Spicy Thai Red Chicken Curry

I went to Thailand late last year, and it was possibly one of the hardest places I have been in terms of eating. Hardly anyone understood my translation card which made it near impossible to eat anything - I lived on steamed veggies and rice for 2 and a bit weeks (apart from in Koh Tao where we found the best little restaurant who labelled everything GF!).

So, I decided to adapt a well known classic Thai dish, Chicken Red Thai Curry into something that us coeliacs can eat - and my god was it good! 

I cheated a bit and didn't make my own paste, but Waitrose Red Thai Curry Paste is a great alternative to those of you, who like me don't get in from work until late! 

Ingredients: 

3 tbsp of rapeseed oil 

3 large chicken breasts, diced 

1x Waitrose Cooks Ingredients Red Thai Curry Paste (100g)

1 large white onion, diced

3 spring onions, sliced length ways

1 green chili sliced 

1/2 red pepper, sliced

1/2 yellow pepper, sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 lemon zest and juice

1 tbsp gluten free tamari (soy sauce)

1 handful of fresh Thai basil 

1x can of coconut milk (400g)

Crushed black pepper to taste 

Method:

1. In a large pan heat the rapeseed oil and then add the diced white onion and sweat (you don't want them to brown)

2. Add the diced chicken and brown

3. Add the whole jar of the Red Thai Curry Paste and your crushed garlic cloves and sliced green chili and cook off for 2 mins 

4. Roughly chop a handful of Thai basil and add to the pot along with the spring onion

5. Add in the coconut milk and simmer, then squeeze the half lemon and add the zest 

6. Season to taste with the soy and black pepper

7. cover the pot with a lid and simmer for approx 10-12 mins, while you are doing this you might want to start your plain white rice. 

8. You want the veggies to be really crispy, so these are added with 3 mins to go until finished. 

Serve how you wish, with a sprinkling of sprint onion and Thai basil to garnish - it really is delicious and would make a fantastic valentines meal for your loved one. 

Thank me later 

T :) x

Healthy Kale Chips

Now, I'm not sure about you but when I was little I used to HATE greens. My Nan used to pile high my plate with 'curly kale' and I would gag at the thought of eating it. 

Now you'll find it has become one of those 'superfoods' that's splashed everywhere as a miracle food that assists in weight loss and all things magical - I'm not sure the magical part is correct, but it is full of Vitimin K, C, A, B6 and E - the list goes on! 

I had half a bag of kale left in the fridge this weekend, that was going out of date and wasn't enough for a portion with dinner - so I made Kale Chips. 

My boyfriend pulled a face when I said 'hey would you like some Kale chips?' and turned his nose up and then continued to eat half of the bowl once he'd tried them!! 

These are simply roasted with a drizzle of olive oil, Chinese 5 spice, pink Himalayan salt and fresh ground pepper.  You need to ensure that the leaves are dry before you add the oil - otherwise you run the risk of the leaves going soggy - and that's not what you want! 

Rub the oil, five spice, salt and pepper into the leaves and place on grease proof paper. put into the oven for 7 mins at 180 degrees - but don't open the door!


They actually taste like crispy Chinese seaweed from the takeaway - just without being deep fried and a while lot less greasy!


Don't worry - you'll thank me after you've tried them! You can also prepare these the night before and keep them in an airtight container and take them to work as a healthy snack. 

T :) x

Christmas Turkey, Stuffing and Cranberry Rolls - Boots

Apologies for not have blogged in a good while - to keep up with what I am doing you can however visit my Twitter and Instagram pages that are (nearly) always up to date! 

I don't know about you, but I am a massive fan of the Boots meal deal of a lunch time. I work in a busy environment and don't really get the chance to have a proper lunch break. Having said this, I do find the options in Boots a lot broader than they used to be - and now, they have introduced their Christmas Gluten Free Roll. 

Considering Boots never used to have any products I could eat, now they are so popular it's a miracle if you can get your hands on them. 

T :) x

Easy Fritata

So as you can all tell, the last few months have been a whirlwind for me, and I haven't blogged as much as I would like to! 

Here is something I knocked up one night after work, that was really tasty and easy to cook! 

Ingredients: 

5 eggs

handful of Kale (quickly fried in coconut oil)

1 Red onion (fried in coconut oil)

handful of Cherry Tomatoes cut in half 

half a fresh red chilli

Salt and Pepper to taste 

Method: 

Finely chop the red onion and fry in a half a teaspoon of coconut oil until golden

Add the Kale and heat through 

Remove from the heat and allow to cool

Whisk the eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper

Add your kale and onions to a oven proof dish (you don't want a thick dish, as it takes longer to cook) and pour the egg mixture over.  

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top

Enjoy with some crispy salad or crunchy vegetables 

Enjoy T x

Chinese Take Away - Made at Home

Takeaways. A nightmare for those with allergies and auto immune conditions like me.

But, you can just as easily make it at home…and it doesn’t take forever to prep!

