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.

Fourteen years gluten free

Today marks my fourteen year Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease fourteen 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.

Thirteen years gluten free

Today marks my thirteen year Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease thirteen 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

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 been very much appreciated.

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

Twelve years gluten free

Today marks my twelve year Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

Twelve years ago today I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and 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

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 been very much appreciated.

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

Gluten free and not gluten free

The problems of being a Coeliac.

I was reminded of some great merchandising of Gluten and Gluten Free food products today. They were placed dangerously side-by-side in a natural foods shop in Kentish Town, London back in 2011.

Don't get these two mixed up!

The month of May is Celiac Awareness Month, next week is Coeliac Awareness Week in the UK, while International Coeliac Day is on Saturday 16th May.

Related blog posts:
- Coeliac Problems
- Funny things about being a Coeliac

When eating gluten-free isn’t a choice - This Is MedTech

When eating gluten-free isn’t a choice

Champion miniature golfer Richard Gottfried spent years feeling ill before he discovered that he had coeliac disease and gradually regained his health.

Believing he had a common digestive disorder called irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Richard took IBS medication to ease his symptoms, which included bloating, vomiting, diarrhoea and severe lethargy. However, he was unaware of the real cause: gluten-containing foods. When he continued to feel ill, he thought he just had to put up with it. “When I look back, I can’t believe I lived so long eating what I did,” remembers Richard, who would often avoid food altogether because he didn’t want to be sick.

“I was so thin but bloated, so I looked like I’d been eating all day long. Often I would only have a bowl of corn flakes for breakfast, be violently ill, and then not eat anything else for the rest of the day,” he tells This Is MedTech. After several years Richard’s condition became progressively worse until he felt so ill that he went back to the doctor.

“I had a thorough check, including a blood test, an endoscopy and a sigmoidoscopy,” he says. This led to a diagnosis of coeliac disease as well as a wheat allergy. “I was referred to a gastroenterologist and a dietician, and that’s when I finally began to understand the impact and implications of my diagnosis.”

I need to be gluten free, not a glutton (or any number of other misspellings of gluten)

According to Coeliac UK, coeliac (pronounced see-liac) disease affects at least 1 in 100 people in the UK and Europe, but only 30% of people with the condition are currently clinically diagnosed. It’s a genetic autoimmune disease that’s triggered by eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. It’s not a food allergy or intolerance, or IBS. For people with coeliac disease, eating gluten damages the lining of the gut, which prevents normal digestion and absorption of food. Serious health problems can be associated with coeliac disease including osteoporosis, cancer of the small bowel and increased risk of other autoimmune diseases.

There is no cure for the condition and the only treatment is a strict gluten-free diet for life. “It can be a real drain both mentally and physically, but you have to stay as positive as possible,” comments Richard, who hasn’t wavered from his gluten-free regime in the decade since his diagnosis. “Once you’re on a gluten-free diet, it can take years for your body to recover. I’ve only just started putting on weight again in the past couple of years. Still, there’s always a risk that you’ll be ‘glutened’ which can set you back days or weeks.”

Richard says Coeliac UK and his local coeliac group were extremely helpful, especially in the beginning. “Back then, there weren’t really gluten-free options in supermarkets. The coeliac groups gave me tips on gluten-free food, cooking, storage, places to shop, etc. They also held dinners and other events, and I made some good friends. We still go out together.”

There are only a handful of 100% gluten-free restaurants in the UK, so one of Richard’s aims is to increase that number by talking about it on his blog. “We recently went out to a 100% gluten-free pub in Cambridgeshire, and it was so nice to be able to go out and feel normal.”

Having a superb 100% gluten free meal at The Oxford Place in Leeds

He also believes it’s important to raise awareness about coeliac disease by talking openly about it, as people can be embarrassed to discuss their symptoms. “You’ll never get well if you don’t go to the doctor,” he points out. “Diagnosis is the first step. Once you know what’s wrong, you can start tackling it.”

