by Sally Hammond

Many people would be quick to answer 'yes!' to that question, meaning that they hate the pressure, the stress, the expense - the whole business. But for some people, a growing number each year in Australia, there is yet another strain that Christmas brings. The food. For many people who have food allergies, sensitivities or intolerances, the temptations of the regular Christmas dishes are cruel, because generally they cannot enjoy them.

This year you will not have to suffer because here are some recipes that will suit the major allergy groups - wheat (including gluten), yeast (and that means sugar too, as most practitioners include it in a yeast-free diet), dairy and eggs. There is an added bonus in that most of the recipes are natural, with few refined ingredients and no additives. They are higher in fibre and lower in fat and salt than many recipes and, although not specially devised for diabetic diets, some of them can transfer safely.

All the recipes have been designed so that they can be made for the whole family to enjoy. There's enough cooking at Christmas without creating several different menus to suit everybody's needs. You will find that these dishes will be enjoyed first of all because they taste good, and appreciated secondly because they suit your diet. The recipes are marked with symbols to help you know immediately which special diet they suit:

W - wheat-free/gluten-free

Y - yeast- and sugar-free

E - egg-free

D - dairy-free

Some recipes may have several symbols as they may be free of more than one type of food. This is useful because many individuals or families suffer from more than one allergy. Only recipes for the areas where people may have difficulty have been included. Obviously most salads, vegetables, drinks and meats pose no problem usually to a person with food allergies.

It is impossible to go into the subject of allergies and food substitution in depth but generally a few points to bear in mind are these:

Wheat allergies, may also mean a gluten sensitivity (although not always), and so rye flour, oats and barley may also be a problem.

Yeast-free diets go way beyond eliminating breads, but usually include foods like mushrooms, soya sauce, cheeses, melons, grapes, alcohol, vinegars and a wide range of other foods - basically any that are fermented, or cultured, or are more likely to spoil easily and grow natural yeasts or moulds which are also harmful to yeast-sensitive people. Sugar, because it promotes fermentation is also generally banned, but small amounts of certain fruits and limited use of a natural sweetener such as apple concentrate can be used.

Dairy-free diets require that people omit all forms of milk and milk products, but usually can substitute soya milk, nut butters and milks quite effectively. Tofu and coconut cream and milk are also useful and are available from health food or Asian shops.

Egg-free diets are perhaps the easiest to manage and even 'egg dishes' can be created using one of the 'egg-replacer' products on the market. These do contain a little skim milk powder usually, so cannot be used by those on a dairy-free diet.

Being on a special diet, need not spoil your Christmas, or anyone else's. New Idea's present to you this year is this hamper of recipes, that you will probably want to use over and over, long after the allergy is gone.

CHICKEN OR TURKEY STUFFING         W Y D E

 Buckwheat is no relation to wheat - it is the seed of a type of grass, as is wild rice.

1/4 cup wild rice

l cup chicken stock or water

l cup buckwheat

2 cups chicken stock or water

2 tablespoons oil

l clove garlic, crushed

l onion, chopped

2 teaspoons orange rind

1/2 cup coarsely chopped unsalted macadamia nuts, or cashews

l tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or l tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon chilli powder

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place wild rice in a saucepan with l cup chicken stock or water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook 30 minutes. Toss buckwheat with l teaspoon oil in another saucepan until beginning to brown lightly, then add wild rice and 2 cups chicken stock or water. Cover and cook 20 minutes, until tender and water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Heat two tablespoons oil in a large frypan and saute garlic and onion, until tender. Add buckwheat mixture and cook a couple of minutes. Add remaining ingredients and remove from heat. Allow to cool before stuffing the bird. Makes 4 cups. Extra stuffing may be baked separately and served sliced, or formed into 'forcemeat balls' and fried until golden.

DIPS:

Serve dips with wheat and yeast free nibbles such as corn chips, baked potato shells, fresh vegetable sticks, rice cakes or crackers. For those with no wheat allergy, yeast-free breads such as unyeasted pita breads, lavash or mountain bread may be crisped in the oven, then broken into suitably sized chips.

DAIRY-FREE DIP                                           W Y D E

The thickness of this dip will vary according to the thickness of the coconut cream used and the size of the avocado.

l large avocado

1/2 cup coconut cream

l tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon chopped coriander

1/4 teaspoon crushed chilli or chilli powder

salt, if liked

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth. Chill until needed. Makes 2 cups.

