Category: Gluten Free

Posted by Christine Pope on in Gluten Free, Health Care, Tea, Travel

Finding gluten free options in the Blue Mountains in 2025

On a recent trip to the Blue Mountains I realised that my blog about Gluten Free options was a little dated as a few of my favourites had closed down so its clearly time for an update (and to try some new options). There are a few other options still worth checking out in my A tea lovers guide to the Blue Mountains such as Megalong Valley Tea Rooms and the high tea at the Hydro Majestic Hotel at Medlow Bath, unfortunately favourites such as The Bunker at Leura and Tournament at Medlow Bath are now closed. Gluten free menu options are a bit more limited at the tea rooms however its a lovely spot to sit outside under the gum trees on a balmy day.

Ates Blackheath

This has been on my list to visit however in the past they were always fully booked. They have a great range of food choices and I love sharing plates so you get to taste everything. The standout is the Szechuan Duck, which was beautifully prepared and spiced. Ideally for two people it is suggested that you order three small plates and one large plus sides. They also catered well for food intolerances and the wine list was comprehensive.

The only negative was the music which was so loud you couldn’t hear the person opposite , however staff adjusted the volume on request.

Lily’s Pad, Leura

Lily’s Pad has become one of our favourite options in Leura and we were a little disappointed when we arrived a bit late and they had already closed that day as we had both decided we really needed one of the wonderful gluten free slices. On a previous visit we had enjoyed a maple and pecan slice, however the options regularly change. This is an ideal spot for breakfast and lunch with really good gluten free options and a range of salads and main dishes, such as nachos with beef brisket. Every time I ordered at Lily’s Pad I always have to confirm that the bread is gluten free as its so light and fluffy!

Osteria 2785, Blackheath

One of my favourite restaurants in Blackheath was Cinnabar and unfortunately after operating for 17 years they decided to close (and retire). Osteria 2785 has set up in the same space and is the initiative of a local businesswoman, Mel Micheal, who now owns the produce shop, Veggie Patch and a cafe at Mount Victoria, One Tree Hill . The Mount Victoria space has a large kitchen where they also do a lot of prep. The menu at Osteria 2785 is regional Italian cuisine and they are making their own pasta which is always a great option. There are a reasonable number of gluten free and dairy free options including pasta and the servings are hearty with favourites like Fritto Misto, Saltimbocca and Beef Cheeks.

Leura Gourmet Deli

Walk through the front of this deli to the dining area at the back which has a lovely view towards Katoomba. This busy deli has all day dining which is unusual in the mountains and a hearty brunch/lunch menu which has a number of delicious options including gluten free fritters as well as traditional breakfast options. The lunch menu also has gourmet pies, curries and other tasty specials and staff are usually comfortable advising on what is suitable for various dietary requirements. It is a very busy cafe and can get quite noisy but the service is efficient. The deli also stocks a number of local specialties and its worth browsing to see what you might want to take home as snacks or souvenirs.

Dryridge Estate, Megalong Valley

This vineyard offers wine tastings ($15 a head) with a lovely view over the Megalong valley and the option to accompany it with a platter. Available options are cheese and charcuterie platters and ploughmans platters. They can accomodate gluten free options with a different cracker with the platter. It’s a lovely way to spend an hour or two on a nice afternoon. If you are feeling a little more energetic you can also walk a section of the 6 foot track to work up an appetite before your tasting.

Just walk carefully in the bush in summer. We did a section of the track from the main road towards Dryridge Estate and encountered a very large red bellied black snake on the path sunning itself. Well I didn’t get that close as my husband just said “back up, back up , back up ” and I followed instructions and watched it slither away from a safe distance.

Do you have some favourite gluten free options to share in the mountains? Please pop them in the comments below. If you like travelling (and eating gluten free) you might also enjoy these blogs;

Clearly time for a trip down south to complete the list!