Interview by Karen Finn for This Is MedTech, January 2019.

Link:
- This Is MedTech

Related blog posts:
- Coeliac Disease
- Gluten Free

Eleven years gluten free

Today marks my eleven year Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

Eleven years ago today I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and began my journey into the gluten free world.

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.

Why I avoid gluten at all times!

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.

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 been very much appreciated. I've also found some funny things about being a Coeliac along the way.

And a BIG thank you to Emily for all of her help and support throughout my struggles with the illness.

For more information on Coeliac Disease do check out the NHS Choices and Coeliac UK websites.

You can also view the very first blog post I wrote about gluten free / Coeliac stuff at 'Gluten Free Fish & Chips at Rossi's in Swansea'.

100% gluten free at the Off The Wheaten Track Deli in Altrincham

A visit to the new Off The Wheaten Track gluten free deli in Altrincham, Greater Manchester.

On Saturday we headed over to nearby Altrincham to visit the brand new Off The Wheaten Track Deli. We'd heard the 100% gluten free deli was opening and were keen to check it out.

The menu at Off The Wheaten Track is 100% gluten free

We had a superb lunch and it really is brilliant that all of the food there is 100% gluten free.

The beef sandwich was excellent and there was a lot of choice on the menu. It was nice to see the deli busy with lots of people enjoying the gluten free options. We saw people ordering other items we'll try on future visits.

It was so nice to be able to have a sandwich out of the house. The beef sandwich I had was packed full of ingredients and flavour. Very tasty

Off The Wheaten Track Deli has a huge selection of cheeses and we tried the very interesting charcoal cheddar. It was delicious.

Some of the cheese we tried. It's NOT Black Pudding Cheese despite what it looks like!

We're looking forward to returning to the Off The Wheaten Track Deli.

Check out the Off The Wheaten Track Deli website for more information and opening times.

Related blog posts:
- Coeliac
- Gluten Free
- 100% gluten free places in the UK

100% gluten free places in the UK

As someone with Coeliac Disease it can be a nightmare finding somewhere that is 100% gluten free and safe for coeliacs.

While there do seem to be more and more places offering 'gluten free' options these days, there is still the risk of cross-contamination unless the place is 100% gluten free.

A very happy Coeliac on a recent gluten free day out in Leeds

Thankfully there are some superb 100% gluten free restaurants, tea rooms, pubs and takeaways that we've found on our travels, including The Oxford Place in Leeds and Gloof in Soham, Cambridgeshire.

Look at all those cakes at Gloof in Soham - they are all 100% gluten free

We also know about, but have yet to visit, 2 Oxford Place in York and Niche in London.

Luckily there is a gluten free deli opening up in Altrincham, Greater Manchester this Saturday. We're looking forward to checking out Off the Wheaten Track soon.

Do you know of any other 100% gluten free places in the UK? If so, do let me know in the comments.

When eating gluten-free isn’t a choice

Check out a case study about my Coeliac Disease journey on the This is MedTech website.

It's nice to do my bit to raise awareness of Coeliac Disease and the importance of getting a diagnosis.

I'm gluten free, not a glutton (or any number of other misspellings of gluten)

Link:
- This is MedTech

Related blog posts:
- Coeliac Disease
- Gluten Free
- Coeliacversary

Ten years gluten free

Today marks my ten year Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

Ten years ago today I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and so I began my journey into the world of all things gluten free.

I'm gluten free, not a glutton (or any number of other misspellings of gluten)

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.

Why I avoid gluten at all times!

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 my 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.

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 been very much appreciated. I've also found some funny things about being a Coeliac along the way.

And a MASSIVE thank you to Emily for all of her help and support throughout my struggles with the illness.

For more information on Coeliac Disease do check out the NHS Choices and Coeliac UK websites.

You can also view the very first blog post I wrote about gluten free / Coeliac stuff at 'Gluten Free Fish & Chips at Rossi's in Swansea'.

