My recent trip to London was my first experience in Europe. I was blown away by the architecture, food, style and history that characterized the city. Our trip was also the first time my parents had been to Europe, so we got to experience it together with fresh eyes. We marveled over how we never ate a bad meal - especially after hearing about London's reputation for less than stellar food. Half of these spots were wonderful suggestions from friends. The other half were places I researched or happy accidents that we stumbled upon! Hopefully this list of restaurants and pubs will help you enjoy your culinary experience in London as much as we did.

Dishoom: Inspired by the disappearing Irani cafés of Bombay, Dishoom has a cool vibe and delicious food.

The Wolseley: This is a well-known and extremely impressive establishment. It will be helpful to make a reservation, dress up a bit and prepare your budget for the occasion. An excellent choice for afternoon tea.

Rabbit: Tapas! Exquisite tapas, delicious drinks and a laid-back vibe. I can't say enough good things about this place.

Cafe Concerto: If you see one of these and you're hungry for lunch, go in and sit down. One of the best salmon niçoise salads I've ever eaten.

The Botanist: This spot is typically busy, so I recommend making a reservation. Incredible drink list and delicious food.

Chelsea Potter Pub: We stumbled upon this pub, but apparently it is quite well known! I recommend the Pimm's and Lemonade or a pint of Pironi to go with your fish and chips.

Da Scalzo: The best pizza! Their gluten-free crust was impressive as well. Live jazz makes this little piece of Italy even more cozy.

No. 11 Pimlico Road: Go here for breakfast! I'm sure they make great dinner as well, but trust me, you need to eat their breakfast. The design in this place is on point!

Three months ago, my mom and I planted my first garden while she was visiting over spring break. Little did I know, it would turn out to be one of my biggest joys. Watching large, dark zucchini grow from little seeds is a really cool process. Luckily, I've had a healthy harvest so far - and a girl can only eat so much green curry before she needs another use for her zucchini.

That's where this zucchini bread comes in. I adapted it from Minimalist Baker's Gluten Free Zucchini Cake and used the HEB brand GF flour that my mother-in-law brought us from Texas. I can't vouch for other types, but any gluten free flour blend should work!

Ingredients:

1 full cup grated zucchini
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 c agave nectar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup grape seed oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 free range eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend
3/4 cup almond meal
1 TBS coconut flour
pinch salt
1/4 c chopped walnuts to top the bread

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease + flour an 8x8 baking dish.

Mix the zucchini, vanilla extract, agave nectar, grape seed oil, appleasauce and eggs together.

In another bowl, mix the gluten free flour, almond meal, coconut flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Add the DRY ingredients into the WET gradually, whisking to incorporate well.

Pour the thick batter into the greased pan and top with chopped walnuts. Bake for 45-50 minutes. You will know the bread is done when the edges are brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let is cool for five minutes and serve warm! This bread also keeps well in the fridge for several days. Make sure to keep it covered with tin foil to preserve the moistness of the bread. This recipe is softer and sweeter than most zucchini breads, since it is adapted from a zucchini cake! I can't wait to try the original version with the Minimal Baker's dairy free cream cheese frosting. Yum.

Let me know if you try this out! Hope everyone is having a great start the the week. :)

London Food Guide

Gluten Free Zucchini Bread