Strawberry and Chocolate Oat Porridge

Although porridge is a very good choice for breakfast - slow-releasing carbohydrates, natural source of iron and zinc - the temptation is to add sugary syrups in order to liven it up. The addition of cocoa nibs to this

recipe adds both texture and flavour, as well as additional iron, potassium and zinc, while the strawberries add natural sweetness and vitamin C which will help you absorb more of the iron. As it is also delicious - win, win! I like to eat mine with a spoonful of thick Greek yoghurt, which will obviously not be suitable for those with FODMAPs intolerance and lactose intolerance.

Family verdict: Really tasty, and the cocoa nibs add a nutty texture (Me!).

Time needed: 10 minutes

Makes: One generous serving

INGREDIENTS

1 small cup of porridge oats
The same volume of milk (of choice) plus cold water
A pinch of salt
1 tbs cocoa nibs (approx - I put a large pinch in)
8-10 fresh strawberries (or the equivalent volume of frozen  berries if out of season)
Cacao powder for dusting (optional)
A large spoonful of Greek yoghurt (optional)


METHOD

1. Measure the porridge oats into the cup and pour them into a small pan.
2. Measure the same volume of milk, add it to the pan, then also add 1 and a half times the same volume of cold water.
3. Add the cocoa nibs and a small pinch of salt to the pan. Stir the mixture then begin to heat it over a moderate heat until the porridge starts to boil. 
4. Reduce the heat and leave it to simmer and thicken, stirring frequently. Frequent stirring makes for a creamier porridge. If the mixture becomes too thick then add more water,
5. Wash and slice the strawberries. Place them in a cereal bowl, reserving a few for the top.
6. When the porridge is ready (no more than 5 minutes simmering and probably less), add this to the bowl. Top with the remaining strawberries, cacao powder and Greek yoghurt (if using).
7. Enjoy with coffee and a good book, until disturbed by your children...

30 Minute Wholemeal Pizza and Spelt Pizza

This make from scratch pizza recipe can be ready to eat in as little as 30 minutes, depending on how you

Wholemeal Pizza

like your crusts. The dough doesn't have to rest for more than 5/10 minutes, unless you want to produce something more akin to a deep crust.

Although most recipes suggest using a strong flour of the bread making type, I have discovered that you can use any flour within reason. As an experiment yesterday I made one batch with strong brown flour and another with spelt flour as I wanted to see how easy it would be to make a low FODMAPs pizza (although Robbie, luckily, is OK with wheat these days). As can be seen from the pictures, both crusts looked the same and tasted pretty similar. The spelt crust was slightly drier and more dense in texture. However, it was absolutely delicious with a topping of tomato sauce, sliced mushroom, tuna and cheese.

Little known fact: teenage boys really like kneading dough. I say kneading - there is quite a lot of punching involved.

Family verdict:

Everyone: A universal hit. The spelt dough was different but no less popular. 'Slightly drier, still great dipped

Spelt Pizza

in mayonnaise'. Overall - 'Really, really good.'

Makes: 2 x 12 inch pizzas. (I made 2 quantities - one with each type of flour - therefore 4 x 12 inch pizzas).

Time needed: 7 minutes measuring and kneading; 5-10 minutes+ to rest; 10-15 minutes cooking.

INGREDIENTS:

300g flour (wholemeal/spelt/strong white or strong brown)

1 tsp fast acting dried yeast

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbs oiive oil + more for drizzling

200 ml warm tap water.

