Angelic was the first stand I hunted down at the London Free From and Allergy show last summer, which wasn't too hard as they were right by the door! I was looking to buy a few items from the range, particularly the individually wrapped biscuits with a good date, they have lasted until now and have been great for work!

At the show I think they were in the region of 2 for £5 so I stocked up but I am sure depending on where you shop prices will vary and you may find a deal just as good. The box contains 5 twin packs, which is perfect for either one adult or to share between a couple of children, making them the perfect handbag snack. Particularly as they are only 65 calories per biscuit!

Made in scotland, these biscuits are gluten, egg and dairy free, so I assume they would be perfect for vegans too! They are also 100% natural and a source of fibre. Oats also are known for keeping you fuller for longer which is better than the quick hit you get from a chocolate bar.

The biscuit itself is the typical crisp, crunchy, drier consistency, identical to all the Angelic biscuits. This is something I love about Angelic, the fact that you know that each base cookie, regardless of flavouring is made to the same standard. So if you know you like the base taste and texture of Angelic, all you have to do is choose the flavours that are for you!

Beautifully rich, this dairy free chocolate has lot of flavour, on appearance it is questionable how chocolatey they would be as there wasn't many chips, but they are so flavoursome. They really stand on their own! Perfect with a cup of black coffee or hot chocolate, these biscuits are so versatile and the oats add such a lovely flavour as well as texture. I feel that these biscuits would be suitable for all ages, as although the chocolate is rich, the proportions are perfect to give plenty of flavour without overpowering.

I find that these individual packs that the free from companies are producing are fantastic, so it pleased me back when I saw Angelic were doing the same. The only drawback to the Angelic brand is unless I want to order them online, the show is really the only place I can find a good range, as my local Holland & Barret's stores are quite small and do not hold may options in stock. For those I know who don't use the internet, this makes getting hold of them a little tricky! But hopefully as the demand grows, my Holland and Barret may stock more, and who knows Angelic may pop up in supermarkets one day!

Hannah x

Some more savoury goodies I have been trying today! Angelic Multi-seed Crackers are one of the newer flavours in the range. With whole seeds, these crackers have a fibrous texture and a fresh flavour.

This one stop shop for egg, dairy and gluten free people alike, these crackers are only 88 calories a portion. Perfect for cheese, soups, creating 'snackables' and general eating as they are so plain in flavour!

The cracker itself it quite small, reminds me the size of a hair band, four do make a good sized portion. I find that there is a good amount of seeds in the cracker, but unlike some seedy crackers these hold their structure and haven't affected their integrity. Like all Angelic products these have the same crispy crunchy cracker texture which snaps fantastically but doesn't crumble. Slightly drier in texture but not overly so making them hard to eat.

The flavour itself is quite plain but the seeds add a touch of interest, making this the ideal cracker to have with almost anything as there is nothing powerful which would overpower or taste peculiar. I have had these with broccoli and stilton soup, cream cheese and tomato, salmon and Philadelphia and much more and each concoction has been better than the last. Even with just some butter is a fab snack!


Available in Holland and Barrett a box of crackers retails for £2.60 currently which is a fantastic deal as I get around 6 portions from one box I believe, so under 50p a portion! I would recommend trying these if you are looking for a plain cracker for everyday or even something ready for your Christmas cheese board as it's fast approaching!

Hannah x

*This product was gifted to me to try, all opinions are my own

When I was at the free from show, there were so many new and interesting products to try. I have only just got around to opening these crackers! Crazy I know. I purposely try to get through things  in date order to prevent having too much open and things going bad before I had a chance to try.

I am quite glad I didn't open these earlier though as I know I am going to always have a box of these stashed in the cupboard now. Hands down these are the best free from crackers I have ever eaten by miles! Flavoursome and crisp, these crackers have the perfect combination!

Four crackers is considered to be a serving size, making a portion 85 calories. There is only 0.5g of fibre per serving so I would recommend having these with some fruit, veg or nuts to make the meal more wholesome in nutrients. Being gluten, dairy and egg free. These are perfect for a buffet table, particularly at Christmas. I always have a lot of festive cheeses (if that is a thing!) at Christmas as part of a buffet. These would be fantastic as so many people now have allergies. Being 100% natural too is something I like to look for, I can read all the ingredients and I think it is so important to know what you're eating. I am not against having sweet treats, but for my meals I do tend to like natural, clean foods.

