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Genius Bread
posted in Food - 02-09-2010, 10:41
Forgot to tell you of our great discovery on our first trip back to the supermarket after the holidays - Genius Gluten Free Bread! Found it in Dunnes Stores in the Ashleaf, D12. Perfect timing as Master Fusspot has had some every day for his first week back at school, helping to keep him happy as he enjoys the treat of a slice of doughy white bread without the effects of wheat. Worth the price as I have wasted many expensive packets of wheat free flour on trying to make bread he will eat.
posted in Food - 02-09-2010, 10:41
Forgot to tell you of our great discovery on our first trip back to the supermarket after the holidays - Genius Gluten Free Bread! Found it in Dunnes Stores in the Ashleaf, D12. Perfect timing as Master Fusspot has had some every day for his first week back at school, helping to keep him happy as he enjoys the treat of a slice of doughy white bread without the effects of wheat. Worth the price as I have wasted many expensive packets of wheat free flour on trying to make bread he will eat.
Lessons from Summer
posted in Holidays - 31-08-2010, 11:57
I had an inexplicable desire to cry after the children left for the first day back at school. Was it the relief or the loss, I don't know? Either way here are some lessons I've learnt this school holiday season:
posted in Holidays - 31-08-2010, 11:57
I had an inexplicable desire to cry after the children left for the first day back at school. Was it the relief or the loss, I don't know? Either way here are some lessons I've learnt this school holiday season:
- Queuing for an hour at the shoe shop on the second last day of the holidays is not as bad as buying them in June only to find they don't fit by September. The same goes for hockey sticks and uniforms.
- Going to the nearest, though potentially most expensive shoe shop with the longest queue on the second last day is not so bad when you discover that almost next door is a new food store with lots of tasty free-from goodies and loads more besides inside - check out Nolan's Food Fare for great friendly service. Note to self: go shoe shopping more often.
- Fix the holes in the trampoline security net at the beginning of summer and not on the second last day when they have multiplied in both size and number (I know, it was a particularly busy second last day in a desperate attempt to have a nice relaxing last day!).
- When visiting the UK both Tesco and Waitrose supermarkets have their own line of free-from foods (if there are others please do let me know) and you can travel around staying in family friendly hostels - see www.yha.org.uk/ and http://www.hosteluk.com/ - and bunkhouses catering for yourself quite well if your fussy gut won't handle a daily dose of the Full English breakfast. We found a great one called Middle Ninfa at http://www.bunkhousesinwales.co.uk/ but don't arrive at night - bit scary driving up and around a mountain in the dark.
- Supermarkets in Germany (well, Tengelmann's in Munich anyway)
stock lots of free-from foods but not in one specialist section, they seemed to organise them by brand so pasta might be in three different parts of the supermarket. If you don't speak German incredibly fluently either bring an excellent but pocket-sized dictionary (does one exist?) or a list of ingredients to avoid with their German equivalent. However, for coeliacs visiting Germany life is simple - just look out for the Glutein Frei label or the logo seen here. You might also find this healthfood chain helpful: http://www.vitalia-reformhaus.de/shops/bayern.html for a list of their shops in Bavaria and scroll down to see Munich. - French can also be useful in Germany when 1) the ingredients on a non-dairy 'milk' are listed in anything but English and your pocket-sized dictionary is too small to include ingredients like Spelt but thankfully your french resident sister just told you that épeautre means spelt - found an acceptable milk replacement for Miss Fusspot in the local Tengelmann's supermarket made from spelt and sunflower oil (huile de tournesol) - and 2) when there are two big queues at the Munich Zoo (Tierpark ) but one of them is all babbling in French and you can ask Vous êtes tous ensemble ? and quickly discover that actually there is only one ticket purchasing person in this queue and you're next!
- When going hand-luggage only on Ryanair (or any-air for that matter) DO pack a tiny suncream suitable for Master-I-once-spent-the-evening-in-hospital-due-to-an-allergic-reaction-to-suncream-Fusspot and for Miss-excema-reacts-to-certain-cream-ingredients-Fusspot in the allowed little plastic ziploc bag and DON'T assume that your German made, Irish healthfood shop bought suncream will be available everywhere (or anywhere possibly) in its home country.
- Bring or buy said suncream BEFORE spending the day at an open-air swimming pool out of the shade of the wonderful trees that are so prevalent all over this wonderfully green city, on the hottest day in August and just in case... the German for after sun according to Google is After Sun (but don't forget to use your best German accent when you ask for it).
- Nintendo DS and iPods are not just further electrical noise disturbing your children's brains they are a blessing from the great gods of electrical gadgets (you know... the ones living in electrical gadget heaven, Silicon Valley) gifted to us to get through a long (that would be any for our Fusspots) flight.
- Peel beetroot before peeling potatoes - it is my experience that no amount of soap and hot water removes the stain of beetroot juice from my hands, whereas simply peeling the potatoes afterwards naturally, effortlessly, gently and completely removes all traces of the deep pink dye.
Potatoes, Onions, Tomatoes
posted in Food - 14-08-2010, 12:03
Returned from hols this week to find the potatoes and onions taking over the garden, well at least their alotted bit and the path to get to the washing line which, since it is needed a lot post-holidays, means I keep having to walk over the potato plants - note to self: be sure to eat those ones first!
While in the UK I picked up a bag of Doves Farm Gram flour (gluten-free, wheat-free) in Waitrose who, by the way, also have their own line of free-from delights like chocolate-chip cookies and chocolate muffins.
Doves Farm include on their packet a recipe for Onion Bhajias which we discovered for the first time on holidays two years ago on the Isle of Man when a restaurant gave them to us all as a free starter - I was shocked and delighted at the time to see Master Fusspot pick away at the tasty little bits of crunchy onion sticking out all over it. I also enjoyed rediscovering them recently at a stall in the Saturday Market in the Dublin Food Co-op in Newmarket Square - hence my reason for buying the Doves Farm Gram flour complete with recipe while in Dorchester's Waitrose last week.