My free from sticky salmon with egg fried rice and Chinese stir-fried vegetables was a hit – why not try it for yourself?

Sticky Salmon

Ingredients:

Tamari (2 tbsp)

Thumb size piece of ginger – grated

half 1 red chilli

half 1 green chilli

Chinese 5 Spice  (1 tsp)

Clear Honey -(1 tbsp)

Garlic cloves, minced (2 cloves)

2 Salmon fillets

Method:

In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients with a fork to ensure they are all combined.

Make small tinfoil parcels for your salmon fillets, and marinate the fillets for at least 30 mins in the fridge.

Bake in the oven for 25 mins (in the parcel)

The last 5 mins, uncover so the salmon can caramelise.

Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients:

Cold precooked long grain white rice (300g)

Generous glug if vegetable oil

3 spring onions, sliced

half 1 white onion

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Tamari (1 tsp)

3 eggs whisked

2 handfuls of frozen peas (defrosted)

Method:

Heat the oil in a wok until smoking hot

Quickly fry the onion and spring onions, no more than 1 minute

Add the pre cooked rice and coat with the oil

Push the rice to one side, and add the egg – whisk with a chopstick or end of a wooden spoon (works just as well) – mix in with the rest of the rice and add the defrosted peas

Add pepper to taste and mix in the tamari before serving.

Chinese Stir Fried Vegetables

Ingredients:

2 Bok Choi

Half Broccoli (pre cooked for 4 mins)

small piece of ginger grated

2 garlic cloves

vegetable oil to coat pan

tamari (a few drops)

half red chili chopped finely

half green chili chopped  finely

Method:

Heat the oil in a wok until smoking hot

add the ginger, garlic and chopped chili’s

add your Bok Choi and cook in the oil for 6 mins until the stalks are almost transparent

add the broccoli and the tamari

and Voila….plate up and it’s ready to devour.

No preservatives, no monosotium glutomate (MSG), totally gluten free and yummy for those days when you crave a takeaway but want to be good.

 T x

Buko Coconut Jam

Coconut jam you say? No…you’ve lost me. I’d never heard of it either before a few weeks ago.

But it does exist and it’s bloomin’ lovely!

I don’t normally eat that much bread (she says) but my freezer had a malfunction this weekend and so I am  now left with a whole batch of defrosted bread (that I wasn’t expecting). So I thought why not try some of this coconut jam that is apparently all the rage?

Well I know exactly why now.

I have two versions at home – original and with added sea salt.

Now for anyone that loves salted caramel, like myself, you will really really enjoy Buko’s coconut jam with sea salt. They are a healthy version of your normal breakfast spread, and taste delicious…oh and obviously it’s gluten free.

Buko Coconut jam comes in 3 flavours, original, sea salt and chocolate and you can buy from most health food stores (Planet Organic, realfoods.co.uk, Amazon, healthysupplies.co.uk to mention a few).

But you don’t just have to use it to lather on your toast….oh no no no. Why not get creative and add it to pancakes, smoothies or just dip your finger in and eat straight from the jar (OK, I admit it…that’s my favourite way to eat it!).

Enjoy! T x

Just Because it's Gluten Free

Doesn’t mean it should be any less quality than other ‘normal’ products.

I am fed up of buying gluten free products from many of the UK’s large grocers, and them being of a lesser standard than non-gluten free products you would find on the shelves.

Why should the shelves be stacked less often? Why should  crumpled bread that’s nearly out of date be the only thing that’s available to us?

Nearly every week I shop in Sainsbury’s or Waitrose and the amount of times there has been hardly anything left on the ‘Free From’ aisle is really, really frustrating.

I haven’t shopped in Sainsbury’s Local for lunch for a very long time – but today I did and I regret it! I bought a wrap that seemed full to the brim with filling. As soon as I got it out of the packet, all the filling slipped to the bottom of the soggy wrap, and it was hardly edible – I had to throw it away.

Why should a Gluten Free wrap have less filling?

I can’t tell you my frustration with wasting food – but this was so soggy you could barley hold it let alone consume it! I wasted my money and I am extremely annoyed.

It’s not the poor girl on the checkout’s fault though, or that of poor ‘Sam’ on the end of my twitter rant.

It’s the suppliers who over inflate their pricing for gluten free products and think it’s OK to short change the consumer. Maybe Sainsbury’s need to take a leaf out of Boots’ book.  Their rolls are well filled, with tasty filling – minus the scrimping.

T x

Gluten Free Prague

Two friends and I recently visited Prague to see our childhood friend who is studying to be a doctor (very, very proud of her!) – and like with all places, being a coeliac and eating out can sometimes be problematic. 

I found this wasn’t really a problem in Prague. Nearly all the waiting staff knew what gluten free was, and nearly all of the menus had GF or the FACE symbol next to the dish, we even found a totally gluten free restaurant! Even ‘Tesco’ had a gluten free aisle! 

