Co Yo has arrived, a vegan yoghurt that is heaven in a mouthful (receipe)

Co Yo has to be one of the most highly anticipated coconut desserts this season.

It is, quite simply, a coconut milk yoghurt, making it a delicious alternative for vegan and dairy-free palates. But it has to be tasted to be believed.

Some say it’s better than normal yoghurt because it has a superior creamy and fresh taste – something you’d expect from coconut. But the flavour is also light and gently nutty and, mixed to make other varieties, like Pineapple Co Yo or Mixed Berry Co Yo, well let’s just say it’s not unappropriate to describe it as “Heaven in a Mouthful”.

But whether it’s the fruit flavours or the Natural Co Yo you get a surprisingly filling probiotic delicacy, perfect for cereals or with fruit or as a combination for savoury meals too.

It’s also gluten free with no artificial preservatives or colouring. In fact it’s 100% natural – employing the benefits of coconut: full of minerals and healthy fats, particularly lauric acid which boosts the immune system.

Co Yo.. Heaven in a Mouthful

Just to entice your tastebuds, here’s a recipe to try:

CO YO Cherries
This special treat contrasts the slight bite of coconut yoghurt with the sweetness of cherries.

Ingredients:
450g fresh cherries
Piece of fresh ginger about 6-8 cm long, or substitute ginger syrup
50-100g coconut sugar, to taste
400g CO YO coconut milk yoghurt, natural flavour
25g chopped nuts

1. Place cherries in small saucepan with sugar and 60ml cup water. Chop fresh ginger into pieces then squeeze each in a garlic crush to capture the juice. (Alternatively leave out the sugar and add 120ml ginger syrup to cherries.)
2. Heat the cherries, sugar, ginger (or ginger syrup) and simmer until cherries soften. Mash lightly with a fork and allow to cool.
3. Add your choice of chopped nuts (macadamias or brazil nuts are excellent), stir into a generous serving of CO YO and serve.

There’s a new tasty chocolate milkshake in town – it’s dairy free too (think Bounty bar)

When you’re allergic to milk you don’t have to miss out on one of the greatest wonders of the food world: chocolate milkshake!

But, you will have to find the taste that works for you. You can find chocolate milkshakes like Rice Dream Chocolate Flavour or Provamel Organic Soya Chocolate Drink. My favourite by far is Oatly Chocolate made, of course, from oat milk.

Introducing…

A delicious dairy free chocolate milk

But there is a new contender to challenge the non-milk chocolate heavyweights. It’s Kara’s Dairy Free Chocolate made with coconut milk and it’s officially delicious!

For decades chocolate confectionary has been cashing in on the wonderful combined flavours of chocolate and coconut – now it’s a time for a liquid version. And it’s a bonus that it’s dairy and lactose free; no soya, gluten or cholesterol either.

All Kara’s coconut milks have added calcium and vitamins like B12 which is helpful for vegetarians and vitamin D2 which is great for vegans. Plus, just in case you’re wondering, coconuts are fine for people with nut sensitivities too (because they’re really a fruit not a nut – but don’t tell anyone I told you…)

The 2012 FreeFrom Food Awards shortlist is out

If you’re gluten free or dairy free, vegan or avoiding yeast take note the FreeFrom Food Awards judging panels have chosen just under 170 freefrom foods to go on the 2012 shortlist.

Many of these new free from foods really pushing at the boundaries of ‘freefrom’ manufacture. From coconut yogurt to nettle ‘beer’! Here’s the 2012 FreeFrom Food Awards shortlist. Winners to be announced on the 17th April.

1. The Innovation Award
Bessant & Drury Fine Ice Cream Co. – Lemon
Bessant & Drury Fine Ice Cream Co. – Chocolate
Bessant & Drury Fine Ice Cream Co. – Vanilla
BoojaBooja – Banoffee Toffee Truffles
Conscious Chocolates – Wild at Heart
CoYo – Coconut Milk Yoghurt – Natural
CoYo – Coconut Milk Yoghurt – Mixed Berry
Foodswild – Cornish Stinger Nettle Beer
Knead Bakery – Carrot Cake
Provamel Botanicals – Alternative to Yoghurt Apple & Green Tea
The Foodamentalists – Brown Bread Mix
Triano Brands – Tofutti Ricotta Soya Cheese Alternative