The ones I had were quite big, maybe just a little smaller than a tennis ball, but when I followed the recipe they were smaller and denser - so I'm not sure how the professionals manage to make them so big and yet still light and cooked in the middle. Mine reminded me more of the size and shape of Hash Browns that you get in McD's or frozen in packs in the supermarket. Which got me thinking about cultural similarities and differences - so at certain times of the year there is a glut of potatoes and onions and what do we do:
I served the Bhajias on a bed of rice and petit pois (as a menu might say), which I know is more Caribbean than Indian, but hey I'm Irish! And then, not realising how filling my little bhajias would be, I also cooked bite size bits of chicken fillet tossed in Schwartz Pilau Rice seasoning and some more of the gram flour (though I don't know if that made any difference there) and cooked in the wok of oil used for the Bhajias - delicious!
Enjoy a free-from season of onion, potato, tomato, oh and beetroot too (nice sliced and steamed and added to salad or as a veg with dinner).
posted in Food - 14-08-2010, 12:03
Returned from hols this week to find the potatoes and onions taking over the garden, well at least their alotted bit and the path to get to the washing line which, since it is needed a lot post-holidays, means I keep having to walk over the potato plants - note to self: be sure to eat those ones first!
While in the UK I picked up a bag of Doves Farm Gram flour (gluten-free, wheat-free) in Waitrose who, by the way, also have their own line of free-from delights like chocolate-chip cookies and chocolate muffins.
Doves Farm include on their packet a recipe for Onion Bhajias which we discovered for the first time on holidays two years ago on the Isle of Man when a restaurant gave them to us all as a free starter - I was shocked and delighted at the time to see Master Fusspot pick away at the tasty little bits of crunchy onion sticking out all over it. I also enjoyed rediscovering them recently at a stall in the Saturday Market in the Dublin Food Co-op in Newmarket Square - hence my reason for buying the Doves Farm Gram flour complete with recipe while in Dorchester's Waitrose last week.
The ones I had were quite big, maybe just a little smaller than a tennis ball, but when I followed the recipe they were smaller and denser - so I'm not sure how the professionals manage to make them so big and yet still light and cooked in the middle. Mine reminded me more of the size and shape of Hash Browns that you get in McD's or frozen in packs in the supermarket. Which got me thinking about cultural similarities and differences - so at certain times of the year there is a glut of potatoes and onions and what do we do:
- the Irish make stews and soups;
- the Indians make Bhajias;
- the Americans make Hash Browns;
- the Spanish make Tortilla (or Spanish Omelette as we call it).
I served the Bhajias on a bed of rice and petit pois (as a menu might say), which I know is more Caribbean than Indian, but hey I'm Irish! And then, not realising how filling my little bhajias would be, I also cooked bite size bits of chicken fillet tossed in Schwartz Pilau Rice seasoning and some more of the gram flour (though I don't know if that made any difference there) and cooked in the wok of oil used for the Bhajias - delicious!
Enjoy a free-from season of onion, potato, tomato, oh and beetroot too (nice sliced and steamed and added to salad or as a veg with dinner).
Café Fresh
posted in Eateries - 01-07-2010, 22:43
Mrs Fusspot is enjoying daily lunch at Café Fresh on the top floor of the Powerscourt Townhouse this month. Always a treat with lots of free-from options for vegetarians, vegans, coeliacs and all lovers of good fresh healthy food. Follow my menu choices on Facebook.
posted in Eateries - 01-07-2010, 22:43
Mrs Fusspot is enjoying daily lunch at Café Fresh on the top floor of the Powerscourt Townhouse this month. Always a treat with lots of free-from options for vegetarians, vegans, coeliacs and all lovers of good fresh healthy food. Follow my menu choices on Facebook.
What to do with Quinoa
posted in Food - 28-06-2010, 21:38
Quinoa, the much spoken about new super-grain, which is apparently not really a grain (see Wikipedia), has been in a jar in my kitchen for a few months wondering what it's fate shall be. I decided since it's apparently so good for us and gluten-free and all that, that I'd better cook it and eat it before it went out of date. But what to do? And how to pronounce it? Last I heard it's Keen-wah.
If you google quinoa recipes there are over a million hits, so to make life simple I just 'diluted' my rice with it in order to wean the family onto it. So now we're nearly finished our packet of quinoa and my fussy family hardly even noticed they were eating it as it was mostly rice each time.
To make rice for three (Master still being a dedicated potato head) I usually weigh out 200g of rice and 350ml of water and pop it in the steamer, along with Master's chopped potatoes, for 35 minutes. So if you just substitute about 50g of rice for quinoa and stir it in, they are nearly none the wiser - they may notice it looks slightly different but there is not enough to put them off their food and yet you have the satisfaction of knowing a little extra protein, essential amino acids, fibre, phosphorus, magnesium and iron are making their way in there.
posted in Food - 28-06-2010, 21:38
Quinoa, the much spoken about new super-grain, which is apparently not really a grain (see Wikipedia), has been in a jar in my kitchen for a few months wondering what it's fate shall be. I decided since it's apparently so good for us and gluten-free and all that, that I'd better cook it and eat it before it went out of date. But what to do? And how to pronounce it? Last I heard it's Keen-wah.
If you google quinoa recipes there are over a million hits, so to make life simple I just 'diluted' my rice with it in order to wean the family onto it. So now we're nearly finished our packet of quinoa and my fussy family hardly even noticed they were eating it as it was mostly rice each time.
