The Gluten Free Blog

Santa was kind enough to bring me Seriously Good! Gluten-Free Cooking this Christmas; and it is seriously good!

Phil Vickery (aka as Mr Fern Britton) is a Michelin starred chef who regularly appears on UK daytime TV and writes a weekly column for a Sunday supplement.

So when it comes to food for the whole family, Phil really knows his stuff.

His latest book has a huge range of recipe ideas. Chapters include Comfort; Outdoors; Snacks & Quick Food; Vegetarian; and Parties and Entertaining. As well as a host of recipes for Cakes, Pastries, Biscuits and Desserts. And this is what I like about this book: there’s a nice balance between every day healthy options and sweet treats. A particular favourite of mine is Millionaire’s Shortbread with Bramley Apple Dip. Delicious.

Other recipes include healthy breakfast drinks such as carrot, ginger, celery, beetroot and apple juice; guaranteed to get you going in the morning and a fave of Fern’s, apparently.

Or how about breakfast fruit seed bars made with sunflower seeds, blueberries and gluten free porridge oats. These are so easy to make and perfect for the lunch box or as an on-the-go snack.

The snacks chapter includes onion bhajis with mango and mint yogurt, and marinated smoked salmon with picked ginger. A really easy supper dish to make is borlotti bean, chilli and pine nut bake made with gluten free pasta. This is a really quick meal to prepare on a cold winter’s night.

Talking of tasty comfort foods, the chestnut and roasted onion bread is another recipe that’s quick and easy to do (and fool-proof!). As is the lemon and leek risotto and curry pilaf with cashews.

Phil’s book also includes a list of foods that are naturally gluten free. As well as a handy guide to ‘foods and drinks that may include gluten without you realising it’. These include flavoured crisps, malted milk drinks, mustard products, Bombay mix, stock cubes and seasoning mixes.

A superbly presented book, Seriously Good! Gluten-Free Cooking has lots of coloured photographs and an introduction to each recipe from Phil. Worth getting. Especially for the shortbread.

When I was diagnosed with having coeliac disease and had to start following a gluten free diet, one of the things I most missed was the frequent visits to my local Italian. All those lovely pasta dishes in creamy sauces were suddenly very much off limits.

So I was pleased to see the recent publication of Gluten-Free Italian written by Jacqueline Mallorca (author of the Wheat-Free Cook) and published by Da Capo Press. This beautiful book, packed full of colour photos, contains 150 gluten free versions of your favourite traditional Italian recipes.

Chapter headings include Soup for Supper; Sweet Things; Risotto and other Grains; Catch of the Day; Contorni/Vegetable Dishes; and Bread, Pizza and Crostini. And contain delicious recipes which will please every member of the family; not just those who are gluten free.

There are recipes for gluten free bruschetta and pizzas, to fabulous pasta dishes and sweet treats like tiramisu. (A personal favourite.)

And there’s a range of recipes as well, from everyday cooking to dinner party meals. Jacqueline also includes cooking tips and techniques; recipe background information; a gluten free shopping guide; and a list of gluten free foods to have in your larder.

All in all, Gluten-Free Italian is a fabulous addition to your cookbook collection. And a must for lovers of Italian cooking.