200g passata

1 tbs FODMAPs friendly pesto

Toppings of choice (those pictured are sweetcorn and Quorn bacon)

                                                              Grated cheese to top

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 200 C/gas mark 6. Oil 2 x 12 inch pizza trays or baking trays.
2. Put the flour, yeast, salt and olive oil in a bowl.
3. Add the water and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. The mixture should form a sticky dough.
4. Put the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, The dough will gradually become smooth, silky and stretchy. Add more flour to the surface if the dough starts to stick.
5. Put the dough into a clean bowl. Cover with a tea towel or clingfilm and leave to rest in a warm place for 5-10 minutes. 
6. (If you would like a deeper crust, leave the dough to rise for longer. You can then give it a light knock, roll it out and then, if you like the crust very thick, leave it to rise slightly for a second time on the tray).
7. After the dough has rested/risen, divide it in two. Roll one half out to your required thickness/shape, according to whichever baking tray you are using. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
8. Mix the pesto into the passata and spread it onto the pizza bases using the back of a metal spoon.
9. Add the toppings of your choice. Season and then top each pizza with cheese.
10. Bake for 10-15 minutes, fairly high in the oven. I usually switch the pizzas over halfway through so that both pizzas have some of the time.
11. Remove from the oven. Drizzle with olive oil (basil infused olive oil is fantastic for this). 
12. Serve with a fresh mixed salad and whatever you like to dip your crusts into.

Honey Baked Flapjacks

This fruit, nut, coconut and honey combination works well and is a good alternative if you want to bake without using refined sugars.The results aren't as greasy as traditional flapjacks can be and they certainly

disappear from the kitchen as quickly as usual! This mixture doesn't seem to compress down as much when I put it in the pan.

Family verdict:
Harry & Robbie: 'Very good. Thicker than usual. A bit crumbly.'

Time needed: 10 minutes preparation + 20 minutes baking.

Makes: 16 small or 8 large flapjacks

INGREDIENTS

400g porridge oats
200g butter
250g runny honey
150g dried fruit
70g walnut pieces
30g coconut flakes, chopped, or unsweetened, dried coconut.

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 170 C/gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm square or similar sized baking tin thoroughly.
2. Put the butter and honey into a small saucepan and melt it over a low heat. Stir until both are well combined.
3. Break the walnut pieces into smallish pieces.( I usually put the nuts in a plastic bag and bash then a few times with the end of a small rolling pin).
4. Combine the oats, dried fruit, coconut and walnuts into a large bowl. Add the butter and honey mixture and stir until well combined.
5. Put the flapjack mixture into the baking tine and smooth it out, pressing it down with the back of a metal spoon.
6. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, depending upon the oven you are using. The top of the flapjacks should brown but not burn.
7. Remove from the oven and, using a sharp knife, score the cooked mixture into the desired number of flapjacks. Leave in the tine to cool completely.
8. When the flapjacks are cold, cut along the scored lines again and remove the flapjacks from the tin. They will keep for several days in an airtight tine, assuming they last that long!

Sweetcorn and Carrot Chowder - low FODMAP

I try to adapt recipes so that I can give Robbie something similar to the rest of the family - that way he doesn't feel too 'different'. This is a low FODMAPs version of my Sweetcorn Chowder. Robbie really likes

it- he ate 3 helpings when I made the batch in the picture! It tastes quite different but goes just as well with a sliced baguette and cheddar. Because this soup is naturally sweet from the carrots and sweetcorn it is also goes down well with fussy eaters

Family verdict:
Robbie: 'Delicious. Tastes really good and it is easy to eat.'

Time needed: 5 mins preparation + 20 minutes to cook.

FEEDS: 2 people

INGREDIENTS:

35g lactose free margarine

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped into small chunks

1 large potato, peeled and chopped into small chunks

1/4 tsp dried dill

250g frozen sweetcorn

400ml boiling water

100ml lactose free milk

METHOD

1. Put the margarine, potato, carrot and dill in a saucepan. Cook over a low heat with the lid on for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove the lid, season well and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
3. Add the sweetcorn, reserving a few tablespoons. Mix the added sweetcron in with the potatoes and carrots then add the boiling water and the lactose free milk.
4. Bring the soup to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for around 15-20 minutes, until the carrot and potato are well cooked. While the soup is simmering, cook the reserved sweetcorn according to instructions and put this to one side.
5. When the vegetables are cooked, remove the soup from the heat and blend it using a hand blender until you reach your preferred consistency. Taste, season as required and then stir in the reserved sweetcorn.
6. Serve with accompaniments of your choice - bread and cheese; toasted seeds; oil of choice to drizzle, etc.

