Recently on a mid morning shopping trip to Tesco both Mark & I felt incredibly peckish & fancied a hot drink. We often stop off for a drink at Costa at our local Tesco but on this occasion we were at a different Tesco where there wasn’t a Costa. Usually when I see the old style Tesco Cafes my brain groans… there is very little for either of us to eat and certainly very little snack food. So to say my gluten free rumbling stomach was initially a little disappointed to find a Tesco Old School Cafe would be an understatement!
We went up to the counter and saw lots of hot gluten filled meals… pasta, full english, fish and chips; but then we turned round and saw the cold pre made sandwiches.
Obviously by this point I had given up any hope of getting anything and was preparing to nip downstairs to the free from section of the Tesco store to grab a quick snack. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find an Urban Eat Gluten Free Lemon Chicken Wrap (which was pleasingly also dairy free). Mark & I were only looking for a snack as it wasn’t too long till lunchtime so we decided to buy the wrap and have half each with our hot drinks.
I must say I never really think of having something like a wrap as a snack, it screams ‘lunchtime’ at you but really sharing a wrap really is the perfect snack! I was really excited to try the wrap and really hoped it lived up to what I imagine a good Lemon Chicken Wrap should taste like! I wasn’t disappointed. The Urban Eat Gluten Free Wrap was delicious. The wrap, which I think must have been a Newburn Bake House Gluten Free Seeded Wrap was really soft, flexible and well formed. I’ve always loved the Newburn Bake House wraps so it was great to see another brand using them for their pre-made wraps.
The Chicken was moist, well seasoned and plentiful. There is nothing worse than not having enough chicken in a chicken wrap!! The chicken was perfectly complimented by the zesty lemon mayonnaise, which provided an all encompassing freshness to the Urban Eat Gluten Free Wrap. The rocket and tomato finished off this delicious wrap perfectly, giving another dimension of flavour and texture to the wrap. I wished that we hadn’t decided to share the wrap as a snack, I could have quite easily have devoured the other half!
But I Do Wanna Taco ‘Bout Urban Eat’s Gluten Free Wraps!
The Urban Eat Gluten Free Lemon Chicken Wrap is the perfect choice for lunch if you are on the go and happen to drop past somewhere that sells Urban Eat products. Of course I have seen Urban Eat Gluten Free products now in Tesco but I also know that a lot of university campuses also sell Urban Eat products as well as smaller cafes & some public transport hubs; so keep your eyes peeled!
I have just noticed they also do a gluten free egg & slow roasted tomato wrap which sounds amazing. I will definitely be on the look out for that next! Let me know if you have tried it before!
I have also been reliably informed that the Urban Eat Gluten Free range is due to expand later on this year so I will keep you posted if I hear anything more… more convenient lunch options please!
Have you found any other gluten free ready made sandwich brands when you’ve been out and about? Please let me know on Facebook or Twitter, it would be great to have even more options when I’m in a hurry!
We visited Edinburgh for the second time in April 2015 and I found it to be even better than I ever remembered. It is a great place for gluten free & dairy free choices; I would highly recommend it! So here are some of my favourite Gluten Free Edinburgh destinations. (In no particular order!) Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post for a Gluten Free Edinburgh video guide!
Loudons is a lovely, open and spacious cafe. It serves amazing breakfasts, brunches, lunches & cakes. There is a huge range of gluten free, dairy free, vegan & nut free cakes which are all baked in their onsite bakery. They also bake all their own gluten free bread downstairs in the bakery – which is amazing! You can even buy a loaf of bread to takeaway. I would highly recommend the Gluten Free & Vegan Banana Coconut Pancakes; plus the Smoked Salmon & Scrambled Eggs (on home baked gluten free toast) was the best I’ve ever had! The staff are incredibly welcoming & knowledgable on allergens so you can definitely rest easy at Loudons!
Urban Angel is a beautiful cafe, tucked away at the lower end of Hanover Street. It is only a few minutes walk from the lovely shopping of George Street & is well worth a trip. Everything on their menu can be made gluten free and the staff are very well informed on all allergens. All the bread including the outstanding gluten free bread is baked by expert baker Caroline at the local Archipelago Artisan Bakery. She also bakes a wide range of cakes for Urban Angel, many of which are gluten free! Urban Angel have a specials menu daily as well as serving a wide selection of brunch & lunch options. I highly recommend trying their smoked haddock, alongside some scrambled eggs, avocado & gluten free toast. The cafe gets very busy so it might be worth getting down early or even booking!