To make rice for three (Master still being a dedicated potato head) I usually weigh out 200g of rice and 350ml of water and pop it in the steamer, along with Master's chopped potatoes, for 35 minutes. So if you just substitute about 50g of rice for quinoa and stir it in, they are nearly none the wiser - they may notice it looks slightly different but there is not enough to put them off their food and yet you have the satisfaction of knowing a little extra protein, essential amino acids, fibre, phosphorus, magnesium and iron are making their way in there.
Mr Fusspot's Return to Dairy
posted in Food - 08-06-2010, 21:40
Well today we spoke for the second time to the nutrionist with the company who analysed Mr Fusspot's blood and told him to go off gluten for 6 months and dairy, yeast, apple and millet for 3 months. We informed her that really we see no improvement - which is discouraging, no??? Anyway he's allowed to go back on one at a time trying it one day and then waiting a week to see if there are any side effects before going back on it for good and then trying another food.
Mr Fusspot decided to start with dairy since many gluten free foods are still off limits to him due to their dairy content. So life will be much simpler for him (and his chef!) when he can eat gluten free foods that contain yeast and dairy. Really we have found NO bread suitable over the last 3 months.
The nutrionist said not to have just a little milk as then he wouldn't really know if it was affecting him but to go ahead and have a glass or something. So he made a Strawberry Milkshake and put it in a pint glass! Both the kids wondered what he was doing with pink beer! He really savoured that pint and so far so good. Next week I guess it'll be a pint of something stronger to see how he reacts to yeast...
For more ideas on what to do with the seasonal glut of strawberries see our Strawberry Glut page.
posted in Food - 08-06-2010, 21:40
Well today we spoke for the second time to the nutrionist with the company who analysed Mr Fusspot's blood and told him to go off gluten for 6 months and dairy, yeast, apple and millet for 3 months. We informed her that really we see no improvement - which is discouraging, no??? Anyway he's allowed to go back on one at a time trying it one day and then waiting a week to see if there are any side effects before going back on it for good and then trying another food.
Mr Fusspot decided to start with dairy since many gluten free foods are still off limits to him due to their dairy content. So life will be much simpler for him (and his chef!) when he can eat gluten free foods that contain yeast and dairy. Really we have found NO bread suitable over the last 3 months.
The nutrionist said not to have just a little milk as then he wouldn't really know if it was affecting him but to go ahead and have a glass or something. So he made a Strawberry Milkshake and put it in a pint glass! Both the kids wondered what he was doing with pink beer! He really savoured that pint and so far so good. Next week I guess it'll be a pint of something stronger to see how he reacts to yeast...
For more ideas on what to do with the seasonal glut of strawberries see our Strawberry Glut page.
Miss Fusspot's Dairy-Free Diet
posted in Food - 06-06-2010, 21:12
Very proud of Miss Fusspot for keeping off dairy for 3 months to help clear her second ever bout of eczema - lookin' good and lets hope it's the last bout. Read her review of dairy replacements at Missy's blog.
posted in Food - 06-06-2010, 21:12
Very proud of Miss Fusspot for keeping off dairy for 3 months to help clear her second ever bout of eczema - lookin' good and lets hope it's the last bout. Read her review of dairy replacements at Missy's blog.
Bloom 2010
posted in Food - 04-06-2010, 18:03
Just back from a beautiful day at Bloom 2010 and there are some things I need to warn or tell you about if you are planning to go there this bank holiday weekend:
For fussy foodies - if you are hungry and didn't pack a picnic (i.e. us!) don't bother with any of the stands/vans as NONE of them stock anything gluten free, dairy free or anything free really. There was a steak van but it was closed so Mr Fusspot decided just to wait till he got home - the sausages and burgers contained gluten and the fish and chicken came wrapped in it and he just didn't feel like eating only salad - he doesn't eat salad dressing, so you can see how unappetising that might be! The visitor centre café, a permanent fixture, was as packed as usual (the queue is apparently also a permanent fixture). They probably had some nice salads, but he wasn't up for them. So I scoffed a hot dog all to myself while he spent €5 on a plastic cup with 7 strawberries!!!
However, there is hope and light at the end of the tunnel - it's just that we started Bloom at the wrong end of the tunnel and hence only saw all the places he couldn't eat and by the time we found the full scale (expensive) restaurant at the other end, he just wanted to move on quickly and get home.
Thankfully next to the restaurant was a Food Market Marquee, mostly for buying goods to take home, but I would recommend starting here and availing of the free samples to get an idea of what you like and what's available for your particular food issues. Here's some of the good stuff we found:
Jane Russell's Original Irish Handmade Sausages (each flavour sampled and savoured by a very hungry Mr Fusspot, who cooked himself up a plateful just as soon as we got home). They have a special offer of 4 packets for €10 so we bought 2 packets of her Big Original sausages (with oats), 1 of Bratwurst (GF) and 1 Italian variety - with oats too, which Mr F is allowed as it's a different type of gluten to the one he's to avoid - I don't know, ask York Test!).
Natasha's Living Food was the first stall we came across (and actually I think the only one) with a sign saying gluten free, dairy free, sugar free! I have seen Natasha's stalls several times at exhibitions in the RDS and at the Dublin Food Organic Co-op. However, food is not the only thing Mr Fusspot is fussy about and he wouldn't pay the €4 euro for a small brown square, though I can see how one might justify the price compared to the rubbish brown squares sold as chocolate brownies all over Dublin.
Thanks to Sowan's Organic we got to taste a little free sample of some delicious gluten-free brownies and promptly bought the packet mix as the ingredients looked fine - unfortunately it wasn't until we got home that we realised you are meant to add your own eggs and butter to the dry mix - so Mr Fusspot accidentally ate a tiny amount of dairy during his 3 month abstention. I'll have to experiment with some sunflower oil or soya/sunflower butter. They also have samples of gluten free bread there but it had butter on it so Mr F abstained yet again.
I must say thank you to the lady who was cooking up (and not selling mind you) nothing other than mushrooms in the Bord Bia tent - Mr Fusspot loves his mushrooms and since he waited so long she gave him an extra helping (must be an Irish Mammy in her wanting to fatten up the poor starving craythur).