It's good to be gluten free, sometimes

While living with Coeliac Disease isn't the best thing in the world, the fact that having to be incredibly careful about every little thing you eat or drink does make you get excited about new products you see while out shopping. Lately the Co-op has been getting me interested and excited about food again as they've launched a lot of new gluten free items in their Free From range.

It's always exciting receiving a free from food parcel!

While having our own dedicated free from section in a supermarket is convenient it's also nice to see 'normal' food products being made gluten free as standard.

I've been tweeting with the team at the Co-op and they were kind enough to send me four of the new soups in the range to try out. From l-r they are Tomato & Lentil, Red Thai Chicken, Carrot & Coriander, and Chicken & Vegetable. I've tried the Chicken & Vegetable soup already - as well as the Minestrone - as I picked them up in a two for £3 deal recently. They taste really good and are large portions, very filling. The pots do say they serve 2, but I'm not one for sharing!

The Co-op has been adding to its range of gluten free products for a while now and I'm looking forward to seeing what else they have in store for people who need gluten free food options.

Link:
- The Co-op website

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- The Co-op

Celebrating nine years gluten free

Marking my Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

Nine years ago today I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and began my journey into the world of all things gluten free.

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, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

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' 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 my 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.

I can't thank Emily enough for her help and support throughout my struggles with the illness. She's been bloody marvellous.

We've tried not to let Coeliac Disease get in the way of things and we're always keen to get out and about to explore new places and try different things. Check out this minigolf/gluten free/coeliac awareness crossover blog post for example

Working together we've plotted the minefield of 'going gluten free' and barring the odd 'explosion' along the way we've found what works for us. At home we're a Gluten Free Zone, however there are a lot of hazards when I venture outside the house. I've reached the point now that except for anywhere that can offer 100% gluten free food and zero risks of cross-contamination I've more or less given up on dining out. The last meal out we had together was in Leeds last December. Happily we've got a return meal at 2 Oxford Place booked for later this month.

I do often wonder how many manufacturers, retailers, restaurants and take-aways consider the impact selling gluten free products (or not) has on their bottom line? If I find somewhere offering gluten free options and no cross-contamination then I'm going to spend some money there (my Coeliac Pound if you will). Plus I'll tell other Coeliacs. A Coeliac will travel a long way to eat safely and with confidence.

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 food and drink I've found since 2008.

Why I avoid gluten

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

For more info do check out NHS Choices and Coeliac UK.

You can also view the first blog post I wrote about gluten free / Coeliac stuff at 'Gluten Free Fish & Chips at Rossi's in Swansea'.

Related blog posts:
- Coeliac
- Gluten Free
- Funny things about being a Coeliac

Links:
- Coeliac UK
- Coeliac Disease on NHS Choices

New Free From range at Morrisons

Morrisons launches new Free From products.

Towards the end of last month Morrisons expanded its range of Free From products and the news sent ripples of excitement through the Coeliac and Gluten Free communities. I was particularly excited to hear that there were going to be new Curly Fries in the range, along with a number of other sweet and savoury treats.

The Curly Fries and Mini Hash Browns are only £1 a bag. Bargain

The updated branding, word of mouth buzz and excitement and the promise of new gluten and wheat free products at Morrisons means I've been spending a lot more time (and money) at my local store in Cheadle Heath. Much of the last two weeks has been spent keeping an eye out for the Curly Fries and Hash Browns. Luckily I managed to track some down on my dinner break today. I know what I'll be having for tea tonight!

The freezer section has a number of new Free From products

Looking in the Free From section I noticed a number of other gluten free products from brands outside of the Morrisons own-brand range, which is great to see.

A selection of the new gluten free cereals in the Free From section at Morrisons

Last year Morrisons expanded the range of Free From products available in store and so it's brilliant they are continuing to provide products that are safe and suitable for people with allergies, intolerances and autoimmune diseases (such as Coeliac Disease).

Check out the Morrisons website for details of their Free From range.

