Nottingham Eats January 2016

A few weekends ago we went into Nottingham. Knowing we'd be there pretty early and for most of the day I picked out a few new places I wanted to try. 

I'd heard great things about Bagel Nash on twitter so that was my first choice for breakfast. 

Their gluten free bagels are also dairy and egg free (vegan) which was great news. I picked bacon and avocado as my fillings. The bagels are toasted on the same toaster as normal bagels so you would need to be careful if you are highly sensitive. It would be nice if it was a separate toaster. The bagel its self was really tasty, nice and soft inside with a crusty outer. I'll definitely be visiting again when I'm next in Nottingham.

The Victoria Shopping Centre has been opening lots of new restaurants recently so there were a few I'd got on my list to try. We chose to have lunch at Tortilla. This reminded me a lot of Chipotle in the USA. You choose from Burritos, Tacos or Burrito Bowls and pick out your fillings from the counter.

I chose to have a Burrito Bowl. I checked with the server that the rice and chicken were dairy & gluten free. I was told yes. I obviously didn't have any cheese or sour cream but I had guacamole (dairy free according to server) and salsa. The last part of the counter was lettuce and a few other toppings. I noticed that the server was touching and wrapping flour/cheese/sour cream filled burritos with his gloves on and I didn't want to risk him picking out my lettuce with the same gloves so I chose not to have any. It would have been better if they'd had a utensil to pick out the lettuce to avoid cross contamination. I couldn't find their allergy info anywhere online so it would be helpful if it was displayed on their website or noted next to each item in store.

I loved the Burrito Bowl though it was full of flavour and reminded me of the USA.

 I'll definitely eat there again in future.

I popped into the Natural Food Company on Mansfield Road to see what goodies they had. As I don't go into Nottingham very often I like to see what different items they are selling. It's not a huge shop but it's full of cool stuff. They stock various Follow your Heart sauces which I've tried in the USA and love. The Caesar dressing is really good. They also stock quite a few different Violife cheeses which I've not tried before. I loved the smoked version and the Parmesan style is fab grated on pasta dishes (or anything you want uber cheesy). I picked up some of my favourite sweet treats, raw chocolate mulberries, cookie shots, a Vego bar and a Thumbs up bar. I also got a jar of Apricot Kernel Butter which I've not yet tried but I'm looking forward to seeing what it's like. They have a cake & savoury cabinet with fresh baked vegan & gluten free goods. I picked out a chocolate walnut slice which was delicious. I think I need to visit more regularly because it's a great shop.

While browsing Tiger I spotted this milkshake mix. I know it's not great ingredients but I fancied trying it. I blended it with a banana and some rice milk and it was actually quite nice although very sweet. I wouldn't probably buy again but I'm glad I tried it. 

I also wanted to mention a great Coffee Roaster called 200 Degrees in the city centre. We stocked up on some of their delicious coffee beans which we have been loving. Can't beat freshly ground coffee. 

They sell various drinks and foods in their lovely coffee shop which you can eat in or take away. 

I can't wait to visit Nottingham again soon as it seems to have a lot to offer at the moment. 

Have you visited Nottingham recently? What are your favourite Allergy Friendly places to eat at?

Champney Springs Leicestershire

Happy New Year! 

I hope you had a great Christmas with lots of safe free from food. I know I did!

I spent the first two days of 2016 at Champney Springs Health Spa which is located near Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire. My husband had booked it as a surprise to help get us back on track after the Christmas indulgences. 

At check in I mentioned my intolerance's (usually you mention them when booking) and the receptionist took a note to let the chefs know. We booked our lunch for while we were waiting for our room. It was only 15 minutes after we'd checked in but they had already marked up a sheet for the buffet with all the options I was safe to eat. It was a self service buffet with lots of fresh salads, meats, fish and hot and cold options. All the items on the buffet were also labelled with allergens.

I didn't take a photo of my lunch on the first day but it was a plate full of different salads, roasted potatoes and chicken legs. Very tasty. On the 2nd day I chose to have fish with jacket potato and salad. I liked how there was lots of choice and it was easy for me to pick out the safe options. There was GF bread on request as well as rice cakes.

Dessert on my first lunch day was a fruit salad but on the 2nd lunch day it was a lovely berry jelly which I enjoyed.

While at Lunch we booked a slot for our evening meal. The menu had all allergens marked on it but I did double check with the server. I was happy with the amount of options and it was obvious that they tried to cater for as many different diets as they could.

My starter was a Trio of Melon with a lemon dressing. I do love melon and the dressing made a nice change. For my main course I chose the grilled haddock with sweet potato mash, grilled tomatoes and lemon dressing. Again it was a nice fresh tasty meal.

Unfortunately my dessert was fruit salad but I suppose I was there to get healthy and not eat chocolate cake so it was acceptable on this occasion. 

Breakfast was another buffet with various cereals, fruit, yoghurt, breads and fish. Again all allergens were labeled on the buffet. Hot breakfasts could be ordered for an extra cost. I picked some GF cereal, an Alpro yoghurt and fruit washed down with a peppermint tea.

