Christmas Snaps

Soooooo are you all stuffed? Full of GF goodies? I know I certainly am....I hope you all had a great Christmas! The eating started waaaay before Christmas Day and continues while I write as I just reached for the box of Cadbury's Heroes oooops!

Christmas dinner is a predictable thing to blog about. I figure there is not much to say. There is a winning formula to GF Christmas dinner which is

Turkey + veg + roasties + Black Farmer sausages + Mrs Crimbles stuffing + Bisto Best Gravy = perfect GF Christmas dinner!!! Thanks Mum! 

So for this weeks post I present to you my Christmas photo album.....a whistle stop tour of GF Christmas in the Price / Freeman households! Sit back and enjoy the festive snaps (possibly with a Hero or two?!)

Fancy Festive Chocs all given the GF seal of approval!

Chocolate Reindeer from Hotel Chocolat

Chocolate Tree from Charbonnel et Walker

Jamie Oliver's white choc and banoffee choc.

I also received a Throntons Gruffalo but he didn't last long enough to have his picture taken! All the above delicious and "normal" chocolate too!

Boxing Day

 

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOOOOU Marks and Spencer for your amazing party food that just happens to be Gluten Free! Wow! It tasted great and was enjoyed by everyone! Hopefully other supermarkets / brands can learn from M&S......gluten free food doesn't have to be different to everyone else's food! With a little thought great tasting, good quality food can be naturally gluten free! Hip hip hoooraaaay for Marks! 

Chocolate log, made by Dale (obviously!!!). Dove's Farm Self Raising Flour, Sainsburys cocoa and Tesco Value Dark Chocolate.....another successful food formula!! (Maths would have been far more interesting at school if taught like this lol!)

Food Heaven cheesecake in summer fruits flavour. I'm a newbie to the Food Heaven range but I can't wait to try more! This cheesecake was so light it slipped down nicely after tucking into all of the above! Apparently they are Dairy Free too. I found this cheesecake hiding with all the regular ones in the freezer section of Sainsburys...I was happy to rescue it! 

Leftovers

Fabulous leftovers / cheeseboard combo! Mrs Crimbles cheese crackers with Sainsburys Taste the Difference Fig Chutney (figs + tomatoes = 2 of my 5 a day right?! Ok, maybe not!!)

Sales Shopping

Oh yes, Dale and I arrived at Westfield Stratford bright and early on Boxing Day morning! Sadly, no bargains were to be had. However, I did have my trusty bag of snacks with me and happily tucked into my Udi's Strawberry breakfast bar to keep me elbowing my way through the crowds with vigour!

Great! If any of you out there used to be fans of the Nutri Grain bars these are just like them! Really filling too so kept me going till ...well.....till the next snack break!

I received a really exciting present just before Christmas.....

.....an Udi's hamper! How exciting!! I cracked open the cinnamon and sugar bagel chips straight away.

 

These are great but should come with a warning......scarily moreish!!!! Makes a nice change to have something crispy but sweet. A great little box of treats which will be making a reappearce in our "nibbles" bowls when our friends come round this week...they'll never know they are GF! (Unless they are reading!!)

Finally, after all this eating (ok, well no more than normal for me .... but anyway...) I thought I'd share a little treat I found online. I know I normally blog about food but you can't eat as much as I do without having to do a little something to burn it off! I go through phases of going to the gym, using the Wii, doing fitness DVDs but during the summer I subscribed to https://www.gymcube.com It has a bank of all kinds of fitness classes for you to do in the comfort of your own home, it's fab! It costs about six quid a month and I think you can have a free trial at the mo! Definitely worth a look...working out at home definitely has it's advantages...warm....dry..cheap....near the kitchen for post work out snacks......oh well! ;0)

Have a great new year everyone! X

Have a Soupa Doupa Christmas!

