I have always considered myself quite a nice person. I like food of all shapes, flavours and colours. From every country and continent. I don’t discriminate, I am an equal opportunity eater. It’s only the doctors who say I’m intolerant. And certain foods who refuse to tolerate me. They certainly refuse to recognise and respect my right to eat them without major physical discomfort and distress.


Gluten and lactose are not my friends.


Despite the negative attitudes surrounding me from many of those I love best, (cakes, ice cream, hot toast) I decided to become a chef. Not always easy when you live in a bread and milk filled world. I like to think that this has helped me become a better person as I embrace my differences and refuse to let the gluten get me down. I believe InTolerance. I am the InTolerant Chef.

Food should not be about what you can’t eat, but what you can and what you enjoy eating. This blog is about my journey of cooking and eating and discovery. It’s not a definitive guide to allergy awareness nor do my intolerances make me an expert. Your body is your responsibility, not mine. I only know what works for me.


I can tell you this..... No glutens were harmed in the making of this website.

June 12, 2010

Slinky Apples


I got a real bargain at the Farmers Markets the other day. Apples for only $1 a kilo. Now that is just too tempting for this thrifty housewife to pass by.

I am more than happy to pay top dollar for top ingredients, but I'm not so silly as to look a gift apple in the mouth!

But what to do with this embarrassment of riches? My family voted for an old favourite, Apple Crumble.

I like quite a nice baked top on my crumbles, not a dry crummy type of thing. I don't want a mouthful of sawdust. Although I suppose that does give you an excuse to use more cream ......

But first, the apples. I do own an apple/potato peeler. I actually own several. But this job called for the big guns - The Slinky Machine. These machines have been around for ages, but are one of those items you only see now and then. We got ours back when littlej was in Kindy, to make eating apples more fun. A whole apple is quite daunting for a littlie, and who has time to peel, and chop, then wrap carefully,etc,etc, in the morning rush? Especially when you know it will look brown and unappetising by little lunch. The apples done by a slinky machine will eventually oxidise, but as they are still stacked together the insides are nice and clear, and the novelty value seems to outweigh the ascetics.

First the apple is positioned on a prong at the end of the turning arm, then you wind the arm forward and it screws the apple past a thingy that takes the peel off and through a sharp ring that magically transforms the fruit into a slinky around an apple core.

Then you remove the core and end up with a neat little pile of peelings and a Slinky Apple! Isn't that precious?


You may now wear the apple as an assortment of fruity bling. Over the ear earring perhaps? A bracelet, a necklace or maybe a series of rings? Needless to say, you will be the envy of all 4 to 6 year olds you come in contact with. Oh, Yeah.

But... back to our crumble...


As the apple is already sliced up, there is no need for chopping. Yay! Just pop it in the pot with spices of choice -I prefer cloves and cinnamon- and cook with some sugar until just nice and soft.
If you prefer you can use Agave nectar, but I like raw sugar. Place in a greased dish, I like a deep one, and smooth the top.
Now, the topping,the Crumble. My family likes this one, which tastes a bit like Anzac Biscuits. I can handle the oats with not too many problems, but if they are an issue for you, you can substitute with rice flakes, quinoa, or just leave them out altogether and cut back the butter and syrup to 2 tablespoons each.



Mix together:

1 cup Instant Oats

1 cup of Shredded Coconut

1/2 cup of Gluten free Flour

3 Tabs of Golden Syrup

3 Tabs of Butter- butter has very little lactose (or Nuttlex)

Rub this through your fingertips until nice and crumbly.

Pop into a 180-200* oven until hot inside and brown outside and just starting to bubble up around the sides of the dish. If you use a lid the crumble will be a bit softer, I don't bother.


Serve with Lactose free cream - I use Liddels
This is very good when cold and wintry outside, to make you warm and cosy on the inside.







Yummm.....









So, Readers, what food makes you warm and cosy on a cold, wintery night?











9 comments:

  1. Food like this is good for a cold Winter's night! :) I currently have something in the slow cooker, a beef and tomato stew. I can't wait until it's ready. Winter makes me hungry! :D

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  2. Pot roast with potatoes and carrots, or a good shepherd's pie are the perfect warm, hearty dinner for a cold winter evening. At the moment, though, it is summer up here in the northern hemisphere and therefore we're all about the barbecue and ice cream as of late. ;)

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  3. Winter makes me hungry too! I seem to crave foods that give the impression of warmth... sometimes I try and trick myself with something like a salad with warm meat tossed through so it's light yet with the little heat kick to satisfy my cravings.
    I don't need any excuse to crave Ice cream!

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  4. Oh this apple crumble is just perfect :) I wish I had one of those apple 'slinky' makers too but alas, my kitchen cupboards are already full of too many gadgets :(
    I definitely crave bowls of hearty soup or curries when it hits winter!

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  5. Oh yum, this looks delicious! I too am gluten/lactose intolerant, yet to my intestine's horror I sometimes can't escape the wonderful experience of eating fresh, warm sourdough or delving into a panna cotta. Note to self: must be more careful when eating out...I'm going to do a gluten free brownie post soon! - thefoodrookie

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  6. oh that apple crumble looks fab- much better than the apple crumble slop that we used to get served at school! Perhaps I will try this sometime!

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  7. Mmmmm.... what can I do with pears? And what about a toffee drizzle?

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  8. Hello ladies! BigJ says for every new kitchen gadget I buy, I must give away an old one. So now I hide them! There is no such thing as too many gadgets.
    Sometimes I pretend not to notice lactose lurking in my food, but it usually laughs at my game and finds me anyway. A tiny touch of gluten in a sauce is ok for me, but unfortunately no warm sourdough.
    A tiny bit of rosemary when you poach pears is unusual and very yummy. I think they are too delicate for a crumble, and toffee goes with everything!

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  9. My mum usually makes apple crumble with almond flakes instead of flour - I LOVE IT! Apple Almond Crumble is my favourite desert:) Also recommended: Genius bread! It's gluten and dairy free and... It's GENIUS!

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