Wake up, you're in Sydney!

Well, we made it. We've been here for four days, exploring this exciting new city.

Now the next step: adapting to Sydney life.

Acclimatising ourselves to the hotter temperature, getting our bearings on the city, and setting things up to move into our new apartment this weekend. So far, everything is going smoothly.

Taken during my first morning run in Sydney.

But one thing that is requiring a bit more of an adjustment: getting used to the coffee.

We've been pretty busy since we got here, so our morning coffee fix has been absolutely essential. But the coffee here is different to what we are used to - and, so far, decidedly worse.

For starters, milky coffee is made with only one shot of espresso. And one shot of coffee doesn't really count if you ask me.

Truth be told, I wouldn't get out of bed for a one-shot coffee.

So if you want something resembling a caffeinated beverage, you have to ask for your latte or flat white 'strong', and it will cost a little extra. 

A long black will have two shots of espresso, as you would typically expect. But beware of black coffee. Like I said, the coffee here is worse than in New Zealand. And black coffee is completely unforgiving. On Sunday, I had a long black that made me want to gouge out my own tongue to make the badness stop. 

So white coffee it is. 

Thankfully for me, almond milk is really common here, more common than in New Zealand. And you'll find lactose free milk offered in a lot of cafes, too. Some cafes use a really delicious almond milk, designed for making smooth and silky coffee - Almond Breeze barista blend. To give Aussie some credit where it is due, it is much better than any of the almond milk I've had in New Zealand cafes.

On our travels so far, we have found two places that produce quality coffee on par with Wellington and that also provide decent almond milk.

Two black sheep - Sydney CBD

This award-winning wee gem is two minutes from our hotel on Pitt St in an underground complex. Its central location is easy to access for travellers and workers, and it is frequented by lots of busy commuters on their way from Town Hall station. Along with tasty coffee, gluten-free snacks are also available. 

Rogue - Surry Hills

The best coffee I have had in Australia, hands down. And perhaps one of the reasons we fell in love with Surry Hills from the outset - we move into an apartment there this weekend. The gluten-free food here is also spectacular (more on that another day), making Rogue a strong contender for our new weekend brunching favourite.

We are still exploring the city and I'm sure we will find more good coffee, especially once we start work. No one demands good - and plentiful - coffee like government employees. 

But these delicious options are a great place to start. 

The best coffee I've had in Sydney - Rogue, Surry Hills.

This gluten-free foodie's pre-travel checklist

Moving city calls for a lot of life admin. It's a logistical test that has challenged even this spreadsheet-loving planning enthusiast. 

Lists. So many lists.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Ross and I are moving to Sydney for two-year secondments. We have spent the last week packing our belongings, moving out of our apartment, finishing up at work, saying goodbyes, flying across the ditch, and acquainting ourselves with a new city. 

Of course, we are super excited about our Sydney adventure. But there are lots of things about New Zealand that we will miss. The people, for sure. Plus there are a lot of things about living in Wellington that we we are sad to leave behind, too.

This photo was taken during my last run along the Wellington waterfront. 

One thing that we will miss about Wellington is the food, not to mention the coffee. And this is hardly surprising, given my prolific blogging about it. 

So, to make sure we experienced all of our favourites before leaving, we have been working through our gluten-free foodie pre-travel checklist - arguably the most important list of them all. And being homeless after we handed over our keys means we have had the perfect excuse to do it.

Ross and Liz's pre-travel checklist - gluten-free eats in Wellington

1. Dinner at Long Xiang. This was so good we did it two nights in a row.
2. Cocktails at Alice for a last strawberry doddle (avoiding the biscuit sticks).
3. A visit to Capital Market for delicious Korean food and treats from Miss Kangsta's gluten-free bakery. The chocolate chip cookies are my favourite; Ross goes gaga over the strawberry and cream cheesecake. 
4. Weekday breakfast at Mixed Business for top-notch gluten-free bread and hash browns.
5. Dinner at Great India for the best onion bhajia in town.
6. One last lunch at Pita Pit - my number one low-FODMAP lunch option. 
7. A celebratory dinner at Royal Thai on our last night in Wellington.
8. Followed by decadent gluten-free desserts at Library. 
9. Breakfast at Ti Kouka, eating from their exciting low-FODMAP menu.
10. Lunch at Neo, where they serve buckwheat pancakes made of happiness and dreams.  

Our last night in Wellington, celebrated at Royal Thai.