As Christmas looms and I'm mentally preparing myself (and my stomach) for the onslaught of mega roast dinners, puddings galore, Marks and Spencer's GF buffet food and endless sweets and nibbles, I thought I would treat my stomach to a "Pre Christmas treat", a mini detox......ok, that might be pushing it a bit but hey ho it's as close to a detox as I'll ever get! So, this week, I dedicate to soup!

Those of you who know me may be surprised by this. I'm not the hugest soup fan....drinking your lunch just never seems right to me but in the name of prep for Christmas binging I thought I'd give it a go. So here we have the top five in the Soupa Doupa awards ( I know the play on words is poor but let me have it...it is Christmas after all!!!!)

Number 5

Amy's Kitchen French Vegetable Soup

Big fan of Amy's Kitchen but have never tried this flavour. Have to say it wasn't my favourite and felt I needed to add a little salt which is quite unlike me! Nevertheless, the veg and beans were really filling and kept afternoon snacking at bay ( well, for a little while anyway!) 

I would like to say that Amy's Kitchen do many other flavours and my particular favourites are these...

.....which I'm saving for another week!

Number 4

A regular brand of soup, ie not a dietary / freefrom brand. All ingredients and allergy warnings checked and a big GF thumbs up given. Again, a little lacking in taste which was disappointing as it's called "spiced butternut squash.."! Nevertheless, the huge quantity of beans were filling and knocking out three of your five a day in one hit can't be bad!

Number 3

Heinz Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Again, a regular brand that is suitable for GF diet. Really enjoyed this. Very tasty and despite being a smoother soup it was still very filling. Two of your five a day is pretty good going too!

Number 2

I am absolutely thrilled to be able to award second place to Pret a Manger! If you have read my previous blog posts you will know I haven't had the best Pret service in the past. However, this week was hugely different! They are now clearly labelling their food so no need to wrestle the "Allergy Bible" from unhelpful staff!

Something as simple as this makes dining out with a dietary requirement so much easier! I went for the Butternut Squash and Sage soup (are you getting the theme with the soup flavours?!.....I'm a butternut squash fan...ok....I've said it!! Here's hoping I don't turn orange for Christmas!!)

This soup was delicious. Hot, steamy, tasty, filling and kept me going as the cold winds whipped through Biscester Outet Village! Well done Pret!

Number 1

I feel a drum roll would be appropriate now........

Ilumi Tom Kha Gai Soup

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Chickeny, mildly spicy, ricey, creamy....mmmmmm! Delicious! I'm a big Ilumi fan but had not tried any of their soups until today! Will definitely be ordering again!! Soooo tasty! Portion size seemed smaller than others I have tried this week but actually it filled me up for much longer...a lesson to be learnt there I feel! 

How amazing that the best soup is one made by a dietary requirement brand! For so long dietary brands have been seen as poor substitutes to the "real food" out there! Congratulations Ilumi (and many other new dietary food brands) for waving the freefrom flag and showing the world that good, healthy, allergy friendly food can be super tasty too!

Well, at the risk of over using my play on words I would like to wish all my readers a really Soupa Doupa Christmas! I hope you all have a happy, healthy and Gluten Free time with your family and friends and I look forward to sharing all the calorific Christmas delights with you next week! Xx

How do you like your eggs in the morning?

......to be perfectly honest, I like them still in the box!! As I stagger out of bed at 6.00am the last thing I feel like doing is frying, poaching or scrambling! Therefore, I have a stash of quick, easy, GF, fail safe brekky combinations that I thought I would dedicate this blog to!

Back in the day, shortly after my diagnosis I struggled with eating carb heavy meals (even GF carbs!) In my pre GF days I was a cereal and toast kinda gal but I suddenly found I couldn't stomach even the GF equivalents. As a result the following is my regular breakfast staple.

Sainsburys Freefrom fruit loaf...light and not too "mixed spicey" but yet still masquerades as toast fairly well. I was also advised to eat live yogurt in the mornings and these are the best, tastiest GF yogs I have found (and low fat!!) which I usually eat with some sort of fruit mixed in (fresh or tinned I'm not fussy!)

