Vital Ingredient - Healthy Gluten Free Lunch

I try not to eat out too often as I'm always scared of feeling sick. But every once in awhile I just want to feel normal and go out to grab some lunch with friends at work. Since I can't eat at most places, I don't usually go. I just tend to be a burden to them since I can't eat at most places.

One day a dear friend of mine introduced me to Vital Ingredient. I already had a lunch so I just went to give her some company. As I walked in the the menu was plastered with GF, WF, DF and I was quite impressed. I told myself I had to come back one day…

And that one day is today! I finally made my way back there to actually get lunch. I asked the manager what salad dressings were gluten free and he said one minute and walked away. Few minutes later he came out with a binder and showed me that all the salad dressings were gluten free. It was so nice to see this binder! As most times, employees just say it is gluten free without checking or even knowing what gluten is. I looked through the binder and a majority of soup options are also gluten free.

Vital Ingredient staff were very helpful and I had a very delicious lunch. If you walk by this place in London, I highly recommend coeliacs to sit down and enjoy some food!

Starbucks GF Hazelnut & Chocolate Slice

Starbucks Gluten Free Hazelnut and Chocolate Slice

I have searched high and low for the Starbucks Gluten Free Hazelnut and Chocolate slice. And guess what?! I found it at a store on my birthday! How perfect. So I grabbed it for breakfast. I never eat cakes and things like that, but hey it was my birthday I'm allowed too.

I've had Starbucks gluten free brownies before, and this chocolate loaf was basically the delicious brownie with hazelnuts on top. It tasted nice and rich and hazelnut gave it a different taste as well. However, since I had this loaf for breakfast, pretty early in the morning, I was on chocolate overdose. I think this would be the ideal snack for tea time, but way to heavy and sweet for breakfast.

If you're lucky and manage to find this, definitely a nice sweet treat. Personally, too sweet for me. Won't be having it for awhile now.

Fria Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

One of the best stands at this year's Allergy and Free From show was Fria.  Fria is the Scandinavian market leader in gluten-free bakery products.

And boy are there products delicious!!! My favorite product from all the sampling I did from the whole show was there cinnamon rolls!!!! I've never had a gluten free cinnamon roll and man I've MISSED them. My London family always brings Cinnabon cinnamon rolls from the U.S. And my mouth always waters. But I was just so excited to find GF cinnamon rolls. I was told by someone at the Fria counter that Sweden uses cinnamon for a a lot of their foods, so having a cinnamon roll in their gluten free product line was a given and something Swedish gluten free folks couldn't live without.

They also had many other delicious products. Like their bread, rolls and this really nice Swedish style chocolate brownie cake called Kladdkaka. The bread and cake tasted like normal. My husband who isn't gluten free didn't even think they tasted gluten free!

Fria is trying to break into the U.K. Market and have their products available in stores. So write to your local grocery markets and demand Fria products, I know I've already asked!

Amy's Kitchen - Gluten Free Mac & Cheese

Amy's Gluten Free Mac & Cheese

Mac and cheese has got to be one of my favorite meals growing up. When I was diagnosed, I couldn't find ready made packages or anything here in the U.K. Some serious Mac&Cheese withdrawal. 

But luckily, Amy's Gluten Free Kitchen came to the rescue. They really and truly have some amazing ready made meals. My favorites are there mac and cheese and gluten free bean and cheese burrito. The Mac and Cheese taste so normal! It is also creamy, but the calories aren't high. It's low in sodium and not too much fat either which makes it a perfect and quick lunch while you're at work. 

Amy's Kitchen stand at Free From Show in U.K. 

The Amy's range in the U.S is very large and when speaking to Amy's Kitchen representatives at the Free From allergy show, they ensured me more of their range will be making it to U.K. Shelves soon. Very exciting!

If you haven't tried the Mac&Cheese go get it now! In the U.K. I've found it in Asda, Whole Foods and Sainsburys. Any other locations, please do let me know! 

Chipotle is Gluten Free Heaven

Chipotle Burrito Bowl with all the works!

When I go to visit my family in the U.S., I actually feel normal. I don't feel like I have coeliac disease because I can go to so many restaurants and order food just like a normal person. It is a wonderful feeling and I really and truly enjoy eating out when I visit home (and boy do I become a fatty).  I wish the U.K. were more coeliac friendly. 

One stop I always make at least once when I'm home is Chipotle. Everything on the menu is almost gluten free. Check out their link here, which states which of their products are gluten free. 

EVERYTHING is gluten free except there tortillas and eggs. My last visit to the states I went to Boston and Orlando. I asked staff members at both locations and they all knew what coeliac and gluten free was. The worst is when a staff member has no idea... then you know you're in trouble.

