Welcome…
Welcome to Gluten Free and the Australian Teenager
The pages and posts on this site is a resource guide for all those who have coeliac disease.
It is more specifically a resource for families looking for gluten free recipes and products approved and accepted by teenagers who must eat gluten free.
Browse our pages for kitchen set up, lunch box suggestions, gluten free shopping hints and recipe and eating out resources.
Read about some of the ups and downs for a teenager with coeliac disease and gain an insight into some of factors associated with the transition to gluten free.
Additionally, Help! My Teenager has Coeliac Disease … is for mothers supporting their teenager to provide teen specific information.
Written by a mother of a teenager diagnosed with coeliac disease, this site is full of practicalities and honesty.
Gluten Free and the Australian Teenager is about the new ‘normal’ and all that comes with a gluten free lifestyle.
Gluten Free Crackers
Crackers.Biscuits.Salatine
Finding a store bought cracker has been an elusive quest for my gf teenager. Many of the store bought crackers are heavily flavoured with cheese and have way too many seeds for my son’s liking. We buy Schar crackers and Glutino Bagel chips but if you are looking to make your own crackers, then here are a few suggestions:
1. Parmesan and Seed Biscuits
A recipe from the team at Yum Gluten Free
Ingredients
175 g gf flour
85 g butter
1 egg yolk, mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons grated parmesan
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
sea salt
Method
Put flour and butter into a food processor and whizz until fine. Sprinkle the egg and water mixture on top and pulse again until the mixture starts to come together. Tip the mixture onto a board and gently squeezes the pastry into a ball, adding more water if it feels dry.
Heat oven to 190 C. Roll the pastry into a large rectangle, 20 x 30 cm. Brush sheet with beaten egg and cut in half width-ways. Sprinkle one half with parmesan and the other with sesame seeds. Lightly roll them with a rolling pin to press cheese and seeds in. If you like your biscuits a little salty, then sprinkle and press sea salt flakes onto biscuits.
Cut each half into 12 – 15 sticks. Arrange on a baking tray and chill for 10 minutes.
Bake for 8 – 10 minutes until golden brown.
2. Gluten Free Parmesan Crackers
A recipe from the SBS Food recipes archive, this is a lovely combination of almond meal and parmesan
3. Gluten Free Crackers made with buckwheat and flaxseed meal
4. Cheddar Crackers with a big cheesy flavour
Sticky Thai Pork
Sticky.Sweet.Savoury
Sometimes we forget that while recipes might not be labelled gluten free, the recipes are automatically gluten free by ingredients. This recipe from Coles Magazine is one such recipe. You can also serve it with rice vermicilli or on a bed of rice. And you can use left overs as a filling for Rice Paper Wraps.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
500 g Pork Mince
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
¼ cup brown sugar
1 ½ tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon gf fish sauce
1 spring onion, thinly slices
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced and deseeded
2 baby cos lettuce, leaves separated
½ cup coriander sprigs
1 lime, sliced in wedges
Method
Heat oil in frying pan over medium-high heat.
Stir fry pork, garlic and ginger for 3 minutes or until browned.
Add sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, onion and chilli.
Stir fry for 3 – 4 minutes.
Serve with lettuce, coriander and lime wedges.
Chickpeas -4 Variations on a Theme
FullofFlavour.Versatile.Earthy
We have a family favourite chickpea dish that connects us to our roots in Catalonia Spain: Cigrons. Unfortunately, our recipe has two complications: we prepare dried chickpeas by soaking overnight and then cook them in a pressure cooker and the recipe is difficult to commit in the written form. The quantities of olive oil, vinegar, bacon, garlic and salt and pepper all rely on taste and feel and sight and smell. Those who have shared house with me always reminisce about Cigrons and it is one of those meals that is prepared for when all the family is home.
You can however make chickpeas your way or try one of the recipes below. Canned chickpeas doesn’t have to only be used for Hummus.
Be adventurous.
Sherry-Glazed Chorizo and Chickpeas
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
125 g dried chorizo, sliced
1/3 cup dry sherry* for extra depth of flavour use a Sherry Vinegar
400 g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Chopped flat leaf parsley to serve
Method
Heat oil in fry pan over medium to high heat.
Add chorizo and cook, turning for 3 – 4 minutes or until crisp.
Add ¼ cup sherry, then cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes or until chorizo is glazed and the liquid has evaporated.