Thankfully, a year and a half after my diagnosis I have found I can tolerate more carbs and if spaced out strategically, I feel better for it (energy levels really dipped when I cut them out!). I still have to plan when and how often I have them but it has meant I can add a little GF cereal or "proper toast" to my regular breakfasts.

Cereal, it seems, is a little like lipstick! I can't stop buying them but rarely use them....and only on special occasions! Here is a little selection from my cupboard...

Nature's Path O's- great substitute for all those Cheerios fans out there! Scarily crunchy, no chance of any soggy O's here! 

Nature's Path Maple Sunrise - Just recently tried this. Love it! It's certainly not for the faint hearted...wow this is a sweet cereal but it's right up my street! Really appeals to my sweet tooth but definitely limited to once a week!

Perkier Red Berry Flakes- Tasty and perhaps a more "grown up", healthier option! A great Perkier breakfast option for those who cannot eat the oats in their porridge. (Although their oat free porridge is pretty tasty too!)

Tesco Everyday Value Corn Flakes - Now, I'm ashamed to admit that this box is quite old. I really don't know if current boxes of this cereal are still GF but I hope they are! Great cornflakes and soooo much cheaper than the Freefrom equivalents!

As far as toast goes...well...there are so many great GF breads out there now and everyone seems to like different ones! However, my personal fave is the Newburn Bakehouse Seeded Loaf. It toasts really well, doesn't fall apart like some brands and freezes well too.

I am also partial (as some of you may remember!!) to a bagel or two! Udi's cinnamon and raisin bagels are great first thing in the morning.....jam is optional!!

You may notice the jam theme in the last couple of photos!? As I wrote my blog last week Dale was frantically stirring a bubbling pot, trying his hand at jam! 

 

Please ignore the mess, he is not known for being a tidy cook! The jam is fab and has become a regular accompaniment to my various toasts....makes a change to Flora, although once again I have to limit the sugar high to once (ok, maybe twice!!) a week!

Well, the Christmas hols are here and term is officially over til 2014....did you hear me whooping on Thursday?! So, here's to week one of the Christmas holidays!mCan't wait to tell you all about it next week! Have a good one! X

Gluten Free Envy!

Never mind the saying "The key to a mans heart is his stomach" , it is most definitely the key to mine!! Therefore, you can imagine my delight when a friend at work presented me with these on Tuesday morning!

What a great start to the day! I have been trying to get hold of some of these for weeks but my local Tesco doesn't seem to stock them. The most problematic thing about this delicious duo is that there are two different flavours in the pack so how do you know where to start?! I plumped for the toffee and saved the choc chip for Wednesday.... even a girl with my appetitie for sweet stuff has to pace herself! Well, I can't call it! Both of these were great! Soft, sweet, sticky.....mmmmm muffin heaven! You really could not tell that these are gf! Anyone would happily enjoy, they could unite the gf and non gf world!! Now, I just need to contact Tesco and get them stocking them in my local branch!

Dale's weekly cooking challenge was inspired by our last visit to GBK. Never one to be out done he decided to try and rival the GBK GF burger extravaganza we experienced a few weeks ago! And do you know what?! The boy did good!

Pretty impressive I reckon! Ok so here we have..... a homemade seasoned beef burger with bacon, caramelised onions and blue cheese (gf!!) all in a Sainsburys Freefrom white roll! Needless to say I didn't have any "sides"! Maybe he should go into business!?

So, Friday night was the staff Christmas party! I'm sure most Coeliacs would agree that the prospect of a gluten filled buffet fills me with dread! If it's not the pastry filled quiches, it's the cross contamination risk of an over excited gluten eater mixing his vol au vents with the ham and cheese platter! So, I girded my loins and contacted the venue before hand to see what they could do for me. They assured me the chef would organise something and plate it separately. After the fiasco of ill fitting shoes, ladders in tights and a dress that wasn't 100% right I tentatively approached the man in charge of our "do" and asked about my "special" plate! It was all I could do to stop myself from hugging him in delight when he not only knew what I was talking about but produced this....

