The Allergy & Free From Show 2015 - The Movie!

The Allergy & Free From Show in London is always my favourite event I attend every year. 2015 was no different… the event was organised beautifully & was stocked full of amazing free from products as well as some very inspirational people. Here is my video tour of the day!

As you can see, I had an amazing time & I can’t wait until the next Allergy & Free From Show in Liverpool (November 2015). I hope everyone who went had a great time too & picked up lots of goodies. It is not only a place to pick up lots of great gluten free (& other free from) products; it is also a place where you can feel at home… a place where for once you don’t feel like you’re the only one!

If you didn’t get the chance to be there this time round, I would highly recommend planning to go to the next one… even if it is quite a trek from where you are based! Plan in advance & you will have a wonderful experience! There is nothing quite like it.

Let me know what your top finds & best bits were at The Allergy & Free From Show 2015. Is there any brand in particular that you feel needs a shout out? It would be great to hear what you thought & share the love. Please feel free to leave a comment below, or on Facebook/Twitter.

I will be putting up a couple more posts from my time at The Allergy & Free From Show so please take a read of them when they go up too!

If you enjoyed my video, please check out some more of my Gluten Free Videos by Clicking HERE! If you subscribe… you’ll never miss a video. (Highly recommended!!) 

Thanks for watching & reading!

Becky xxx

The Allergy & Free From Show 2015 - The Movie!

What is Gluten?

So, you can’t eat gluten. But what is gluten? I often refer to it as the devil, but now thinking about it I don’t think that is wholly, scientifically true. I found this video & thought it was amusing. So I thought I would share it:

So… what is Gluten?!

Many of us have problems consuming gluten. It might be due to autoimmune diseases such as Coeliac Disease or due to a gluten intolerance. But… what is gluten?

It came to my attention that I don’t actually know exactly what gluten is… I think I am slightly clearer on it’s definition than those in the above video… but I’m still not fully clear.

So according to LiveScience… Gluten is:

“Gluten refers to the proteins found in wheat endosperm (a type of tissue produced in seeds that’s ground to make flour). Gluten both nourishes plant embryos during germination and later affects the elasticity of dough, which in turn affects the chewiness of baked wheat products.

Gluten is actually composed of two different proteins: gliadin (a prolamin protein) and glutenin (a glutelin protein).

Though “true gluten” is sometimes defined as being specific to wheat, gluten is often said to be part of other cereal grains — including rye, barley and various crossbreeds — because these grains also contain protein composites made from prolamins and glutelins.”

That’s all folks…

Now that we all know what gluten actually is… we can continue not to eat it Have you anymore gluten related questions?! Let me know in the comments below, or on Facebook/Twitter.

Thanks for reading & learning with me…

Becky xxx

What is Gluten?

Mandy"s Gluten Free - Gluten Free Pies & Scones

Buying gluten free produce that’s, created in a purpose built gluten free kitchen, by a passionate coeliac is music to my ears. That is exactly what Mandy’s Gluten Free is. 

I love writing about my gluten free discoveries. I also love finding out other people’s gluten free discoveries on Facebook & Twitter. Facebook is exactly how I found out about Mandy’s Gluten Free & I’m so pleased I did!

Mandy is a Coeliac herself. She was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease after going through six long years of tests from doctors who couldn’t work out what was wrong with her. She was diagnosed age 38, and had been eating a normal diet until this time. I have spoken to a lot of people who have had similar stories to Mandy whereby they spent years undiagnosed. Make sure you check out the Coeliac UK website for details if you think you might have Coeliac Disease, it is very helpful.

It is great to see that Mandy chose to use her frustrations as a motivation to create gluten free foods for everyone to enjoy. Mandy was kind enough to send me a few of her products to try recently & I thought I would share some of Mandy’s Gluten Free offerings with you all!