Caramel-peanut popcorn and vanilla bean sundae from Library.

Buckwheat pancakes from Neo, served with banana, greek yogurt, and cinnamon-crusted almonds.

As I'm sure you can imagine, we had a lot of fun sampling these goodies before flying out. 

And now that we have arrived in Sydney, the eating out continues - and so too do the logistics. 

We are having lots of great adventures over here and we have found some mind-blowing gluten-free options, too (although, I'm not going to lie, I'm starting to crave meat and three veg - emphasis on the veg). 

But then that's a post for next time... 

Our descent into Sydney.

Eat your veggies!

I love running. As mad as that may sound. I really love it.

And it isn't just an excuse to lounge around in activewear. (Because, seriously, who needs an excuse??) 

Running is simple. You pick up one foot, move it forward through the air, place it on the ground again, and repeat. For a more advanced version, you do this quickly. 

But while running is straightforward, running nutrition is not. 

There is a lot of conflicting information out there about what you should eat, how much, and when. 

At one point I tried to understand and synthesize all this information, but I soon gave up. I decided that the best piece of advice I had heard - and the only one I really needed - was this: "Eat your veggies".

Pretty great life advice in general, really! 

But alas, vegetables can be a little bit problematic on a low-FODMAP diet. Gone are the days of being fussy about what vegetables I will eat, that's for sure!

Admittedly, my days of fussiness are now over, almost exclusively because I am unable to tolerate peas. Some have speculated that my adoption of the low-FODMAP diet is actually an elaborate plan to avoid my culinary nemesis, such is the extent of my loathing. However, I am simply not that cunning. 

Besides, irritable bowel syndrome has to have some perks!

And indeed, there are some pretty exciting, delicious vegetable options that FODMAP-averse foodies can sink their teeth into. 

To help me make the most of them, I've compiled a wee table of common low-FODMAP vegetable options by season (similar to the post I put together on low-FODMAP fruit). 

All of the veggies I have been eating will surely help me smash my half-marathon next weekend. Well, the veggies, months of training, and, of course, my shoes. 

Little known fact: pink shoes make you run faster.

Low-FODMAP vegetables by season

This guide was put together using the Monash University app and Healthy Food Guide. 

This list is not extensive. A range of other vegetables may also be suitable, depending on the portion size and your tolerance to different FODMAPs.

Some of these vegetables listed below (and denoted by asteriks) are high in FODMAPs when large quantities, or certain varieties or parts of the vegetable are consumed. See the app for details. Blue denotes that the vegetable is imported at that time of year.  

Prepared for flight

It's been a slow start to the year, at least as far as this blog is concerned. 

But, in every other way, it has been a hectic, fast-paced start to the year for us.

This year Ross and I are starting a new adventure. We have accepted two-year secondments, working at the Reserve Bank of Australia so we will be moving to Sydney on the 10th of March. We have absolutely loved our time in Wellington, but it's time for us to take this amazing opportunity and do something a bit different. 

Much about our lives in Australia will be very new, including the food we will be eating - so this blog will be coming along for the ride. There'll certainly be lots of new experiences to write about - and hopefully there'll be some great food to try!  

But, first things first, we need to get there.

So for the past month we have been drowning in our ever-expanding to-do list. And every item we tick off leads to three new things that we need to add to the list - oh, and each of those things takes about twice as long as you would expect. 

But we are getting through it. In fact, this weekend we booked our flights and accommodation for when we arrive in Sydney. I also submitted my passport application. So, all going to plan, we are prepared for flight. 

To celebrate that - and because long weekends are the BEST - Ross and I decided to take some time this morning and head to one of the cafes that we intend to visit before we leave. 

(The list of such cafes is about as long as, but a hundred times more exciting than, my cleaning to-do list, and similarly seems to be growing by the day!)

So, to take a break and digest the fact that we have purchased our one-way tickets, we decided to celebrate with brunch at the aptly named Flight Hangar.

Our sensational brunch at Flight Hangar.

Flight Hangar is one of Wellington's trendiest cafes of the moment - it's edgy and cool, while being fresh and welcoming. There are a number of other hipster cafes in Wellington, some of which are overrated, pretty stale, and have been getting away with average customer service for way too long. Flight Hangar should be giving them a thing or two to worry about.

And don't just believe me - it's super popular. We arrived at about 8:45am to avoid it being busy and the environment was vibrant yet relaxed. But by the time we left, the place was buzzing. 

