The Gluten Free World in Runcorn

There's a 100% gluten free bakery in Runcorn, Cheshire.

I recently found out there's a 100% gluten free bakery in Runcorn. Brilliant to know and somewhere for me to check out in the future.

Visit The Gluten Free World's website for more information.

Simply G Free Gluten free shop in Halifax

There's a gluten free shop at The Piece Hall in Halifax.

I've just found out there's a new gluten free shop at The Piece Hall in Halifax, West Yorkshire.

I'll have to check it out next time I'm there.

Visit the Simply G Free Facebook Page and The Piece Hall website for more information.

17 years gluten free

Today marks my 17 year Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease 17 years ago today. And so began my journey into the gluten free world.

What is Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

In the UK it's estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition.

Living a gluten free life

I'm still alive and kicking as I've avoided gluten (my Kryptonite) since 2008

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008. It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a Gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.

My life as a Coeliac in LEGO form

While having a life-long condition such as Coeliac Disease can be a pain - and horrible if I 'get glutened' - having the disease has had some positives. I've met great people since my diagnosis and have made some brilliant friends who I've met through Coeliac groups. I've also blogged a lot about living with the condition and the great free from food and drink I've found since 2008.

Thank you to everyone for their support, tips, help and recommendations over the years. It's very much appreciated.

For more information on Coeliac Disease visit the NHS Choices and Coeliac UK websites.

Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport now has a shop!

You can now find Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport at 236 Stockport Road in Cheadle Heath, Stockport.

The team at Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport have opened a shop in Cheadle Heath, Stockport.

It's brilliant to know there's a 100% gluten free place in my town!

Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport opened their shop last month.

We first found Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport at a Worker Bee Market in Cheadle Hulme last April and have bought some superb sweets and savouries from them over the last year at other markets and events.

Check out Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport on Facebook and Instagram for more information and opening times.

I'm looking forward to seeing what bakes and treats they have available when I visit...

Yaylo - 100% gluten free in Reading

Yaylo in Reading, Berkshire is 100% gluten free.

I'm always looking out 100% gluten free places and so it was brilliant to hear about Yaylo in Reading. Many thanks to my friend - and fellow Coeliac - Katie for letting me know about the coffee shop.

It's brilliant to know there's another 100% gluten free place in the UK.

You can find Yaylo at 26 Cross Street in Reading.

Check out the Yaylo website for more information.

Whisked Away gluten free bakery opening in Stockport

There's a new gluten free bakery opening in Stockport.

I found out about a dedicated gluten free bakery opening in Stockport soon!

Whisked Away is opening at St Petersgate in Stockport town centre.

Check out the Whisked Away Facebook page for more information.

I'm looking forward to finding out more when they open.

Orbis in Stamford is 100% gluten free

We recently found out that the Orbis restaurant in Stamford, Lincolnshire is 100% gluten free.

Many thanks to our friend - and fellow Coeliac - Cat for letting us know that the Orbis restaurant in Stamford is 100% gluten free.

Take a look at the Orbis website for more information.

We're looking forward to checking it out in the future.

Another superb meal at The Oxford Place in Leeds

A meal at The Oxford Place in Leeds - a 100% gluten free restaurant.

We had another fantastic feast at The Oxford Place in Leeds yesterday. There were some very nice additions to the menu - including Chicken Tacos and 'Caesar' Prawn Tacos!

It's brilliant that the menu is 100% gluten free.

Check out The Oxford Place website for more information.

Gluten free food from Italy

I've got lots of gluten free goodies from Italy thanks to Emily!

Gluten free (senza glutine) food from Italy

It's always nice to try different things and see what's available for Coeliacs in other countries.

It's a superb haul of senza glutine food to scoff during Coeliac UK Awareness Month.

A look at some gluten free (senza glutine) food in Italy

Here's a look at some gluten free (senza glutine) food in a supermarket in Italy.

Emily recently returned from a holiday in Sorrento, Italy and while there had a look round the shops for gluten free (senza glutine) food.

It's always interesting to see the different products available and variety on offer in other countries, as the strict 100% gluten free diet people with Coeliac Disease must follow can get tiresome!

Here's what Emily spotted at the Dodecà supermarket in Sorrento. What items would you be putting in your basket?

Take a look at this blog post with a snap of the goodies she was able to carry back in her luggage for me!

The Oxford Place in Leeds - a 100% gluten free restaurant

This month is Coeliac UK Awareness Month and I highly recommend a visit to The Oxford Place - a 100% gluten free restaurant in Leeds.

