Introducing…Gluten Free B & A Gluten-free Malt Loaf!

Today I’d like to introduce you to Carly who blogs over at Gluten free B.

I met Carly for the first time when we were both asked to judge a competition for Nature’s Path last year.  Before meeting her I knew that we would get on…I felt like I already knew her from reading her brilliant blog!  We also went through a phase where we were blogging the same kind of recipes!  Our minds obviously think alike.

Anyway, without further ramblings from me I’ll hand over to Carly to tell you more about herself and to share some of her favourite recipes in response to my questions to her!

I started my blog to document some of my eating adventures in London after being diagnosed with coeliac disease, but as it’s grown and my life has changed (including adding a Baby A who has cow’s milk protein allergy to our family), I have become determined to make sure it’s not just another blog with endless glowing reviews of freebies!

I take a lot of pride in making my writing well-researched; and including some of the ‘lesser noticed’ issues of the free from world including how free from food is marketed, interviews with gluten free manufacturers, and a good dose of opinion. For a time I ran the ‘fruit is not a pudding’ campaign to show how easy it is to make free from puddings without resorting to tired fruit salad!

As I keen cook I include the odd ‘kitchen project’, but I only try to post recipes where I think there is a gap online, if I have chanced upon an interesting ingredient, or where I have put particular effort into developing it.

What is your favourite recipe that you didn’t create?!

I’m usually very much a ‘wing it’ cook, but there are two recipe books I cook from time and time again – River Cottage: Light & Easy – which is packed with simple and delicious gluten and dairy free family recipes; and Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem.

The Lamb Schwarma from the latter book is an epic centrepiece for a dinner party, brings back fond memories of trekking in the Middle East, and also my proudest cooking moment (my restauranteur dad said it was the best lamb he’d ever tasted when I served it).

What is your favourite recipe on your blog?  Would you share it with us please?

It’s the ‘healthier’ carrot cake I spent months perfecting for Baby A’s first birthday, but as there are a billion gluten free carrot cake recipes on the web, in a close second is the labour of love that is my gluten free ‘malt’ loaf.

That malt loaf is something that I would love to create, but as usual when the children are off school time has escaped me and I haven’t had a chance.

I did, however do some research to find out how to make date syrup as I didn’t fancy going out and buying some just to create this.

The good news is, it is super simple to make!

I found two recipes, one on Simpleveganblog that you can find here (but it says you need a Vitamix or other high speed blender), and another on Greenthickies, where you just soak the dates, then mash them (much easier!).

If you do get around to making the malt loaf (and date syrup) then do let Carly and I know!

I plan to make it when the kids go back to school.

Until then I will keep stumbling along attempting to keep the kids happy whilst also maintaining my business.