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)