We have just had a lovely family evening out at The Great Northern Pub in Mickleover, Derby and the food was gorgeous. Now I have to visited this pub over the many years throughout my life as it was close to where I grew up so I've seen it change a lot. I haven't been recently though and not since being gluten intolerant.
I was presented with a gluten free suggestion list, hurray.....no boring dietary lists to work my way through. very clear and it was nice that they were prepared to change any dish around to accommodate dietary needs. I was absolutely spoilt for choice which to be honest doesn't happen a lot. I did have a quick look at the menu online before my visit, something I tend to do to see what choices I have and I did notice the classic jacket potatoes so I knew I'd be safe. I decided on chilli con carne with chunky potato wedges which was very tasty, could have done with a bit more chilli and the potato wedges were disguised more like a jacket potato underneath but that's just me being picky. It's always a bit tricky though with chilli and curry as everyone likes it a different way. It is probably to stay safe in a restaurant and offer it mild. I was just relieved to be having a choice and eating free from gluten. There wasn't a separate dessert menu but the very friendly staff do explain what is available. They can adapt the sundaes by removing any biscuit base or wafers, ice cream was an option and the sticky toffee pudding was gluten free. I went for the sticky toffee pud with ice cream and it was delicious and with a coffee to finish our meal I can honestly say I had one of the best evenings out for a while. The place has a very nice atmosphere, very popular and busy which is good to see. It's a sign of a good venue when it's fully booked. The staff were very lovely and happy to help, a very happy customer. It makes the difference when I can eat out without worrying too much about the restrictions on my diet and knowing that I can in fact eat! It was a very rainy night tonight but on a sunny day you can sit outside, for special occasions they have a function room available and also accommodation so everything catered for really. For more information they have a website at: www.thegreatnorthern.co.uk So what are you waiting for? Go and book now! Oh get me, bossy Sue from the Brew....telling you what to do, it's just a nice recommendation honest! Thank you for reading and join me tomorrow on 'Make a Brew Sue' for Autism Support Saturday. Take care for now.......
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Here in Derbyshire we call it a cob but I won't get into that debate today, I will go universal (I think) with white roll. Whatever we call it there are some very nice rolls sitting on the shelf of Tesco.
After trying quite a few bread products as we 'free formers' do, I have found Tesco's own brand to be my favourite and at a good price too. I have been making a few packed lunches for myself just lately and these rolls are just so soft and stay together quite nicely. I can also recommend their white sliced bread as well, it seems thicker than some other brands and also tends stay together quite well. I say it 'stays together' referring to the fact that when the gluten is absent from bread it then tends to lack that elasticity that makes it stick together and therefore leads to major crumbling. I have had some bread that literally just falls to pieces as soon as I take it out of the packet. I do find that freezing gluten free bread tends to work, I don't tend to use it alot so I just keep it in the freezer and take a roll or slices out as and when I need them. I have previously kept bread in the fridge as well as this also tends to hold it together. Anything for an easy life eh? It does tend to be the one subject that everyone seems to bring up a lot, the first thing that is mentioned when someone says gluten free, comments such as 'oh the bread is terrible and so expensive'. Most gluten free products are expensive and I do wish it would be reduced in price. These white rolls from Tesco are priced at £1.75 for 4 and details can be found on their website here: www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=294006930&sc_cmp=ppc*GHS+-+Grocery+-+New*PX+%7C+Shopping+GSC+%7C+All+Products+%2B+Tesco+Brand*PRODUCT+GROUP294006930*&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyJrD6tqb1QIVSrftCh3AxQzMEAQYASABEgJfG_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds The white sliced bread is £2.00 for a 550g loaf and details can also be found on Tesco's website here: www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=276605133&sc_cmp=ppc*GHS+-+Grocery+-+New*PX+%7C+Shopping+GSC+%7C+All+Products+%2B+Tesco+Brand*PRODUCT+GROUP276605133*&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8tjrqtub1QIVar7tCh1L0QpGEAQYASABEgIQTfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds I can definitely recommend them for sandwiches and the white rolls really are very nice, good for popping a burger into as well as it's barbecue season now. I hope that helps a little, of course there are many other gluten free bread products available, this is just what I have found to be my favourite choice right now. Thank you for reading and I will return tomorrow for my regular Autism support feature 'Autism Support Saturday', funnily enough because it's about Autism and I write about it on a Saturday. Funny that eh? I amaze myself sometimes. Take care for now....... I cannot resist walking past this place, I try, I really do and I even did today but did a complete u turn and went in. It went like this.....
