Thanks to all my wonderful followers and contributors for the last year. Onward to more fun, info and great recipes and comments for year 2, whohoo!!!

Reblogged from From Marian's Kitchen: Dairy-free & Spelt Living:

Hi, I get asked a lot ‘what is spelt flour’ so here’s my definition from my research. Spelt Flour is a delicious alternative to the traditional wheat flour that is most commonly used.  Although spelt comes from the same wheat family of grains it is supposed to be more nutritious, tastes nicer and it’s gluten is much easier to digest than in traditional wheat used today.  As it comes from the same family of wheat it has has wheat characteristics and therefore cannot be classed as wheat-free. From …

My Blog is One Year Old – Happy birthday! Here’s my first blog

This leads nicely into a little trip down memory lane now that the 29th February is fast approaching. Hard to believe that the year is once again flying at a mental pace. I need to get running shoes to keep up with it.

So onto the blackboard above. Yep I did it. Tony and myself were dating for 3 years and it all looked nicely poised that we’d either move in together (which was still a little taboo in those days so we’d be game for it on when we were ready) or get married. So as the 29th approached I couldn’t let it go.

It took a couple of weeks to plan. Luckily he tutored night classes so you’ve guessed it blackboard and chalk. On the night I snuck in early and wrote in HUGE letters “Will You Marry Me?” Just then, of all times, the nerves started to creep in? Thoughts of “what if he’s not ready”, “what if he’s two-timing me or just stringing me along til the right one comes”. I was about to wipe it down when none other than himself walked in. I quickly turned ran to him. Hurriedly I shyly pecked him on the cheek, muttering “read blackboard” and “chat later”.

You know my heart felt like it was pumping out through my head. I raced to his car for the second part of the plan with my sheet of paper. This read “Couldn’t let 29th February go, hope you enjoyed it. Chat later x”. Now listen I really had put in a lot of work but I got the jitters that I may have just gone too far.

He didn’t ring me that night, as was the norm, nor did he ring until the weekend. Remember folks this was the day of no mobile phones so couldn’t send the few check-up text messages. I didn’t want to ring to face the let down, so settled that he could be man enough to ring to call it off. For the week, though, I really thought I’d destroyed a good thing.

On the Saturday night he rang to say he was on his way in for our date. So me in my pjs did the quickest get ready for a woman in history. As it turned out their home phone was broken for the previous days and it had never dawned on him to ring me – fellas eh?. We had a good laugh that night but we learned a valuable lesson, always keep communication lines open in a relationship. This rule has served us well over the years.

So Tony didn’t say yes to my 29th proposal, then again he didn’t say no either. Three years later he did propose and we’re an auld married couple today (but that’s another story). It could easily have gone the other way.

So if you’re planning on proposing on 29th February best of luck.

Did you ever do this? - 29th February Proposal

Chocolate Peanut Mousse

Click to view slideshow.Ah this is so cute I had to share it with you.

I found it very nostalgic to remember how over-joyed I used to be on finding new foods that would open up my food restrictive world again.

I’m guessing the post was originally drafted in March 2011 as the only reason I didn’t post must have been when I fell, lost consciousness and landed in hospital, hope you enjoy.

March 2011: here we go

Being stuck for a while in dairy-free limbo up I used to stare in envy at others gorging on chocolate creations, milk skakes, ice cream etc. Luckily over the last few months I’ve come up with lots of new ways to combat this which will all be my new book. Still I get very excited at new products which ease the burden.

Well about a couple of weeks ago on Saturday I came across among other things the new Oatly cream alternative. I held it in both hands and thought of quickie chocolate sauces, mousses and the rest, My mind went into overdrive. I rushed off home with my purchases and straight to the kitchen.  Tony came out of the sitting room, thinking I’d won the lotto but I quickly pointed out that it was too early in the day (got me thinking though and double-checked that I had bought a ticket, phew I had, so the fingers were crossed).

At my freshly cleaned sparkling stainless steel hob I set to work.  Out came the pot, half filling it with water and set it to boil.  Next I placed my trusty heatproof glass bowl on the weighing scales and gathered my little feast of goodies.

Obviously there was bit of work here but it was quick and just involved throwing (placing) the few ingredients into a bowl, placing the bowl ono the pot and letting them melt very slowly. (once the water has boiled turn the heat off, or down low, so the mixture can melt slowly).

When melted whisk to ensure all are combined. Leave to cool. Add into pretty glasses or other nice bowls you have. Leave to thicken for 2-3 hours.

Serve with either toasted chopped peanuts or some sliced ripe pears and a drizzle of dairy-free cream, topped with a sprinkling of maple syrup.

Goodies you must have:

125g dark chocolate, McConnaills 70% dark (Dairy Free & Wheat Free)
210g crunchy peanut butter
1 packet oatly cream
55g xylitol

This sauce is luscious, velvety and smooth and as you see quick and easy.

Serves 2

lotto:  By the way didn’t win the lotto in the end, more’s the pity, but at least I had my choc indulgence to soothe me, onto next week’s lucky chance.

February 21012:

I remembered the cream being a little thicker at the time but then I may have been mistaken as it’s nearly a year ago. The Oatly pack does say it contains pure oats but this is not a guarantee that it’s gluten-free. I seem to tolerate it.

I still haven’t won the lotto yet, really would they just get their act together? I’m not going to keep buying tickets forever.

Oh by the way as you know my book is out and details can be found here (Dairy Free & Spelt Living) or click on the book icon on the left hand side of page.

Love to hear how you get on with this? If you like it you can click the like button at the end of the page and even connect with me on facebook or twitter.

Last year Lorna sent a message out on twitter urgently needing to know about how many mls in a tablespoon. She was in the middle of a recipe and needed an answer, as you can imagine, asap. I along with others came to the rescue.