Let's take a moment to give a big gf cheer to The Brookmans Pub, Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire http://www.brookmanspub.co.uk 

I experienced something I had never experienced since my diagnosis of Coeliac Disease.....Gluten Free Envy! Please note the size of the plate just behind mine....yep...that's right....that's what everyone else got heeeee heeeee! Don't get me wrong their food looked great and they could go up as many times as they liked but ha ha ha ha ha ha! There were more than a few envious glances at my gf feast! Thank you Brookmans Pub! Can't wait to come back and order from your regular menu! 

As I write this Dale is peering into a bubbling pot on the hob and even though he is muttering something under his breath, it doesn't appear to be "Hubble bubble toil and trouble!". Today he is experimenting with jam! So, as this week brings kids Christmas parties, entertainers, Christmas dinners, the glorious "break up" for the school holidays and a trip to Wales.... I will be fuelled by pure sugar! I will bring you a jam update next week.....have a good one everyone! X

I'm so excited!!

Woooooohoooooo!! I'm sooooo excited.....and I just can't hide it! I'm about to lose control and I think I like it tra la la la!! Hope you're singing along?! It's a cross between blogging and karaoke.....blokey maybe?!! Hmmmmm......

Anyway, you may be wondering what the cause of this jovial start to my weekly blog update is?! You might remember I left you on a little cliff hanger last week regarding the Terry's Chocolate Orange Ice Creams!! It was almost worthy of the famous Eastenders "Doof Doof Doof's" at the end of each episode....ok well maybe not BUT good news fellow GF people they are A-MAZ-ING!!!!! Why oh why can't the real choc orange not be made in the same factory therefore (presumably?) getting rid of the need for the"May Contain" label that appears on them at the mo! 

Ahhhhhh they are really lovely. Just chocolate orangey enough and very close to the actual chocolates. Definitely a suitable substitute if not a little chilly to be indulging in at is time of year! The box states they are a limited edition but here's hoping they catch on and decide to make them permanent. I'll certainly be panic buying until then just so I can have my fix! Thank goodness I have two freezers! Also, I don't need to keep longingly sniffing my choc orange Carex hand wash now.....although it did fill a gap for a while! 

So, last Sunday saw Dale take to the kitchen to cook for a church social. Always up for a Masterchef style challenge he decided to make the whole meal GF. We only let everyone in on the secret once they had finished! Mwahahahahahaha! A cunning plan eh?! Did anyone notice?!? Did they heck! Fab! Mission accomplished! Well done Dale!

Chicken and Broccoli bake (Dove's Farm Plain flour used in the cheese sauce) for main

Clearly went down well.....

Followed by jam sponge and custard (Dove's Farm Self Raising flour in sponge. Sainsbury's own low fat custard.....cos now I'm counting the calories?!)

Everyone went home full, happy and Gluten Free! Dale's already working on his next menu....must be a glutton for punishment lol!

Maybe he'll get some ideas from GFree Radio! If you haven't tuned in to any of their shows yet...what are you waiting for?! http://www.gfreeradio.com/ sooooo worth a look! Really informative and keeps you up to date with all things GF.

Well, I'm just settling down and warming up with a cup of Options White Hot Chocolate (need warming up after all that ice cream!!)........

.....and mentally preparing myself for a week of dressing 20 children in various Christmas Nativity costumes for MANY performances!!!? I'm sure there will be treats a plenty this week to get through the madness! Wish me luck! See you next week......altogether now "Away in a Manger....." X

A Little of What You Fancy!

As regular readers of my blog will know I'm not adverse to a calorie or two! I'm a big believer in "a little of what you fancy does you good". That combined with the age old Liz Price philosophy of "never add it up" (used here in relation to calories but also works well on shopping sprees!) equals a cupboard full of sweet treats. Below is a whistle top tour of my more recent discoveries and I would like to take a mo to point out that I have been steadily sampling over the last few months and have not madly gorged myself in the last week (honestly!!). So, as I wipe the crumbs off my chin, here we go....