As for the show gardens there were a lot of vegetables planted, but only in such a way as to be on show for 4 days - not remotely realistic for the most part: bunched up too close to actually be able to grow, no bites out of the leaves, and you'd ruin the whole look if you were to pull anything up to actually eat it. There was one garden that stood out from all the others by Fiann Ó Nualláin of Inspiring Gardens (who, it turns out, is but a stone's throw from our own garden). What differentiated this garden was the fact that it was teaming with wildlife - i.e. bees and other tiny flying things - which may not be what everyone wants in their garden, but for us it said that Nature liked this garden and what's good for Nature is good for all of us.
I also felt really good about Nemeton by Deirdre Pender of Talamh Landscapes. I'd like to have gone and sat on her bench of tree stumps and walked barefoot on the meadow-like uncut grass.
There were other gardens that did not make me feel good, with their hard edges, metal and glass. One in particular I could barely look at without premonitions of a day at Crumlin hospital with a kid who has tripped down the steps and fallen on the art structure made of thin pieces of rusty metal - what were they thinking! It should've come with a health warning: NOT suitable for children, high heels or anyone unstable on their feet, such as adults with a bit of drink on them. So it matched the red brick and terracotta, who cares that it's shaped like loads of butterflies - it's sharp rusty metal! Then there was the glass house for people with the glue streaming down all around the top - I really didn't get that - well not on a beautiful day like today when it would kill you to sit in it, but maybe on a sunny, windy, winter's day, more typical of our island.
As for all the water features, don't get me wrong, I love water, but by the morning of day 2 they were already murky, so how would they work as a permanent fixture in your garden. One designer solved this problem by dying the water purple!!! So you couldn't see the filth of it then - but personally, that didn't really work for me. Actually there was so much water needed to keep some of the gardens going (for those otherwise unsustainable aesthetic vegetables) that I had to carefully navigate my new lime green canvas espadrilles around the muddy paths - hopefully no water shortages in Dublin this hot bank holiday weekend.
Despite all of my fussy complaints it was all in all a good day (always, always fantastic weather the day we go, so call us next year to know when the Fusspots are heading that way!) and well worth the two for one ticket we picked up - oh, and the kids would've been free, though in our case not amused, if we had brought them.
posted in Food - 04-06-2010, 18:03
Just back from a beautiful day at Bloom 2010 and there are some things I need to warn or tell you about if you are planning to go there this bank holiday weekend:
For fussy foodies - if you are hungry and didn't pack a picnic (i.e. us!) don't bother with any of the stands/vans as NONE of them stock anything gluten free, dairy free or anything free really. There was a steak van but it was closed so Mr Fusspot decided just to wait till he got home - the sausages and burgers contained gluten and the fish and chicken came wrapped in it and he just didn't feel like eating only salad - he doesn't eat salad dressing, so you can see how unappetising that might be! The visitor centre café, a permanent fixture, was as packed as usual (the queue is apparently also a permanent fixture). They probably had some nice salads, but he wasn't up for them. So I scoffed a hot dog all to myself while he spent €5 on a plastic cup with 7 strawberries!!!
However, there is hope and light at the end of the tunnel - it's just that we started Bloom at the wrong end of the tunnel and hence only saw all the places he couldn't eat and by the time we found the full scale (expensive) restaurant at the other end, he just wanted to move on quickly and get home.
Thankfully next to the restaurant was a Food Market Marquee, mostly for buying goods to take home, but I would recommend starting here and availing of the free samples to get an idea of what you like and what's available for your particular food issues. Here's some of the good stuff we found:
Jane Russell's Original Irish Handmade Sausages (each flavour sampled and savoured by a very hungry Mr Fusspot, who cooked himself up a plateful just as soon as we got home). They have a special offer of 4 packets for €10 so we bought 2 packets of her Big Original sausages (with oats), 1 of Bratwurst (GF) and 1 Italian variety - with oats too, which Mr F is allowed as it's a different type of gluten to the one he's to avoid - I don't know, ask York Test!).
Natasha's Living Food was the first stall we came across (and actually I think the only one) with a sign saying gluten free, dairy free, sugar free! I have seen Natasha's stalls several times at exhibitions in the RDS and at the Dublin Food Organic Co-op. However, food is not the only thing Mr Fusspot is fussy about and he wouldn't pay the €4 euro for a small brown square, though I can see how one might justify the price compared to the rubbish brown squares sold as chocolate brownies all over Dublin.
Thanks to Sowan's Organic we got to taste a little free sample of some delicious gluten-free brownies and promptly bought the packet mix as the ingredients looked fine - unfortunately it wasn't until we got home that we realised you are meant to add your own eggs and butter to the dry mix - so Mr Fusspot accidentally ate a tiny amount of dairy during his 3 month abstention. I'll have to experiment with some sunflower oil or soya/sunflower butter. They also have samples of gluten free bread there but it had butter on it so Mr F abstained yet again.
I must say thank you to the lady who was cooking up (and not selling mind you) nothing other than mushrooms in the Bord Bia tent - Mr Fusspot loves his mushrooms and since he waited so long she gave him an extra helping (must be an Irish Mammy in her wanting to fatten up the poor starving craythur).
As for the show gardens there were a lot of vegetables planted, but only in such a way as to be on show for 4 days - not remotely realistic for the most part: bunched up too close to actually be able to grow, no bites out of the leaves, and you'd ruin the whole look if you were to pull anything up to actually eat it. There was one garden that stood out from all the others by Fiann Ó Nualláin of Inspiring Gardens (who, it turns out, is but a stone's throw from our own garden). What differentiated this garden was the fact that it was teaming with wildlife - i.e. bees and other tiny flying things - which may not be what everyone wants in their garden, but for us it said that Nature liked this garden and what's good for Nature is good for all of us.