When we met up at a meeting a while later she suggested I put it up as a handy tip for others. So thanks to Lorna here are my quick tips on this.

Measuring Spoons

1 tablespoon = 15ml = 3 teaspoons
1 dessertspoon = 10 ml
1 teaspoon = 5ml

So when a recipe asks for say  1/2 a tablespoon then it’s 1 + 1/2 teaspoons or 7.5ml. You can have lots of fun changing around the mls or tablespoons to suit your norm.

Remember to use proper measuring spoons though. Also some measuring spoons have the conversion on them so that’ll save you remembering.

If you like this post sure why not click on the like button below or connect and like me on Facebook or Twitter

Enjoy & have fun cooking!

Reblogged from Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer:

What an uplifting piece for Monday morning blues, Enjoy Will have my chocolate mousse later?

I’m off on a course tomorrow and they’ll only be using wheat flour. So I’m busy today making bread and other treats to keep me going. Also on my menu today is a chocolate mousse. So lots to do.

This Friday baking is getting to a bit of a habit though which I’ll gladly succumbing to. Even last week along with Marie, we got ourselves into a Friday bake-off for quiche. Besides the hilarious fun I also got to achieve my long sought goal for a dairy-free and spelt quiche.

The bake-off was so much fun we are planning on doing more over the coming weeks. Keep a watchful eye for more – you are all invited to join in, whohoo.

Just to kick off today I’ve got the spelt yeast bread from my Dairy Free & Spelt Living book just out of the oven.

Next it’s on with the mousse. More on the mousse later.

A lot of the bread I made will be frozen for use throughout the week. It saves on the workload, cleaning and time, whohoo!

Do you use Friday or Saturday as your bulk baking day?

Fudge

I ended up spending most of the day in Dublin city centre looking for Oatly cream.

Oatly is a dairy free alternative to milk and I needed it to re-test an old draft post for chocolate mousse. Still trying to figure out why it was left in drafts, as it looks finished. I concluded that it must’ve been shortly before I landed in hospital for a short stay and the post just got forgotten about. More on that chocolate mousse tomorrow.

Anyway on my search I came across this dairy-free fudge. I had first encountered it early last year. I had eaten the whole pack without taking any pictures and then when I returned to get more the shop was out of stock. Since then I’ve been searching numerous health stores for it’s return. No joy until today and got the last packet in the shop then.

The first time I bought this the shop assistant remarked that it reminded her of the best of the cheap fudge from years ago. And you know I agreed and it leaves you with a moreish longing. Plus a nostalgic trip as you are immediately brought back to soffing packets of similar as a child. By the way that’s meant as a compliment as if nostalgia is one of the company’s aims then they’ve scored high. Now I’m not too happy about the corn syrup or the sugar but on the rare occasion when you’re looking for a comfort food a trip down nostalgia lane can often do the trick.

Produced by: The Fabulous Fudge Factory and is Vegan and Vegetarian approved.

Ingredients: are sugar, corn syrup, soya, cocoa butter, vanilla flavouring.

Extra Information: www.fabulousfudgefactory.co.uk

Have you ever tried them or have a favourite shop bought snack you like?

Take care for now, Marian 

When Valentine’s Day arrived there was no cooker, fridge, or shower, ah sure the list was endless, even no bed. Yet it was home. There was also a lot of outstanding work to be done. At last, though, we could move out of the one-bed apartment and into our own “four walls” again.

So in celebration of that night exactly six years ago we re-lived the picnic of the night. The wooden boxes (our shelving and coffee table) have thankfully been replaced and we have a “sink right into” comfortable sofa.  The other bits and bobs got sorted along the way.

“Memory Lane Picnic”

So last night it was spelt bread sandwiches a flask of tea and some cake along with a bottle of sparkly – ever so sophisticated. Later on we did have a proper meal. Back to our picnic I had picked up a nice Valentine’s set of a blackboard, heart sprinkles and tokens on one of the local shops. The blackboard was supposed to just say “Happy Valentine’s Day” beside the candle. As it turned out we used it to reminisce. We’d write down bits of the past to see if the other would remember. Then that would start a chain of other events that cropped up. If you ever get the chance it’s really worth doing as you’d be amazed of some of the great moments you’d forgotten.

Yep there was no mention of flowers, boxes of chocolates and the card swapping is well gone. It’s was never me and I don’t see why I should succumb on such a commercial day, I’m lucky Tony feels the same.

Did you celebrate Valentine’s or just plain not interested?

Anyway if you didn’t get a chance to enjoy Valentine Day with your someone special, here’s a novel idea from Journeying Beyond Cancer. Let’s turn “V” day into “G” day

Whatever you’re doing, hope it’s enjoyable. Chat soon. Marian

They are so quick and easy to use and my favourite use is with veggie stir-fries. Tony (total carnivore) scoffs them off as well but with a spicy mince mix he makes up.

My Mexican Shop: (owned by Lily and her husband, Alan) 

Corn tortilla sale from today until the 21st of February 2012 or till stock lasts.

Our corn tortillas are gluten free, so they’re Coeliac friendly, made with 100% white corn and are suitable for home freezing.

Nagual Corn Tortillas, 20 pack, 50% off!!

Nagual Corn Tortillas, 8 pack, 50% off!

Hurry up and get your tortillas before they’re gone.

You’ll find details and be able to buy on the link above  or here My Mexican Shop. (There are lots of recipes on their website so hope you get a chance to enjoy them some day. Let me know if you do. Must order some more myself before they’re gone!

Warning;
You need to check with My Mexican Shop which products suit you particular needs. Sadly this is the only one of their products at present that I can eat.