Flavour wise, these crackers are one of the most unique in the free from market. For people who have not had Angelic before, this is now the product I recommend trying first. Using tomato paste and mixed herbs makes the flavours really make a stand on their own. I don't tend to just eat plain crakers, but with these I can. Although this week I have been eating them with an M&S cheese triangle and sliced cherry tomato. You must try it!

The texture is pretty consistent with all Angelic crackers, so you know what to expect. A drier, crisp consistency with a good snap. I don't always like to use the word 'dry' when taking about gluten free food as it brings to mind connotations of hard to eat, crumbly, stodgy food. This is not the case with these crackers, it is a crisp dry bake; not soggy or stale feeling, like the feel of some crackers I have tried.

I believe that these are available in Holland and Barrett, although I do recommend buying online as all of my local Holland and Barrett stores are small and only stock a tiny range. Also many health food stores stock them!

I would love to know what you tend to eat with crackers. Is it a strictly cheese and cracker relationship you have, or do you did them in soup like croutons or just eat them plain with butter?

Hannah x

*These products were gifted to my to try, all opinions are my own.

When it comes to Christmas you most certainly can't do things by halves. You have to have the world's largest Turkey (even if it doesn't fit in the oven!), the glitziest wrapping paper and definitely the most extravagant decorations, so why should your cheese board miss out?

When it comes to picking crackers I don't think a typical cream cracker will do, they need a flavour to compliment the at least 30 different types of cheese on the board... okay maybe not that much cheese, but close enough! I do love cheese!

I have found that the Angelic savoury biscuits are my favourite. They have a dry consistency with a good snap and are very well flavoured, there is no mistaking the flavours they claim to be on the box, which is fantastic. I have raved so much about their products since discovering them so if you are interested in finding out more about Angelic, click here.

I will review the individual flavours that I have not yet done in the near future. But for today I would like to let you know what I like to choose to eat with each flavour.

Sweet Chilli
These are HOT, I am a bit of a heat fearer so these may seem pretty mild to you, but it doesn't mean that I do not love them! I think these go best with a bit of brie as it cools them down but does not overpower the good kick of chilli taste that I love. However being the chilli lightweight that I am two of these biscuits is more than enough in one sitting!

Cocktail Oatcake
These are a very plain biscuit so they go with most things. What I particularly enjoy with these though are smoked cheeses, as there is no other flavour to hinder the subtle smokey taste. These would also be great with a regular cheddar, or as I have been eating them lately with just a bit of butter, odd I know but don't knock it until you've given it a go!

Rosemary & Sea Salt
I found blue cheese was a superb choice to have with these savoury biscuits. The rosemary adds a depth to the flavour that translates beautifully in the mouth. Being the sophisticated person that I am, I actually found laughing cow blue cheese was my favourite with these biscuits. I also enjoy dipping these into houmous as rosemary is a flavour that really compliments the chick peas!

Sea Salt
Much Like the oat cookies, these are perfect partners for any type of cheese or pate on your cheese board. I found that these are great for a soft cheese, with black pepper or garlic infused as these are normally quite strong and the biscuit does not want to have a contrasting flavour when eating such a cheese.

I have found that Angelic's selection of savoury biscuits are very unique for the free from market, the flavours are not easy to find elsewhere and gives a more sophisticated choice for those who do not want plain crackers with their cheeses this festive season. For the RRP of £2.59, although many places are cheaper, I feel these are the best value for the flavours and quality of food you receive. They are also dairy and egg free so all of us can enjoy them!

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas!

Hannah x

When buying Christmas presents for those who have dietary requirements, don't be afraid and feel you cannot buy them food as that selection box has the dreaded wafer chocolate or that nutty bar. Become creative!

Although I do not have any close friends that are gluten free, I know many people do and if I were to create a hamper for myself this is what I would love to unwrap Christmas day!

All my items are gluten free, but I cannot recommend this selection for any other diets as I have catered to the needs of those who are gluten intolerant, there is definitely dairy and other allergens in this hamper. But the great thing about DIY is you can find an equivalent that will suit your recipients needs.

