Tips for Gluten-Free Kids at School

Thursday, August 31, 2017

From letters to the teacher and clever ways to remind your child about their food intolerance, here's everything you need to know about surviving the school day with a gluten-free child.

Tips for Gluten Free Kids at School

We worry about our kids practically every waking moment of the day, especially when they spend so much of that day away from us at school. We worry that they'll not make friends or that they'll get bullied or that they'll feel frightened. When you're the parent of a child with a food allergy or intolerance, you worry even more: will they eat something they shouldn't? Will they have an allergic reaction? The list goes on and on. While nothing will make you stop worrying about your child, here are some useful tips you can employ to keep your gluten free child safe at school. Many of these ideas will also work for children with other allergies or intolerances, too.

How to Inform Your Child's School about their Food Allergy

There's no need to feel daunted about back-to-school if you're the parent of a food allergy kid. Read on for practical advice, tips and a sample letter you can send to your child's head teacher/principal or classroom teacher to ensure everyone is up to speed about your child's special dietary needs.

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Back-to-School Biscuits

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Celebrate back-to-school with these soft and crumbly gluten-free and dairy-free shortbread biscuits!
Celebrate back-to-school with these soft and crumbly gluten free and dairy free shortbread biscuits!
Yield: 2 dozen biscuits
Prep time:
 Cook time:

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Back to School Biscuits

As a child, back-to-school was my absolute favourite time of year! I'd love to instill that sense of excitement and passion for learning in my son and what better way to encourage it than with a little bit of cookie bribery?! As I mentioned on my roundup of versatile gluten free cookie recipes, cookies make everything better when you're a kid. And these cookies are guaranteed to brighten your kids day--slip them in their lunchbox or have them ready for them when they come home. I chose the phrase Back 2 School and decided to do the other half of the cookies stamped with Year 1 as my son will be in First Grade or Year 1 as it's called here in the UK.

How to make gluten free and dairy free shortbread biscuits

Of course, they're gluten-free, but they're dairy-free too! And they are the nicest, softest, crumbliest biscuits you'll ever eat. That's a promise. I love how quickly this cookie dough comes together and I have to admit to having pinched a few nibbles before it was baked! Also, the lovely folks at Red Candy set me up with my own custom cookie stamp to try out and I'll be giving one away to one incredibly lucky reader too!

Gluten free cookies for back to school lunches
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Red Candy. I have been compensated for this post, however all opinions remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. Should you choose to make a purchase, I will not receive a commission or any monetary compensation. You can review my disclosure policy in full here.

10 Restaurants with Options for Gluten Free in Manchester

Friday, August 25, 2017

Considering a meal out in Manchester? Here are 10 restaurants with options for gluten free diners in Manchester, Greater Manchester UK.
10 Restaurants with Options for Gluten Free in Manchester

I'm going to let you in on a little secret about my UK home city: Manchester is a complete and total bad ass when it comes to food. We absolutely love to eat and although we have a roster of Michelin starred chefs and no actual Michelin starred restaurants (pure conspiracy, if you ask me!) we still know how to throw down in the kitchen! So if you're coeliac or just following a gluten free diet, you'll be pleased to know there are plenty of restaurants where you can eat gluten free in Manchester!

Manchester is home to so many trendy neighbourhoods and districts that it can be difficult to work out where to begin. That's where this list will prove useful for anyone planning on making a foray into our fair city!

Disclosure: restaurants change their recipes, menus and preparation areas at any time and may no longer provide gluten free options. As always, please use this list as a guide and consult with the restaurant before booking or attending as to what their policy is. Finally, please remember that while they may offer a gluten free menu, if the kitchen is not wholly gluten free or if there is no designated area, cross contamination could still occur.

#FreeFromFridays Number 13

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Welcome to #FreeFromFridays!


Please link up your PINS so you can benefit from my repinning!

22 Time-Saving Gluten Free Back to School Dinners

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

School starts next month; get back into the swing of things with these 22 time-saving gluten free dinner options!
Gluten Free Back to School Dinners

Right hand in the air, I've been counting down the days until school starts and it's very soon! The start of the school year is always an emotional and very busy time. There's the fact that your child is getting older that slaps you in the face and all the emotions that come with it. Plus, the preparation, the endless buying of supplies and uniforms, orchestrating drop off and collection, slotting in homework time and generally getting back into your routine all take so much effort.

Usually, it's a few weeks before we feel settled into the routine again, so having easy options for dinners that won't have me chained to the stove make the transition even better. Luckily, the gluten free blogging community has about a bajillion quick and delicious gluten free dinner options!

To make it even easier for you, I've rounded up 22 gluten free back to school dinners--quick meals that are easy to prepare, nutritionally sound and pretty freaking delicious! Slot these into your meal plan and you'll have one less thing to worry about that first month back-to-school!

10 British & European Food Bloggers to Follow

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Here are 10 of the best British and European food bloggers you should be following!
British and European Food Bloggers to Follow

Blogging is such a lovely community and I've had the privilege of curating a Facebook group championing British & European food bloggers for a few years now. One of the most difficult things about being a food blogger is being overlooked by American-based bloggers--there's just so many of them! Thankfully, the British & European food blog community is going strong and brands are beginning to realise the powerful influence we food bloggers have!

In light of my utterly fantastic B&E foodie community, I thought I'd share 10 members whose blogs you should be following for the very latest in amazing nominess! And if you're an active food blogger based in Britain or Europe, we'd love to invite you into our little group. Click the photo to be taken to our Facebook group where you can request to join!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ukeuropefoodbloggers/

Disclosure: not every blogger listed is a gluten free blogger, so please bear this in mind when visiting their sites.