2. Dairy and/or lactose-free animal milk, butter, yogurt – sponsored by Swedish Glace
Delamere Dairy – Natural Goats Yoghurt
Delamere Dairy – Semi-Skimmed Goats Milk
Delamere Dairy – Goats Butter
Woodlands Dairy – Gooseberry & Elderflower with Natural Sheep Milk Yoghurt
Woodlands Dairy – Rhubarb & Ginger with Natural Sheep Milk Yoghurt

3. Plant ‘milk’, spread & cheese – sponsored by Pure Dairy Free
Bessant & Drury Fine Ice Cream Co. – Chocolate
Bessant & Drury Fine Ice Cream Co. – Lemon
CoYo – Coconut Yoghurt Natural
CoYo – Coconut Yoghurt Mixed Berry
Delamere Dairy – Sweetened Soya Milk
Essence of Eden – Virgin Coconut Oil
Higher Nature – Omega Excellence Organic Virgin Coconut Butter
Its Only Natural – Fruit Freezies Orange and Mango
Kara Dairy Free – Alternative to Milk Original + Calcium
Vegusto – Melty Dairy-Free Cheese
Vegusto – Mild Aromatic Dairy-Free Cheese
Vegusto – Dairy-free cheese sauce

4. FreeFrom Breakfast Cereals – sponsored by Fria Gluten Free
Bob’s Red Mill – Pure Traditional Oats
Groovy Food Company – Corn Flakes
Groovy Food Company – Choco Crispies
Juvela – Fibre Flakes
Morrisons – FreeFrom Gluten Free Oats
Nature’s Path – Maple Sunrise
Sainsbury’s – FreeFrom Oaty Granola
Tesco – FreeFrom Special Flakes

5. Gluten-free breads and bread mixes – sponsored by Genius Gluten Free
Butterfly Snacks – Gluten Free Rotis (Naan/Bread Wrap)
Crazy Bakers Bundies Brothers – Brown Bread Rolls
Finax – Oat Bread Mix
Fria – Grova Dark Seeded Sliced Loaf
Fria – Grov Minibaguette Dark Seeded Roll
Glutafin – Gluten Free Wheat Free 4 Fibre Rolls
Juvela – Gluten-Free All Purpose White Mix
Sainsbury’s – FreeFrom Soft White Seeded Rolls

6. Gluten-free pasta and pizza bases/mixes – sponsored by Tesco
Bob’s Red Mill – GF Wholegrain Pizza Crust Mix
Co-operative Foods – FreeFrom Fusilli
Doves Farm Foods – Organic Tricolore Pasta
Eskal Foods – Corn Pasta
Farabella – Acini di Pepe/Pasta Grains
Molino di Ferro – La Veneziane Penne

7. Freefrom foods manufactured for food service – sponsored by Livwell
Costa  – Gluten Free Fruit Cake
Doves Farm Foods – Gluten Free Plain White Flour Blend without Buckwheat
Doves Farm Foods– Organic Brown Rice Penne
Foodamentalists – Golden Batter Mix
Red House Foods – Gluten Free Chicken Bites
Sauces of Choice – Sauces for Kids Tikka Sauce
Triano Brands – Tofutti Grated Mozzarella Soya Cheese Alternative

8. Freefrom Ingredients – sponsored by Juvela
Anila’s Sauces – Goan Green Sauce
Black Farmer – Spicy Muscovado sauce
Bob’s Red Mill – Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour
Clearspring – Kuzu Gluten Free Starch Thickener
Finax – Psyllium
Go Free Foods – Pancake Mix
Mesquite Company – Pure Mesquite Pod Flour
Pepper & Stew – Jollof  Sauce
Sauces of Choice – Balsamic & Garlic Sauce

9. Raw foods and superfoods – sponsored by Asda
Elements for Life – Raw Chocolate Making Kit
Elements for Life – Spiced Hot Chocolate
Higher Nature– Omega Excellence Raw Organic Walnut Butter
inSpiral – Raw Blackout Tart
inSpiral – Raw Dehydrated Kale Chips: Cheesie Purple Corn
James White Drinks – Beet It Organic Stamina Shot
Mesquite Company – Pure Mesquite Pod Flour
Pulsin’ – Beond Organic Acai Berry Bar
Raw Health – Organic Chia & Flax Dippers
The Living Food Kitchen – Raw Hummus

