Favourite Things - April
It's quite tricky to find new products at the moment with the lockdown going on. Supermarkets are no longer a place you can whimsically browse, and wander up and down the isles looking for gluten free items - personally one of my favourite past times (I know, I'm a girl that likes to have fun). But I have managed to find some amazing things this month, a lot of restaurants are putting out products for delivery, or brands are putting together gluten free boxes to help us Coeliacs, or just some classics that have been helping me get through - and here they are:
1) Freee: Dove's Farm Pancake mix
Some of you have have seen the wonderful gluten free box that Doves farm have put together to help Coeliacs get there hands one a few essential items like flour, pasta and cereal. In there box they also include one ready mix of which I got their pancakes. You just add a bit of milk and oil and you are away. I saved my mix for easter and melted some chocolate over it, with some strawberries and banana - delicious! Unfortunately, with the current lockdown, you can't buy it individually, but if you want to check out there £25 Gluten free box click here.
2) Ugly Dumplings Gluten Free Dumplings
Ugly Dumpling is a restaurant in central London that has recently had to shut down their restaurant due to COVID-19. However, that doesn't mean you can't get your dumpling fix! While they predominately make regular gluten dumplings, they also have a range of gluten free ones - Hooray! They cost £1 each, and I believe you have to have a minimum
order of 40, and they get delivered to your door on a specified day of the week, depending on what part of London you live. I picked spinach, chicken, spring roll and cheeseburger flavoured dumpling (yes, that's right, cheeseburger) and they were amazing. Details on how to get your fix can be found on their instagram.
3) Superfood Bakery - Organic Chocolate Cake Mix (gifted)
I was lucky enough to be sent the chocolate cake mix from Superfood Bakery this month and I made it into cupcakes with chocolate icing (to avoid having to eat a whole cake by myself hehe). If you haven't heard of Superfood Bakery - they are a company that creates ready mixes that are gluten free and can also be dairy free and vegan. I also regularly pick up their spirit lifter cookies in Tesco - such a good option for baking if you can't find GF flour at the moment and they are pretty much fail safe. Superfood Bakery's website can be found here.
4) Amy's Kitchen - Tomato Soup
While I was sick, this was all I ate. I love tomato soup but it has to be done well or else its can be too acidic and hard to eat/drink/slurp. This is by no means a new product but it is one I definitely recommend if you can get it.
With a bit of bread and garlic butter...*makes kissing finger gesture* They also have a bunch of other soups and loads of products - check out the website here.
5) Gnocchi - homemade or bought
I've found gnocchi to be such a comfort food in lockdown. I even tried my had at making my own and it came out surprisingly well. I will share the recipe that I used soon but as for what I cooked it with - I went with pine nuts, basil pesto, roasted cherry tomatoes, spinach, walnuts, and parmesan! Quite a few ingredients but it doesn't need to be that complicated - just pan fry with garlic and sage and you are good to go!
6) This random cat
We don't know who he is, or where he came from but since the start of lockdown he has been visiting our house everyday. It's crazy how much he's lifted my spirits. After a few days we named him Lincoln - named after Lincoln Burrows from Prison Break... don't ask me why. He is the most friendly cat - he loves cuddles and chasing the butterflies outside. Just something that I am very grateful for in lockdown.
7) Genius - Protein Punch Cob
A actually found a new item in my local Tescos! Genius came out with a protein cob loaf. I don't usually go for these types of breads but it looked so fresh and packed with grains and seed that I bought it. I toasted it in the oven for breakfast over about 4 or 5 days and it never stopped tasting fresh. It was also pretty filling. I haven't seen it again since I bought it which is a shame - but hopefully I will see it again soon.
8) Fresh Air and Sunny Weather
I currently live in East London, and the weather for the last 5/6 weeks has been uncharacteristically beautiful. Practically unheard of! Bar 2 days of rain, and one random thunderstorm, its been a lovely spring. At the start of the lockdown they shut down Victoria Park, which is my local running spot. After 3 weeks the local council decided to reopen with shorter hours and patrols to try ease the congestion from the footpaths along the canal. I was so glad they did! I spend an hour a day walking around they park and it's just so pleasant. The cherry blossoms are blooming, the air is so fresh, and not a single plane in the sky!
I hope you enjoyed my April favourite things! If you are looking for some baking inspiration this month please check out a some of the below!