I also felt really good about Nemeton by Deirdre Pender of Talamh Landscapes. I'd like to have gone and sat on her bench of tree stumps and walked barefoot on the meadow-like uncut grass.
There were other gardens that did not make me feel good, with their hard edges, metal and glass. One in particular I could barely look at without premonitions of a day at Crumlin hospital with a kid who has tripped down the steps and fallen on the art structure made of thin pieces of rusty metal - what were they thinking! It should've come with a health warning: NOT suitable for children, high heels or anyone unstable on their feet, such as adults with a bit of drink on them. So it matched the red brick and terracotta, who cares that it's shaped like loads of butterflies - it's sharp rusty metal! Then there was the glass house for people with the glue streaming down all around the top - I really didn't get that - well not on a beautiful day like today when it would kill you to sit in it, but maybe on a sunny, windy, winter's day, more typical of our island.
As for all the water features, don't get me wrong, I love water, but by the morning of day 2 they were already murky, so how would they work as a permanent fixture in your garden. One designer solved this problem by dying the water purple!!! So you couldn't see the filth of it then - but personally, that didn't really work for me. Actually there was so much water needed to keep some of the gardens going (for those otherwise unsustainable aesthetic vegetables) that I had to carefully navigate my new lime green canvas espadrilles around the muddy paths - hopefully no water shortages in Dublin this hot bank holiday weekend.
Despite all of my fussy complaints it was all in all a good day (always, always fantastic weather the day we go, so call us next year to know when the Fusspots are heading that way!) and well worth the two for one ticket we picked up - oh, and the kids would've been free, though in our case not amused, if we had brought them.
Hey Pesto!
posted in no category - 02-06-2010, 22:27
I discovered a new addition to Master's mashed potato - Pesto or Pesto Rosso, which I picked up in Lidl. I bought the Rosso version as I thought the red would pass under the radar better than the green - and so it did! I even managed to mash in a little steamed butternut squash, sweet potato and a tablespoon of Udo's oil (but shh! don't tell him).
posted in no category - 02-06-2010, 22:27
I discovered a new addition to Master's mashed potato - Pesto or Pesto Rosso, which I picked up in Lidl. I bought the Rosso version as I thought the red would pass under the radar better than the green - and so it did! I even managed to mash in a little steamed butternut squash, sweet potato and a tablespoon of Udo's oil (but shh! don't tell him).
And a fussy Valentine's to you too
posted in Food - 13-02-2010, 18:19
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and yesterday we received the results of Mr Fusspot's York Test. This is a blood test to determine food intolerance. They let you know on a scale of 0-4 how you reacted to 113 foods. I suppose the good news is that the worst he got was a 2 on one item. The bad news is it's gluten! Then he scored a 1 on cow's milk, yeast, apple and millet and between 0 and 1 for peppers/paprika, pork and tuna.
That's just great! Considering I was planning a Valentine's dinner of pork fillet with apple sauce followed by a custard trifle. Breakfast was to include at least one form of pig and I had planned to try a new thing I saw Rachel Allen do at Christmas, only I'm going to use a heart cutter for Valentine's. You cut a shape out of the centre of the bread/toast and fry the egg in the centre of it (or maybe it's bake, I'm sure you could do either).
So we're clearing out the fridge/freezer for the weekend (had the pizzas yesterday) and Mr Fusspot's new diet will start Monday. Along with his new job! We'll have to be really disciplined. Let's see how that goes...
p.s. you can look forward to whole new batch of recipes. For starters I'm going to make the Dairy Free Brownies as these can be easily made with gluten free flour and bicarbonate of soda.
Meringues and Macaroons are fine too as they're all egg and sugar. Let's see what else we can come up with.
posted in Food - 13-02-2010, 18:19
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and yesterday we received the results of Mr Fusspot's York Test. This is a blood test to determine food intolerance. They let you know on a scale of 0-4 how you reacted to 113 foods. I suppose the good news is that the worst he got was a 2 on one item. The bad news is it's gluten! Then he scored a 1 on cow's milk, yeast, apple and millet and between 0 and 1 for peppers/paprika, pork and tuna.
That's just great! Considering I was planning a Valentine's dinner of pork fillet with apple sauce followed by a custard trifle. Breakfast was to include at least one form of pig and I had planned to try a new thing I saw Rachel Allen do at Christmas, only I'm going to use a heart cutter for Valentine's. You cut a shape out of the centre of the bread/toast and fry the egg in the centre of it (or maybe it's bake, I'm sure you could do either).
So we're clearing out the fridge/freezer for the weekend (had the pizzas yesterday) and Mr Fusspot's new diet will start Monday. Along with his new job! We'll have to be really disciplined. Let's see how that goes...
p.s. you can look forward to whole new batch of recipes. For starters I'm going to make the Dairy Free Brownies as these can be easily made with gluten free flour and bicarbonate of soda.
Meringues and Macaroons are fine too as they're all egg and sugar. Let's see what else we can come up with.
Come back Horrid Henry, all is forgiven
posted in Aspergers - 12-02-2010, 21:31
posted in Aspergers - 12-02-2010, 21:31
Horrid Henry was recently usurped by his friend Beefy Burt. Why?
I dunno.
He talks in a deep man's voice but is really just a boy of few words, only three actually and even then they are merged into two. What are they Master Fusspot?
I dunno.
Your're limping Master Fusspot. Did you hurt your foot?
I dunno.
You can't finish your dinner, are you feeling alright?
I dunno.
Did you have a good day at school?
I dunno.
Finally, Mr Fusspot has a great plan to put Beefy Burt's extensive vocabulary to some use:
What does Je ne sais pas mean?
I dunno.
Correct! What does NÃl a fhios agam mean?
I dunno.
Correct! What does Das weiss ich nicht mean?
