GOWalk - Skechers

Loving my discovery of GOwalk from Skechers.

They are really light, like walking on air and just right for this time of year when the weather can't quite be trusted for sandals!  Might have to have a bright, funky coloured pair of slip-ons for the summer.

** Kate**    

Blog Resurrection

It looks like after a 3 year gap I am resurrecting this blog.  Our allergy situation at home is unchanged.  The not so Small-n-Grubby is still following a restricted food diet.  We have introduced most of the foods from his original urticaria exclusion diet.  He hasn't had an allergic reaction for 8 years, so unless he has grown out of it, we are doing something right!  He now avoids nuts in any form (including products that may contain traces), sesame, preservatives (benzoates, sulphites, nitries), artificial colours and any other additives we aren't sure about.  I think he will stay on this diet for some time now.  He isn't keen to be tested for allergens and I can't see myself purposefully feeding him sulphur dioxide to see what happens, he just doesn't need to eat that stuff!

His hero product is currently Bakin' Boys Flapjack.

One of the few snack products he can buy off the shelf.

For me it's no wheat, rye, barley or oats.  I am shying away from saying gluten free as it's no longer the best description for me (see previous post).

With Small-n-Grubby being vegetarian by choice and Branston Pickle being a picky eater, not to mention having a typical teenage daughter, I am often found in the kitchen cooking at least 3 different evening meals.  I have found a few recipes where one meal suits all and I will be sharing them here among my rants and raves about all things food related.

** Kate **

Gluten Free Oats - a rant!

Gluten free oats used to be a mysterious and rare substance.  After all oats are gluten free, right?  Well yes they are, but they become contaminated in the milling process (by wheat or rye for example.)  In the last 18 months or so I have seen them become much more readily available and lots of gluten free products now contain them.

This matters not a jot if, like me, you can't eat oats, whether they are gluten free or gold plated they are still oats.  Oats naturally contain a substance called avenin, which for some people will have a similar affect on their digestive system as gluten.  I can vouch for this as I sit here this evening with stomach cramps awaiting other digestive misery!

I've been seriously avoiding gluten for about 12 years.  I tried gluten free oats but they weren't an option for me.  Regrettably, I think I am in the minority as even a mini survey of gluten free friends on twitter hasn't turned up an oat free pal.

Whilst the options for delicious, gluten free convenience foods widen my options are shrinking.  Tesco Free From cookies, that I used to love, now have an improved recipe.
   

They've added gluten free oat flour!

Today I bought and ate a 9bar, as I've done many times before.  Love 9bar, gluten free snacks and here was a new 'breakfast' one in a box at the till that I hadn't tried before.  Labelled gluten free, has the crossed grain symbol.

Quick scan of the allergens in bold, no problems there.

My own fault, I suppose, I should have stood in the store, at the till, with the queue behind me and read every single ingredient as I realise I now must do with every gluten free product I buy in future.  

There is a possibility that the minuscule writing under the crossed grain symbol is the incorrect licence and I will be looking into this further, checking other similar products.  But, in the meantime, I may need to buy a magnifying glass to take shopping with me!

~ Kate ~ 

Meeting a hero of mine

Today I met Dinah Alison, quite by chance.  As we were dropping off the children at bell ringing practice I saw that the church hall was being used for a Coeliac UK fair.  As an unofficial Coeliac I was very interested in this and went along later to have a look.  The fair itself was fascinating, lots of information to look through and so many free samples of food I don't think I will need to eat again today!  As I was cruising around the stalls I realised the next one was selling the book Totally Flour-Free Baking - my hero book that gave the name for this blog - see my post in June 2007 here. 

{{{picture of the 2 of us to be inserted here as soon as I figure out how to get it off himself's phone!}}}

It was wonderful to find Dinah actually behind the stall and I gushed on embarrassingly about how wonderful her book is, how much I have used it and how successful the recipes have been.  What a great start to the weekend!

** Kate ** 

Benzoic Acid Free Diet

I have had an enquiry about a list for a benzoic acid free diet. This is a copy of the diet sheet we originally had from the hospital. Please remember this was over 3 years ago now. Hope it's readable.

I have added the words pineapple, mango and pears myself as these were specific quirks of my son's diet.

** Kate **

"I don't believe it"

How can I not have blogged here in nearly a year!!!

I have several cooked Christmas gifts planned so mental note to self to get those projects up on line.

** Kate **

Chocolate Muffins

Most 'chefs' have a signature dish. Mine has turned out to be muffins! (although I'm not too bad a sauces either).

This is so quick. Don't be precious about it, don't sieve anything, just bung it all together following the instructions below.

6oz Plain flour

1oz Cocoa powder

3tsp Baking powder

Half tsp Bicarbonate of soda

3oz Demerara sugar

2 and a half oz Butter

1 Large egg

150ml Milk

Pre-heat the oven to 200c and prepare a muffin tin with 12 cases.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set to one side.

Melt the butter.

Measure out the milk and then beat the egg into it, then beat in the melted butter.

Stir the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients, lumps are OK, lumps are good.

Divide the mixture between the muffin cases. (If you have proper muffin cases from somewhere like Lakeland the mixture probably won't rise over the top. If you want 'muffin tops' use cake cases or try greasing and baking directly in the tray).

Cook for approx 20 minutes, if you press the cake top lightly it should be springy.

Turn out onto a cooling tray and enjoy.

Makes a great loaf cake too. Same mixture into a 1lb lined loaf tin. Cook for about 30-35 minutes.

I must end by giving credit to Nigella Lawson who started me off on muffin baking with her Christmas Morning Cranberry Muffins. That was a few years ago now and have changed her recipe around and made many variations - enough for a book!!

** Kate **