Laura's Ways: gluten free

Belfast gluten free

Laura's Ways Wednesday, 19 February 2025 Leave a Comment

Belfast has a fantastic food scene with a mix of casual eateries, fine dining, and everything in between! Many restaurants in Belfast are aware of dietary needs and will do their best to accommodate gluten-free diets. Always check with the staff to make sure nothing has gluten in it, especially with sauces and dressings. Below are some of my current favourite places. There's so many more I need to explore to see what gluten free options they might have.

>Images from Google<

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Gluten free at Christmas

Laura's Ways Tuesday, 3 December 2024 Leave a Comment

Celebrating Christmas with gluten-free options can be just as delicious and festive! There are plenty of gluten-free recipes for the traditional dishes, desserts, and snacks that will make everyone feel included, even those with dietary restrictions.

Just be extra careful when eating at other people's for Christmas dinner as they might not think about the cross-contamination risks, making sure different utensils are used. Also reading labels on everything they have used to make the meal especially gravy granules and seasonings.

This year I have ordered some of the Marks and Spencer food to order as they have a great selection and are always the most exciting to me at Christmas time.

Shopping Tips for Gluten-Free Products at M&S:

"Made Without Wheat" Range: Look for the "Made Without Wheat" section in-store and online, which features gluten-free products. M&S makes it easy to shop for gluten-free options.
Online Shopping: If you're shopping online, M&S allows you to filter products by dietary needs, including gluten-free, making it simple to find all your holiday essentials.
Pre-Cooked Options: M&S offers a range of pre-cooked gluten-free options, such as turkey, ham, and vegetables, for quick and easy holiday meal preparation.

Marks & Spencer’s gluten-free range to me ensures that you can enjoy all the festive flavours of Christmas without worrying about gluten. Whether you're preparing a full Christmas dinner or need a few indulgent treats, M&S has you covered! Especially love the little cocktail sausages!

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Coeliac awareness month

Laura's Ways Thursday, 16 May 2024 Leave a Comment

Hello, it's been a while... again!! I want to start to get back into blogging and I thought I would do so by bringing awareness to May being the month of Coeliac Disease Awareness.

A time dedicated to raising awareness about coeliac disease and the gluten-free lifestyle. For those with coeliac disease, consuming gluten can trigger a range of unpleasant symptoms (everyone is different) and potentially lead to long-term health complications. I like to show people the importance of coeliac awareness, offer tips for managing a gluten-free diet, and share some delicious gluten-free finds along the way!

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition that affects roughly 1 in 100 people worldwide, yet many cases remain undiagnosed. Misconceptions about gluten-free diets make it challenging for those with coeliac disease to navigate social situations, dining out, and grocery shopping (people thinking you are being fussy).

Tips for Managing a Gluten-Free Diet:

Education is Key: Understanding which foods contain gluten and learning to read food labels is essential. Gluten can hide in unexpected places such as sauces, dressings, and processed foods.
Naturally Gluten-Free Foods: It's all about finding out what your favourite meals are & if they can be incorporated without making it so expensive.
Meal Planning and Preparation: Planning meals ahead of time and preparing homemade dishes whenever possible can help you maintain a well-balanced gluten-free diet.
Communication is Crucial: Whether dining out or attending social gatherings, don't hesitate to communicate your dietary needs to friends, family, and restaurant staff. Most establishments are accommodating once they understand the severity of coeliac disease. You will at some point have the fear of wondering if something you are eating out is actually gluten free or not!!
Find Support: social media can provide valuable tips, recipes, and emotional support from others who understand the challenges of living with coeliac disease.

Coeliac UK is a great source of info if you are newly diagnosed - here's their Awareness Month post

I can't wait to hear from any of you who have maybe just been diagnosed, lived with it for years or know someone who has it and you like to know how to cater for them!

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Budget tips on a gluten free lifestyle

Laura's Ways Friday, 3 May 2019 Leave a Comment

Once you've been on a gluten free diet for a while you'll realise you don't have to eat everything from the free from range in the dedicated aisles of the supermarkets. Not only are they quite expensive options but they aren't always the healthiest of choices.

Baking - for example make your own pancakes, gluten free pancakes are so easy to make and if you make a batch they can last a few days.