10. Gluten-free savoury pies, flans, sausages and ready meals – sponsored by Delamere Dairy
Meat-based meal centres:
Black Farmer – Pork Meatballs
Black Farmer – Pork, Onion & Chive Sausages
Cloughbane Farm – Gluten Free Beef Sausages
Cloughbane Farm – Gluten Free Steak Burgers
Co-operative Foods – Truly Irresistible Pork Sausages
Co-operative Foods – Truly Irresistible Minted Lamb Burgers
Pies, flans, pizzas, one pot meals:
Amy’s Kitchen – Gluten Free Vegetable Lasagne
Amy’s Kitchen– Gluten Free Bean and Rice Burrito
Butterfly Snacks – Gluten Free Chicken Spring Rolls
Dr Schar – Gluten Free Tortellini
Dr Schar – Gluten Free Bonta d’Italia Margherita Pizza
Easy Bean – New Mexican Chilli Fairtrade Red Bean with Sweet Pepper One Pot Meal
Foodamentalists – Pork, Black Pudding & Caramelised Red Onion Pie
Genius – Mozzarella Cheese & Tomato Pizza
Gluten Free Kitchen – Ovencrust Steak Pie
Gluten Free Kitchen – Ovencrust Chicken & Bacon Pie
stewed! – Chickpea, Sweet Potato & Feta One Pot Meal
The Food Resource – Fusilli al Funghi
Worthenshaws – Chicken Tikka with Brown Basmati Rice
Worthenshaws – Thai Green Vegetable Curry with Brown Basmati Rice

11. Gluten-free savoury biscuits and snacks – sponsored by Genon Laboratories
Amisa – Multiseed Crisp Bread
Conscious Foods – Millet Crackers with Rosemary
Crazy Bakers – Half Pipes Swedish Crispbreads
Darling Spuds – Fire Roasted Jalapeno Crisps
Darling Spuds – Sour Cream with a hint of Mexican Chilli
Darling Spuds – Tomato, Olive & Oregano
Juvela – Crostini Bites

12. Gluten-free scones, sweet tarts, Bakewells, cake bars, muffins etc – sponsored by Tesco
Asda – FreeFrom All Butter Lemon Sicilian Shortbread
Conscious Foods – Ginger Thins
Co-operative Foods – FreeFrom Triple Chocolate Cookies
Co-operative Foods – FreeFrom Fruited Teacakes 4 Pack
Crazy Bakers – Oaties
Heavenly Cakes – Gluten & Wheat Free Millionaires
Molino di Ferro – La Veneziane Coconut Biscotti
Morrisons – FreeFrom 6 Assorted Jam Tarts
Sugargrain – Almond, Apricot and Tahini Flapjack
Sweetcheeks – Almondies
Tesco – FreeFrom Chocolate Chip Cookies
Tesco – FreeFrom Ginger Cookies

13. Gluten-free cakes and mixes – sponsored by Mrs Crimbles
The Brilliant Bakers – Cupcake Gift Cake
Cake Angels – Traditional Cherry & Almond Cake
The Cake Crusader – Gluten, Wheat and Dairy Free Carrot Cake
The Cake Crusader– Rich Fruit Cake
Cakes Divine – Dairy & Gluten Free Carrot Cupcakes
Cariad Cakes – Gluten Free Orchard Plum & Ginger Cake
Fria – Kladdkaka Chocolate Brownie Cake
Incognito Cakes – Choc Fudge Cake
Incognito Cakes – White Choc Raspberry Muffins
Lewis & Cooper – Gluten-free Fruit Cake
Ms Cupcake – Cupcakes
Sainsbury’s – FreeFrom Chocolate Chip Muffins
Steph’s Free From Cakes – Lemon Drizzle Cake
Sugargrain – Banana & Chocolate Chip Loaf
Sweetcheeks – Maple & Pecan Cupcakes

14. Gluten-free puddings, desserts & cheesecakes – sponsored by Hale & Hearty
Food Heaven – Summer Fruits Cheesecake
Food Heaven – Sicilian Lemon Cheesecake
Tideford Organics – Butterscotch Rice Pudding
Mamma Cucina – Mango & Passionfruit Non-Dairy Cheesecake

