welcome!

Hello bloggers and welcome to my new blog!

You may well be wondering why I'm starting yet another blog... and the reason is this... a whole new passion! and that passion is for cooking, I just just can't get enough of it right now. It is always something I have loved to do, especially baking, but since adopting a gluten free diet in late 2009 and more recently a lactose free one as well, it has become a neccesary part of my life, and one I just love! I thoroughly enjoy hunting down new recipes to try and adpating old favourites and have decided I really wanted to share what I'm discovering. And that is really tasty and healthy food, much the way food is meant to be, before such inventions as food additives etc etc.

Speaking of food additives (and I could go on and one here but I won't unless you want me to, lol) I have spent the last few months researching food additives and their uses in this country and quite frankly I am appalled at what is allowed to be used in our food, things we buy everyday as a nation thinking we are doing the right thing by our families health. It is all a marketing ploy!!! Well they've lost me as a customer let me tell you... there are so many additives that are KNOWN by food standards to cause various and serious problems but they are still allowed to be used, I now read every single label before it goes in my trolley, and carry with me this book each time I shop to look up any suspect items. This has all had a huge impact (very positive) on my childrens behaviour and that's got to be good! It really is incredible how many colours for example are used in margarines, ice-creams etc etc. For example... I now ONLY buy Nuttelex spread and Peters Original Ice-cream - no exceptions.

ANYWAY, lol.... here is my first little share with you... recipe for Gluten Free Patty Cakes (if you don't require GF they work just as well with ordinary flour)

* 125g butter, softened (I use Nuttelex so to be Dairy free)
* 3/4 cup caster sugar
* 3 free range eggs
* 2 cups gluten free self raising flour (I actually always use plain flour and add 1 teaspoon of GF baking powder per cup to the mix - saves me buying different flours)

Preheat oven to 160C. Combine ingredients with 1/4 water in a bowl. Beat with electric mixer until nice and smooth. Use a teaspoon to spoon into a 24 hole mini muffin try lined with patty cases and bake for 20 mins.

Cool on wire rack and once cool you can ice as desired. I do a basic white icing which is simply 1 cup icing sugar, 1 tbs of nuttelex and enough milk to mix (usually about 2 tbs). Super yum and the kids will love them and you too! Our last batch of around 30 lasted less than 48 hours!!

Recipe adapted from 4 Ingredients Gluten Free by Kim McCosker & Rachael Bermingham


So let me know what you think and feel free to put in any requests! Any recipe I post will always be something I have tested. ENJOY!