I was pleased to see the launch of the Sainsbury's Freefrom Festive range the other week. Not a huge fan of mince pies, Christmas cake /pud so if you're after a review of these you've come to the wrong place! However, I though the gingerbread man (are we still allowed to call them that now?!) was great, quite a fiery ginger! Very warming on these cold nights! No photo...I lost it in the world of cyber space. Nevertheless, I'm sure you are all pretty familiar with how a gingerbread man looks yeah?! I did take this one though

Orange and Cranberry muffin also in the Freefrom range. Wasn't sure about the taste to start with but actually I warmed to it. Certainly felt very Christmassy and as they come in a pack of 2 I'll be happy to continue my research further with the second! Really looking forward to trying out the mini Chocolate logs but that's for another week!

These are quite a nice little find

Don't be fooled by the flavour, it is definitely GF, it is stated clearly on the side. They do several other flavours including Strawberry and Banana but this one definitely appeals to my sweet tooth! I'm sure this is what the dietician meant when we talked about increasing my calcium intake!! ;0)

Perkier are the kings and queens of all things GF and breakfasty. They have recently branched out into Tiffin and Rocky Road! What a dangerous discovery this was!!! 

Wow!!! I challenge anyone not to polish off the lot in one sitting! In no way should these be restricted to people with a gluten free diet.....they will most definitely be enjoyed my gluten eaters too! Although....thinking about it.....I reckon we should keep it our little secret..... It's not often something as fab as this comes our way! I'm not sure we should share?! ;0)

I finally got to sample my first Pudology pudding! In my quest to replace the Terry's Chocolate Orange shaped gap in my life....the choc orange flavour was a natural choice! (Thanks Mum for thinking of me!)   Me being me thought they looked a little on the small side but how wrong could I be?! These are super rich and super sickly! Definitely only for treats and even gave my infamous sweet tooth a run for its money! This is by no means a negative, I thoroughly enjoyed and can't wait to try the other flavours. Thank goodness for Dad who rose to the challenge and happily finished off the second pot.....enjoyed by Coeliacs and Non Coeliacs alike!

I can hardly contain my excitement.....I've saved this till the end and I'm BURSTING to tell you!!! I nearly   Whooped out loud in the aisles of Sainsburys yesterday. Look what I found.....on offer!!!.......

WAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!! No mention of a "may contain traces of wheat or gluten"!!! Can it be true?! Something to fill the Terry's shaped gap in my life....... Could it come in the form of Terry's ice cream?? Darn skippy it could!!!! So I'm leaving you on a cliffhanger.....I haven't actually sampled yet! It might nearly be December but I'm wrapping up warm, putting my onesie on and heading off for an ice cream, I'll let you know the verdict next week. Meanwhile, if you could avoid bulk buying I'd really appreciate it......make sure you leave me some...remember they're not Terry's THEY'RE MINE!!!!!

The Good, The "Getting Better" and The Ugly!

This week the bank balance (and the waistline!) have taken a battering as I have taken my Coeliac self out to eat a few too many times! It's amazing how service can vary just in the space of a week! I have experienced such a range of GF service in the last few days that I thought I would dedicate this weeks blog to it! So here goes......Let's start with the positive!

The Good

I used to go to La Tasca a quite a lot in my pre Coeliac days and I have been meaning to return for some time, especially since it got the thumbs up from Coeliac UK! Dale and I went for pre theatre tapas in Covent Garden last weekend. Despite eating early it was packed! Always a good sign I reckon! All the menus are the same with the GF options clearly labelled!! No secrets here! Brownie point number one scored already! Also, there are lots of GF options so you aren't stuck with one or two basic dishes. Brownie point number two! It was great to see the Warbrtons Newburn Bakehouse wraps being used with the oil and balsamic.....brownie point number three....ok I think you get the hang of this now!!