15. Dairy/gluten-free chocolate and snack bars – sponsored by Tesco
Biona – Organic Sour Snakes
Booja Booja – Rum Sozzled Sultana Chocolate Truffles
Celtic Chocolates – Choices FreeFrom White Choc Easter Egg & Buttons
Conscious Chocolates– Essential Orange
Eskal Foods – Chocolate Coated Pretzels
Eskal Foods – Yoghurt Coated Pretzels
Gourmelli – Secret Passion Organic Strawberry Dark Chocolate Bar 74%
Kinnerton – Dairy, Egg, Gluten and Nut Free Bar
Nut Free Chocolatier – Pomegranate & Elderflower Truffles
Pulsin’ – Raw Choc Brownie
Tickety Boo Cakes – Roo’s Crunch

16. Dairy/gluten-free Christmas foods – sponsored by Produced in Italy
Cariad Cakes – Christmas Cake
Conscious Chocolates – Cherry Christmas
Christine’s Puddings – Rum and Ale Pudding
Foodamentalists – Frangipane Mince Pies
Friendly Food and Drink – Xmas chutney
Genius – Gluten-free mince pies
Lewis and Cooper – Plum Pudding
Livwell – Christmas cake
Morrison’s – FreeFrom Christmas pudding
OK Foods – FreeFrom Mince Pies
Pyman Pates – Chickenliver with port, brandy and cranberries
The Heavenly Cake Company – Christmas cake

17. Gluten-free beer – sponsored by Asda
Daas – Ambre Beer
Daas – Blond Beer
Foodswild – Cornish Stinger Nettle Beer
Gluten-Free Shop – Ambar
Green’s – Bottle Refermented Blonde Ale
Green’s – Premium Golden Ale
Wold Top – Against the Grain

Don’t stop me now… vegan chocolates crack the milk-choc flavour recipe

A new chocolate is breaking all the rules.

Vegan chocolate has to be dark – that’s the rule. Anything which tries to taste like milk chocolate ends up too oily or watery to compare.

Then came Moo Free and it shocked the world. One television review summed it up…

We don’t know how they’ve done it but Moo Free have created a milky-tasting bar without any dairy content.

It was dairy free, lactose free, gluten free, wheat free, egg free, casein free and vegan. Moo Free’s advent calanders sold out – suddenly parents of children on restricted diets were able to give their children something they would love.

The ingredients were simple and organic : sugar, cocoa butter, rice powder, cocoa mass, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin) and natural flavouring.

MooFree have 3 new flavours

So where has the milk gone? It seems to be something to do with using rice powder as an alternative although, of course, the true recipe is a closely guarded secret.

There is a social context to this. Leading chefs like Chris Horridge are regularly finding new ways of improving the flavour of foods while cutting back on sugar, dairy and gluten in an effort to feed a rapidly expanding free-from market. It is opening up a whole new world of food experiences and products, introducing ingredients like rice flour, which Moo Free has been able to take advantage of.

Meanwhile, other chocolatiers are working hard to catch up. Organica have produced a much raved about Vegan Milk Chocolate Couverture – it too uses rice as a major substitute ingredient. And another challnger for great tasting vegan milk chocolate may be ‘Celtic Chocolates’ though, personally, I have yet to get my hands on these. Chocolates from Booja Booja and Montezuma are excelent too of course, but here we are firmly back in the dark lands of plain chocolate goods.

Now Moo Free are upping the ante with three new dairy free flavours: Organic Banana Chocolate (Can you imagine? Though, currently, the honeyed glaze isn’t vegan.) Organic Cranberry and Hazelnut Chocolate or Caramelised Hazelnut Chocolate.

Finally, a bit of conspiracy, if you check Moo Free’s facebook page it should be the case that you could see how popular the new flavours are – unfortunately, someone hacked their details and they had to start again – not everything is love and fairness in the world of fairtrade vegan chocolate.

Alternatives to milk

Possibly 75% of people around the world are lactose intolerant – which might go some way to explaining why there are so many alternatives to milk.

But there are numerous other reasons too, it might be simply be beneficial to health, or autism related, or asthma, or galactosaemia, or a sensitivity to casein or one of many other problems with drinking milk.

Whatever your reason it’s important to make sure you’re still getting the calcium, iodine and vitamins that you need.

Here are some of the alternatives…

Goat’s milk
Rich in nutrients and easier to digest (even though it still contains lactose). It has less casein but almost as much fat and calories as cow’s milk. However, it can cause a vitamin B12 deficiency in children.