Luckily I wasn't on my own this time, as my best friend also follows a gluten free diet. I took a translation card with me, just in case but I didn’t end up needing it.

We had an apartment near Old Town Square – so we were within walking distance of everything - which was amazing. If you ever want to visit Prague definitely stay near Old Town Square! 

Restaurants we visited were:

V Zátiší – Gluten free options available ask the staff as they are really helpful!

Visit if: you want a treat this is the restaurant to go! Service was impeccable as was the food. We had an amazing meal here which was so yummy! A great location for any special occasion – ours was a reunion of friends!

Restaurant Mincovna – Old Town Square (Gluten Free stated on Menu) – we stumbled upon this restaurant on our last night and had a fabulous meal here, even the deserts were gluten free! The staff were also very helpful and the food was beautiful.

Visit if: you are looking for a contemporary take on traditional Czech food with a relaxed environment and beautiful food. Great spot for small groups of friends or couples.

Alriso Ristotteria  (completely gluten free menu) – my favourite restaurant of them all. Mainly because I could eat every single thing on the menu – and that doesn’t usually happen very often – especially abroad. They serve everything from tempura prawns, to Gnocchi, to chocolate fondant cake. Perfecto!

Visit if: you are following a gluten free diet  or coeliac. It’s a must! They also cater for dairy free too, and the staff are very helpful! The food is so yummy, and it’s a great spot for lunch. Try the lasagne – it’s perfect!

Hotel u Prince (Gluten Free stated on Menu) – we had lunch here on our first afternoon in Prague. They have the FACE symbol next to everything that is gluten free and it’s right in Old Town Square.

Visit if: you need a quick bite to eat in the town centre and if you enjoy the hustle and bustle of the tourists (mainly stags and hens) parading through the square. We had a great afternoon people watching.

I loved Prague as a city – and we had a great time and I would definitely go back again for a girls weekend. 

One love Prague!

BFree Wraps and Pitas

I've used BFree wraps and pitas quite a few times when I have managed to get my hands on them in the supermarket.

These wraps and Pitas have multi uses, and not just for sandwiches or fajitas! 

Mini low fat Pizzas

You can use the Quinoa wraps (99 kcals a wrap) as a pizza base, I added some tomato puree, and toppings of your choice and grill until crispy. 

Home Made Tortilla Chips 

Melt some coconut oil in the microwave (about 10 seconds will do) and mix with cumin and turmeric). Cut a plain BFree wrap into triangles, using a brush, cover both sides of the triangles with the coconut oil mix and bake for 12 mins until crispy. Perfect if you fancy being naughty with some crisps, but don't want to eat those that are processed. 

Pulled Chicken Fajitas 

These were possibly my favourite! Slow cook 3-4 chicken thigh fillets in 200ml of chicken stock and BFree Fajita seasoning for 50 minutes. When the chicken is completely cooked, shred the chicken and put back in the oven for 10 minutes on a lower heat. Prep your wrap fillings (I have grilled onions and red peppers).

Healthy Pita Chips 

Cut the pita into pieces, and again, melt some coconut oil in the microwave, and brush onto the pieces. Bake for 12 minutes at 200 degrees. voilà. healthy pita chips! 

Quick Yummy Pitas 

For those times when you don't have time to think about what to eat, BFree Pitas are perfect. Grill two pitas for 2 minutes each side, cut in half and fill with pesto, salad and goats cheese. There we go, quick, easy, simple. 

Purition Natural Protein Shakes

It's been exactly a year since I started my 'healthy' lifestyle pledge. Not only eating healthier, but training in the gym 3-4 times a week. 

I have to admit, there are points in time when my training regime and diet have been stricter... but all in all I have maintained some form of physical training at least once or twice a week. 

As we head back to the lighter evenings, and towards the summer the regime has begun to pick up traction again, and with a weekend away to Spain with the girls coming up in May, I need to get back into shape and fit into those bikinis that have been hidden away since August!

I normally drink protein after a training session to help the repairing process, but sometimes I have to admit they make me feel sick because they are either too sweet, or have a grainy texture. 

While most protein shakes are gluten free, they don't necessarily have all the goodness in them you could get from natural protein sources. This is where Purition comes into play. 

It can be used as pre or post workout protein shake, or a meal replacement shake. I tried one first thing in the morning, mixed with banana and strawberries, and it kept me full until about 2 pm, which I was really impressed as I usually get peckish an crave an elevenses. 

I also tried the chocolate flavour as a post training protein shake. 

Packed full of natural goodness, these shakes are not packed full of fillers, like you can find with the conventional 'protein shakes'. 

They are vegan, dairy free, gluten free, full of natural protein, fibre and low in sugar. 

What more could you want to assist you with your fitness journey?

Whether it's losing weight or to maintain a healthy lifestyle, these natural protein shakes are a great addition to your routine. 

For more information, or to buy - head over to the Purition Website  

Be healthy, love lots and enjoy life.

Tilly :) x