Oh Queso It's Christmas

Nothing like a little Christmas play on words eh?! Forgive me, I'm a poor, brain dead teacher who is clearly mildly amused by the cheesy, Christmassy theme of this weeks blog!

I do love a weird cheese and Christmas seems to be the season they all come out (don't know why, surely cheese is for life right...not just for Christmas!!?) Anyway, hurrah for Sainsbury's who have a great selection of festive cheese, many of which are gf, hurrah, hurrah!

 

Don't judge me by my cheese selection! Regular readers will know I have a super sweet tooth so both of these are a big winner! My Mum would say they would be great with a bit of Christmas cake (It's a Yorkshire thing?!) Personally, I think they jazz up a corn cake no end!

I'm really enjoying the newly re vamped Enfield Market (www.enfieldmarket.co.uk) and was excited to discover The Urban Cheesemaker (Wildes Cheese www.wildescheese.co.uk) who makes cheese just up the road in Tottenham. We bought some of the milder variety which was recommended for use in Mexican cooking!

Faster than you could say "Queso" we had combined our cheese with The Cool Chile Company's tacos! (www.coolchile.co.uk) Delicioso!

Pre rolling.....clearly need to work on my crumbling action but delicious nonetheless!

Having missed out on all Christmas "do's" this year, we went with some friends to The Brookmans (www.thebrookmanspub.co.uk), in Brookmans Park. I have always been impressed with their gf selections and I wasn't disappointed this year. They had prepared a highlighted menu for me, showing me everything I could eat, they even had a gf trifle! (Which I sadly couldn't eat due to pears and nuts but hey it was good to have the option!) I opted for a great lamb dish

and I'm not even a big lamb fan! If you're ever in their neck of the woods I can recommend a visit!

Now, back to my sweet tooth! This might be a bit much for some but ooooo, I'm a fan!

Not for the faint hearted but if you're like me then you will enjoy this sugar overload! 

Finally, if you're tucking into Turkey curry on Boxing Day and your waist band is starting to bulge you might be interested to try this

Might help you to beat the bulge?! (www.caulirice.com) Yes, you can make your own but if you can't be bothered with blitzing a cauli (whilst stuffing the turkey and steaming the pud), this is a great cheat. Two different flavours available in Asda and definitely worth keeping in the cupboard!

Well, on that note I would like to wish you all a happy, healthy and gluten free Christmas and new year! See you on the other side! Xx (@lizprice79)

Back With Avengeance!

Still revelling in my post FODMAP glory, it's safe to say I have been making up for lost time! This blog post is dedicated to the FODMAP filled splurging I have indulged in during the past fortnight.....and do you know what?! I don't feel any worse for it! 'Av that FODMAP!!

Shhhhhhh I think I may have found the best gluten free pie....ever! The irony of that, is I never bothered with pies in my gluten eating days but as soon as you can't eat them, it suddenly becomes an issue! Genius scratched the itch the other week but wow, No.G (www.toogoodtobeglutenfree.co.uk) are really something else! 

The best thing was, I found it lurking in my freezer! I obviously bought it some time ago and forgot all about it! I was in chicken, bacon and leek heaven! The pastry is amazing-buttery, crumbly, just as pastry should be! Just need to stock up on some more now! (Ooo and notice the frozen chips, the frozen chips I can now eat!! BOOM!)

On the frozen potato theme, I was excited to try these (www.auntbessies.co.uk)

I've been out of the potato loop for so long, so forgive me if I'm telling you what you already know (teaching grandmother to suck spuds!) but I really liked the clear labelling. To be honest that's what sold them to me! Pretty good roast pots too, great if you're in hurry (but you can't beat home made ones drowning in duck fat!)

Dale took a trip to Broadway Market last weekend (www.broadwaymarket.co.uk). Thankfully, he took the giant hints I threw his way and brought me back some treats! A Bad Brownie (www.badbrownie.co.uk) is a no brainer!