Sheep’s milk
Sheep’s milk has twice as many minerals, eg. calcium, phosphorus and zinc and the vitamin B-complex, as cow’s milk. But it is also higher in calories and fat. Like goat’s milk, it is easily digested. And it’s also a good source of iodine, which helps if you suffer with thyroid problems.

Camel’s milk
Five times as much Vitamin C as cow’s milk. Helps with diabetes. Contains some lactose. Not easy to source.

Buffalo’s milk
Higher in calcium, protein and iron and contains more vitamins and minerals (including calcium and iron) and 43% less cholesterol than cow’s milk. But it also has twice as much fat and still contains lactose. Not easy to source.

Hemp milk
Half the amount of protein of cow’s milk, and calcium is often added. Rich in Omega 3, minerals and vitamins, hemp milk also has a creamy consistency. No lactose.

Quinoa milk
Quinoa is a very digestive food and nutritionally well balanced. It’s protein contains all essential amino acids and it is rich in unsaturated fatty acids. No lactose.

Spelt milk
A good source of fibre and B-complex vitamins. Cholesterol free. No lactose.

Oat milk
Rich in fibre, lowers cholesterol and low-GI. It’s actually the preferred energy drink of many athletes. A pleasant milky taste. No lactose.

Barley milk
Has a higher phosphorus and potassium content than regular milk. Helpful in repairing the body, though it doesn’t contain calcium. No lactose.

Kamut-wheat milk
Highly recommended for its milk-like taste. No lactose.

Millet milk
Lower in fat, higher in fibre and less calories than cow’s milk. Rich in protein and minerals. No lactose.

Rice milk
Compared to soya, rice milk is considered closer to cow’s milk in taste and texture. It is naturally sweet, low in fat and high in fibre. But it’s also low in calcium and protein. No lactose.

Soya milk
Soya milk is high in protein so it’s useful for cooking with. It is also comparatively cheaper than other milk alternatives due to its ubiquity. However, some avoid it because it can raise estrogen levels. No lactose.

Almond milk
Tastes great, and has some of the lowest calorie counts of all milk alternatives. No lactose.

Hazelnut milk
A thicker consistency. It also provides calcium and sulphur. No lactose.

Coconut milk
Lots of phosphorus, iron, magnesium and fibre makes coconut milk a superfood. It’s low in calories, boosts immunity and has a distinctive creamy taste.

Cashew nut milk
Delicious but not easy to find. Just as well it’s easy to make… Cashew’s are a good source of copper and magnesium.

Raw milk
The argument is that pasteurisation destroys some of the goodness in milk which would actually make it digestible for people with gut problems. It remains to be seen whether ‘green top milk’ is actually helpful for people with psoriasis and high blood pressure.

UV milk
Possibly the milk of the future: milk that is treated by UV instead of pasteurisation?

Lactose-Free milk
Or, of course, you could take the lactose out of the milk

You can also make milk from peas, peanuts, or seeds!

Chocolate spread – it’s nut free! Shout about it!

Plamil have brought out 2 more chocolate spreads! It deserves to be shouted from the rooftops!

Now you can have:
■ Organic Chocolate Spread
■ Organic Chocolate Orange Spread
■ Organic Dairy-Free Alternative to Milk Chocolate Spread
■ Organic No Added Sugar Chocolate Spread

But the more important question is… What will you do with it?

Of course you can spread it on toast, but there are so many other things to do with chocolate spread, it seems a shame to waste the moment. Here are a few suggestions, but what would you do?

Nut free chocolate spread!

Chocolate spread on pancakes
Chocolate spread on cake
Chocolate spread bread and butter pudding
Chocolate spread blended milkshake
Chocolate spread banoffi pie
Chocolate spread fondue
Chocolate spread on banana bread
Chocolate spread on ice cream
Chocolate spread fudge
Chocolate spread on its own…

And being Plamil you can trust that this chocolate is Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Gluten Free/Casein Free Diet, Kosher, Lactose Free, Organic, Vegan, Wheat Free, Yeast Free and Nut Free – but it does contain soya.

Here are the winners of the Free From Food Awards 2011

Lesley Cutts, GoodnessDirect manager was judge at the Free From Food Awards 2011. She had a great time tasting all the different food.

The awards were announced last week – a selection of the top products from 100s of free-from foods in a diverse range of categories.