An observation that is perhaps unsurprising once you try the coffee.   

Flight coffee is run by a family of self-confessed coffee nerds and it really is outstanding Flight Hangar has a coffee menu where you can pick your roast of choice, and the brew is made with love and expert precision.  

Made with love.

The menu, with its range of gluten-free options, is extensive too. There were some delicious-sounding healthy choices we could have made, but I was feeling indulgent - and not even remotely guilty, since I completed my last half-marathon long run yesterday (yay, taper time!). 

So (armed with lactase tablets) I ordered a regular flat white and gluten-free french toast. 

Now, this wasn't just old egg-soaked-white-vogels french toast, either. It was made with soft, fluffy gluten-free brioche that had been laced with cinnamon and brown sugar, drenched in blueberry syrup, and smothered in creme fraiche. It was absolutely magical. 

French toast.

Ross had the honey roasted strawberries on toasted brioche and vanilla mascarpone. This was less FODMAP-friendly than the French toast, so I couldn't steal some (lucky for Ross), but he tells me it was yum - sweet and exquisite from what I can imagine! 

Honey roasted strawberries.

Overall, we had delicious brunch at Flight Hangar for a relaxing wee break - with excellent food, coffee and service. Exactly what we needed. 

Sadly, we won't have much time to try more of their yummy options before we take flight. 

But I may just have to add it to my to-do list...

How to survive Christmas shopping in central Wellington

1. Write a list

Then ignore it. 

2. Start adequately caffeinated

Begin your trip right at Old George. It's the best coffee in town. I know that's a pretty big (not to mention, controversial) statement in this town, but I do not say it lightly. It is quite literally the best coffee I have ever had. 

Old George roastery on the Terrace is my weekday morning regular, and the Bowen St cafe is open on weekends - perfect for your pre-shopping coffee. They even have almond milk for a low-FODMAP fix. 

Your coping mechanism.

3. Embrace the chaos

Once adequately caffeinated, use your coffee-fueled resolve to embrace the chaos head on. 

Head to Toy World. There'll be everything you could have possibly imagined - for children and adults alike - in every different theme. (Lego. And Star Wars. At the same time? You bet.) 

A word of caution: try not to stand on any children. 

4. Make hints

Meander down Lambton Quay, wandering in and out of stores - pointing out to your significant other all of the delightful things that you never knew you needed but now simply can't live without.  

For best results, try not to make your hints too subtle. 

5. Keep safe 

Always watch for hazards. Not standing on children is a great start, but avoiding stacks of books is also a good idea. (They are stacked to look pretty, not with structural integrity in mind.)

Be particularly vigilant as you walk into Lush. Allow your eyes to adjust to the brightness; inhale the deliciousness. Then take a quick gauge of the stress levels amongst the customers and staff. Feel your heart palpitate as you glance at the price tag on a nearby gift box. 

Walk out. Quickly, without any sudden movements. 

6. Stop for lunch at Neo 

Shopping is hungry work, and Neo is the perfect place to refresh after trailing the length of Lambton, but before braving the chaos of Cuba. It might even be time for another almond milk flat white.

Neo is our favourite weekend lunch haunt, with its delicious gluten-free, low-FODMAP options. 

Scrambled eggs and smoked tomato. 

From exciting brunch food, to decadent Whitakers chocolate cake. Not to mention great coffee and the best chicken salad and fries in town. 

Parmesan on deep fried potato. Perfection. 

Parmesan fries.

Jerk chicken salad.

Over your delicious food, take time to assess your progress. 

Peruse Mighty Ape to discover all the things you could have bought more cheaply online. Plus all the gifts you were looking for but couldn't find in stores.  

7. Keep some perspective

Take time to think about those people in your life that you are buying for. Be thankful for the resources that allow us to enjoy such extravagance. 

And when you make it home with only half the presents you hoped, cursing the Secret Santa price limit, just remember - Christmas is about much more than shopping and presents.  

Congratulate yourself on surviving the carnage. Extra points for not resorting to violence. 

And definitely don't give up. There's plenty of days left until the 25th. 

Besides, your next shopping trip might be the perfect excuse to try Neo's rich gluten-free chocolate cake. 

'Tis the season

I love Christmas. 

It's a time to be thankful; a time spent with family. Oh, and an opportunity to eat your body weight in scorched almonds.* 

Family, food, and festivities. Seriously, what's not to love?

