New & Improved from Lifestyle Bakery

Aren't we lucky that we have such an array of gluten free products available to us nowadays?  Especially bread.  I shudder to think of the gluten free selection (or lack of..) of days gone by..

You may have noticed a familiar face in the bread aisle recently.  Lifestyle Bakery are no strangers to gluten free.  They have provided us with a soft and tasty range for some time now and I am very happy to report that they have developed a NEW AND IMPROVED range of Soft 'n' Light gluten free bread.  

The range includes a Super Soft White Loaf - New Thicker Slice, Multigrain with Red Quinoa, Super Seed with Chia Seed and a Spicy Fruit Loaf made from 100% Australian grown fruit.

Super Soft White with it's improved taste and new thick-cut slices was a popular choice in my house. Toast was a hit this morning at brekky and both my younger children happily skipped off to school with a fab new sanga made with the same loaf. Only one child is Coeliac but let's not split hairs.

The Superseed is my fav.  Naturally kids are going to be kids when it comes to bread with 'bits' in but for me, I embrace the bits. With a combination of chia, red quinoa plus amaranth and teff seeds, it's loaded with essential nutrients but I just love the taste. In fact, this afternoon, I lightly toasted a couple of slices, loaded them up with thick chunks of vine ripened tomatoes, added a sprinkling of salt and pepper and it was lunchtime perfection. It's the little things..

The new range was launched on 3rd August 2015 and has replaced all previous Lifestyle Bakery Soft 'n' Light Gluten Free loaves.  RRP $5.89.  Available NOW in Woolworths WA and selected Woolworths stores in SA and NT.  

Alternatively, products can be purchased online at  www.lifestylebakery.com.au 

Lifestyle Bakery sent me the above products to sample.

All opinions expressed are my own.  I was not paid for this post.

No Flour Chocolate BROWNIES

Quite often I find that pre-packaged/commercial food, although marked GLUTEN FREE, contains a lot of things we generally try to steer clear of - high sugar, additives, preservatives, salt - especially for children.  It's no secret that I have a sweet tooth so I am the first to put up my hand and admit to being a little heavy-handed with the sugar in my baking but I wanted to see if there were great tasting alternatives out there, especially for my kids.  So I set about finding something yum that focused on the natural but still tasted amazing..  Lets face it, if it doesn't taste amazing, no-one is going to eat it so what's the point.

Well I think I'm off to a flying start here.. see what you think! 

The recipe below is an adaptation of one found here ->  Healthy Chocolate Brownies which in turn, is an adaptation of one found in the book The Healthiest Meals On Earth by Jonny Bowden

These brownies are high in fibre and contain no refined sugar 


12 Medjool Dates soaked in 1 Cup of hot water for 10 minutes (pits removed)
*this is an amendment to the original measurement of 1 & 1/2 cups as I feel less water makes a better end product.  Still pouring off 1/4 cup of the liquid later.
1 can (400g) of chickpeas rinsed well and drained
4 eggs
1/2 cup GF cocoa powder
1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
50g of GF dark chocolate (optional)  ~ I used what I had available (40g) and still worked well
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon GF baking powder

Pre-heat oven to 180° Celsius
I used a 9x9x2in square Wilton brownie tin and lined with baking paper

Soak the dates in the hot water for 10 minutes.  After this time, pour off 1/4 cup of the liquid and process the dates and remaining water in a food processor.

Combine the date mixture, cocoa powder, coconut oil, chocolate and honey in a separate bowl.

Process the chickpeas and eggs together in the processor until a smooth consistency is achieved
(this will collect any remnants of the date mixture as well) and then stir into chocolate mixture.
Add baking powder and stir to mix in well.

Pour into lined baking tin and cook for 45 minutes.

Cool for 10 minutes before cutting

You could always add nuts if you wanted to but these are a great addition to lunchboxes 'as they are' (school friendly). I love this recipe and will definitely be making it again and again.  All of the ingredients can be sourced easily from your regular supermarket - you may find that you already have about 90% of the ingredients in your pantry anyway.

You may also choose to try different sweeteners - eg; Rice Malt Syrup, Agave Nectar, Stevia
I have used honey here as I find this preferable to an artificial sweetener - but that's not to say I would never use one. 