1) Apple & Blackberry Pie

This pie was the first one to catch my eye. I love making my own fruit pies & crumbles, but I also love just eating them. Mark & I had to try this pie out immediately! We bought some dairy free custard & one night after dinner, shared it whilst watching an episode of Game of Thrones! The pie was lovely and full of filling, and it went beautifully with the custard.

2) Chicken Pie

We warmed this pie up and ate some of it with our lunch. There were huge chunks of juicy, succulent chicken buried within the delicious pastry crust. I really like it when a filling can be moist, yet the pastry still keeps its form and doesn’t go soggy. This was one of the best gluten free chicken pies I have had.

3) Steak Pie

Now, because Mark can’t really eat red meat I had completely forgotten how amazing a steak pie is. I haven’t had one in years! The meat in this pie was flavoursome beyond belief, & again, the pastry held it’s shape really well. I find with all of Mandy’s gluten free pies that the pastry is actually quite light. For a steak pie this is great, because otherwise you can feel rather lethargic & heavy after eating it. It only needed about 30 minutes in the oven and came out smelling & tasting amazing. With a dollop of mash & some gravy, this is the perfect dinner any day of the week.

4) Mediterranean Vegetable Pie

A Mediterranean Veg Pie sounds rather tasty to me. Essentially, ratatouille surrounded by pastry, yes please! Unfortunately this isn’t the pie for me, as a lot of veg disrupt my stomach. That didn’t mean Mark couldn’t give it a try however! The pie smelt amazing as it emerged from the oven. The filling oozed tomato, peppers, aubergine & courgette. To be honest I think this is a great idea for a pie. So often ratatouille is a side dish, but this puts a whole new spin on it, & makes it even more delicious.

5) Cheesy Leek & Potato Pie

This pie tasted and smelt as good as it sounded. Sadly my issue with onions (and leeks!) meant that I could only really destructively pick my way through the pie rather than eating it ‘pretty’. Nevertheless, I was obsessed with the flavours. I loved how strongly I could taste the rosemary on the potato & there was plenty of oozing cheese throughout. I would imagine with the amount of potato within this pie, it would be quite filling, it would be so worth it though… it is definitely a pie I would recommend.

6) Cheese Scone

Oh my, I love a good cheese scone. I haven’t got round to making my own in a while so this was a nice treat. However, it was a nice treat.. multiple times! This has to be the biggest cheese scone I have ever eaten! It is also one of the best I have ever eaten The sign of a good scone to me is when you can eat it without any topping & it still tastes great. This scone was as cheesy as they come with a flakey, melt in the mouth texture. As a girl obsessed with cheese I opted for eating this with butter & MORE cheese, crazy I know. It rocked my world.

7) Fruit Scone

Not only does Mandy make beastly gluten free cheese scones, she also makes giant gluten free fruit scones, which will definitely be right up your street if you miss a good scone, clotted cream & jam! If you are  looking to have a gluten free afternoon tea for yourself & few gluten free friends then these scones would be a perfect addition. They definitely taste as good as regular scones.

So…

There you have it, that was a few of the thing that Mandy’s Gluten Free has to offer. It is really nice to support smaller businesses like Mandy’s, especially when her products taste so damn good! Whilst I know shipping costs are always a massive problem for so many of you, I think it has to be appreciated that smaller businesses are not trying to rip you off. They are selling fresh & frozen homemade goods that need to be treated with care. To be honest, I would suggest putting in a rather large order & the postage definitely wouldn’t seem so bad then! All the gluten free pies & scones can be put in the freezer so you don’t need to eat them immediately anyway. & I promise you, it will be worth every penny.

You can buy Mandy’s Gluten Free online by clicking here.

Let me know what your favourite smaller gluten free businesses are. Have you tried Mandy’s Gluten Free before? You can leave a comment below, or on Facebook/Twitter.

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

Mandy"s Gluten Free - Gluten Free Pies & Scones

REVIEW: Rennoldson"s Sweet Chilli Sauce with a Twist!

