REVIEW: Choc Chick - Dairy Free Chocolate Making Kit - Gluten Free + Raw + Refined Sugar Free!

Making your very own chocolates and choosing how they look & taste, sounds like every child’s dream. A dream that is left unfulfilled by everyone bar those who become chocolatier! However Choc Chick have created the most amazing gluten free, dairy free, raw chocolate making kit which I guarantee you will love. It’s fun, super tasty, quick & also makes the perfect gift!

So Mark is a massive chocolate fan, but his lactose intolerance means it isn’t always easy for him to enjoy a wide selection of different chocolates. However, a couple of months ago I saw this amazing chocolate making kit in the Holland & Barrett More Store in Chester. I had to grab one! However, as you might have seen from a video on my YouTube Channel… I ended up giving my Choc Chick Chocolate Making Kit away to a friend as a gift! I’m not sure how impressed Mark was by this at the time… but luckily we have a new Choc Chick Chocolate Making Kit now… & so far we both have given it a huge thumbs up!

The idea of making chocolate is pretty exciting to me. It’s like being in Charlie & the Chocolate Factory or something. If I had the chance to make chocolate when I was a kid I would have gone crazy! Now 24, I was still pretty darn excited to give this a try. Especially with it being both gluten free & dairy free… perfect combo for Mark & I.

So, the chocolate making kit comes with Organic Raw Cacao Butter, Organic Raw Cacao Powder, Sweet Freedom (100% Natural Sweetener made from 100% fruit), a recipe booklet & some mini baking cases. This is literally all you need to make chocolate… & I didn’t even use my baking cases!

The chocolate making kit is dairy free, gluten free, refined sugar free, soya free & egg free. It is incredibly versatile too. From reading the mini recipe book & then looking on their website, I got so many good ideas of how I could make little chocolates for us both to enjoy anytime that we wanted them.

Not one for going just for a basic plain chocolate… I decided to make something a little different. I added two extra ingredients to my dairy free chocolates… banana and peanut butter! Before starting the chocolate making process I cut up a couple of bananas. I then sliced each piece into two & put all the pieces of parchment paper in the freezer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes I sandwiched two pieces together with a dollop of peanut butter & put them in the freezer again to firm up (15 minutes is perfect!)

Whilst the banana & peanut butter chilled in the freezer I started the chocolate making process. It is so simple! I melted the cacao butter in a bowl over a pan of water on a low heat. I then mixed in my cacao powder. & Finally I added my Sweet Freedom. If you wanted to you could just pour the mixture into your little cases like this and freeze them for simple chocolates, BUT I had other ideas!

I left the chocolate mixture to cool slightly (only 10 minutes) so it would thicken, then I dipped each of my banana/peanut butter pieces onto the chocolate, coating them completely! I put them back in the freezer on the parchment paper to chill for 10 minutes… & like magic… my homemade banana/peanut butter chocolates were ready! They went down a treat!!

I would highly recommend grabbing a chocolate making kit from Choc Chick for so so many reasons:

1) It is great to make your own chocolates as you know exactly what is in them… no nasties.

2) These chocolates are actually GF in more than just Gluten Free, they are Guilt Free too!

3) They are Dairy Free, Soya Free, Egg Free, Refined Sugar Free & Raw too!

4) The chocolate tastes amazing!

5) The recipe booklet shows how you can make lots of different things with the kit, beyond just chocolates.

6) Perfect fun for big kids and little kids (they make a childrens chocolate making kit too!)

7) Great gift for you or a friend!

Where can you buy a Choc Chick Chocolate Making Kit?

You can buy directly from Choc Chick online, in some John Lewis, in Whole Foods, Planet Organic, Harvey Nichols & a whole host of independent places. Click here for a list of stockists.

Have you ever tried making your own chocolate? How did it go? Have you tried a Choc Chick chocolate making kit before? How did you get on? Would love to know your thoughts on chocolate making & also how you find it if you are dairy free etc… is finding tasty chocolates you can eat a problem? 

Let me know by leaving a comment below. Or on Facebook/Twitter!

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

REVIEW: Choc Chick - Dairy Free Chocolate Making Kit - Gluten Free + Raw + Refined Sugar Free!

Ed"s Diner - Gluten Free Menu

So I’m sure by now a lot of you folks have heard that the amazing american style diner… Ed’s Diner, now has a completely gluten free menu that is accredited by Coeliac UK. Well here it is!

So for some reason Manchester doesn’t currently have an Ed’s Diner… what a joke! I used to love visiting the original Ed’s Easy Diner in Soho back when I did eat gluten. I’d enjoy milkshakes & burgers all day long! Nowadays I thought such places were out of bounds for those of us who have to live gluten free. However, this is anything but true!

