OK, so I've been suffering from an unhealthy mixture of jetlag, my return to the everyday from the bliss of being away away, far far away; and good old-fashioned writer's block... which is why there haven't been any updates recently... BUT I'm committed to keeping up this blog. So keep checking!

In the mean time, for all those who have been asking for a sample of my fiction, here's a short story I wrote a couple of years ago

I also have to include this recent favorite meal. (For those of you who don't speak food, in English it translates to: I'm really wanting comfort food right now)

Gram flour, also known as chickpea flour, is versatile, delicious and a secret weapon for the gluten intolerant -- at least as far as I'm concerned. Brown rice flour may be more popular, but brown rice is already so prevalent in the healthy food world, that there is a danger of overdosing on the stuff -- especially for people who try to rotate their foods so as not to aggravate already sensitive digestive systems.

After three years of not eating bread, I have started baking thanks to this wonderful discovery. All I can say is: there is a God.

Gram flour mixed with water and salt makes a great savoury pancake and can be used to dip in curries like they do in India.

Babycakes, a magical, wonderful bakery in New York City uses it to make, amongst other things amazing chocolate cupcakes and scones.

When I'm not sure whether I'm in the mood for sweet or savoury (no I'm not pregnant), or when I crave something deliciously doughy, I mix up enough batter for a single pancake (a quarter cup of gram flour with warm (important) water and a pinch of salt) spoon it into a non-stick pan and allow to set as I would a regular pancake. As this is cooking, I thinly slice a raw beet which I then place on top of the warm pancake with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh basil. If I ate dairy, I would add goat's cheese.

Sometimes, I use dates, apple sauce and almond butter instead. Bananas would be good with this mixture as well.