Showing posts with label gluten free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gluten free. Show all posts

Thursday, 7 August 2014

Salted Caramel Blondies


I have three words for you. Salted. Caramel. Blondies. Yes, really. This is the sort of treat you bake for someone else then wish you'd doubled the recipe so you'd have some yourself. Sweet, salty and deliciously fudgy, you will bake them again and again. 

I bake a lot of brownies and blondies. They're virtually foolproof, use only one pan and they're brilliantly transportable - what's not to love?! It's also easily to convert a recipe to gluten free, as I've done here with Smitten Kitchen's recipe (she's right, they are infinitely adaptable!) Seriously, what's stopping you? Bake some of these, today!

Salted Caramel Blondies
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

225g butter
300g soft brown sugar
100g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
50ml bourbon (optional, but it does add a lovely flavour)
2 eggs
265g rice flour (I use Dove's Farm)
1 tsp flaked sea salt
100g dark chocolate chips
150g butterscotch chips or caramel pieces (if not, add 100g more chocolate chips instead)

  • Melt the butter in a saucepan then add the sugars. Stir until dissolved.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla and bourbon. Stir to combine and cool the mixture slightly.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time and mix well.
  • Fold in the flour and salt.
  • Add the chocolate and butterscotch chips and gently stir in.
  • Pour into a traybake pan and bake at 180°C for 35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out the middle sticky, but not covered in batter.
  • Leave to cool before cutting into squares.

Wednesday, 8 January 2014

2013. The Best Bits

Happy new year! I do hope you're all getting used to writing 2014, instead of 2013. I'll still be getting it wrong in April, but that's nothing new! Before I rush, head first, into the brand new year ahead, I thought I'd take a moment to look back at the highlights of 2013. Predictably, my favourite bits are all food related.


The absolute best bit of 2013, for me, was my trip to River Cottage for their gluten free cookery course. As well as completely changing the way I approach my baking, it showed me how removing the gluten from something doesn't automatically require me to add loads of rubbish in its place. I've embraced many more grains and different gluten free flours than before, and I've even made my own sourdough starter! I'm dropping serious hints to my family about the advanced course that's running in August (coincidentally, just after my birthday)!


The most moreish cake of the year was Honeyrose Bakery's Banana Cake. They sent me a sample back in April and I'd eaten the entire thing before I had a chance to photograph it! In fact, I've bought many more banana cakes since then, and they all seem to magically disappear in a matter of minutes. The Husband doesn't even like banana, so I can't blame him - this cake really is good! Actually, all of the free from products I've tried from Honeyrose Bakery are excellent. I particularly love their individually wrapped brownies and macaroons, I can pop a couple in my bag for peckish moments when I'm out and about!





Back in Spring, I started to notice that Asda's distinctive yellow and black free from packaging was being used for non-gluten-free products, and wondered what was going on. (In the spirit of full disclosure, I work for Asda, but until 2013 I had very little in the way of praise for their gluten free offerings.) I was delighted to discover, however, that they were phasing out the old packaging to make way for an extended range of free from products, in new purple packaging! As well as their own-brand products (of which, the cheese sauce mix and cous cous are my personal favourites) they have introduced an increased range of products from other producers, like Isabel's and The Good Little Sausage Company. Well done, Asda! Now when people ask me what I think about my employers' own gluten free effort, I don't have to change the subject.


Eating pizza has never been better for us gluten free types, has it? Pizza Express and Pizza Hut showed the rest how it should be done, and Dominos did all they could to encourage us to eat our pizza at home! I don't know what 2014 holds for Coeliacs eating out, but the brand new Free From Eating Out Awards are sure to reveal a few gems.

Speaking of the Free From Food Awards (at least, indirectly), one of the highlights of last year's awards ceremony was the opportunity to try the Indian Coeliac's fabulous parathas. They are available to order, and I really do recommend you try them too. As the judging starts soon for this year's awards, I'm excited about what brilliant products I'm going to discover this time!


So, what were your free from highlights of 2013? Was it the chance to eat a decent bagel again? Maybe it was gluten free pasta turning up in the fresh food aisle of the supermarket? Could it have been the much discussed quarter final of The Great British Bake Off and its free from elements? Or, was it something else altogether? Let me know in the comments section!

Sunday, 10 November 2013

Coeliacs! Should We Lighten Up?

Ok, I realise that I might get an angry backlash from some about this post, but bear with me. Quite recently, I came to the conclusion that we Coeliacs take ourselves a bit too seriously.


Before you jump straight to the comments section, let me explain.

I'm all for getting mad when Coeliac Disease is misrepresented in the media. A recent Telegraph article called the GF diet a "scam", while The Daily Mail prefered the term "con" (because it doesn't help you lose weight). Caught up in pedantry, Today.com tell us that "nobody is actually "allergic" to gluten". Actually, we take a bit of a beating in the press, mostly because ill-informed journalists like to lump people with diagnosed Coeliac Disease and NCGI and faddy gluten free toe-dippers (and everyone in between) together and mock our dietary choices (or not-a-choices, in the case of CD).

