Need a dairy free Christmas? Then indulge yourself, happily,rice with Rice Dream!

As the festive season fast approaches, households across the UK will be stocking up on seasonal treats to indulge in over the Christmas holidays.

However, for millions across the UK who are lactose intolerant, having to always check to see what the ingredients are means always being on guard to ensure that dairy and gluten doesn't ruin their yuletide fun.

Rice Dream, the healthy alternative, has come up with some delicious dairy and lactose-free recipes for the 12 days of Christmas that everyone can enjoy. The festive recipes are suitable for vegetarians and can also be gluten free, wheat free, soya free and seed free.

Nutritionist Fiona Hunter said: “With an estimated five per cent of adults in the UK being lactose intolerant, we understand that it can sometimes be very difficult for people who are lactose intolerant to enjoy the festive breaks because they have to constantly watch what they are eating.

“So we have created some easy recipes for the 12 days of Christmas so those millions of adults in the UK that are lactose intolerant can join in the festive fun without having to worry.”

Rice Dream has created 12 recipes for the 12 days of Christmas. The first day of Christmas can be used to make a delicious bread sauce which is an essential part of a traditional dinner but also wonderful with a Sunday roast, sausages and cold ham.

For those with a sweet tooth, the second day could be used making apple and spice muffins to be enjoyed individually or with the whole family.

Other recipes for the remaining days include a pear and chocolate smoothie, fennel and potato dauphinoise, roasted mulled plums with vanilla custard and toasted sweet nuts and a pear, apricot and cinnamon porridge.

As part of the festive spirit Rice Dream is are giving away a free 50p money off coupon for use against a range of its products including Original + Calcium, Original Organic, Vanilla Organic, Chocolate and Chilled + Calcium.

So this Christmas, use Rice Dream as a healthy alternative and enjoy the festive period without worrying about making sure whether it is dairy or gluten free.

For more recipe ideas and information on lactose intolerance please visit www.ricedream.co.uk/recipes.

To print a 50p off coupon for the Rice Dream products please register at www.ricedream.co.uk/coupon-offer-form.

Apple and Spice Muffins
Light and fruity muffins with chunks of sweet apple and crunchy nuts. Wonderful served warm for breakfast but equally delicious as a family tea time treat. Make use of any seasonal fruits but the combination of cinnamon and apple is particularly moreish and a sensational winter treat. Dairy free, you can make these gluten free by using original rice dream and substituting the flour for a gluten free flour mix.

Symbols: suitable for vegetarians, dairy free, can be gluten free, can be wheat free, soy free, seed free
Makes 10 muffins

2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
80g/2¾oz xylitol or caster sugar
200ml / 7floz Oat Dream or Original Rice Dream
6tbsp light olive oil
150g / 5 ½ oz plain flour
150g / 5 ½ oz wholemeal flour
1tbsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
½ tsp cinnamon
2 eating apples, peeled, cored, finely chopped
60g / 2oz chopped walnuts
Spice Topping, optional
1tbsp soft brown sugar
1/2tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/380F/Gas 5 and line a muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Whisk together the eggs, xylitol or sugar, Oat Dream and oil.
3. Sift the flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add the chopped apple and walnuts and lightly mix.
4. Pour in the wet ingredients and beat well.
5. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases.
6. Mix together the sugar and spices and sprinkle over the top of the muffins.
7. Bake for 25minutes until well risen and golden.
8. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Tips: make your own gluten free flour cake mix and store ready to use : combine together 125g / 4 ½ oz rice flour, 125g / 4 ½ oz ground almonds, 50g / 1 3/4 oz potato starch, 2tsp gluten-free baking powder plus 1/2tsp xanthan gum
Nutritional Information per muffin (10)
Calories 256kcal
Protein 5.6g
Carbohydrates 33g of which sugars 11.9g
Total Fat 12.6g of which saturates 1.8g
Fibre 3g

Nutritional Information per 100g
Calories 265kcal
Protein 5.8g
Carbohydrates 34.2g of which sugars 12.3g
Total Fat 13g of which saturates 1.8g
Fibre 3.1g




FACTFILE:
• Rice Dream is available in five flavours: Original Organic, Calcium- enriched, Vanilla, Chocolate, and Hazelnut & Almond. Whatever one you choose, it's the naturally good alternative.

• Rice Dream is available in Tesco, Waitrose, Asda, JS, Sainsbury’s, Co-Operative and independent health food stores.

• One 200ml glass of Rice Dream + Calcium provides 30% of the daily recommended allowance, which is as much as full fat milk

• Rice Dream is made from rice, which is a hypoallergenic food so, unlike soya, it's highly unlikely to cause an allergic reaction. Easy to digest Rice Dream is soft on sensitive stomachs, without the adverse digestive effects that cow's milk or soya can sometimes have.

• It is estimated that around five per cent of adults in the UK have lactose intolerance. (ref: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lactose-intolerance/Pages/Intro...).

• For more information go to www.ricedream.co.uk

That's Christmas: Aldi for Christmas

That's Christmas: Aldi for Christmas: Over the next several days, That's Christmas and sister site That's Food and Drink will be writing articles about the special seasonal foods...

