By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
No wheat (or barley, or rye)? No worries. The Coeliac Australia Gluten-Free Expo is here to show you that while pasta, pancakes and many traditional pastries may be off the menu, delicious food doesn’t have to be.
Melburnians who head to Australia’s largest GF-gathering at South Wharf’s Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) on October 5-6 are set to discover show floors bursting with flavour-packed foods - all sans gluten. With offerings from big brands including Arnotts, Well and Good, Senza, Two Bays Brewing Co. and Venerdi, you can expect to tuck in breads, baked goods and big bowls of pasta (heck - even beer!) all without fear of bloating.
In addition to gorging on gut-friendly, gluten-free samples, the Coeliac Australia Gluten-Free Expo will host some of the county’s best wellness warriors on the Education Stage - offering valuable insights on coeliac disease management, research advancements and practical tips for gluten-free cooking from expert dietitians, medical practitioners, Chefs and authors.
Add in food trucks, competitions, giveaways and epic deals on gluten-free products and we wouldn’t be surprised to find out that even the most passionate pizza lover has crashed the party.
Join Kim McCosker, author of a series of cookbooks called 4 Ingredients, as she demonstrates quick, easy and gluten-free recipes throughout the weekend. Discover the wonders of cooking with 4 Ingredients bound to save you time and money in your gluten-free kitchen.
We have four of her recipes here for you to try easy gluten-free cooking at home that the whole family will enjoy:
Add all sorts of seasonal vegetables to this flavourful dish, in particular, greens beans, snow peas and strips of red capsicum plus bamboo shoots right at the end so they are warm, but retain their crunchiness. Serve with 1/2 cup cooked jasmine rice and fresh coriander leaves.
A delicious cake that can be topped with a dusting of icing sugar and fresh mandarin segments. Be aware, this cake will sink as it contains no flour to help it rise, instead using almond meal.
What better weekend breaky dish than this? Soft perfectly poached eggs, sitting pretty atop a dollop of creamy gluten-free hummus with slices of avocado and a sprinkling of fresh dill – the ultimate dish to put a smile on family faces any day of the week.
We all love a good brownie, right? This recipe uses almond meal, raw cacao powder, gluten-free crunchy peanut butter and raw honey to make the most delicious brownie ever. In fact, the kids will never ask for a normal brownie again!
To buy your tickets for the Gluten-free Expo, click here.