3. Elephants and Bagels, 32 Marshall Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9BJ.
Elephant and Bagels, Edinburgh
Elephants and Bagels is situated not far from the University of Edinburgh. It is always busy with students & locals. It is the sister of Elephant House (the famous “Birthplace of Harry Potter”), but a little less well known. Elephants and Bagels is exactly that… a bagel cafe that loves elephants! The walls are covered in pictures of elephants that customers have drawn whilst indulging in a bagel. Gluten Free Bagels are served here and the choice of fillings is extensive. It is the perfect relaxing breakfast or lunch spot & is perfect for any one on a gluten free diet.
4. MUMS, 4a Forrest Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2QN.
Mum’s, Edinburgh
Mum’s is a charming little restaurant that I have visited on both occasions I have visited Edinburgh. Mum’s is all about Great Comfort Food. They believe ‘gourmet’ should be for everyone, but it doesn’t have to be all ‘poncey’. Gourmet can infact revolve around comfort food! Mum’s is best known for its amazing sausages & mash dish. They do no less than 15 different varieties of mash & have a great selection of different sausages, all of which are 100% gluten free. I really love the whole concept of Great Comfort Food & Mum’s has put this term into practice perfectly. This is a place for everyone, & I highly recommend giving it a try. It’s not a huge restaurant and it does get busy in the evenings so it might be an idea to book.
5. Elephant House, 21 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EN.
Elephant House, Edinburgh
Elephant House is quite a tourist hot spot in Edinburgh due to it’s associations with JK Rowling & Harry Potter. It’s a nice cafe to have a look in and many folk get a little photo outside. The menu in terms of savoury food doesn’t offer a whole lot for those on a gluten free diet, beyond a baked potato, which is somewhat disappointing. However, what it lacks in terms of gluten free, savoury lunch food it makes up for in it’s gluten free cake selection! I spoke to a member of the team whilst in Edinburgh & she told me that the baker is on a gluten free diet & so she dedicates most of her baking time to creating gluten free cakes. A fresh batch of cakes comes in each afternoon around 4pm so we headed down to grab some. The gluten free peanut butter blondie & rocky road I can highly recommend. If you in the area, go & grab some cake!
6. Union of Genius, 8 Forrest Road, Edinburgh EH1 2QN.
Union of Genius, Edinburgh
Union of Genius is known best for its amazing selection of soups. It was Scotland’s first soup cafe & is likely one of the very best across the country. They serve a range of freshly made soups, which change with the seasons and on a daily basis. The soups are all gluten free & many are dairy free as well as there being some vegan options too. All the soups come served in single casserole dishes with a large hunk of bread. You will be pleased to know that you can choose from gluten free sliced bread or a gluten free roll to go with your soup (or GF Oatcakes/Ricecakes if you prefer!). They also offer a range of different cakes, and their are always some gluten free options… 100% amazeballs!
7. Hula Juice Bar, 103-105 West Bow, Edinburgh EH1 2JP.
Hula Juice Bar, Edinburgh
Hula Juice Bar is based just on the edge of the Grassmarket area of Edinburgh. It’s a perfect place to come for breakfast, lunch, a slice of cake or a delicious smoothie. Nearly the entire menu can be made gluten free by switching to gluten free bread which is always readily available. Gluten Free & Dairy Free Cakes are always available too. We tried an amazing gluten free & dairy free coconut & blueberry slice when we visited which was really tasty. My favourite thing about the Hula Juice Bar has to be their selection of smoothies, juices & shakes. They are all made from completely fresh ingredients, nothing false. If I had to recommend you one to try I would go for the Betty Ford (Peach, Strawberry, Banana, Apple)!
8. Mamma’s Pizza, 30 The Grassmarket, Edinburgh, EH1 2JU.
Mammas Pizza, Edinburgh
Mamma’s was a favourite for us from our first visit to Edinburgh. Situated right in the middle of the Grassmarket it is easily accessible from the castle area. Mamma’s serves up amazing pizzas on homemade gluten free bases. The bases are really delicious & the extensive variety of topping means you really can create your own pizza. From traditional Scottish toppings to exotic toppings such as Cactus or just delicious toppings like Avocado & Pepperoni, there is something to tantalise everyone’s tastebuds! If you’d prefer something else, there are other non pizza gluten free options too, as well as starters & desserts suitable for the gluten free diet.
