GF Mash Up

I wanted to begin with a little word about Prezzo. I've been in contact with them over the last month regarding their GF options. I won't bore you with all the details but I was confused by conflicting information on the website and the information staff gave me in the restaurant. I was also disappointed by the lack of GF knowledge and understanding staff had. Not what you expect from a Coeliac UK accredited restaurant! Anyway, I don't want to turn this into a moanfest but I did want to let you know the outcome. Customer Services have assured me that the most accurate info is what you can see online and the restaurants (should!!) know this. Any changes will be updated on the website so this is the best place to look for up to the minute menu info....now let's see if that filters through to the restaurants!

Anyway, on with the show.....

I think I may have found something special.....something almost as rare as gold dust.....yep......a nice tasting, long lasting, "no big hole through the middle", GF white bread. Ladies and gents I give you....

My Mother in Law got this for me when I stayed at Half Term and I was super surprised! This DS (dsglutenfree.com) loaf is fab. It had a really long date on it which meant I could bring the spare loaf home and it was still ok. I opened the loaf on Saturday and kept it in a food bag expecting it to be falling apart by Monday brekkie! But, NO! It was still as fresh by the Friday when I finished it! It toasts well and the sandwiches were lovely too.

The only down side is that is afflicted by the small slice curse! Sadly that seems the norm with most GF bread ....I just had to have two sandwiches to make up for it!!

Last week I was feeling brave and decided to tackle the lovely Free From Fairy's banana and date flapjack (www.freefromfairy.com). It seemed to fall within my culinary capabilities (just) but the challenge was finding a suitable oat substitute!

Here is attempt 1 with Sainsburys Freefrom porridge (rice and buckwheat flakes)

Rookie error number 1.... Crunchy rice flakes! Not unpleasant but not quite cooked! 

Attempt 2 saw me soak the porridge before use

This led to a bread pudding consistency which I quite enjoyed but not quite the flapjack experience I was hoping for! The Free From Fairy and lovely Twitter peeps have made some good suggestions for next time...toasted buckwheat, quinoa, seeds...... They are all saved in the "To do in the Summer hols" file! Do let me know if you have any other suggestions and I'll keep you posted!

Anyone else been impressed with Tesco recently? They just keep adding to their FreeFrom range and they are coming up with some beauties! I haven't quite got over the cornetto excitement yet but celebration cakes, Finest cakes, onion rings and now this....

Oh yes!! At last! A FreeFrom brown sauce that tastes like..... brown sauce!!! I've tried a few substitutes in my quest for the perfect bacon buttie but this really ticks all my saucey boxes!!! I'm one very happy Coeliac!

I also managed to find Heck square sausages in Tesco (www.heckfood.co.uk)

Cooked on the trusty George Foreman I must say I was quite a fan! Bit strange at first because you expect burger but get sausage! I like to be kept on my toes so I was happy with this combo, Dale on the other hand was just disappointed they weren't burgers!

Another little treat from my Mother in Law

I've only tried the Nature's Path (www.naturespath.co.uk) Munch so far but I liked it! I appreciate they are aimed at an audience "slightly" younger than me but hey ho, I'm young at heart! Quite sweet but that's a positive for me! I added a few raisins and happily munched away!

Finally, in the hope of Summer arriving sometime in the next fortnight let me recommend these

(www.claudiandfin.co.uk) found in Sainsburys. Again, I'm probably not their target market but why should kids get all the fun!? Creamy, smooth and fruity! At 52kcal per lolly they are a nice little treat on a hot Summer day (if you can remember one of those?!)

Have a great fortnight everyone! Xx (@lizprice79)