Add chickpeas and remaining 1 tablespoon sherry then cook stirring occasionally, for a further 5 minutes or until chickpeas are warmed through.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Smoky Chicken, Chorizo and Chickpeas
Ingredients
600 g chicken thighs, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
250 g chorizo, sliced
400 g can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tomato chopped
1 long red chilli, sliced
¼ cup chopped parsley
Method
In a bowl, combine chicken, 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, paprika and cumin. Toss to coat.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan over high heat. Cook chicken for 2 -3 minutes each side or until golden. Remove from pan.
Cook chorizo and chickpeas in same pan, stirring for 2 – 3 minutes or until golden.
Return chicken to pan with any juices.
Drizzle over balsamic and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked and heated.
Stir through tomato, chilli and parsley
Louise’s Chickpeas in Spanish Sauce
Ingredients
2 cans drained chick peas
1 green capsicum
1 red capsicum
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 red chilli
1 tablespoon parsley
2 cans tomatoes
Method
Chop the capsicums, chilli, onion and garlic.
Lightly fry in olive oil for a few minutes.
Add the parsley, tomatoes and chick peas. Season.
Cool on a low heat for about half an hour, stirring occasionally.
Chickpea and Chorizo Hotpot
Ingredients
4 chorizo, sausages, thickly sliced
100 g jamon Serrano, diced
100 g salami, diced
100 g pancetta, diced
5 pink eschallots, quartered
5 garlic cloves, sliced
1 bunch of thyme, leaves only
2 x 400 g chickpeas, drained
500 ml chicken stock
1 bunch parsley, chopped
Method
Heat a large saucepan. Add all the meats. Cook stirring occasionally, over a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and fat in the meat has started to break down.
Add eschallots, cook stirring occasionally until soft (5 minutes). Add garlic and thyme. Cook for a further 2 minutes.
Stir in chickpeas. Cook stirring occasionally for 5 minutes so chickpeas can absorb the flavours of meats and herbs.
Stir in stock. Bring to boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes until slightly thickened.
Garnish with parsley.
Recipe Ideas – Woolworths Fresh
Like most gluten free shoppers, I shop around: Woolworths, IGA, Coles, organic shops depending upon what specific gluten free product I am looking for. Shopping at Woolworths yesterday, I picked up a copy of their April 2016 Fresh.
Well done to Woolworths for their Fresh April 2016 Free in-store magazine. Supporting Coeliac Awareness Week this edition of Fresh has a two page spread on gluten-free living highlighting gluten free products available in-store.
But the good news for gluten free-ers does not stop there. Not only does the magazine contain tagged gluten free recipes, there is also a number of other recipes that are either gluten free by ingredient or can be gluten free with a few quick substitutions.
If you are looking for inspiration, then pick up a copy of Fresh Issue 119 April 16 to find these recipes mentioned below:
Gluten Free
Banana Pancakes page 102
Chocolate Cake page 104
Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns page 89
Gluten Free by Ingredient
Asian-Style Mandarin Chicken page 10
Vegetable Tortilla page 14
Marinated Lamb Steaks with Roasted Vegetables page 19
Hash Brown Quiche page 28
Buckwheat Crepes with Poached Apple and Pear page 54
Baked Sweet Potatoes, Avocado and Feta page 62
Passionfruit Possetts page 72
Sticky Sesame Prawns with Zingy Rice Noodle Salad page 82
Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Avo Crunch Salad with Balsamic Beets and Broccolini page 82
Ham and Rockmelon Bites page 93
Ham Caprese Skewers page 93
Gluten Free with Substitutions
Fettuccine Alfredo with Mushrooms page 16
Smashed Avocado & Feta page 34
Brunch Salad page 54
Classic Minestrone page 57
Mexican Chicken Chilli page 58
Prawn and Zucchini Spaghetti page 58
Broad Bean, Fennel, Chilli and lemon Risotto with Prawns page 61
Sicilian Meatballs Al Forno page 61
Papaya and Lime Cheesecake page 73
Rosemary and Garlic Lamb with Root Veg Mash page 84
Hot Cross Bun Toppers page 88
Coconut Lime Cookies
Zesty.Sweet.Tangy
Mouthfuls of flavour, these Coconut Lime Cookies are easy to make and easy to eat.
Ingredients
1 cup almond meal
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 lime, finely grated zest
1 egg
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing
1/2 cup gf icing sugar
1 lime, finely grated zest and juice
Method
Preheat oven to moderate 180C (160C fan forced). Line 2 oven trays with baking paper.
