Tag Archives: Organic

The search for gluten free sponge fingers is almost over

Posted on 12 April, 2013 by | Leave a comment
sponge fingers

For the love of sponge fingers…

You can get almost anything gluten free nowadays.

But there are still some foods which are proving ilusive.

Amisa seek ways to provide organic alternatives. As such they’ve brought out gluten free organic porridge oats, a gluten free falafel mix and various coeliac friendly crispbreads including one made from the nutritious grain amaranth.

However, it still seems impossible to find gluten free sponge fingers in the UK, which is a shame because, if you’re anything like me, you’ll love ‘em, especially in a tiramisu.

Amisa do produce spelt sponge fingers which are not quite the same thing, but still very useful if staying organic or avoiding wheat is your only requirement.

Still, knowing Amisa, I can’t see it being very long before they manage to bring out a gluten free version.

 

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Posted in Coeliac (Gluten-Free), Dairy-Free, General Food, Organic, Vegan

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New vegan mango dip for those summer picnics

Posted on 10 April, 2013 by | Leave a comment

This is interesting.

I like it when people do something different with food.

How about a mango dip or spread for your next picnic? It’s part of the organic Dunk range from Granovita which come vegan and gluten free.

Mago Dunk Dip

Tastes of Summer

I wouldn’t mind dipping my carrot sticks into that, in fact I relish the thought.

They also do a Chilli Dunk and a Wild Garlic Dunk which seem a little bit ordinary by comparison, but still promise to give your tongue the razzle dazzle it deserves.

Roll on the months of summer.

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Posted in Coeliac (Gluten-Free), Dairy-Free, Organic, Vegan

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New gluten free cereals from Big Oz

Posted on 5 April, 2013 by | Leave a comment

It looks like Big Oz are feeling the crunch… in a good way.

The organic cereal company have always made soft supple cereals from alternative pure whole grains.

But now, in addition to Honey Pop Corn Puffs, or soft milled cereals like Quinoa Flakes or Buckwheat Flakes, there are now crispy flake versions of Big Oz’s gluten free grains to bring you an altogether crunchier experience.

big oz cereals

New organic toasted cereals

Contrary to popular belief Big Oz are not Australian are are actually a family run company from Sunbury on Thames (so their carbon footprint’s minimal). They’re also expert at making  free from cereals that are naturally low in fat and gluten free, and they’re very popular among coeliacs, so these new cereals are something to really rejoice in.

The new flavours are:

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Posted in Coeliac (Gluten-Free), Dairy-Free, Organic

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How to really enjoy quinoa – white, red or black

Posted on 1 April, 2013 by | Leave a comment
black quinoa

Black quinoa, the rarest of all quinoa grains

If you’ve tried quinoa and been left thinking…

“Why would anyone eat this mush?”

Think again.

According to the blog VeganGoodEats, we’ve been cooking it wrong. Quinoa can be made to be “a granulated, al dente quinoa that can also be used in any rice or couscous recipe.”

Take a look at the Quinoa 101 webpage for proper cooking instructions.

Of course, quinoa can be an excellent source of protein and fibre for vegans. And BioFair are now able to provide quinoa in four organic, fairtrade varieties:

  • Organic Quinoa Grain – sometimes called ivory quinoa. It is soft and has a mild flavor so it’s great for complimenting other foods.
  • Red Quinoa Grain – stronger in flavour, it takes longer to cook but is also crunchier. But the distinct flavour and appearance make it more suitable for cold salads and other recipes.
  • Black Quinoa Grain – the rarest of the three. It is sweeter and strong in flavour, and also keeps its crunch and colour when cooked.
  • Tri-Colore Quinoa Grain – a fantastic mix of all three.

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Posted in Fairtrade, General Food, Organic, Vegan

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Mmmmmmmm, Lovechock – happiness inside

Posted on 27 March, 2013 by | Leave a comment
Lovechock

Sheer pleasure needs no explanation…


Want happiness on the inside?

Rumour has it that it comes in the form of chocolate…

Specifically, Lovechoc-olate.

Tenderly cold grinding the best organic Equadorian cacao (rather than burning it) allows the chocolate to keep its  antioxidant flavanoids which, we are informed, are otherwise known as love-chemicals.

The chocolate is then sweetened with coconut blossom nectar and comes unadulterated with no dairy, soya or gluten.

As a result, the flavour, no matter what the variety, is intense. But for your pleasure Lovechock comes in 5 vegan flavours:

  • Pure/Nibs
  • Almond/Fig
  • Goji/Orange
  • Pineapple/Incaberry
  • Mulberry/Vanilla

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Posted in Chocolate, Coeliac (Gluten-Free), Dairy-Free, Organic, Raw, Uncategorized, Vegan

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If you chew organic do you need organic breath mints?