Spelt and Apple Scones

I came up with this recipe very recently after Nora asked me to make something healthy she could snack on

while revising for exams. The resulting scones are only slightly sweet and are best spread with butter or margarine and topped with either jam or slices of cheese. The ones I tried with cheese tasted really good.

Family verdict: 
Me: 'Really lovely with cheese or peanut butter.'
Harry: 'Good. Better with jam.'

Makes: Around 18 scones.

Time needed: About 15 minutes preparation (grating apples takes time) + 20 minutes to cook.

INGREDIENTS:
300g spelt flour
1 tbs baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
100g ground almonds
100g coconut oil, melted
2 eggs
3 eating apples

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 175 C/gas mark 4. Lightly oil a bun tin (or do what I did and use paper cake cases in a bun tray).
2. Grate the apples down to the core, retaining any juice/liquid which you produce.
3. Whisk the eggs for a few minutes until slightly thickened.
4. Sift the spelt flour into a bowl. Add the baking powder, cinnamon and almonds. Mix well then add the egg, grated apple with juice and the melted coconut oil.
5. Combine all of the ingredients very thoroughly. The mix you should end up with should be of soft dropping consistency. (It tastes similar to bircher muesli!).
6. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked. The scones should rise slightly and brown.
7. When cooked, leave to cool on a wire rack. When they are completely cool, cut in two, spread with butter and your topping of choice and enjoy!

Sweetcorn Chowder

This hearty chowder is rich and extremely filling. It is a family favourite which smells delicious. Harry, our resident fussy eater, hugged me this evening when he realised what I was making. Even Nora, who doesn't like soup, will eat a bowl of this.

We eat it with toasted seeds sprinkled on top, accompanied by slices of baguette and cheddar. The one pictured I made lactose free to suit Meg but this recipe works just as well with normal cow's milk. I make a different, low FODMAP chowder for Robbie.

Family Verdict:
Meg: 'Delicious. Filling with a good balance of flavours.'
Harry: 'It's sweetcorn soup; so delicious it's an adjective in its own right.'

FEEDS: 5-6 hungry people. It is very filling.

Time: 5 minutes preparation + 25-30 minutes to cook.

INGREDIENTS:

100g margarine (lactose free if required)
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 -1/2 tsp dried dill
5 medium to large potatoes, peeled and chopped into smallish chunks
700g frozen sweetcorn
1200ml boiling water
250ml milk (lactose free if required)

METHOD:

1. Melt the margarine in a large pan. Add the onion, garlic, potato and dill and cook over a low heat with the lid on for around 10 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes to prevent burning.
2. Remove the lid. Season and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally.
3. Add all of the frozen sweetcorn except approximately half a mug full. Stir the vegetables together then add the boiling water and the milk. Bring the soup to the boil then reduce the heat, allowing it to simmer for around 10 minutes. Ensure that the potatoes are thoroughly cooked.
4. While the soup is simmering, cook the reserved sweetcorn in a separate pan according to the manufacturer's instructions. Set it to one side.
5. Once the potatoes are cooked and starting to disintegrate, remove the soup from the heat. Using a hand blender, blend the soup still in the pan until you reach your preferred consistency. It normally gets very thick. Taste and season. Stir in the reserved, cooked sweetcorn. 
6. Serve with accompaniments of your choice - bread and cheese; toasted seeds; oil of choice to drizzle, etc.

Tea & Fruit Cake

I have been using this fruit cake recipe for so many years that I long ago stopped weighing the ingredients. Instead I have a particular mug (which my sister gave me 30+ years ago) and a bowl into which I measure the ingredients.

I know that may sound strange but it works beautifully and it also means you just need to pack the mug, the bowl and a cake tin to be able to make the cake away from home. The mug I use holds 250ml of water and the bowl holds 1 pint.

It is a very, very easy recipe. The texture of the cake varies depending on the flour used and how long the fruit has soaked. I made the cake pictured using spelt flour so only left the fruit soaking for about 6 hours.  The remaining tea which hadn't been absorbed helped to keep the cake moist.

