Luscious Chocolate Mousse with berries (GF)

Ingredients

• 300g good quality chocolate (200g dark, 100g milk)
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 tbs of good quality cocoa, sifted
• 500ml of cream, whipped
• Berries of choice to serve

Method

1. Melt chocolate in a bain-marie (glass bowl over simmering water in saucepan)
2. Beat eggs in mixer with sugar until thick and pale and larger in volume
3. Add in the slightly cooled chocolate and stir in quickly and add sifted cocoa
4. Whip cream and fold into the chocolate mixture
5. Put mousse in bowls or glasses and leave in fridge to set for 1-2hrs or overnight
6. Sprinkle berries on top and serve

Peanut Satay Chicken skewers (GF)

Ingredients

• 6 chicken thigh fillets or 2 large chicken breast fillets, chopped into cubes (I find thigh meat more tender and flavoursome).
• 2 tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp of crushed chilli
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar

Method

1. Chop up chicken into cubes
2. Make marinade by combining peanut butter, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, chilli and brown sugar.
3. Place chicken cubes onto wooden skewers (dampened with water so they won't burn).
4. Pour or brush the marinade onto the chicken onto both sides and leave to absorb for an hour in the fridge or over night.
5. Fry skewers in hot preheated pan or BBQ for 2-3 minutes each side until flesh turns white.
6. Serve with favourite salad or side dish.

Lamb, Mint and Rosemary BBQ Skewers (GF)

Ingredients

• 1 cup of maple syrup (for Low FODMAP diet it is quite sugary so substitute maple syrup with a couple of teaspoons of brown sugar instead)
• 3/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 cup mint leaves, chopped
• 1 cup of flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 500-600g lamb shoulder, thinly sliced
• 12 large sprigs rosemary, half of the leaves picked
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. Place maple syrup, vinegar, oil, garlic, mint and parsley in a non-metallic bowl and mix until well combined.
2. Add the lamb and mix well to coat.
3. Leave lamb to marinate in sauce for 1 hr in fridge or overnight.
4. Pick off the rosemary from half of each sprig and use a sharp knife to slice a sharp angled end on the sprig and thread the lamb onto the rosemary skewer.
5. Preheat the BBQ or grill pan to a very high heat.
6. Cook the skewers on high for around 2 minutes each side (for medium rare tenderness, also if you leave it longer the sugars in the marinade will begin to burn).
7. Place on a plate and cover with foil to rest for about 5 minutes and serve with lemon wedges and your favourite salad etc. 

Gluten Free Bruschetta (GF)

Ingredients

• Gluten free bread, sliced (For gluten intolerance make sure it doesn't have any other grains containing Gluten such as barley and oats).
• A handful of cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
• A handful of basil, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed into tomato mixture or rub onto bread

Method

1. Toast bread in griller or toaster until crisp, rub the bread with a garlic clove
2. Chop up tomatoes and basil and mix together
3. Put tomato mixture on top of bread and serve hot

Summer Broccoli Broccoli, Cucumber & Almond Pasta (GF)

Ingredients

• Gluten free pasta 1-2cups
• 1 head of broccoli, chopped
• 1 cucumber, finely sliced
• A handful of almonds, unsalted
• 1 tsp of crushed chili
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 large tsp of wholegrain mustard
• 1/2 cup of coconut cream
• 1/2 cup of grated parmesan
• 1 onion, finely chopped (exclude if on Low FODMAP diet)

Method

1. Boil water and add gluten free pasta
2. Fry onion with garlic, chilli and olive oil in a frying pan until cooked
3. Add broccoli to frying pan and fry until broccoli begins to soften
4. Add cream to frying pan as well as wholegrain mustard and cook
5. Add cucumber and almonds, just to warm/
6. Drain pasta and add creamy mixture into hot pasta pot and stir through with parmesan
7. Serve hot or serve cold as a pasta salad, serve with extra slices of parmesan

Auction Rooms, North Melbourne - Cafe Review

The Auction rooms is located at 103-107 Errol St, North Melbourne, 3051 with indoor and outdoor seating. The Auction rooms are usually really busy on weekends, so it can be hard to get a table. Sitting outside is great, and feel free to bring your dog if you have one. They have a great selection of coffee, hot chocolate and drinks. They serve a delicious selection of brunch foods and have Gluten Free bread made with buckwheat flour (does not contain wheat or gluten) and chickpea flour. It is the best gluten free bread that I have tasted, tasting great with poached eggs and whatever sides you would like including bacon, mushrooms etc etc. The auction rooms match great atmosphere, great tasting food and good location, what more could you want?

The French Quarter Patisserie - North Melbourne, Cafe Review

This french style patisserie cafe located at 570 Queensbery St, North Melbourne, which is just around the corner from Errol St main shopping strip. Despite this cafe not being a Gluten Free Cafe, it provides a delicious range of tarts, cakes and more, for the Gluten eaters. For the gluten and wheat intolerant there are delicious Almond Friands with raspberries or blueberries, made using almond meal as well as a Gluten Free orange cake with mascarpone. I do advise any Celiac, Gluten and Wheat Intolerant people to be mindful of eating out because of the chance of gluten contamination. The French Quarter has, hands down the best hot chocolate I have found in Melbourne that rivals Cocoa Black (Royal Arcade, etc) and the Lindt Cafe. It's well worth a visit!