My only slight quibble is that I would have been happy to pay a bit more to have more bread as I didn't feel the wrap to olive oil ratio was as satisfying as it could be!

So here is our GF tapas banquet for two...

Manchego cheese, pork belly, lemon chicken, ribs, chorizo and black pudding, goats cheese salad!!! (Chicken wings followed later!!!!). It was every bit at delicious as it looks! I was absolutely stuffed and determind not to have pudding........well, that was until I saw the menu! I was so taken aback by the GF choices on the dessert menu that it would have been rude to say no! As any Coeliac will tell you, dessert choices are usually limited or non existent! Fruit salad, maybe sorbet, brownie if you're really lucky! Well my sweet tooth and my eyes (that are clearly bigger than my belly!!) thought it was their lucky day! I ordered the lemon and lime crumble (surely part of my five a day yeah?!)

Every bit as fab as it looks!! Well done La Tasca, an amazing GF dinner with great choices! GF food options that are clearly labelled and tasted fantastic! 

The "Getting There"

Yesterday, I dragged Dale round Lakeside Shopping Centre. The promise of lunch at Gourmet Burger Kitchen was the carrot he needed in order for him to take part in some Christmas shopping! I had heard a rumor that GBK had launched a new GF menu so I was keen to have a look!

The waiter happily produced the GF menu for me and went on to inform me that the chips were cooked in the same oil as the onion rings so it would depend "how allergic" I was. I appreciated the "heads up" and it does state this on the bottom of the menu too. The new menu looks great, there's a choice of beef burger, chicken and veggie options plus a new GF bun! I opted for the chicken with Camembert and cranberry

Yey! It looks like a normal burger doesn't it?! It tasted great too! The GF bun is pretty good, it did fall apart as I was eating but that's often a hazard of GF bread. I did give up and eat it with a knife and fork at one point much to Dale's disgust (it was nice to have the opportunity to embarrass him for a change!). I did have to double check they weren't GF oats on top as I can't yet tolerate them either. The waiter was happy to go and find out for me and all was well!

So why was GBK awared my "Getting There" status? Firstly, the GF menu states milkshakes can have malt added to them for an addidtional cost......oops malt is not GF!! Very misleading, especially for someone new to the GF diet who may not think to question the menu. Secondly, when Dale went to order my chicken burger he was asked if I would like it in bread crumbs. Dale said no because it was from the GF menu. The waiter argued that it was GF and the breadcrumbs would be fine! It was only when the waiter checked with his manager that he realised breadcrumbs would most certainly not be fine! Again, if you don't  have your wits about you, you could have been persuaded that it would have been ok! 

So GBK, I had a great lunch and loved the menu but maybe a few tweaks and some staff training wouldn't go amiss! (I have contacts GBK about this and they are looking into it).

The Ugly

A friend and I went out mid week, we decided to go to a local Ember Inns Pub called The Stag and Hounds. I've been keen to go back to The Stag since becoming GF as I used to frequent quite often in the past and wondered how they would cater for the GF diet. The answer.....BADLY, very badly!!!

I rang up the day before to ask what they would have to offer. The girl on the phone was very nice and said she would ask the chef for me. She came back on the line a few minutes later saying that as they were in the process of implementing their new menu, they had not yet received their dietary info so they didn't know what I would be able to have!!!!!!!!!!! I clarified this with the question, "Would you say it was best I didn't come then?", to which she replied "Yes, probably, unless you just want salad"!!!!!!!! Great customer service eh?! So, to conclude, the "chefs" at Ember Inns pubs clearly do not know what goes into their food! How hard would it have been to offer to grill me a piece of chicken or fish or whip up an omelette?! These "chefs" obviously only heat up pre packed, ready meals and are not prepared to deviate off the menu. Needless to say I won't be returning to one of these pubs!

