Chocoholic!

One thing you can definately still enjoy while not eating gluten is... chocolate! Phew!

My recommended safe products for those with a sweet tooth!:

1. Prewett's Triple Choc Cookies

2. Rolo Chocolate & Toffee Desserts

3. Sunstart Caramel Shortcake Slices

4. Tesco Free From Choc Steamed Puddings

5. Extremely Chocolately Homemade Brownies

See below for my favourite recipe by Annabel Karmel - not aimed at us gluten free-ers but if you simply replace the flour with gluten free plain flour they make fabulous chunky chocolate treats!! Scrumptious!

http://family.go.com/food/recipe-ak-836894-glossy-dark-and-white-chocolate-brownies-t/

My top 5 comfort dinners with gluten free replacements...

1. The Black Farmer's Premium Pork Sausages

Truly the best sausages I have ever tasted - I wouldn't go back to gluten-full sausages any day after trying these, even if I could - and neither would my gluten eating family!! Packed full of pure high quality meat and no nasties!!

Means I can still eat my favourite dinner of sausages mash and beans - the perfect comfort food!

2. Young's Gluten Free Fish Fingers

A perfect swap for those gluten covered fish fingers - just as tasty!

3. DS Gluten Free Pizza

No more Dominos or Pizza Hut? Don't worry 'cause DS do a great oven pizza (can't wait to try the garlic bread!)

4. DS Gluten Free Sausage Rolls

 Great for dinner - or chop in half for a party food substitute!

5. Spag Bol with gluten free spaghetti

My top 5 restaurants...

1. Da Niccola

One for when you're planning a trip to Madrid - my most favourite restaurant! Da Niccola does amazing gluten free pizza (also pasta etc but I always go for the pizza as it is so rare!), the best part is that they also do gluten free rolls - which are the best gluten free rolls I have ever tried - complete with olive oil and vinegar to dip - simply divine!! Also extremely friendly staff and brilliant service, and they will provide you with an entire gluten free menu stuffed with goodies.

2. Carluccio's 

The first restaurant I discovered to do gluten free pasta -  my favourite being the Pasta Giardinniera, their risottos are also gluten free and they do a gorgeous flourless chocolate dessert with kahlua and ice cream! They will also provide you with your own gluten free menu.

3. Zen Noodle

My all time favourite for gf chinese!! Here they can provide you with a list of gf options - which includes noodles and spring rolls yumyum!! They are only based in Chelmsford and Bury St Edmunds but if you are ever near these areas they are totally worth a visit!!

4. Wagamama

Possibly the most tolerant restaurant of gluten free eaters - they will happily stand there for as long as you need explaining what you can and can't eat/ what can be replaced etc. Extremely tolerant and friendly staff willing to go out of their way to cater to your needs - even bringing you sauce testers!

5. Zizzi

 Zizzi can provide you with an allergy/intolerance menu which is pretty handy - they do gluten free pasta which is scrummy - my favourite being the carbonara and adding chicken (it's rare to be able to stuff yourself silly in a restaurant so I take this opportunity to do so!) Their risottos are gluten free and they also do a great flourless choc dessert.

My top 5 favourite gluten free goodies...

1. Warburton's Bread and Rolls 

These are by far the best on the gluten free market - they almost taste 'normal'! Perfectly freezable too so no need to waste those pennies!

I've found Warburton's gf products quite hard to come by - I'm usually faced with lots of empty shelves - which is a good sign I guess - but Asda seems to hold the most hope.

2. Helen's Gluten Free Sandwich Mix

An amazing find. A very simple bread mix (just add water and oil) and tastes fabulous!! Can even be eaten without toasting it first, incredible!! A must try. She also does brown bread mix and scone mix too which I am yet to try.
 http://virginiafoods.net/health/index.php/helens-gluten-free-sandwich-mix.html

 3. Warburton's *New* Muffins 

My most favourite gluten free goody - these are lush!!! They come in Cranberry & Blueberry and Lemon & Poppyseed - I am yet to find the Lemon & Poppyseed to try but can definately vouch for the former! As with most gluten free products they are not cheap but are totally worth it! (I even had to double check they were gluten free!)
 http://www.glutenandwheatfree.co.uk/

4. Asda All Butter Sicilian Lemon Shortbread  

 I have to say Asda do the best supermarket own free from goodies and at affordable prices too! These are moist, crumbly full of taste biscuits - scrumptious!!

5. The Groovy Foods Co Cereals

Frosted Flakes, Corn Flakes, Special Flakes and Choco Chrispies - all tested and all fabulous!! You would't know the difference! 
http://www.groovyfood.co.uk/

6. Love More Tortilla Wraps

 There are very few gluten free tortilla wraps available out there so I was very happy to come across these by Lovemore Free From Foods in Asda at the weekend - and I am very excited about the thought of eating Fajitas again!!

http://shop.lovemore-freefromfoods.com/epages/es135786.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es135786/Categories

Welcome to my blog

Welcome to my blog - The Gluten Free Queen.

With this blog, my aim is to provide a simple place for my fellow gluten-free peeps to find out about gluten free goodies/ restaurants etc without having to painfully trawl through supermarkets and menus, and without having to explain over and over again what it is you can't eat...etc in order to enjoy a simple meal outside your home.

As I am slowly learning - a gluten free life need not be stripped of yummy treats or easy eating out experiences (including pizza, chinese and pasta! Mmm!). All you need is a little help here and there to make it that little bit easier - and hopefully that is where I am able to help!

Enjoy!!

For now I shall leave you with a few pics of my yummy gluten free cupcakes (see - you needn't give up your favourite treats! - In fact, I actually prefer my gluten free cupcakes to 'normal' ones - much lighter and just plain delicious!!)

The Gluten Free Queen x x