My Recent Likes and Dislikes

I just thought I'd write a quick post about some of the things that have been making me happy lately and some of the things that have made me cross. I'm on the way to recovery now but I'm still on my crutches and it's been a very frustrating 6 months. I'd never have imagined that a simple task of bringing in some washing from the garden would result in several months of chaos. I'm so grateful for all the support from friends and family and I'm now exercising to make my leg strong so I can learn to walk (and cook) again. I'm even looking forward to doing the laundry, would you believe it! So here goes...

Pumpkin Seed & Fruit & Nut Chocolate Clusters GF

I think there's something very special about home made gifts and one of the major advantages in making your own chocolates is you can ensure that they are gluten free and/or dairy free. I'm really fond of fruit and nut chocolates but I've also been making my own chocolates with pumpkin seeds recently. In fact, I've become a quite addicted to dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds - you may remember my amazing bargain purchase of Landgarten chocolate covered pumpkin seeds which I talked about in the post about my October TVK box.

My May TVK Box

This month I was lucky to be at home when my TVK Box was delivered. Oh the anticipation! A word of warning, it's not easy to get into so arm yourself with a pair of scissors for the ready! Once inside, I discovered, as expected, that the contents were just as awesome as those in all the other boxes I've received.

Easter Treats and Bakes GF & SCD

Since it's Good Friday today and surprisingly a beautifully warm and sunny day in West Yorkshire, I thought I would share a few recipes from my archives in case you're still planning your holiday meals and treats.

My April TVK Box

Another month and another box from TVK has arrived! Yesterday, I really had to suppress my urge to take a slight peek at a photo of the box I saw on FB in case I ruined the surprise since mine arrived a day later than some.

Free From & Vegan Easter Eggs at Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's have a wonderful range of reasonably priced "free from" chocolate eggs to choose from! There are several brands of chocolate that are certified gluten free but finding tasty chocolate Easter eggs which are gluten free AND dairy free can be quite a challenge especially if you're searching for children who don't always want to be presented with a rich, dark chocolate egg - though that would make me very happy!

Chocolate Chip & Raspberry Frangipane Cake Bars GF

I didn't give into temptation and eat the beautiful bar of Santo Domingo organic fairtrade dark chocolate which I received to use in a blog post this month in support of Organic September. Instead I decided to use it in a raspberry ripple, chocolate chip cake. However, I left out one important ingredient and these cake bars are the result of that mistake!

Valentine's Day Recipe Round-Up GF

Did you know that a kiss on Valentine's Day is said to bring good luck for the whole year and I was fascinated to read that the flowers given on Valentine's Day all have different meanings. Red roses mean love, yellow roses mean friendship, and pink roses mean friendship or sweetheart. Red carnations mean admiration, white carnations mean pure love, red chrysanthemums mean love, and primrose means young love. 

Raspberry Chocolate Mousse GF

Raspberry Chocolate Mousse

Happy Valentine's Day for the 14th! This year I made a raspberry chocolate mousse recipe which will easily serve two people with some left over for later perhaps because it is so very, very rich. I served the mousse in a medium sized heart shaped ramekin with two spoons as a pre-Valentine's dessert but you could serve it in small shot glasses with maybe a fresh luscious raspberry or some grated plain chocolate on top of the sauce. As an alternative, you could eat the chocolate mousse on its own with fresh raspberries. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Milk GF DF

Flavoured milk has never appealed to me. In fact, would you believe, I've never ever tried chocolate milk of any kind until this year on holiday in Canada. The chocolate almond milk tasted heavenly, perhaps a little too sweet but the texture was incredibly smooth, almost velvety.

Cherry Chocolate Cookies GF

I've adapted my Raisin Cookies Recipe to make these delicious cherry chocolate cookies.

Grain Free Chocolate Chip and Hazelnut Cookies GF

Before embarking on my present day gluten-free diet, my favourite cookies were Maryland Cookies especially the Chocolate Chip and Hazelnut ones. Armed with the knowledge I have today, I understand why I could munch my way through almost a whole packet in one sitting, sugar is addictive.