No Gluten-Free Goodness

I like making M* stove-top porridge—it's easy and just looks so good topped with cinnamon, brown sugar and bananas. I found gluten-free porridge made with rice and millet flakes, so I gave it a go. Sorry to report that it just wasn't a viable substitute—the consistency was there but it was too bland without hearty oaty goodness.

Not a keeper, unfortunately

Now an item that should be gluten-free but isn't due to someone's bright idea to add wheat maltodextrin—nut milk drinks. Almond milk is hard to come by in the UK, and the one store that I know carries it requires a long cycle ride. As I like mixing it with protein powder for breakfast, I was excited to find almond and hazelnut milk drinks in a nearby store. I read the labels to compare the amounts of protein and discovered that wheat maltodextrin is in both. I've since discovered that maltodextrin is usually made from corn, but is now beginning to be made from wheat. Maybe the maltodextrin people haven't noticed the growth in the gluten-free market.

Wheat—it's where you least expect it

Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies with Agave Nectar

Link to cooking blog: Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies with Agave Nectar

Gluten-free Beer—Getting Better

M* picked up two Green's gluten-free beers at Waitrose. I've only tasted one other g.f. beer, last September, and, while not gross-bad, it was too-sweet-bad. Our English friend James was over, and we invited him to take part in our tasting. We discovered that Green's is an English company, which surprised James, as pioneer and pilgrim, another of Green's beers, even for the English, is associated with America.

Our favorite? Discovery. Pioneer, a lager, was fine, but a little too apple-y. The three of us found Discovery quite satisfying. Having a beer loving Englishman's approval meant a lot. All I need now is a purse that doubles as a cooler, so I can finally drink beer in a pub.

Curious as to the ingredients of the beers, I went to the Green's web site, but I only found a list of what is not in their beers: Gluten, Crustaceans, Eggs, Fish, Peanuts, Soya beans, Milk, Lactose, Nuts, Celery, Mustard, Sesame seeds, Sulphur dioxide and Sulphites.