Sweet Chilli Sauce is a welcome addition to so many dishes these days. Rennoldson’s have created Sweet Chilli Sauces for even more occasions by creating 3 signature flavours that are even more versatile than your standard sweet chilli sauce. & what I personally love is that they are natural.

I love sweet chilli sauce. It started as something that I once only ate with prawn crackers, but now I use it much more regularly. However, most sweet chilli sauces you find in the supermarkets are full of nasties & unnatural things that you really shouldn’t be putting inside your body. So it has been a saviour for me to find Rennoldson’s, a company that produces sweet chilli sauces with nothing artificial; they call it… Flavours from Nature!

So what are their sweet chilli sauce flavours from nature?

• Fiery Pineapple, Ginger & All Spice


• Rich Pomegranate Lime & Mint


• Apple, Green Pepper & Bay

Now, there is no shame in initially thinking: “They sound crazy… what the hell would they taste like?!” Because I thought exactly that! I am the least fussy eater you will meet (despite what my food intolerances make out!!), & I was super excited to give them all a try!

Rennoldson’s make their 3 flavours of sweet chilli sauce from:
“whole fruits and vegetables, that are hand juiced in a green oak press to ensure absolute clarity of flavour. A carefully selected secondary flavour is accompanied by a herb or spice to create the perfect balance for each sauce.”

Great news, & better still every sweet chilli sauce that Rennoldson’s produces is both gluten free & dairy free.

this little one decided to look after the sauces like they were her own.

Now for me personally, sweet chilli sauce is a condiment. Something I might drizzle over salmon or use as a dip. However, Rennoldson’s state on the bottle that their sauces would be perfect as a base for a marinade or as a cooking ingredient. So really the possibilities are endless!

I’ve decided to do what I know and stick to using it as a condiment! Unfortunately, for me, I am one of those folk that really struggles to digest anything sugary, whether that be a massive cream cake or some fresh fruit. So I tend to steer clear of marinading meat in this way, even if the sugars are good & natural.

I’m currently visiting my parents so I thought I would do a taste test with them, so they could let me know which sweet chilli sauce they liked best & what they thought of them. I lined them up alongside a few tasty ‘dippers’… cheese & prawns being the favourite dippers! Here are the verdicts: 

Fiery Pineapple, Ginger & All Spice: This was definitely the favourite. We all decided we prefered this to regular sweet chilli sauce. It’s like a sweet & sour sauce with more of a kick to it. It smells amazing too. We enjoyed it so much that the following day we drizzled it over some fried rice at dinner. I would definitely recommend this flavour the most. This tropical taste would go with so many different dishes & snacks.

Rich Pomegranate, Lime & Mint: I initially found the smell of this sauce a little eccentric. I couldn’t tell if I liked it or not. But upon tasting it I changed my mind. The mint flavour really comes through a great deal & makes a chilli mojito party occur in your mouth – a really pleasurable experience! Whilst I wouldn’t pair it with my Chinese fried rice dish, I would have it some Mexican or Spanish flavours. I think it would work a treat!

Apple, Green Pepper & Bay: The spiciest of the sweet chilli sauce is definitely this one! It smells spicy & it definitely is. The green pepper taste comes through a lot & the spiciness somewhat overpowers the sharp granny smith apple flavour. Nevertheless, the combination of apple, green pepper & bay really works in this sweet chilli sauce. My Dad, who is a fan of spicier foods really enjoyed this one & said he would use it with a range of different dishes. Like the other two, it is very versatile but additionally, it’s hot hot hot!!!

Overall all 3 sweet chilli sauce went down rather well.They are refreshing in both flavour & idea. I love the concept & I love the fact they are completely natural. I also love the packaging, it works so well with the vibrant colours of the sweet chilli sauces. These sauces are truly something amazingly different on the palate. I really love them… & will definitely be enjoying all 3 sauces again!

Where can I get Rennoldson’s Sweet Chilli Sauce from?