I always eat there when I visit home and don't feel sick. If you haven't been to Chipotle, I highly recommend it.

How can you not look at the picture --> and get a watery mouth. 

Domino's Gluten Free Pizza -- Not Suitable for Coeliacs

                                     

Domino's launched a gluten free pizza crust… woohoo! BUT there's a catch — they don't recommend coeliacs to have it. That line brought my excitement level to nothing. Well why is it that the case? Here is an excerpt from Domino's press release

While Domino's new Gluten Free Crust is appropriate for those with mild gluten sensitivity, Domino's and the NFCA do not recommend it for those with celiac disease. Domino's and the NFCA found that while the crust is certified as gluten free, current store operations at Domino's cannot guarantee that each handcrafted pizza will be completely free from gluten.

Basically, the crust is gluten free but the environment it's made in is not gluten free. Let's hope in the near future Domino's make a gluten free kitchen. With the numbers of coeliacs rising and some just choosing to be gluten free because of gluten sensitivity it would be one booming business. Check out this ABC News Video below to get the facts on Domino's gluten free pizza and the rising number of gluten free products.

Marks & Spencers Gluten Free Breaded Cod Fillets

I've looked high and low for these M&S gluten free breaded cod fillets! I looked in three stores and no luck. A work colleague had told me he found them and actually bought them for himself for dinner! I got so excited and told him I haven't been able to find it at my local M&S. So I came into work the next morning and they were at my desk.

I was so thrilled that I had it for dinner that night. They were delicious. I had baked them in the oven and you could never tell it was gluten free. The breadcrumbs went crumbly and once baked they actually became crispy and not soggy. It was so exciting to see M&S come out with this. They also have Chicken and Mushroom bakes, which I haven't been able to find. Since M&S are doing fresh bread crumb products, I also hope they start doing chicken kievs, if anyone has seen gluten free chicken kievs, please do let me know where! I tried making them with this Tesco Gluten Free Chicken Kiev recipe, but it turned out to be a disaster!

Any spottings of breaded dinner items, please comment and let me know where!

Gluten Free Croutons-Juvela Crostini Bites

Tomato soup and Juvela Crostini Bites

Before I was a coeliac, one of my favorite lunches used to be soup with some croutons. The lunch was healthy and filling. After I was diagnosed, I still craved soup and croutons. I could take GF bread to substitute the croutons, but I'm not a fan of GF bread unless it's toasted. So I went bananas looking for a croutons equivalent in the U.K. I didn't have much luck. Whole Foods' Market in the Boston had amazing croutons, but how much of that can my mom send me every year? Postage does get quite expensive.

When Juvela sends out its news letter every month, they tend to give away products from time to time. Well, one newsletter, they gave away their new product, Juvela Crostini Bites. I was quite excited to see this, but wasn't going to get too excited until I actually tried it. Few days later, I received it in the mail. With soups and salads these crostinis were pure bliss! It was exactly what I was looking for. I use crostinis in my soup, salads and even break them up into a crunchy breadcrumb.

I don't usually order gluten free products online, but these crostinis are one exception. It's only £2.39 for a pack and at times Juvela does offer free shipping.  If you haven't tried them yet, you're missing out!

Mrs Crimble's Oven Baked Corn and Potato Bites -- Coming Soon!

I recently received an email from Mrs. Crimble's to taste test some of their new products. Within minutes of the email, I responded and sent in my details. Who does love free samples of things?!

A week or so later, I received a delicious box of corn and potato bites. The flavors ranged from  from sweet chili, cheese and onion, lightly salted and salt vinegar. They were absolutely delicious! They tasted very light and felt a lot healthier than eating normal fried or baked potato chips. If I had to pick a favorite flavor, I don’t think I could. Each had its own unique taste.

I really look forward to these hitting the grocery store shelves. Not sure when they will, but I'll be waiting. And you may wonder where the photo to the right comes from? Well, Mrs. Crimble's also sent some promotional leaflets, so until the real thing is out, the cutouts will have to do!

Warburton's Gluten Free Blueberry & Cranberry Muffins

This is by far my favorite Warburton's Gluten Free item — blueberry and cranberry muffins (you can tell from the photo since there is only one left in a crumbly packing :-) )

In my 1.5 years of being a coeliac, these are the best muffins I've had. They are so fresh and don't leave a powdery after taste. I usually cut in half, spread some butter and warm it up in the microwave for 30 seconds. It makes the taste come out even more and is very soft and moist.

I always have a hard time with breakfast at work since I can't toast things. But this is an ideal breakfast for a working morning.

They also have lemon and poppy seeds muffins. With Warburton's products, I always find a variety of their products at Waitrose.

If this is not a product you've tried, I highly recommend it.