If you are struggling with food intolerances or trying to manage a gluten free diet then book in an appointment with me in person at my St Ives clinic or online at www.elementalhealth.net.au

Posted by Christine Pope on in Gluten Free, Health Care, Meal Plans and Recipes, Nutrition, Travel

Finding the best options for gluten free on the Central Coast

Every year we like to have a little break before the full on madness of the Christmas season hits and this year we decided to book accomodation at Terrigal on the Central Coast. Normally I would research options on Trip Advisor however my first point of call was a couple of friends who travelled up there on a regular basis. The advice was literally it wasn’t hard to find gluten free options and most cafes at Terrigal could accomodate requirements. A couple of special night out recommendations were Yellowtail and Four Hands Pizza Bar and Grill, both of which had a good range of gluten free options.

First up its always important to find your “coffee bar”, well for me that was Bellyfish Cafe, mainly because they had decent pots of tea and a really good quality gluten free bread. The other advantage was a breakfast and lunch menu with a little more variety than bacon and eggs, with options like a loaded banana bread, crab fritters, gin cured salmon with smashed avocado and acai bowls. Gluten free lunch options included a salmon cutlet and pork belly waldorf salad. In peak periods they offer dinner on Friday and Saturday nights.

Aroma’s on Sea which is at the front of the Crowne Plaza is also a nice spot with a lovely aspect across the road from the beach. The food choices are a bit more limited for gluten free but the big breakfast is a good choice as it includes home made baked beans, which were slightly different every day. If you are coealiac avoid the hash browns due to a high risk of cross contamination.

Four Hands Pizza Bar and Grill was a good casual option with lots of tapas options as well as gluten free pizza’s. We really enjoyed the cauliflower florets, patatas bravas, lemon pepper squid, charred octopus and the beef brisket taco’s. The first night we were there they were clearly trying out some junior staff, who were fairly clueless and at one point I ended up directing them to take the orders from the table next door to us as well as ours as they had been waiting for even longer than we had. It may have been a timing issue as pre Christmas it did seem that many places were gearing up with new staff and the second occasion we ate there the staff seemed more on the ball. The food both times was good and the staff seemed to be across food intolerances.

Another good option for a casual takeaway or quick meal is Spice Noodle Bar which is a hole in the wall opposite the Crowne Plaza beer garden. It has a range of classic Thai food with lots of gluten free options and even entree options such as tod mun pla ( fish cakes) and satay chicken. The Pad Thai and stir fry with chilli jam are also family favourites.

Yellowtail has a menu with Mediterranean influences and also offers a degustation menu. We found they were excellent at dealing with allergies and food intolerances, service was good but the venue would benefit from consistent air conditioning (we were there on a very hot night). Key recommendations for the menu were duck and seafood. They do offer a degustation menu as well if you are looking for a very special evening menu.

One of the surprising meals we had was a very good value paella at Terrace Grill . The menu is modern australian with mediterranean influences and offered a good range of seafood and steak as well as pasta dishes. We enjoyed sharing a paella however we also scoped out the seafood platter as an option for the next time we dined. They also offer a locals menu mid week with two courses and a glass of wine for $59 with a choice of five entrees and four main courses.

Christine Pope is a naturopath and nutritionist based at Elemental Health, St Ives. She is also a blogger who writes about health, Ageing Outrageously and gluten free travel. Have a look at her recent blogs on Holidaying on Hamilton Island what are the best gluten free options? , Finding the best Gluten Free options on the North Coast of NSW and Gluten free Canberra .

Posted by Christine Pope on in Gluten Free, Health Care, Healthy Ageing, Nutrition, stress

Seven ways to make sure Christmas is as much fun as when you were a kid!

Do you remember the excitement of Christmas when you were a kid ? Trying to figure out where Mum and Dad had hidden the presents ? Looking forward to eating three different types of desserts or just pudding and custard? Better still if the weather was fine enjoying weeks of school holidays with a gang of friends moving from house to house.

When you get older it gets harder to enjoy the day as so often the run up to Christmas day can be exhausting. It’s often a busy time with a combination of end of year events, extra shopping and cooking plus organising a range of presents. All this whilst trying to hold down a job as well as possibly wrangling children as well. So how do we find the magic of the day again?