Lesley says, “The quality of the food improves each year. It’s close competition and in some cases it’s quite difficult to decide. But it’s great that the awards happen and that more profile is given to free-from and special diets. It’s a great step forward for the industry and those who suffer from dietary restrictions.”

You can read all of the judges comments on the Freedom Food Awards website. We should highlight that specialist niche foods such as RAW foods might not be well represented here, as they are still pushing their way into the market,

Here are the winners and runners up.

FAIR Trophy for the best free-from food 2011
Winner: Doves Farm – Gluten and wheat free white self-raising flour blend
Runner up: Delamere Dairy – Goat’s butter
Runner up: Dietary Specials – Brown Ciabatta rolls
Runner up: Doves Farm – Batter mix and Biscuit crumb

Innovation Award
– Sponsored by Livwell
Winner: Mamma Cucina gluten, wheat, dairy and egg-free vegetable quiche
Commended: Le Sojami Dairy Free Speciality Basil Alternative to Soft Cheese
Commended: Moo Free Praline Chocolates

Dairy and/or lactose free animal milk, butter and yogurt
– Sponsored by Swedish Glace
Winner: Delamere Dairy – Goat’s butter
Highly commended: Delamere Dairy – Semi-skimmed goat’s milk
Highly commended: Woodlands Dairy – Organic sheep milk natural live yogurt
Commended: Lactofree – Semi-skimmed dairy drink

Plant (soya, rice,oat, nut, potato) ‘milk’, spread and ‘cheese’
– Sponsored by Delamere Dairy
Winner: Hain Celestial – Rice Dream
Winner: Le Sojami – Fresh soya paté with olives
Highly commended: Essence of Eden – 100% Organic premium coconut oil
Highly commended: Good Hemp – Dairy-free alternative to milk
Highly commended: Organico Real Foods – Isola Bio spelt drink
Commended: Le Sojami – Dairy-free speciality garlic and mixed herbs alternative to soft cheese
Commended: Tesco – Sweetened soya alternative to dairy milk

Breakfast cereals
– Sponsored by Tesco
Winner: Nature’s Path – Organic Mesa Sunrise
Highly commended: Hale & Hearty – Organic Choco Jungle Cereal
Highly commended: Juvela – Fibre flakes
Commended: Eat Natural – Buckwheat Muesli
Commended: Juvela – Special Flakes with red berries
Commended: Nairns – Oat muesli
Commended: Nairns – Porridge oats
Commended: The Living Food Kitchen – Raw buckwheat granola

Breads and bread mixes
– Sponsored by Tesco
Winner: Dietary Specials – Brown Ciabatta rolls
Highly commended: Marks & Spencer – Made-without-wheat brown seeded bread
Highly commended: Tesco – FreeFrom fresh brown rolls
Commended: Glutafin – Select gluten-free fresh brown bread

Pasta and pizza bases/mixes
– Sponsored by Produced in Italy
Winner: Hale & Hearty – Quinoa and rice penne
Highly commended: Morrisons – Freefrom fusilli
Highly commended: Rizopia Organic brown rice spaghetti
Commended: Farabella – Gnocchi
Commended: Rizopia – Organic brown rice lasagne

Foods manufactured for food service
– Sponsored by Lactofree
Winner: Doves Farm – Batter mix
Winner: Doves Farm – Fairtrade biscuit crumb
Highly commended: Red House Foods – Chicken grill for schools, bread crumbed and battered
Highly commended: Seagreens – Mineral salt
Commended: Doves Farm – Sponge and muffin mix
Commended: Doves Farm – Fairtrade sweet biscuits

Ingredients: flour, stock, pastry, sauces
– Sponsored by Asda
Winner: Doves Farm – Gluten and wheat free white self-raising flour blend
Highly commended: AWT – Gluten-free vegetable stock cubes
Highly commended: Dietary Specials – Frozen shortcrust pastry
Commended: The Black Farmer – Sweet and spicy tomato sauce
Commended: Tideford Organics – Ragu a la Bolognese

Savoury pies, flans, pizzas and ready meals
– Sponsored by Genon Laboratories
Winner: Look What We Found – Spiced lamb meatballs
Winner: The Black Farmer – Premium pork sausages
Highly commended: Honeybuns – Little savoury tart
Highly commended: Look What We Found – Beef and pork meatballs
Highly commended: Musks – Gluten-free sausages
Commended: Fletchers of Auchtermuchty – Original venison sausages
Commended: The Black Farmer – pork, onion and chive sausages