Take a Butchers this Christmas!

Research published today reveals that three quarters of the great British public suffer stress as a result of buying and preparing Christmas meat. One in 10 even described the experience as more nerve wracking than their first day in a new job or even moving house!

The study of 1,500 people by the Q Guild of Butchers revealed that 25% of Christmas cooks have experienced a meat-based cooking disaster over the festive period, as the pressure proves too much to handle!

Christmas dinner stress capitals of the UK (with the highest number of people saying they experienced high levels of stress) include Manchester (38%), Glasgow (53%), Belfast (55%), Newcastle (40%) and Brighton (41%).

The biggest faux pas was buying the wrong size bird, with not enough turkey to go round, 3% of those surveyed admitted to leaving it too late and having to do without festive meat on the big day!

Other popular mishaps include dry meat (6%), uncooked turkey (5%) and un-defrosted turkey (4%).

The survey also found that the average UK household will spend £48.90 on Christmas Day meat alone – almost five times what the average family spends on meat in a normal week! 10% of the UK spends more than £100 on Christmas meat.

Despite the added pressure and expenditure that Christmas meat represents, over half of UK shoppers do not seek expert advice at their local butcher and instead buy off the shelf in the supermarkets.

15% of people questioned agreed that they wouldn’t know what to ask a butcher for or would be too embarrassed to ask for help, when ordering Christmas meat. Shockingly 22% of the UK adult population have never been inside a butcher shop.

In reaction to this research, the Q Guild of Butchers, who represent 140 of Britain’s best butchers, is launching a campaign entitled ‘Meat Your Butcher’ in a bid to encourage more people to visit their local butcher and avoid Christmas meat disasters.

With the aim of creating a stress-free, culinary Christmas, Q Guild butchers are inviting shoppers to attend free 10 minute sessions, where they can offload their woes to a meat expert.

Philip Cranston, Chairman of the Q Guild said: “Meat is certainly centre stage at Christmas, for many it will be the one time of the year when they have to cook for a large party or it may be the only time when all the family sits down to eat. Add to this the extra expenditure that goes into Christmas meat and it’s not surprising that many of us are feeling the pressure.

“We believe that this is where quality, independent butchers can help as we offer expert advice that will save shoppers money and stress during the festive season. Our Meat Your Butcher campaign is for those who have never ventured into an independent butcher – we hope they will change their shopping habits this holiday season and realise the benefits of asking for expert advice.”

For more information about Meat Your Butcher visit www.facebook.com/qguild or www.qguild.co.uk.

That's Christmas: Are YOU Sudocrem’s 2011 Christmas Superchef?

That's Christmas: Are YOU Sudocrem’s 2011 Christmas Superchef?: Sudocrem’s 2011 Christmas Superchef Comp Sudocrem launch their Christmas Facebook competition – to crown their ‘2011 Christmas ...

Domino’s celebrates First Ever Global Domino’s Day On Facebook – 19 Countries Across The World To Offer 50% Off Pizza Deal

Domino's Pizza, the pizza delivery expert, is celebrating its worldwide presence by throwing a global pizza party. This Thursday [December 8, 2011], customers in 19 countries, including the UK, will be able to join the international party with Domino’s and receive an offer for 50 percent off any menu priced pizza ordered online through a specialised Facebook tab.

The Domino’s brand, which celebrates its 51st birthday in the US this week, has stores in more than 70 international markets. Pizza lovers in the UK who are interested in joining the fun on Global Domino’s Day should visit their country’s Domino’s Pizza Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/rv8hJ0. Simply ‘like’ the page and follow the instructions to join the party and take advantage of the 50 percent off deal. The event is open to anyone with a Facebook account in participating countries.

While on the tab, Facebook users will be able to see how many fans have joined as the party circles across the globe, much like New Year’s Eve. The event will launch for Japanese customers at 7 a.m. PST on December 7, with the party continuing until the United States places its last orders at 11:59 p.m. PST on December 8. Domino’s is also encouraging fans to join in the fun on Twitter using #GlobalDominosDay.

“We’re delighted to be taking part in the first ever Global Domino’s Day,” said Simon Wallis, sales and marketing director of Domino’s Pizza in the UK and ROI. “As an international brand, Domino’s is proud of its global presence and we really appreciate our customers around the world. We’re excited to be able to unite five million Domino’s Pizza Facebook fans, representing 19 different countries, with the same special offer and look forward to our UK fans joining in alongside their international pizza loving counterparts.”

Join Global Domino’s Day on December 8, 2011 at Facebook – www.facebook.com/DominosPizza.

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Luxury Spelt Producer Sharpham Park Launches New Artisan Dry Spelt Pasta Collection

Sharpham Park, pioneers of growing organic spelt in the UK, have added to their ever-expanding luxury spelt food range with the launch of a new Artisan Dry Spelt Pasta Collection.
Produced in small batches using bronze dies on a traditional Italian pasta machine, the spelt pasta has been made with Sharpham Park's White Spelt Flour, which has been stone ground in the dedicated organic spelt mill on the Sharpham Park farm.