Lifestyle Bakery have done it again :)

When I read recently that there was a new soft white roll available from Lifestyle Bakery - I went weak at the knees.

OK so.. that was totally a lie but OMG how awesome!! - I was excited and I couldn't wait to try them.  I mean, I love their bread and so the rolls had to be unreal right? YES! and you know what?  Not just rolls people.  

Soft white delicious rolls with no weird gluten free aftertaste and they don't fall apart when you bite into them.  HALLELUJAH!  Yeah that's right - there's a serious contender in the bread aisle.. and that's not all.  Free steak knives? Nuh Uh.  WAY better..  Soft, white DINNER ROLLS.  NO!!!!!! OH YES!!

I can hear the Oohs and Aahs..  Don't fight it.  Feed your excitement.

I could feel a burger night coming on.  Home-made burgers are the Bomb.. and they are certainly well received in our house. A flavoursome pattie, a little lettuce, a slice of tomato, a cheeky slice of cheese, a splash of sauce.  Dynamite.  Not a peep at the dinner table - Golden moments indeed.

Yes the Lifestyle Bakery Soft'n'Light range has been extended to include white rolls, dinner rolls and pizza bases.  They really are deliciously good and I should know.  I've unashamedly tried them all.

What's more, all the products in the Soft'n'Light range are PRESERVATIVE FREE, low in saturated fat and 100% Australian owned.

My little people are under the weather today and so I knew appetites weren't at their hearty best however they still needed some sustenance in their wee tummies.  So although cheese and tomato isn't going to win me any Masterchef accolades, I knew this little combo would be eaten.  There is something to be said for keeping things simple sometimes.  I decided to use the Lifestyle Bakery Dinner Rolls instead of plain old sandwich bread - nothing wrong with a sanga but they have that every other day..

Who says you have to keep dinner rolls purely for a dinner accompaniment anyway?  These are perfect for little hands!

I used a cute little gingerbread man cookie cutter for the cheese.  It's about making things look appealing and fun for little tackers.  You want them to eat it don't you! 

While I was putting these together, it suddenly occurred to me that these cute  little dinner rolls would make the perfect platform for some awesome sliders.. YESSSS.  Oh the possibilities.  A post for another day..

Find a retailer HERE

Lifestyle Bakery sent me the above products to try out.

All opinions expressed are my own.  I was not paid for this post.

Gingerbread Men

So the plan was to make ANZAC'S but I somehow got sidetracked and ended up with Gingerbread Men..

I found this recipe in the thousands of torn out and hastily scribbled recipes I have collected over time. I suspect the original may have come from the fabulous Donna Hay but I have tweaked it here so as it is GLUTEN FREE.  ENJOY!

125g Butter softened

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Golden Syrup

2 &1/2 cups Gluten Free Plain Flour, sifted
2 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Bicarb Soda

Pre-heat oven to 190°C.
Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with electric mixer until light and creamy.  Add Golden Syrup, GF Flour, ginger & bicarb & mix to form a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes or until dough is firm.

 Roll out dough between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper to a thickness of 4mm.  Cut out shapes using a cookie cutter.  Bake for approx. 8-9 minutes - until golden brown.

Cool completely on trays before moving. Don't be tempted to lift or move until completely cooled or you will end up with a few casualties.

LifeStyle Bakery

LifeStyle Bakery is not a new name in the gluten free world.  We have been enjoying their bread for a while.  In fact, did you know they have over 10 years experience making gluten free bread?

I was fortunate enough recently to receive a box of the new gluten free offerings from LifeStyle Bakery.  Fortunate indeed.  I am a big fan of this bread.  I love all of the new loaves.  They are tasty. They are delicious. They are soft.  The new Soft'n'Light range includes Chia & Quinoa, White, Fruit & Soy Linseed and I can happily report that I have devoured them all (with a little help).  Whilst the Chia & Quinoa loaf is my preference & the fruit loaf remains a firm favourite in my house, the outright winner has to be the white loaf.  Why?  Simply because this bread enables my Coeliac daughter to have a normal looking (and feeling) sandwich at school.  The school sanga is important stuff.  It's important for kids to fit in and feel like part of the crowd.  So thank you LifeStyle Bakery but alas.. I still have to cut off the crusts! Pfft.. kids!