Ed’s Diner have created an extensive menu filled with everything you could ever ask for in an American Diner… ALL GLUTEN FREE & ALL ACCREDITED BY COELIAC UK!

From Hot Dogs (in Gluten Free Hot Dog Buns) to Juicy Burgers (in Gluten Free Burger Buns), & all with a range of delicious toppings. For once we don’t just have to go for the plain burger or the plain hot dog… hows about a Pulled Pork covered Hot Dog?! Yes!

Such a range of delicious fries too. Sweet Potato Fries, Chilli Fries, ‘Wet’ Fries, Cheesy Fries, even Atomic Fries! There really is fries for everyone.

Ed’s Diner Breakfasts are also not a problem being Gluten Free. Breakfast Rolls & Breakfast Burgers are all good at Ed’s!

Oh & don’t think that Ed’s Diner have forgotten about Gluten Free desserts, cause they haven’t. Ice Cream Sundaes feature strongly! Oh & the MILKSHAKES!! 8 different single flavour shakes, 4 double flavour shakes & the amazing Nutella Shake too. I really am getting very hungry talking about this!

With well over 30 Ed’s Diner scattered across the UK, if you haven’t been already it is definitely time to get down to one. Click here for locations. I am trying to think when I will be close by one next, & scheduling it into the diary!

Have you tried out the Gluten Free (Coeliac UK accredited) menu at Ed’s Diner? If so what did you think? If you haven’t, does the menu make you want to go? Let me know by leaving a comment below. Or on Facebook/Twitter.

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

Ed"s Diner - Gluten Free Menu

REVIEW: Kelloggs Gluten Free Organic Puffed Corn Cereal

The king of cereal in the UK, the brand we all know for cereal has now made it’s first gluten free cereal for the UK… Kelloggs Gluten Free Organic Puffed Corn Cereal!

Last week I went to a different Sainsbury’s from my regular store, which seemed to have a much larger free from section than what I am used to. The product that caught my eye the most was the Kelloggs Gluten Free cereal. Kellogg’s in the UK has never moved into creating products for the free from aisle before, but with Nestle creating their very own Gluten Free Cereal (Cornflakes & Honey Flakes), it seemed inevitable that Kelloggs would eventually create a cereal specially for the Gluten Free market.

Unlike Nestle, Kelloggs Gluten Free first venture is going to be placed down the free from aisle. Having spoken to a lot of people about this, it would seem that this is a popular decision as it makes it much easier to find.

So Kelloggs first Gluten Free cereal product is quite simply puffed corn! It only contains four ingredients, is whole grain & in addition is also 100% organic. I love products that have so few ingredients you can count them on one hand, that is how all simple foods should be. Seeing ingredients that sounds essentially like a science experiment on a box is never a good sign… so a big thumbs up to Kelloggs Gluten Free straight away.

I guess what is really needed now however, is to have a TASTE TEST!

Upon opening the box, something smelt instantly delicious! I didn’t really expect them to look as they did, even if there is a picture on the box! Each piece looks like a puffed up flake with a slight coating. I tried a few flakes without milk as I couldn’t resist… I have to say it tastes almost like popcorn! My mind was instantly blown, how can a cereal like this taste like a sweet, almost toffee popcorn… without being really sweet?! A lot of the flavour comes from the fact that this cereal is also wholegrain, a definite plus point. I made myself a bowl with some almond milk and instantly felt like I was having dessert for breakfast. It made me really happy! I knew Mark would love it, so I made him a bowl too. He said he had never had a cereal quite like this before & would like to eat it everyday! (he can eat gluten so he doesn’t even have to!!) We both decided that Kelloggs Gluten Free have done something really good here; by making a gluten free cereal that is different from regular cereals. It’s amazing.

But then… we get down to the cost! The box is 300g and I picked it up for £3 in Sainsburys. So compared to the Nestle Gluten Free Cereals, (Nestle GF Cornflakes are £1.99 for 500g) it would seem that the Kelloggs Gluten Free Puffed Corn is a little on the steep side. How is £1 per 100g a reasonable price for cereal! I also wish the box was bigger. For me, a 300g box is so easy to get through in a very short space of time. I mean, who are cereal brands kidding… a serving is never realistically 30g. This box would never last 10 days, I doubt it would last me 5 days! The packaging is the thinnest cereal box I have ever seen!

