My new favourite snack... Nakd Bars (by Natural Balance Foods)

These are my new favourite snack, especially for work, and I love the packaging too! 

I can personally recommend the Gingerbread, Cashew Cookie and Pecan Pie, all suitable for coeliacs and incredibly healthy!! They are brilliant when you need that little boost and want to reach for a biscuit or chocolate! I keep thinking ooh they're a bit expensive (75p for a bar or £2.29 for 4) but then how much is a chocolate bar nowadays! I'm not one for swapping chocolate for a healthy snack bar, but I've become quite addicted to these!

Available from supermarkets in the free from sections and health shops. Enjoy!

Chelmsford: The Griffin

 The Griffin Pub in Danbury, Chelmsford, Essex caters for gluten free-ers well with gluten free bread (not your usual dry tasteless stuff, this is homebaked goodness!! And dipped in olive oil and vinegar.... heaven!!!), pizzas, burgers with buns and desserts. The best thing is they don't make you feel like a nuisance for asking lots of questions and the staff know everything that goes in their food.

Service can be a bit slow during busy periods but it's well worth the wait and you can leave feeling content and full after a good feed!!

Visit their website for menus and offers:

http://griffindanbury.co.uk/

Cambridge: Auntie's Tea Shop

Yesterday I enjoyed a gluten free afternoon tea in Cambridge - complete with sandwiches and scones with jam and cream, what a treat!!

Auntie's Tea Room in Cambridge was a great find - right in the city centre they serve all sorts of sandwiches on gf bread, afternoon teas and a delicious looking list of cakes! Perfect for getting your energy up before a bit of retail therapy!

See their website for an idea of their menu:

http://www.auntiesteashop.co.uk/

And also this website for a 10% off voucher which doesn't expire until 2013!!

 http://www.cityviewed.co.uk/cambridge-a-z/visit_cambridge/aunties-tea-shop

So the next time you visit Cambridge pay Auntie's Tea Room a visit!

The perfect gluten free Scone recipe!!

Baking gluten free scones for the first time yesterday I took a bit of a chance picking a recipe, but it turned out to the be the tastiest and easiest recipe ever!! So here it is.....

With thanks to: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/member-recipes/Gluten-Free%20Scones/3483

Ingredients:

175g gluten free self raising flour (I used Doves Farm)

50g ground almonds

large pinch salt

50g butter or hard marg (I used butter)

125ml milk

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Sift the flour and the salt into a bowl, then stir in the ground almonds.

Add the butter or marg and rub together until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.

Slowly, mixing with the back of a knife, add the milk until a soft dough is formed.

Bring together  and gently knead in the bowl.

Turn out onto a lightly floured board, roll out to about 1.5inches thick, cut into circles with a cutter (I made mini ones) and place on a lightly greased baking tray.

Repeat until the dough is used. Bake for 10-15mins until golden brown and serve immediately.

Alternatively, cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to a month.

Serve with jam and clotted cream for a delicious treat...!

My first gluten free Afternoon Tea!

I have always enjoyed a good Afternoon Tea, especially indulging in scones covered in jam and clotted cream, so since being diagnosed it's really been something I've missed.

Today for Mother's Day I thought I'd experiment and I made a gluten free Afternoon Tea for my family.

My first tier consisted of salmon &  chive philli sandwiches and ham & cucumber sandwiches (warburtons brown bread)

My second tier was for my home baked scones - the first time I've made them and boy were they good! How I've missed them!

My third was for lemon drizzle squares and brownie squares.

All went down very well and definately wishing I'd made more scones!

Lunch idea #1

I've always found it hard since being diagnosed to come up with good ideas for lunches, especially at work as you have to prepare in advance. So if you struggle with thinking of yummy things to eat at lunchtime then this may help, I just mixed up a bit of a random mix of things but I've tested it and it's super yum!!

Here's what is in my salad:

Chorizo sausage

Diced chicken breast

Onion (probably better with red onion but I didn't have one!) *Cook the chicken and onion in the chorizo juices*

Butter beans
Cherry tomatoes

Spinach

For a bit of a dressing I mixed some lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper together and mixed in.

New Recipe - Sticky Marshmallow Gingerbread Cake

Ingreds

100g soft marg

3tbsp golden syrup

1/4 pt boiling water

225g gluten free self-raising flour, sieved

2 tsp ground ginger

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

100g dark brown sugar

340g marshmallows

50g plain choc melted

Method

Preheat oven 170C. Grease and line a 7 x 11 in. (18 x 28cm) baking tin

Combine margarine and golden syrup and pour over the boiling water. Stir until margarine melts.

Mix flour, ginger, bicarbonate of soda and sugar. Make a well in the centre and pour in the liquid ingredients. Beat until smooth.

Pour into the tin and bake for about 35 minutes or until the top springs back to the touch. Leave in the tin.

Arrange marshmallows on top of the cake and leave to stand until beginning to melt.

 Preheat the grill. Grill the top of the cake, until the marshmallows brown lightly. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Allow to set before cutting into squares with a knife dipped in hot water.