Gluten Free Chocolate Fondant

Gluten Free Shepherd's Pie

500g lamb mince
1 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small onion, mince
1 small carrot, minced
1 tsp tomato puree
250ml beef stock
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary
1lb potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed with rice milk and olive oil spread

1. Heat pan with oil and saute lamb mince on high heat.
2. Add onions, carrots and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cooking, stirring for further 5 minutes.
3. Add tomato puree. Stir well so ensure it is mixed in properly.
4. Add beef stock, parsley, thyme, rosemary, stir well then cook for 10 - 15 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 220C/425F/Gas mark 7.
6. Place meat in dish and cover with mashed potato.
7. Cook in oven for 10 minutes and serve.

Sign your business us to on http://glutenzone.ie or advertise your business through our blogs and social media pages.

Contact Heidi for more details on glutenzone@gmail.com or call 085 7330038.

What I Hate Most About Being Gluten Free

Being gluten free has many challenges.

In 2011 I decided to try a gluten free diet as my homeopath suggested it would improve my health (years of skin conditions, constipation, bloated, stomach cramps to name but a few).

So I embarked on a gluten free adventure. In 2012 I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease so now instead of being what people perceived as a 'fashion statement' or 'Heidi just likes to rebel', I now had a medical condition that people took seriously.

But it kind of irks me that people have such a negative opinion of people who choose to go gluten free.

I mean, who's business is it any way?

I must admit my dinner invitations to peoples homes have reduced over the years!!! I even experienced a hilarious birthday treat one year where my fab friends surprised me with a birthday cake, sang me Happy Birthday, let me blow out the candles and then said 'Well you can't have any because it's not gluten free'....... that is a true story.

My irks are not so much that things are a little bit more expensive in my weekly shopping especially as me and my mini me also can't have dairy - but more so people's attitudes towards my gluten free life.

I eat gluten free because I feel better. But don't judge me on my food choices. Even if I am doing it to try to get thinner (by the way that doesn't really work, but I have reduced my bloated, sore tummy), so what if I want to follow a celeb trend, so what if I just want to do it to see what happens - it's really no ones business.

Some of my friends have embraced my gluten free life, making an awesome effort to serve a gluten free meal or snack when I come to visit. But don't fret if you are not one of those friends because I won't judge you!!

So the moral of my Monday morning rant is:

Don't judge people for the choices they make, let people do whatever makes them happy. But if you do have a little gluten free treat in your cupboard when I visit you would make my day!!! 

Have a great ya'll xx
Heidi
http://glutenzone.ie/

Reach over half a million targeted gluten free people weekly by advertising with us.

Advertise your Gluten Free business on our web directory.

 We are offering businesses the opportunity to add additional promotions on our social media pages.

Increase branding

Target a specific audience

Gain more followers/business leads

We only target the Irish gluten free market

 We are reaching over 500,000 impressions on Facebook

21,000 impressions on Twitter

Become a featured business for the week where we will post any content about your products to our followers of over 6,000 Irish followers, as well as send an ezine to our mailing list. Why not run a competition.

This full introductory package only costs €25 per week (normal price €40 per week).

Do you want to feature your business with us this week?

Simply email us for more details glutenzone@gmail.com or call Heidi on 085 7330038

http://glutenzone.ie/

Gluten Free Chocolate Fondue

Serves 2 people

30g self raising flour
20g icing sugar
1 egg & 1 egg yolk
30g milk chocolate
30g dark chocolate (minimum 60%)
60g unsalted butter

2 x 6cm ramekin bowls
Cocoa powder for dusting
Butter to line the molds

190 degrees fan oven, 200 degrees non fan oven, gas mark 6.

Line ramekin bowl with butter and then dust with cocoa powder

1. Melt butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl over boiling hot water.
2. Take off heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. Sieve flour and icing sugar into a separate bowl.
4. Mix eggs into the flour.
5. Beat/whisk eggs, flour and icing sugar for 2 minutes.
6. Pour in chocolate and butter mix.
7. Once thoroughly mixed, pour into ramekin bowls.
8. Bake in oven for 10-11 minutes.

Mark Doe's Top Chefy Tips!! 

• When melting the chocolate and butter, 1/2 melt and then take off the heat and keep mixing.
• You can pop the uncooked mixture in the fridge for up to 2-3 days simply cover tops with cling film
• If you do save the mixture in the fridge, when you wish to cook, take out of the fridge and allow to go to room temperature. 
• It's better to under cook than over cook the fondue. 

http://glutenzone.ie

Gluten Free Green Thai Chicken Curry

1 tbsp olive  oil
2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
2 large chicken breasts
1 large red onion, cut into quarters
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 tin coconut milk
1 lime zest and juice
2 tbsp tamari soy sauce (can be found in the free from section in Tesco)
10 cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
200g spinach
Coriander
Basmati rice

Over medium heat, add chicken, Thai curry paste and onion to a large frying pan.

Cook for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is browned and cooked through.

Meanwhile cook the rice.

Add in the pepper and garlic, cook for 2 minutes.

Then add the coconut milk, lime zest, juice, and soy sauce.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes covered with a lid or until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove from the heat and add the cherry tomatoes, spinach, and sprinkle the corriander.