So weighing it up… if the Kelloggs Gluten Free Puffed Corn Cereal was cheaper, it would likely become mine & Mark’s number 1 cereal. It was delicious & different… I would probably snack on it all day too! However, as it stands I cannot justify paying £3 for a 300g box of cereal on a regular basis. The gluten free cereal I regularly buy is £3, but, there is more in the box. I will definitely buy this cereal again as I have fallen in love with it, but not every single day. Please reduce the price Kelloggs!

Where can you buy Kelloggs Gluten Free Puffed Corn? So far I’ve found it in Sainsburys! Let me know if you see it elsewhere too

Let me know your thoughts on the Kelloggs Gluten Free Cereal. Do you like it? Have you been able to get hold of it easily in supermarkets? Do you think its good value for money compared to other Gluten Free cereals on the market? Leave a comment below or on Facebook/Twitter.

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

REVIEW: Kelloggs Gluten Free Organic Puffed Corn Cereal

REVIEW: Voakes Gluten Free Pork Pies, Sausage Rolls & more!

There is always something special about a pork pie. It is a very simple item. It feels classic, British & takes pride of place at every family picnic I have every attended. Yet Gluten Free Pork Pies are definitely a much more reclusive member of the picnic. However, Voakes Free From have found a way to bring Gluten Free Pork Pies out of their shells & show them off to the world…

I’ve heard of Voakes Free From for quite a while now. It is the gluten free range from Voakes Pies! You might have heard of Voakes Pies as in 2014 they got a whole host of highly commended awards at the Free From Food Awards for their Gluten Free Pies. However, more likely you will have heard of them because… in 2015 they won the overall best free from product for their Gluten Free Pork Pies!

To think that a pork pie enthusiast like myself, who has gone without a single sniff of a pork pie for well over 5 years, had never even thought to try Voakes’ Gluten Free Pork Pies before, well…. its a crime. So, a few days ago I jumped on the Voakes Free From Website & put in an order!

The range of different free from products on the Voakes Free From website is amazing. Gluten Free Chicken Pies, Game Pies, Steak & Ale Pies, Quiches, Pasties, Sausage Rolls & Pastry. How could I possibly decide! What is also great is that a lot of the Voakes Free From products are not only Gluten Free & suitable for Coeliacs. Plenty of products are also Egg Free, Dairy Free, Soya Free & Vegan; this is clearly stated on the online shop so there is no confusion.

Furthermore, Voakes Free From products are all created in a dedicated gluten and wheat free environment. It is great to hear that they emphasise there is no chance of cross contamination.

So after much deliberation I chose 4 delicious Gluten Free Treats for the weekend:

1. Traditional Pork Pie

2. Pork & Chilli Pie

3. Chicken Pie

4. Sausage Roll

1. Traditional Pork Pie

Oh my Pork Pie! This gluten free pork pie was amazing. The pastry was beautifully golden It had a firm yet crumbly texture. The pork tastes seriously high quality & actually comes directly from the Voakes family’s stock of pigs. It is well seasoned and enjoys a little jelly between the pastry & pork. My description probably cannot do this pie justice, it was probably the best pork pie I have ever tasted. Seriously how can this be Gluten Free & Dairy Free?!

2. Pork & Chilli Pie

Similarly to the award winning traditional Gluten Free Pork Pies that Voakes make, the Pork & Chilli Pie looked too inviting to turn down! It has the same delicious golden pastry on the outside which encases the high quality pork filling. However, the Gluten Free Pork & Chilli Pie has the addition of a mouthwatering hot but sweet chilli chutney, created by Puckett’s Pickles. The chutney brought heat & excitement to the pie. It’s a moist and flavoursome pie, that needs to be tasted by all asap!

3. Chicken Pie

 So I thought it would be good to try out a slightly different product from Voakes Free From, I had always thought of them as just doing the gluten free pork pies, however they also do chicken pies using the exact same pastry. I don’t think I have ever had chicken inside this type of pie so I was intrigued as to how it might work. The chicken filling is succulent and bound by a creamy white sauce. The filling is plentiful too, one thing Voakes never do is scrimp on their filling! If you have, or haven’t, tried a chicken pie, essentially created with ‘Pork Pie’ pastry, I would highly recommend you try this. It is, in my opinion, glorious!! 

 4. Sausage Roll

I have loved sausage rolls my whole life. I must admit I have probably eaten a lot more bad quality sausage rolls compared to good quality. This is the best sausage roll I have ever consumed, & it is gluten free. Just like their Gluten Free Pork Pies the filling is exquisite. The pork is seasoned perfectly & the pastry is traditionally luxurious. It melts in the mouth & is perfectly flakey. How this pastry is dairy free & gluten free is beyond me again! I could certainly do with one of these piping hot on a chilly day or cold dipped in chutney on a hot summers day. I could seriously eat this every single day.