What with the bashing we take in the press, you'd think that celebrity chefs might at least have a better understanding of our condition thanks to their training in food. Alas, no. When Coeliac chef Anthony Demetre admitted to gorging on gluten every few months the BBC refused to issue any kind of correction because, "in discussing his eating habits Anthony was expressing his own personal way of coping with the condition and at no point did he advocate it is a diet that others should try." (I'm still not convinced by that brush-off.) When Food Glorious Food judge, Stacie Stewart, described Coeliac Disease as a "lifestyle choice", at least ITV issued an apology. (Although, you might say that since it was pre-recorded the show's makers could have edited the comment out before it caused offense!) Even the usually lovely (tax evasion notwithstanding) Martha Stewart thinks that our dietary restrictions are due to us being fussy.



If that's not enough, we have to deal with poorly researched articles that only cause confusion. Then there's the free from food producers who perpetuate the myth that a gluten free diet somehow helps increase fitness and weight loss in the pursuit of better sales. Oh, and there's the constant need to remind all and sundry that spelt is NOT gluten free!

I think we should stand up for ourselves when the media attacks. We should pull journalists and editors up on nonsense reports and overly personal pieces on gluten free diets, and we should demand that bad advice be corrected. But (and it's a big but) we need to know when to fight and when to back off.

Recently, Paul Hollywood was asked (in a live radio interview) about gluten and wheat free baking. From his comments, some people got upset that he was suggesting that Coeliac Disease was often misdiagnosed. He suggested that people try sourdough and artisanal breads before cutting wheat from their diets completely. I listened to the broadcast and really felt for him, he was clearly "sceptical" about self-diagnosed wheat intolerant people (who, incidentally, really should speak to a GP or dietitian before cutting any food from their diet) and not about medically diagnosed Coeliacs.Angry blog posts, Facebook statuses and tweets ensued. He did take to Twitter that same day to defend himself and admitted that Coeliac Disease, NCGI and gluten free baking was something he needed to do more research on. All credit to him.



And, so, to my point...

I think the biggest reason why Coeliacs take offense to apparent slurs against the gluten free diet is because we're parcelled up with everyone on the GF bandwagon, diagnosed, self-diagnosed, not ever diagnosed and trying-it-because-Miley-Cyrus-does-it. We can't let an opportunity pass without reminding people that we have a MEDICAL CONDITION, it's not a choice (lifestyle or otherwise) and that eating gluten free is the only treatment for that condition.

The problem is, we end up coming across as over-sensitive, touchy and devoid of sense of humour.

When Marcus Brigstocke's 'The Brig Society' aired and episode on food, he was barraged with complaints from Coeliacs and NCGIs who missed the point, that he was mocking those half-hearted trend-driven wheat avoiders. Likewise, Sean Lock's jokes in the video at the top of the page. Where did our sense of humour go?


Should we be so quick to pick up on obvious jokes and genuine errors about Coeliac Disease and NCGI? Perhaps if we gave them a chance to retract, explain or generally apologise for misspeaking we'd be a little less stressed out? 

I roared with laughter at The Brig Society's portrayal of someone who can't eat gluten - unless it's really nice bread. We've all met someone like that, and agree that it degrades the seriousness of our own gluten free needs, so why can't we laugh when someone else points it out? The cartoons of Howard the Celeriac show us a funny side of our gluten intolerance that most of the GF community enjoy. So, can we only laugh at ourselves when 'one of us' cracks the joke?



Yes, sense of humour is a deeply personal thing and what's funny to one person isn't to another. I love that Sean Lock clip, but other Coeliacs said it was ignorant and that it shrinks a real issue into merely an inconvenience. Others thought it was a bit too close to the line between funny and offensive (but then, all of Lock's jokes are).

I read one comment about Sean Lock's jokes saying that, "making jokes about Coeliac Disease is as unfunny as making jokes about cancer or MS." Erm, no. I think that's offensive to people with diseases that require aggressive treatment. We're jolly lucky that we can treat our condition with diet! Having lived under various drug regimens (some with horrible side effects) for nearly 20 years thanks to Crohn's Disease, I found going gluten free empowering. We have the power to effect our own well-being with what we eat, it's great! Let's celebrate that instead of getting upset by harmless jokes.



So yes, pre-diagnosis Coeliac Disease is no joke. It's painful, exhausting and filled with many other health risks. Once we start our gluten free diets, though, life gets better. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it's an inconvenience at most. Eating out is tricky, but not impossible. Some people make insensitive comments, but they're usually insensitive people. It's nothing personal. The gluten free community is a wonderfully supportive bunch of people who are always willing to offer encouragement. Things just aren't that bad.