My Hamper

I brought my basket from my floristry wholesaler for £2.50, floristry baskets are great to use as hampers because they are lined so if anything may leak it will not affect the basket. I know you have to be in the industry to access florist wholesalers but I'm sure you can find baskets in most places, I've know people to find some beautiful ones in charity shops.  This one spoke to me as it has Christmas ribbon around it.


What's in My Hamper 

Tesco Finest Free From White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies - All the biscuits in this range are fantastic, I also like how the packaging looks more grown up and sophisticated than most free from food. All the varieties wrapped together would make a great gift on their own!

Hotel Chocolat Reindeer Lollies - Don't be afraid to buy food that's not from the free from section, as you wouldn't believe the amount of products you can actually find that are ok for gluten intolerance's. These are just milk and white chocolate in the cutest shapes!

Dairy Milk Vanilla Mouse Snowman - Because the Reindeer was clearly not enough!

Nakd Bars - These are a great option for those that enjoy a healthy lifestyle as they are all natural but taste like a sweet treat. You could also use eat natural bars as they are another great option for something healthier.

Angelic Sweet Chilli Savoury Biscuits - Ok so these are not actually in the picture but that's because I have not got any at the moment! But these are my favourite flavour to have around Christmas, they go great with brie and many other Christmas cheeses.

Mrs Crimbles Jam Coconut Rings - I like to look at these as a more healthy cake option as they are more nutritional due to the coconut but they taste so good and remind me of a coconut jammy dodger!

Helens Cupcake Mix - This gives your recipient something to do after christmas, I included christmas cases which were only £1 in Ikea.

Don't be afraid to look around the shops and find naturally gluten free products to throw in! Many crisps and nuts are also great as fillers.

Would you ever make a hamper for a friend or would you rather buy something pre-made?

Hannah x

Everyone needs a chocolatey hit, particularly on a Friday! So today nobody has to miss out as Angelic's double chocolate cookies do not contain dairy, gluten or egg meaning we can all have one together (if we had a giant box that is).

These cookies are less that 75 calories per cookie and a box contains 8, which I feel is a generous number. Comparing these cookies to a size everyone could relate to I would say they are the same roundness as a can of drink, so they are a fair size. The box retails for £3.25 on amazon meaning these cookies are around 40p each which is good value for a sweet treat that tastes great. 

The texture of this cookie is as you would expect, a slight crunch as you bite but a slight softness to the centre with a hit of extra chocolate every now and then when you bite into a chocolate chip. Although I would consider this a quite a dry recipe there is no dry crumbliness to this biscuit that can be quite common in gluten free products. The only downside to this is that I can't insist on eating all the broken ones as I've never had a crumbly one!

The flavour of this cookie is what I deem as a cocoa flavour rather than a chocolate flavour as it is much richer and not as sweet as a milk chocolate style cookie. I really enjoyed this as I love a really rich bitter chocolate this is very much on the same lines so is right up my street!

I would recommend these cookies to those who enjoy a more bitter type of chocolate or chocolate biscuit or cookie as these are perfectly rich in chocolate without being too sweet, or too bitter for that matter. 

If you would like to know more about Angelic as they can not be found in mainstream supermarkets as of yet, click here.

I would love to know if you have tried Angelic's range and what you thought!

Hannah x 

 

Angelic are a relatively small business from Scotland.  When I met them at the free from show I fell in love with their products, packaging and their concepts. As they are not as large as others they are not yet in supermarkets. They are growing fast but for now you can find your local stockist here!

These Biscuits did not fail me, I love rosemary and makes me feel very wintery/Christmasy (yes I said it!) As I was eating them they made me feel like its finally getting autumnal.

This product is very delicate so take care as you are smothering it in cheese, I did have a little crack develop as I was doing my best plastering impression on my biscuit!

The plain biscuit itself has a powerful aroma of rosemary and the second I opened the pack I could smell it, which made me much more hungry! There is a strong taste of rosemary, but this is not overpowering and the salt gives a little bit of edge and makes this savoury biscuit very pleasant to eat alone.

As I said they are quite delicate but they are not crumbly, they crumble in the mouth as they should but this is because they are a slightly softer consistency to what you would expect from a product of this nature. I assumed it would be much like a cracker and quite dry and snaps but I was wrong! This product does not leave a dry feeling in your mouth so I feel they have got the balance just right.