Their chocolate and salted caramel gf brownie is by far the best around (apart from the ones Dale bakes...obviously....oops!) They are completely worth their rather hefty price tag and are seriously indulgent! I just have one question...when are other gf flavours going to be arriving? Soon I hope!!

No trip to Boradway Market is complete without a trip to Floris Foods (@florisfoods). Their breads, cakes and doughnuts are worth the trip to London Fields alone. Dale bought me a sandwich/ pastry thingy! I wasn't there to see the official name but look....

....it was delicious! It had a cheesy, ham, tomatoey filling and seemed a little bit more like pastry than bread but I could be wrong! Anyway, it went down really well with my butternut squash soup from Sainsbury's! Thanks Dale! (Before you get too gooey about his kindness, many of you may not have been aware of his shocking  "Lindt Santa Gate" situation he subjected me too! Merrily devouring said Santas and revelling in their barley content! What a meanie! He had bridges to build and thank goodness he built them with bad brownies and Floris baked goods!)

I leave you with one final discovery! In my post FODMAP frenzy, I have clearly taken leave of my senses and am now eating foods I have never even liked before! For 36 years I have turned my nose up at all the usual, annual festive goodies such as Christmas cake and mince pies. However, it seems that I can't get enough just guzzling the foods I like! Thanks to my lovely gf friend at work who brought me in a Marks and Spencer mince pie to try

and you'll never guess what?! I only liked it didn't I?! I munched away merrily on the M4 silently celebrating the fact that I can partake in Christmas soirées wholeheartedly in the future! Now, I just need to try out some Christmas cake!! Have a great fortnight everyone! Xx (@lizprice79)

I Want to Break Free...!!

As I legged it out of my 40min, frustrating dietician appointment with my full size, double finger Twirl shoved in my mouth, I couldn't help humming this weeks title tune! Yeah Ms Dietician I'm eating a Twirl.... Didn't put THAT in my food diary did I?! Pah! Whatcha gonna do about that then?! I am officially FODMAP free, so long sucker, those days are over!! After much mutual eye rolling, nervous laughter and awkward silences it was agreed that FODMAP was not my thing and that Ms Dietician would need to consult with some colleagues about what to do with me next! In a nutshell, she doesn't have a clue! She's lovely, we get on but....but she doesn't have a Scooby Doo what to do with me now! Watch this space I guess......in the meantime, the Twirl was just the tip of the iceberg......I've gone 'all out' in my first FODMAP free week!

The lady wants pie......and pie she had!

Genius (www.geniusglutenfree.com) chicken pie went down a storm. Comforting for these chilly nights! Much preferred to the steak pie as the meat was more plentiful. Even more exciting has been the discovery that I can now eat re heated potato....gasp! Dunno where that came from but frozen chips and crisps are back on the menu! These McCains (www.mccain.co.uk) Gorgeous Chips are exactly what they say on the packet! A gorgeous combination!

As I was Christams shopping in Lakeland I spotted this little treat

Most of you will know Joe and Seph (www.joeandsephs.co.uk) as the masters of popcorn so this is a nice little side step! I could easily devour this with a spoon but I am working hard to ration it out! On ice cream is my current fave  (back to my usual dairy ice cream woohoo!!)

It may not be pretty but I don't care! I'm never going to be on Masterchef but it did taste good! The biscuits by the way are from Eskal (www.eskalfoods.com) from Freego (www.freego.com).

I received one of my fave Coeliac compliments yesterday.....is that roll gluten free?! It doesn't look it!! Hey, it almost makes you feel proud doesn't it! Yes, my sandwich isn't quite as hideous as you expected it to look! The roll in question is this one.....

....and it was actually very good! Waitrose gluten free seeded rolls. Tasty, held together well and made a pretty normal sandwich! Scared about how long they will last though so shoved the rest in the freezer quick!

Finally, I have recently discovered Home Bargains (www.homebargains.co.uk). It seems that if you time your visit right there are gluten free bargains to be had! Picked these up recently,

Clear labelling is always a bonus! After swearing to never eat a rice cake again (FODMAP overload), it turns out a little chocolate coating makes everything ok!