Chia & Quinoa - providing antioxidants, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron and all 8 essential amino acids (this product contains soy and egg)

White - gluten free, dairy free, wheat free, preservative free, high in fibre (this product contains soy)

Fruit - gluten free, dairy free, wheat free, preservative free, high in fibre (this product contains soy and egg)

Soy Linseed - great source of protein and essential fatty acids, gluten free, dairy free, wheat free, preservative free (contains soy and egg) 

and for those of you worried about the egg component.. don't despair!  LifeStyle Bakery advised recently that they are currently working on a new product which will be yeast, gluten, dairy, egg, soy, preservative and casein free. Until then they will continue to supply the current gluten free multigrain loaf which is egg and yeast free.  Good on you LB :)

Need more information? Want to see an ingredient list?  Check them out here LifeStyle Bakery

100% Australian owned - gotta love that! 

Zucchini Fritters

Try transforming that sad zucchini laying at the bottom of your fridge into these yummy treats.
I found this recipe on Taste.com.au and tweaked it a little to make it gluten free. 

Great on their own or as a side.

2 Medium or 1 Large zucchini coarsely grated
1/2 cup SR GF Flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 egg, whisked
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tsp Italian dried herbs
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
4 tsp olive oil

Place the zucchini in a colander and squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in GF self raising flour, Parmesan, egg, parsley, dried herbs, salt & nutmeg.

Heat up 2 tsp olive oil in a non-stick frypan over medium-high heat.  Drop four 2-tablespoonful measures of zucchini mixture into pan and cook for 1 1/2 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through.  Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.  Repeat adding oil as necessary.

Enjoy!

Anzac Biscuits

Just like our Lamington, Anzac biccies are part of the Australian culture.  Here's a spin on the traditional recipe using quinoa flakes instead of oats. Yummy

1cup GF plain flour (sifted)                                                  
1 cup quinoa flakes
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
125g unsalted butter, chopped
2 Tablespoons golden syrup
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
2 Tablespoons boiling water

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celcius

Combine flour, quinoa flakes, sugar & coconut in a large bowl.
Place butter and golden syrup in a saucepan & stir over a gentle heat until butter has melted.
Combine bicarb and water and add to golden syrup mixture. Whisk until a smooth consistency is achieved.  Pour into dry mix and combine well.

Roll tablespoonfuls into balls, place on lined baking tray and flatten (I find easier to do this in the palm of my hand)

Bake for around 15-20 minutes or until golden.  Allow to cool.

Patties Lamingtons

Lamingtons.. synonymous with our Australian culture.  Our delicious chocolate coated, coconut dusted square sponge friend.

This is not as new product, they've been around for a while but they are gooooood and worth a spruik.

As far as lamingtons go this gluten free version is pretty good.  The cake is light and not a dense heavy product we sometimes encounter with gluten free.  It is chocolatey and has a jam filling that makes it just a little different from your everyday garden variety.

Australian made and baked in a 100% gluten free environment, they boast a new improved recipe however I thought the old recipe was pretty good too..  

The only drawback.. there's only three in a pack but they are a decent size and a half for the lunchbox will fill a hole.

You'll find them in the frozen food aisle of Coles and Woolworths.

Aussie Aussie Aussie

A little savoury goodness

I had one hanging off my leg, one shouting to me from the toilet and one heading out the door to school.. kids that is.. I had to think on my feet.. baking before 8.00am.. obscene.. but when the mood strikes..

Sometimes it's all about convenience and the good people at Melinda's gluten free goodies have it all figured out.  With a great range of gluten free savoury and sweet pre-mixes you can't go wrong.

Road testing Wholesome Sundried Tomato & Spinach Muffins  premix this morning.

Melinda's is an Australian based company that delivers what it promises and all from the convenience of a box.  With choices that range from crackers to flour, slices, muffins & cakes it's great gear to have in the pantry.

You'll find them in Woolworths, Coles, selected IGA stores and online.

..and the verdict.. delicious and they make your house smell fantastic!

