I'm Back!

...but not in quite the same way as before. Instead of this blog, I'll be coming to you monthly via a newsletter called Yesterday's Eyeliner. If you want to come along for the ride, just complete the form below. I'll be bringing you gluten free recipes, sharing my experiences of motherhood, showing you pretty things that I need want for my kitchen and generally talking about life with Coeliac Disease, Crohn's and a son who wants to feed me doughnuts.

I hope to see you there <3

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Mothballs

You've probably noticed that Gluten Free[k] has been dormant for the past six months. I'm afraid to say, I've been so busy recently that I simply haven't been able to update the blog for some time. Life is getting in the way. And active toddler (he's growing so quickly!), freelance writing and two days a week at the day job are enough to wear me out most of the time. I want to be able to dedicate time to recipe testing, researching and crafting a free from blog to be proud of, but I'm not able to do so at the moment. I've decided to mothball Gluten Free[k] for now. I plan to keep it in working order so that I can come back to it when I have more time to invest in it. I hope you'll come back a visit when the time comes to relaunch.

Gluten free blogging has changed, too. The next generation of GF bloggers are crusaders and innovators; I just like to cook. They have to keep up to date on legislation, be vigilant for new developments and be wary of the media. In addition to a medical imperative for Coeliacs, the gluten free diet is a trend and that attracts negativity. Some journalists seem determined to prove that people who avoid gluten are gormless followers of fashion. I don't have the heart for that fight anymore. There are many who do, however, and I continue to read their blogs with interest.


In the meantime, I'm still writing for The High Tea Cast and Up All Hours. I've also started a lifestyle blog, Daydreams & Butter Beans, come and see me there.

Salted Caramel Blondies

I have three words for you. Salted. Caramel. Blondies. Yes, really. This is the sort of treat you bake for someone else then wish you'd doubled the recipe so you'd have some yourself. Sweet, salty and deliciously fudgy, you will bake them again and again. 

I bake a lot of brownies and blondies. They're virtually foolproof, use only one pan and they're brilliantly transportable - what's not to love?! It's also easily to convert a recipe to gluten free, as I've done here with Smitten Kitchen's recipe (she's right, they are infinitely adaptable!) Seriously, what's stopping you? Bake some of these, today!

Salted Caramel Blondies
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

225g butter
300g soft brown sugar
100g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
50ml bourbon (optional, but it does add a lovely flavour)
2 eggs
265g rice flour (I use Dove's Farm)
1 tsp flaked sea salt
100g dark chocolate chips
150g butterscotch chips or caramel pieces (if not, add 100g more chocolate chips instead)

• Melt the butter in a saucepan then add the sugars. Stir until dissolved.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla and bourbon. Stir to combine and cool the mixture slightly.
• Add the eggs, one at a time and mix well.
• Fold in the flour and salt.
• Add the chocolate and butterscotch chips and gently stir in.
• Pour into a traybake pan and bake at 180°C for 35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out the middle sticky, but not covered in batter.
• Leave to cool before cutting into squares.