  1. Start by only accepting invitations to events you really want to attend. Things that sound like fun or at a restaurant you really like or with people you really want to catchup with in person. Also look at your diary and make sure there aren’t too many events in the same week. If the invitation involves standing around at a pub drinking and you would rather be soaking in a hot bath then give it a miss.
  2. Make sure you are looking after yourself in the weeks leading up to Christmas – prioritise exercise by scheduling it in first. Book in appointments that are important for you whether its massage, acupuncture, beautician or hairdresser. You will enjoy the day more if you are in top physical form and not jump limping to the end of the year.
  3. Make gift giving easier by suggesting Secret Santa, even if its just for the adults. Buying one gift instead of six or eight reduces the load for shopping and also usually means that you get one gift that you really like. Other options could be doing a charitable donation instead of giving presents. It really depends on what will make your family happiest and reduce the stress associated with gift buying.
  4. On the day ensure the food preparation is shared with all the adults attending. Splitting responsiblity (and costs) for the celebration make it easier. Whether its prawns or ham, salads or desserts, sharing the work makes a big difference. If you are dealing with a variety of food intolerances then have a look at my blog A Gluten and Dairy Free Christmas .
  5. Break out the board games for entertainment, having some at an appropriate level for the group can really provide good entertainment for a few hours. Current favourites in my house are Ticket to Ride and Settlers of Katan but don’t forget old favourites like Monopoly and Scrabble. We also have a tradition of finding the silliest games possible like Hungry Hippos and Peanut Elephant.
  6. Make sure your Christmas menu includes something you really enjoy. The most recent addition to our Christmas menu is Donna hay’s wonderful stuffing cup recipe. It’s not hard to make and ensures there is enough stuffing for everyone.
  7. Start a new tradition such as watching classic Christmas movies as a family (options rang from Die Hard to Love Actually or The Holidays) or enjoy opening one gift each on Christmas Eve. Bake a favourite cookie, pudding or mince pie. The blog A Gluten and Dairy Free Christmas has my recipes for both pudding and mince pies, well they are modified versions of my mother’ recipes and are gluten free with a dairy free option.

Christine Pope is a naturopath and nutritionist and has an online program called Ageing Outrageously. She is in practice at Elemental Health, St Ives and appointments are available on (02) 8084 0081 or by booking online at elementalhealth.net.au .

Posted by Christine Pope on in Gluten Free, Health Care, Healthy Ageing, Meal Plans and Recipes, Nutrition, Recipes, vegetables

Too busy to shop and cook healthy meals ? Have you considered a meal delivery service?

Cooking at home is often the best way to improve your underlying health, however for many people it can be a challenge particularly when they are time poor. Food companies have identified this gap in the market and there are now a number of companies providing ingredients and recipes for meals that can be prepared quickly and easily. Meal planning services such as HelloFresh, Marley Spoon and Dinnerly provide delicious recipes with all the ingredients you need to prepare them. All you have to do is follow the instructions – easy!

Dinnerly is considered very cost effective per serve, however Marley Spoon servings are more generous. Hello Fresh has a wide range of meal options and seems to work out around $10 per meal, which is better priced than most takeaway. The meal planning services send only enough for the individual meals which also reduces waste. Most of the meals in these services are designed to be prepared in under half an hour.

What do you do when you don’t have time for cooking but still don’t really want to be ordering takeaway every night ? Add food intolerances or allergies and it can be harder still .

My top list of options which is a little Sydney centric is as follows;