There was a little cafe area where you cold buy smoothies, herbal teas and snacks such as Nakd bars, savoury snacks, Honeybuns Bakery brownies and a special at the time which was a Chocolate Orange energy ball. I loved these, they were a nice treat.

Overall it was a brilliant place for people with allergies and intolerance's. There was a lot of choice and I didn't ever feel uncomfortable mentioning my intolerance's. It was nice to feel normal. They were very helpful and knowledgeable. The food was all prepared and cooked nicely and was very fresh and tasty.

It was a nice get away for a few days and we left feeling relaxed and refreshed.

Good Food Show Winter 2015 - Free From Haul

I used to go to the Good Food Show every year back in the days when Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver appeared on stage and did book signings. I loved it, especially the winter one to start feeling festive, but over the last few years I felt it had got too samey and nothing felt new anymore. Back then the free from market wasn't as well known either so purchases for me were limited. 

After seeing a discount code for the tickets and seeing that a few free from brands were on the exhibitors list I decided to book. We arrived just after the show had opened at 9am knowing that as the day goes on it gets busier and busier. 

I'd got a few stalls that I knew I wanted to visit. The first one I came across was The Raw Chocolate Company. I've tried quiet a few of their products but my favourite at the moment are the lovely chewy mulberries. My husband wanted to try the golden berries which he sampled on the stall and enjoyed. Warning - Once the bag is open its hard to put them down without eating the lot!

I spied on the VBites stall Schlagfix dairyfree & vegan spray cream. As its hot chocolate season I picked up a couple as they were only £2 each. I've never seen it in shops (only online) so I was happy to find it. The stall also had plamil chocolate products and VBites own brand items. 

I then headed to the Delicious Alchemy stall to say hello. They were selling all their fabulous products and their new Christmas Cake mix. I stocked up on my favourites as I always like to have a supply for when we fancy a little treat. I love making their mixes egg free by using banana in the vanilla cake mix and recently tried the brownie mix with peanut butter instead of egg. I can't wait to try out the Christmas cake mix. Was lovely to chat to the ladies. 

My husband spotted the next purchase. These Gordon Rhodes packets are designed for use in slow cookers which is fab. We love slow cooked meats so I can't wait to try these very soon. They are clearly marked Gluten Free. 

I treated my self to a little bottle of gin. I have painful chest/throat problems (would love to know why) when drinking wine and fizzy alcohol so I tend to stick to spirits. I don't drink often at all but I do like a gin and tonic once in a while. I've never tried this brand so I'm looking forward to tasting it. 

I very nearly walked past the Bakedin stall until my husband pointed out the gluten free box stood between all the normal boxes. Much to my delight the Gluten Free box doesn't contain dairy and does not require egg so it's perfect. 

Each box makes 4 mug cakes. 

I tried the brownie and it worked great. I used Vitalite and Rice Milk in my mix and it came out fab. Perfect sized portion when you fancy a sweet treat. Yummy!

I love bubble tea so I picked up a few pots of bubbles. They are a great size (3 servings per pot) as I've brought big pots in the past and they have gone to waste. These can be added to any drinks so great for Christmas cocktails.

Another favourite which is always at the show is Punjaban curry sauces. They are great to have in the cupboard for when you don't fancy making a curry from scratch. I love that they contain no dairy or coconut. They are tasty too. 

Last but not least I managed to find the BlueBird Tea Co. Earlier in the year I visited their Brighton store and brought lots of their teas. I picked up the Gingerbread Chai at the show.

I tested it out at home and really enjoyed it with a drop of rice milk. It's a nice winter warming drink.

I really enjoyed the show. I'm glad I'd given it a break for a few years as it was nice to see some new stalls and also a lot more stalls catering for allergies/intolerance's. I didn't think it was as big as it had been in the past (some stalls were duplicated too) but it was just right, we did two laps in around two hours before it got too busy. I'm really pleased with my purchases and I'm looking forward to trying them all. 

Chester Weekend 2015

Back in October we spent a weekend in Chester staying at the Abode Hotel which is conveniently located a short walk from the shops, cathedral and river.

We had a meal on the first evening in the hotel restaurant which is owned by Chef Michael Caines. The servers were very helpful in helping me choose what would be suitable and checked with the chef. We were served an amuse bouche. Mine was a lovely beetroot soup in a little cup. It was very tasty. 

For my main I decided on the pan roasted cod which came on Cauliflower florets with a nice sauce. The fish was seasoned and cooked to perfection.

Breakfast at the hotel was simple for me I always have bacon & grilled tomatoes with a side of melon. They were happy to just serve me the bacon & tomatoes instead of the full breakfast. 

While exploring Chester we came across the Roccoco Chocolate shop. The girl in the shop was very helpful and pointed out all the dairy free options which were also Vegan Society approved. I picked out some of the smaller taster bars in Violet, Rose, Moroccan Mint, Early Grey and Basil & Lime. We also picked a large Sea Salt bar and I treated myself to two cognac cherry chocolates. They were amazing and full of cognac.