I dunno.
Correct!
Now, could Beefy Bert please go home while we have dinner?
Who's in this episode?
posted in Aspergers - 30-01-2010, 18:31
I think Master Fusspot's been watching a bit too much TV or the lines between reality and fiction are becoming blurred. Or perhaps he's just got so into categorising everything about his favourite programmes ("pause the credits please while I memorise them") so much that now life has to fall into the same mental boxes.
Why do I say this? Well, Miss Fusspot was in a play/musical last week which meant she wasn't around a lot due to rehearsals and then three nights in a row of shows. After her second night of missing dinner (highly unusual for most 11 year olds I'm sure you'd agree) Master Fusspot observed "Oh, is she not in this episode either." Since we were all going to see her at the theatre the following night I replied "No, but she'll be the main character in tomorrow night's episode".
I guess it's not a bad way of viewing life - we all know that some episodes are better/funnier/sadder than others and even our favourite programmes have episodes that aren't worth watching and no matter how bad things get we can always switch off and wait for a better episode.
posted in Aspergers - 30-01-2010, 18:31
I think Master Fusspot's been watching a bit too much TV or the lines between reality and fiction are becoming blurred. Or perhaps he's just got so into categorising everything about his favourite programmes ("pause the credits please while I memorise them") so much that now life has to fall into the same mental boxes.
Why do I say this? Well, Miss Fusspot was in a play/musical last week which meant she wasn't around a lot due to rehearsals and then three nights in a row of shows. After her second night of missing dinner (highly unusual for most 11 year olds I'm sure you'd agree) Master Fusspot observed "Oh, is she not in this episode either." Since we were all going to see her at the theatre the following night I replied "No, but she'll be the main character in tomorrow night's episode".
I guess it's not a bad way of viewing life - we all know that some episodes are better/funnier/sadder than others and even our favourite programmes have episodes that aren't worth watching and no matter how bad things get we can always switch off and wait for a better episode.
We love Garfield
posted in Food - 13-01-2010, 21:56
Hurray! Master Fusspot ate spare ribs for dinner tonight - with the eternal, infernal mashed potato of course. AND he's been eating lasagne since November. AND it's all thanks to that lazy good for nothing Garfield, who loves lasagne and spare ribs. Who says TV's not good for your children? Now those of you who are vegetarian mightn't be so impressed, but variety is my aim right now and we can get the healthier varieties in later.
I must also point out that Master Fusspot requested the lasagne and spare ribs for his dinners (based on the TV animated series Garfield), it was not I, Mrs Fusspot, who tried to push them on him. So, we're very very happy. Progress!
posted in Food - 13-01-2010, 21:56
Hurray! Master Fusspot ate spare ribs for dinner tonight - with the eternal, infernal mashed potato of course. AND he's been eating lasagne since November. AND it's all thanks to that lazy good for nothing Garfield, who loves lasagne and spare ribs. Who says TV's not good for your children? Now those of you who are vegetarian mightn't be so impressed, but variety is my aim right now and we can get the healthier varieties in later.
I must also point out that Master Fusspot requested the lasagne and spare ribs for his dinners (based on the TV animated series Garfield), it was not I, Mrs Fusspot, who tried to push them on him. So, we're very very happy. Progress!
Gluten-Free Christmas
posted in Food - 23-12-2009, 23:26
This Christmas the Fusspots have been invited to dine with some relatives which, thankfully, has taken a lot of the fuss out of Christmas. The traditional Irish (and elsewhere) Christmas dinner is of course naturally gluten free - turkey, ham, spud and veg. The only thing that could have gluten is the stuffing, which could easily be made with breadcrumbs made from gluten free bread.
We have been asked to bring the starter and a dessert that the fusspot children will like. Frankly I'm the only Fusspot who likes the traditional Christmas fare of mince pies, pudding and Christmas cake, which, due to their heavy stodginess, would lend themselves to gluten-free flour, though I've yet to try making any. It's hard to justify it for just one person really. So for the Fusspots personal Christmas cake it's Guinness and Wholegrain Spelt Chocolate cake (recipe in the new year).
For starters we're doing the traditional Irish smoked salmon thing, but instead of being on soda bread, we're serving it with crème fraîche on blinis, the russian pancakes made with buckwheat flour. I found a recipe at Gluten free day which I chose because it's made entirely with buckwheat, whereas a lot of other recipes have predominantly wheat flour. If you want to dilute the buckwheat taste you could use another gluten-free mix, such as Doves gluten-free white flour.
For dessert Miss Fusspot requested chocolate cornflake buns but they didn't seem chrismassy enough. So I lined a star shaped biscuit tin I've had for years with grease proof paper, made a layer of the chocolate cornflake mix (don't tell the kids but I added some ground almonds for a chrismassy edge), cooled it quickly in our utility room, which could double as a freezer at the moment (indeed Mr Fusspot commented that the Beamish was colder from there than from the fridge!), then I placed another layer of grease proof paper and built up layers of the cornflake mix - five layers in total. The tin is now in the fridge and I hope that come Christmas day dessert time they will easily come out of the tin, one per child plus a couple for the grown-ups to try, breaking off points of the stars.
I'll let you know how they go and give more details on ingredients and method when the silly season has ebbed a little.
Happy Christmas!
posted in Food - 23-12-2009, 23:26
This Christmas the Fusspots have been invited to dine with some relatives which, thankfully, has taken a lot of the fuss out of Christmas. The traditional Irish (and elsewhere) Christmas dinner is of course naturally gluten free - turkey, ham, spud and veg. The only thing that could have gluten is the stuffing, which could easily be made with breadcrumbs made from gluten free bread.
