Coeliacs can get ill too

Well I returned from Germany last Friday with the most horrendous gastric flu. Oh man I don't want to be that ill again for a long time throwing up is one of my most hated things. A week later and a fair few pounds lighter I am still recovering but at least I can eat again now. If I had £1 for every time someone asked me if I'd eaten anything I shouldn't, I'd have a nice amount for some festive drinkies! 'No' I'd say 'I am actually ill from all them germies flying about!' I really don't get ill with flu that much any more since being diagnosed with Coeliac disease which is why I got asked this question so many times.

They looked after me very well in Germany the country I name the Land of Gluten! They bought me gluten free biscuits so I would not feel left out when they ate cakes, my cousin brought me 3 loafs of GF bread so I could have breakfast (not that I needed that many but thank you lol!) and when making dinner my Aunty separated my food from theirs to ensure cross contamination would not happen and I even came home with some gluten free versions of my favourite festive treats. A very happy me. Family I applaud you xxx

Merry Christmas all, eat safe!

The Miracle Noodle!

Originally Shirataki Noodles were marketed towards people who are wanting lose weight but the Noodles are suitable for Vegetarians, vegans and people with diabetes, as well as people with wheat intolerance or allergies to gluten or soy. As well as helping with weight loss, the Noodles also have many other health benefits and so can improve over all health when incorporated into the diet.
 
Although Shirataki Noodles are predominantly used as a pasta alternative in the UK, they are actually not a carbohydrate at all. They are classed as a vegetable (bonus) and are made up of only water and fibre but have a similar, but slightly more gelatinous, consistency to pasta. Being relatively flavour free, they take up the flavour of whatever sauce they are combined with when cooked.
 Shirataki Noodles originate from Japan and are made from a root plant called the Konjac plant. They are largely composed of the soluble fibre Glucomannan along with water, it is this fibre that adds to the vast health benefits of the food.


I've tried a tested these and I just love them. Noodles is something I really miss and I was ecstatic when I discovered these through a fellow blogger (Thanks Cassie from http://www.blogilates.com). I've had them in soups and with sauces and was pleasantly surprised by how well they hold the flavour of the soup or sauce. And knowing they are naturally gluten free and classed and a veg pleases both my brain and my tum! 


Noodle away my fellow  Gluten freeions!  

They can be purchased in the UK from: Zero Noodles Miracle Noodle Amazon and probably most Chinese and Japanese supermarkets on the high streets and online.

If you try some let me know what you think.

Banana Bread

My first recipe post woo hoo! This is a favourite in our household :o)

Excuse the slightly darker bits in the top of the loaf I used all the manky bananas I had in the house for this particular loaf and it took longer than usual to cook but it was still nomtastic!


3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar (or for the sweeter toothed 3/4 of a cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups of gluten free flour


(You can also add additional ingredients to suit your taste. I like to add chopped Almonds and a couple of tea spoons of cinnamon. Walnuts and Pecans also go great.)


Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.
Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla.
Sprinkle the baking soda over the mixture and mix in.
Add the flour last, mix.
Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan.
Bake for 1 hour.
Cool on a rack.
Remove from pan and slice to serve


Try and enjoy. Let me know how it goes if you decide to make it.

To Prescribe or not to prescribe!

An update about Gluten Free food on prescription. You may find interesting :o) 


http://www.coeliac.org.uk/gluten-free-diet-lifestyle/food-on-prescription/gluten-free-prescriptions-%E2%80%93-what-we%E2%80%99re-doing-to-help

Apology of the non direct kind!

http://www.coeliac.org.uk/node/190132


The NHS Wales have commented on yesterdays article in the Dailymail that unjustifiably gave Coeliacs that received food on prescription  a bad name. They have confirmed today that the figures were indeed incorrect and Gluten free prescribing to Diagnosed Coeliacs was essential to helping maintain their health . Ah ha in your face Dailymail!!!  It's not exactly an apology but I'll accept it!!!

DailyMail fail!!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2016291/NHS-pays-32-27-loaf-bread-thats-gluten-free-costs-2-25.html#comments


Today the DailyMail published an article giving people with Coeliac disease bad press. Apparently we are a drain on the state because bread on prescription from the NHS costs the tax payer £32 a loaf.


It is complete and utter codswhollop!!! The price is in fact for 8 loafs of bread not one. Once again the press are fueled with incorrect facts and have managed to paint Coeliacs in a bad light in one foul swoop! I hope they have been inundated with complaints all day and publish an apology to us in the near future Hahahaha! Dreaming much!!!!


 An anger fuel comment was posted by me soon after reading many idiotic remarks on the article which I can not find right now but let it be known I had a rant!!!!

Add a little zest to your life!

I don't know about you guys but I find store bought gluten free cakes a little hit and miss! The bad being to dry and crumbly and the good always on the tad pricey side right! 
I always liked the  The American Muffin Co. mini muffins although they may be a bit on the dry side I have never really had that feeling of disappointment when munching down on one! That is until I tried their Lemon cake bites. I found a box at my local Co Op and I have to say it is one of the best things that over priced supermarket stocks. They are in my opinion the moistest little slices of zesty heaven I've had the pleasure of chowing down on! My favorite find so far although my waist line may not be so forgiving!