My favourite restaurant is The Oxford Place in Leeds. We try to visit as often as possible as it's one of the very few 100% gluten free places, and somewhere I feel safe dining at as I have Coeliac Disease. We last visited in January this year, and I'm looking forward to returning next month.

It's going to be superb returning and seeing what's on the menu.

We've tried so many excellent dishes there over the years. It's such a nice environment where I've been able to relax and try new food and drink.

Check out The Oxford Place's website for more information.

Find out more about Coeliac UK Awareness Month 2025 on the Coeliac UK website.

About Coeliac Disease

Coeliac Disease ('Celiac' in the USA and Canada) is a lifelong autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, and uncomfortable symptoms.

Living a gluten free life

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008! It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, lifelong gluten free diet.

May is Coeliac UK Awareness Month 2025

This month is Coeliac UK Awareness Month.

Coeliac UK's Awareness Month takes place throughout the month of May, with the charity for people affected by Coeliac Disease sharing stories to help recognise the symptoms and take the first steps on the road to recovery.

Coeliac disease is a serious autoimmune condition that affects 1 in 100 people in the UK (I'm one of those '1's') and according to Coeliac UK only 36% are medically diagnosed, meaning there are an estimated 500,000 people living in the UK who are experiencing symptoms - and these symptoms are having a big impact on their lives.

Find out more about Coeliac UK Awareness Month 2025 on the Coeliac UK website.

About Coeliac Disease

Coeliac Disease ('Celiac' in the USA and Canada) is a lifelong autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, and uncomfortable symptoms.

Living a gluten free life

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008! It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, lifelong gluten free diet.

Yoyo Laos Sauce - gluten free sauce!

It was a brilliant surprise to bump into our friend Frazer Rhodes while at the Star Walk event at Trinity Walk in Wakefield. He was there with his classic Datsun 1500 pickup truck as part of the retro & classic vehicle and pop culture event at the shopping centre.

The Yoyo Laos Sauce Datsun 1500 Pickup Truck at the Star Walk event at Trinity Walk in Wakefield

He was also promoting Yoyo Laos Sauce - a range of sauces that are gluten free!

Me, Frazer, a bottle of Yoyo Laos Sauce and a Datsun 1500 in Wakefield

Frazer was kind to give us a bottle of the Original Yoyo Ginger Chilli Sauce and we tried some when we got home - it's delicious, and had just the right amount of heat and kick to it. It's going to be interesting trying it with a few different dishes.

We'll be getting the rest of the range too. It's brilliant when we find totally gluten free sauces as it really helps expand the types of things I can eat, as we try out new recipes and dishes.

Check out the Yoyo Laos Sauce website for more information on the range of sauces, where to purchase, and where to find the Yoyo Laos Sauce team on the road at different markets and events.

Coeliac UK Awareness Month 2025

May is Coeliac UK Awareness Month.

Coeliac UK's Awareness Month takes place throughout May, with the charity for people affected by Coeliac Disease sharing stories to help recognise the symptoms and take the first steps on the road to recovery.

Coeliac disease is a serious autoimmune condition that affects 1 in 100 people in the UK (I'm one of those '1's') and according to Coeliac UK only 36% are medically diagnosed, meaning there are an estimated 500,000 people living in the UK who are experiencing symptoms - and these symptoms are having a big impact on their lives.

Find out more about Coeliac UK Awareness Month 2025 on the Coeliac UK website.

About Coeliac Disease

Coeliac Disease ('Celiac' in the USA and Canada) is a lifelong autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, and uncomfortable symptoms.

Living a gluten free life

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008! It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, lifelong gluten free diet.

100% Gluten Free Places for People with Coeliac Disease

When you have Coeliac Disease dining out can be very difficult at the very best of times. Luckily there are some 100% gluten free places that are suitable for Coeliacs.

The 100% gluten free places that are able to cater to the specific needs of people with Coeliac Disease that we have visited are:

• The Oxford Place restaurant in Leeds
• Off the Wheaten Track deli in Altrincham
• Wildcraft Bakery in Leeds
• Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport

Other 100% gluten free places we've heard about include:

• Fishermans Catch gluten free fish & chip shop in South Shields
• Niche Gluten-free dining in London
• The Bees Knees - Gluten Free café in Plymouth

Do you know of any other 100% gluten free restaurants, takeaways, delis, bakeries etc.? If you do, please share them in the comments.

What is Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac Disease ('Celiac' in the USA and Canada) is a lifelong autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

In the UK it is estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition.

Visit the Coeliac UK website for more information.

Living a gluten free life

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008! It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.

It's important you form your own approach to the 100% gluten free diet as everyone is different. There are some things other Coeliacs would eat or drink that I wouldn't go anywhere near.