Isn't it time we learned to laugh at ourselves?

Saturday, 28 September 2013

Gluten Free for 99p

Well, £1 or less per portion, actually!


That was my challenge to a bunch of gluten free bloggers a few weeks ago, and the reaction was, "let's do it!" Eating gluten free on a budget isn't easy, free from food is far from cheap, so it seemed like an appropriate challenge to come up with some thrifty recipes to share. The task was simple (in theory); come up with a recipe that's gluten free, but costs less than £1 each. In reality, it turned out to be a much trickier thing to do than the initial enthusiasm suggested! Two brave souls finally joined me in creating cheap-but-delicious dishes, and here they are.


Carly: over on Gluten Free B, is annoyed that most budget recipes are a bit insubstantial, dull and take forever to make. To deal with this, she has a brilliant frugal frittata that's perfect for using up any vegetables you've got in the fridge. She rather cunningly uses leftover rice in her frittata, something I had never thought of before! This is the sort of recipe that you can make time and again, varying the ingredients so you'll never get bored.



Alex: has come up with a great leek and tomato quinoa dish that's both filling and nutritious, over on Food Allergy and Intolerance Ink. It's good to know that even those gluten free grains that we perceive to be a bit pricier can actually be used in budget dishes. Let's stop discounting ingredients because we think they're too expensive (or too posh)!

Me: I wanted to come up with a dish that you could serve for Sunday lunch, or as a dinner party meal with friends. Just because cash is tight, it doesn't mean you can't still be sociable. Get your friends to bring the booze, or a dessert and you can entertain with change from a fiver! This dish was inspired by a recipe on Domestic Sluttery last year. The rolled herby lamb breast, by Hazel (my food guru), made me give lamb breast another go after a disastrous first try. It also showed me that tasty stuffing needn't be full of breadcrumbs.


Cheap cuts of meat are often regarded with suspicion, but they're often some of the tastiest cuts, if you know how to cook them. Oxtail makes the most unctuous stews, pork shoulder is perfect for barbecue-style pulled pork and chicken wings make the greatest stock ever! If you can, chat to your butcher, they have so much knowledge to share and will tell you the very best ways to cook your meat, and how to get the most from each cut. (Same goes for your greengrocer, they'll know what seasonal fruit and vegetables are best, cheapest and tastiest.)



Lamb Breast with Boulangerie Potatoes
(Inspired by Hazel Paterson's Rolled Herby Lamb Breast)
You can buy boned lamb breast from most supermarkets, but if you chat to your butcher you'll be able to get him to prepare it and even throw in the ribs for you. Use the bones as a trivet to roast the lamb, then simmer it with some vegetables to make a fantastic stock for soup. This recipe serves four for just under £4.

a large lamb breast (£2.99)
1/2 pack of mint, chopped (35p)
3 cloves garlic, chopped (10p-ish)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vinegar (red wine vinegar if you've got it, otherwise white wine or cider vinegar works too)
400g-ish white potatoes, thinly sliced (the supermarket value/smart price/economy ranges of potatoes are great in this dish) (34p)
1 onion, finely sliced (21p)
salt and pepper
  • Preheat your oven to 230°C (or as hot as it'll go).
  • Spread your lamb breast on a chopping board and trim any bits of sinew and thick pieces of fat. If you ask your butcher, he'll do that for you.
  • Mix the chopped mint, garlic, vegetable oil and vinegar in a bowl. Season well with salt and pepper - it's seaoning the meat too.
  • Spread the mint stuffing over one side of the lamb and roll it up. Tie securely with string. If you don't have string, I've used cocktail sticks with some sucsess before!
  • Put the lamb in a roasting tin and pop in the oven for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, layer the potatoes and onion slices in an ovenproof dish, seasoning as you go. Pour water over the potatoes until it just reaches the top layer.
  • After 30 minutes are up, turn the oven down to 160°C and put the potatoes in too. Cook for a further 2 hours.
  • When the 2 hours are up, remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes before slicing. If the potaoes need to crisp up a little, leave them in the oven for a bit longer.
You can vary the herbs in the stuffing to suit whatever herbs you happen to have, parsley and rosemary work well too. Likewise, if you'd rather use leeks instead of onions in the boulangerie potatoes, they'd be great!


What are your go-to thrifty foods? Share your hints and tips below.

Tuesday, 10 September 2013

Gluten Free Cookery at River Cottage


When I was invited to River Cottage HQ to review their gluten free cookery course I didn't need to be asked twice! As a bit of a River Cottage groupie, I was thrilled with the idea of visiting the iconic farm and delighted that they were offering something for the Coeliacs.


