FOREWORD

Since we started our4 Ingredientsjourney back in 2007, with the Australian publication of our first book, we have done hundreds of appearances and book signings and have met literally thousands of fabulous people from all over the world. At these events, one of the most common questions we were asked was, “Do you have any gluten-free recipes?” And the answer was, in fact, “YES, we havehundredsof absolutely gorgeous gluten-free recipes!”

We had dabbled alittlewith gluten-free cooking (Rach’s husband, Paul, has an intolerance). However, it wasn’t until we continued to receive this question so frequently that we considered doing a book dedicated to those who are completely gluten intolerant.

As we started researching, we wereastoundedto see statistics showing that one in one hundred Australians most likely has celiac disease. How many people are still undiagnosed? And that’s just in our native Australia. What would the global count come to? Surprisingly, what we also discovered was that there are a large number of people who just want to cut back on wheat, rye, oats, and barley in their everyday diets, choosing to do so not because of intolerance to gluten but purely as a lifestyle choice.

Initially we thought creating recipes would be a mammoth task, when you consider that gluten is found in so many ingredients. It’s in many flavored commercial spreads and sauces, some hams, almost all packaged cookies and crackers, some sausages, packaged sauce and soup mixes, most cake mixes, common breads, tortillas, confectioners’ sugar, and a whole lot more. Compiling this book has required a huge learning curve, and it’s also been incredibly satisfying to rise to the challenge of substituting gluten-free flours for normal flours and coming up with delicious dishes that anyone—celiac sufferer or not—will enjoy. As with all things, if you seek, you shall find; if you ask, you shall receive an answer; and if you persist, it will happen!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our always supportive husbands, families, and friends, as well as Graham, Cheryl, and the team at The Coeliac Society of Australia, which has been an invaluable source of information and guidance while we were compiling this book.

4 Ingredients Gluten-Free, with over 400 simple, speedy, and scrumptious recipes, is proof that a gluten-free lifestyle can be delicious!

Best wishes and happy cooking!

Kim and Rachael

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