I have no ill feelings to those who have an intolerance to gluten, in fact quite the opposite, I’m silently envious. I have friends who are gluten intolerant who can choose to have a beer (or three) or decide to eat some pizza if that’s what takes their fancy. Or perhaps they’ve had a bad day & they just say ‘screw it!” They understand the consequences, the next day, they’ll suffer. In some cases (not all) those sensitive to gluten can decide if feeling like crap, the multiple trips to the toilet or stomache ache was worth that slightly naughty feeling about breaking the rules, savouring the taste, pure indulgence.
Luckily for those who are intolerant there is no intestinal damage caused, but they can still suffer symptoms sometimes for days, depending on the individual. Either way intolerance or allergy reactions to gluten can produce awful symptoms. Whereas with Coeliacs Disease, we cause harm to our bodies if we consume gluten. It’s a permanent autoimmune disorder where the digestion of gluten creates inflammation of the lining of our small intestine, causing damage. Our digestive system is then unable to absorb some nutrients, potentially leading to further medical conditions. Long term effects if un -treated/diagnosed, this disease can potentially lead to infertility, Dermatitis Herpetiformis, Osteoporosis to name a few.
Being gluten free has become quite trendy in recent years with many celebrities endorsing this lifestyle. Cafes & restaurants have had to adapt to the popularity of new styles of eating & start offering accommodating options on menus. It’s quite common to see df (dairy free), v (vegan) gf (gluten free) as menu choices or “can be served’ as. It’s important in this situation to understand the difference between an allergy & an intolerance. Unlike coeliac disease, both gluten sensitivity & gluten intolerance do not cause damage to the lining of the small intestine. Food establishments need to recognise that it’s not a choice for us to eat gluten free, it’s a medical condition. The smallest amount of gluten (think breadcrumbs) can cause harm. Food for coeliacs needs to be prepared away from anything that may contain gluten, to avoid cross contamination. Clean chopping boards, clean surfaces, clean utensils etc. Meaning unfortunately gf options on a menu doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe for coeliacs if it has not been prepared correctly. It’s always best to check with the waiting staff/kitchen.
Shortly after I was diagnosed I went to a cafe on the West Coast (my first road trip as a coeliac) which had a lot of gf options on the menu, one included a full breakfast. I asked the waitress if she could check with the kitchen as to whether this would be safe for a coeliac. “Yes of course” was the reply.. ‘we’ll remove the sausage, bacon & bread & replace it with avocado & spinach”. Did I suddenly turn vegan?!! At least they understood what would have caused me potential suffering, so I fully appreciated their efforts to cater for me.
Recipe for today – Lasagna
Now there’s a million versions of lasagna & my take on it is perhaps not very traditional to the good old Italian Mamma version, as I don’t like cheese (unless it’s been melted, weird I know). I don’t make a cheese sauce (I hear a gasp of horror from some) but I use ricotta & mozzarella instead as they are less strong cheesy flavours. I also use slices of pumpkin instead of gluten free pasta which works very well!
At this stage I’ve not attempted to make my own coeliac friendly pasta, but there’s nothing wrong with a good honest vegetable to replace it & it’s a hell of a lot easier!
- 800g of premium beef mince
- 2 x 400g crushed tinned tomatoes
- 1 x medium onion diced
- 2 x garlic cloves chopped
- 2 x handfuls of spinach (baby or regular is fine)
- 1 cup of beef stock gf version or homemade (I’ll include this recipe at a later date).
- 1 x cup ricotta
- 375g of grated mozzerella
- 1/4 of a pumpkin thinly sliced (I use a mandolin to get thin slices 3-5mm, or be very careful with a knife!)
- 2 x bay leaves
- 3 x tsp oregano (or fresh basil if you happen to have some)
- Splash of red wine if you have some at hand.
- 1 x cup grated tasty cheese for the top
Cook the garlic & onions in a splash of olive oil in a large pan until soft, then add the mince & cook until it’s browned. Add tinned tomatoes, beef stock (& wine if you have any) & bring to the boil. Season with 2 tsp of oregano, salt & pepper & bay leaves. If I have time I’ll let this simmer away for hours to let the flavours develop & the sauce reduce a bit. But if you’re short on time cook it for less time on a highter heat so its less liquidy. Meanwhile prepare the pumpkin. If your pumpkin slices are a bit thick, allow a slightly longer cooking time, but they do add a nice bit of texture.
Assembling
- Mince (take out the bay leaves).
- Layer of pumpkin
- Layer of spinach
- Layer of ricotta & mozzerella
- Repeat.
- Final layer – grated tasty cheese & mozerrella to cover the top & add a sprinkle of oregano/basil
- Bake for around 40mins at 180deg & the cheese is starting to brown. Allow to rest for about 5 mins as it’s like molten lava!
I’d serve this with mixed salad leaves & a balsamic reduction, see below.
Enjoy!!
Easy to make: 2 cup balsamic vinegar & 1/2 cup brown sugar (optional – I add but use less than that). Adapt quantities as required I pretty much half it. Put it all into a saucepan on medium heat, bring to the boil & stir occassionally. It should reduce down to about 1/2 cup until it coats the back of a spoon about 20mins (less if using sugar). I save what’s left over to add to salads/lunch it keeps well covered on the fridge.
I'm Not Awkward I'm a Coeliac 