Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition that is caused by sensitivity or intolerance to eating gluten. It can present either in childhood or adulthood. When a coeliac sufferer consumes products containing gluten, it adversely affects the lining of their small intestine, which results in painful abdominal cramps and irregularity of bowel motions.
The most favourable management of coeliac disease is through one’s diet. To eradicate all gluten-containing ingredients, a complete diet overhaul is necessary in most cases. It is only when one starts to take notice that it becomes evident that gluten appears in so many more foods than just bread and pasta. It’s vital to avoid gluten grains such as wheat, barley, oats, rye and spelt. Even though the more common grains can no longer be consumed, it is important to note that many recipes still work well and taste great with gluten-free flours.
One of the main symptoms of coeliac disease is abdominal cramps. What I find most useful for abdominal discomfort, of any grade, is a simple peppermint tea made by infusing a few mint leaves in hot water. It has a wonderful ability to sooth a disruptive gut. Once a doctor has confirmed the diagnosis of coeliac disease, then, within a relatively short space of time on a coeliac-friendly diet, those gluten-aggravated abdominal cramps and other associated symptoms, will ease and your quality of life will improve. Maintaining this gluten-free diet will allow the gut to become increasingly stronger, easing symptoms significantly.
• Nessa Robins, food writer and nurse, grew up on a farm in Moate, Co Westmeath, where she lives with her husband Diarmuid and their four children. Her first cookbook, Apron Strings: Recipes From A Family Kitchen, published by New Island, is out now.Gluten-free chocolate orange bownies
These chocolate brownies are completely luscious and it is one dessert that I reserve for the most special of occasions. Ground almonds are a great gluten-free addition to cakes and give a wonderful texture to these brownies. As with all chocolate-based cakes, these brownies taste even better the next day. So, if possible, make them the day before you would like to serve them.
Ingredients
200g gluten-free dark orange chocolate
175g butter
Zest of 1 large orange
200g granulated sugar
3 medium-sized eggs
125g ground almonds
Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C/Gas mark 6). Line a casserole dish or high-edge baking tray with parchment paper, leaving a little overlapping to allow for lifting out the cooled brownies.In a saucepan over a gentle heat, melt the chocolate with the butter and the orange zest. Stir well to avoid the chocolate sticking. Once melted and well combined, take from the heat.With an electric mixer, whisk the sugar and eggs together until pale and fluffy. This will take about five minutes.Fold in the ground almonds.Slowly pour in the chocolate mixture and stir well to combine.Pour into the prepared dish or tin and cook in the oven for 35 minutes. The top will have set but the mixture will still be a little gooey.Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the dish/tin before cutting into squares and dusting with a little icing sugar.Mushroom and chive-stuffed chickpea crêpes
Chickpea flour, which is also known as gram flour, is a versatile gluten-free flour. It’s widely used in Indian cuisine. In recent years, it has become much easier to source here. It’s available in specialist Asian food shops and health food shops, as well as many of the larger supermarkets. Its consistency works wonderfully in batters, so it’s a great choice for savoury pancakes. As this flour is made from ground chickpeas, it is also high in protein, making it rather nutritious. I’ve paired these flavoursome crêpes with a simple mushroom and chive filling. These gluten-free crêpes would serve well for breakfast or for lunch.
Ingredients
Serves four
For the filling:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
20g butter
250g mushrooms, thinly sliced
A pinch of sea salt & freshly-ground pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
1 tbsp cream
For the crêpes:
150g chickpea flour (gram flour)
¼ tsp salt
1 egg
250ml buttermilk
1 tbsp finely-chopped fresh chives
1 tbsp finely-chopped fresh oregano
2 tbsp olive oil
To make the filling, heat olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan. When hot, add the onion and sauté for three minutes, stirring regularly. Add the butter. Once frothing, add in the mushrooms. Season with a little sea salt and some freshly-ground pepper. Increase the heat and sauté for five minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked. Add the fresh chives and cream. Combine well and then keep the pan over a very low heat to keep the mixture warm until the crêpes are ready to be served. In a large bowl, combine the chickpea flour with the salt. Crack the egg into a jug, whisk lightly with a fork and add the buttermilk. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and, using a wooden spoon, combine until the batter is smooth. Stir through the freshly-chopped chives and oregano.Heat a large frying pan. Add a little olive oil. Once hot, add a ladleful of batter to the centre of the pan. Tilting the pan, swish the batter around quickly to form a circle. Cook the crêpe for approximately three minutes and then flip it over and continue to cook on the other side for another two minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and continue to cook the remaining crêpes.To serve, spoon some of the mushroom and chive filling into each crêpe and sprinkle over some freshly-chopped chives to garnish.