9. Tupiniquim, The Green Police Box, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, EH1 9AU.
Tupiniquim, Edinburgh
Tupiniquim is probably my favourite find of the entire Edinburgh trip! An understated green police box at the very top of the meadows is Tupinquim’s home. It is easy to find, situated in the heart of the city & not far from the University of Edinburgh. Tupiniquim is a Brazilian Crepe House where all crepes/pancakes are 100% gluten free. The selection of fillings is vast and varied, from savoury to sweet & plenty of daily specials too. Tupiniquim also create vegan & dairy free pancakes using an almond milk mixture, which comes out equally as well & tastes really delicious. The couple who run it are very knowledgable on allergens and take a huge amount of pride from running their gluten free pancake stall. It was a pleasure to wait for my Gluten Free & Vegan ‘Monkey Delight’ Pancake (Banana, Agave, Cinnamon & Pecans) in their presence. They bring a touch of Brazilian Street Food to Edinburgh and I’m so grateful that they do! If there is one thing you don’t want to miss out on during your time in Edinburgh, it’s a gluten free pancake from Tupiniquim.
10. Real Foods, 37 Broughton Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3JU.
Real Foods, Edinburgh
Real Foods is the Whole Foods of Edinburgh. It’s like your local health food shop but so much better. It offers a wide range of different free from products, many of which you might regularly see in your local supermarket and a few different ones too. So if you forget anything whilst in Edinburgh or need a free from snack this is the place to come. For us, this was a great find as we were staying in an apartment. We were able to buy our favourite gluten free breakfast cereals at Real Foods as well as fresh gluten free breads from brands such as Just. They also stocked a wide range of dairy free cheeses, milks & even vegan samosas (Mark enjoyed a few of these!). So if you are in need of some free from snacks whilst in Edinburgh, I would highly recommend Real Foods. It’s the perfect place to grab some picnic food for a trip to Edinburgh Zoo… a great day out with limited gluten free options.
11. La Favorita, Various Locations Across the City!
La Favorita, Edinburgh
La Favorita is my number one top pick if you are staying in an apartment whilst you are in Edinburgh (or if you live close by). La Favorita is an amazing Pizza Takeaway and Delivery Service that creates beyond amazing Gluten Free Pizzas. The Gluten Free Pizza Bases are all freshly made and are absolute perfection in terms of thickness, texture and flavour. What is even better about La Favorita is that they also offer Dairy Free / Vegan Cheese on all of their Pizzas. They use one of our favourite dairy free cheeses as well, Mozzarisella! Seriously I would definitely suggest a night in during your trip to Edinburgh just to indulge in a gluten free and / or dairy free pizza from heaven! La Favorita deliver as well, which is a massive bonus if you don’t have a car, you can also order online. I can definitely tell why La Favorita is thought of so highly amongst pizza lovers. I have never eaten a pizza quite as good as the one I had from La Favorita!
Other gluten free and free from destinations in Edinburgh…
Vittoria on the Bridge -An Italian Restaurant that is part of The Vittoria Group which also runs La Favorita! If you want to eat out at a restaurant rather than getting a takeaway you might like to visit Vittoria on the Bridge. It serves gluten free pizzas similarly to La Favorita as well as a wide range of gluten free pasta dishes. The menu is well equipped for all allergies, with plenty of choices available for everyone.
Café Andaluz – A Spanish Restaurant that has an ever changing selection of delicious tapas. There are plenty of Gluten Free options on the menu here & it is situated in a great location on George Street.
Chip Inn – Unfortunately a place I was unable to get to due to not having a car. But I heard plenty of top reviews regarding The Chip Inn. It is the only fish and chip shop in the Edinburgh area that I have found that serves gluten free fish and chips on a regular basis. So if you are able to travel a little further out of the city centre the Chip Inn might be somewhere you would like to try!
Howies – There are a couple of Howies easily accessible in the centre of Edinburgh. Howies has a great selection of gluten free options on the menu & prides itself on its fresh, local, Scottish food. It’s the perfect destination for a lovely lunch or dinner out in the heart of the city.