The course, Gluten Free Cookery, is run by Naomi Devlin, a nutritionist and fellow free from-er, whose passion for great food permeates the day. Each of us on the course were there for different reasons, and we represented the whole range of the gluten free spectrum. The established Coeliacs (diagnosed for 20+ years) learned as much as the new-to-gluten-free people. There were even non-gluten-free people, learning how to cook for loved ones, or customers, with various gluten intolerances. We all left with our heads full of new information and skills we couldn't wait to get home to practise.



The day starts, like all cookery courses at River Cottage HQ, with a tractor ride from the car park to the farmhouse. By the time we disembarked at the bottom of the hill, we were already friends – it's a bumpy, but pleasant, bonding experience! 



The (newly refurbished) cookery classroom came complete with tea and coffee, delicious tortilla breakfast snacks, and inspiring views of the Devon countryside from the floor-to-ceiling windows!



Naomi demonstrated every item clearly, and with enthusiasm, peppering each demo with information about gluten free flour and their properties, avoiding cross contamination, nutritional tips, and more. Starting with a yeasted pastry for kleicha (a sweet Iraqi treat) and the sponge for our sourdough bread, Naomi began to address the fact that to bake gluten free we first had to throw out all everything we'd learned about baking with wheat flour. She showed us the consistency to expect when mixing a GF dough and explained that gluten free flours absorb more liquid than wheat flours, so a wet-looking lump would transform given time. 



Chocolate chip cookies came next. As someone who "accidentally" licked her fingers after mixing the dough, I'm not sure if much of this mix would actually make it to the oven at home. Ours were rather bigger than the rest of the room's so took a little longer to bake, a few minutes that seemed like hours just before lunchtime! These cookies are set to become a common occurrence in my kitchen, they were absolutely delicious.



Our expectations of how to bake were challenged again when we made pastry. The dough was much wetter than any of us felt comfortable with, and I could tell that a few of us were sceptical that it would ever become pastry. We were proven wrong later that day.



We also finished mixing our bread dough before lunch. Adding a variety of wholesome ingredients to the bubbling sponge, I could tell that this bread felt distinctly different to any gluten free bread I'd made before. The dough was sticky and lighter than other doughs, whilst being less liquid than a lot of packet mixes I've tried. The way the dough rose over lunch was proof enough that this was going to be a thoroughly successful bread.



Lunch was everything you'd expect from River Cottage. Pork, from one of the pigs on the farm, with grilled vegetables so fresh they were probably still attached to their respective plants mere hours before landing on my plate and a gently spicy sauce that I could quite happily have bathed in. Dessert was a fresh combination of apple sorbet and blackberry compote that finished the meal perfectly. It was, of course, gluten free and vegetarians and dairy free diets were equally well catered for. Lunch was a great opportunity to chat to some of my coursemates who I had yet to meet. They were such a friendly bunch, and everyone was as excited as me to be on such an informative course.


Suitably sated and refreshed, we returned to the kitchen to bake our bread and roll out pastry. Rolling out between two sheets of baking paper for ease of transport from worktop to baking tray (and to avoid cross contamination from wooden rolling pins), we noticed how soft and workable – pastrylike – the dough was. The lesson was starting to sink in! We used the pastry to make pissaladiere, a quick and easy dinner, while Naomi suggested ways we could prepare the pastry in advance.  As our pissaladiere cooked, Naomi showed us how to turn the yeasted dough from that morning into kleicha, giving us an opportunity to try for ourselves. Once baked, we all tucked in to the two varieties of these stuffed cookies to a chorus of "yum"s.



Finally, muffins. Again, as we filled our muffin cases right to the top, we realised how much we had to re-learn after our wheat baking days (even those of us who've been baking gluten free for years). It was interesting to watch them bake, through the oven door, and see how this seemingly odd practice of filling the muffin cases worked to produced perfectly golden, domed muffins.



This course completely shattered every expectation I had about what a gluten free cookery course might entail. Apart from the obvious benefit of a mountain of baked goods to take home, I found the information Naomi shared to be the best thing about the day. Her natural style and self-confessed geekiness about nutrition meant that I couldn't help but be enthused about the possibilities of gluten free baking.  I'm a keen GF baker and now I feel like my own passion has been renewed and I'm approaching my own baking with a refreshed vigour, thanks to Naomi.



Would I recommend this course? Undoubtedly. Is it worth the £180 course fee? Yes, I think so; it runs from 9am to 5pm and the day is packed full of activity. No, it's not cheap, especially if you're traveling to, and staying in, Devon just for the course, but the fees are comparable to other courses around the country, and Devon is a lovely place to visit. Are there any negatives? Erm, not really, no – if the reactions in the tractor on the way back up the hill are anything to go by. 

Gluten Free Cookery at River Cottage HQ offers passionate and knowledgable instruction in making  good wholesome food in a beautiful setting. I'd heartily recommend it to everyone.