MAKES: A 2 lb fruit cake - around 10-12 slices.

Time needed: 6-18 hours to soak the fruit + 1 hour (approximately) to bake.

Family verdict:
Drew: 'Love it. Perfect with a cup of tea. You can make it as many times as you want!'
Harry: 'Delicious.'
Robbie: 'Phenomenal.'

INGREDIENTS 

1 pint bowl filled to the top with dried fruit
1 teabag + boiling water
2 mugs of spelt or any other flour
1 tbs baking powder
1 mug of unrefined brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg

METHOD

1. Boil the kettle. Put the tea bag in the bottom of the 1 pint bowl. Fill the bowl up to the top with dried fruit and pour the boiling water on top, covering the all of the fruit if you can.
2. Leave the fruit to soak for at least 6 hours. Overnight works well, but probably best not to leave it for more than around 18 hours.
3. Heat the oven to 150 C/Gas Mark 3. Grease a 2 lb cake tin, either a loaf tin or a round cake tin.
4. Measure 2 mugs of flour into a mixing bowl. Add 1 mug of sugar, 1 tbs baking powder, 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Tip the fruit and any remaining tea (but not the tea bag!) on top. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
5. Break the egg into a cup. Beat lightly with a fork then add to the other ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
6. Tip the cake mix into the baking tin. Bake in the bottom half of the oven for at least an hour. The exact cooking time will depend on a number of factors, including the ingredients you have chosen and your oven's temperament. Be warned: the aroma of this baking will make everyone in the house feel hungry!
7. To test whether the cake is cooked, insert a thin skewer into the middle. If it comes out clean, the cake is cooked. If it has a lot of sticky cake mix on it, the cake needs longer.
8. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin and then run a knife around the edges before turning the cake out. It should keep for quite a few days wrapped in foil and/or in an airtight tin. However, it generally doesn't hang around for too long.

Sunday Night Soup.

On Sunday evenings the kids like to have what my parents called High Tea and what they like to call 'A bit of each' - crumpets, fresh fruit and a slice of cake, washed down with a milkshake.

Most weeks Drew and I opt for a 'bit of each' broth. I try to remember to start cooking it between lunch and tea, while doing the normal getting ready for school things. If things go to plan I can cook it, leave it to cool and then reheat when we have time to sit down together to eat.

There are no set ingredients for Sunday Night Soup. It is generally based upon a time saving pack of pre-prepared vegetables picked up the previous day, supplemented with veg from the fridge and with bits and pieces from the store cupboard. These normally include a grain, which makes the broth seem more substantial.

Family verdict:

Drew: 'Wholesome and spicy.'

FEEDS 4 hungry people

Time needed: 20 minutes to prepare plus 40 minutes+ to cook

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2tbs olive oil
1 small red onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4tsp dried chillies or to taste (optional)
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
4 largish mushrooms, wiped and chopped
350g pack pre-prepared sweet potato and butternut squash (or any other suitable vegetables)
125g grain such as farro dicocco (italian spelt) or quinoa
400g tin flageolet beans (optional)
2tbs tomato purée
500ml vegetable stock (approximate measurement. The stock needs to more than cover the other ingredients)
Freshly milled salt and pepper
Grated hard cheese to serve (optional)

METHOD

1. If your grain of choice requires pre-cooking (e.g. boiling for 10 minutes), do this first so that it is ready to be added to the soup.
2. Heat the oil in a well sized soup or stew pan. Add the onions, garlic, chillies and all of the vegetables and cook over a moderate heat, stirring frequently.
3. After approximately 5-10 minutes, add the stock, flageolet beans, tomato purée and grain of choice. The liquid from the stock should cover the rest of the ingredients and this may depend upon the size and shape of the pan. If necessary add more hot water.
4. Stir well and increase the heat until the broth starts to boil.
5. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Season with a light hand and leave to cook slowly for at least half an hour, preferably a little longer.  Keep the heat low to avoid the vegetables being cooked into a mush.
6. Stir the soup and check liquid levels regularly while the broth simmers, adding more hot water as required. Over time the vegetables and grains will soften and the broth will naturally thicken.
7. Remove from the heat once cooked, taste and season if necessary. Serve with fresh bread and topped with grated cheese (optional).

