Let’s Be Wheat and Gluten Free with BFree food solutions… plus try some tasty lunch option recipe’s!!!

BFree (Be Wheat and Gluten Free have a huge range of products for us that love to take a dietary choice, or have to be free of certain ingredients such as Gluten and Dairy.

We’ve sat and tasted the yummy BFree Sweet Potato Wraps, – the texture is interesting as it’s something (as a usual non-gluten free eater) I’ve not really come across, yet they’re sweet potato and anything made with this will pass my palate quicker than Lewis Hamilton! Plus despite thinking the texture is strange to me… they’re wonderful, tasty and provide a fantastic alternative to gluten options at lunch! 

We also got our hands on the BFree Pitta Breads, which are exactly alike any other pitta minus the gluten and wheat! Bonus!

Find where to shop, and some tasty recipe’s from BFree below!

MINDFULLNESS BITES

Ingredients

1 small avocado, mashed into a paste

2 slices of smoked salmon

2 small beetroot, sliced

A handful of cashew nuts, roughly chopped

Juice of half a lemon

Salt and black pepper

2 slices of BFree Oaty Loaf

Method

1 Take the mashed avocado and spread it onto each slice of BFree Oaty Loaf

2 Add a slice of smoked salmon to each and divide the cashew nuts and sliced beetroot between the two sandwiches

3 Drizzle on the lemon juice with a dash of salt and pepper

WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOUR MIND?

 The Oats in the BFree Oaty Loaf – contribute to effective serotonin production which helps balance and even boost moods

Smoked salmon – contains tryptophan, which helps to synthesise serotonin in the body, one of the most important chemical elements for supporting and stabilising your mood

Cashew nuts – high in magnesium to help keep feelings of anxiety at bay

A POCKET FULL OF GUTSY GOODNESS

Ingredients

1 cup of cooked brown rice

1 cup of cooked black beans, drained and rinsed

A handful of coriander

1 red chilli, thinly sliced

1 large tomato, diced

1 cup of green olives, sliced

1 cup of cooked broccoli, chopped

1 tsp of chia seeds

2 BFree Pitta Pockets

Method

1 Take a bowl and mix the rice, black beans, coriander, red chilli, tomato, green olives, broccoli together

2 Spoon half of the mixture into each BFree Pitta Pocket

3 Sprinkle chia seeds on to finish and serve

WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOUR GUT?

BFree Pitta Pockets – contain fibre from bamboo as well as from peas, which can enhance the function of the immune system and contribute towards healthy weight loss

Brown rice, black beans, broccoli, chia seeds and tomatoes – contain fibre in abundance, which is well known to enhance the function of the digestive system

Black beans and chia seeds – encourage the presence of healthy bacteria in the colon

Energy Boosting lunches…

Ingredients

Hummus

2 radishes, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 asparagus stalks, roasted

Feta cheese

1 cup of cooked quinoa

2 BFree Quinoa and Chia Seed Wrapwith Teff and Flax Seeds

Method

1 Take two BFree Quinoa and Chia Seed Wraps and spread a generous portion of hummus on each of them

2 Then divide the quinoa between each wrap and add the radishes, red bell pepper, and the asparagus stalks

3 Sprinkle the feta cheese on top

4 Fold the wraps and serve

The ENERGY FOOD

BFree Quinoa and Chia Seed Wrapscontain teff and chia which help to boost energy

Hummus – provides healthy fats and can help to maintain your blood sugar levels – both of which are great for keeping your energy levels up

Radishes– rich in potassium, which helps the cells to produce energy. A potassium deficiency can lead to feelings of fatigue

Red bell peppers – a source of vitamin C, which plays a key role in energy production

Asparagus– high in a range of B vitamins, which contribute to the process of turning food into fuel

Feta cheese – contains calcium to keep your energy levels up

Quinoa – high in protein, a complex carbohydrate with fibre, giving your body a steady stream of energy throughout the day

The BFree range starts from £3.99, and can be brought in-store at Waitrose and Sainsbury’s stores nationwide!

Give Hot X Buns an Eastern zing with Yutaka Yuzu… with this Japan-easy recipe

Now Easter may be over, but don’t fret! I have this wonderful recipe from Yutaka that brings you a super tasty and zesty tang!