Roseleaf Bar / Cafe – Again, this is another great destination for allergen friendly food that is a little bit further outside of Edinburgh City Centre. Their menu is wholesome and delicious and runs from 10am every morning till 10pm at night. The menu is jammed pack full of hearty Scottish dishes, plenty of which are gluten free & dairy free. If you fancy a proper cosy meal out of the city in the Port ‘o Leith then the Roseleaf might just be the place for you!
Of course you have all your standard chain restaurants that offer gluten free and allergen friendly menus. The likes of TGI Fridays, Pizza Express, Las Iguanas, Nandos, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Chiquitos, La Tasca & Zizzis are available throughout the city centre of Edinburgh if you would prefer.
Why read about where to eat out gluten free in Edinburgh when you can watch! Check out some of my top tips for Edinburgh below!
Edinburgh is definitely one of my favourite cities and I can’t wait till our next trip. I hope that you all get the chance to visit as well. It’s an amazing city for all ages & at all times of year. Christmas in Edinburgh is beautiful & I’ve heard Edinburgh Fringe Festival is one of the very best. Everyday is a great day in Edinburgh so make the most of it and enjoy plenty of gluten free food whilst your at it!
Loudons Edinburgh is an exciting & delicious cafe situated in the heart of the city. It has an amazing, vibrant atmosphere; and of course, has a menu stacked full of gluten free & dairy free mouthwatering options.
This is the first of a collection of posts documenting gluten free in Edinburgh, make sure to check back & follow me on Twitter / Facebook to keep up to date
I had been given numerous recommendations from fellow gluten free foodies to visit Loudons whilst I was in Edinburgh. Seeing as it was the Easter weekend, & most people were enjoying time off work I was worried we wouldn’t easily get a seat. Fortunately, Loudons is really open and spacious & there is plenty of room for everyone! It is definitely a suitable destination for everyone whether you have kids, want a relaxing place to do some work, a chill out place with friends or a great gluten free foodie experience during Edinburgh Fringe.
Upon arrival at Loudons, I asked our lovely server whether they had many gluten free options. She told me ‘I had come to the right place’! She went on to explain that everything on the menu can basically be made gluten free – plenty is naturally gluten free too. I even went downstairs to discover they have their own onsite bakery where they make all their own gluten free bread and cakes.
On our first visit to Loudons we were overwhelmed by all the choices. However, the environment in Loudons makes you feel so relaxed & happy, that it was nice to take our time perusing the menu. The menu is extensive with a lengthy brunch and lunch menu. Brunch is all about Eggs, Pancakes, French Toast, Quinoa or a Full English (All available Gluten Free). Whilst the lunch menu contains Gluten Free Gnocchi, Gluten Free Quiches & Gluten Free Pizza amongst a range of other delicious delights! Click here for the Loudons’ Menus.
Gluten Free & Vegan Banana & Coconut Pancakes
After much deliberation we chose the Gluten Free & Vegan Banana, Coconut Pancakes as well as the Smoked Salmon & Poached Eggs on freshly baked Gluten Free Toast. It was so hard to decide, so we thought one sweet and one savoury dish to share would be perfect! When the food arrived I was blown away. The presentation made the food look so appetising & the smells coming off our plates were incredible.
The Banana & Coconut Pancakes came warm with a chopped up banana, slices of fresh strawberry & lots of maple syrup. I have never had gluten free pancakes out before and these were beyond insane. They were really fluffy and flavoursome. I loved the strawberries on top and of course the maple syrup just rounded the dish off to heaven. I can’t believe the pancakes were both gluten free and vegan… anyone who tries these pancakes will not of had any better anywhere else!
The Smoked Salmon and Poached Eggs on fresh Gluten Free Toast was equally to die for. The bread was soft and full of delicious seeds. The crust on the bread was like nothing I have ever had from a gluten free loaf before. I just wanted more of the bread! As always smoked salmon & poached eggs is a winning combination. The eggs were cooked to absolute perfection. We finished our lunch feeling mighty satisfied, yet slightly sad that it was over!