Making snacks at home: Instead of buying expensive gluten-free snacks, make your own. Prepare items like gluten-free granola bars, trail mix, and popcorn at home to save money.

Using naturally gluten-free foods such as fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, potatoes, rice, and legumes. These are often cheaper and healthier than processed gluten-free alternatives. Plan meals including fresh meat/veg first, then if you need a quick and easy option look in the frozen free from section. The main thing I get from it is gluten free chicken goujons & pizza.

I incorporate quite a few vegetarian meals into my diet as my stomach doesn't seem to agree with too much meat. Not only is this a good option for my stomach but it's also a money saving tip. I make kidney bean burgers all the time and they cost roughly £1 which makes 4-6 depending on the size.

Buy in Bulk when you can. Purchase gluten-free staples like rice, quinoa, beans, nuts, and gluten-free oats in bulk. These items are often cheaper per unit when bought in larger quantities.

Eating leftovers for lunch is a big thing I do maybe 2 - 3 times a week. This reduces food waste and saves money by stretching meals further. Cheese and gf crackers is my go to lunch if I'm in a rush.

Having groceries in the house for the weekend can help reduce the costs of all the meals and snacks at the weekend.

Invest in a milk frother, cappuccino & lattes at home are brilliant! It helps stop buying all the gluten free snacks in coffee shops.

Overall it means you can enjoy a gluten-free diet without straining your budget. Planning, cooking at home, and making smart shopping choices are key to managing costs effectively.

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5 tips when being diagnosed with Coeliac Disease

Laura's Ways Sunday, 28 April 2019 Leave a Comment

I remember the first night when I was diagnosed, I made a stir fry. Only when I sat down I then realised that soy sauce was not gluten free. I remember that feeling of thinking how am I ever going to eat anything again. Now 11 years on I physically couldn't eat something I knew wasn't gluten free as my mind is telling me how awful the gluten makes me feel & what damage it actually does to your body having Coeliac Disease. These are some of my tips to get you started on a gluten free lifestyle.

Make a list of all gluten items and keep a note of these in your phone so that when you are shopping or eating out you can check what contains gluten.
Dedicate a section in your kitchen cupboard to your own food and snacks to make it clearer what you can eat. At the start this would be good so you don't have to keep checking if it's something you can eat or not. Also be careful of cross-contamination in the kitchen.
When heading out always bring snacks with you, just in case you are somewhere that doesn't sell gluten free options.
When eating out always ask waiters to double check with the chef, you aren't being fussy you have an illness.
Stay positive, eating gluten free doesn't mean food and snacks can't be exciting! You will get to the stage where I am now, 11 years on where I actually don't miss food I was previously able to eat or feel left out when eating out.

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Gluten free on a budget - crepes

Laura's Ways Tuesday, 5 March 2019 Leave a Comment

Ingredients price per portion

Milk

Gluten free flour (1 cup)

1 Egg

Linwoods flaxseed (1 tablespoon)

Agave nectar (1 tablespoon)

Makes 6 crepes = 97p

I mix all these ingredients together and add the milk until I get the consistency I like. Add a little bit of butter to the pan or coconut oil to prevent the crepe sticking to the pan.

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Gluten free on a budget - Veggie Burgers

Laura's Ways Friday, 22 February 2019 Leave a Comment

Ingredients price per portion

1 400g Tin of Kidney beans 30p
1 325g Tin of Sweetcorn 50p (frozen might even be cheaper)
1 tablespoon Oregano roughly 10p
Ground black corn pepper roughly 10p
1 table spoon Gluten free Worcester sauce roughly 10p
Gluten free flour roughly 20p (I don't measure this out, add until right consistency)
Preferred cooking oil roughly 10p

Makes 8 burgers = £1.40

I add the kidney beans (drained), sweetcorn (drained) oregano, pepper, worcester sauce & pepper to a food processor and blend. I then add flour until I get the consistency I like, not to sticky and can be lifted and moulded into burger shapes easily.

Once ready I heat a little oil in a frying pan and start to cook them. I like to brown them off in the pan and finish them in the oven to cook evenly through the middle.

I only cook 4 at a time and freeze the other 4 which saves time for another meal. These are great in burger buns or even cut up into wraps.