Well, I'm off to re discover my old Non FODMAP eating ways! Have a great fortnight everyone! Xx (@lizprice79)

Better Late Than Never!

Ok, ok, I know I'm late! I can only apologise! I pride myself on punctuality and blogging fortnightly has always been my goal BUT I'm full of excuses, something along the lines of ......getting back from holiday, struggling with low FODMAP diet (STILL! Roll on 19th Dec when I can finally meet dietician again!), a vertigo flare up, moving house well under way, numerous meetings with Santander and trying to get my school reports written.....phew......do you let me off?! So, enough of the excuses and the groans, let's get down to business!!

Rossopomodoro (www.rossopomodoro.co.uk) has been my most recent exciting discovery of late. Wow, this pizza blows rival GF pizza bases right outta the water! Seriously thought I'd died and gone to pizza heaven.....Gluten Free?! You would NEVER know!

No need to bring a saw to cut through the base, no arm ache from vigorous cutting and absolute no jaw ache from trying to chew through it!! This is a Coeliac's dream! Puffed up around the edges, with a little crispness to the crust and deliciously soft in the middle! We need more of theses branches opening! Ps....make sure you ring up first as apparently they sell out of the GF dough and that would be a disaster!

As per usual I'm a little behind with the times. I am well aware there has been much hype surrounding these but thought I'd thrown them into the mix....after all, better late than never!

Found these (www.walkersshortbread.com) in Waitrose but they seem to be popping up in other places too. Well worth the purchase! Delicious, buttery, crunchy shortbread which really could be mistaken for the gluten filled variety! Well done Walkers, a quality product which was worth the wait!

During the highs and lows of my FODMAP journey there was a dim and dark phase where I was advised to give up! As it happened, I gave up for about 1 hour before I was right back on the fun filled ride! It just so happened that in that hour Dale treated me to this piece of GF fabulousness! 

Well, if you're gonna fall of the wagon (technically I was advised to step off the wagon!) you may as well do it in style! This cupcake from Lola's Cupcakes (www.lolascupcakes.co.uk) was nearly enough for me to give up FODMAPping for ever! However, my FODMAP work was not over and I will have to wait a few weeks before visiting Lola's again! #sadtimes However, for all you regular GF eaters, get down there and have a Red Velvet for me!

Finally, for any local readers, let's give a little hand rise/ high five/ fist pump for the new re invented Enfield Market! (@EnfieldMarket). It would be great to see a dedicated Free From stall there but in the mean time there are some GF gems to be found! Look what Dale picked up from Retro Gusto

It's an amazing fennel sausage which was then cleverly turned into Sunday dinner!

Sausagemeat in a tomato, carrot, white wine and basil sauce with Parmesan polenta!! Mmmmm! FODMAP friendly too woohooo!

Well, hopefully by the next time we meet I will have ditched this FODMAP lark and will be able to stop meaning about it! We may have better idea of our moving scedule, hopefully the room will havestopped  spinning and my reports might finally be finished!! Here's hoping.........have a good one everyone! (@lizprice79) xx

Scharmazing!

I write to you today in full flight on the FODMAP rollercoaster! I've had more ups and downs over the last 2 weeks than the Blackpool Big Dipper! I was told to stop FODMAP, don't stop FODMAP etc etc....so I am still currently FODMAPPing!

Nevertheless, I am more chipper than last week so here are some of my little FODMAP friendly delights that have been keeping me sane over the past couple of months!

Thank goodness for Schar (www.schar.com). I have been relying on their old DS classics such as the delicious custard creams (can't really taste a difference between these and the "normal ones"!)

BUT I am truly enjoying some of the new items! Chocolix make me want to cry.....it's a near to a Twix as your going to get and boy are they good!!!

My only complaint is why not a bigger bar / more in a packet!? They just don't last long enough!! AND don't even get me started on the cream crackers.....such a welcome change from the mountains of rice cakes I've  been eating!!