We have been asked to bring the starter and a dessert that the fusspot children will like. Frankly I'm the only Fusspot who likes the traditional Christmas fare of mince pies, pudding and Christmas cake, which, due to their heavy stodginess, would lend themselves to gluten-free flour, though I've yet to try making any. It's hard to justify it for just one person really. So for the Fusspots personal Christmas cake it's Guinness and Wholegrain Spelt Chocolate cake (recipe in the new year).
For starters we're doing the traditional Irish smoked salmon thing, but instead of being on soda bread, we're serving it with crème fraîche on blinis, the russian pancakes made with buckwheat flour. I found a recipe at Gluten free day which I chose because it's made entirely with buckwheat, whereas a lot of other recipes have predominantly wheat flour. If you want to dilute the buckwheat taste you could use another gluten-free mix, such as Doves gluten-free white flour.
For dessert Miss Fusspot requested chocolate cornflake buns but they didn't seem chrismassy enough. So I lined a star shaped biscuit tin I've had for years with grease proof paper, made a layer of the chocolate cornflake mix (don't tell the kids but I added some ground almonds for a chrismassy edge), cooled it quickly in our utility room, which could double as a freezer at the moment (indeed Mr Fusspot commented that the Beamish was colder from there than from the fridge!), then I placed another layer of grease proof paper and built up layers of the cornflake mix - five layers in total. The tin is now in the fridge and I hope that come Christmas day dessert time they will easily come out of the tin, one per child plus a couple for the grown-ups to try, breaking off points of the stars.
I'll let you know how they go and give more details on ingredients and method when the silly season has ebbed a little.
Happy Christmas!
Christmas Trees
posted in Waste - 09-12-2009, 20:12
Real or Artificial?
Genuine or Fake?
Shop or Attic?
I love trees. I love the smell of the fresh pine when I walk into a house with a real Christmas tree. I always admire them and the person prepared to go out and pick one, pay for it, cart it back home, install it, clean up after it all Christmas long as it molts all over the carpet and then in post-christmas gloom find a thoughtful recycling centre that also includes Christmas trees.
When it comes to... well most things really, I prefer natural, real, the genuine article, not fake, not artifical, except when it comes to our own Christams tree. I cannot bring myself to go through all that hassle on an annual basis. I cannot bring myself to see another tree cut down so I can smell it in my living room for a few weeks. And at the end of the day it is part of the Christmas tradition that I grew up with: to go into the attic once a year and take down the old familiar tree with its familiar look and smell that always fits in the same place every year. That is as much part of my christmas tradition as going out to buy the real one is for others (and a lot simpler, less expensive and 'greener' as far as I'm concerned).
Mr Fusspot, also of the attic tree tradition thankfully, discovered a few years ago that everyone can be kept happy by buying a small real tree in a pot which lives in our backgarden all year and then is moved in front of a window for us to admire in season for the month of December. However, I don't know if it's global warming or the immense amount of rain we've had lately, or whether it's just outgrown it's pot, but this year it hasn't quite come back to life for Christmas, though who knows it still has 16 shopping days till Christmas to get a good winter coat.
posted in Waste - 09-12-2009, 20:12
Real or Artificial?
Genuine or Fake?
Shop or Attic?
I love trees. I love the smell of the fresh pine when I walk into a house with a real Christmas tree. I always admire them and the person prepared to go out and pick one, pay for it, cart it back home, install it, clean up after it all Christmas long as it molts all over the carpet and then in post-christmas gloom find a thoughtful recycling centre that also includes Christmas trees.
When it comes to... well most things really, I prefer natural, real, the genuine article, not fake, not artifical, except when it comes to our own Christams tree. I cannot bring myself to go through all that hassle on an annual basis. I cannot bring myself to see another tree cut down so I can smell it in my living room for a few weeks. And at the end of the day it is part of the Christmas tradition that I grew up with: to go into the attic once a year and take down the old familiar tree with its familiar look and smell that always fits in the same place every year. That is as much part of my christmas tradition as going out to buy the real one is for others (and a lot simpler, less expensive and 'greener' as far as I'm concerned).
Mr Fusspot, also of the attic tree tradition thankfully, discovered a few years ago that everyone can be kept happy by buying a small real tree in a pot which lives in our backgarden all year and then is moved in front of a window for us to admire in season for the month of December. However, I don't know if it's global warming or the immense amount of rain we've had lately, or whether it's just outgrown it's pot, but this year it hasn't quite come back to life for Christmas, though who knows it still has 16 shopping days till Christmas to get a good winter coat.
Lunch with Horrid Henry
posted in Aspergers - 08-12-2009, 22:25
Tried to eat lunch today with Mr Fusspot while Master Fusspot circumvented the table reciting Horrid Henry stories. I was tuned out but then I heard the word 'sick' so I asked him not to talk about that while we were eating.
OK.
Then Hawrid Henray vomitted all over Mummy and Puhfect Peter vomitted all over Daddy.
We couldn't eat then for laughing!
posted in Aspergers - 08-12-2009, 22:25
Tried to eat lunch today with Mr Fusspot while Master Fusspot circumvented the table reciting Horrid Henry stories. I was tuned out but then I heard the word 'sick' so I asked him not to talk about that while we were eating.
OK.
Then Hawrid Henray vomitted all over Mummy and Puhfect Peter vomitted all over Daddy.
We couldn't eat then for laughing!
Starbucks Blackrock
posted in Eateries - 07-12-2009, 22:46
The first time I walked into Starbucks, Blackrock, I was so mad, I nearly lost it. It said Post Office outside and it looked for all the world like the same post office I had queued in for ten years (on and off, if you know what I mean) while I worked for a company on the same street. But now, when I needed it most, when I was in a rush and my car was parked at the only available space at the windy seafront praying not to be spotted by the ever circling clampers, and I was carrying a big heavy cumbersome package to be posted off... it was a Starbucks!
