{"id":5148,"date":"2013-10-03T09:31:02","date_gmt":"2013-10-03T08:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ethicalsuperstore.com\/blog\/?p=5148"},"modified":"2013-10-03T12:06:25","modified_gmt":"2013-10-03T11:06:25","slug":"free-from-foodie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ethicalsuperstore.com\/blog\/health-and-wellbeing\/free-from-foodie\/","title":{"rendered":"Free From Foodie – Gluten free blueberry pancakes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fact of the week – Research shows that coeliac disease affects 1% people in the UK. (Source – Coeliac UK<\/a>)
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So the Great British Bake Off is back in full swing\u2026.how ironic as I can\u2019t eat gluten that I find it compulsive viewing! Yes the showstoppers are amazing and who knew a tuille could have the nation on the edge of their seats\u2026but what I really love is the passion, the creativity\u2026and in these days of processed everything, the sheer pleasure of creating delicious treats from scratch.<\/p>\n

\"Nicky<\/a>I love food but it\u2019s really since I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease three years ago that I\u2019ve become truly passionate about what I eat. While gluten based meals were never the mainstay of my diet I loved artisan breads, comforting pasta dishes and the guilty pleasure of indulgent cakes. Suddenly faced with changing my choices overnight, supermarket \u2018Free From\u2019 aisles beckoned and with shelves brimming with \u2018goodies\u2019 it wasn\u2019t difficult to find gluten free<\/a> treats to alleviate any sense of deprivation.\u2026but the more I began to really look at the products the more I was frustrated by so many unrecognisable ingredients, call me old fashioned but I\u2019ve always preferred to eat things I can pronounce.<\/p>\n

To be fair there are some better products out there these days but in most a small sugar mountain compensates for the removal of gluten. As a bit of a nutrition geek that just doesn\u2019t do it for me\u2026.I want the taste but not so much of the addictive white stuff\u2026and certainly not the copious e-numbers, additives and filler flours more suited to wallpaper paste.<\/p>\n

So, for the last three years I\u2019ve been on a quest to feed myself \u201cdeliciously\u201d well! From poring over recipe books and blogs, to researching healing foods, to studying Nutritional Therapy, it\u2019s fair to say it\u2019s been an interesting journey…..and I\u2019m now hooked on the challenge of creating nourishing meals and treats, real food that is a pleasure to cook and eat.<\/p>\n

As guest blogger for the next 3 months I\u2019m going to be giving the Ethical Kitchen a bit of a nutritious makeover! I\u2019ll be sharing some of my favourite gluten free recipes, many of them also dairy and sugar free. I like to use natural, nutritious ingredients, fair trade and organic where possible, from my favourite brands like Suma<\/a>, Biona<\/a> and Traidcraft<\/a>. So, on to the food…<\/p>\n

A frequent question I hear from people going gluten free for the first time is what do I eat for breakfast? Whilst I can suggest a repertoire of healthy, filling options, sometimes a rainy weekend calls for something more indulgent and comforting. With autumn on the way, memories of living in New York come to mind; lazy Sunday mornings spent languishing over the papers and a pile of warm blueberry pancakes were a special treat and I really wanted to recreate that experience \u2026.but with the extra challenge that every bite would be as nutritious as it is delicious!<\/p>\n

So my first recipe is my version of those memorable \u2018American style\u2019 pancakes. Refined flours and sugars are replaced with the natural goodness of coconut and bananas, protein rich eggs, fabulous flax and juicy, nutrient packed blueberries. I like to serve them with extra berries and a dollop of creamy sheep\u2019s milk yoghurt. Kids love these with a little honey too!<\/p>\n

Blueberry pancakes (makes 6 small pancakes)<\/h2>\n

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Ingredients<\/h3>\n