Savoury biscuits and snacks
– Sponsored by Goodness Direct
Winner: Clearspring – Organic rice cakes – Sea vegetable and tamari and Tamari and black sesame
Highly commended: Darling Spuds – Sea salt and Modena balsamic vinegar potato crisps
Commended: Conscious Foods – Mumbai masala munch
Commended: Hale & Hearty – Superbly spiced vegetarian cassava crisps

Scones, sweet tarts and brownies
– Sponsored by the Food and Drink Innovation Network
Winner: Go Free Foods – Chocolate and almond brownies
Highly commended: Morrisons – FreeFrom treacle tart
Highly commended: Sugargrain – Fresh raspberry and white chocolate brownie
Commended: BlueBasil – Gluten-free classic chunky chocolate brownie
Commended: Honeybuns – Snowy Hills cake bar
Commended: Peace of Cake – Blueberry muffin

Sweet biscuits and cookies
Winner: Pourtoi – Raisin chocolate chip cookies
Highly commended: Kent & Fraser – Spicy ginger crunchy cookies
Highly commended: Trufree – Chocolate fingers
Commended: Marks & Spencers – Caramel pecan crunch square

Cakes and cake mixes
– Sponsored by Mrs Crimble’s
Winner: Marks & Spencer – Almond frangipane traybake
Highly commended: Christine’s – Hot toddy cake
Highly commended: Steph’s FreeFrom Cakes – Battenburg
Highly commended: Sugargrain – Zesty lemon polenta cake
Commended: Eat Me Organic – Chocolate delight cupcake
Commended: Sugargrain – Spiced carrot cake with fresh orange icing
Commended: The Cake Crusader – Lemon drizzle cake

Puddings, sweet pies, desserts and cheesecakes
– Sponsored by Hale & Hearty
Winner: BoojaBooja – Stuff in a Tub Hunky punky chocolate
Highly commended: EasyGlut – Crème caramel mix
Commended: Finax – Shake’N Bake Pancake mix

Chocolate and sweet snacks
– Sponsored by Tesco
Winner: Go*Do – Chocolate bar
Winner: Conscious Food – Ginger crunch
Highly commended: Celtic Chocolates – Caramel flavoured choices
Highly commended: MooFree – Chocolate pralines
Highly commended: Tesco – Choc ‘n’ Orange bars
Highly commended: Castus – Be Fruity fruit bars with fig
Commended: Plamil – No-added sugar coffee chocolate
Commended: Pourtoi – Luxury chocolate selection
Commended: Morrisons – FreeFrom fruit and nut bars
Commended: Pack Tunch – Pinapple and coconut snack bars

Christmas products
– Sponsored by Genius Gluten Free
Winner: Sainsbury – FreeFrom Christmas pudding
Highly commended: Livwell – Iced Christmas cake
Highly commended: Mrs Crimble’s – Stuffing mix
Commended: Hale & Hearty – Christmas pudding
Commended: MooFree – Christmas advent calendar
Commended: Sainsbury’s – Freefrom iced Christmas cake

Gluten-free beer
– Sponsored by Asda
Winner: Green’s – Bottle Refermented Blonde Ale
Highly commended: Mongozo – Premier Pilsener
Highly commended: Green’s – Bottle Refermented Dark Ale
Commended: Estrella Damm – Estrella Daura ABV 5.4%
Commended: Green’s – Premium Golden Ale

Win a recipe book from your online shop for allergies

It’s Food Allergy & Intolerance Week (24th – 28th January)

The list of allergies is long BUT it doesn’t mean life is over!

In fact it’s just a little more adventurous: GoodnessDirect have a Special Diets section which helps you find the foods and products you need without the ingredients you need to avoid. Or if you have want to live free from chemicals then the eco-friendly/organic range of bodycare and household goods can help you.

Win this cookbook by Michelle Berriedale-Johnson

AND it doesn’t stop there.  GoodnessDirect regularly put on competitions in their fortnightly newsletter, full of information about the latest Free-From foods and more.