 I particularly like the individually wrapped packets, which makes taking them to work much easier! I wonder what Schar-mazing gluten free goodies they have planned next?

Yesterday saw day 1 of my garlic FODMAP challenge. What better way to reintroduce garlic than combining it with a slightly out of date Venice Bakery (www.venicebakery.com) pizza base.......cheesey garlic bread!! Not the healthiest but hey, you gotta get pleasures where you can when you are FODMAPPING!

FYI...it was delicious!!

Pudding has been a bit monotonous, Swedish Glace, Swedish Glace or Swedish Glace! Therefore, I have been experimenting with different ways of jazzing Swedish Glace up a bit. This week I've been quite taken with Askey's (www.askeys.co.uk) Crackin' sauces.

Transported back to my childhood and a cool dessert......can't go wrong!!

Much to everyone's amusement I have stared reading this

What a great book! Dale attractively refers to it as my "poo book" but in all seriousness I can't reccommend it enough. Really easy to read, it takes a light hearted and informative look at all things from mouth to "other end"! I'm about half way through and it's fascinating, especially for anyone with tummy troubles!

Well I am taking my coeliac / FODMAP self off to sunny Spain with my UC mother and long suffering Dale and Dad! Wish us luck as we tackle the food hurdles of travelling and wish Dad and Dale luck as they put up with our quirks! Here's to a bit of Spanish sun and some serious R and R! Have a great fortnight everyone! Xx (@lizprice79)

A Moan Sandwich

Well, after 4 weeks of FODMAPping I am on the cusp of "reintroduction"! Tomorrow is D Day. How will I be celebrating you may ask?! With 125ml of milk, that's how!!! You may gather from my slightly over sarcastic, tongue in cheek mood that I'm not feeling this FODMAP fiasco. I hold my hands up.....sure, I've read good things of great people it has saved from the depths of almighty gut problems but for me.......not feeling it my friends, just not feeling it!

Sooooo enough moaning (how to lose all your trusty readers in one fail swoop lol!). Here are a few little glimmers of light that have stopped me from getting trapped under a pile of rice cakes!

I have been transported back in time 20...ahem....ahem.....ok, maybe 30ish years to kids parties galore! Rice crispie cakes were THE cake to be munching on and guess what.....they can be gf and FODMAP too! 

Yes, yes, I know many supermarket brands of cornflakes at GF too but these are such a big box and pretty good value for money I'm quite happy with them! Mixed with a pot of "whipped" marshmallow from the American section and a bit of butter...hey presto! I'm 6 years old again!

I have also been having A LOT of these for breakfast too with my fab-u-lous Lactofree milk (no sarcasm there, promise! It really is good!)

However, at loooong last I finally tracked down these little gems

Twitter has been buzzing with gluten free-ers raving about Nutribix (www.nutiribix.co.uk). If you haven't seen them, where have you been?! As is always the case with me, I finally found them in Tesco weeks after everyone else! They are a GF weetabix and are totally worth all the raving! The funniest thing is that I was never a weetabix fan! However, I'm so fed up of cornflakes everyday, these have truly been a blessing to my sad little FODMAP life! The best thing is, they actually fill you up too! I manage to make it to break time without chewing my fist! Mahooosive thumbs up from me.....now, fingers crossed more places will stock them so they aren't so tricky to find!!

Stumbled across this in Waitrose the other week

Not sure they fit into my new regime but Waitrose seemed to have a whole range of Freefrom mixes that I hadn't seen before. These worked out well and tasted good too. Still a fan of Isabel's but these are a good alternative if you happen to be in Waitrose!

Ok, I started with a moan so I'll finish with one too! Call it a little moan sandwich (gf of course!)......well, it's more of a sandwich this I can make with this...

