A Christmas challenge…

With Christmas around the corner and countless chocolates, sweets and biscuits in the shop windows, most of whom don’t cater for the GF people of the world, I’ve decided to set myself some christmas challenges.

I really like christmas. Correction, I love christmas.

I wear Xmas earrings and dress the dog up.

I am one of those people, so it stands to good reason that I also love christmas food.

This year I am attempting to re-create the annual christmas fruit cake gluten-free style. I would like to point out it’s never been attempted before. It is nanna’s secret recipe and there is a lot at stake.

Pride for one and disappointed bellies for two, come christmas day. My nerves are already on edge.

I also love rum balls. But this year, will attempt to make rum bliss balls. A much healthier take on the christmas tradition but with a hint of the good stuff.

I am also going to attempt some citrus spice fruit cake muffins and a desert. Thinking about what would make the most festive, but healthy desert. Forget the pav, I’m thinking of quinoa fruit spice puddings but will have to wait and see.

Fingers crossed as I’m planning on testing these recipes out over the next couple of weeks before the big day. Taste testers may be required 😛

x

J

Time for a Friday follow..

So I’m going to put up a weekly friday follow a bit more regularly. Basically a shout out to a blog, poster or organisation who deserves some blog love in this GF world.

The biggest one and most overdue one goes to the Goodness Gracious Organic Gluten Free cafe in Yandina.

They did my birthday cake this year. A chocolate raspberry brownie cake. Di-vine! So for the first time I had a birthday cake which not only didn’t make me feel ill, but tasted awesome and was one which didn’t leave a bucket load of dishes in the sink.

It is my absolute favourite place to go to at the moment, not only is everything in the cafe completely gluten-free, but they are allergy friendly too, with vegan, dairy, egg and sugar-free foods on offer.

Set in the most quaint little Queenslander house, in gthe sleepy sunshine coast town, Yandina. The cafe is spread out over a courtyard and within a house which is crowded with retro antiques and knick knacks as well as gluten, sugar and dairy free books.  It’s the first place since going gluten-free that I’ve been able to have pancakes outside of home. Just imagine, 12 months without pancakes for breakfast. A tragic scenario indeed. They also offer lunch and breakfast options which range from more than just a salad with no dressing or steak.

Happy days! I love it so much I’m planning on introducing every one of my friends to it, including one of my closest mates tomorrow for breakfast 🙂

happy friday and sending out a bag load of blog love to Goodness Gracious 🙂

x

J

 

Entering the kitchen with abandon..

‘Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all’  – Julia Child

It’s safe to say I’ve been a busy girl. Just yesterday I baked a batch of peanut butter quinoa cookies, citrus ginger muffins, an orange chia cake and some raspberry/orange muffins.

All basically to test recipe modifications out and also to stock the kitchen with goodies for morning tea for the week.

But also because I couldn’t keep the smile off my face the entire time.

The best part always for me is two-fold. Seeing the final result come out of the oven and the faces of people when they eat it. I don’t actually eat a huge amount of what I bake. Just a sample here and there. It’s mainly to hear and see the delight of others.

So as I ponder the next experiment I thought I’d share some of my favourite cooking quotes. They really convey just how wonderful I feel baking in this gf, sf, lf world. The happiness that flows when there is nothing but ingredients spread across the bench, a spoon in my hand and the oven glowing in the background.

For the love of baking and food……

 

‘There is no love sincerer than the love of food’ – George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Irish writer

‘Good painting is like good cooking; it can be tasted, but not explained’ – Maurice de Vlaminck

‘The best seasoning to food is the love you put in it.’ – Anonymous

‘The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.’  ― Julia Child

‘Until I discovered cooking, I was never really interested in anything.’ ― Julia Child

‘…no one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.’ ―  Julia Child

and who better to sum it up then this fellow…

“C is for cookie, it’s good enough for me; oh cookie cookie cookie starts with C.” – Cookie Monster, Sesame Street

ah cookie monster a man after my own heart 🙂

x

J