Rennoldson’s have their own online shop which makes it super easy to grab a bottle wherever, whenever! You can also buy them locally to where they are based in the South West (Bristol/Bath area). Keep your eyes peeled for more locations across the UK!

Are you a sweet chilli sauce fan? Do you like the sound of these sweet chilli sauce twists from Rennoldson’s? What do you eat with your sweet chilli sauce? Let me know by leaving a comment below, or on Facebook/Twitter.

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

 

REVIEW: Rennoldson"s Sweet Chilli Sauce with a Twist!

REVIEW: Silly Yak Gluten Free Pastry

Silly Yak is amazing right? Purely because of the name! Silly-Yak… Coeliac, get it?! They also make Gluten Free Pastry which I recently tried out after finally finding it in Tesco!

I asked a whole bunch of people on Facebook, what they miss in terms of pastry based foods & it reminded me of so many things that I miss! (You forget after a while!) Something I used to eat a lot of… Egg Custard Tarts. So I decided to use my Silly Yak Gluten Free Pastry to create some Gluten Free Egg Custard Tarts! If you want my Gluten Free Egg Custard Recipe using Silly Yak gluten free pastry then click here (I will put the link up soon!)

I found it!!

Now I am one of the worst people for making pastry, however much I follow a recipe, it never turns out quite right. I really struggle to roll pastry out without it sticking, however much flour I use! So for me, even using ready to roll gluten free pastry posed a mission!

With my rolling pin at the ready and a floured surface I got to work rolling out my gluten free pastry. I think my worries that it would potentially stick made to more careful, and it didn’t stick at all. It rolled really nicely like regular pastry, I definitely wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. I used a pastry cutter and cut out my circles to slot into the pastry tin. The pastry was very easy to manage.

I then made my egg custard filling, grated some nutmeg on top & put them in the oven at 190C for around 25-30 minutes. In my rush I completely forgot to glaze my pastry with a little egg (to make it golden!) But they still turned out really well!

Of course you might be able to tell that I go for the ‘rustic’, ‘homemade’ look with how I shape my pastry!! After leaving them to cool. Mum, Dad & myself sat down in the sunshine to give them a try! The pastry was absolutely delicious.

My mum said the pastry was the best she has had for an egg custard tart. Often shop bought egg custards & even pastry ingredients within an egg custard tart recipe, are very sweet. This pastry can be used for both savoury and sweet dishes & thus doesn’t have that unnecessary sweetness. I mean, the custard filling is sweet enough!

The pastry was definitely the perfect accompaniment to the custard filling. It keeps well and doesn’t seem to harden or become less pastry like after a couple of days. (I’ve had this problem with other pastries before!) It is flakey & crisp yet moist all at the same time. There were no soggy bottoms to be seen (Phew!). I am just so super thankful that Silly Yak have created a gluten free pastry… it really will solve a lot of pastry problems!

I bought another pack as well which I will definitely be using in the coming days to make something else… maybe something savoury this time. A simple sausage roll wouldn’t go a miss. & I have NEVER tried a cornish pasty! Crazy, I know!

Just like many of you, I have had a little trouble getting hold of Silly Yak gluten free pastry…. even though it is stocked in a huge amount of Tesco stores across the UK. I was lucky enough to find it after many attempts… so keep on looking. & I guess… keep on buying it & trying it… it’s the only way for companies like Silly Yak to keep going. Plus, this gluten free pastry is only £1.75. For a gluten free product I would definitely say this is an absolute bargain! I look forward to seeing what Silly Yak come up with next, I’m sure they won’t stop at just gluten free pastry. I guess keep your eyes peeled!

Have you had a chance to try out Silly Yak’s gluten free pastry yet? What did you think? Let me know what you made with it… or what you would like to make with it once you get your hands on it! You can do this by leaving a comment below, or on Facebook/Twitter.