Coeliac UK - What advice would you give to someone newly diagnosed with Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac UK, the charity for people with Coeliac Disease, recently asked the question "What advice would you give to someone newly diagnosed with Coeliac Disease?" on their social media accounts.

It's been interesting seeing the responses to the question and I hope it's helpful to newly diagnosed people.

Having been diagnosed in 2008 and living a 100% gluten free life since, I gave the following reply to the question:

If you have a local group then I recommend joining it to find out more and speak to other Coeliacs.

When I was first diagnosed in 2008 I joined my local group - Beds and Mid Herts - and it was brilliant to meet other Coeliacs with a wide range of experience and knowledge. Some had been diagnosed for many years, while others were newbies like me. It was great to be able to go out for meals and find out things to avoid and top tips.

It's important you form your own approach to the 100% gluten free diet as everyone is different. There are some things other Coeliacs would eat or drink that I wouldn't go anywhere near.

And always celebrate the little things (I found a lot of reduced price gluten free cakes at The Co-Op today, so will be scoffing them for the next few days 😋).

Check out the Coeliac UK website and follow them across social media to find out more.

Gluten free at The Oxford Place in Leeds

Another superb meal at The Oxford Place in Leeds.

We're BIG fans of The Oxford Place restaurant in Leeds. It serves excellent food and the team there do so much to make the dining experience as normal as possible for people with Coeliac Disease. It's brilliant to be able to dine at a 100% gluten free place.

We had a fantastic three course meal there for our recent wedding anniversary.

I had the Duck & Yorkies for my main - the confit duck leg is hidden behind the Yorkshire puddings and under the fried duck egg!

Check out The Oxford Place's website for more information.

Ready to tuck in!

Carozza

My dessert was the Trillionaire's Slice

A Trillionaire's Slice!

Emily had the cod dish - it was similar to the dish I had there on our last visit. It looked delicious, and Emily said it was

We can't wait for our next meal there already!

16 years gluten free

Today marks my 16 year Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease 16 years ago today. And so began my journey into the gluten free world.

What is Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

In the UK it's estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition.

Living a gluten free life

I'm still alive and kicking as I've avoided gluten (my Kryptonite) since 2008

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008. It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a Gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.

My life as a Coeliac in LEGO form

While having a life-long condition such as Coeliac Disease can be a pain - and horrible if I 'get glutened' - having the disease has had some positives. I've met great people since my diagnosis and have made some brilliant friends who I've met through Coeliac groups. I've also blogged a lot about living with the condition and the great free from food and drink I've found since 2008.

Thank you to everyone for their support, tips, help and recommendations over the years. It's very much appreciated.

For more information on Coeliac Disease visit the NHS Choices and Coeliac UK websites.

This month is Coeliac Awareness Month

The month of May is Coeliac Awareness Month.

Coeliac Awareness Month 2024

This year Coeliac UK - the charity for people with Coeliac Disease - is on a mission to find the 1 in 100 people in the UK with coeliac disease and help guide them on the road to recovery.

Visit the Coeliac UK website and Coeliac Awareness Month page for more information.

What is Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac Disease ('Celiac' in the USA and Canada) is a lifelong autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

In the UK it is estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition.

Living a gluten free life

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008! It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.

My life as a Coeliac in LEGO form

My Coeliacversary

This year marks my 16th year as a Coeliac! Time flies eh.

How should I celebrate my Coeliacversary this year...?

Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport

Finding a 100% gluten free market stall in Cheadle Hulme.

We found Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport at a Worker Bee Market in Cheadle Hulme yesterday.

It was brilliant to find the totally gluten free stall. I bought a Black Forest Cake and Carrot Cake - both were delicious.

A rarity for me - two freshly prepared cakes!

It's been years since I've been able to buy something on the go from a market. I occasionally see 'gluten free' items, but served next to gluten containing items, or a warning to state they have been prepared in the same environment as gluten.

Black Forest gateau is one of my favourite cakes - I can't remember the last time I had one! This one from Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport was excellent

I had no trouble with that from the Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport stall. It was nice chatting to the bakers and hearing their own gluten free story. It gave peace of mind knowing the food would be safe for me to eat. That goes a very long way in making eating food enjoyable!

I took the cakes home so I could eat them with a cake fork, as I don't get to do that often

If we'd got there earlier I could've bought some savoury items too, including a Scotch Egg. However, they'd sold out by the time we got there. I can see why as the two cakes I bought were very good indeed.

Check out Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport on Instagram and Facebook for more information.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport at another market in the area soon.