Gluten Free Wha? A quick 10 Point Guide to eating when you Can't Ate Anything!

"Hi, would you happen to have a bit of gluten free bread around or a bit of soya milk by any chance? No? No problem I'll just have it plain and plain or maybe plainer... I haven't decided yet!"

"So what are you Ceoliac or something?" - next person to ask me this is getting a slap... I wish I could answer this question easily. No i do not have a diagnosis as a Ceoliac or as allergic to Dairy milk... However, this does not translate to my intestines which almost immediately turn themselves inside out should the happening occur that some form of lactose or gluten or spud (haven't a clue, just does) hits my gut. Then the race is on to find the nearest least grotty toilet before my tummy spontaneously combusts or some sort of alien appears out through my belly button.

Call me dramatic but I seriously wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. The pain, the plain, the disappointment, the boredom and then kicking yourself that you shouldnt eat the expensive chocolate someone bought you as a gift or indulge in that fancy coffee that smells like caremel angels make it.

Well, whether you have just discovered this problem or are at your wits end im going to list my favourite super simple, tasty and quick meals that won't have you attached to the toilet bowl nor getting looked at by your friends when you produce it in a tupperware box in public.

2 Quick, Simple Tasty Breakies

- Jar 'o' Porridge - for the more pretentious among us, you will know this as 'overnight oats', but to the rest of us its a jar of porridge that you made last night and tastes pretty good this morning in the traffic on the way to work. This however is no normal porridge, oh no! This is Buckwheat flakes with almond, soya or cocoanut milk mixed with seeds, nuts, berries. 5 mins to make the night before and sealed tight for on the move women. Team with a travel cup of herbal tea or coffee with your favourite above milk and you have a very enjoyable breakfast.

- Blueberry Pancakes - You feel like being lazy? Hit Aldi or Lidl for Gluten free pancakes or make your own in a couple of minutes and keep them for later, reheat them in microwave and then drizzle honey or your favourite syrup over them followed by blueberries. Blend some frozen fruit in a quick blender and bring it with you and you've got yourself a very tasty, respectible and super quick breakie.

2 Quick, Simple Tasty Lunches

- Mozarella, Beetroot, Spinach & Rocket Salad - Its exactly what it says on the tin folks - add a dressing of your choice and maybe ever a few seeds to be fancy and the sit down, put your phone away and enjoy it. You can make a tasty vinegarette dressing by mixing olive oil and white wine vinegar to your liking and popping in a small bit of pesto while youre at it. Simple, cheap and transportable for easy eating. Team with a Herbal fruity tea to feel seriously healthy or loads of water and a frozen berry smoothie to freshen the taste buds after.

- Omelette - 2 eggs, sweet pepper, spinach, goat's cheese and sun dried tomatoes - Whisk up the eggs and tear up the spinach and sun dried tomatoes then pop them into a non stick frying pan on a medium heat and let set, mean while chop our peppers and goats cheese and toss them in after you've turned your omelette, then fold and wait until cheese is melty and you cant take the smell anymore! Voile, c'est fine!

2 Quick, Simple, Tasty Dinners

- Roast in the Foil Chicken - You can either use a store bought "roast in the bag" seasoning mix and bag or a do it yourself style as follows; In a roasting tin, sit your chicken on a sheet of tin foil, over the chicken sprinkle any of your favorite seasonings and some olive oil to help it stick. Cook on a medium heat on the middle shelf for recommended time on chicken. For the last 10 minutes open your foil parcel so that the chicken browns. For less mess, you can pack in onions, peppers, carrots, sweet potato or any other veg you would like into the foil parcel so its lovely and juicy when it comes out of the oven.

- Slow Cooked Spicy Stew - First I pop in enough brown rice for the amount of people cooking for, then followed by the vegetable (everything thats in the fridge), followed by a tin of chickpeas, a tin of kidney beans and a tin of butter beans. After this i throw in any and all spices i want in it depending on my taste that day; love GymChef seasonings or mix up a batch of your own favourites. Then Poor in 500 -750 ml of water or stock and let cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Dinner is served and you haven't had to slave over a hot stove all day to accomplish a hot home cooked meal. Yum!

2 Quick, Simple, Tasty Snacks (Homemade)

- Dippy Eggs & Spinach Throwdown - Boil eggs, grab some rye bread and toast, then slice into soldiers. Pop some spinach with a drop of olive oil and some pepper on the side of your plate and you snack just became healthy comfort food!

- Energy Balls - Melt 2 bars of 125g 70% chocolate in a bowl; mix in a handfull of milled flax seed, sesame seeds, ground almonds and some 2 dessert spponfuls of coconut oil, shape into little round spheres and leave to set in the fridge. Home made energy balls ready to go and delicious to taste!

2 Snacks you can Stock up on (Shop bought):

- Nak'd Raw Bars

- 9 Bars - carrob, seeds and nuts; packed full of energy giving nutrients without a lot of items that usually cause allergies.

- Mini Coconut Milks

- Packets of Berries (Good on their own or mixed with Dairy Free Yoghurt for a delish dessert while out and about.

Hope these gave you some inspiration and also helped it seem a little less daunting to try out gluten free, dairy free or vegan/vegetarian recipes for yourself!

Keep an eye on the Recipe Section here as I upload recipes weekly that will help you on your Gluten Free, Dairy Free or Vegan journey!

Lots of Love,

Liz xxx

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