Sweetcorn and Veggie Hot Dog Risotto

This is an alternative to my Creamy Mushroom Risotto recipe and is designed to fit in with Robbie's low FODMAPS and Harry's general fussiness about vegetables.

Quorn Hot Dogs are the only veggie sausages I have found to date which appear to be FODMAPs friendly - i.e. no onion or garlic in the ingredients list. If they do contain either of these, the amount is so low as to avoid a reaction for Robbie.

The end result is creamy and there is rarely any left at the end of the meal. As with the Mushroom recipe, we will often make a variation on this based upon whatever vegetables are left in the fridge. It can be a challenge to make robust flavours without using onion and garlic. One alternative is to make 'stock' out of Marmite and hot water, depending of course on the other ingredients.

Family Verdict:

Robbie: 'Good. It was thick and the sausages were perfectly cooked.'(!)
Harry: 'Really delicious. I really, really liked it.'

FEEDS: 2 people, allowing for seconds!

Time needed: 5-10 minutes preparation plus around 15- 20 minutes to cook

INGREDIENTS

100-150g arborio rice
4 frozen Quorn hotdogs

250g frozen sweetcorn (approximately)

1tbs garlic infused olive oil

1/2tsp dried dill (optional)

400ml 'stock' made from low FODMAP friendly pesto (approximately) plus addtional boiling water if required

100ml lactose free milk (approximately). Lactose free cow's milk works best in terms of flavour.

Grated cheddar to taste (I tend to use maybe 75g. The boys both like cheese a lot)

Chopped flat leaf parsley (optional)

Toasted mixed seeds (optional)

Freshly ground salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Defrost the hot dogs in the microwave and slice them. Make the pesto 'stock' by mixing a large tablespoon of a low FODMAP pesto with boiling water. (Scala dairy free pesto works for us as Robbie is fine with cashew nuts).
2. Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan or a saucepan. Add the sweetcorn and dill and cook over a low heat until the sweetcorn starts to soften. Add the sliced hot dog and continue to cook for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally and keeping an eye on the pan to make sure that nothing burns.
3. Add the arborio rice. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until the rice begins to turn transparent.
4. Add approximately 1/4 of the pesto 'stock'. The first time you add any liquid to the rice there will probably be some impressive hissing and steaming. Stir everything together to ensure that the liquid is evenly distributed.
5. The plan now is to let the rice mixture absorb almost all of the added liquid before you add any more, but without letting everything get too dry or sticking. The rice will gradually soften while it absorbs the flavours from the pesto and the sweetcorn. Stir fairly frequently to ensure even cooking and to check whether you need to add more liquid.
6. Continue to add more pesto 'stock' each time the liquid has nearly disappeared. If you run out of before the rice is nearly ready then you can use boiling water instead. Taste frequently and adjust the seasoning as required but with quite a light hand at this stage. Use the intervals between adding liquid and stirring to prepare the salad or accompanying vegetables.
7. When you think you are probably about to add liquid for the last time (i.e. when the rice is almost cooked) add the lactose free milk rather than more stock/water. Stir this in, allow everything to cook for another minute or two then turn off the heat. The rice will continue to cook for a while in the residual heat. Stir in the cheese until melted. Taste the dish again and adjust the seasoning if required.
8. Serve topped with toasted seeds and/or chopped parsley, accompanied by either mixed salad or vegetables.

Creamy Mushroom Risotto

I break some cardinal cooking rules in this recipe - adding dairy to a risotto before it is cooked, for example - but the result is really creamy and full of flavour. 

Risotto is one of our family's store cupboard dishes. Towards the end of the week we often use the same basic recipe to make a mixed vegetable risotto out of whatever we have left in the fridge. Not every vegetable works! It is, however, an easy dish to adjust according to the taste and dietary restrictions of whoever is eating. If you use vegetables that have quite a strong flavour, you can sometimes get away with using boiled water instead of stock provided you remember to check and adjust the seasoning as you go. I have also posted a recipe for a low FODMAP variation which I use for Robbie and for Harry who won't eat mushrooms, or peppers, or visible onions, or...