Light at the end of the tunnel

Let's not end on a moan! Thankfully, after the disaster at the  Ember Inns my friend and I went to the pub over the road, The Beehive! What a difference a few metres makes!! I phoned in advance and they couldn't have been more helpful! I spoke to someone who was knowledgeable about their menu. He was able to make suggestions and offered to adapt existing things. His food is obviously locally sourced and cooked fresh as I was informed that he would be able to ask the butcher for GF burgers and sausages which he would be happy to cook for me! I settled for the pan fried cod (cooked in a separate pan to anything non GF)

A big THANK YOU to The Beehive in Edmonton for great customer service and lovely food! Needless to say, in the words of Arnie....I'll be back!!

Have a great week everyone! X

From Arepa to Arrrrriba!!

I have to make a confession..... Me......a born and bred Londoner......a confirmed shopaholic......has never been to Portobello Road Market!! My heart has always been with Camden market. Many a happy teenage weekend did I trudge round Camden with my Doc Martens and tie dye skirts but finally, at the age of 34, I thought it was time to rectify the situation! The reason for this change of heart?....Acklam Village Market! Tucked away in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of Portobello Road Market lies a collection of street food stalls going by the name of Acklam Village.

Wearing my GF hat I was on a mission! Nothing was obviously GF but undeterred I set about finding out what I could possibly have. Most stalls had a few items that could accommodate the GF diet and most stallholders knew what was and wasn't GF. However, as I had read so much about the Venuzuelan Arepas I felt I should head straight to Guasacaca.

 Arepas are breads made from cornflour which are cut open and stuffed with a choice of filling. The girl who served me was knowledgeable about what she was selling and explained that everything was GF. Sooooooo..... if everything was GF, it made sense to taste everything!! I had pork with black beans, plantain, cheddar cheese and guasacaca sauce!

Prime example of eyes bigger than belly!! Looked fab but how was I going to eat it?! Answer....messily!!  Big apologies to all who had to watch me tuck into my first Arepa, it really wasn't pretty but do you know what? I would do it all again, it was amazing! As I sat slurping my Arepa with guacamole dripping off the end of my chin and my foot tapping to the band who had just started playing, I was already planning my return trip to Acklam Village Market!

Portobello Road market I could take or leave really. Like I say, my heart lies with Camden! However, I did discover Portobello Wholefoods shop

This is a real little gem! Stuffed full of health food brands, I managed to find things in here I have only previously been able to order online. Nevermind all the trendy vintage tut in the market, it's worth an trip to Portobello just for Acklam and the wholefood shop (am I getting old?!).

Managed to stock up on King Soba buckwheat and sweet potato noodles in the above shop. These are by far the best GF noodles I have found. They taste great and don't go gloopy when you cook them!

You can see them in action here (please excuse husbands rather large foot encroaching on photo!!) served with Blue Dragon spring onion and oyster sauce sachet.

Thursday night was a vist to the local Mexican, Chimichanga's. Another chain that is happy to cater for the GF diet but sadly does not display the GF options on the menu. Why the secret eh?! I just don't get it!? If you cook good quality, safe and tasty GF food why don't you tell people about it!? Surely it would attract more people??? Anywaaaaay.... The lady who served me ( the manager I think), knew her menu well and advised me appropriately. With a little substitution of rice for veg I decided on the Toastadas with pulled pork

ARIBA ARRRRRIBA!!!! Looks fab doesn't it? It tasted fab too!! A real treat to have something like this as I always assume Mexican to be riddled with flour! (The Toastadas are made from corn). The manager was also happy to tell the kitchen staff that I was Coeliac and therefore minimise the cross contamination risk. Overall I was very impressed, any worries I had were soon put aside and I look forward to a return visit soon!

Finally, look what I found lurking among the magazines in Sainsburys...

I haven't made anything from it yet (ok, correction...Dale hasn't made anything from it yet!!) but there are some great looking recipes. I'll wave it under Dale's nose and see what happens...who knows, I might even give one of them ago myself?!! Definitely worth a look,plus I always like to encourage companies who are producing good quality GF publications. Go and have a look before it sells out!

Have a good week everyone! x