The next course is on 25th January 2014, check out the River Cottage website for more details

Friday, 24 May 2013

Bourbon Biscuits and Lime Pie


Last week, I decided to rectify the fact that I hadn't eaten a chocolate Bourbon for six years by baking some myself. The resulting Bourbon biscuits were so good that I ate most of the first batch before they'd even cooled down! As wonderful as the biscuits were, I couldn't eat all of them. (When you're testing a recipe, you end up making at least two, sometimes many more, batches in order to perfect the recipe.) The lime meringue pie was born from a need to use the rest of the Bourbons before they went stale.


The biscuits form the base of what is basically a Key lime pie – except that you shouldn't really call it 'Key lime' unless you use limes from the Florida Keys - with meringue on top. I have a habit of separating eggs to use just the yolks or whites in a recipe and leaving the other part in the fridge to be rediscovered when it's too late to use them. That's why there's meringue on my lime pie – I could use the whole egg this way (and it looks great, too).



Chocolate and lime work so well together that it's a shame more desserts don't use them. The smoothness of the chocolate mellows the sharpness of the lime, while the slight bitter edge to both add a sophisticated touch. I've made a lot of lime meringue pies in my time, from now on, I'll always use a chocolate base.

If you fancy making your own lime meringue pie this weekend, head over to Domestic Sluttery for the full recipe.


Monday, 29 April 2013

Gluten Free at Pizza Express

When it comes to introducing gluten free items to your menu, Pizza Express have really gone the extra mile. Instead of simply adding a GF pizza base and feeling smug, they spent 18 months trying hundreds of bases to find the very best one, worked with Coeliac UK to make sure they were doing everything right, introduced measures to prevent the risk of cross contamination and invited a group of gluten free bloggers to give the seal of approval to the menu. Not content to just introduce a gluten free pizza base, Pizza Express are also launching a delicious risotto starter, Green's GF Pilsner and a rich gluten free brownie for dessert! The children's menu is getting the same treatment, with a gluten free piccolo pizza base and brownie.

A gluten free pizza you can order with confidence!

Last Monday, I went along to meet the team behind the new gluten free menu items and taste the results of their hard work. To say that Pizza Express listen to their customers would be an understatement!  Head of Marketing, Emma has been carrying a print out of a guest post, written by @DavidJ_GF, voicing his concerns about the trials of the gluten free menu at selected restaurants. The whole team have been using the (very eloquently written) post as the basis for addressing the commonly held issues most Coeliacs have with GF items in chain restaurants. Pizza Express really care about how we (customers and Coeliacs) feel about eating at their restaurants and have been working with Coeliac UK to get NGCI accreditation so that anyone ordering a gluten free meal can to so with confidence. 

Instead of being apologetic about their efforts at gluten free dining, the team at Pizza Express decided to work toward something they'd be proud to shout about and I think they should boast about the new menu!

To deal with the risk of contamination from airborne flour, Pizza Express have replaced all flour with a gluten free flour mix for dusting surfaces and stretching dough. All gluten free pizza bases are individually wrapped and as soon as the first GF pizza is ordered in a restaurant, the kitchen will open a new passata and mozzarella, use separate ladles and pizza screens and serve the pizza on special boards to distinguish the gluten free ones from the wheaty ones.

If that's not enough to fill your heart with cheer, then you'll be pleased to know that Food and Drink Manager, Holly and Development Chef, Anton's mammoth global effort (they actually sampled bases from as far away as Australia!) to source a really great pizza base has paid off. The pizzas are outstanding and all the more delicious for the peace of mind that comes from all the measures Pizza Express have put in place to ensure that cross contamination is not an issue in their kitchens. 

A delicious Risotto d'Oro for starter.

Every member of Pizza Express staff have undergone thorough training, ready for the launch of the new menu tomorrow (30th April) and all new-starts will receive exactly the same training as part of their induction, so you can always be confident that your order is treated the same in every branch, every time you visit. 

I'll definitely be heading to Pizza Express for the new menu launch on 30th April, find your nearest restaurant and try it, too!

Friday, 26 April 2013

The Great North Gluten Free Fair



This Saturday, 27th April, the North's first gluten free fair will take place at the CastleGate in Newcastle city centre.

The Fair’s organiser is TASTECLUB (formerly Taste North East), the Club for everyone who makes, serves, sells and loves great north food and drink. There will be around 40 stands at the event, made up of some of the best local and national producers, shops and restaurants that make or sell gluten-free food and drink. 
Spopnsered by Newburn Bakehouse, you will be able to sample their range of free-from products, including brown, white, seeded and fruit loaves, baguettes, wraps, teacakes and muffins.

Entry to the inaugural event, which will run from 10am to 4pm, costs £2 for adults and is free for children. All attendees will receive a Newburn Bakehouse muffin. To book tickets in advance, go to the TASTECLUB website.

