This is a list of some of the traps you will find along the way and hopefully you can look out for and be more aware of.
1. Sauces, Gravies and Marinades.
This one is a bit mean, it is pure laziness on the part of the companies to add flour to these when cornflour or other thickening agent would work just as well and not affect the flavour or texture. There are those that aren't however most do. Read your labels carefully if you must use packet mixes or pre packed sauces etc.
Most basic sauces aren't that hard to make from scratch but if you really have no time then make double or triple batches when you do make them and either bottle them or freeze them depending on what you are making. There will be loads of recipes to choose from coming soon on here.
2. Stock Cubes and Powders
Although many are fine and say what they are on the box ... many arent. Hidden lactose, dairy and gluten are in those which we may hold most dear and have also come as a shock to me over the last few weeks.. please be careful. Do the reading and save yourself the heartache later.
If you cannot find a stock cube around you that is vegan and gluten free then make your own stocks. It isn't hard there is nothing to it and they can be kept sealed in bottles or frozen for when you need them at any time. Stock recipes you will find soon on here to make life alot easier for you.
3. Packet and Tinned Soups
Again used as a thickening agent when companies don't want to use anything else. Of course there are the obvious croutons and pasta but most will have wheat as a thickening agent.
I go camping too ... rather alot actually so I understand the need and want to take packet or tinned soups etc. or if you are busy and don't want the hassle of making one. Most soups take about 20-30 minutes to make and most of that you have walked away and are watching something on tv or whatever you feeling the need to do for that 20-30 minutes. Even if you do live alone ... even a 4 person recipe will keep you going for a few days if you portion it up well either in jars or in the freezer. There are very few packet soups that fit the criteria normally tomato is about the only one. but it has to be tomato and not cream of tomato. Really do read your labels and do your research though on this one. Remember though that a soup to make from scratch takes as long as your dinner to cook in most cases.
4. Breadcrumbs (obvious really)
Yeap this one is a bit obvious the name is on the packet.
The best thing to do is make your own... any left over bread that you can have, if you want them dry then leave the crumbs out for a couple of days on a baking tray as thin a layer as you can make, mix them occasionally to make sure all of them dry out and then keep in an airtight container. It isn't much simpler!!!
5. Ready Meals and Processed Foods
When it comes to ready meals it is pretty much a case of it has a sauce on it or is cooked or has a dressing on the salad then be warned!!! You WILL need to read the label.
There are very few companies out there that will offer pre-made gluten free and vegan foods. There a handful though but you need to look for them. Bloo and Perkle Foods is brand new and going live very shortly ... thier product base is limited at the moment but will be being expanded on a monthly basis.
6. Ice cream
So how much do you like flavours like cookie dough or anything with crispy somethings in there thrown around for crunch, even some of the sauces as a thickening agent, even some soft serve icecream is not what it appears so if you arent sure or cant read the label dont go there.
Homemade ice cream is simpler than people think. And no you don't need all the gadgets. you can make a really good gluten free and vegan ice cream with a bowl a saucepan and a freezer container. Recipes will be popping up shortly on here. Keep an eye out.
7. Processed meats and pre-made meat products from the butcher
Obviously if you are gluten free vegan you wont be worried about this one, unless you are just gluten free. Sausages, meatballs, rissoles burgers etc are notorious for hiding breadcrumbs in them ... many butchers now have products without so please ask.
If you are just gluten free these items aren't that hard to make for yourself. Honest they aren't I won't be putting recipes up for them unless really asked to as I can't eat them, If I do at any time it will be as a Which is Which? column.
8. Veggie Meats
Many of us think YAY!!!! fakin' bacon ... when in fact this product has enough gluten in it to sink a coeliac battleship!!! Most of the veggie products out there are not only loaded with cheese or dairy or eggs but breadcrumbs and gluten based meat protein. Even the ones that aren't meant to be like QUORN!!!! There are a very small handful of companies that make gluten free and vegan products but you really really have to search.
9. Malt and Distilled Vinegar also some red wine and white wine vinegars
Pickled Onions and Chutneys for the most part are made using malt vinegar and distilled white vinegar. Malt vinegar is made from wheat and distilled white vinegar is the distilled version of malt vinegar. Although there are those (mostly the companies who make them ) that say that distilled white vinegar has all the gluten taken out of it during processing. However there are still those who have an bad reaction to it and as far as I am concerned better safe than sorry.
Red and White wine vinegars you can never be sure of. Unless they are specified that they are vegan then you can absolutely depend on the fact that they aren't. In one of the clearing processes wine is passed through finings which for many is blood and bone marrow, casein (milk protein), chitin (fiber from crustacean shells), egg albumen (derived from egg whites), fish oil, gelatin (protein from boiling animal parts), and isinglass (gelatin from fish bladder membranes. Bet that made you look at your bottle twice right ??? !!!!
Red and white wine vinegars are made from red and white wines so unless it says vegan on it ... it is pretty safe to say that it has at some point in its life gone through this clearing process. It is reasonably easy to make your own red and white wine vinegar from your own trusted brand of plonk. Instructions are all over the internet and the "mother" is extremely easy to buy online.
10. Beer, Whiskey, Bourbon, Southern Comfort.
Again like the Malt vinegar these products are made mostly from wheat or barley. There are companies now who make gluten free beer YAY!!! but be careful and no matter what the companies say about their filtration systems and distillation and using special enzymes blah blah blah ... bottom line if you aren't sure don't do it!!! in which case be a little careful of Cider as well as some companies use wheat in it for enzymes and flavour.
For me I tend to stick to what I know. If it is made from grapes ... you are safe (as long it says vegan on the bottle).... honey wines and mead ... safe .... if it is made from specialty seeds or grains it should be safe.... cider made by small local presses are more likely to be safe and if they aren't are more likely to tell you the truth than the bigger companies!!!
11. Salad Dressings.
Used as thickening agents again so that oil and vinegar dressings tend to be look less split. Not a necessary additive but apparently some people don't know to shake their dressings.
All mayonnaise's are made using eggs, unless of course they have vegan written on the side.
12. Medicines
Check your medicines very very carefully, many are coated in gelatine or have egg white in them and many contain gluten as a thickening agent. double and triple check the ingredients of your meds and talk to your doctor. If they dismiss you find one that doesn't. At the end of the day if your meds are the only thing still making you sick you will need to find an alternative that you can take.
These are only a few of the hidden traps within your cupboards that you will use on a daily basis. Yes it looks hard... yes it makes things a little more difficult .. but you know what we are all on this journey together and maybe we can get through the other end wondering what all the fuss was about!!!
Some supermarkets are doing alot better with their own ranges now for example this is my lunch .. or part of it ...
This is the roast tomato and red pepper cup a soup from the Morrison's NuMe range not bad actually and not a grain of gluten or dairy in sight YAY!!!!
I do hope this might have helped a wee bit ... I know its a mine field I haven't been given the map either but I figure that between us we will draw our own map and find our way through the maze.
Until next time
Just because you cant have it doesn't mean you cant have it !!!
xox Pam xox
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