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)