As a result of this process, the spelt pasta has a unique ridged surface and texture, which perfectly compliments and holds sauces in recipes. The pasta is then slowly air-dried for a minimum of 36 hours which helps maintain the nutritional qualities of the ingredients and the distinctive nutty taste of spelt, ensuring a high quality pasta.

The new Artisan Dry Spelt Pasta Collection comes in 3 varieties: Campanelle, made using pasteurised free-range eggs; Conchiglie Tricolore, ribbed spelt pasta shells made with eggs, baby spinach and rich red beetroot to add colour and flavour to the pasta and Rigatoni Triclore, the same ingredients as Conchiglie Tricolore but with ribbed spelt pasta tubes.

Sharpham Park spelt is farmed and milled organically onsite in Somerset using sustainable farming methods. With a unique gluten structure that makes it easier to digest than wheat, spelt is a top super food - slowly releasing sugars and nutrients into the blood stream, making it a superb energy source.

Sharpham Park Artisan Dry Spelt Pasta Collection is available exclusively at Harvey Nichols (Knightsbridge) from September and online at www.sharphampark.com, RRP £3.99 each (300g).

Spelt ideal for people who are not tolerant of wheat, though it is not gluten free.

Recipe idea using Sharpham Park Spelt Conchiglie Tricolore Pasta:

CHICKPEA, FETA AND SHARPHAM PARK CONCHIGLIE (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients
300g Sharpham Park Conchiglie Tricolore
1 tin cherry tomatoes
100ml olive oil

50g chopped mint
50g thinly sliced spring onions
1 small handful chopped coriander
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained and patted dry
200g feta cheese, coarsely crumbled

Method
1) Cook 300g Sharpham Park Conchiglie in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally and drain.
2) Mix tomatoes, olive oil (less a spoonful), chopped mint, spring onions, coriander and garlic together.
3) Heat remaining olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the dried chickpeas and sauté for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned.
4) Add chickpeas and pasta to tomato mixture and toss to coat.
5) Add feta; toss briefly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6) Garnish with mint and coriander sprigs.
7) Serve warm or let stand at room temperature up to 2 hours.

FACTFILE:

Sharpham Park was founded in 2005 by entrepreneur Roger Saul, founder of designer label Mulberry.

Ever since its early beginnings, Sharpham Park has been dedicated to growing ancient spelt grain in an organic and eco-friendly way, achieving full organic certification from the Soil Association in September 2006.

With tons of iron, zinc, riboflavin and other vitamins and minerals, spelt is one of today's healthiest grains. In addition, because of its unique gluten structure, it is much easier to digest than its distant cousin wheat.

All Sharpham Park spelt is 100% organic and is grown and milled in a purpose-built on-site mill at Sharpham Park farm in Somerset. It is the only dedicated organic spelt mill in the UK, incorporating the best machinery sourced throughout Europe.

The Sharpham Park food range also includes Spelt Mueslis, Cereal Bars, Puffs, Granolas, Porridge, Sweet and Savoury Biscuits, Pearled Spelt, Wholegrain, White, Artisan and Seeded Flour and Speltottos.

Sharpham Park
Glastonbury
Somerset
BA16 9SA
www.sharphampark.com

(EDITOR: Spelt products should be ni your pantry for Christmas!) 

Chestnuts From Porter Foods: Adding Flavour All Year Round

Renowned purveyors of fine food, Porter Foods, bring flavoursome chestnuts that can be used in cooking and baking all year round, not just at Christmas. Unlike other chestnut brands in the UK, many of which source their chestnuts from China, the Porter Foods range is sourced closer to home, from Galicia in Spain, where they are renowned as a nutritious delicacy.

Porter Foods introduce three excellent products ideal for trade (food service and manufacturing):

Whole Organic Chestnuts peeled and cooked 10 x 1kg, Vacuum Packed for added freshness: the Porter Foods new range of chestnuts now boasts an organic variety available in 1 kilo bags (10 bags per case trade sized).

Whole Chestnuts peeled and cooked 10 X 1kg, Vacuum Packed for added freshness: Porter Foods whole chestnuts have a beautiful consistency and are ideal for stuffing and pates where texture is desired. Available in 1 kilo bags (10 bags per case trade sized).

Chestnut Puree (Unsweetened) 475g, Porter Foods Chestnut Puree comes in a convenient tray, and is ideal to use in stuffing and delicious puddings.

www.porterfoods.co.uk

Deadline Extended For The FoodBev.com Awards

"Did you launch a new product in the food and drinks industry in 2011? Have you brought an innovative, exciting product to market? Have you launched a new, dynamic and effective website or media campaign? If any of your answers are yes, then the FoodBev.com Awards 2011 is for you," said a spokesman for the Awards.

"We know you're going to be busy for Christmas and the holiday season in general, so we've extended the deadline for entering the FoodBev.com Awards. You now have more time to gather materials, answer questions and make your entries (and some time for wrapping presents, too).

"You can enter right here, www.foodbevawards.com/Enter_the_Awards.html and the closing date for entries is now 20 January 2012, with judging to take place a week later."

(EDITOR: Well go on then! Get to it. And we will keep out fingers crossed for you!)



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