Before we left we decided to go to the front counter and gawp at all the delicious cakes. Of course we didn’t just gawp at them, we grabbed a couple to take back to the apartment to eat later on. I went for a gluten free lemon & raspberry cake, whilst Mark went for a vegan fudgey chocolate cake. Loudons had so many cakes I wanted to try out. The Gluten Free Lime & Coconut Squares and Gluten Free Scones looked beyond delicious. There were at least 7 different gluten free cakes amongst their wide selection on our visit. Best of all, they are all made in the bakery literally just below the cafe!
Gluten Free Lemon & Raspberry Cake
Not even 2 days had passed since our last trip to Loudons & even with so many delicious gluten free options in Edinburgh, we found ourselves craving more from Loudons; so we returned again for lunch! Mark & I both decided that on this trip we would both have something different to last time on the menu. This time I opted for one of my all time favourite dishes… Smoked Salmon & Scrambled Eggs with their delicious gluten free toast. Mark decided to try the french toast with maple syrup and bananas on their regular freshly baked bread. (You can always have this dish gluten free if you like, Mark just wanted to try what their gluten bread tasted like too!)
Now I feel like I might be starting to give Loudons a big head with this review, but they thoroughly deserve it. My smoked salmon and scrambled eggs was by far the nicest I have ever had & I have travelled to a lot of amazing restaurants & had this dish before. I loved the idea of mixing the eggs and salmon together. There was definitely no lack of smoked salmon by having it this way & it was seasoned perfectly. The bread was again amazing and was an absolute pleasure to eat!
French Toast with Banana & Maple Syrup – this CAN be made Gluten Free too!
I apologise for posting the above picture as this bread definitely contains gluten but I just couldn’t resist as Mark enjoyed it so much! The best French Toast he has ever had… & to think that they can use their freshly baked gluten free bread to make this dish gluten free makes me want to get the train up to Edinburgh immediately!
Knowing this was our final trip to Loudons this Edinburgh adventure definitely made me a little down. We both decided this is one of the best cafes we have ever been to, possibly the best. The staff are some of the friendliest I have met, they are incredibly knowledgable and very efficient too. Nothing is too much for the staff of Loudons, we felt very welcome!
Freshly Baked Gluten Free Bread to take home
I am very pleased to say I managed to bring a little bit of Loudons Edinburgh home with me in the form of a loaf of their Gluten Free Bread. As I mentioned, it is freshly baked downstairs and you can buy it to take home with you. Most of the loaf is gone now, I have been enjoying it with every single meal!
So if you are based in Edinburgh or are thinking of visiting in the future I would put Loudons at the top of your agenda for a place to go. Whether you fancy breakfast, brunch, lunch or just a slice of cake, it is the perfect destination. The menu delivers on every level for those with intolerances and for those without. They are incredibly understanding of coeliac needs so any coeliacs can rest easy when they visit.
Let me know if you get a chance to visit Loudons Edinburgh & what you think!
I have always loved Cornettos but being gluten free & Mark being dairy free means we just can’t have them. However, now we can thanks to Tesco Dairy Free Ice Cream Cones. The ice cream is completely dairy free, the cone is completely gluten free.. what a perfect combination!
I was extremely excited a few weeks ago when I came across a selection of new Tesco Free From products in their frozen section. Although, Tesco have a reasonable selection of Frozen Free From, in recent months it has started to look a little tired. I really wanted them to produce something different & exciting, that allows me to eat something I couldn’t otherwise.
So when I saw the Tesco Dairy Free Ice Cream Strawberry and Vanilla Cones, which essentially are a gluten and dairy free Cornetto, I was over the moon! I used to love Cornettos, and used to love having them on a summers day out. These looked incredibly similar to a Cornetto and I was definitely intrigued by them… we immediately bought a box!
Upon trying them we were pleasantly surprised that the box contained four full sized ‘Cornettos’, we were expecting the ice creams to be much smaller than usual. The ice cream is completely dairy free and is a mix of vanilla and strawberry with further strawberry ripples throughout. It tastes as good as the ice cream of a cornetto, and the strawberry ripples are definitely a great addition. The ice cream is plentiful and goes a decent way down the cone which is not always common in ice cream cones like these. The cone is waffle style which is my favourite type of cone. I was never a fan of the regular Flake 99 cones, they were very pappy; so to be able to eat a tasty waffle cone that is entirely gluten free was music to my ears. The gluten free waffle cone did not disappoint. It was crispy and flavoursome, which didn’t go soggy upon the ice cream touching it. However, what made the Tesco Dairy Free Ice Cream Cone the ultimate was that the Gluten Free Waffle Cone had chocolate inside it, right down to the bottom! Everyone loves chocolate in the bottom of their ice cream cone right?!
