Gluten-free coconut and cherry squares

When we think of picnic food, for those unaffected by gluten intolerance, the mind immediately focuses on portable wheat products: sandwiches, quiche and cake, or perhaps a nice crunchy baguette with a generous smear of blue cheese (the moulds in some blue cheeses are grown on breads or cultures that contain gluten).

Failing that, salads are always safe aren’t they? Not necessarily for gluten dodgers. Aside from the obvious hurdles involved in pasta and couscous salads, some vinegars contain gluten, as do most soy sauces and, to ramp up the complications further, certain mustards contain wheat-based thickening agents. Suddenly salad dressings are starting to prove trickier than expected.

And this is all before we even consider the possibilities of cross-contamination when shared serving utensils get dipped and dunked into several different dishes, causing havoc for wheat avoiders. It sounds easier to just stay at home, but where’s the fun in that?

It’s simple to create a totally gluten free picnic that everyone can enjoy without fear of cross-contamination, and I promise it will be a lot tastier than a squashed cheese and pickle sandwich and a packet of twiglets.

You can make your own gluten free pies and sandwiches very simply, but if you don’t feel confident, a potato salad made with homemade mayonnaise (spiked with a little Dijon mustard if you fancy it) will have your carbs all wrapped up. Add a scattering of fresh chives and pretty borage flowers and your spuds will look picture on your picnic rug, as well as helping you to take full advantage of the end of the Jersey Royal season. If potatoes don’t float your boat, check out www.souschef.co.uk for red quinoa or black rice - both make the basis for delicious salads.

Starchy salads sorted, a lovely alternative to sandwiches is Vietnamese summer rolls (just be sure to use a gluten free hoisin sauce or make your own using gluten free soy sauce). In terms of leaves, you can be as adventurous as you like with your salad ingredients, just be sure to leave the croutons out and make or buy a dressing that doesn’t contain gluten. Most balsamic, wine or cider vinegars are fine, or you can simply juice a lemon or lime to create the required acidity.

As far as I’m concerned, a pork pie is a thing of beauty, but my interest wanes if there’s a big, roasted hunk of meat on offer instead. I often roast a chicken to take cold to a picnic, or, if I’m feeling particularly extravagant, a rare rib of beef with lashings of horseradish, walnut and watercress salad can’t fail to hit the spot.

And now for something sweet … You can’t have a picnic without a bowl of fresh, juicy strawberries to nibble on, but, for my money, ending the afternoon with a sugary treat is a must. You can find plenty of gluten free bakes on the website already, but my gluten free coconut and cherry squares tick all the portable boxes and are so delicious that you’ll have your friends wondering why they ever bothered with wheat in the first place.