I'm not alone!!!

I'm so excited! Tonight I googled gf blogs, like I have done many times before and have only ever found a few! But tonight there were several from both Australia n overseas! It feels like I've finally joined a group in this rather large blogger community! I've followed and have friends who are mummy bloggers and I enjoy reading their blogs, but now almost 5 months into my blog, I have found some gluten free bloggers! It kind of feels like finally meeting the right group of friends that you click with at school! I have big aspirations for my blog, I'm proud of every reader from a multidue of countries who has read my blog and I thank them, I also hope it has helped them in some way. This blog has turned out to be rather therapeutic when I'm going through a rather challenging time in my life. My goals for my blog by next June, the 1 year anniversary is to have 100 followers! I have 11 now, but I do have alot more readers, so people please follow me, it really is very simple, just set up a profile or use an existing account. I also have a Facebook page, with 18 likes, I would also like for it to reach at least 100 likes on Facebook by June 2012! I also make a vow to meet my fellow gf bloggers and become more involved in the blogging community! I will use my blog to assist in raising money for womens cancer, next October for girls night in! I will continue to blog and create recipes and share, to research the link with improvements in autism and the gf diet, I will write restaurant reviews, making dining easier for others. I will look into cooking food that people can purchase. One day I aim to write a book with my recipes and stories. Welcome new and old readers, dont forget to follow me, I need your help to reach my goal!share this blog with your friends, for the recipes or the stories, it doesn't matter! Show me your support and I will continue to reward your support!

Gluten free Christmas gifts and recipes

I can't believe that it's less than a month before Christmas! I've only just started with the Christmas shopping. After working in retail whilst at uni I despise going to the shops amongst the buying frenzy that occurs in the lead up to christmas! I'm also very aware that so many of the traditional recipes for Christmas are filled with gluten! Instead of an advent calendar, my aim will be to reveal to you gluten free recipes for a gluten free Christmas. Things like puddings (I'm trying to convert my great grandmothers recipe!), to Christmas balls, macaroons, Christmas chocolate, the works, I'll give it all a go! I also wanted to put out their to my readers if they would be interested in purchasing gluten free hanpers or specific dishes such as brownies, cupcakes etc for their friends and family. It's something that can be ordered via an email and paid for over the net, then delivered to your chosen destination. I know that handmade gluten free food, is the best and something specially made for your loved one at Christmas, is guaranteed to impress! If you could please let me know if this is something that you would be interested, either comment or email me. If I get positive feedback. I'll put up a list of products available, with a price list. This idea was a thought that came to me as I try and plan how I can shop without entering a crazy shopping mall at Christmas! I can't wait to hear your feedback on this new idea, remember if you like it say so otherwise it unfortunately won't happen. Look forward to hearing from you shortly!

The ignorance of some restaurants about gluten free food

I've mentioned this in previous posts, but have you ever been so frustrated by the ignorance of some chefs and restaurants in their menu production. Last night I was perusing the menu of a well known and up market restaurant. I was initially impressed by the gf selection they had, but on closer inspection I was a little confused to say the least! You see there were several dishes on the menu that have specific gf ingredients, one was chicken with quinoa. Now as we know, this is definately a gf grain, I've even supplied recipes on the website using the grain. I was amazed to discover that beside these dishes was (to be gf you need to remove the quinoa)! WTF!!! I couldn't believe it! A dish which is renowned for being gf has now been taken off the gf menu and replaced by a more basic alternative of the dish! The ignorance didn't stop there! Another meal on the menu had polenta as one of the key ingredients. For those who dont know polenta is derived from corn, thus it is completely gf. On this menu, for the meal to be gf, the polenta had to be removed from the dish! It truely amazes me that a chef at a high calibre of restaurant, has such little knowledge of gluten, a substance that they cook with regularly but is also something that can cause an reaction, an autoimmune reaction to their customers. When you read this on a menu, it makes you a bit cautious if you choice to eat at the restaurant! If their knowledge of gluten is so limited, which is made oblivious on the menu, will they be cooking the gf dishes, unknowingly with gluten? Have you had the same problem with a relative fancy restaurant, or indeed any restaurant? After my little rant I'll finish on a positive, hats off to the chef at 6 Months in Picton, who has a detailed understanding of gluten and cooks with gf flours to ensure a more enjoyable dining experience for all, without having any unpleasant reactions! Feel free to jump on the rant wagon about the ignorance of chefs about gluten free foods,comment or email your annoyances!