I would highly recommend giving the Tesco Dairy Free Ice Cream (Gluten Free too) a go… it is delicious and a perfect addition to any freezer this spring and summer. It would be great to be able to have these ice creams available at the ice cream van, but for now I am just incredibly grateful that Tesco have made something that Mark & I can really enjoy together!
Have you tried the strawberry and vanilla gluten free & dairy free ice cream cones from Tescos? Let me know if you have and what you think of them on Facebook or Twitter.
Gluten Free Cheesecake Brownies have got to be one of the greatest creations. My recipe is also Dairy Free & uses a Brownie Mix from Delicious Alchemy. However I will definitely be making this again in the future without the brownie mix as I make a pretty mean gluten / dairy free chocolate brownie from scratch. (You can make this recipe using a brownie mix too or by making your own brownies from a recipe!)
Ever since I visited Cloud 9 in Brighton for the very first time I have had a huge love of Cheesecake Brownie. They do the most amazing gluten free cheesecake brownies and I have to say they are heavenly. These days I don’t get down to Brighton quite as much as I used to (although I will be there for a few days in May!), and so I decided to go about recreating my own.
This being the very first time I have tried to create it means I will definitely make some improvements over time even if Mark says it needs none as he loves my gluten free cheesecake brownies as they are. I guess that is an important thing about my gluten free cheesecake brownies recipe… it is also entirely DAIRY FREE!
The base in this recipe is made using Delicious Alchemy’s Gluten & Dairy Free Brownie Mix. It is a tasty mix that is really simple to put together. I thought it was a perfect thing to use when I was going to be making more than just standard brownies. In the future I will probably give making my own gluten free brownie base from scratch a go… I haven’t entirely perfected my best recipe for that at the moment; but Delicious Alchemy’s Brownie Mix is pretty amazing. As I mentioned earlier you could also use the Delicious Alchemy Brownie Mix if you wish but these gluten free cheesecake brownies would also work perfectly if you used your own brownie mixture as a base & then placed the cheesecake topping on top of it.
Enjoy a slice with dairy free ice cream!
I have never attempted to make a dairy free cheesecake topping before. I spent a lot of time looking into what would work best. I found an amazing dairy free alternative in Tofutti’s Creamy Smooth ‘Soya Alternative to Cream Cheese’, it really does taste so similar to cream cheese and when you mix it up with the other cheesecake ingredients nobody would have any idea it wasn’t real cream cheese. I’d highly recommend it alongside plenty of other dairy free Tofutti cheeses, they do a real wide selection. The cheesecake topping is fairly runny when you pour it onto the brownie base. However, once it is placed in the oven to bake and set that changes very quickly!
As you can see from the recipe I swirl a little ‘Nutritious Nutella‘ into my gluten free cheesecake brownies topping. This is a recipe I found out about from Deliciously Ella. It is only made of 3 ingredients plus water & literally tastes amazing. We eat it on toast, pancakes & off the spoon. It works great in swirled within the cheesecake topping of the gluten free cheesecake brownies too. Of course you might not want to spend so much time making this for just a few swirls (though I recommend you do as you will never look back after consuming it!), so you could always use a shop bought dairy free chocolate spread instead.
I decided to bake the gluten free cheesecake brownies in a round loose bottomed tin. I wanted it to look like an actual cheesecake where you can cut slices. This worked really well and I would recommend you doing it like this as well It is definitely a perfect dessert or a cheeky afternoon snack with friends.
Anyway, enough waffle here is my tasty recipe for gluten free cheesecake brownies… DAIRY FREE TOO
- Brownie Mix (I use Delicious Alchemy Brownie Mix but you could use another or make your own Gluten / Dairy Free Brownies from scratch)
- 100g Dairy Free Margarine, melted (for the Brownie Mix)
- 2 Eggs (for the Brownie Mix)
- 225g Dairy Free Cream Cheese (I use Tofutti)
- 60g Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tbsp Dairy Free Chocolate Spread (I make my own using Deliciously Ella"s "Nutritious Nutella" recipe)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 160 degrees celsius.
