butter a 23cm (9") spring-release tin.

2. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the polenta and baking powder followed by the zest and peel. Transfer to the prepared tin, level the surface and cook in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden and firm yet springy to the touch.

3. Put the lemon juice, 100g sugar, 200ml (7 fl oz) water and the rosemary in a small pan and simmer gently until the cake is ready.

4. When the cake is cooked, remove the rosemary from the syrup and pour it all over the cake (while still in the tin). Roll the sprigs of rosemary in the remaining sugar.

5. Remove the cake from the tin just before serving and serve warm or cold decorated with rosemary sprigs.



I've not tried this recipe (but have the carrot one), it's cut out from the same magazine though. I think from when a friend of ours thought she might be wheat intolerant. I have to say if it were me I hate mixed peel and would have to try it with something else!

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

rosemary syrup sound devine might give that a go tonight. Think you are right about the mixed peel

thanks for taking the time to post these, much appreciated

I'm a simple person, Tesco's advertise that they have 150 gluten-free delights. I can certainly vouch for their multi-grain bread, and the ginger biscuits. They also have pasta.

For myself I serve salads and cook fresh vegetables so you don't need to worry about them at all. Meringues are good but cakes, bread and bsicuits are all risky. The danger foods are all processed so avoid them. go back to 'hunter/gatherer' mode.

Cheers
Cliff