This mushroom version goes very well with a mixed salad. Serving it topped toasted seeds to add contrasting flavour and texture.

Family Verdict:

Drew: 'Delicious and filling.'

Meg: 'Scrummy.'

FEEDS: 3-4 people

Time needed: 5-10 minutes preparation plus around 15- 20 minutes to cook

INGREDIENTS

350-400g arborio rice
200g closed cup mushrooms

1 small red onion

1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic

1tbs olive oil

1/2tsp cumin seeds (optional)

500ml stock (approximately) plus addtional boiling water if required

150ml lactose free milk (approximately). Lactose free cow's milk works best in terms of flavour.

Grated cheddar to taste (I tend to use maybe 150g. Most of us like this dish quite cheesey)

Chopped flat leaf parsley (optional)

Toasted mixed seeds (optional)

Freshly ground salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Slice the onions, wipe and slice the mushrooms and prepare the garlic for crushing/pressing. Make the stock.
2. Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan or a saucepan. Add the onion and cumin seeds (if using) and cook over a low heat until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic and continue to cook for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally and keeping an eye on the pan to make sure that nothing burns.
3. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring as necessary to ensure they are coated in the oil/onion/garlic/cumin mix. 
4. When the mushrooms start to cook, add the arborio rice. Continue to cook, stirring frequently to avoid anything burning and/or sticking. After a few minutes the rice will begin to turn transparent.
5. Add approximately 1/4 of the stock. The first time you add any liquid to the rice there will probably be some impressive hissing and steaming. Stir everything together to ensure that the liquid is evenly distributed.
6. The plan now is to let the rice mixture absorb almost all of the added liquid before you add any more, but without letting everything get too dry or sticking. The rice will gradually soften while it absorbs the flavours of the stock and/or of the vegetables. Stir fairly frequently to ensure even cooking and in order check whether it needs more liquid.
7. Continue to add more stock each time the liquid has nearly disappeared. If you run out of stock before the rice is nearly ready then you can use boiling water instead. Taste frequently and adjust the seasoning as required but with quite a light hand if you still have stock to add. Use the intervals between adding liquid and stirring to prepare the salad or accompanying vegetables.
8. When you think you are probably about to add liquid for the last time (i.e. when the rice is almost cooked) add the lactose free milk rather than more stock/water. Stir this in, allow everything to cook for another minute or two then turn off the heat. The rice will continue to cook for a while in the residual heat. Stir in the cheese until melted. Taste the dish again and adjust the seasoning if required.
9. Serve topped with toasted seeds and/or chopped parsley, accompanied by either mixed salad or vegetables.

Which are the best supermarkets for people with food intolerances?

So, let me say at the outset that this review  is based solely on my personal experience as a shopper. It reflects my visits to supermarkets in the South West of England. It is both possible and probable that other branches of these supermarket chains will/may stock a different/wider range of goods. Also, as I rarely do internet grocery shopping (since that leads to short expiry dates), the comments below do not take on-line supermarket ranges into account.

Right, disclaimer over...

As you will may know from my first post, our family's shopping has to cater for lactose intolerance, FODMAP intolerance (i.e. wheat, lactose, onion, garlic, beans, etc.) and my current attempt at a sugar free/no added sugar diet (just for me, not Drew and the kids!). This can be quite a challenge in a supermarket and generally involves a lot of label reading, not great when you're a busy working parent. Plus our family budget for food is tight.

So, for the benefit of others who are trying to keep a similar number of plates spinning, the following alphabetical list reflects my experience of trying to find what I need in supermarkets over the past 3 years.

Aldi. Not great. Just a handful of items within an already limited range of products. You could probably find a wheat free bread, one or two lactose and wheat free snacks and an alternative to cow's milk (soya milk) at most visits.

• Other positives: Cheap! Including an inexpensive albeit limited choice of fresh fruit and veg.