The box suggested pairing the savoury biscuits with blue cheese, which sounded amazing. But as I work in an office I didn't think it would be acceptable to bring in a huge block of smelly cheese so I opted for blue cheese Laughing Cow, all the flavour but with none of the smell!

I would have never naturally put blue cheese and rosemary together but they married together well and gave the cheese a kick and lifted the flavour. This is for sure the absolute best way to eat them! I think I would have eaten the whole box if I had more cheese, complete lack of will power!

I love these biscuits and I think I am going to try these with tomato soup instead of a roll. I think the rosemary will go great with the tomato. Christmas here I come!

If you haven't heard of Angelic or you would just like to know more they have a great Facebook and Twitter account as well as a website.

Hannah x

It's baking hot today in the UK so this weeks Foodie Friday I have kept well away from chocolate and anything that could get all melty!

So I opened my cookies I brought at the free from show. I was leaving these as long as possible because I love them and wanted to save them! Crazy I know!

I met the Angelic team at the Olympia show, they were lovely and spent a lot of time talking to James and I. It's good to find smaller brands in the gluten free market and when the people behind the brand are lovely, it just makes it even better!

When I brought these at the show it was mainly because James loved them, as James is not gluten free, he does not like anything gluten free that doesn't taste 100% 'normal' so I trust his opinion. I was getting excited about the savoury flavours but he said I had to buy these too, so I did.

I am so glad he did make me because now I want to try the other flavours!

These cookies have a good snap and a crunchy texture but they are not dry or stick in your mouth like bad gluten free cookies (you know the type I mean, the kind that give you a funny film feeling in your mouth and you have to drink something to clear it.) This made me extremely happy as ginger can be a dry flavour naturally.

The taste of these are great! Now if you don't like ginger you WILL NOT like these but as I love ginger, and I love these. They have a very strong ginger taste and leaves that wonderful tongue tingling after taste.

Pros:

• Great taste and texture 
• Under 75 calories a cookie
• The lady who runs Angelic is lovely!

Cons:

• Where they are a smaller brand they are harder to get hold of - you can order online. 

If I get hold of the other flavours I'll be sure to let you know what I think!

Hannah x 

So it is no longer Friday but I took the day off on Friday and James and I travelled down to London to go to this event for the first time!

I have never been to any type of food show before but I have always really wanted to. We got there as the doors opened and I couldn't believe how big the event was! I have been to caravan and craft shows in the past but nothing as full and busy!

There were many samples and freebies to try from many retailers, some that I have never heard of! As well as Sainsbury's and ASDA kitchens cooking meals.

We spend about 4-5 hours at the show and decided we would just walk round for a couple of hours before purchasing, as we would have to carry these all day. As we got into the building we were given goodie bags from Udis, this consisted of a couple of promotional leaflets, coupons and a box of gluten free pop tart style pastries, unfortunately James did not get a box in his bag.

Throughout the day we spoke to many companies and found some new foods to try.

Purchases
Many items were on a good offer so I couldn't resist! here is a rundown of what I brought and the prices:

• Udis Chocolate Chip & Toffee Muffins - £1
• Peppersmith mints, 3 lemon and 3 original -  6 for £5
• Wellabys pitta chips in italina herb and olive - 4 for £1
• Ten Arce crisps, Variety of flavours - 5 for £3
• B Free Fajita Kit - £2
• Helens Pastry and Chocolate Cupcake Mix - 2 for £4
• Angelic sweet and savoury biscuits - Mix and Match 3 for £5 or £5.50?
• Pizza flavour crisp bread and natural lemon chocolate bar - £5

Freebies
There was also many samples and freebies, I had eaten so many samples I thought I was going to burst!

The items I took away free were:

• Two packets of granola
• One Pure Bred Mini Muffin 
• Two ASDA bars
• Udis Toaster Pastries

Coupons
I also received £17 worth of coupons to use in the supermarket as well as many percentage off coupon codes for websites. Most have pretty long dates so I can stay stocked up!

Reviews of all items will be coming soon! Particularly on Angelic, I think they were the stand out company of the day!

Hannah x