Gluten Free Dampfnudel - #GBBOGlutenFree

These sweet German dumplings served with a rich and tangy plum sauce get a gluten free makeover!

Yield: 9 Dampfnudeln dumplings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Gluten Free Dampfnudel with Plum Sauce

Last week was bread week on the Great British Bake Off and it was a week I was dreading. Gluten-free cooking and baking can be tricky at the best of times, but the one thing that always makes me nervous is bread. Bread relies on gluten to make it what it is. Without it, it's difficult.

Spurred on by my Gluten Free Viennese Whirls from last week, I was determined to have a good go at these Dampfnudel - German sweet dumplings and to make them gluten free. I scoured the internet for recipes for a gluten free alternative but could only find one. In German with no translation. My limited German was no match for that recipe. So back to the drawing board, I sought out my Larousse Gastronomique. Of course Larousse had a recipe for Dampfnudel! While reading it, I came across a revelation: Dampfnudel can be made in the oven! No steaming for me!

Gluten Free Viennese Whirls - #GBBOGlutenFree

These crumbly, buttery gluten free biscuits are sandwiched with strawberry jam and vanilla buttercream!

Yield: 2 dozen individual biscuits or 1 dozen sandwich biscuits
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 9 to 12 minutes

Gluten Free Viennese Whirls

Viennese Whirls -- crunchy, buttery cookies sandwiched between creamy vanilla buttercream and fruity jam. They're bliss and last week's Technical Challenge from the Great British Bake Off. I love watching Bake Off, but it always makes me frustrated that there's rarely any mention of gluten free alternatives or even gluten free baking, so I've decided to challenge myself to trying every technical challenge but making them suitable for coeliacs. It'd be great if you joined in! Just use the #GBBOGlutenFree hashtag to share your bakes and spread the word about gluten free baking!

These biscuits are easy to make, guys. So simple. In fact, I got a little bit too cocky whilst making them and allowed my first batch to burn. Don't do what I did. Keep an eye on your oven, because they'll turn fast!

An Engineer for a Day: #DysonChallenge

We took the #DysonChallenge & spent the morning learning how to be engineers with Dyson & Currys!

Taking the #DysonChallenge with Dyson & Currys

One of Callum's hobbies is using blocks to construct and engineer impressive structures--from complex hospitals to lofty medieval castles; he's an extremely hands-on kid. Naturally, I leapt at the opportunity to take him along to an engineering workshop hosted by Dyson and Curry's.

Two weeks ago, we joined the company of a dozen or so other would-be engineers and enrolled in a day-long Dyson bootcamp. Sheltered against the constant Manchester rain, we met in the perfect venue for a morning of engineering: the MOSI, the site of the world's first ever passenger train station, a natural homage to the beauty of industry and engineering.

A Gluten and Sugar Free Lunch with #HartleysYourLunchbox

Take lunch to the next level and keep it healthy with the #HartleysYourLunchbox Challenge!

Yield: 1 super fun, healthy kid's lunch
Prep time: 5 minutes + time for the jelly to set

A Gluten Free and Sugar Free Lunch with #HartleysYourLunchbox

When you're gluten free, lunch can be one of the most challenging meals of the day. Especially if you're 4. But, having a few go-to products that you know are gluten free, don't taste horrible and aren't laden with sugar is the key to creating quick, gluten-free lunches your child will devour!

I'll admit, in our gluten free lunch battles, I completely overlooked jelly. When he was younger, Callum was completely freaked out by the texture of jelly and wouldn't touch the stuff. Somewhere along the way, he's grown to love it (that was news to me!) and couldn't get enough of these Hartley's No Added Sugar Jelly Pots!

Health Benefits of a Berry and Rainbow Chard Smoothie

Raw Swiss chard and berries blitz to form a nutritional smoothie bursting with goodness!

Health Benefits of a Green Smoothie

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you'll probably notice that I do love a good smoothie - I even wrote a breakfast smoothie ebook, once! You can download it for free! Smoothies are like gold dust for me, whether they're traditional out-of-the-glass types or smoothie bowls like this one or this one, I just can't get enough of them.

Gluten Free and Vegan Boozy Watermelon Granita

Summer is juicy watermelons and this easy semi-frozen treat is the perfect way of enjoying them!

I originally shared this watermelon granita with lime recipe two summers ago, and every summer since, I've spent a few days scraping semi-frozen watermelon to make this delicious treat. Keeping up with the spirit of revamping old favourite recipes, I've added in a tiny, adults-only twist: booze!

Gluten Free Nutella and Peanut Butter Microwave Cookie

My peanut butter and Nutella microwave cookie has been given a gluten-free makeover!

Kick start your morning with sweet fresh mango, superfood pumpkin seeds and gluten free corn flakes all in an icy and refreshing smoothie bowl!

Yield:  2
Prep time: 10 minutes

Gluten Free Raspberry Mango Smoothie Bowl

I mentioned in my very first smoothie bowl recipe (this is my second, so clearly, I'm an expert) that I had been skeptical, but with one slurp from my spoon, I was converted. And it's true! And what that conversion has done is given me the courage to step outside the smoothie bowl box, to chuck more ingredients in the blender and to sprinkle more goodies on top with wild abandon.

Gluten-Free Chicken Salsa Fresca Tacos with Hass Avocado Cream

Fresh coriander appears three times in these easy gluten-free chicken tacos with fresh pico de gallo and a cool Hass avocado cream sauce!

Yield: 9 tacos
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Indulge in the perfect snack with a delicious twist with these # popcorn recipes!

13 Times Bloggers Killed the Popcorn Game

It can be super sweet or nice and savoury. It's inexpensive, tasty and not packed with fat. Popcorn is the snack of the gods in our house. We just can't get enough of it! Whether we're popping a bag for a movie or making our own flavours with kernels and a bit of butter, we're popcorn addicts. And we're not alone! Just check out these recipes from other popcorn lovers and see how they've totally killed the popcorn game:

1. The Time It Got Fiery

Sriracha popcorn recipe here.

2. The Time It Pretended to be a Dessert

 Churros popcorn recipe here.

3. The Time It Fell in Love with Girl Scout Cookies

 Chocolate thin mint popcorn recipe here.

4. The Time It Got Drunk

Tipsy caramel apple popcorn recipe here.

 5. The Time It Went Mexican

 Chili lime popcorn recipe here.

6. The Time It Met Basil

Gluten free parmesan and purple basil popcorn recipe here.

7. The Time It Thought It was Ice Cream

 Orange Creamsicle popcorn recipe here.

8. The Time It Met Red Velvet Cake 

Red velvet popcorn recipe here.

9. The Time It Met an Oreo

 Oreo popcorn recipe here.

10. The Time It Pretended to be Nachos 

Nacho cheese and purple basil recipe here.

11. The Time It Flirted with Honey

 Honey popcorn balls recipe here.

12. The Time It Overdosed on Candy

 Movie theater popcorn recipe here.

13. The Time It Went Gooey 

Gooey marshmallow caramel popcorn recipe here.