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,...

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...

I didn't realise it had been so long since I last blogged.  I could give a lot of different reasons, however it's quicker to say that sometimes life gets in the way. Mental Health Christmas is always a bad time for me, I prefer to be in my own home on the big day.  No worries about trying to see everyone.  When are they going to serve food? And are they going to have something that I can eat!!! Would they be offended if I brought my own dinner just in case....... I'm a firm believer in taking ownership of my health problems.  It's the same for my IBS, I'm responsible for the food I eat.  I can't blame anyone if I become ill.  As such I always carry an emergency snack with me, and always research places that I can eat.  My mum and friends get more upset than I do if we go somewhere that has nothing I can eat or something that's boring.    Don't be afraid to ask, it's now law in the UK that food business need to h...

Christmas Breakfast Plate of cornflakes Oat and Banana Pancakes Christmas Lunch Mushroom and Chestnut pie with Roast veg and cranberry sauce Followed by homemade  peppermint  creams Christmas Supper Dairy free sticky toffee cake with custards Finished my festive day with a mug of soya milk hot Chocolate and a dairy free orange and poppy seed cookie. Id been awake since 5.30am.   Nothing to do with it being Christmas day.  More due to my IBS, I sometimes don't sleep very well.   Which is why I kind of got a bit carried away in the kitchen by 9.30am I had  ................. - Baked Whole wheat Scones for my Brother G  (Its his birthday tomorrow) - Banana and nut loaf for my mum (She had some over ripe banana's) - Rolled pastry for Mushroom pie  - Stewed apples so i could - Then used the leftover pastry to make little apple pies - Prepped the veg for lunch After a visit ...

School Winter Fair Ingredients to make Sugar Cookies Got the call to duty this week.   Next weekend is my nieces and nephews School Winter Fair, I'll be on holiday so I'm going to miss it.  But that doesn't mean I can't make a contribution ahead of time.  The plan is for me to bake the cookies this weekend, so they can be collected and stored in a freezer till there needed.  Last year I baked 100 Christmas Cookies for the kids to decorate themselves at the fair.  Due to equipment restrictions it took a lot longer than I expected. Making the dough and cutting  out the cookies didn't take long, however I could only bake 1 tray of cookies at a time in my old cooker.  Never thought I'd every get bored of baking cookies...... This year I only needed to bake 80, my brand new double oven made the task a lot easier.  I made the dough on Friday and chilled in the fridge overnight.  Then started the rest of the process this morn...