Related blog posts:
- Morrisons
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac

Link:
- Morrisons

Happy Easter

The first Free From Easter Eggs of the season have made an appearance.

While doing a little bit of a top-up shop on New Year's Eve I spotted that Sainsbury's are very well stocked on Easter Eggs already!

If you're quick you can also pick up a box of gluten free Mince Pies for 70p and Nakd Christmas Pud bars for 25p

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- Funny things about being a Coeliac

Links:
- Sainsbury's website
- Sainsbury's Free From

New Free From Cakes at Tesco

I noticed that Tesco has some new gluten and wheat free cakes in the Free From section!

Tesco's Free From range now includes Chocolate and Madeira Celebration Cakes

I'm looking forward to an occasion to try them out.

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- Funny things about being a Coeliac

Links:
- Tesco Free From
- Coeliac UK

Isabel's Gluten Free Dough Balls Mix

Cooking up some cheese dough balls with a free from mix from Isabel's.

On a recent shopping trip to Asda we spotted a product in the Free From section that we hadn't seen before - the Gluten Free Dough Balls Mix.

The 250g box makes approximately 24 dough balls and Emily made exactly two dozen delicious 'pão de queijo' snacks from the mix.

The pão de queijo' made from the Isabel's gluten free dough balls mix

They were really nice when eaten warm and with plenty leftover we've found them to be great cold too.

Putting a twist on the recipe on the packet Emily added brie to the mix, a good choice as it melted perfectly inside the dough balls.

As someone with Coeliac Disease I pore over the ingredients, claims and small-print on every single item of food and drink I buy to ensure it's safe to consume, it's pleasing to see that all of Isabel's products are naturally 100% gluten and wheat free.

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- Emily's Cooking

Links:
- Isabel's Free From website
- Isabel's Free From on Twitter
- Isabel's Free From on Facebook
- Asda
- Coeliac UK

A lot of gluten free surprises at Lidl

Stocking up on some new gluten free products from Kelkin at Lidl.

A happy Coeliac shopping for gluten free food in Lidl

A recent tweet by the Gluten Free Guerrillas alerted me to some upcoming special offers at Lidl and I was hoping that my local Lidl supermarket in Leagrave, Luton would have them in stock.

I needn't have worried - there were a LOT of great products on offer!

A great range of Kelkin gluten free products in the Leagrave branch of Lidl

As someone with Coeliac Disease it's brilliant to find new and different food to add to my strict gluten free diet, so thank you to the team at Lidl and Kelkin for stocking so many interesting products. Apart from the Porridge Oats and Muesli (as I'm a Coeliac that cannot tolerate oats for medical reasons) and Rice Cakes (I'm someone who can't tolerate them for taste reasons) we bought at least one of each of the products on offer.

What a haul of gluten free food

I've been really looking forward to trying the Kelkin Chocolate Teacakes, I hadn't bought them in other supermarkets as the price has been too prohibitive, but £1.99 is a much more reasonable price. They were worth waiting for.

The whole range of gluten free products on sale in Lidl were reasonably priced and more akin to what people without special dietary requirements pay for their food and treats. Hopefully Lidl will continue to stock gluten free products and/or arrange future #LidlSurprises for Coeliacs.

Our shopping bags contained the following Kelkin Free From products:
- Lightly sea salted Organic Corn Cakes
- Hazelnut & Chocolate flavoured Rice Cake Bars
- Jaffa cakes - a product I've seen before and scoffed many many times
- Belgian milk chocolate fingers
- Chocolate chip cookies
- Penne pasta, lasagne, spaghetti and a tomato & basil pasta sauce
- Corn flakes
- Chocolate flavoured Teacakes

We also picked up the Organic Buckwheat flakes but on reading the label again at home we noticed that it has Oat Flakes in, so I won't be eating that. It just goes to show how very very careful you have to be when buying food - I always double check, but as the Buckwheat flakes were on the end of the aisle away from the main range of products we grabbed it as we headed to the till.

