Dairy-Free – Page 25 – The Food Wife

Banana Muffins with a Chocolate Hazelnut Filling

27th March 202027th March 2020
by thefoodwife

Makes 12

Here we have a vegan muffin stuffed with a decadent filling of chocolate hazelnut spread. If keeping this totally vegan, use a plant based spread (I noticed one available in M&S). These are really quick to put together and take just 25 minutes to bake.

They are best eaten on the day they are made (not really a hardship!) although could be refreshed in the microwave for a few seconds.

As with all muffin recipes, minimal mixing is required to achieve a light, rather than tough sponge.

Ingredients:
3 large very ripe bananas, mashed
60ml vegetable oil
120g light soft brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
12 tsp chocolate hazelnut spread (plant based if vegan)

Step 1: Preheat oven to 190c (fan) and line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Step 2: Lightly combine the banana, oil, sugar, vanilla, flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl. For a light muffin minimal mixing is required.

Step 3: Half fill each muffin case with the batter. Top each with a teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut spread and then cover with the remaining muffin batter.

Step 4: Bake for 25 minutes and then remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Thai Three Taste Sauce

12th March 202012th March 2020
by thefoodwife

Makes enough for 3-4 portions

A staple in many Thai restaurants, the three tastes here are salty, sweet and sour. The saltiness comes from the fish sauce, the sweet from the palm sugar and the sourness from the tart tamarind paste. Thereâ€™s also a good punch of heat from the chilli and garlic.

It is an excellent accompaniment to (fried) fish or tofu. Make a batch and if not using it all at once, divide into mini portions and freeze.

The recipe below makes the sauce which you can then add to your chosen Thai dish. Once made simply add it to the end of your cooking of your fish or tofu. Serve with rice or noodles.

Ingredients:
3 chillis, roughly chopped (including seeds)
8 fat cloves of garlic
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp fish sauce
4 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp water
65g palm sugar

Step 1: Begin by using a food processor to blitz the chilli and garlic into a rough paste.

Step 2: In a wok, heat the oil over a medium high heat and then stir fry the chilli-garlic paste for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Step 3: Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until slightly thickened and the sugar fully dissolved. This may take three or four minutes. Stir frequently.

Step 4: Remove from the heat and it is now ready to use on your cooked fish or tofu, simply add for the last minute or two of cooking.

N.b. Adjust the amount of chilli depending on your tolerance.

Squash, Potato and Black Bean Coconut Curry

6th March 20206th March 2020
by thefoodwife

Serves 4

Iâ€™m currently a little bit obsessed with black beans as a protein. Iâ€™ve been using them in stews and rice dishes, and this week decided Iâ€™d try them in a curry.

I wanted to pair them with a coconut based sauce. This is fragrant but not hot. Itâ€™s balanced with cubes of potato and sweet butternut squash.

The curry is gluten-free and vegan. Vegetable-based curries like this one go so well with nutty brown basmati rice. We also enjoyed it with an excellent lime and chilli pickle.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 shallots/1 white onion, peeled and cut into thin half moons
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
2 heaped tsp Garam Masala
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 heaped tsp ground coriander
1 tin (400ml) coconut milk
1 tin of black beans, drained
Salt

Step 1: Heat the oil over a medium heat and add the shallots/onion. Move around the pan occasionally until lightly browned and softened.

Step 2: Add the cubed squash and potato, along with the spices, and stir until coated and the spices lightly toasted.

Step 3: Add the coconut milk, along with half a tin of water. Cover, lower the heat and cook for about fifteen minutes.

Step 4: Add the black beans, cover again and cook for a further fifteen minutes.

Step 5: Season with a large pinch of salt, to taste. Check that the squash and potato are tender before serving.

Serve with brown basmati rice and chopped coriander sprinkled over the top.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew

27th February 202027th February 2020
by thefoodwife

Serves 6

I found a recipe for a black bean and sweet potato stew online, it sounded good, but Iâ€™ve made some tweaks to make it even more delicious.

The great thing is that this recipe is perfect for batch cooking and freezing for a nutritious meal when you canâ€™t be bothered to cook. Itâ€™s also cheap to make and contains lots of ingredients youâ€™ve probably already got in your store cupboard.

Itâ€™s a gluten-free and vegan recipe, and is perfect served with nutty brown rice and a salad.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp (rapeseed or olive) oil
1 red onion, medium dice
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
Spice mix containing: 1 heaped tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp ground coriander & 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
3 medium sweet potatoes (approx 600g), peeled and cut into a 1 inch dice
500g passata
400ml vegetable stock (ensure gluten-free and vegan if required)
2 x tins/cartons black beans, drained
Salt and pepper
100g frozen spinach
2 tbsp chopped coriander

Step 1: Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large casserole dish. Add the onion and soften for five minutes.

Step 2: Add the garlic and spice mix and cook out for 30 seconds, then add the cubed sweet potato and tomato purÃ©e and cook for a further thirty seconds, stirring.

Step 3: Add the passata and vegetable
stock, along with the drained black beans. Add a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Place the lid on the casserole, and simmer for an hour to an hour and a half, or until the sweet potato is tender.

Step 4: Check the seasoning and add more as necessary. Stir in the chopped frozen spinach, until dispersed through the sauce. Finish by stirring through the chopped coriander.

Serve with rice and a green salad.

(Gluten and Dairy Free) Chocolate and Tahini Banana Loaf

8th January 202029th February 2020
by thefoodwife

Chocolate and tahini seems to be all the rage at the moment. Here is a recipe for a wonderfully moreish cake that can be made both gluten and dairy free. Tahini is made from sesame seeds and so brings a subtle nutty taste to the cake, which complements the sweetness from the banana and bitterness from the dark chocolate.

The banana will keep this moist and should last a few days when wrapped and kept in an airtight container.

Ingredients:

110g vegetable oil
70g caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
2 large very ripe bananas, mashed
50g tahini
1 tsp vanilla extract
170g (gluten-free if required ) plain flour with 2 heaped tsp (gluten-free if required) baking powder mixed in (alternatively use 170g (gluten-free if required) self-raising flour)
30g cocoa powder
100g chocolate, buttons, chips or broken into pieces (if keeping this dairy/gluten-free free use a dark free from chocolate)
Sesame seeds

Step 1: Combine all the ingredients, minus the chocolate pieces, into a smooth batter.

Step 2: Fold through the chocolate pieces.

Step 3: Pour into a lined 2lb loaf tin and sprinkle the evened top with sesame seeds.

Step 4: Bake in a preheated oven at 180c (fan) for 50 mins, or until risen and springs back to the touch.

Step 5: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for half an hour before transferring (out of the tin) to a wire rack.

Store in an airtight container and it should last a few days. Excellent served with a cup of tea or coffee.