Asda. Surprisingly good. They stock a wide range of 'free from' goods including their quite extensive own brand range.

• Lactose free and wheat free: very good. Lots of choice for bread, crackers, flour, pasta, sauces, cakes, biscuits and dairy free chocolate. You can even find lactose free chocolate spread on a good day. (Well, I found it once). Not so good on chilled deserts.
• FODMAPs: nothing specific.
• No added sugar: I haven't spotted any specific products but they do sell a few of the staples you may need if following any of the popular 'Quit Sugar' plans, e.g. nuts, different sugars. I can also find bread without added sugar.
• Other positives:  Generally good for fresh fruit and veg. The only place I have found which sells big bags of whole wheat pasta.

Co-op. Pretty good although the 'free from' range tends to be quite small - possibly a reflection of the the size of the stores. They have their own range and have enough stock to provide necessities with a small element of choice.

• Lactose free and wheat free: A good range, including bread, flour, crackers, pasta, cakes, snacks, pesto. Unlikely to be much in the chilled desert range.
• FODMAPs: Nothing specific
• No added sugar: Some whole wheat products and I have managed to find bread without added sugar (Vogel's).  No specific products. 
• Other positives: Lots of fresh food although not necessarily a wide choice. However, I generally find that my Co-op shopping trips are the least expensive.

Lidl. In my experience, free from 'free from'.

• Other positives: Cheap! As with Aldi, an inexpensive albeit limited choice of fresh fruit and veg.

Morrisons. OK. A limited own brand 'free from' range plus some of the bigger brands. Most of their own range seems to be sweet rather than savoury.

• Lactose and wheat free: All of the staples. Bread, pasta, dairy free chocolate, milk, snacks, cakes and biscuits. 
• FODMAPs: Nothing specific.
• No added sugar: Some whole wheat products and some of their own wholemeal bread doesn't contain added sugar.
• Other positives: Morrisons more than hold their own with their fresh fruit and veg selection. They also stock a good range of fish.

Sainsburys. Very good. A similar range of 'free from' products to Asda,  including a very good own brand range. Good for bread, bread products, pasta, flour, sugars, condiments, cakes, biscuits, snacks, savouries, dairy free chocolate and puddings. Not much in the way of chilled deserts.

• Lactose and wheat free: Very good. See the above list. Sainsburys have really thought about this. My shop of choice for economic lactose-free milk.
• FODMAPs: Nothing specific but their Free From Frozen Margherita Pizza doesn't contain onion or garlic. (It does however contain milk in the form of cheese, so low lactose rather than lactose free).
• No added sugar:  Nothing specific but I can always find brands which don't add sugar, such as Marigold Vehetable Buillion, Sainsburys' own brand reduced salt yeast extract and various bread products. larger Sainsburys stock many of the 'Quit Sugar' staples.
• Other positives: A very good range of fresh fruit and veg. More vegetarian choices in their frozen range than many competitors.

Tesco. Very good. A very extensive 'free from' own brand which Tesco has clearly put a great deal of thought into. Good for everything, but I have to give them a shout out on behalf of Robbie for their new dairy free strawberry and vanilla cones.  Also, while they are by no means my favourite supermarket,  Tesco is definitely King of the Lactose-Free Chilled Desert Mountain. Less positively, these days their fruit and veg seems to have quite short dates, even after rummaging.

• Lactose and wheat free: Really good. Everything you might need, provided you go to a large store.
• FODMAPs: Nothing specific. 
• No added sugar: A larger store is likely to stock most of the 'Quit Sugar' staples.
• Other positives: One of only 2 places you can scan while you shop. A huge time saver. And, if your scanned shop is selected for a random check when you pay, Tesco staff only have to rescan a small number of items, unlike Waitrose where the whole shop has to be rescanned.

Waitrose. A limited range, even in larger stores. Possibly they expect their target customers to prepare everything from scratch? They have their own 'free from' range which includes the usual bread, bread products, pasta, cakes, snacks and biscuits, plus they stock selected items from other brands.