Genius (www.geniusglutenfree.com) brown sandwich loaf is a disgrace! Us GF-ers are fed up of paying over the top prices for bread that doesn't last much longer than 24 hours. I know this is old news to most of my readers but when will it change?! Yes it's nice to have great tasting bread but why should quality be compromised? Nearly £3.00, bought Friday Eve and looks like this Sunday morning?! Thankfully, Sainsbury's were kind enough to refund me but it doesn't solve the problem does it?! Only bought it as it ticks my FODMAP box but won't be buying again. Very disappointing!

Well, the moan fest is over.....wish me luck with my "reintroduction programme" and think of me on Wednesday getting lairy with a whole pint of milk!!! Hopefully, it will have a positive effect on my mood and normal service will be resumed next fortnight! Have a good one! Xx (@lizprice79)

Looking Like A Rice Cake!

As my dietician waved me off 2 weeks ago, she said (with a glint in her eye), "You might end up eating a lot of rice cakes!" I am now 2 weeks into this Low FODMAPping lark and I can confirm......I have eaten a lot of rice cakes! So much so, I fear I may be starting to look a little white and crinkly round the edges!! Thank goodness for corn cakes....least I can mix it up a bit from time to time!

So, this blog post has my Low FODMAP life savers and little of the the plain old, regular gluten free, thrown in for good measure!

Big FODMAP hurrah to Arla (www.arlafoods.co.uk) and their Lactofree range for helping to keep me sane over the last fortnight. I have been drinking the milk, eating the yogurts and spreading the cream cheese (on.... you guessed it.....rice/corn cakes!)

I've been living in my own little GF bubble for the last 4 years, never having to give Lactose a thought! However, super impressed with the whole range. Turns out that removing the lactose doesn't change the taste at all! Although the yogurts are particularly sweet, the cheese spread and milk just taste.....normal!

Swedish Glace ice cream has definitely cheered me up amidst my FODMAP food grumps, especially when I realised I could put golden syrup on it, or even better Whipped!! (Marshmallow Spread). Sadly can't find website for either but both bought in Sainsburys.

Not the healthiest of diets but it would be a boring blog if I wrote about the honeydew melon, raisins, carrots, spinach, green beans and swede I have also been consuming in large quantities wouldn't it?!

I nearly fell over when I read in my FODMAP manual I was allowed a couple of these

Oh yes, it's true! Thank goodness because I was forgetting what chocolate tasted like!! These are seriously addictive, especially when you're missing chocolate! Need to keep them under lock and key so I can only indulge occasionally!

It seems my cheap Lidl jam was not FODMAP appropriate as it contains the wrong kind of sugar! However, the rather expensive Bonne Maman (www.bonnemaman.co.uk) (at approx quadruple the price), is FODMAP appropriate! Well, it jazzies up the breakfast round of rice cakes and it really does taste rather good!

I use it sparingly, so am hoping it lasts me for the remainder of my FODMAPping journey!

Anyway, enough of the FODMAP fun......I left you last time of the cusp of my birthday. I explained that I managed to acquire a GF birthday cake from Tesco but had not yet had chance to try it out!

I can confirm that this cake was really good! I mean REALLY good, couldn't tell the difference between this and regular cake! Sadly, everyone at church thought it was good too and there was no chance of seconds for the birthday girl ha ha! What a shame they are so difficult to get hold of as I am sure they would be really popular. I also bought one of their Free From Finest Chocolate Cake and sadly didn't get chance to try it. 

Nevertheless, I can confirm by the speed at which the cake went and the number of chocolately looking mouths, it was clearly a bit hit! Well done Tesco!

As you may know Dale took me to Paris for my birthday. I was thrilled when a friend bought me a pack of Genius (www.geniusglutenfree.com) pan au chocolat as a birthday treat! Where better to eat them than on the Eurostar to Paris!

Dale, a fully fledged gluten eater, was not overly impressed! Me, on the other hand, I was thrilled and took delight in any GF joy before starting the FODMAP fiasco 2 days later! Admittedly, we did not eat them hot, I heated them up the night before then wrapped in foil for the journey. I liked them and they certainly got me into the French spirit of the day oooo la la!