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

REVIEW: Silly Yak Gluten Free Pastry

A Gluten Free Bread Maker? Gluten Free Bread Rolls

So I said I would take you on my Gluten Free Bread Maker Journey with me… & that is exactly what I thought I would do today! Today I make, Gluten Free Bread Rolls.. Triple Seeded Bread Rolls!

All 6 of these delicious gluten free bread rolls disappeared very quickly. They had a perfect crusty outside, & the inside was beautifully soft. I can’t really believe I made them! Mark & I enjoyed them with a number of different fillings. A highlight was having one filled with chicken pesto. However, another highlight was eating one warm simply with a little butter! The bread is great, even on it’s own!

So my first attempt at making gluten free bread in the Zero Gluten Baker has definitely been a huge success! Mark has really been loving freshly baked gluten free bread rolls for lunch, as have I. Mark doesn’t even eat gluten free bread, but now I’m baking my own, he is loving it!

I will definitely be using my bread maker even more as time goes on. I want to try it out with sweet and savoury breads. I am really excited to make my own pizza dough too… then I can have my pizza whatever thickness I like! Maybe even a cheeky dairy free cheese stuffed crust?!

DISCOUNT CODE FROM 3RD JULY 2015 ONWARDS… If you fancy giving one of these beautiful Zero Gluten Bakers a go, I have good news…. I will have a discount code that will save each and every one of you £50! I will let you know what it is from 3rd July 2015! Stay tuned!

Let me know if there are any different types of gluten free bread you would like me to try out. What is your favourite type of bread? Are there any types of bread you struggle to find gluten free, but wish you could? Leave a comment below, or on Facebook/Twitter.

Oh & if you enjoyed the video please head over to http://youtube.com/user/glutenfreecuppatea for plenty more gluten free videos! Make sure you subscribe too

Thanks for watching & reading,

Becky xxx

 

A Gluten Free Bread Maker? Gluten Free Bread Rolls

Chiquito - Gluten Free Menu

Chiquito has always done great food, but what is even better about Chiquito is that they have a Gluten Free Menu! Plenty of restaurants offer gluten free options but I’ve had too many experiences of being given a huge unappetising, sticky, laminated allergy folder… a gluten free menu is much more pleasing on the eye!

Chiquito provides a thoroughly epic gluten free menu. (Click the Menu above to enlarge) I can safely say I have enjoyed many items on it, and have no complaints. There is so much choice compared to a lot of other chain restaurants. 

Starters: The Peri Peri Prawns are delicious & who isn’t a fan of Pulled Pork & Cheese Loaded Potato Skins?! If you’re not… Nachos or Halloumi Skewers might tickle your taste buds?!

Mains: Both Fajitas & Tacos can be indulged in by the Gluten Free eater here. No  ‘lettuce wraps’ are being offered instead of what you really want. I know a lot of folk seem to have a thing for using lettuce as a wrap, but personally, you are pointlessly cheating yourself of what you really want. You will never find me eating a lettuce wrap!! There are so many different fillings for your fajitas too, from pulled pork to BBQ chicken.

I also love all the fish & sizzling dishes they do gluten free, they are delicious. Oh, & best of all, all their fries are gluten free, even the sweet potato fries.

Desserts: A dessert beyond sorbet is actually an option here! (Although you can have sorbet if you fancy it!) The hot chocolate & brownie makes an appearance as does my favourite… Apple & Blueberry Crumble with Ice Cream. Yes Please!

I have always found that staff in Chiquito have been extremely helpful and friendly. They never mind switching side dishes on the menu for you, & best of all they are well educated with a smile!

Chiquitos are dotted around all over the place, especially near out of town cinema complexes, so I’m sure there is one close by to you! It has the perfect menu, where there really is something for everyone… oh & don’t forget the cocktails!!

Rub the lizard for good luck when you enter any Chiquitos!

Have you been to Chiquito? How did you find the Gluten Free Menu? Are there other chain restaurants that offer gluten free menus that you prefer? Let me know by leaving a comment below… or on Facebook/Twitter.

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

 

Chiquito - Gluten Free Menu