For example, how would you like to win The Everyday Wheat-Free & Gluten-Free Cookbook? Michelle Berriedale-Johnson’s collection of 200 clear recipes could be yours. Simply send us an email with your name and address and we’ll put you in the prize draw. (Competition closes Thursday 10th February 2011, UK addresses only)

Dairy Free Advent Calenders are here to stay – and they’re ‘milk’ chocolate too

Imagine being given chocolate but not being able to eat it??

It’s a regular experience for many with an intollerance.

But Moo Free are here to save the day!

Dairy Free Advent Calendars are here to enjoy

Now imagine being given a chocolate with no milk in it that tastes like yuk!

That happens too – and it’s possibly worse than having to say no to chocolate in the first place.

But lots of people are saying that Moo Free tastes just like the real thing… (see the Dairyfree UK forum)

Tastes like milk chocolate, but no milk on site
The Moo team have worked hard to find the perfect recipe for a vegan milk chocolate using rice milk instead of cow’s milk, which means it is lactose-free too (and gluten free and no soya either).

The real plus is that, unlike many chocolate companies, Moo Free have absolutely no dairy on their premises anywhere, so you can be confident that there’s no cross contamination, and your children can get excited about the countdown to Christmas without disappointment.

There’s an advent calendar and Moo Free also make chocolate drops and chocolate bars to enjoy. Their gift box of chocolate pralines means they can’t avoid nuts (and they also contain soya), but there’s no egg or wheat or milk to be seen at all. Moo also get bonus points for working with fair trade and organic products.

Can you imagine your baby with an illness no one else has? That’s only the beginning if your child has Galactosaemia

Stuart Ford is a co-ordinator for the Galactosaemia Support Group, which brings parents and children affected by this rare illness. All foods that contain lactose must be avoided for life. Here he explains the experience of a child suffering Galactosaemia.

Raising awareness of Galactosaemia

Galactose is a sugar which mainly comes from lactose, the sugar found in milk. Lactose is normally broken down into the two simple sugars, galactose and glucose. The galactose is then broken down further and used in many parts of the body including the brain. In galactosaemia it cannot be broken down completely and used because of an absence of an enzyme. Galactose then builds up and leads to the serious illness that occurs in the first few weeks of life once the baby is fed on milk. It is a lifelong condition. Galactosaemia is rare. In the UK, about 1 child in 45,000 is born with this condition so between 12 and 18 children are born each year with it.

Signs of liver disease including jaundice, lethargy, poor feeding and weight loss are very common in new borns. The severity of the liver disease varies a lot. Babies can also be prone to infection at this stage, although this does not continue to be a problem. Cataracts may also be present. Once the galactose free diet has been started the liver disease will disappear and the baby will start to gain weight normally. Over time the cataracts will also disappear.

Unfortunately some children develop speech and language and/or learning difficulties, especially in maths and science. There is no way of preventing this at present. The speech and language difficulties consist mainly of problems with organising speech (oromotor dyspraxia). There may also be a problem with movements which is called motor dyspraxia. This leads to slowness in completing tasks.

In addition to these neurological problems, galactosaemia can affect the ovaries. Many girls do not go into puberty at the right time. This is because their ovaries do not produce enough of the hormone oestrogen. None of these problems are life threatening and galactosaemic children are otherwise as healthy as any other child provided they continue on their galactose free diet throughout life. In the future we hope that research will lead to better ways of preventing some or all of the long-term problems in galactosaemia.

The Galactosaemia Support Group brings families with galactosaemic children and adult galactosaemics into contact with each other and offers support where most needed. Through the group the families are able to share experiences, help each other with problems and exchange information and ideas. http://www.galactosaemia.org

The GSG are always on the look out for dairy free alternatives. Interestingly, they recently paid for a cheese analysis and found that cheese such as Emmantal, Jarlsberg and a couple of extra mature cheeses, such as Grano Pradano, are acceptable in a Galactosaemic diet, because the lactose is leached out of cheese as it matures. However, there are still other issues with lactose intolerance here. Check http://www.galactosaemia.org/index.php/eng/Food-diet/Cheese as it is quite a complex as to what can or can’t be eaten.

Shoppers looking for lactose-free food on GoodnessDirect can look at the Lactose-Free section or eliminate products with lactose by clicking on My Options. But be careful, products can have very little lactose present, but may still have galactose and glucose in them which makes them unsuitable in galactosaemia. The GSG provide great advice on what can and cannot be consumed.