Sharabelle bakes

Linda McCartney's Vegetarian Beef Roast with red wine & shallot glaze I wasn't looking forward to Christmas this year since it was the first one since dad had died. As someone with Mental health problems the festive season is not my favourite.  From my own personal experience it brings out the worst not the best in people.   So this year I decided to hibernate with a stack of books and some good food, my own idea of personal bliss.  The books turned out to be a great plan since the festive TV was so abysmal.  The food however had mixed reviews.   I started with my normal breakfast a lovely bowl of Scottish porridge, topped with fruit, yogurt, mixed seeds and a drizzle of honey.  As a nod to my favourite Childhood Christmas memories I then had a little chocolate. For lunch I planned to cook Vegetarian Beef Roast severed along with baby potatoes and Brussels sprouts.  I had really been looking forward to it, so was ...

Free from Christmas Recipes Christmas Star Cookies I dread the Christmas season every year, since most of the festivities revolve around food.  I feel almost apologetic explaining my food intolerance's to people.  I'm the awkward person who's food requirements need to be taken into consideration.  While other people look forward to their works night outs or Christmas meals with friends , I end up researching the chosen  restaurant menu's to see not what I want to order, but what meal I can actually eat.  It's not a easy as you would think, as most vegetarian options include some form of cheese, or hidden Gluten.  I never really enjoy what I end up eating.   Being invited to family or friends house for Christmas dinner, fills me with anxiety and fear. I find it's more tactful to turn the invitation down, than try to explain my dietary needs.  If you have family or friends with the same problems as I am, Ive found some tasty ...

Sainsbury supermarket has one of the most comprehensive ranges of Free From foods.  There free from  Christmas  selection has also increased as well.  When I think of Christmas festive food, mince Pies immediately pop up in my mind.   Mince Pies are a main part of our British Christmas food traditions.  Thought the ones we eat today contain no minced meat. The originally ones were filled with a mix of minced meat, suet, dried fruit and spices, which usually included cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.  Only the rich could afford to buy spices, so were served to guests as a status symbol to show their wealth.   Modern mince pies thankfully no longer contain meat and the suet used is vegetarian not beef.  Households would have there own special recipe of mince meat, with their preferred blend of dried fruit and spices. They could soak the filling in brandy or rum. If you chose to make your own it has to be mixed clockwise as doi...

Christmas time is one of the hardest times of year for me, for  a lot of reasons.  Christmas reminds is of the people are who are no longer here.  This will be the first one without my dad.   It's a difficult time of year for those of us with mental health problems. My  depression and anxiety get worse, I find busy shops and streets hard to deal with.  My food intolerances increase my anxiety as well.  I dread the idea of eating out or being invited to someones house. Not everyone knows how to cater for those individuals with food intolerances.  I often wonder how many people feel they can't or just avoid inviting them at all.  There are so many foods that are naturally gluten and dairy free.   Free from foods are now more economical and readily available in our local supermarkets.  I've done some research and found ideas to share.  Hopefully making it easier for everyone this festive season.   ...

Eggnog - What is it??? The traditional eggnog recipe is a basic homemade custard, spiced and thickened with egg. Cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg are the main spices used, a dding alcohol is optional.  you can serve it either hot or cold depending on your preference.   Even though the recipe originated in the UK, it's more popular in the USA. The drink seems to be mentioned or featured in nearly every American Christmas movie.  Frankly I had to look it up as I had no idea what was in it. It sounds really similar in taste to a chai tea latte, one of my personal favourite hot beverages.   It's not exactly vegan friendly recipe, however I've found some great dairy free recipes that you can make instead. Girl makes Food blog Vegan Egg - girl makes food I really like this recipe, it looks quick and easy to make.  It also includes my favourite fruit banana  Vegan Eggnog Recipe - BBC good food This recipe takes a little time as,...

Winter Warmers With the weather getting colder I start to crave comfort food.  Homemade soup has always been one of my favourite things to eat. My mum made the best, it was one of the first things she taught me to cook.   Shop bought soup never tastes as good as homemade, no matter what brand you buy.  Making your own soup is easy and more cost effective.  It's also a lot healthier as you know exactly what is in it. I used to buy my carrots loose and chop but now I have shaky hands, it's safer to buy them pre-chopped.  Most supermarkets have fresh diced carrots and swede.  You could also use a bag of there casserole vegetables as well.   This is the simplest soup you will ever make, it's one of my favourite to eat x  Morrison's Diced Carrot and Swede - 60p   - Whole bag Vegan Bouillon Powder - £2.00 - 3 - 4 tsp's Red Split Lentils - £1.15 - 1/3 Cup or a handful - Add all the ingredients above into a...

Tis the season to be jolly Buying Christmas presents for people with food allergies or intolerances, can be hard.  Free From foods can be more expensive than regular varieties, so they are  perfect gift idea. My mum always makes sure I have my favourite Dairy free Caramels filled Chocolates in my Christmas stocking.    This Christmas there seems to be  a greater variety of free from food products available in our  supermarkets.    There are gingerbread stars and christmas tree's to bake with the rest of the family.  Selection boxes to put in their stockings.  Mince pies and christmas cake to suite everyones taste.   There are also plenty savoury ingredients to make your Christmas dinner meal perfect.  There are gluten and dairy free pastries, so you can bake your own pies or tarts.  Along with Gluten free crackers and dairy free Cheese.   Down below is a small selection of m...

Cooking when you have a  chronic illness When people talk about not being able to cook, you just assume there not confident in their food knowledge.  When I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia I discovered how much having a chronic illness could also affect my ability in the kitchen. I've had IBS for over 20 years, you never really get used to living with food intolerances.  It gets worse as you get older.  You can develop new symptoms and the food you can safely eat can change.   I've always been lactose intolerant however 2 years ago I had to add gluten to my do not eat food list. I'm basically a lactose and gluten intolerant pescatarian, who  follows a  Low Fodmap diet  to manage my IBS symptoms.  It's a bit of a mouthful to say, which means I rarely talk about it. Low Fodmaps is short for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, which are more commonly known as carbohydrate. ...