Plus, with more and more gluten-free Christmas treats like these now available, food intolerances are no barrier to enjoying the Christmas cheer. 

Along with celebrations and credit card debt, Christmas also brings with it summer warmth and delicious berries - meaning it's time to replace my winter rice porridge with delicious summer muesli.

Now finding muesli that's both gluten-free and low-FODMAP can be pretty tricky, especially since most dried fruits wreak havoc on sensitive tummies. 

But this recipe is just the ticket. 

It's light, scrumptious, and tummy friendly. 

Packed with the good energy you need to get you through your Christmas shopping. 

Tummy-friendly summer muesli

Makes 8 servings (3/4 of a cup per serving)

2 cups of gluten free cornflakes 

1 cup of buckwheat puffs

1 cup of millet puffs 

3/4 cup of chopped nuts

1/4 cup of sliced almonds

1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup of dried cranberries

1/4 cup of banana chips (broken into pieces)

1/4 cup of desiccated coconut

Mix all the ingredients until well combined. Keep in an airtight container. 

Serve with a low-FODMAP serving of summer fruit, your milk of choice, and a dollop of yoghurt. 

Note: A serving of muesli is low in FODMAPs. However, some of the ingredients can be high in FODMAPs if eaten in large quantities. 

* Dark chocolate scorched almonds are the business - delicious and low-FODMAP in moderation. But if you do plan to eat your body weight, I can't guarantee that you won't get a stomach ache. 

Korea, rice and shine!

After my posts about the best aspects of Korean cuisine (here, here and here), I promised I'd tell you what the absolute best thing we ate during our trip was.

Well, here it is. The best thing we ate was... rice. 

Bear with me. 

Rice was ubiquitous in Korea and we certainly ate a lot of it. It was available with every meal, served every way imaginable. You could have it hot, cold, fried, steamed, in a weird savoury slop, and even in different colours (but watch out for purple barley). There were certainly plenty of options - if you like rice, that is. 

And because it was everywhere, rice became a bit of a gluten-free, low-FODMAP lifesaver for us. 

At our hotel in Busan, for example, there wasn't much I could eat for breakfast. Just black coffee, orange segments, and - you guessed it - rice. I also can't have too much fructose so I couldn't go crazy on the oranges, either.

So... rice. 

Me going wild at the breakfast buffet.

It was a simple, staple necessity. 

Yet humble old rice surprised us in its gourmet applications, too. 

The best rice we had we discovered on our last day in Korea. We were in the Busan suburb of Gwangan-Dong when we found it.

It being the rice bakery. Should I say that again for emphasis? The rice bakery. 

Apparently there is also one of these marvellous inventions in Seoul, but we didn't stumble across it (it is a city of 10 million people, after all). In Busan, all we had to do was take the train to Geumnyeonsan, walk towards the water, turn right at Starbucks, then wander along the beach path - there it was.  

And, trust me, we didn't want to leave. 

Happy bread!

The only way to describe the goods at the rice bakery were, well, "normal". Like they were filled with delicious, gluteny goodness, coated in sugar, and made with love. And don't worry, we triple checked to make sure it was for real - we couldn't believe it either.

They had everything. Pastries that actually flaked. Cakes that were moist. Bread that was actually doughy. Fruit loaves that were - actually I'm not quite sure what people see in these, but they were there aplenty.  

Childhood treats you can only dream of (before the nightmares of gluten-induced stomach pains give you cold sweats).

This is Ross's custard cream pie. 

Happy place.

And here's my soft, squishy cream donut. 

This delicacy was a happy reminder that gluten-free living shouldn't mean deprivation from sugar-induced food comas. 

Cream donut.

Food this amazing should not be so far away. 

And so we finished our trip with a dilemma. 

Do we cancel our trip home and relocate to Busan? (Hmmm possibly a tad extreme.)

Or should we just eat the next week's worth of food all at once? (I know, I know, donuts are a sometimes food.)

Perhaps we could try and smuggle them into New Zealand and hope that it isn't stale in four days time? (The customs fine can't be that bad, right?)

Or - achievable goals - maybe we should just aspire for more in our gluten-free cooking? 

Korea manages to produce better gluten-free baked goods than I have ever seen, and it's not even a "thing" there!

Maybe we just need to get creative. There must be more that can be done sans gluten. Using ingredients like, I don't know, rice.

So we left Korea with a new appreciation for rice, inspired by the endless possibilities.

Oh, and with full bellies too.   

Bye, Korea. It's been a blast.