TOFU DIP                       W Y D E

Tofu is a good alternative to dairy foods as it provides protein and calcium. It naturally lacks much flavour, so boost it this way for a tasty dip.

l block of tofu *

l teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

l clove garlic, crushed

l tablespoon oil

salt to taste

Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Chill before serving. Makes about l cup. Fold in chopped spring onions or parsley just before serving, if liked.

*sold packed in brine in healthfood or Asian stores

NIBBLES:

Yeastfree dieters need to keep to the following, but others may also snack on glace or dried fruits.

WHITE XMAS                     W Y D E

Almost the same as you've always known it, but just a bit safer for allergic people. Buy ground hazelnuts and stir over a moderate heat until toasted, or roast whole nuts in the oven, then chop finely in a processor or blender

250g melted solid vegetable shortening

4 cups rice bubbles

1/4 cup apple concentrate*

l cup ground toasted hazelnuts

1/2 cup chopped dried apples

1/2 cup coconut milk powder

Melt vegetable shortening. Mix all other ingredients in a large bowl. Pour melted shortening over and mix well. Spread in a 20cm square dish and chill well. Cut into squares to serve.

*available from health food shops.

SPICED NUTS                     W Y D E

250g mixed raw, unsalted nuts

l tablespoon oil

l clove garlic crushed

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder (more or less according to taste)

salt if liked

Place nuts on a tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with garlic and chilli. Toss well. Roast in a moderate (190C) oven for l5-20 minutes or until golden. Stir occasionally. Makes l cup.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES            W Y D E

Some yeast-free diets also eliminate cocoa because of the yeasts it may be exposed to during harvesting and processing. Carob powder is sweeter and may be substituted.

125g solid vegetable shortening or solid coconut cream

2 tablespoons cocoa or carob powder

2 tablespoons apple concentrate

l cup ground cashews

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 small apple, peeled cored and grated (or 1/2 cup finely grated carrot)

Melt vegetable shortening. Add cocoa and apple concentrate and beat well until combined. Stir in other ingredients. Let cool a little. Form teaspoonfuls of mixture into small balls. Roll in toasted coconut or cocoa power. Chill and serve with coffee.   Makes about 24.

SHORTBREAD                W Y D E

This dough handles and shapes easily. Add more apple concentrate if liked

l/2 cup melted dairy-free margarine, solid vegetable oil or canola oil

l/2 teaspoon vanilla

l tablespoon apple concentrate

3/4 cup rice flour

l cup fine oatmeal (if not gluten allergic)

1/2 cup maize cornflour

Beat shortening, vanilla and apple concentrate until well mixed. Add dry ingredients and mix lightly to form a dough. Press into a greased 20cm flan tin, or shape into a round on a baking tray. Press edges with fingers to make a scallop pattern, and prick with a fork. Mark into wedges. Bake at l60C until golden - about 45 minutes. Makes l round.

CHRISTMAS CAKE or PUDDING                Y D E

This will make a small cake and pudding. Use half mixture for each.

2 large green apples, peeled, cored and chopped

l cup carrot, finely chopped and lightly steamed

2 firm bananas, peeled and diced

l cup diced fresh pineapple

l teaspoon grated orange rind

l teaspoon grated lemon rind

l cup slivered almonds

l cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup apple juice concentrate

1/2 cup canola oil or melted dairy-free margarine

2 eggs or egg-replacer, if on egg-free diet

l tablespoon mixed spice

l/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

l teaspoon cinnamon

3 cups wholemeal SR flour

Place fruit, rind and nuts in a bowl and pour orange juice and apple concentrate over. Let stand overnight. Beat eggs with oil or margarine. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add fruits and egg mixture and mix well. Place in a greased, lined, deep 28cm tin. Arrange whole blanched almonds on top if liked. Bake in a preheated l60C oven for approximately 2 hours or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in pan.

To make a pudding: (this method applies to the other cake recipe as well)

Place mixture in a greased pudding basin, filling 3/4 full. Cover with oiled paper and tie on securely, allowing some string to make a handle. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, using enough so that it will come half way up the side of the bowl. Place pudding in water, cover pan and simmer approximately 3-4 hours, depending on size of bowl. Check that the water level is still correct every hour and top up if necessary. Remove from water and cool. Reheat, covered with fresh oiled paper on the day of serving, simmering for 30 minutes to l hour. To make quicker, individual puddings, bake in muffin trays and steam lightly on the day they are to be served.

HOT ORANGE SAUCE                W Y D E

A delightful and different sauce to take the place of the more traditional brandy or hard sauces, or cream or custard.