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition that is caused by sensitivity or intolerance to eating gluten. It can present either in childhood or adulthood. When a coeliac sufferer consumes products containing gluten, it adversely affects the lining of their small intestine, which results in painful abdominal cramps and irregularity of bowel motions.
The most favourable management of coeliac disease is through one’s diet. To eradicate all gluten-containing ingredients, a complete diet overhaul is necessary in most cases. It is only when one starts to take notice that it becomes evident that gluten appears in so many more foods than just bread and pasta. It’s vital to avoid gluten grains such as wheat, barley, oats, rye and spelt. Even though the more common grains can no longer be consumed, it is important to note that many recipes still work well and taste great with gluten-free flours.
One of the main symptoms of coeliac disease is abdominal cramps. What I find most useful for abdominal discomfort, of any grade, is a simple peppermint tea made by infusing a few mint leaves in hot water. It has a wonderful ability to sooth a disruptive gut. Once a doctor has confirmed the diagnosis of coeliac disease, then, within a relatively short space of time on a coeliac-friendly diet, those gluten-aggravated abdominal cramps and other associated symptoms, will ease and your quality of life will improve. Maintaining this gluten-free diet will allow the gut to become increasingly stronger, easing symptoms significantly.
• Nessa Robins, food writer and nurse, grew up on a farm in Moate, Co Westmeath, where she lives with her husband Diarmuid and their four children. Her first cookbook, Apron Strings: Recipes From A Family Kitchen, published by New Island, is out now.Gluten-free chocolate orange bownies
These chocolate brownies are completely luscious and it is one dessert that I reserve for the most special of occasions. Ground almonds are a great gluten-free addition to cakes and give a wonderful texture to these brownies. As with all chocolate-based cakes, these brownies taste even better the next day. So, if possible, make them the day before you would like to serve them.
Ingredients
200g gluten-free dark orange chocolate
175g butter
Zest of 1 large orange
200g granulated sugar
3 medium-sized eggs
125g ground almonds
Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C/Gas mark 6). Line a casserole dish or high-edge baking tray with parchment paper, leaving a little overlapping to allow for lifting out the cooled brownies.In a saucepan over a gentle heat, melt the chocolate with the butter and the orange zest. Stir well to avoid the chocolate sticking. Once melted and well combined, take from the heat.With an electric mixer, whisk the sugar and eggs together until pale and fluffy. This will take about five minutes.Fold in the ground almonds.Slowly pour in the chocolate mixture and stir well to combine.Pour into the prepared dish or tin and cook in the oven for 35 minutes. The top will have set but the mixture will still be a little gooey.Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the dish/tin before cutting into squares and dusting with a little icing sugar.Mushroom and chive-stuffed chickpea crêpes
Chickpea flour, which is also known as gram flour, is a versatile gluten-free flour. It’s widely used in Indian cuisine. In recent years, it has become much easier to source here. It’s available in specialist Asian food shops and health food shops, as well as many of the larger supermarkets. Its consistency works wonderfully in batters, so it’s a great choice for savoury pancakes. As this flour is made from ground chickpeas, it is also high in protein, making it rather nutritious. I’ve paired these flavoursome crêpes with a simple mushroom and chive filling. These gluten-free crêpes would serve well for breakfast or for lunch.
Ingredients
Serves four
For the filling:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
20g butter
250g mushrooms, thinly sliced
A pinch of sea salt & freshly-ground pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
1 tbsp cream
For the crêpes:
150g chickpea flour (gram flour)
¼ tsp salt
1 egg
250ml buttermilk
1 tbsp finely-chopped fresh chives
1 tbsp finely-chopped fresh oregano
2 tbsp olive oil
To make the filling, heat olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan. When hot, add the onion and sauté for three minutes, stirring regularly. Add the butter. Once frothing, add in the mushrooms. Season with a little sea salt and some freshly-ground pepper. Increase the heat and sauté for five minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked. Add the fresh chives and cream. Combine well and then keep the pan over a very low heat to keep the mixture warm until the crêpes are ready to be served. In a large bowl, combine the chickpea flour with the salt. Crack the egg into a jug, whisk lightly with a fork and add the buttermilk. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and, using a wooden spoon, combine until the batter is smooth. Stir through the freshly-chopped chives and oregano.Heat a large frying pan. Add a little olive oil. Once hot, add a ladleful of batter to the centre of the pan. Tilting the pan, swish the batter around quickly to form a circle. Cook the crêpe for approximately three minutes and then flip it over and continue to cook on the other side for another two minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and continue to cook the remaining crêpes.To serve, spoon some of the mushroom and chive filling into each crêpe and sprinkle over some freshly-chopped chives to garnish. 
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