Further down the street was the Holland & Barrett Extra store which I have heard a lot about on twitter. The store was very impressive but I was expecting to see a lot of new things and I didn’t. A lot of the items are readily available on the internet but not so much in shops so it was nice to see them on the shelves. I picked up a few of my favorites. I'm loving the Raw Chocolate Co. Mulberries at the moment. I also really enjoyed the Foods of Athenry Lemon & Blueberry cookie which i'd never seen before.

Later in the day we headed down to the river to eat at Hickory's. Again they were very helpful and knowledgeable with what I could and couldn’t have. We picked the sharing platter as the only item that wasn’t suitable was the hot links sausage which was substituted with one of the other meats of our choice. If you like smoked slow cooked meat this place is a must. It’s the best smokehouse house we’ve eaten at. The whole platter was delicious.

On our last day we drove into Wales to visit Conway Castle. Whilst exploring the streets in the town we came across a chocolate shop which sold handmade chocolates by Stilwells. I picked up a peanut brittle but then noticed by the counter a mound of dark chocolate coated Turkish delight. The lady pointed out that they were vegan. Of course I had to try some. I do miss Frys Turkish Delight. These were a great alternative. 

I had a great weekend with lots of safe food. Thumbs up to Chester!

Suffolk Weekend 2015

Bank holiday weekend we went off to Suffolk to stay at Happy Days Retro Vacations. If you like retro caravans, camping and quirkiness it’s a great place to stay. The Airstream caravans are really cool, the campsite has a nice atmosphere with friendly owners and the facilities were great. 

Anyway onto the food...

The campsite was in Saxmundham. A mile down the road was a Waitrose store. To us Waitrose is a real treat as we don’t have any close to us at home so we always like a browse. It had a nice Free From section with all the staple items. I found quite a few items that were naturally free from too. We brought some Gourmet Burger Kitchen Burgers that were pure beef to use on the bbq and some chipolata sausages which were also safe. We didn’t need too much as it was just for the first nights bbq.

Day two - I booked lunch at Jimmys Farm near Ipswich. For the last few years we’ve been to the Sausage and Beer Festival (read here)which is a great day out but couldn’t make it this year so it was nice to be able to visit the farm and have lunch in the restaurant. The restaurant has a separate Gluten & Dairy Free Menu which is always bonus as it elevates asking as many questions.

I chose to have the Rare Breed Salt Beef Salad which I can honestly say was one of the most tasty salads I have ever eaten. The beef was really flavoursome and tender, I loved the combination of salad leaves, gherkins and dill dressing and the star of the show was the crispy capers which were amazing. I rarely eat capers as they aren’t something that I buy very often but since being home I have tried them out myself on a salad and they are fab. Just dry them off from the jar and fry for a few minutes in vegetable oil until crispy. Yum!

For dessert I chose a scoop of Elderflower Champagne Sorbet and a scoop of Raspberry. Both were really nice and refreshing. It made a change to be able to have a dessert (no fruit to be seen for once). The Restaurant staff were all really helpful and I’d highly recommend eating there and the food is really really good.

The farm has a great shop filled with meats from the farm and lots of lovely items from local suppliers. I spotted the Bionita Gluten Free Gnocchi which I was really wanting to try so I brought a few packs to take home. I also got some local coffees, rasberry salad dressing, a local Gin and some Old Colchester Forest Bacon for our evening bbq.

The farm is a lovely place to spend a few hours wandering around the fields, woods and shops. If you have kids there’s lots of fun stuff for them to do and see.

Day Three – The lovely Pippa Kendrick (The Intolerant Gourmet) had recommended some places for us to visit so to start the day we headed out to Snape Maltings which is a very nice place with some lovely craft, homeware, clothes and art shops plus a big Farm Shop/Deli. The shop had a section of free from baking mixes, biscuits and sweet & savoury treats. I like farm shops as a lot of other products are naturally free from too. Just read the labels. I picked up a few packs of biscuits, a pizza base mix and a pasta meal. The pasta meal was ok but not something i'd buy again. Both biscuits were good. I've not tried the pizza mix yet.

Afterwards we headed to the coast to have lunch in Aldeburgh. Pippa had mentioned a hotel restaurant which sounded perfect so we had lunch at The Brudenell Hotel. The waitress was knowledgeable about allergies and told me to choose what I liked the look of and it could be adapted. I had to have seafood being at the seaside so I went all out and ordered half a lobster grilled and served with boiled potatoes and a side salad. It would have been nice to have some sort of dressing for the salad but the meal was still delicious and fresh. It was a lovely place to have a meal with views over the beach and sea.

We had a walk along the seafront and came across the local fish sellers in their little huts. I love smoked anything so we stopped off at one of them to get some smoked fish for our tea back at the campsite. I picked out some hot smoked salmon and king prawns and my husband had a seafood platter which was a selection of everything. We threw them on the bbq for tea and everything was delicious.

All in all it was a very successful weekend for free from food. The county has lots of farm shops and deli's around every corner with great local produce. I love Suffolk and would highly recommend Happy Days Retro Vacations as a place to stay.