2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine or canola oil

l cup orange juice

2 tablespoons apple concentrate (optional, depends on taste and sweetness of oranges)

2 tablespoons maize cornflour

pinch mace (optional)

l cup diced fresh oranges

Heat oil and orange juice together. Dissolve cornflour in the apple concentrate and stir into hot juice. Stir until thickening. Cook l minute then add mace and fold in orange pieces. Cool slightly before serving. This is also good cold. Makes about 2 cups.

RICH BOILED CHRISTMAS CAKE or PUDDING                W D E

Use tofu if on a dairy-free diet or if egg-replacer is unavailable

750g mixed fruit

250g dates

3/4 cup pecans

l25g glace cherries

125g margarine or canola oil

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

l tablespoon cocoa powder

l teaspoon mixed spice

l cup water

1/2 cup sweet sherry or orange juice

egg-replacer to equal 2 eggs* or 1/2 cup silken tofu

2 tablespoons marmalade

2 teaspoons baking powder

l 1/2 cups brown rice flour

l/2 cup maize cornflour

Chop mixed fruit, dates and pecans, halve cherries and combine in a saucepan with margarine or oil, sugar, cocoa, spice and water. Stir over the heat until margarine is melted, bring to the boil and boil 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to become completely cold. Add sherry or orange juice, egg-replacer and marmalade and mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix well again. Spread into a deep, greased and papered 25cm round or square tin. Bake in a preheated l60C oven for 2 hours or until cooked when tested. Cool in tin on a rack. Keeps well.

Pudding: Follow directions for previous Christmas pudding recipe.

* available from supermarket frozen sections or health food stores

CHRISTMAS CAKE ICING                W Y D E

This is not as sweet as regular icing, and is light golden, but it still looks and tastes good

l carton solid coconut cream

2 tablespoons apple concentrate or according to taste

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Soften coconut cream, but do not melt. Add apple concentrate and vanilla and beat lightly. do not overbeat. Spread over cake and allow to set.

MINCE PIE PASTRY (l)                Y D E

This is possibly the easiest pastry you will ever make, and it may be the last recipe for pastry you will ever need to try. If the dough is too moist, add a little more flour as flour reacts differently on different days.

3 cups SR flour)     wholemeal or white

l cup plain flour)   flour may be used

1 cup canola oil

l cup water

salt if liked

Place flours, and salt if using, in a large bowl. Place oil and water in a screw-top jar and shake well to emulsify. Pour into flour and mix until a dough forms. Store refrigerated or frozen until needed or use at once.

MINCE PIE PASTRY (2)                W Y D E

This pastry is fragile. Roll out carefully between kitchen paper sheets or gently press into tins with fingers

2 cups fine light rice flour (brown rice is sweeter and nuttier)

2 cups maize cornflour

salt, if liked

l-2 tablespoons apple concentrate (optional - use if desired)

2 tablespoons baking powder

300ml coconut cream

Sift dry ingredients, add apple concentrate and coconut cream and stir until a dough forms. Let stand 5 minutes then use as needed.

FRUIT MINCE FILLING                W Y D E

Fruit mince is naturally wheat, dairy and egg free, so those who do not have a yeast allergy, may use regular bottled or homemade fruit mince.

l cup chopped apple

l large mashed banana

l cup finely chopped pineapple

l teaspoon grated fresh ginger

l tablespoon mixed spice

l teaspoon grated orange or lemon rind

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup apple concentrate

1/4 cup finely grated solid vegetable shortening

Mix all ingredients together and store in the refrigerator until needed. Makes about 3 cups - enough for 24 mince pies.

TO MAKE MINCE PIES:

Roll out pastry and cut into rounds to fir small patty pans or muffin tins. Fill with fruit mince and cut slightly smaller rounds for tops. Moisten edges of pies. Prick pastry tops and place over pies, pressing down to seal edges. Brush with water and lightly sprinkle with ground almonds. Bake in a preheated l90C oven for l0-l5 minutes or until done. Cool on racks and store airtight until needed.

GRAVY                W Y D E

Gravy is normally yeast, egg and dairy-free, so this is only important for people on wheat-free diets. If you make gravy to a favourite recipe, use that and substitute maize cornflour for ordinary flour. Otherwise use the following recipe:

Pour off fat from baking tray and heat remaining juices. Instead of wheat flour, add maize cornflour and stir in well, cooking l minute. Add enough stock or water according to taste, mixing well and scraping up all the browned pieces. Season with salt and freshly ground black pep

HAVE A MERRY ( AND HEALTHY) CHRISTMAS!