Serves 6
A simple cocktail to serve as an aperitif. Make the lemon syrup in advance and chill in the fridge, ready to serve when your guests arrive.
Makes 12
Continuing my quest to make tasty gluten-free alternatives for the Food Husband’s new diet, I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen this week.
He’s dutifully eaten a gluten-free loaf (which left a lot to be desired) but I have just made a batch of ginger cookies which have been far more successful.
Admittedly these aren’t all for him; they will be accompanying a lemon posset this evening as the pudding in a meal with friends.
These do not have to be made gluten-free, and can be made using regular flour and oats as you wish. If following a vegan or dairy-free diet, substituting the butter for coconut oil will result in a suitable alternative.
Store these in an airtight container and they will last a few days.
Step 1: Over a low heat, melt the butter and syrup in a heavy bottomed pan, stirring now and again. Once melted, leave to cool slightly.
Step 2: In a large bowl combine the sugar, flour, oats and ginger.
Step 3: Stir the bicarbonate of soda into the cooled liquid mix and then add to the dry ingredients, stirring thoroughly until all combined.
Step 4: Roll into 12 equal balls and spread out on two lined baking sheets.
Step 5: Bake in a preheated oven (180c fan) for 10 minutes, until golden and cracked on top.
Step 6: Remove from the oven and allow to cool (they will firm up as they cool). Leave them for five minutes on their trays and then carefully transfer the cookies, still on their baking parchment (hold diagonal corners taut), onto wire racks to cool completely.
Serves 8
I’ve had some cavolo nero and a rogue celeriac hanging around in my fridge for the past few days and as I’m trying not to let anything go to waste, this is essentially a fridge soup (but that doesn’t sound quite so appealing!)
On its own this soup is low calorie, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan friendly, making it suitable for a wide range of dietary requirements.
Whilst leek and potato are familiar soup buddies, the addition of celeriac and cavolo nero bring a different flavour. The cavolo nero also gives the soup it’s wonderful green colour and is packed with antioxidants and is also high in vitamins and minerals including lutein, calcium, manganese, vitamins A, C, K, fibre and iron. It’s a super soup!
Step 1: Using a large pan (I used my largest Le Creuset cast-iron casserole dish), heat the oil over a medium-low heat.
Step 2: Add the leeks and celery and stir frequently for five minutes or so until softened but not coloured.
Step 3: Add the celeriac, potato and vegetable stock and increase the heat until it reaches a simmer.
Step 4: Add the cavolo nero, add a lid to the pan (ensuring a gentle simmer underneath) and cook until the celeriac and potatoes are cooked (they should be nice and soft after 15-20 minutes).
Step 5: Blend the soup until smooth, and then season to taste with salt and pepper.
This will last a few days in the fridge, or portion up and pop in the freezer. We enjoyed the soup both on its own and with some cheese on top.
Makes 14
The Food Husband has recently started a gluten-free diet to see if it will improve a chronic illness he suffers from. I’ve had a week to plan and start getting more gluten-free ingredients ready to use.
Evening meals, when we eat together, aren’t an issue, as we often eat gluten-free or they are meals that can be easily adapted. A bigger challenge is finding him breakfast and lunch ideas for when he is at work. So I’ve started with breakfast.
His normal go-to breakfast on a work day is a cereal bar. They are convenient and quick to eat at his desk when he arrives. His usual bars are not certified as suitable for coeliac diets, and shop-bought gluten-free alternatives are pricey, so I’ve made our own.
The oats and Rice Krispies I have used are certified gluten-free versions but if this is not a requirement for you then by all means use regular cereals (it’s definitely cheaper!). I’ve also kept these vegan, but again if this isn’t necessary, honey could be used in place of the syrup.
I have wrapped each one in foil and then stored them in an airtight container. These need to be eaten fairly fresh, but should last the two or so weeks I’m expecting for the Food Husband to make his way through them.
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the oats, Rice Krispies and cashew nuts.
Step 2: Over a medium heat, melt the coconut oil, syrup and chopped dates together, until little bubbles start to rise to the surface.
Step 3: Carefully pour the hot liquid over the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until everything is coated.
Step 4: Spread into a lined baking tray (suitable for a tray bake) and press down with the back of a metal spoon.
Step 5: Bake at 170c (fan) for 20 minutes.
Step 6: Remove from the oven and allow to semi-cool in the tin. After about half an hour, whilst still in the tin, use a knife to carefully cut into 14 pieces (cut in half length wise and then divide each into seven). Once fully cool, wrap individually and store in an airtight container.
N.B. you could reduce the amount of syrup to 3/4 of a cup but any less will make it difficult for these to stick together.
Serves 5-6
A one-pan meal that can be flung together in minutes and then left in the oven, leaving you time to get on with other things.
Using the oil from the grilled peppers makes the potatoes really tasty. You might find you want to cut the peppers up into smaller pieces than they are in the jar, but it’s up to you. The artichokes are added for the final ten minutes or so to avoid them getting too crispy. Play around with the quantities as you wish, just don’t overcrowd the baking trays.
Step 1: Make the rub by combining the five ingredients and setting to one side.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine the potato, peppers (and their oil), garlic, eight sprigs of thyme and two generous pinches of salt and pepper, and mix with your hands so that everything is coated. Divide between two large baking trays, so each has a single layer.
Step 3: Nestle the chicken pieces, skin side up, amongst the potatoes. Use a teaspoon to adorn the top of each with the rub mix and finally shred the leaves from the remaining four sprigs of thyme and scatter across both trays.
Step 4: Bake in a preheated oven (200c fan) for 40 minutes. At this point scatter over the artichoke pieces and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
If the potatoes have not yet crisped, remove the chicken pieces (you can wrap in foil to keep them warm) and return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes.
Serve with a large green salad or green vegetable.