Hello my gluten free lovelies, welcome back. Today we are talking gluten free snacks. One of the questions I get asked a lot is what to offer gluten free guests with a glass of wine. You know the scenario, you have a few friends over, with kids in tow, for a casual, lazy Sunday afternoon catch up on the back deck.
It’s a bit last minute and you think it’s easy peasy to pull out a few frozen pastries or pizza subs from the fridge and serve them when you remember, oops Sally is gluten free. Never fear, I have this situation nailed with the top ten list of gluten free snacks to have with drinks. Nine of them are snip the packet and pour, while number ten is going to require a mixing bowl.
Top Ten Gluten Free Snacks to Serve with Drinks
Nuts – Nature’s gluten free snacks
Nuts, yes nuts. To keep it simple and gluten free for sure, just have salted nuts using sea salt or roasted and salted is fine. Be mindful of exotic flavoured nuts as on occasion gluten can slip into that ingredients list. Personally, I like a macadamia, peanut and cashew mix with a few brazils thrown in for bulk.
Cheeses – Gotta love me some dairy!
Cheeses, say yes to cheeses. Several chunky pieces of cheese in different yellow cream tones looks stylish and inviting. Try a mix of aged cheddar, brie and add in a molded cheese, like a blue vein or the more subtle white for a point of difference
Seed Crackers – The go-to gluten free cracker
Seed crackers. You can buy gluten free seed crackers from most grocery shops and wholefood grocers. Or do it yourself with my seed cracker mix. You only need to add water, do a bit of mixing and flattening, then bake. Now you can say … “I made them myself” and hear the appreciative ohhs and ahhs from your guests.
Pickled Veggies – No gluten here
Pickled vegetables. Things like gherkin, radish and onions make a great add on with that slice of cheese. Pickled veggies have been adding colour, zing and tasty yumminess to cheese since Adam was a boy.
Antipasto – How posh – it’s European and makes great gluten free snacks
Antipasto. A bit like pickled veggies, but with an Italian accent. Reach out and grab eggplant, sundried tomato and feta stuffed olives from your local deli. These should all be gluten free, but if in doubt please ask.
Cured Meats – anything that ends with an i or an o
Salami, prosciutto and friends. While you are at the deli counter grab 100g of three cured meats. Again just ask to be sure, but the majority of quality salami, pepperoni and prosciutto are gluten free.
Chips … of course
Chips. Would it be a family friendly gathering on an Aussie back deck without chips? I don’t think so. Grab the potato chips, even if you have to say they are for the kids and fill up that massive bowl. As a cute, portion controlled way to serve chips grab some noodle boxes or even paper cups and fill those with a serve of salted chips. Like the nuts, you are best to stick with the salted variety as sometimes the fancy flavours have gluten-full add ins.
Dried Fruits – Add a dash of gluten free sweetness
Figs, apricots and dates. A nice little sweet treat touch is to add some dried fruits to the nibble choices. My go to are dates and sometimes I even add cream cheese to the centre in a salute to all things 1970s. Taking out the seed leaves a nice little spot to fill with cream cheese. It’s like a little party for your mouth and will be sure to satisfy the sweet tooths on your deck. For something different, you might also add in dried golden berries or goji berries.
Fresh Berries – Colourful and good for you
Fresh berries. Depending on the season fresh berries are a great add-in. I like strawberries, blackberries and raspberries for a decadent touch. Add a bowl of dollop cream or mascarpone cheese as a dipping sauce and it’s a next level affair
Homemade Cheese Roll – Next level yum!
Now get out the mixing bowl as I share my smokey cheese roll with you. Instead of buying a pre-made cheese wheel, try this roll instead. That way you can put your hand on your heart and guarantee 100% gluten free compliance.
Mel’s Smokey Cheese Roll
Ingredients
250g mild cheese
250g mature cheese
125g cream cheese
1 onion
1 garlic clove
Paprika
Method
- Grate mild and mature cheeses, add cream cheese, finely diced onion and crushed garlic. Combine with clean hands. Roll out foil and sprinkle with paprika. Press and shape the cheese mixture into a long log.
- Roll in paprika. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
- Serve with Melinda’s Gluten Free Seed Crackers
So there you have it, my top ten list of gluten free grazing snacks to serve with wine on your back deck this Sunday afternoon.
You know, some weeks just demand a Sunday afternoon wine, so enjoy yours with gluten free goodies and have a drink for me, cheers Mel.