If you can't attend the fair, you can still take part by entering the competition on The Great North Gluten Free Fair's Facebook page by liking and sharing their competition post to win a hamper of Newburn Bakehouse Goodies!

Sunday, 14 April 2013

Fruit is Not a Pudding!

Have you checked out the brilliant Fruit is Not a Pudding blog yet? Carly (the wonderful Gluten Free B) started this blog to celebrate great naturally gluten free puddings and to name and shame those restaurants and caterers who think that fruit salad is an appropriate gluten free dessert.


We've all been there, haven't we? At a function or dinner and everyone else is enjoying a plate of profiteroles, summer pudding or cheesecake and you're brought a fruit salad. (What's that? Yes, there is melon in there! Isn''t that from the starter?) It's maddening, especially since there are so many delicious desserts out there than are naturally gluten free.

I recently shared my panna cotta recipe with FINAP and it's in great company with fantastic pudding recipes like Hokey Pokey Knicker Bocker Glory and Black Cherry Meringue Parfait. It's a great resource, especially for friends and family of Coeliacs, who want to make them something that's gluten free, but doesn't involve shelling out on specialist ingredients. Go check it out yourself, then send everyone you know!

If you have a Pudding Hero to recommend to others or a rubbish dessert to nominate for a Sad Banana Award, visit the Fruit is Not a Pudding Facebook page, or .

Thursday, 7 March 2013

Rebel Bakery Cupcakes

'Contains cocktail stick'

I paid my first ever visit to Whole Foods Market last week. The lovely Alex (@HealthJourno) invited me to join him, Gluten Free Mrs D and Gluten Free B at a gluten free tour of the Kensington branch. It was a really interesting tour and Krystal, our guide, knew her stuff when it came to nutritional advice and gluten free diets. She showed us where the various gluten free products could be found in the store and even chatted about sources of extra dietary fibre and the best way to prepare grains and lentils.

An abundance of gluten free goodies!

After the tour left us all rather peckish, we headed upstairs for a vegan dinner at Saf Restaurant and to catch up on each other's news. Even after an enormous helping of massaman curry and being practically force-fed half of Alex's cheesecake (forced, I tell you! I would never steal someone's dessert), I was still thinking about all the exciting baked goods downstairs. With delicious treats from my favourites, Sugargrain and Perk!er, on offer I couldn't leave empty-handed. Thankfully, we all felt the same way and we spent a happy ten minutes picking up new finds and showing each other interesting cakes, all accompanied by a soundtrack of "ooh"s and "yum"s. I finally left the store with (among other items) a cupcake from gluten free Rebel Bakery, a new product for me. 

Decisions, decisions...

I opted for the Old Fashioned cake, in part because of the warning on the packaging, which read, "Contains cocktail stick," and it tickled me. Mostly, however, it was because the combination of whisky, orange and cherries was just too good to turn down. 

The very exciting inside of my cake!

When I tasted the cake, I knew I'd made the right decision, it was fantastic. The orange flavour was very clear and it was definitely enhanced by the whisky in the icing. Biting into the cake was a wonderful surprise, because the centre was filled with cherries! The cake was moist and not too sweet and there was just the right cake-to-icing ratio. I am really impressed by these cakes and I will be making another pilgrimage to Kensington to get my hands on some more! Unfortunately for all you nut-allergic people, these cakes aren't for you (but in my house that just guarantees that The Husband can't steal it before I get a chance to eat it!).

Monday, 21 January 2013

Gluten Free Recipes Galore!

This morning, over on Domestic Sluttery, we posted a list of our top ten gluten free recipes. From my very first recipe, Viennese fingers, to my most recent, rice cake, with recpes from the other very talented food writers (including the most amazing Daim Bar truffle cake from Hazel!) the treasure trove of exciting GF recipes is sure to grow. I love the challenge of finding new and interesting ways to present gluten free food to a new audience, many of whom have no food issues at all. I hope I've shown people that gluten free doesn't mean flavour free; I know that even some gluten-eaters have given my recipes a spin!


This Crunchie cheesecake is one of my favourites. A smooth baked cheesecake with honeycomb crunch and chocolatey goodness, this is a crowd-pleasing dessert (or a substantial meal for one!). Another sure-fire crowd-pleaser is the mango upside-down cake I made in May, you can happily use tinned mango when fresh aren't in season.


S'mores brownies are a rich, chewy and fudgy sweet treat that I made for Guy Fawkes Night, but they're perfect at any time of year! Ideal for eating over bonfires or barbecues, they seem to taste even better when they're gently melted, you could wrap them in foil and leave them next to the fireplace for 10 minutes if it's too cold to venture outside. If you're more of a savoury snack person, try my roasted cashew nuts or pretzel mix.