A Lidl update 25 February 2015:
Fellow gluten free blogger Gluten-free Issi recently tweeted that the gluten free specials in her local Lidl had been reduced and were now even greater value. So yesterday evening we headed to our local branch in Leagrave, Luton to see what we could get.

The pasta and lasagna were also reduced, but we've got plenty of those in the cupboard. Unfortunately the tomato & basil pasta sauce was out of stock. We've got a couple left and have found the sauce is great as a pizza topping too 

Check out the websites and social media links below for more information about gluten free, Coeliac Disease, Lidl and Kelkin.

Related blog posts:
- Coeliac
- Gluten Free

Links:
- Lidl
- Kelkin
- Lidl on Twitter
- Lidl on Facebook
- #LidlSurprises
- #Lidlers
- Kelkin on Twitter
- Kelkin on Facebook
- Gluten Free Guerrillas
- Coeliac Disease at Coeliac UK

Gluten free chicken and beer

Chicken and beer - a great combination.

Emily's a great cook and makes some delicious gluten free treats - both sweet and savoury. We've blogged about some of them here on The Ham & Egger Files and also posted photos and details on her Twitter feed.

The latest creation Emily has perfected is oven baked cornflake chicken (think kind of southern fried, but healthier if you will).

Southern-style baked chicken coated with crushed Nestle Gluten Free Corn Flakes, served with paprika potato wedges, BBQ beans and an avocado. Washed down with a chilled Estrella Damm Daura gluten free beer. Delicious food, gluten free or otherwise

Since my diagnosis with Coeliac Disease in 2008 I've tried a fair few of the gluten free beers available and Estrella Damm Daura is one of my favourites.

While recently shopping for a gluten free Chocolate Yule Log in Tesco's Free From section I noticed that Estrella Damm Daura were included in a 3 for 2 offer and so twelve bottles of the great gluten free beer were £12 - a great buy for a savvy coeliac like me.

Links:
- Estrella Damm Daura website
- Estrella Damm Daura gluten free beer on Twitter
- Tesco Free From website
- Nestlé Cereals website

Related blog posts:
- Gluten free Ale, Beer and Lager
- New Nestlé Gluten Free Corn Flakes and Honey Corn Flakes

- Coeliac

- Gluten Free

'Free From' Festive Chocolate Yule Log from Tesco

New festive free from products at Tesco.

While on Facebook this morning a photo from the coeliac blogger Little Missed Gluten was in my feed showing the new Festive Chocolate Yule Log from Tesco's Free From range!

The Tesco Free From Festive Chocolate Yule Log is gluten, wheat, dairy and milk free

I had to go and get one!

The new Festive Chocolate Yule Log added to the Free From range at Tesco

I had a slice of the yule log for dessert tonight and it was delicious - you'd never know it was a free from product!

Little Missed Gluten had been tipped-off about the new product by another gluten free blogger - Coeliac Delight. Check out their sites for more gluten free news, reviews and recipes.

Luckily Tesco currently has a 3 for 2 promotion running so I was able to pick up one of the gluten and wheat free Yule Logs, as well as some Christmas Cakes. The Festive Chocolate Yule Log isn't cheap - it costs £4.75, but I thought it was worth a try, Christmas comes but once a year after all.

A Red Christmas! Estrella Damm Daura gluten free beer is also in the 3 for 2 offer at Tesco - twelve bottles for £12 is far more reasonable than the £7.50 for four that it usually sells for!

This year my gluten free purchases for Christmas started earlier than ever before as I found some gluten free mince pies on sale in Hastings on 20 September! I bought my advent calendar (my first in years) a week later.

Links:
- Tesco Free From
- Little Missed Gluten
- Little Missed Gluten on Facebook
- Coeliac Delight
- Coeliac Delight on Facebook
- Estrella Damm Daura

Related blog posts:
- Christmas
- Gluten free and ready for Christmas
- The first gluten free Mince Pie of the season
- Gluten free Ale, Beer and Lager
- Coeliac
- Gluten Free