Ok so this wasn't quite what Abbey & Ben were looking for when they spied a cake like creation in a paper case emerge from the oven (I had a tough time explaining what business savoury had in a patty case) but who cares.. more for me :)

www.melindasgfg.com

Banana Cake

I had several bananas in the fruit bowl looking very ordinary indeed, everyone had given them the cold shoulder and Garrick had given me the usual drum up about wasting food yet no-one wanted to eat them.. What to do?? An oldie but a goodie, Banana Bread or Banana Cake as it is referred to in this recipe, saved the day.

This recipe is from the Coeliac Society Gluten Free Recipe Book (2nd Edition)



125g (1/2 cup) softened butter                             
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon bicarb. soda
125ml (1/2 cup) milk
2-3 ripe bananas
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
400g (2 cups) GF self-raising flour

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a large loaf tin.

1. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, beating well after each addition.
2. Add bicarb. soda to milk.
3. Mash bananas and add to milk mixture.
4. Add banana mixture to egg mixture and beat until well combined.  Add vanilla.
5. Fold in the sifted flour.  Stir until all the ingredients are just combined.  Spoon into prepared tin and smooth surface.  
6. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.  Cool in tin for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Rice Salad

My sister-in-law does THE BEST rice salad and recently divulged the recipe.

Thanks Simone - too good not to share..

1 cup brown rice
6 spring onions
1 red pepper, cored, seeded and diced
1/3 cup currants
60g roasted sunflower seeds
3 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
6 Tablespoons GF soy sauce

(I find using the Family pack of microwave rice works well and saves heaps of time)

Chop spring onions finely
Transfer rice to a bowl , while still warm add the spring onions and remaining ingredients

Soy Sauce Dressing
3/4 cup sunflower oil
4 Tablespoons GF soy sauce
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt & Pepper

Put all in a screw topped jar - shake well to blend

* Personally, I think GF soy sauce is a little on the salty side so I don't add as much as the recipe states.  I would suggest to start with one tablespoon and then add to taste.  This is a recipe that has been converted to gluten free.  You don't need to use all the dressing anyway as there is quite a lot.  Again, easy does it when adding the dressing - adjust to taste.

Livwell Bread Rolls & Pitta Breads

ALL coeliacs or gluten intolerant persons will tell you that gluten free bread is 'generally' pretty ordinary to say the least..

In early December 2011 I discovered 2 new products in the bakery aisle of my local supermarket.

What was I doing in the bakery aisle you may well ask.. lost perhaps.. dazed and confused by the vast array of gluten laden delights displayed before me.. and there they were.. beckoning almost..

A packet of 4 individually wrapped small white bread rolls that actually looked like REAL bread rolls and nearby a packet of 4 white pitta breads. GLUTEN FREE. Hallelujah! I couldn't wait to get home and tell all and sundry about my find.

The bread rolls taste great. I find the bread rolls are at their optimum if zapped in the microwave on full power (as recommended on the packaging) for 10-15 seconds and then filled with whatever gluten free gastronomical delight that takes your fancy. They look and taste very similar to real bread. Abbey takes one to kindy every day for lunch and just blends in with all the other kids. It's so important for little people to feel part of the crowd.

I made the mistake of trying to fill the pitta bread without heating first, resulting in a crumbled mess. It is recommended to place under a preheated grill for 1-2 minutes, turning once to warm and produce a pocket. I think the pitta bread would also be great as a naan substitute when having a curry. Worth experimenting.


I found both products in Coles. I was advised in December that the bread rolls were available nationally from Coles and pitta breads only at selected stores. Check them out.

Sakata Paws

Whilst wandering through the aisles of our local supermarket recently, I stumbled across a new product that is worth mentioning.

SAKATA is not a new name when it comes to gluten free products but they have brought out single serve packs of their rice cracker snacks called "Paws" - each cracker in the shape of a little paw.

There are no artificial colours flavours or preservatives, have no added MSG have less than 6% fat and best of all are GLUTEN FREE.

They come in packs of 6 single serves, have 2 flavours - Original and Pizza Supreme and get the official thumbs up from Abbey.

Look out for them.  Great for lunchboxes.