I've tackled some old favourites too. These crispy pancakes are brilliantly nostalgic and very flexible, you can fill them with whatever you fancy, cheese and ham, chicken - or go fancy and add brie and bacon or beef Bourguignon! Fish fingers, while easily available in the freefrom section of your freezer department are surprisingly quick and easy to make yourself, the same coating could be used for chicken nuggets or kievs.


I've got lunch covered as well! Rice noodles make a quick and easy salad and this chicken noodle salad is one of the quickest and easiest I know. You could use green bean noodles in this if you'd rather. My smoked salmon kedgeree was intended for Christmas morning, but it makes a pretty special lunch too.

What gluten free recipes would you like to see us cover? Do you have any old favourites that you'd like to make gluten free? Or is there a particular event you want a dish for? 

Let me know!

Thursday, 13 December 2012

A Gluten Free Survival Kit

The festive season is once again upon us and many of us will be preparing to spend time partying and dining with our family and friends.  
If you are dreading the prospect of eating out or you you don't want to be a burden on your party host, then here are a few suggestions to make life a little easier.

  1. Print out a copy of Coeliac UK's handy guide - Organising a gluten-free dinner party, or direct your host to the webpage for some excellent advice on cooking gluten free and avoiding cross-contamination.
  2. Bring your own emergency supplies - I often turn up to dinner parties with a packet of Trufree pretzels and some Nairns gluten free oatcakes stashed away in my handbag!  If your host hasn't provided any gluten free nibbles, or you're still peckish on the way home, you're well prepared!
  3. Offer to bring dessert.  It's quite stressful planning a menu for someone with any kind of restricted diet, especially if you're not used to doing it.  It it always much appreciated when the restricted dietee offers to carry some of the burden - even if they don't take up the offer.
  4.  If you are an overnight guest supply your own gluten free breakfast (a box of Doves Farm cereal, or some Warburtons free from fruity tea cakes, for example), just in case your host hasn't thought of that.
  5. Remember to thank your host for all they have done for you, a wee gift goes a long way towards your invite back!  Why not whip up some white chocolate rocky road?

If the worst happens and you accidentally eat gluten, I am of the opinion that it's best not to tell the cook until you're back to normal - you'll feel more level-headed then and they won't have to see quite how ill they have made you - then direct them to that Coeliac UK guide for the next time you eat at their house!

Tuesday, 11 December 2012

Free From & Festive: Christmas Presents

I'm a firm believer in the power of a homemade gift. It says, "not only do I care enough about you to give you this gift but, I put in the effort and made it myself." More the the sum of its ingredients, a homemade gift is time and loving care and, for me, that's extra special. Even more special, is when someone makes a gift that suits your dietary requirements.

We might be stretching the past/present/future theme a little with this one, but this week we're making gluten free foodie gifts! Now is the perfect time to start whipping up your presents, so we've got a few to share with you.


Carly at Gluten Free B has made a delicious mulling syrup that's sure to please everyone. It's not Christmas until you've had a warm cup of something mulled, so this gift is a festive must!


Anyone who loves coffee will appreciate this white chocolate, orange and pistachio biscottini from Claire at The Gluten Free Notebooks. She has used delicate, but definitely Christmassy, flavours to make these rather luxury little biscotti.


I love to give cranberry sauce as a Christmas gift, after all it's something that most people use over the season! I've tried many variations over the years, but I always come back to this one.

Cranberry Sauce with Clementines

a net of clementines, about 650g
300g frozen cranberries
100g caster sugar

  • Zest half of the clementines and juice them all.
  • Put the clementine juice, zest, cranberries and sugar into a saucepan and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring all the time.
  • Leave the mixture to simmer until the sauce thickens, it'll take about 10 minutes. Taste (very carefully, it's hot!!) and add more sugar if needed. 
  • Transfer into sterilised jars whist the sauce is still hot. This will keep for a couple of months in the fridge.
Whatever gifts you give this year, we'd love to hear about them so do get in touch. 

Next week, we're putting a modern twist on old favourites. If you don't like mince pies, fruit cake or turkey, now's your chance to put your own spin on them! 

Thursday, 6 December 2012

Yorkshire Provender Soup Giveaway

Winter, my favourite season, is upon us. No, I don't like being cold, nor am I a much of a fan of the fact  that the moment the first snowflake hits the ground in the South of England, everyone panics, drives like eejits to the nearest shop and buys all the bread and milk, but I still think it's the most beautiful season of them all. I love the crisp air, frost on windows, snow-covered countryside and icicles in doorways. I live for keep-warm moments like putting on socks straight from the tumble dryer, fluffy jumpers, warming up cold feet on a loved one (the Husband is less of fond of that one, to be honest) and hugging a bowl of hot soup.