• Lactose and wheat free: Good, albeit with few alternatives in some categories. Their own brand bread products taste delicious,
• FODMAPs: Nothing specific.
• No added sugar: Nothing specific but Waitrose is surely the spiritual home of spelt?
• Other positives: One of only 2 stores where you can save valuable time by scanning as you shop. Their food is always of a high standard and there is, of course, the free coffee for My Waitrose customers.

There are very few store cupboard ingredients out there for FODMAP intolerance, so most of our cooking has to be done from scratch. I will share the few FODMAP friendly products I have found in a later post.

Our Family and Food

Meet the Team

We are a family of 6, living in the South West of England. My husband and I both combine full-time work with looking after our 4 children. All in all I would say we are a pretty normal bunch - except when it comes to food.

Although I love to cook, I generally have to adapt most dishes and recipes in order to navigate a range of family food intolerances and/or preferences. In fact, this is something I do so regularly (and with good results most of the time) that the children have suggested that I publish some of my ideas for recipes and workarounds.

So, the intention behind this blog is precisely that. In the coming weeks and months I plan to share some of the sources (outlets, brands, etc.) I have identified as being good places to start when short of time and shopping for restricted diets. I will also share some of the alternatives methods and ingredients I have tried and tested at home and, of course, some easy, family-friendly recipes.

What I don't intend to do is to get into the weeds about the whys and wherefores of food intolerances and restricted diets. I am not a scientist. I am a lawyer. However, I will occasionally link to information I have found helpful or particularly informative about shall issues. I will also tell you about the journey we had to go on before we were able to identify our youngest child's food intolerances, since this may give hope to other  parents in similar position.

But for now, let me introduce you to our family and our dysfunctional diets.

First off, we are (almost all) fish-eating vegetarians. I gave up eating meat in my teens. Meat was something I had never greatly enjoyed eating, so this was a relatively easy decision at the time, centred around concerns about animal welfare (this was a long time ago) and economics. My husband also gave up eating meat when we got together 21 years ago.

Our approach to the kids and meat has been to start them off veggie but to let them choose whether for themselves once they are old enough to want to make a choice. From experience to date this seems to be around the time they start secondary school (aged 11 or 12). Thereafter I won't cook meat at home but they can order what they like if we eat out.

All of the kids are still in full-time education.

Our first born is Meg, aged 18. She tries to limit lactose as this gives her (ahem) digestive problems. Meg loves food and eats all things veggie and fish. She certainly went through the ubiquitous bacon-eating phase in her early teens but I think largely abstains these days.

Then comes Nora, aged 16. She also loves food but has a (relatively short) list of things she doesn't like - peppers being one of them. Nora eats all things veggie, loves fish and at present is an infrequent eater of meat in the hope of growing a bit more before it's too late. (She has also bet me a million pounds that I will lose interest in this blog after a couple of weeks).

Number three is Harry, aged 12. He is very much a growing lad and is already taller than me. Harry is, sadly, a fussy eater who doesn't like fish at all or sadly an awful lot of vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, onion which is still visible to the human eye, courgette,...). He is currently a regular meat eater.

Last but not least is Robbie, aged 8. He has significant food intolerances which we have been fortunate in identifying as relating to FODMAPS. He loves food and is my most complimentary customer.

FODMAPS are fermentable carbohydrates, a foodgroup which has only recently been identified as a potential cause of food intolerances such as IBS. More on FODMAPS anon but the link below will tell you more about what Robbie can't eat).

http://www.med.monash.edu/cecs/gastro/fodmap/

One of the other grown ups in the team is my husband, Drew, who is mid forties and (sadly) a 'MAMIL'. He eats everything veggie and fish and also eats pudding as though still a teenager, He is wearing his sweet tooth relatively well thanks to the cycling and the 5:2 diet.

Finally there's me. Working mum, turned 50 a few days ago. I eat everything veggie and fish but have in the past 10 days been trying a 'no sugar' diet. More of that anon as well.

Hopefully more to follow - or there will be a significantly wealthier teenager in the South West fairly soon.