Chef Melanie Persson says the day she was told she had coeliac disease felt like a “punch in the gut”.
The self-confessed foodie was distraught about the 2016 conversation with her doctor because the autoimmune condition, which inflames and damages the gut, is made worse by eating some of her favourite foods.
She knew she’d have to stop eating gluten-filled bread, cakes or pizzas. Biscuits, pasta and pies were out too.
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“For maybe a year or two, I felt really defeated. You know, there was no joy in food. There was no joy in cooking,” Melanie told website Refinery29.
But all was not lost and, eventually, Melanie started experimenting and adapting her most loved foods for coeliacs.
She spent years in her kitchen perfecting gluten-free versions of the dishes she craved and then in 2022 she became a fan favourite on MasterChef, appearing as the series first ever gluten-free chef.
Now the Perth-born 28-year old is at a place where she’s able to treat her diagnosis as less of a setback and more of an opportunity to experiment and grow.
Following the success of her first gluten-free cookbook, The Very Hungry Coeliac, she’s partnered with gluten-free cereal brand Freedom.
Around this year’s Coeliac Awareness Week (March 13-20) she was tasked with creating a range of mouth-watering gluten-free recipes using Freedom products.
And that brief has been well filled.
From savoury to sweet and every day to elevated party food, the recipes are simple and can be enjoyed by everyone.
There’s crunchy fish tacos made with Freedom Corn Flakes served with a roast pumpkin salad.
For afters you could try the mouth-watering brownies made with one cup of Freedom XO Crunch, or if entertaining, how about the pannacotta dessert?
“I’m hoping these can be enjoyed by, not only people who are coeliac or gluten intolerant, but regular foodies,” Melanie told Best Picks.
One of the most important things for someone with coeliac disease is getting enough fibre.
The problem is that a lot of processed, gluten free food can be lacking in fibre as it’s often made with low fibre refined flours and starches.
That’s where Freedom comes in because its cereals are designed to be high in fibre and so perfect to be eaten in tandem with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds for a good gluten-free, fibre-rich diet.
“Variety is key and it’s wonderful to see cooks like Melanie offering a range of delicious recipes that prove that these days going gluten-free doesn’t have to mean a limited and boring diet like it once did,” Freedom Foods dietician Ali Baldwin, said.
Melanie Persson’s delicious recipes, as well as a whole range of gluten-free cereals, are available on the Freedom Foods website here.
