Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition which causes the immune system to adversely react to the ingestion of gluten. If gluten is consumed by those living with coeliac disease, the lining of their small intestine will become damaged, which can result in bloating, nausea, tiredness, painful abdominal cramps and irregularity of bowel motions. If coeliac disease is left undiagnosed, it will cause significant health problems. As it becomes a challenge for the body to absorb sufficient nutrients from foods, vitamin and mineral deficiencies will develop and one’s overall health will be greatly affected.

Once a doctor has confirmed the diagnosis of coeliac disease, gluten-containing foods must be avoided for life. Therefore, eradicating all gluten-containing ingredients in the diet becomes paramount. A new diagnosis of coeliac disease, and the prospect of sticking to a strict gluten-free diet, must be very daunting. Gluten can be present in more foods than just bread and cakes, so reading food labels is a must. Gluten can also be found in pasta, biscuits, crisps, beer and many processed foods, gravies and ready-meals.

In recent years, there is a greater awareness of coeliac disease and, due to consumer demand, there has been a surge of gluten-free products and ingredients available to buy in supermarkets. Breads, pasta, crackers and cereals are commonly available in gluten-free alternatives. Even though the more common flours can no longer be consumed, many recipes still work well with gluten-free flours – and there’s no compromising on taste. Sometimes these flours will require a little more fluid, so some tweaking of your favourite recipe may be required before perfecting. There are many foods that are naturally gluten-free, such as meat, fish, fruit and veg, cheese, milk and eggs, while some grains, such as quinoa and buckwheat, are also gluten-free.

After some time on a coeliac-friendly diet, the abdominal cramps and other associated symptoms will ease. It will take the body some time to fully recover, but eventually the gut will become stronger and will begin to heal completely.

Gluten-Free Soda Bread Scones

1 Using gluten-free flour in these soda bread scones results in a crunchier texture than that of the traditional soda bread. If you are used to baking with plain flour, it takes a little practice to get used to the feel of the gluten-free dough. As with traditional soda bread, this gluten-free version is best eaten on the day it is baked.

450g gluten-free white flour blend, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp gluten-free bread soda

1 tsp salt

400ml buttermilk

1tbsp sesame seeds

1 Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/ fan 200°C/gas mark seven. Lightly flour a large baking tray.

2 Sieve the flour, bread soda and salt into a large bowl. Stir to combine. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the buttermilk.

3 With your hand like a claw, and using circular movements, bring the dough together. The dough will be soft. If it’s too sticky, add a little extra dusting of flour.

4 Once a ball of dough has formed, transfer to a floured surface, dust your hands with flour and gently flatten the dough and shape it into a round ball. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in half and make about 10 even-sized triangular-shaped scones.

5 Transfer to the prepared baking tray. Brush with a little buttermilk and top each scone with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

6 Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, when the scones will be risen and golden brown in colour. Remove from the oven and transfer to cool on a wire tray. Best eaten on the day they are baked.

OatyFruit Muffins

These oaty muffins are packed with nutrients and flavour. Not all oats are gluten-free, so check the packaging to ensure they are packed in a gluten-free environment.

225g gluten-free oats

1tsp gluten-free baking powder

2 small (150g) bananas

2 eggs

75ml sunflower oil

75ml milk

50ml honey/maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

75g raspberries

50g blueberries

2tbsp oats

1 Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/ fan 170°C/gas mark five. Line a muffin tin

2 Place the gluten-free oats in a food processor and blitz until fine, which will take about a minute. Add the gluten-free baking powder and blitz to combine.

3 Mash the bananas and add to a jug with the eggs, sunflower oil, milk, honey/maple syrup and vanilla extract. Add to the processor and blitz together for one to two minutes, stopping at intervals to scrape the mixture from the side.

4 Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cases. Top each one with either a few raspberries or blueberries and gently press to ensure they stick. Sprinkle some oats over each muffin.

5 Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to cool on a wire tray. These muffins will keep for up to three days in an air-tight container.