Serve with rice.

http://glutenzone.ie

Gluten Free Meatballs in Tomato & Herb Sauce

750g mince beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp gluten free breadcrumbs
Parsley
1 egg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp gluten free plain flour, for dusting
2 tbsp olive oil
4-5 mushrooms -thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp oregano
1 jar tomato passata
1 chicken stock cube (Tesco every day value ones are gluten free)
Salt and pepper
350g gluten free spaghetti

Place the mince beef, half the onion, breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, egg, cinnamon, salt & pepper in a large bowl.

Mix to combine ingredients.

Using flour, shape into small meatballs (usually makes 12-16)

Heat oil in pan and over a high heat cook the meatballs for 3-4 minutes. Then transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining onion, mushrooms and garlic in the same pan and fr until soft.

Add the herbs, tomato passata, and sprinkle in the chicken stock cube.

Simmer and add the meatballs.

Cover with a lid and simmer for a further 15-20 minutes on a low heat.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti and serve.

http://glutenzone.ie

Glutenzone - A Year in Review 2015

2015 My Gluten Free Life’s Year in Review with Glutenzone

Let’s look back at the stunning Gluten Free year we had together!

We reached out with:

15 million impressions across Ireland on Facebook

20,000 Pinterest impressions

132,000 Twitter impressions

Our year in review

We launched our gluten free business directory for Ireland

After much research and hard work we finally launched our gluten free directory. A place where businesses and consumers can find and share gluten free information around Ireland.

Building brand awareness for businesses offering gluten free across Ireland

For businesses we have given you the opportunity to build your brand awareness within our directory as well as across our social media platforms.

Started to plan and develop a new You Tube channel coming soon in 2016

We have an exciting new You Tube channel that we will be launching soon offering expert advice on living gluten free as well as how to cook gluten free on a budget.

Struggled to get gluten free options when traveling abroad

Heidi went on her travels to Australasia and discovered that there is still much confusion worldwide about what is gluten free. Airports tended to be the biggest challenge. A gluten free emergency snack kit was in her handbag at all times!

Glutenzone’s team expanded due to meet the demand

Glutenzone went from a one man band to a team of three amigos. With such demand for gluten free information, the rapid growth of Glutenzone demanded more hands on deck.

And finally….

To make it all possible, we have YOU and our merry team to thank.

2016 will see us even busier helping you build an even stronger year marketing your gluten free business

Let’s Grow Your Business on http://glutenzone.ie

Gluten Free Smoked Bacon, Sage & Cranberry Stuffing

Both gluten free stuffings makes enough stuffing for a 7kg (14-15lb) turkey.

This gluten free stuffing is for cooking inside the chicken or turkey or roasting as individual balls of stuffing.

500g sausage meat                                                                         
300g fresh breadcrumbs
150g butter
2 large onions, chopped                                                       
100g dried cranberries, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
200g smoked bacon, chopped                                                   
A good pinch of dried sage
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

1. Melt the butter in a pan and add bacon and add the onions, cranberries, dried sage and smoked bacon.
2. Slowly cook, without colouring, until soft (approx 5 - 6 minutes).
3. Remove from heat and add the breadcrumbs and mix through well.
4. Mix through the sausage meat and season with salt and pepper.
5. Finish with the chopped parsley.
6. To roast the stuffing, roll into balls about the size of a brussel  sprout and lay onto a light oiled baking tray.
7. Pre heat oven to 200c fan/gas 6/220c and cook the stuffing balls for 18 minutes until cooked through and a little crispy.

http://glutenzone.ie

Can gluten free lower cholesterol and blood pressure?

QUESTION
Am not a coeliac am on a diet to lose weight have high cholesterol and blood pressure can eating some of the gluten free foods help.

OUR REPLY
A gluten free diet can help many health issues. However many prepacked gluten free goods are no healthier than regular foods, in many cases they are even more fatty. You may be better to check out the Paleo diet instead of just gluten free, but make sure you have the go ahead from your GP before you embark on any new eating plan when you have specific health issues. It's awesome for overall health, gluten and dairy free so naturally lowering saturated fats and loads of fruit and veg. Hope that helps Pauline and let us know how you get on. Happy New Year. Heidi

http://glutenzone.ie

Kids Glutenzone

I love baking and cooking with my little lady. She loves making cakes and cookies just like any other seven year old. She also loves taking her creations to school to share with her friends and none of them know it is dairy and gluten free!!

Here's a simple recipe for spiced cookies but you can use anything, chocolate chips, peanut better, whatever you enjoy.

Recipe:
225g olive oil spread (you can use butter if you don't need dairy free, it does give the cookies more of a crunch)
1 egg
170g brown suagr
280g self raising flour (we use the Aldi one only €1.89!!)
1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from a fresh vanilla pod
Dessert spoon of grounded mixed spice

Heat oven to 180 degrees.

Line baking sheets.

Add all ingredients into a blender and mix until made into a large ball.

With a spoon make small balls and place on baking tray (make sure mixture is not too wet, if this is the case add some more flour, but remember not to dry it out as gluten free baking all mixtures will be more wet than regular baking).

Place in oven and cook for 15 minutes or until lightly brown.

Leave out to cool before removing from baking tray.

             Gluten free spiced cookies made by Gracie Grimwood, age 7!

http://glutenzone.ie