As we were only there for one day I packed a picnic, thought it would save time and frustrations! However, I left my sandwich at home (disaster!!). I did remember these though

Great little snack from Tesco, not FODMAP friendly but hopefully I will be able to enjoy them again someday. They also do packets of beetroot and carrot which look good too. Not cheap though, over £1 for a small bag. Handy for a trip out though!

Well, I shall bid you adieu for another fortnight, by which time I will have completed my low FODMAP month and will be ready to be weaned off the rice cakes!! Have a good one everyone! Xx (@lizprice79)

Life Unexpected

So, Sunday is my birthdaaaaaay! As I hit the big 3-6, I thought I had seen it all! Who'd have thought I'd be proved wrong by a supermarket .....and Tesco at that?! Dale works for Sainsbury's and I have spent the last few days fraternising with the enemy! Let me explain....

Some of you may have seen my Twitter feed over the last week trying to locate a Tesco (or Marks.... I'm not proud!) ready made, boxed birthday cake! Yes, I could make my own but I'm sure you, my fellow Free Fromers, will understand I realllllllllly wanted that shop bought, thick icing-y, buttercreamy moist cakey, ready made treat that I have not experienced for the past five years!

Sooooo to cut a long story short, the lovely Liam from Lea Valley Tesco jumped into my Twitter feed and suggested his equally lovely wages clerk (Miriam) would be happy to pick up said cake from another store and bring it to Lea Valley for collection....great service right?! (It gets better!). I rock up to Tesco to collect now famous cake and to meet the lovely Liam, only to find him striding towards me with my cake, in a party bag, with a bow and Tesco "have taken care of it for me"?!?! 

Genuinely lost for words and so thrilled! Never expected such a treat! Woohoooo for Tesco (sorry Dale!)  and I can't wait to sample (and review it!) on Sunday!

Anyway, on with the blog.....

Something else that fits into the "unexpected" category is decent sized GF bread.....decent sized GF bread that doesn't go into holes (and tastes good!) yep, you heard right! Well gone Genius (www.geniusglutenfree.com) for your great triple seeded sandwich bread and for giving me back the gift of proper toast!!

Unexpected treats can be discovered anywhere! Look what I found lurking in my cupboard

I bought these Foods of Athenry (www.foodsofathenry.ie) ages ago in my Freego (www.freego.com) order and they do as they say on the packet! Perfect little chocolately cookie shots for when you "have the need". Only trouble is, they really are little and very addictive! Consequently.....they don't last long!!

Hands up who likes Venice Bakery (www.shop.venicebakery.co.uk) pizza bases and flat breads?!

Hands up who's rubbish at wrapping stuff up in wraps...

...(it all feel apart!!).

Hands up who knew you can toast them and make tortilla chip thingies to dip...

...well, now you know! 

Not sure how may of my lovely readers are local but I nipped into Occo in Enfield Town last week. Been in once before ages ago but was so pleased I re visited. They offer GF and even advertise it (shocker!) but aside from that they are super clued up about cross contamination, with covered cakes, seperate toasters, grills etc! It was lovely to order the same food as my gluten eating friend 

and I even had a choice of cake for pudding! I went for the caramel and white choc cake which I believe was also dairy free!

I got a bit carried away and even took one of these home

Hadn't seen this brand before (www.heavenlycakes.co.uk) but I will be looking out for them again. This bar was divine and definitely appealed to my very sweet tooth!

Well, speaking of Life Unexpected I met with my dietician yesterday to discuss some "issues" I've been having! She suggested I try the dreaded Low FODMAP diet before re introducing foods again. So, my plan is to enjoy my birthday trip to Paris tomorrow, have my Pizza Express meal out on Sunday (along with my bday cake!!) and embark on this new project from Monday. I fear my blogs may be rice cake  related over the next few weeks but I will do my best to find as many suitable treats as I can! Any tips or advice will be REALLY appreciated! Thanks and have a great fortnight! xx (@lizpice79)