  1. Nourish’d offers vegetarian and gluten free options and has the added advantage of having meals designed by a nutritionist. The range offers keto friendly, nut free and dairy free. There is a reasonable range of options which include beef cheek ragu with cauliflower mash, beef brisket and a sweet potato spaghetti.Sides to increase the vegetables include roasted broccoli, cauliflower mash and potato mash. Meals have a nutritional breakdown and are generally a good level of protein. The menu’s change weekly and upcoming options include a beef stroganoff with beetroot salad and sweet potato mash and a chicken masala, which shows some good variety. Nourish’d also appears have NDIS approval.
  2. Chefgood offers a range of no added gluten or dairy meals. Whilst not offering a gluten free kitchen this option may be suitable for those with intolerances but is not recommended for those who are celiac. The meal plans offer a number of meals between 5 to 14 meals a week with options which include low carb, high protein, vegan and vegetarian as well as a range of weight loss optins. Chefgood also has a range of add-ons which include additional sides and juices. The sides are not particularly inspired and include soup, mashed potato, greek salad and an avocado salad. Reviews on google are generally positive although there appear to be recent complaints about delivery issues. The company delivers to the eastern states and South Australia.
  3. Dinner ladies deliver frozen meals which have been cooked from scratch. There is a wide range of options although they do not seem to cover food intolerances particularly well they do provide a statement of allergens. The major issue seems to be the possiblity of cross contamination risk. The menu includes some good main course options including burgers, fritters, snitzels, stir frys, casseroles and pastas. This is a popular option with families.

For those who are looking for meal inspiration there are a number of blogs that may be helpful with recipes and meal plans. Have a look at Meal Plan Week One , Meal Plan Week Two , Four easy ways to add brassica vegetables to your meals and Spring Reset Meal Plan .

Posted by Christine Pope on in Allergies, Breakfast, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Health Care, Travel, vegetables

Gluten free Canberra

So many plans for February were cancelled it was a bit surprising that my Canberra trip actually went ahead. Part of the trip was associated with a Board role for COSBOA, which involved an in person Board meeting and the pitch finals for the Accelerator for Enterprising Women and other part was actually to have a short break and explore Canberra and surrounds.

Part of my planning with a trip is to check out recommendations on Trip Adviser and see what gluten free options are available and well rated. For any one with specific food intolerances or preferences there are a number of filters you can choose to enable you to see what the best options are in the area. There have been quite a few closures as a result of COVID lockdowns so its usually advisable to make sure that any venues are still open and trading hours are unchanged. Usually checking out that social media is current works but if you are really keen on a place call and check. Staff shortages mean many cafes and restaurants are limiting hours or days.

First up we looked out for a few good breakfast options with bonus points for some different breakfasts. The most scenic option was a cafe called Local Press at Kingston Foreshore on Lake Burley Griffin. The best local option (close to our hotel) was Eighty Twenty. Local Press has a number of gluten free and vegan options with the ability to build your own breakfast with your preferred vegetables and protein. My choice was the LP Veggie bowl with broccolini, carrot, wild rice pilaf, sesame crusted avocado and pickled cabbage and I added some house cured salmon. The combination was the perfect breakfast fuel and had a good range of different textures.

80/20 actually has four locations in Canberra and specialises in providing a range of allergen friendly food. Whilst I usually like to load up with vegetables and protein to really give the menu a workout the buckwheat waffles were obviously the best idea. Served with pureed date, maple nut crunch and seasonal fruit plus vegan ice cream the waffles were very tasty and satisfyingly sweet. Other options included smashed avocado, various acai bowls, a big breakfast and a veggie bowl.

On this trip we revisited a few of my favourites including the wonderful Akiba where the food is Asian fusion, Tipsy Bull with a great range of gluten free options and Pillagio Estates. These were probably the pick of the dining options in fact we enjoyed the Tipsy Bull so much we went back for a second meal when out trip was extended for a few extra days.

The Tipsy Bull has a friendly up market bar vibe with both in door and garden seating. It is reknown for its excessive number of gins on its menu however it offers a full range of cocktails and more usual beverages as well. Not the reason I enjoy going, but apparently gin is very big at the moment. The food is designed around share plates with the usual recommendation being that you order three small plates, two from the garden and one large plate to share between two people. The stand out dishes for us were the tuna ceviche, the large chicken plate and the crispy squid. In terms of garden dishes its always worth ordering the cauliflower if its on the menu, however the street corn and broccolini were also interesting options.

Akiba has a coeliac friendly tasting menu which is always worth ordering, but if you are going a la carte, make sure the miso eggplant, crispy squid and the fried rice with prawns are on your list. The seafood is also excellent and the kingfish sashimi is well worth ordering. The menu is really flexible and on one occasion when I ate with a colleague who was vegetarian we did enjoy a really tasty meal, particularly the mushrooms tofu and cashew.