Grease a baking tin, or like I did a loose bottomed round tin.
Firstly make your brownies.
For me - with my mix this meant pouring the mix into a bowl and adding the melted dairy free margarine, stirring to form an almost batter. Beat the eggs and stir them into the mixture thoroughly. Pour the mixture into your greased tin ready for baking.
Next, make the cheesecake topping!
Use an electric mixer to beat the Tofutti until smooth and creamy.
Next, beat in the sugar and vanilla extract for about a minute.
Beat in 1 egg to the mixture until fully blended.
Pour the cheesecake mixture over the top of the brownie mixture in the baking tin.
Make sure you chocolate spread is fairly soft and swirl a few few splurges of it around your mix. (I love the Nutritious Nutella recipe from Deliciously Ella & would highly recommend it.. healthy nutella made out of 3 ingredients!)
Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until the top has fully set.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
If you are using a loose bottomed tin remove from tin by pushing it up away from the sides, if not gently ease it out.
Cut a slice whenever you fancy it & enjoy!
Notes
We often have a slice with a scoop of vanilla soy ice cream but really it is perfect on it"s own too!
Gluten Free Cuppa Tea - by Free From Food Blogger, Becky, UK. http://glutenfreecuppatea.co.uk/
Let me know your thoughts on this recipe via Facebook and Twitter & if you make it yourself make sure you take a photo and post it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
These Gluten Free & Dairy Free Raspberry & Coconut Slices are simple to make & taste amazing. The melt in the mouth base alongside the sweet jam & soft, yet crisp coconut topping is the perfect combination. Everyone will love them, trust me!
I haven’t done much baking the past week or so. We’ve been doing a few DIY jobs around our home & had my parents come to visit. But this week I wanted to get bang on it again! I bought a huge bag of desiccated coconut last week with the idea of making some coconut macaroons. We had some absolutely amazing fresh coconut macaroons back in December at the Manchester Christmas Markets and have been craving fresh, warm ones ever since! But instead of making them straight away, I had an urge to do something slightly more with my coconut!
I love making different types of tray bakes. I also love biscuit bases. So I went about trying to devise something that was both gluten free and dairy free. A tray bake, or any cake for that matter that offers a few layers, with different textures is a winner for me. I always prefer bakes that have something with more of a biscuity, crunch texture to go alongside a softer texture such as coconut. This raspberry & coconut slice tray bake seemed the perfect combination of flavours and textures to me.
This recipe for the raspberry & coconut slice is really easy to follow as well, and requires minimal ingredients – basically it’s just store cupboard items so you can make it anytime. It would be perfect if you wanted to make something for when friends come round… or just something you can sit & scoff on! (They are very moorish!)
The biscuit base is made and very lightly cooked first to give it structure. It also allows the biscuit to turn slightly golden. I highly recommend this simple biscuit recipe for anything. It is very versatile and although it works great in the raspberry & coconut slice recipe it would make for a great gluten free biscuit dipped in chocolate too!
The coconut slice topping is incredibly easy to create as well for this recipe and is basically the mixture you would make coconut macaroons from if you wanted them plain. It tastes amazing and the smell from the coconut as you pour it into your mixing bowl is incredible (thats if you like the smell of coconut I guess!).
Anyway, as I have said, this recipe for my gluten free & dairy free Raspberry & Coconut Slice is really straightforward so I do hope you give it a go!
220g golden caster sugar (when measuring split this into 2 separate 110g portions)
125g dairy free hard margarine
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
raspberry jam
180g desiccated coconut
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius.
Grease a rectangular baking tin (around 12 x 10 inches - it wouldn"t matter if you had a bigger or smaller tray really, or if it was a different shape, you will be able to judge).
Mix together your gluten free flour, 110g of sugar & your dairy free hard margarine until it forms a breadcrumb consistency. (I used an electric whisk for this)
Add your vanilla extract and 1 egg to your mixture & mix until it forms a dough like consistency. (I used an electric whisk for this)
Bring together the dough into a lump with your hands.
Press the dough into your prepared baking tin evenly and bake in the oven till slightly golden.. this will take about 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes take the baking tin out of the oven and put to one side briefly.
Whisk together for 2 remaining eggs & your other 110g of sugar.