The wonderful people at Yorkshire Provender have given me some gluten free soups from their winter soup range to share with you! So, if you like the sound of the sweet, earthy and gently spicy beetroot soup with parsnip, horseradish and ginger; a rich and filling tomato and red pepper soup with wensleydale cheese and rosemary, or vibrantly green pea and fresh spinach, there's a warming soup with your name on it! 


To win a selection of these soups to keep you and your Thermos toasty and satisfied this winter, just tell me what your favourite thing about winter is. The competition closes at noon on Monday the 10th December and only UK entrants will be eligible to win. Leave your comment below, or , and remember to to tell me your name - don't be anonymous, I'll need to contact you if you win! - and your home town. Good luck!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Helen from Milton Keynes whose email entry won her the selection of soup. She said "I love nothing better than snuggling up in my warmest pjs with a mug of tea and watching winter work its magic outside. It's the most beautiful season of the year."

Tuesday, 20 November 2012

Atkins & Potts Gluten Free Sauces

I have been a fan of Atkins and Potts for a while, their syrups and glazes are an essential baking and cooking ingredient in my kitchen. When they asked if I would like to try some of their gluten free range, I jumped at the chance! The choice of interesting and exciting GF sauces out there is somewhat limited; usually you'll find a korma and probably something tomato based in the freefrom aisle... and that's about it. Not any more.


White Wine Sauce with Smoked Garlic and Thyme is a perfect accompaniment to chicken. The smoked garlic is brilliantly smoky (natch) and mellow, it adds a wonderful twist to the traditional white wine and thyme sauce. This is a finishing sauce, so after cooking your chicken or pork, you use it to deglaze the pan and pick up all those tasty bits of meat and the juices into the sauce. It's the kind of sauce that taste like it took ages to prepare, but really it's as easy as snipping the corner off the pouch!


The Chasseur Cooking Sauce is delicious and deeply flavoured. Ok, it is a tomato based sauce, but this one is so much more than your run-of-the-mill tomato and basil, this is complex and rich enough to stand up to the game casserole we had it with.


Is it just me, or do all restaurants seem to put flour in their peppercorn sauce? I have never made it with any thickener so I'm always disappointed when waiting staff tell me I have to eat my steak plain, again. Thankfully, Atkins & Potts have a gluten free Three Peppercorn Cooking Sauce that's restaurant quality that's quick and simple for cooking at home. I can't help you with the steak, although cooking it Heston's way has always worked for me.

You can buy the sauces at stockists across the country or you can shop online at atkinsandpotts.co.uk. Don't forget to check out the rest of their ranges, many of their products are made without gluten.

Sunday, 4 November 2012

Bangers for Bonfire Night


Yes, it really has been more than a whole month since I last popped up on your blogroll. I'm a little ashamed at the neglect of this blog and of you, my wonderful readers, I'm sorry. Hopefully you have been following my antics over at Domestic Sluttery and you know that I'm still here! When I went back to work, six months ago, after my colectomy operation I was put into a new department - pharmacy - and as a result I've spent the time since working on a qualification that is a legal requirement for a job I didn't really want to do. Don't get me wrong, I've learned a lot, which I love, and my colleagues are brilliant company, but I'm just not that passionate about what I do. Add that that to the fact the this qualiciation has been so time-consuming that it has kept me from doing more of what I truly love, writing. I have managed to write an article, featured in November's Your Wellness Magazine (keep reading, there are five recipes that follow the piece) about eating well with Crohn's Disease, but I haven't done half of what I planned to do.


I sat the final test for my pharmacy course last week and to celebrate, I have a recipe for you! Since tomorrow is Guy Fawkes' Night and there are fireworks displays happening all over the country for the next few days, I thought I'd share my favourite way to eat sausages on a breezy and cold night outside. I use the Black Farmer's Daughter's chipolata sausages in most of my sausagey cooking these days, they are so juicy and tasty, a far cry from those oddly sponge-like gluten free sausages from days of old. Of course, good old M&S are an excellent place to buy GF bangers, too. 

Honey Mustard Bangers
This is super easy and pretty quick to make, ideal for whipping up before dashing out to your local bonfire night celebrations. Pop the bread in the oven for the last 5 minutes of cooking and you'll have deliciously soft rolls that keep your sausages warm for longer.

2 tbsp runny honey
1 tbsp grain mustard (most are gluten free, but always check the label)
1 pack of gluten free sausages
  • In a roasting tin, mix the honey and mustard together. Add a drop of water to loosen the mixture if needed.
  • Toss the sausages in the honey mustard mix and cook for 25-30 minutes at 180°C, turning a couple of times.

I like to serve these in a roll, either Fria's Korvbrod rolls or Sainsbury's Freefrom part baked baguettes are good choices.

If you have a flask and some paper cups, I would highly recommend making a pot of sweet potato and sweetcorn soup to take with you, or if you don't like the sound of that, try some pumpkin soup instead!