Taking to the kitchen one Sunday afternoon, I rolled up my sleeves and dug into this beautiful basket of goodies from Mad as a March Hare, and delved into the wonderful world of Hot Cross Bun making. *I realise that the recipe can take a good afternoon, but the results are so worth it!

Yutaka – Good Food Made Japan-easy | Yutaka means ‘good harvest’ in Japanese and that’s exactly the aim of the company: to create authentic Japanese food products made in the traditional way. Their ethos ensures their products are of the highest quality and feature minimal additives compared with other brands on the market. They are the makers of the ‘Yuzu seasoning’ used in this recipe, and if you’ve never heard of Yuzu, it is a citrus additive, very similar, but sweeter in flavour to a lemon; and here it creates the super zesty kick to these mouth-watering Hot Cross Buns. – Find out more about Yutaka and their other products here

Yuzu & Honey Hot Cross Buns | Makes 15-20

Ingredients | For the buns:

• 575g strong bread flour
• 75g caster sugar
• 75g sultanas
• 50g mixed peel
• 7g quick working yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 250ml milk
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1½ tbsp. Yutaka Yuzu
• 2 tbsp water
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 50g butter
• 2 eggs beaten

For the cross:

• 75g plain flour

For the glaze:

• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp water

Method | 

1. Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, honey, yuzu, water, lemon zest and butter stirring constantly until butter has melted. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes then pour into a well in the centre of the flour mix.
3. Combine using a wooden spoon then use your hands until the ingredients are all combined. Tip out onto a floured surface and knead for around 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and stretchy.
4. Place your dough in a greased bowl, (see our dough below) cover with cling film and leave somewhere warm to rise until doubled in size. Then add your sultanas and mixed peel whilst still in the bowl, knead to combine all the ingredients and leave once again to rise for about an hour. Make sure the cling film is also greased to avoid a crust forming on your dough.
5. Once the dough has risen again, divide into 15-20 pieces and roll into smooth balls. Line them up on parchment-lined baking trays allowing enough space for them to once again expand. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave for a further hour.
6. Preheat oven to 220c or gas mark seven. Mix the flour for the cross with some water to make a basic dough. Place in piping bag and pipe one line across each bun then repeat to form the cross.
7. You can brush buns beaten egg to give a glaze.
8. Bake for around 20 mins or until buns are golden brown on top. Remove pan from the oven and let buns cool on a rack for 15 minutes.
9. Mix the caster sugar with boiling water and, once buns have cooled a little, brush with glaze.

Buy Yutaka Yusu Seasoning, 100ml (perfect for seasoning grilled fish, chicken & salads), £5.59, The Japan Centre or look in Supermarkets nationwide including Tesco.com, Waitrose.com & Ocado.com

To find more Japanese inspired recipes from starters to dessert, head online to Yutaka London

Gisela Graham launches beautiful bathing range

Famed for her beautiful home decorations and accessories for over 30
years, designer Gisela Graham has put her gift for colour and eye for
detail into her first ever bathing range.

The range, which includes two fragrance collections, Spring Blossom and
Summer Meadow, is beautifully packaged in vintage-inspired floral prints of
Gisela Graham’s own design.

Gisela Graham’s love for flowers goes back to her childhood in rural North
Germany: “My special favourites were pink and white Wild Dog-Roses in the
hedgerows with their light, fleeting perfume. And I loved the peonies in my
grandmother’s garden in the village where I grew up. They’re called Pfinkstrosen in German, meaning Whitsun Roses,
and they have a more positive, rich, warm kind of scent.  So I asked them to try and capture a hint of
those childhood memories in my fragrances.
I think they’ve done a lovely job.”

Gisela Graham Bathing will be available in Waitrose stores, the range is
made up of two fragrance collections:

Spring Blossom: Briar Rose and Honeysuckle, a delightful floral fruity fragrance with top
notes of Green Apple, a floral heart of Rose, Honeysuckle and Magnolia and a
base of Peach and Musks.

Summer Meadow: Peony Blooms, an enchanting summery floral fruity fragrance with Peony and
Red Apple top notes, a heart of Rose, Jasmine and Gillyflower and a warm base
of Musks and Patchouli.

Available exclusively at Waitrose and Waitrose.com at £3.95 each item

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