Stir in your desiccated coconut. (This is now ready to spread)
Spread your raspberry jam all over your base as evenly as you can (it should be slightly warm still, no worries if it isn"t this time though).
Spread your coconut mixture over the jam & base evenly.
Place back in the oven for a further 20 - 25 minutes or until golden.
Allow to completely cool in the baking tin before removing and cutting into slices.
Enjoy!
Gluten Free Cuppa Tea - by Free From Food Blogger, Becky, UK. http://glutenfreecuppatea.co.uk/
Let me know what you think of the recipe on Facebook & Twitter. & if you do make them, make sure you take a photo and post it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!
Finding comforting, convenient & quick lunches that are good for you & take minutes to prepare can be tricky. Fortunately Amy’s Kitchen have done much of the hard work for us by creating a beauty of a gluten free Chunky Tomato Soup. It’s organic & lower in fat than many other tinned soups, plus it tastes as fresh & flavoursome as any fresh soup out there.
Homemade Gluten Free Croutons & a lovely slice of gluten free toast are the perfect combo for this tasty little number!
Recently the weather in Manchester has been fairly turbulent to say the least. I’ll wake up one day to bright sunshine & then other days I am welcomes with torrential rain & wind that quite literally could blow you away. The one thing that hasn’t changed in Manchester over the last few months, is the fact that in the Wintery & very early months of Spring, it is always cold.
When it’s cold I always want to eat warm comforting meals. This is never a problem in the evening whether its a steaming bowl of Thai Green Curry or a Gluten Free Pasta Bake, we nearly always have a hot meal. However at lunch time I often struggle for a hot meal choice. I am not a huge fan of having a jacket potato for lunch or yesterday’s leftovers… I generally just like to have a sandwich or at least bread of some kind! I am a massive fan of the gluten free bread brand, Just: Gluten Free Bakery & just want something to go alongside my tasty roll. When at work this tended to just be a cold sandwich but I’ve had a few weeks off recently which has meant I can have hot food at lunch time!
Lunch for me is a very quick meal that I have to keep me going throughout the afternoon. I don’t want to be slaving away for hours preparing it, neither do I want to spend hours eating it. For me, soup has always been the perfect saviour.
Most tinned soup & a lot of fresh soups contain gluten. This was initially a nightmare for me a few years ago. I was a massive chicken noodle soup fan, I loved all the Heinz Big Soups & I enjoyed grabbing the soup of the day when I was out. That all changed when every single tin I picked up contained gluten on the back. Over time I found a few fresh soups that I liked that were gluten free, however I always end up wasting them as they don’t often have the longest life.
For me soup is all about convenience. Of course if I had guests round I would make my own fresh soup but sometimes I just want to throw open the cupboard and have something staring at me that I can put in the microwave & eat within minutes.
A while ago I started eating Amy’s Kitchen Soups on quite a regular basis. I loved the Mushroom & Rustic Italian flavours. Somehow Amy’s Kitchen made tinned soup taste fresh, something that most tinned soups fail to do. I have cut down on eating the Rustic Italian soup these days due to my IBS. The vast amount of vegetables in the Rustic Italian Vegetable soup is just too much for my digestive system unfortunately. But for those of you who don’t have problems with your veg I would highly recommend getting a couple of tins for the cupboard! The mushroom soup is insanely delicious too, I would definitely recommend giving this a go. I know mushrooms are not everybody’s cup of tea, but this soup might just change your mind!
The reason I am writing this post however is that I have just come across and realised the awesomeness that is the Amy’s Kitchen Chunky Tomato Soup! Why did I never try this one before? I think I have always opted for Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup but I am not sure I will ever go back to it again after trying this. Not only does it have so much more texture than the Heinz Tomato Soup (unsurprisingly!), but it just tastes more like tomatoes. It tastes fresh & healthy! Another great thing about this soup is that it is actually so much lower in fat than other tinned tomato soups. I am still really surprised that after trying so many of Amy’s Kitchen products in the past I have overlooked this little convenient treasure!
I have been warming up my soup and serving it alongside some delicious gluten free bread and some home made gluten free garlic infused croutons. It has been going down a treat these past few weeks! Have you tried any of Amy’s Kitchen gluten free soups? Or any other Amy’s Kitchen gluten free products? (There is quite a range!) Let me know on Facebook or Twitter what you think of them… I might have missed out on another great product!
