So, here I still am. My domain renewal came up recently, which means I’ve been blogging for a year. I wasn’t sure how long I would last as a blogger, so I’m quite pleased to have made it to my first ‘birthday’. It also means I’ve been gluten free for 18 months. And what an interesting time that has been…
I’ve discovered many new and different (to me) foods and alternative ways of cooking, or indeed not cooking and eating raw. I’ve been on a culinary journey of discovery to try to find a new normal as far as food is concerned, and I’m slowly figuring out new family favourites. Our family diet is so much healthier as a result of cooking pretty much everything from scratch, but the amount of time I spend in my kitchen has increased almost exponentially. Well, it probably hasn’t, but it feels that way. And the food bill has definitely increased.
One thing that continues to surprise me, although it really shouldn’t by now, is just how often I find myself having to talk about Coeliac disease and gluten free food. Barely a day goes by when I don’t have to explain myself or my behaviour or my menu choice to somebody, or make sure they understand what’s required. I check the ingredients of everything. It’s a source of constant frustration that I’m not allowed to forget about being coeliac for more than a few hours at a time!
Also this year the allergen laws were updated so understanding of coeliac disease and availability of food is improving, but experience tells me that in spite of this, the vast majority of people still don’t understand the condition. And why would they? Although it governs my entire existence, I’m very much in the minority.
Still, I went to our village’s ‘play on the green’ yesterday, where 3 friends and I took our camping chairs to watch a fabulous production of the Man in the Iron Mask. One of my friends brought a picnic for us all to share and do you know what? There wasn’t a single thing I couldn’t eat. What a lovely treat and what wonderful friends. I’m a very lucky coeliac.
It’s been a while since I’ve had the opportunity to have lunch at 
My oldest friend (as in length of time, not age) came round to stay the other week and very kindly brought me a bag of gluten free goodies from a farm shop in Congleton (I think). The thing I was most excited to try was this packet of 
I had mine with some BBQ leftovers – hummous, coleslaw, lentils and veg, but they would be great with any toppings really – cottage cheese, salsa etc. I found two was plenty with my salad as a light lunch.
I’ve had some fun this afternoon making retro fairy cakes using a gluten free Vanilla Sponge Mix from 
I started with this mix, which can be used to make 2 regular 20cm sponges for a birthday or Victoria sponge cake. But I fancied making some old fashioned buns, and I ended up making an assortment of little fairy cakes and a few bigger blueberry muffins. They were nice and quick to make, although I did then spend a while playing around with the different toppings.
I don’t tend to buy much gluten free cake mix or indeed really make cakes very often, as my skin is still quite sensitive to sugar. Mind you, it’s got a lot less sensitive the longer I’ve been gluten and sugar free(-ish), so things are starting to look up.
It was light, moist, soft and actually had the texture of CAKE, properties which aren’t always guaranteed with a gluten free sponge cake. All this and it didn’t even have a filling. I can’t praise it highly enough. It was also still slightly warm from the oven, which was lovely, and had a thin drizzle of icing on the top that had dripped down the side.
