Last year I shared my Welsh cakes recipe and I’ve had many compliments about them. If you have never heard of these tiny pieces of heaven, I strongly urge you to take a peek at the post to find out more about them and their history. Of course, I now have to alter most of my favourite recipes to make them safe for my gluten free, dairy free and soya free toddler. So after many alterations and plenty of taste testing, just in time for Saint David’s Day, here is my gluten, dairy and soya free Welsh Cakes recipe.
My Sunday Photo ~ Dairy Free Pizza
Top: Dairy loaded pizza Bottom: Dairy and soy free pizza
I love making pizza.
Our youngest cannot tolerate dairy or soya. This makes pizza night a slightly more awkward affair than it used to be. Have you ever tried to find dairy free “cheese” that isn’t made from soya? Well they are few and far between.
I managed to find this particular pizza cheese online. It has a weird way of melding together rather melting but O thoroughly enjoyed his pizza and he still has lot’s of slices frozen for our next pizza night!
Have a Happy Dairy Free Easter
Eight years ago, when we first discovered LV was allergic to dairy, holidays like Christmas and Easter was a really hard time for us. Supermarkets were barely scratching the surface of the ‘Free From’ ranges they have now with just the odd staple ingredients available. So trying to find dairy free Easter eggs, that were also appealing to children, was nigh on impossible. At Christmas we even had to go on a waiting list in the hope we could get a dairy free advent calender, my memory is failing me but I believe that might have been with Kinnerton who are well known for their allergy friendly products.
LV pretty much out grew his dairy issues when he reach five years old, which made my life soooo much easier!
But, now we know O is allergic to dairy too I am so pleased to see that supermarkets and high street stores are finally catering more for those with dietary issues and there are also a multitude of websites aimed at those with any type of dietary issue you can think of! What would have taken me hours of trawling the internet to find a few overpriced products aimed at adults, and mostly of the dark chocolate variety, has now been made as simple as popping to the shop or jumping online for a few minutes to find some fab products.
Fun products like this selection from Holland and Barratt:
1. This small bunny shaped chocolate is ideal for younger ones who might not need a whole egg, or for an extra little treat.
2. These Eco Eggs are not only dairy free but they look very funky and are earth friendly too!
3. This white chocolate egg has a child friendly packaging and is a nice change to the dark chocolate usually on offer with dairy free products.
At our house the Easter Bunny usually leaves a map for a little treasure hunt on Easter morning. Some years he obviously gets much more time to prepare and the map is wonderfully elaborate with lots of clues. I’m not sure why but other years it seems he gets rushed for time and the maps are quite simple and basic:
You can purchase small clear plastic eggs which are ideal to fill with a small treat to leave at each clue or hiding spot (or just leave a handful in a small sandwich bag) I’ve found these yummy little things which I think are just perfect:
1. These Chocolate mini eggs from D and D chocolates are covered in brightly coloured foil so very appealing for kids.
2. These Chocolate half eggs from Plamil are milk chocolate so always a winner for those who don’t like the dark variety.
3. I buy these Chocolate disks from Sainsbury’s a lot, they often come in brightly coloured foil wrappers not just gold.
4. For a change to chocolate, but much healthier than regular sweets, Goody Good Stuff sweets are all natural and feel just as firm as “real” gummy sweets. There is a wide variety including sour ones!
But of course at the end of any treasure hunt you need a prize! Instead of more chocolate or sweets why not go for something a bit different?
1. I’ve never hidden the fact that I love crafts, this little pop up puppet kit from Baker Ross is just adorable!
2. Hex bugs are great little gifts for an older child, I’ve even heard they have a limited edition Easter one!
3. Does your child love lego? Why not buy this lovely Easter Bunny set available at Tesco
4. This lovely Easter Bunny from Teddy Bear Friends is such a cutie and is bound to win any little ones heart.
5. Of course you needn’t spend a fortune, these cute and fluffy soft toys from Poundland are just adorable
So this is just a selection of dairy free Easter products suitable for kids that I have found. Some of these dairy free items are also vegan friendly as well as free from other allergens such as Gluten and egg.
Is there anything else you would add to this list?
My little tip to you is to buy your dairy free Easter eggs early as they tend to go out of stock quite quickly!
***Disclaimer: I was sent a selection of Goody Good Sweets, a Hex Bug and an Eco Egg as requested by me for the purposes of this post but all thoughts and ideas are my own***
Review: Waterloo Tea House, Cardiff. A genuinely nice place to eat!
I was recently invited to be a part of a ‘Guide to Cardiff’ that is being put together by Millennium Hotels. I was asked to visit anywhere that I wanted in Cardiff, somewhere that I loved. I was able to bring a friend along too so I jumped at the chance of taking my good friend Gemma to eat somewhere that didn’t serve typical ‘kids food’. We have nine children between us so going anywhere with just one little toddler is bliss! After a good think, I chose to go to Waterloo Tea in the Wyndham Arcade, The Hayes.
Sometimes your child being ill is the best option
I may get shot down just for that title alone, but bear with me and let me explain before people start thinking I have lost it!
There are occasions when your child having a nasty bug, that is treatable with medicine is actually a good thing, or at least the lesser of two evils so to speak. Here is why I’m hoping my sweet little O is actually poorly!
eating biscuits is serious business!
Upset, swollen and windy tummies, along with rushing to the toilet have been par for the course since LV started weaning off the breast 7 years ago. We were told by the GP to go away and figure out for ourselves what was giving him issues. We realised quite quickly that his problem was milk. When we went back and told the GP she had a look of, so you know what it is what do you want me to do about it? on her face. That was it, no offer of help or guidance, zilch.