Voakes Free Free From seriously know how to do free from. I wanted to know what all the fuss was about when I saw their Gluten Free Pork Pies won the big prize at the Free From Awards 2015. I certainly understand why they won now. Adding these four amazing gluten free items to my basket was one of the greatest things I have done in 2015 so far. 

There isn’t a soul on this earth who enjoys a pork pie, or a sausage roll that wouldn’t enjoy these. Those who eat gluten would never be able to tell the difference & would definitely prefer these delicious products to any supermarket bought pork pie. Mark & I have rarely commented on how high quality a meat tastes, but upon trying the Voakes Free From products, we did just that.

Where can I get myself Gluten Free Pork Pies & the rest of the range from Voakes?

Well, like I did you can purchase all Voakes products on their website. They are incredibly efficient in sending orders out so I would highly recommend this option. My pies came perfectly in a chilled box with icepacks. Click here to visit their website for the online shop.

On their website they also have a list of stockists & markets where you can purchase the Voakes Free From range. It is really simple… just type in your postcode and it will show you the closest places to where you live that you can buy some tasty gluten free pork pies! Click here for the Stockists & Markets page.

I cannot recommend Voakes Free From Pies enough. Have you tried them before? Let me know what you think if you have. Or if you have a passion for pork pies & sausage rolls, let me know how much you have been missing them since eating gluten free! Leave a comment below. Or on Facebook/Twitter.

Thanks for reading, I’m off for another slice of pie!

Becky xxx

REVIEW: Voakes Gluten Free Pork Pies, Sausage Rolls & more!

The FreeFrom Eating Out Awards 2015 - Open for Entries!

Have you heard of The FreeFrom Eating Out Awards? Well if you haven’t you should of! The Awards are a great way to learn all about the best places to eat out on a Free From diet (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free etc!) You might find some hidden gems you never knew existed!

The FreeFrom Eating Out Awards had it’s first outing in 2014 after many successful years of the FreeFrom Food Awards. The FreeFrom Eating Out Awards 2015 is all about celebrating the very best Free From Food options when out & about.

In the past it was incredibly difficult for those needing to follow any sort of Free From diet to find suitable options at restaurants, cafes, hotels or even in schools. Whilst this might still be the case in some areas of the country, the improvements made over the last few years has been outstanding. Now, in 2015, we find restaurants & cafes that are 100% gluten free, chain restaurants that are accredited by Coeliac UK, plus fish & chip shops that cater for gluten intolerances, & other free from needs every day of the week!

In December 2014 new regulations were put in place making the food service industry have a legal responsibility to inform customers if any of their foods contain any of the 14 most common allergens. Many restaurants, cafes & other food service establishments are now coming to realise that being aware of the allergens can open up untapped, exciting and lucrative new business. The Free From market is a booming sector in the UK, with so much potential & promise for those willing to take the time to understand the importance of the regulations.

With so many establishments now doing this so well, The FreeFrom Eating Out Awards 2015 seems the perfect way of rewards the best for their hard work. The awards also have the ability to show those who still have work to do, the benefits of catering better for the Free From Food market.

The Category list has had to expand this year with so many amazing places deservedly needing recognition. Here is the Category list for The FreeFrom Eating Out Awards 2015 which opened on the 8th June 2015 & closes on the 28th August 2015. Anyone wishing to enter needs to fill out an entry form before the closing date on the awards website. Click here for the details.

• Cafés and teashops
• Pubs and pub restaurants
• Independent restaurants and restaurant chains
• Hotels and guests houses
• Schools, colleges and universities
• Foods manufactured for food service
• Street food and takeaways
• Fish and chip shops
• Corporate hospitality and catering

I can already think of loads of different places that I think deserve an award in The FreeFrom Eating Out Awards 2015, can you?

It would be great if you have any ideas for any of the categories listed that you leave a comment below. I would love to hear of your favourite Free From hot spots. Who deserves recognition for providing delicious food in an environment that you love & trust?

Also why not let your favourite cafe/restaurant etc know about The Free From Eating Out Awards 2015… they might not even know about it! They do not have to be solely a Gluten Free Restaurant for instance, they just need to offer a certain amount of dishes & have great Free From knowledge! Click here for the entry rules.

If you want to have a look at the 2014 winners and runners up of The FreeFrom Eating Out Awards then click here, you might even find some places you haven’t even tried!

