Product Description

Coeliac disease is a life-long condition caused by a reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat and other similar proteins found in rye, barley and oats. The symptoms can start at any age: in children a failure to thrive, irritability, diarrhoea and vomiting; in adults anaemia, diarrhoea, weight-loss, fatigue and abdominal pain. There is at present no cure for coeliac disease, but by following a gluten-free diet for life the symptoms will disappear. On a less serious note, a wheat-free diet is also a trendy dietary and lifestyle choice, which can help reduce weight, bloating and indigestion. This is the first cookbook to be created by a chef, in consultation with a nutritionist, especially for coeliacs. This book contains over 100 gluten-free recipes that have been created to tempt your tastebuds whilst managing the symptoms of coeliac disease. A gluten-free diet is also a particularly restrictive diet and this book will help you to cook gourmet-quality meals for friends and family. The first part of the book explains the symptoms and factors that can influence the condition. It also discusses how to implement good eating habits with the least disruption, essential reading for everybody with gluten or wheat intolerance. Darina Allen then uses her wealth of culinary experience to prove that gluten-free eating need not mean boring food. She has created over 100 tempting gluten-free dishes, including those that traditionally contain gluten, for example, chicken and tarragon pie, home-made lasagne, bread and butter pudding, tiramisu, banana bread and granola. Recipes are divided into meal types - breakfast, light meals, main courses, soups, salads, snacks and desserts.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24957 in Books
• Published on: 2004-05-27
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

About the Author
Darina Allen is Ireland's best-known food ambassador and author of Irish Traditional Cooking and Darina Allen's Ballymaloe Cookery Course. She cofounded the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland in 1981 and has run several one-day cookery demonstrations for coeliacs at the school. Rosemary Kearney runs her own catering business, Rosemary & Thyme. She has a degree in Food Science and has trained at the Ballymaloe School.

Customer Reviews

Normal At Last!
When I was informed that my ailments were down to a Gluten (Gliadin) intollerance, I was relieved but concerned about how it would affect my everyday meals. Research kept pointing me towards this cookbook, which I finally purchased. What a joy. I am an avid cook so I was prepared for some complicated recipes ... but that didn't happen. The ingredients list for a recipe may seem daunting but there is nothing difficult about the method - in fact the methods used are pretty much the same as any good recipe book. I found that large Tesco and Waitrose stock the ingredients required.
I'm a big fan of yorkshire pudding (it's in the blood) and was scepticle that there could be any gluten free version, let alone the delicious recipe in this book (worth a sainthood in my view!). The pastry recipes are also brilliant. I've had success with every recipe tried so far and as an added bonus, my family have really enjoyed eating the same meals as me instead of opting for gluten versions.

Useful help for Coeliacs
I have just been diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and was told to go away and "look it up". Thanks to the internet I did. I found this book while I was struggling to find some useful practical help. It explains what Coeliac Disease is and its varied symptoms. It also gives a run down of what descriptions manufacturers give on labels that mean the product has gluten included. There's also a section on naturally gluten free foods and eating out. The recipes are easy to follow and have a wide variety to choose from, even for someone as "picky" as me. All in all, I feel that this book helped to ease my mind about a life changing problem and I learned that I am not alone.

A tasty alternative to gluten free products
I found that gluten free products in the shops tasted unpleasant and synthetic and that most gluten-free cookbooks "cheated" by simply substituting problem ingredients with "gluten free flour" or "gluten free pasta". By contrast, this book uses natural alternatives such as potato flour and rice flour and the results are amazing. Gluten free foods but without the synthetic taste! The recipes might take a bit more time and you will need to stock up your cupboards but the results are well worth it!