Going Wheat Free Post Reply

[Jess_littlehealer]

Hi All,

I am on day one of trying o go wheat free - does anyone have any tips? Also any local restaurants that have good wheat free alternatives!

Thanks x

[grigorjoy]

Is that for health reasons or personal choice? My husband is a coeliac and adjusting to cook for his diet needs was at first a challenge (I loved cooking pasta and cakes, not especially because pasta for dinner was such an easy option). Now you can pretty much find replacements or ways around using flour in a wide variety of recipes. So if it's not for want of cutting out all the carbs...

I can suggest Phil Vickery's cookbooks and the Honeybuns cookbook, although there is a surprisingly huge array of gluten-free cookbooks out there. As Nature Intended on Balham High Road also stock a great array of GF ingredients, mixes, cereals, etc.

As for restaurants, a lot of menus specify if they are gluten free. Chez Bruce was particularly good. After my husband asked for a meal without bread they asked if he was allergic and brought him out a slice of homemade gluten-free bread much to our amazement!

Good luck on your new diet! You'll find it becomes second nature after a while.

[Pod]

Hi there,

I have Ulcerative Colitis and have had it for 6 years, I manage it through diet (came off medication 2 years ago) I was advised to cut out wheat and dairy to prevent flare ups and it has been great!

The previous post mentioned coeliacs which is a gluten intolerance - and whilst there is gluten in Wheat (wheat gluten) there is also gluten in Oats and Rye etc so if you are considering cutting out just wheat (as opposed to all Gluten) then you can make sure you get your wholegrain carbohydrates through Oats, Rye, Quinoa and Barley - be careful not to overdose on refined commercial wheat free alternatives made from corn and white rice - as these have high G.I (basically sugars) and can cause more havoc with digestion and if over indulging - weight gain too.

My advice would be to make sure that you have a high fibre Rye bread (there is a rye and sunflower german bread stocked in sainsburys) that is delicious toasted. Include whole grains like Quinoa (instead of pasta) if eating pasta have it once a week and buy a corn/rice one Doves Organics are really nice and cook well. Use pearl barley and lentils in soups - to add bulk without accompanying bread/wheat to the lunch.

Breakfasts - be careful of too much refined white rice and corn cereals and opt for Oats (Jordans organic oats are really good with cold milk and go soft - add berries or stewed apple) Natures path do a good Meesa Sunrise flakes with quinoa and ammaranth (Sainsburys free from section) or make your own museli with a mix of oats seeds and dried fruit.

Steer clear of all the wheat free cakes and biscuits other than as an occasional treat - these are higher in sugar and fat than normal cakes and biscuits, make your own instead using ground almonds and Doves farm wheat free flour blend as flour replacement. Check out Harry Eastwoods "Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache" book she uses ground almonds and brown rice flour in all her cakes - and substitutes butter for raw grated vegetables - they are awesome - all of them and SO tasty - freeze well too.

PM me if you would like any more help x

[katdewatt]

Dandelion on Northcote Road sell lots of yummy, delicious home made food to take away, you can look at their website for what they sell. I think it is very resonably priced

http://dandeliononline.co.uk/take-away.php

Lots of their food is gluten free, so I guess it is wheat free too. You can go in there and talk to them, they are very helpful.

Good Luck!