I didn't need mediocre coffee and a 1" square of cornflakes covered in chocolate with extra sugar for good measure (though paying for one did drive me to start making my own much more appetising versions with various grains and bars of 74% cocoa chocolate), I needed stamps FGS! - funny I haven't seen this used yet in text speak and yet such a common phrase on this island, you'd think they'd use it Fur Gawd's Sake.
The second time I walked into Starbucks, Blackrock, I'd just parked outside to go into my old office for the last time. Though sunny and just the third of September, it was only ten degrees outside, according to my car, and I had to get somewhere quickly for a hot drink and being only 8am that was not going to be the office. Although I originally thought I'm not going into that bastion of american globalisation (sorry, been reading too much AA Gill!) at least the one thing I knew a Starbucks would have going for it was heat and comfort and since I only fancied a cup of tea and not a coffee it could do no harm.
I melted into its interior and was cheered by the voice of a friendly local accent (a blessing of the recession perhaps) not someone who didn't know what cutlery was and served my children mocha coffees instead of hot chocolate. There was a Spanish girl at the till who was also very friendly and, most importantly, fluent in English - something that was forgotten about when the Tiger roared and staff were erroneously hired by a café owner who thought speaking English was not a pre-requisite for customer service in Ireland (note I speak as one who has served as the foreign waitress abroad and have nothing but the utmost sympathy for them).
I didn't sit down, I just stood at the back wall of windows, tea in hand, warming them, staring at the beautiful view of the sea that I had never witnessed from the post office queue. It was sunny, it was September, the kids were at school, it was a warm something degrees in Starbucks and I loved it!
posted in Eateries - 07-12-2009, 22:46
Visited and written early September 2009
The first time I walked into Starbucks, Blackrock, I was so mad, I nearly lost it. It said Post Office outside and it looked for all the world like the same post office I had queued in for ten years (on and off, if you know what I mean) while I worked for a company on the same street. But now, when I needed it most, when I was in a rush and my car was parked at the only available space at the windy seafront praying not to be spotted by the ever circling clampers, and I was carrying a big heavy cumbersome package to be posted off... it was a Starbucks!
I didn't need mediocre coffee and a 1" square of cornflakes covered in chocolate with extra sugar for good measure (though paying for one did drive me to start making my own much more appetising versions with various grains and bars of 74% cocoa chocolate), I needed stamps FGS! - funny I haven't seen this used yet in text speak and yet such a common phrase on this island, you'd think they'd use it Fur Gawd's Sake.
The second time I walked into Starbucks, Blackrock, I'd just parked outside to go into my old office for the last time. Though sunny and just the third of September, it was only ten degrees outside, according to my car, and I had to get somewhere quickly for a hot drink and being only 8am that was not going to be the office. Although I originally thought I'm not going into that bastion of american globalisation (sorry, been reading too much AA Gill!) at least the one thing I knew a Starbucks would have going for it was heat and comfort and since I only fancied a cup of tea and not a coffee it could do no harm.
I melted into its interior and was cheered by the voice of a friendly local accent (a blessing of the recession perhaps) not someone who didn't know what cutlery was and served my children mocha coffees instead of hot chocolate. There was a Spanish girl at the till who was also very friendly and, most importantly, fluent in English - something that was forgotten about when the Tiger roared and staff were erroneously hired by a café owner who thought speaking English was not a pre-requisite for customer service in Ireland (note I speak as one who has served as the foreign waitress abroad and have nothing but the utmost sympathy for them).
I didn't sit down, I just stood at the back wall of windows, tea in hand, warming them, staring at the beautiful view of the sea that I had never witnessed from the post office queue. It was sunny, it was September, the kids were at school, it was a warm something degrees in Starbucks and I loved it!
Having Horrid Henry over for dinner
posted in Aspergers - 07-12-2009, 19:46
Master Fusspot spent the afternoon and all of dinner mimicking Miranda Richardson, narrator of the Horrid Henry stories, e.g.
"Hawrrid Henray and the Mummy's Cuhse by Francesca Simon, read by Mirawnda Richidson, illustrated by Tony Ross."
Having had enough, I told him Henry wasn't invited to dinner and if he would please leave the table that we would like Master Fusspot back please.
I asked him to talk to his sister, rather than himself (at the dinner table at least!). To facilitate things Miss Fusspot started a basic conversation to divert his attention from the Horrid Henry:
Miss: "Hello Master".
Silence.
Mrs: "Master, say hello to Miss, she's talking to you."
Master: "Hello Miss."
Miss: "How old are you?"
Master: "I'm nine year's old."
Miss: "Do you like the colour green?" (Note Miss is into all things 'Random' at the moment)
Master: "Sometimes."
Miss: "Did you have a good day at school?"
Master: "Yes."
Miss: "Why was it good?"
Master: "Because we got to listen to Horrid Henry." !!!
Ah, the Master conversation dominator!
posted in Aspergers - 07-12-2009, 19:46
Master Fusspot spent the afternoon and all of dinner mimicking Miranda Richardson, narrator of the Horrid Henry stories, e.g.
"Hawrrid Henray and the Mummy's Cuhse by Francesca Simon, read by Mirawnda Richidson, illustrated by Tony Ross."
Having had enough, I told him Henry wasn't invited to dinner and if he would please leave the table that we would like Master Fusspot back please.
I asked him to talk to his sister, rather than himself (at the dinner table at least!). To facilitate things Miss Fusspot started a basic conversation to divert his attention from the Horrid Henry:
Miss: "Hello Master".
Silence.
Mrs: "Master, say hello to Miss, she's talking to you."
Master: "Hello Miss."
Miss: "How old are you?"
Master: "I'm nine year's old."
Miss: "Do you like the colour green?" (Note Miss is into all things 'Random' at the moment)
Master: "Sometimes."
Miss: "Did you have a good day at school?"
Master: "Yes."
Miss: "Why was it good?"
Master: "Because we got to listen to Horrid Henry." !!!
Ah, the Master conversation dominator!