Pillagio Estates has an extensive range of house cured meats and salmon in its cafe and at the fine dining restaurant. We were aiming for the cafe before we went for a bushwalk and accidentally drove to the fine dining at Pavilion. Despite our hiking gear staff were very considerate and offered us the option to dine in and were so glad we did. Since we had already thought ploughman’s lunch we did a fine dining version with a selection of the farm’s produce and a few sides from the garden. There was a little too much food realistically and one of the standouts was the Heritage Carrots with Sunflower hummus. There were five large carrots which in addition to the hummus made for a very substantial side. Paired with a garden salad and the Smokehouse Charcuterie Board it was a delicious meal and very relaxing looking out over the gardens where the vegetables were harvested.

The other activity for a little bit of balance after all these meals was a few bushwalks around Canberra. The All Trails app showed a wide range of graded options but my favourite walks were at The Arboretum. We walked up Daisy Farm Hill on a hot day and enjoyed the views from the peak and then to cool down walked through a beautiful 100 year old cedar forest. The other walk that is really worthwhile is the two bridges walk which takes you in a loop around part of Lake Burley Griffin.

Christine Pope is a naturopath and nutritionist who enjoys finding lots of good food that’s gluten free. If you enjoyed this blog you might also like A tea lovers guide to the Blue Mountains and Gluten Free North Coast. Please add any other suggested restaurants in the comments section below.

Posted by Christine Pope on in Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Health Care, Nutrition

A Gluten and Dairy Free Christmas

Whilst organising a Christmas menu around allergens may seem a little challenging the basics such as prawns, ham and turkey don’t require a lot of modification apart from finding a suitable stuffing! Mince pies and puddings require more significant modifications.

One significant issue is the ratio of stuffing to turkey. This recipe for stuffing cups from Donna Hay is a great solution to that option. I have made it by substituting gluten free breadcrumbs and nuttelex (for the butter) and they work really well. Just make sure your pancetta is gluten free too!

The side dishes for Christmas can be a range of salads or hot dishes, there are some useful suggestions in my blog on Four easy ways to add Brassica vegetables to your meals. Salad options with a dressing based on either mayonnaise (no dairy) or oil and vinegar can also be a good way to add vegetables and variety to the day.

Focussing on baking these are my two essential Christmas recipes and they are both from my Mum!

Mince pies (Makes approx 36)

Fruit mince – I jar

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

2 1/2 cups of gluten free flour,

1/2 cup castor sugar ,

185g butter (or Nuttelex for milk protein allergies)

2 eggs.

Combine butter and sugar, add flour until mix is like crumbs and then mix through egg to combine. Put on a floured surface and loosely knead. Wrap and chill in fridge for an hour before using.

Rollout pastry between two sheets of baking paper or on a floured surface. Cut into small rounds and use half for the base and the remainder for the lids. Spoon a heaped teaspoon of fruit mince into each pie and then seal lids by pinching the pastry together. Cook at 180C for 12-15 minutes.

Christmas Pudding

250 g each raisins, currants, sultanas and 60 g peel

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

4 eggs

1 cup plain gluten free flour

3 Tblspn Rum

250 g Butter or Nuttelex (Dairy Free)

2 cups soft breadcrumbs from gluten free loaf

Rind of an orange and a lemon

1/2 tsp each salt, mixed spice, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and bicarb soda.

Chop raisins and peel, add other fruit and combine with rum. Leave covered overnight.

Cream butter, sugar and fruit rind. Add eggs slowly beating each in well then stir in fruit in alternation with the sifted flour and spices and breadcrumbs.

Place in greased pudding dish. Cover with foil and simmer for 6 hours. Keep water level about half way up the pudding bowl and check levels regularly.

Serves 10-12 people.

Ideal to serve with Coconut Milk icecream such as Over the Moo Vanilla Bean or Coyo Vanilla or Vanilla Bean and Nutmeg.

If you are busy over the holidays and looking for some healthy options have a look at my E-book Healthy Holiday Options .