In a large bowl, combine almond meal, coconut, baking powder and zest.
In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg until very pale and doubled in volume. Beat in oil, honey and vanilla. Carefully fold in dry ingredients. Chill in fridge for 30 minutes. (I needed at least 1 hour or maybe add a little more almond meal to mixture)
Roll teaspoons dough into balls and arrange on trays 5 cm apart. Flatten balls slightly.
Bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until golden. Cool on trays before transferring to wire rack.
In a small bowl, combine icing sugar and enough lime juice to make a thin icing. Drizzle of cold cookies and sprinkle with zest.
(from a Woman’s Day in my dentist’s waiting room)
Chicken Laksa
Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup in the Peranakan cuisine, which is a combination of Chinese and Malay cuisine. Laksa consists of rice noodles or rice vermicelli with chicken, prawn or fish, served in spicy soup; either based on rich and spicy curry coconut milk, or based on sour asam (tamarind or gelugur). (wikipedia)
Fragrant. Fresh. Flexible.
While my son preferred his Laksa on a bed of rice and without the snap peas this is an easy and versatile recipe.
Ingredients
500 g chicken sliced into strips (or use leftover roast chicken and add with coconut cream and chicken stock)
3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
2 cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
2 cups chicken stock (gluten free)
Vegetable oil
1 tin coconut cream (or lite coconut cream)
Pad Thai Rice Noodles
2 tablespoons Laksa paste (or use ‘Always Fresh’ Chilli Jam)
1 tablespoon Fish Sauce
* snow peas or snap peas (or capsicum strips or vegetable of choice for colour and texture)
1 lime, juiced
coriander to serve
red chilli, finely sliced to serve
* fresh bean sprouts (for texture)
Method
- Fry chicken with oil in a heated fry pan. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Add laska paste and fish sauce and stir.
- Add coconut cream and chicken stock, stir and simmer for 10 minutes.* Add snow peas or snap peas in the last 3 – 5 minutes.
- Add lime juice and heat through.
- Prepare noodles by soaking in hot water for 5 – 10 minutes. Drain noodles and place in bottom of bowls.
- Pour chicken laksa over the noodles.
- Garnish with sprigs of coriander and red chilli slices.* Add fresh bean sprouts.
Mexican Chicken and Bean Stew
Quick and easy and versatile.
Serve with tortillas or a bed of rice or a green salad.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
500 g chicken thighs, cut into 2 cm pieces
1 large carrot, cubed
1 red capsicum, coarsely chopped
1 tomato, coarsely chopped
1 can x 420 g Heinz Beanz Creationz Fiery Mexican Style Beans or Heinz Beans Creationz Mexican Salsa Chilli (for a milder meal)
100 g canned corn kernels, drained
Salsa
1 tomato, finely chopped
1/3 cup coriander leaves
1 avocado cubed
Lime wedges to serve
Method
Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan over the medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken to a bowl.
Add carrot and capsicum to pan and cook for 3 minutes or until starting to brown. Add tomato and ¼ cup water and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and beans. Cook covered stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Add the corn and stir through until heated.
Salsa: in a bowl combine tomato, coriander and avocado.
Serve with tortillas or tacos or nachos and lime wedges.
(Coles Food magazine August 2015)
Beef Fajitas
Another Mexican favourite for our household.
Ingredients
Beef and Marinade
700 g tender beef steak (rump or sirloin) cut into strips
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ lime, juiced
1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
Large pinch of chili powder
Large pinch of cumin ground
Large pinch of paprika
Olive oil for frying
Tortillas
1 – 2 avocados diced and tossed with juice from ½ lime
125 ml sour cream
Tomato Salsa (4 ripe tomatoes diced, 2 shallots sliced finely, 1 red chili finely diced, 3 tablespoons coriander chopped, salt and pepper to taste)
Method
1. Combine steak strips, garlic, lime, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oil, salt and pepper and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Assemble the tomato salsa.
3. Heat a little oil in a frying pan. Cook the beef mixture in batches and stir fry over high heat until browned and just cooked through.
4. Serve with heated tortillas, salsa, avocado and sour cream.
Pesto
Teamed with Glutino Bagel Chips or home made Corn Chips, this Basil Pesto is worth the effort.
Ingredients
1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves
50 g pine nuts, toasted
50 g parmesan cheese, grated
2 cloves garlic, peeled
125 ml olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Ground black pepper and sea salt to taste
Method
Place all ingredients into the chopper bowl of your stick blender and process until smooth.
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