DECADENT
Since I have discovered myself to be Gluten Intolerant, students often ask if I miss the wonderful GLUTEN full foods.  Well, "yes" and "no".

"Yes", I could long for a fabulous French Baguette, or the walnut fig loaves etc etc (being a bread freak), however, I know that GRAIN = PAIN for me.  I love feeling THIN,  I love no bloating,  I love feeling clean and able to eat whatever I want from the GF lineup with no discomfort. So, when I see something I can't have I think of these things and believe me, it is no contest.  I just won't indulge.  I am so pleased with the new me.  (Oh yes!  I forgot to say, I now do really great POO!!  Maybe too much information for you, but a huge and welcome change for me).

I have started baking  my own bread, but my advice - take baby steps.  Too many new flavours all at once will really be a negative experience.

I am re-learning to cook.  In my newsletter (log on to www.yogabeautiful.com.au) I have given a great recipe for GF COCONUT, CRANBERRY AND CACAO TRUFFLES.  Not really cooking, easy peasy and great to nibble.

On the weekend I made the GF LIME AND ALMOND SLICE below.  Keep in mind that I don't have a stove.  Everything I cook is via my amazing microwave.  I love it.  So this is for a microwave.

Ingredients:  1 cup GF flour, 1 tablespoon quinoa flakes, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 oz coconut oil, 1 extra large egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract.  (You could use almond or hazelnut meal instead of the quinoa flakes, but use a little more oil as this will dry your slice out).
FILLING:  2 oz coconut oil, 1/2 cup lime juice,  1/2 cup sugar,  1 tsp almond extract, 1 extra large egg.  Combine the ingredients and microwave for *30 seconds, remove, stir and microwave for another *30 seconds. (Timing depends on the age and strength of your microwave)

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.  Whisk the wet ingredients and stir into the dry ingredients until you get a soft dough that holds together.  Oil the inside of a microwave donut cake pan or tart pan and    using your fingers press two thirds of the dough gently into the cake pan.  Pour the hot filling into the pan, then take pieces of the remaining pastry and dot in discs the size of a small coin across the top of the filling.

Bake for about 4.5 minutes in your microwave.  This is how long it took mine, it may take yours a little more time but I don't think it will take less.   The first time I made this slice I buzzed it in the microwave for 6 minutes.  This was too long and I got a soft cookie slice.  Not bad, but not what I was trying for.  The 4.5 gives a soft, cake-like slice.  Dust with icing sugar, and seve with home made yoghurt.  Delicious and GLUTEN FREE.  Go ahead and enjoy it PAIN FREE.

Over next weekend, which will be the next opportunity to cook at home (I am going to Perth for a few days to see my yogis), I am going to make a MUSHROOM AND SWEET POTATO PIE.  So I will let you know the recipe and the results.

I have also discovered that 50% of Gluten Intolerant persons are also intolerant of or allergic to the proteins in milk, casein and whey, and sometimes the lactose also causes a reaction.  I didn't really start healing until I went GF/CF.