Sharabelle bakes

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.   ...

I'm happily sitting here with a cup of peppermint tea, and a tasty marmalade flapjack.  It seems to be a theme with me lately, buying products and not liking the taste.  The last time it was Peanut butter, this time. Product review   Morrisons Thick Cut Marmalade I always have marmalade on rice cakes along with my breakfast in the morning.  I'm very particular about the type of marmalade I like.  I love the kind with Peel in it. It also must have a sharp citrus taste.  Dundee in Scotland has a long tradition of producing marmalade, so it's probably a Scottish obsession.   So I was very disappointed when I tried out Morrisons thick cut marmalade.  It has a nice amount of peel and I nice citrus kick, but then your left with the taste of burnt caramel in your mouth.  Not a very pleasant after taste.   Recipe Review I hate waste, so I wasn't going to throw it out.  So I decided to bake with it instead....

KOKO Dairy Free ( As at 1/6/17)  Currently £1:30 in Morrisons.  Full price £1:84 This yogurt was thick and creamy just like greek yogurt.  Smooth in texture and with a subtle coconut flavour.  It was perfect topped over my mixed soft fruit for breakfast.  I love sprinkling mixed seeds on top as well.  I  enjoyed this product so much I went out this week and bought another carton.   The yogurt is so thick it would be perfect dollop over a slice of warm chocolate cake.  Or used as a replacement for creme fresh, in sweet and savoury dishes.   If you like coconut you will love this yogurt.  It's made from dairy free yogurt cultures. It's suitable for Coeliacs, Vegetarians and Vegans.  It's been approved by the Vegetarian and Vegan Society.  

Morrisons The best Coconut Lollies Dairy free Ice cream is so expensive, I could make my own but it just never tastes the same.  So I took a look down my freezer aisles for some other ideas. When I saw the word coconut I thought I'd give them a try.   I love Coconut in any form, these have both coconut water and milk.  There is also a neutral white grape juice in the ingredients as well.  The taste is dreamy, what can I say I love them.  I just bought my third box today for my freezer.   They have a lovely natural coconut taste and are really refreshing.  Health wise they only contain 73 calories. They have less calories and fat than dairy free ice cream, making them a tasty treat. (They are not made in a free from environment, so there not suitable if you have a milk allergy)    There is also an Orange and Raspberry version, which are made with fruit puree rather than flavoured water.  I've tried the Ra...

I used to love making all my own food from scratch, however since being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia I can't do this anymore.  The major problem is my hands.  Every so often the muscles twitch in my legs and hands, and I really do not want to be holding a knife when that happens. So Iv been browsing the Supermarket aisles for my favourite foods. I've learnt the hard way when you have a food intolerance that It's best to always check the ingredients.  Much to my dismay foods that should not contain dairy seem to have it added.   Authentic Mexican Guacamole does not contain cream.  However more than one supermarket is guilty of this mistake.   Guacamole Asda Guacamole Contains Double cream Tesco Guacamole Contains Single Cream Morrisons Mexican style Guacamole Contains Double Cream Check out this site to make your own -  Classic Mexican Guacamole Recipe Hellmanns Classic Coleslaw recipe ...

The way I eat has changed since being diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  I just don't have the energy to cook the same way that I used too.  I would make all my meals from scratch and cook one freeze one for another day.   My blog should really be changed too Sharabelle doesn't bake anymore.  Due to the chronic fatigue I've had to adapt my cooking habits, sometimes I get to the point when I don't want to eat.  My hands also occasionally shake, making chopping vegetables a nightmare.   Adapt So I've changed the type of food I buy and how I shop.  I buy frozen vegetables instead of fresh.   I still like to shop around for the best prices.  I also now shop every few days, instead of doing one large shop.  It's easier for me to carry, and gets me out every day for a short walk.  Which is great for both my mental and physical health.   Shopping List  Morrisons Nairns fine oatcakes - £1.00 Rice Dre...

I always check out ingredient lists of food, to find those that are accidentally dairy free.  It's a bit harder for me now since I have to avoid Gluten as well.  However it's worth while, as Free From food is usually more expensive. Iv just discovered a great site that lists a lot of these types of food.  Accidentally Vegan UK Here are a few of my favourites that I regularly buy.   Aldi Chocolate coated orange Rice Cake bars This is one of my Aldi favourites, You get a great hit of chocolate and the bar is really crispy. Ruffle Raspberry Bar Pound stretchers sell these coconut raspberry bars for £1.00.   Morrisons Own Saves Dark chocolate Always check out the Saver range own brands, there the ones most likely to be dairy free.  My mum and I both love Dark Chocolate.  We ate a lot but Iv got to say this is the one we always end up buying.  

I follow a  Low Fodmap diet  to manage my IBS.  It's not a diet for losing weight, it helps you avoid foods that can make your IBS symptoms worse.   I started it last July and have found it really helpful.  I already knew I was lactose intolerant, so following the diet wasn't that big a change.  Although giving up Gluten did pose a few problems for me, since I love to bake.   Gluten free baking is not easy and can be expensive so buying Free from products is more cost effective.  My local Morrisons has recently expanded its Free from range .  So I've had more products to chose from.  I've been like a kid in a candy store xxx Morrison's Free from Bakewell tarts Short crust pastry, jam, almond frangipane, icing and lets not forget the cherry on top.  I really enjoyed these, they are a bit sweet but ohh so tasty.  I have to limit how many I buy or I would have them everyday.  It's hard to find Gluten, wheat and...