I am not going to Muffin Break, I am not going to Muffin Break, I am not going to Muffin Break, oh yes I am!! I am going to Muffin Break. I love this place as I know I'm going to get something which is gluten free. Today's delight was a Banana Chocolate Chip, I wasn't going to get away with saying they were healthy raisins was I? Nope definitely chocolate chips. It tasted just gorgeous as they always do. Someone at the Muffin Break bakery has these baked to perfection. They don't crumble to pieces when you unravel the paper case and you can cut into it really well without it disintegrating. So moist inside, a true delight, they are a decent size and very filling. I had never experienced savoury muffins before visiting this establishment. I remember trying my first ham, cheese and tomato muffin and thinking that it is a pizza in a muffin, this is just not going to work but it so does. A nice refreshing change if you are not feeling in a sweet mood. They only tend to have a couple of flavours available on one day but they do vary the selection quite well so you are not met with the same flavour every time. There are dairy free options too and all the muffins are very clearly labelled which is another added bonus. There are a wide range of drinks available to accompany your food and it's quite reasonably priced too. Nice friendly staff so I tend to visit when ever I venture into Derby. I do have a loyalty card so tend to make a good saving now and again, well worth having one if you visit regularly So a happy 'free from' customer here, I just need to go back more often and work myself through all the flavours. Oh what a great idea! I could just be a chief taster and find it in my heart to inform the nation of just how good these babies taste. It's a dirty job but if it came up and the job existed I would have to apply. For now though I will go and count how many syns I've blown on Slimming World, I know, please lets not think about it. I've accepted the fact that I have no will power at all. I will eat muffin first and think about the syns later. Life is too bloomin short sometimes. I have probably said it before but I don't intend having the conversation with St Peter at the pearly gates on how I wish I had just had that choc chip muffin before I popped off this mortal earth. I have exercised so I'm taking that as a fair deal and I am happy so that's even more important. See, muffins are good for your mental health if they make you happy and free from ones are even better if you participate in the old restricted diet. I should be a life guru coach type person shouldn't I? Maybe not, people would flock for miles to ask me the answer to their problems and I just say 'eat cake'. not good if you come to me for dietary advice eh? I do have an answer for that though.........low fat cake. Anyway for now I will leave you but if you haven't experienced muffin break do go and visit, tell me what you think by leaving me a comment below. If you would like any information about the place they do have a very informative website at: www.muffinbreak.co.uk Take care for now and I will catch you for a bit of Autism talk tomorrow with Autism Support Saturday.
This could possibly be my favourite day of the year. International Chocolate Day. Yippee. I did take advantage of this wonderful event and consumed a few chocolate temptations. Well I couldn't let it go by without syning a little (Slimming World syning). That would be like going without presents on Christmas Day.
On a gluten free diet it is pretty easy to eat chocolate on it's own, it just becomes more tricky when the chocolate is covering something like a cake or a hob nob. I always go on about the hob nobs don't I? It's just that I was so glad to see them on the supermarket shelves. It's like that scene in The Lion King when Rafiki holds Simba up in the air, I feel like doing that when I find a new gluten free product I like or I've been waiting for. Next time I'm in Tesco I may just hold the chocolate hob nobs up to a rendition of 'The Circle of Life', you want to shop with me now don't you? There are many dairy free chocolate bars available now in the supermarkets, a lot more than there used to be. I thought it was difficult to follow a gluten free diet but a dairy free diet must also be hard to follow as a lot of products do contain milk. My dad will eat the plain chocolate so high in cocoa that it is too bitter for me. I have never had to remove chocolate from my mouth before, never happened! But in this case I had to, it was just not tasty enough for me. I think he just eats it so that he now knows it safe from any 'sue from the brew invasion'. I'm loving one brand of chocolate especially because I just love the name and that is Moo Free Chocolates. They have it all, their chocolate products are dairy free, gluten free, wheat free, lactose free, casein free, suitable for vegetarians and registered vegan. Moo Free are also very environmentally friendly with their packaging, also using organic and ethically sourced ingredients. You can grab more information at: www.moofreechocolates.com where you can find your local stockist which include Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Holland & Barrett just to name a few. For a selection of Free From Chocolate delivered to your door, take a look what is available at Amazon. This post contains affiliate links, (click on the image) Thank you for reading and please don't make yourself sick eating too much chocolate. I will be back tomorrow for autism Support Saturday. Take care for now. |
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