Vimto Alert!!!

I have just discovered Vimto contains Barley I am absolutely gutted!!! I made the rooky mistake by not checking the labels of drinks, Why because I was naive and didn't think they would add gluten to a drink! Except Robinson Fruit and Barley as it states the obvious (rolls eyes at my stupidity). Lesson learnt from this, always check the labels even on a drink!!! I seriously want to cry, good bye my old child hood friend!!!

Sushi Delight

 I thought it was only appropriate to give my first restaurant post to one of my favorite places to eat. The Sushi restaurant called  Wocktastic in Birmingham City Centre located in  the Paradise forum. We eat hear on a regular basis since we discovered the all you can eat Sushi bar for £11.99 pp Nom, nom, nom. If you haven't guessed the other half and I love Sushi! As restaurants go this place has always been the best accommodating me when ever i have gone there and have always been interested to learn from me. As they prepare all their Sushi with wasabi sauce on it, we being coeliacs of course not able to eat it. This is no problem for them they will just make you your own platter. 

Now thats what you call a platter right?

 Foolishly we decided to try a new Sushi place the other night but we ended up having to leave as they couldn't understand what I needed. Not their fault it was language barriers but it was better to be safe rather than sorry. 

So after my other half had to stop me from feeling guilty for having to leave, we trotted along on to our regular Sushi place. When being seated by the manger he presented me with a bottle of wheat free soya sauce. I was chuffed to say the least. We later found out that the reason they had started to stock the soya sauce was partly because of me eeeek! As I have visited their establishment  so many times and they had a few more customers recently with the same problem the manager fought to get the sauce in. I love this place!!!

You will have to excuse the awful picture but it was a very proud moment for me!

My Top Tips to living a happy Gluten Free life!

Tip 1: Accept it! It isn’t the end of the world being diagnosed with coeliac disease. So you can’t have simple day to day things like bread, cereals or biscuits. When I was diagnosed with coeliac disease I was so relieved to finally find out what was making me so ill even the thought of eating something containing gluten was incomprehensible.

Tip 2: Learn how to cook! My Mum taught us from a young age but I was never really too interested in it until I got diagnosed. The last couple of years I’ve become so much more adventurous and creative in the kitchen. I have to say it’s been a godsend I don’t really feel like I miss out on anything because I will just try to make it and adapt it to my needs.

Tip 3: Eat healthy and Keep Fit! Just because your gluten free don’t think you are no longer prone to putting weight on! You still need to have a balanced diet of fruit and veg and all your other essentials like calcium and protein. Do regular exercise not only does it keep you trim but it makes you feel good too.

Tip 4: Educate family and friends! Make sure your family and friends know how to adapt to your needs. None of them want to be responsible for making you ill! I’m lucky as my other half’s mother is also Coeliac they were a big help in educating me about many things such as cross contamination etc: My sister used to make desserts that I couldn’t eat if we had a family get together. She used to say that baking with gluten free flour tasted horrible  well excuuuuuuse me lol!!!!!. One day I took matters in to my own hands and made a homemade gluten free apple crumble. Low and behold it was delicious and you couldn’t tell it was gluten free! Now my whole family are very good at adapting to my needs and my sis makes me lovely meals when I go round, haha Score!!!

Tip 5: Always fight Back! On numerous occasions I have had my food contaminated even when I have been very specific of my needs, the best was when I had my starter served on bread!!!!! I have also been made to feel like I shouldn’t be in their restaurant because I can’t eat the food the way they prepare it and it was such an effort to be careful and adapt the meal for me. Pfft! If you are ever ill after eating in a restaurant or ever made  to feel unwelcome, complain verbally or in writing. I once received £50 in vouchers and a promise that the staff members would undergo all the necessary training on dietary needs!!! One day the world will be educated!!! 

So that is how I cope with being a Ceoliac the last one is a little aggressive but it works for me and I feel they should be more aware of our condition. The tips are just to help you along not a guideline to follow. Everyone has different ways in coping and what works for one may not work for another. I’d be really interested on how you cope with being Ceoliac so please feel free to share.

Gluten Free Foodies Blog!

I have finally gotten around to creating my blog after I finally made the decision what kind of blog I wanted to write !I’m dedicating my blog to those of us who have to live life Gluten Free. Having coeliac disease can be frustrating and at times upsetting! Food shopping can be infuriating and time consuming! And eating out can be a gamble with your health especially when people don’t take your needs seriously! So this is my blog where I will be sharing my recipes with you, I have become very creative in the past few years, I’m hoping to do some video tutorials with me in the kitchen but I am gathering my confidence for that so please give me time! I will also be give my opinions of gluten free products on the market! Plus duh duh duh , reviews of restaurants I’ve eaten at!

Please stay tuned, like I say in my statement, just because we live gluten free does not mean we have to live pleasure free!