<<<out of cheese error>>>

Sun_Addict

I love the smell of fish and chips but don't like them I'm the only person in the world who hates chips :rotfl: I don't like batter either. Seriously my mum used to fry chips in lard or dripping or something equally degustingly greasy which put me off them for life -ugh

Pooky

2 of our local chippies now do GF batter, I've not tried it but nice to have the option. Another one does a seasoned grilled cod alternative which is divine. Since I've been GF I've felt so much better (no diagnosis just hideous acid reflux after anything with gluten in). I do occasionally buy a GF loaf but in the main we just don't bother. The GF oatcakes are fab (I know all oat cakes should be GF but many aren't) and we mainly use rice cakes/corn cakes instead of bread.

The only GF pasta I've found of any use is MrMs GF macaroni but we don't have it often. If I'm making a lasagne then I use courgettes/aubergine in place of pasta. Can't be faffed with the whole courgetti thing though.

greenbee

I think with any kind of dietary restriction it's about making sure you have delicious food that includes all the things you can (or will ) eat rather than trying to simulate conventional recipes. For example, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of fantastic vegetarian and vegan recipes from cultures that have traditionally not eaten meat and/or dairy, but there's a massive market in 'fake meat'.

Would chickpea/gram flour wraps work for you? Or a box of salad (which is what I do)? Or sushi ? Slices of tortilla with lots of veg (and maybe some ham or bacon)? Lump of cheese, tomatoes and some chunks of cucumber...

Maybe have a browse through your recipe books and mark the things that are GF by default?

My work lunch on the rare occasions I go into the office is usually lots of finely chopped/grated veg (lettuce, spring onion, cucumber, tomato, radish, courgette, carrot, peppers) with a little oil/lemon juice (or vinegar) dressing, seasoning and then some kind of protein - usually cheese or meat if I'm in the office as eggs/tuna aren't very sociable - and possibly a pulse. I can shovel it in either eating with other people on a break, during a meeting, or sitting at my laptop and it keeps me full until I get home.

in_need_of_direction

I totally agree about avoiding simulation. I can happily eat cauliflower but the day dh used it as a topping for a cottage pie, I just wasn’t happy. I’d have sooner eaten mince onion and cauliflower than something that just tasted wrong.

redofromstart

Sashybo, I've not tried the coconut flour. I will look out for that.
Sun Addict, one of my boys doesn't like chips either. Oddly enough, not the Boy Who Doesn't Eat, who will eat some chips if they meet his invisible criteria.
Pooky hello! The grilled cod sounds lovely. Ours used to do GF batter but he says there wasn't much demand. Hadn't thought of Oatcakes, so thanks for that idea
Greenbee Its alternatives to the cake/sandwich thing that I am now craving. Didn't often but the minute they are banned you want them.
INOD I find the same with sweet potato or carrot mash, the taste is too sweet for the dish.

DebtFreeMonkey

I agree that the minute you 'can't' eat something, you want it! I think it's just about experimenting and in part accepting that you'll never, 100% be able to have what you used to.

As a vegan, I also agree about the substitutes. I mostly live off of beans/lentils, rice etc rather than this fancy (note: expensive) faux 'meats'. Plus I never liked the texture of meat. I also have a dairy allergy so I haven't had cheese in a long, long time and now I no longer crave it because I can't remember what it tastes like. For me, it's eggs that I get a hankering for but never give in, so I 100% understand. Sometimes, my mum buys me this (expensive) delicious GF bread from Rana's Bakery and I freeze it and ration the loaves out. Mind, I'm not a bread kind of person.

Also, yes! I agree with some of these healthy recipes. No, shepherds pie should have WHITE POTATO MASH and that alone as a topping! Haha.

redofromstart

Money ramblings

We are in the lucky position that, at the moment, our incomings exceed our committed outgoings. This hasn't always been the case, but this famine or feast thing seems to be quite common with those who are self employed. My current project was meant to last 3 months, and here we are on month 13. That extra income has allowed me build a hard emergency fund (for genuine can't pay the mortgage emergencies) and a soft emergency fund (for the more discretionary emergencies of major vet bills, healthcare, shiny things that we suddenly want, etc). It can, and will, change overnight but I need to make sure we are cushioned against that as best I can.

I think our attitude to money changes when there is 'spare' money in the account so I need to make sure we have a plan and that every pound has a planned purpose. OH wants to retire early, and he can only do that if we clear the mortgage. Apparently saying 'are you willing to work another year to pay for it' is very annoying when he wants spend money is very annoying, but actually that is the reality.

I was thinking about proportions of what to do with disposable income and i inevitably ended up on 80/20 percentage splits.
Currently my logic goes:
In debt/no savings 80 to debt/20 to emergency fund
Debt cleared/low savings 80 to savings/20 to mortgage over payment/pension/investing in house
Savings ok, 80% to mortgage over payment/pension/investing in house/20% to keep building accessible savings

I am off out on my travels which will give me time to think through our approach. More later.

In lighter news, the GF coconut and jam slice was excellent and scratched the cake itch nicely.

Starmummy

I really like the 80/20 split. I might start to work with something similar.
perhaps 60/20 /20 with the 60 going to the most pressing goal.
Goals being Debt/house/general savings.- somehow got to squeeze in car savings somewhere if I want to change jobs in the next year. I could definitely earn £10k more if I commute to the nearest city (25 miles)

doingitanyway

I agree about the 2 emergency funds. I haven't done that yet but I intend to.

I am also gluten free. I've been to lots of meals out recently and not liking to make a fuss I have eaten bits of gluten here and there for just over a week. I can really feel the difference and it isn't worth it.

You sound very motivated so I am sure you will find (and share) lots of yummy GF recipes

redofromstart

Alicia, my veggie sister says its the smell of bacon that gets her even though she doesn't like the taste. She hates the texture of meat, as does my DS2. She has the rare honour of being even fussier than me. My poor mother :rotfl:
starmummy sounds sensible to me
DIA I have to admit I don't like being 'odd' and will eat things I shouldn't to not put people out. I think this is an upbringing thing, I was brought up to eat tinned ham, smile and say 'thank you for the lovely treat grandma' without visibly retching.