Gluten-Free Honey Lime Grilled Salmon Salad

Monday, August 21, 2017

Make salads interesting again with warm sweet and fiery grilled wild salmon served on a bed of superfoods!
Gluten-Free Honey Lime Grilled Salmon Salad Anyonita Nibbles
Yield: 2 servings
Prep time: Cook time:

Gluten-Free Honey Lime Grilled Salmon Superfood Salad

A few weeks ago, I felt a cold coming on. One of those horrible summer colds that are always a pain to get over, so I reached for my superfoods and nipped it in the bud. Superfoods are nature's remedies for ailments like a common cold and this salad is filled to the brim with them! From the crunchy bed of spinach, red cabbage and carrot to the fresh wild salmon and the garlic and honey in the sauce--it is Superfood Central!
Honey Lime Grilled Salmon Spinach Salad Anyonita Nibbles Gluten-Free
Chilli peppers--or flakes, in this case--are great for colds, but you know what else is? Garlic. It's why it's one of the prominent ingredients in my mucus buster cold and flu home remedy, perfect for when you haven't managed to ward the cold off and are suffering from a blocked up or a runny nose! This salmon dish is a lot more pleasant than that drink and still achieves the same benefits and more.

Warm Salmon Salad Anyontia Nibbles

Dinner at Liz Cottam's Home Restaurant in Leeds

Thursday, August 17, 2017

A sneak peek at Home Restaurant's 10 course tasting menu from Chef Elizabeth Cottam!

The bar area of Home Restaurant in Leeds

I am a Masterchef fiend, religiously watching each series of the formidable show in many of its variations, but the one that will always have a soft spot in my heart is Masterchef UK. I literally fangirl squealed (and awoke my sleeping baby) when I received an email from 2016 Masterchef contestant Elizabeth Cottam, inviting me to attend a preview dinner at her new restaurant, Home, in Leeds. Home opens up to the public today, so go on and book a table! You will not be disappointed by this outstanding menu.

A preview of the 10 course tasting menu served at Liz Cottam's Home

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Home Restaurant. I have been compensated for this post, however all opinions remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. Should you choose to visit the restaurant, I will not receive a commission or any monetary compensation. You can review my disclosure policy in full here.

Dinner at Grill in the Park--Worsley Park Marriott Hotel & Country Club

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

An exclusive evening of tantalising treats, mastering cocktails and a three course gluten free meal at Grill in the Park in Worsley!

A Review of Grill in the Park at the Worsley Park Marriott Hotel & Country Club

A few weeks ago, my husband and I had the absolute pleasure of spending the evening with a group of Manchester bloggers at an exclusive dinner at the Worsley Park Marriot Hotel & Country Club, dinning in the Grill in the Park. Come take a peek inside the restaurant and see what we got up to on this brilliant, intimate evening.

Worsley Park Marriott Hotel and Country Club Grill in the Park Review

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Worsley Park. I have been compensated for this post, however all opinions remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. Should you choose to visit the restaurant, I will not receive a commission or any monetary compensation. You can review my disclosure policy in full here.

How to Create the Ultimate Email Signature with Social Icons + Free Worksheet

Friday, August 4, 2017

Boss your email signature with this easy tutorial and free worksheet and create the ultimate signature for your email featuring clickable social icons!
Boss your email signature with this easy tutorial and free worksheet and create the ultimate signature for your email featuring clickable social icons!
An email is often the first point-of-contact between a blogger and a brand. Being professional in your correspondence will only put you in good stead for developing a lasting relationship with a brand or PR company. Face the facts: if you carry yourself confidently, you'll exude confidence. Present a professional, put-together front in your emails and that's the impression brands and PRs will have of you.

Putting together a compelling, informative email signature can seem to be difficult, but as long as you know where to begin, it's super easy! Keep reading, and I'll show you all the elements you need to create the ultimate email signature, complete with beautiful, clickable social media icons. Plus, I've got a free email signature worksheet you can download from my digital library and keep to refer back to when it's time to update your signature.

Gluten-Free Vegan Red Potato Spiced Wedges

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, these perfectly spiced gluten-free and vegan red potato wedges are the perfect addition to any meal!
 Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, these perfectly spiced gluten-free and vegan red potato wedges are the perfect addition to any meal!

Yield: 2-4 servings
Prep time:
Cook time:

Gluten-Free Vegan Red Potato Spiced Wedges

Potatoes have always been my favourite food;they're my green eggs and ham: I'll eat them anywhere; I'll eat them here or there. And I'll eat them any way they come: steamed, boiled, fried, baked. I'll eat them in cubes or wedges or thin strings or chunky chips or crinkly fries or pillows of gnocchi or piles of mash. I do not care; just give me the potatoes.

Vegan and Vegetarian Gluten-Free Crispy Red Potato Spiced Wedges

Dairy-Free Instant Coffee Vanilla Latte

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Make your own frothy and indulgent dairy-free vanilla latte from instant coffee with no expensive gadgets!

Dairy-Free Instant Coffee Vanilla Latte

Yield: 1 damn delicious latte
Prep time:

Dairy Free Instant Coffee Vanilla Latte

Coffee purists, avert your eyes. As I come to grips with my inability to consume dairy, I've been hunting for substitutions that taste like the real deal and don't take longer to prepare. And the first thing on my list was my morning cup of coffee. I'm one of those "But first, coffee" gals through and through and previously relied on those instant coffee sachets for my quick fix. Since needing to avoid lactose, those are out of the question, so I scrambled to come up with an alternative.

Professional Homemade Dairy-Free Vanilla Latte with Instant Coffee