Posted on 26 March, 2013 by | Leave a comment

In europe the organic food market is growing strongly.

However, in the UK the only the organic clothing sector can report an overall success.

Natu Hit

New innovative organic foods from Europe

I guess that means we can expect to see a lot more European organic foods being eaten by some well dressed Brits! Interesting foods like Natu-Hit, the organic version of Tic Tac’s.

These come in strong mint, red fruit and licorice flavours.

After all, those organic fashionable types can look as stylish as they want but their breath is going to be fresh too…

(P.S. Another advantage is that they’re gluten free.)

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Posted in Coeliac (Gluten-Free), Organic

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These bites taste so good, you wouldn’t believe you were eating something so healthy

Posted on 25 March, 2013 by | Leave a comment
Nature's Store Rice Milk Covered Rice Cakes

incredibly good taste

Oh my goodness!

I just wolfed down a pack of the tastiest ricecakes ever!

Yes, I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but the good food revolution has hit the puffed up world of ricecakes with a vengeance.

Okay, the ricecakes were mini-bites and yes, they were covered with chocolate, but I’ve tasted chocolate rice cakes before and they weren’t half as enjoyable as these Rice Milk Chocolate Coated Mini Rice Cakes.

The real fulfilment came from the purity of the experience. The chocolate had been made with rice milk keeping it lactose free and adding a symbiosm to each delightful bite. Cocoa and air-bubbles, sweetness and rice – it was near heaven.

The makers, Nature’s Store, source the finest ingredients and add nothing artificial, in this case utilising organic rice from paddy fields in Italy.

I can only hope that their other products, obviously all gluten free:

… are equally as good.

(I’ll soon find out…)

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Posted in Chocolate, Coeliac (Gluten-Free), Diet, Organic

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Palm oil cooking takes a turn for good

Posted on 22 March, 2013 by | Leave a comment

There’s been a lot of bad press about palm oil in recent years.

The cultivation of palm forests for industrial use has been an ecological disaster.

So, it’s exciting to hear about a responsible use of palm oil by sustainable organic practice which works to preserve rainforests.

Amaizin corn chips

Made with ecologically responsible palm oil

Amaizin are a nacho company making gluten free and organic corn chips with palm oil from land that has been farmed responsibily since 1990. Money is invested back into the Colombian community where the trees are grown and a cooperative of small farmers has been set up to continue the work.

Of course, what you get to enjoy are some very flavoursome torilla chips. Currently they come in three different flavours: natural, sour cream and chilli.

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Posted in Coeliac (Gluten-Free), General Food, Organic

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Love authentic Italian? You’re in for a treat

Posted on 20 March, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Recently I visited a local Italian place, The Sovranno Caffe, a wonderful little place and well worth a visit.

Surrounded by the melodious tones of tunes from the 1950s and sips from  a Nutella enhanced mocha I was reminded me how much Italians care about their food. (It was the mocha that convinced me.)

If you take a quick look at the organic company Organico they will show you the same thing.

The ethical company have a huge range of Italian and Mediterranean delicacies: garlic sauces, pasta sauces, artichokes, balsamic vinegar, capers, olives, grissini, sun dried tomatoes, pickled chillis… the list goes on.

organic pasta

You’re in for a treat

But it’s the organic pasta that impresses me the most. Organico make big bags of artisanal pasta – that means the pasta is made by hand. You can see the quality just by looking at it.

If you’re a fan of pasta you’ll recognise names like Conchiglie, Fusilli, Amorosi, Strozzpreti, Pacchari, Orecciette. These refer to the Italians’ ingenious and expressive love of small and large pasta shapes.

In the end The Sovranno Caffe and Organico have some great things in common, above all, they’re not afraid of authenticity and integrity, and that will win them friends everywhere.

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Posted in Organic

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Beauty secrets for men?

Posted on 18 March, 2013 by | Leave a comment

A few days ago, I mentioned a new yet ancient Mediterranean beauty treatment called Aphrodite.

Well, it turns out there’s a masculine version of the brand called, appropriately, Appolon.

Apollon olive OilShaving Gel

Brings out the Adonis in you

Now, you wouldn’t expect men to be hunting for beauty secrets, but they do like practical things which work. So, knowing that a combination of organic olive oil and wild herbs is good for the skin and hair is useful. The A and E vitamins in olive oil help repair and renew skin, while its antioxidants have a natural ability to nourish cells back to a healthier state.

So, consider these products if you hope to look a little more like Adonis:

 

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Posted in Antioxidants, Beauty, Organic

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