Gluten Free Best Friend Forever

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a fab, germ free and gluten free New Year and are ready to face 2014 with a spring in your step.....well, ok, as the new term looms tomorrow we'll see how long the spring stays in my step!!?

So the most entertaining Christmas present award goes to my friend who bought me this

.....have you read it? Oh, you so should!! April Peveteaux has become my new GFBFF (Gluten Free Best Friend Forever!) A realistic and very funny approach to eating GF! If you're new to the GF diet you may not be ready to laugh yet, however, as I am a couple of years down the line I feel I can sit back and chuckle at the highs and lows of life of a coeliac....hey, if you didn't laugh you'd cry eh?!

Anyway, I haven't turned into book reviewer for 2014 so....on with the food!!

After the roaring success of the Marks and Spencer GF party food on Boxing Day I delved a little deeper into their chilled cabinets! I was please to discover that they have merrily sneaked into their "regular food" section a Gluten Free breaded chicken and breaded cod dish. You've got to love M&S, not only do they produce fab GF food they like to create a little mystery GF treasure hunt as you wade your way through the chillers in search of your prize!  Don't get me wrong, it's totally worth it but I can't help wishing they would make it a little easier to find! So here we have the breaded chicken...

.....and the breaded cod....

and, yep, that's right...there is a sweet potato theme! Regular readers will know I have a bit of an issue with potatoes and I am a lover of all things orange!! Here's hoping I don't change colour this year (would save a fortune on tanning products in summer though!! )

So, on New Years Day, like a mad fool, I set off to Westfield Stratford for another hit on the sales. Headed to Tossed for lunch. For those of you who don't know, Tossed is a rather questionably named salad bar. On the face of it you would assume a salad bar would be a pretty safe GF place to dine. However, when you add croutons, dressings and wraps into the mix it suddenly becomes a cross contamination minefield. However, suitably encouraged by my new GFBFF April I approached the Tossed collegue with confidence....please let me quote from my book..

"You know how you can tell the difference between someone who does something for health reasons rather than hipster reasons? Those of us who have to restrict our diet announce it with shame rather than glee. I just wish waiters, casual acquaintances, and judgmental relatives could tell the difference."

Well, Josephine (my lovely server from Tossed) either knew the difference or plain didn't care about the difference! I could not have had better GF service! Josephine advised me that my grilled halloumi was usually grilled on the same grill as the dreaded bread! However, she went on to say she was happy to use a rubber grilling mat for my halloumi which they wash each time OR if I was happier she would get me a new grilling mat!! Woop woop for Josephine! Please see my lovely GF, cross contamination avoided salad below...

New Year Eve saw our two gluten loving friends come round for dinner. Nevertheless, as a thanks for buying me the above book and introducing me to my GFBFF I enrolled Dale into preparing a GF New Year's Eve banquet for them!

We started off with nibbles courtesy of Sainsburys and Udi's (http://udisglutenfree.co.uk/)

Udi's Cinnamon and Sugar Bagel Chips, Ancient Grain Aged Cheddar Crisps, Sainsburys Cool Tortilla Chips and Dips (GF checked!) and yes, before you ask, Dale is wearing shorts! Seriously that man is never cold! All GF nibbles went down well. I particularly enjoy the Udi's Ancient Grain crisps. As if having Coeliac Disease doesn't limit your diet enough it has also left me with serious potato issues! That's where the Ancient Grain crips come in like a knight on a white charger......crispy, tasty and potato free! Hurrah! (They also do a Jalapeño Cheddar flavour too! Mmmmm! Bit of a firey kick without being overpowering mmmm!)

My new GFBFF April says,

"This is where I praise my husband for always having my back. On those nights when all I want to do is ....dig into a plate full of yum he'll make sure restaurant staff understand that I am "special".....You need one of those advocates for your health. Get one, and dining out will become less strenuous because you can spread the information sharing responsibilities around a bit."

Yep...dining out and dining in is much easier with "one of those advocates for your health". Dale can use his abnormal super powers to scan food labels at the speed of light, question restaurant staff about their menu like an episode of "Pier's Morgan's Life Stories", and spots a cross contamination risk within a 100 mile radius! In fact as I write he is researching GF restaurants in New York....we're not going until July!!

Nevertheless, the best superpower is his ability to cook GF food that no one knows is GF.......hahahahahah it's our plan to take over the world and make everyone dine a la GF mwah ha ha ha ha...(plan laugh!!)

So here is the New Year's Eve banquet..

BBQ chicken wings, BBQ ribs, Boston Baked Beans and triple cooked chips (single cooked for me!!)....please notice the frustrated laughter of everyone thinking "Hurry up with the pic and please let us tuck in!" Hip hip hoooraaaay GF dining can be tasty!!

So, I have gone on enough! As I brace myself for the start of term tomorrow I'm desperately trying not to reach for the remainder of the Cadbury's Heroes.....not sure how long I'll resist! Have a good week everyone x

* Please note the quoted book is "Gluten is my Bitch. Rants, Recipes and Ridiculousness for the Gluten Free" by April Peveteaux ISBN 978-1-61769-030-3