I loved reading and researching all those shortlisted last year & eating at some of them too! It really is a great way to celebrate the positives of the Free From Eating Out industry. The positives are so often overlooked, (especially online) & we are often too quick to shout about establishments that have done a bad job. The FreeFrom Eating Out Awards is the perfect way to find out about whats great… whats positive… whats fabulous, in terms of eating out on any free from diet.

As I said, leave a comment below with your favourite free from places to eat out… whether that be for gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, nut free, soya free, egg free… etc or a combination of many!

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

The FreeFrom Eating Out Awards 2015 - Open for Entries!

Gluten Free Recall: There"s GLUTEN in Free From Products??

So suddenly Gluten Free Recall is the big topic of conversation. How can so many supermarkets & brands get this so wrong. Everyone makes mistakes but this is a mistake that will make a massive difference to a lot of people. This is surely not ok, right? Lets get some discussion going all in one place… First things first, who is involved this time?

 1) Sainsburys

 2) Tesco

 3) Asda

 4) Genius & Livwell

 So how do you feel about this? We all know that human error occurs in life & mistakes can be made. But how could this really happen? How could so many people who are part of the food manufacturing journey miss this? Have you been affected by this or know somebody who has?

Get your comments written down below & lets get the discussion going. & make sure you SHARE this post around if you know anyone who might be affected, they need to know & I would love to know their thoughts too.

As individuals we sadly make very little difference, but as a whole we can make a difference. We need to let these brands know how we feel & make sure mistakes like this are impossible.

Thanks for reading & hope nobody has been affected by this,

Becky xxx

Gluten Free Recall: There"s GLUTEN in Free From Products??

A Gluten Free Bread Maker? Zero Gluten Baker.

A Gluten Free Bread Maker? Surely not… I discovered the Zero Gluten Baker last year & have wanted one ever since. Now I’ve finally got one… I thought I would share it with you…

I thought it would be nice to start the gluten free bread maker adventure at stage one… unboxing it! So here is a unboxing video where I get to know my Zero Gluten Baker for the very first time!

I feel like I have had quite a ‘journey’ with gluten free bread over the years. Remember all the gluten free tightly sealed bread of the past.. that I always said tasted ‘gluten free’. Well, that still exists, but now we have much more choice on the supermarket shelves in terms of gluten free bread. There is no denying that the gluten free bread we can buy these days is 100 times better than 5 years ago; however, it is incredibly expensive & still has it’s flaws in comparison to regular bread.

We are very limited in the types of bread we can get in regular supermarkets. Gluten Free bread is usually prepackaged & very limited in range. If you ever venture into the regular bread section you will see so many different types of bread that you have probably never even tried…

There are some amazing independent brands and local shops that do provide gluten free bread but they are few & far between. I want to be able to eat Brioche, Ciabatta & Foccacia. I want to be able to eat delicious sweet breads. But without travelling & paying over the odds, this is difficult.

Last year at the Allergy & Free From Show North in Liverpool, I came across a solution. The Zero Gluten Baker is a gluten free bread maker. Now, I don’t know if you have tried to make gluten free bread in a regular bread maker; but personally for me, it is a tricky process & I never got it right. It wasn’t worth the time, effort & money of buying the ingredients… in fact, supermarket gluten free bread tasted better.

So, you can imagine my absolute joy & excitement when I came across a gluten free bread maker! They were giving out samples of the freshly baked bread from the Zero Gluten Baker at the Allergy Show & I was incredibly impressed. I instantly wanted one.

That was in late October, & it is now June. So I guess you could say I didn’t want one that badly… well you would be wrong. When living in a flat with limited space & a smaller than I would like bank account… priorities are important! However, despite the fact 8 months on I have no more space, I decided to take the plunge. I mean, the amount of money I have spent on gluten free bread in supermarkets since last October is not worth thinking about!

Anyway, so now I have a Zero Gluten Baker, the first uniquely gluten free bread maker! I also have a recipe book for it, with a ton of mouthwatering pictures (I love bread A LOT!). & I can’t wait to get started! I want to take you along with me on the gluten free bread maker ride. I thought it would be nice for others to see my thoughts and experiences using it! The video at the top of the page is an unboxing video so you can see what you get inside the box. You can also watch the video by clicking here.

Fresh, healthy, delicious home baked bread is worth everything to me, so I am very, very excited.

How do you get on making your own home baked gluten free bread? Do you do it regularly or do you buy it in the supermarkets? Or do you not eat bread… why? Let me know your thoughts on everything bread in the comments below. Or leave a comment on Facebook/Twitter.

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

A Gluten Free Bread Maker? Zero Gluten Baker.