A Noodle Box has opened up near my place…finally…and although there are only 2 gluten free options, in my opinion they are the 2 best dishes on the menu anyway – Seafood Nasi Goreng and Chicken Pad Thai. Yum and yum! Quick, easy and good value for money, I’m a Noodle Box fan. For a list of locations go to their website

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Snappas is a small take away fish and chippery in Werribee’s main street that have a great selection of gluten free fish and chips, and even gluten free potato cakes and crumbed pinapple fritters. They also have take home freezer packs of fish fillets, prawns, calamari rings, potato cakes and more. Everthing is cooked to order so is really fresh and good quality.

In honour of the unofficial start of summer with this hot weather I’ve started a page dedicated to gluten free fish and chips in Melbourne – check it out here – and please let me know if you have any more to add to this list!

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[mappress]

This weekend my other half and I were lamenting how we never do brunch anymore…so we went to Eden Espresso on Sunday – the perfect place for a relaxed brunch. It’s a little cafe on Glenferrie Rd, a few doors down from Cerone’s, that looks like a converted house – nice big dining area at the front, middle has a smaller dining room and at the back there’s a really cute courtyard – perfect for a nice sunny weekend.

You get a really nice comfortable feeling at this place, like you’re hanging out at someone’s house. The waiters are very friendly and very helpful with gluten free requests (you need to ask them what is gluten free).

The menu (presented in really cute frames) is quite small but there’s a few gluten free options, including soup, salads and some breakfast meals. I had the Green Eggs – scrambled eggs with pesto, spinach and cheese, with gluten free toast – which was really really nice and very filling.

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[mappress]

I love almond shortbread (also known as Greek Shortbread, but most other European cultures also have a version of this recipe) but I’ve never tried making them gluten free. At the gluten free show there was a stand promoting Lupin Flour and they had some shortbread – it was divine so I’ll have to give it a go. Below is the recipe from Irwin Valley Lupin Flour and you can order the flour online, unfortunately it looks like there are not yet any stockists in Victoria.

Preparation Time

30 minutes

Cooking Time

10 – 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 250g unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup pure icing sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• ¾ cup  blanched, slivered almonds
• 15mL ouzo  (plus extra for topping)
• Flour mix (240g plain flour & 60g Irwin Valley Lupin Flour)

Method

1. Toast almonds under griller until light golden brown. Allow to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C (conventional heat).
3. Cream butter & sugar until white in colour.
4. Add egg yolks & mix well.
5. Stir in almonds & ouzo.
6. Fold in 2/3 of the flour mix. Continue to add flour only until mixture forms a slightly sticky dough.
7. Roll out dough on lightly floured benchtop into strips approx. 8cm wide.
8. Using a suitably sized glass or small bowl, cut strips into crescent-shaped pieces.
9. Place on a baking tray (lightly greased or use baking paper).
10. Bake until pale golden brown.
11. While still hot, sprinkle liberally with extra ouzo, then dust with icing sugar.
12. When cool, store in an airtight container, covering with extra icing sugar. Stays fresh for up to 4 weeks.

Notes & tips

• Sprinkle with rosewater in place of ouzo.

Easy Japanese food is always a good find. I love Japanese food but even if you’re not familiar with most Japanese dishes, Wagamamas has a good selection for both the cautious and the adventurous. A lot of their menu can be made gluten free, you just have to let the waiter know when you order. For a full list of what can be GF go to http://www.wagamama.com.au/food/dietary/wheatgluten

They have 2 locations in Melbourne:
83 Flinders Lane in the city and Chadstone Shopping Centre

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Fast food doesn’t have to be unhealthy – this is one place that proves this. Sumo Salad has a great range of surprisingly filling salads and soups many of which are gluten free. They have several locations around Melbourne, for more details see www.sumosalad.com

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Mmmmm…fudge – one of the most decadent and naughtiest things you can make, but it tastes so so so good!

This recipe is really easy and can be adapted to include pretty much whatever flavour you want – whatever type of chocolate, you can add your favourite flavouring or alcohol to make it a bit different.

Ingredients:

100g unsalted butter

1 and 1/4 cups brown sugar

400g condensed milk

100g dark chocolate

Method:

Place the butter, sugar and condensed milk in a saucepan over medium – high heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring constantly. Once the mixture has thickened and looks gooey, take off the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted. Place in a baking tray or flat container and refridgerate for about an hour. Slice into squares.