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]

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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A chocoholic’s paradise…Koko Black is one of the original “chocolate cafes” in Melbourne. There are several cafes scattered around Melbourne – the cafe in Chadstone Shopping Centre has been open for a few years now and still has a queue almost every single time I have walked past it. It’s worth the wait for an indulging afternoon tea or morning pick me up hot chocolate. If you can’t be bothered waiting they also do take away hot chocolates. And these are not normal hot chocolates – they are rich, creamy and heavenly delicious.

Their hot chocolate, chocolate mousse and ice cream martini’s are all gluten free.

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Locations:

Chadstone Shopping Centre

167 Lygon St, Carlton

Block Arcade, 335 Bourke St, Melbourne

799 Bourke Rd, Camberwell

52 Collins St, Melbourne

Doncaster Shopping Centre

For more details visit their website at www.kokoblack.com.au

Ah Jamie…I love Jamie’s cookbooks, they are so easy – in particular this one which claims “Anyone can learn to cook in 24 hours”. Now the beauty of this cookbook is that so much of the recipes are gluten free, in fact, 60 out of the 108 recipes are completely gluten free. The remaining48 recipes just need a really easy substitute (eg. rice instead of cous cous, corn flour instead of flour) and they become gluten free.

So you don’t need to buy a “gluten free cookbook” to enjoy top chef’s recipes!

Below is an outine of recipe categories and how many are gluten free:

20 minute meals

Totally gluten free -3

Gluten free with a substitute -4

Quick pasta

Gluten free with a substitute -7

Tasty stir fries

Totally gluten free – 3

Gluten free with a substitute -2

Easy curries

Totally gluten free – 8

Gluten free with a substitute -1

Lovin’ salads

Totally gluten free – 7

Simple soups

Totally gluten free – 6

Gluten free with a substitute -1

Homely mince

Totally gluten free – 3

Gluten free with a substitute -1

Comforting stews

Gluten free with a substitute -1

Family roasts

Totally gluten free – 5

Gluten free with a substitute -3

Delish veg

Totally gluten free – 9

Gluten free with a substitute -3

Quick cooking meat and fish

Totally gluten free – 11

Gluten free with a substitute -5

Classic fish

Totally gluten free – 2

Gluten free with a substitute -5

Kick start breakfasts

Totally gluten free – 2

Gluten free with a substitute -6

Sweet things

Totally gluten free – 1

Gluten free with a substitute -9

Click below to buy this book

Veggie Bar is in the thick of Brunswick st – a casual, easy place to go for a quick meal. As the name suggests, it’s a vegetarian restaurant that also has a large range of gluten free options. It’s always busy but you usually don’t have to wait too long for a table if it’s full. Price wise it’s really good value – you can spend around $12-15 on a main meal and walk out feeling quite satisfied, plus feel good knowing that you’ve got your daily serve of veggies.

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378 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

[mappress]

Right next to Rivoli Cinemas, this restaurant is the perfect place to go before or after a movie. Cafe / restaurant style with a great gluten free menu – almost the entire menu is gluten free. There is a choice of gluten free pastas, meat and fish dishes and deserts. A nice casual relaxed atmosphere.

[rating:3.5]

200 Camberwell Rd, Hawthorn

[mappress]

This place is a bit dangerous if you’re walking past it on the way home from work…it’s right next to Flinders St station and the wafts of hot chips can be very tempting! It’s on the corner of Elizabeth and Flinders st, and also has a smaller shop on the Swanston St side of Flinders St station (right opposite Fed Square). Their chips are gluten free and they also do gluten free burger buns which can be quite a rarity!