Gluten-Free – Page 24 – The Food Wife

Korean-Spiced Nuts and Seeds

7th March 20217th March 2021
by thefoodwife

Makes approximately 1kg

I recently catered a virtual night out for a group of friends, providing nibbles to accompany our delicious wine from Cru Wines in Bradford on Avon. One of the savoury offerings were these Korean-spiced nuts and seeds, an experiment which turned out good!

This uses the Korean red pepper powder Gochugaru for a warming glow. You can of course adjust the quantity to achieve your desired heat (this quantity was by no means hot) or you could use different spices to your taste. The maple, oil and salt quantity will provide the right amount of coating for what ever you choose to coat 1kg of nuts and seeds.

I used 800g of mixed nuts and 200g of the mixed seeds to provide little clusters which partly cling to the nuts.

Ingredients:

1 tsp fine salt
4 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil
4 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper powder)
1kg mixed unsalted nuts and seeds (I used cashews, almonds, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and linseeds)

Step 1: Melt the maple and coconut oil together ( this can be done on a hob or in a microwave).

Step 2: Mix this with the salt and chilli. Add the nuts and seeds and then stir to ensure everything is coated.

Step 3: Spread on a lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven (180c) for 20-25 minutes (checking occasionally to make sure they arenâ€™t burning) until they are toasted.

Step 4: Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Store in an airtight container (this way they should stay fresh for a couple of weeks).

Smashed Cucumber Salad

13th February 202113th February 2021
by thefoodwife

Serves 3-4

This salad is insane. Both in how easy it is to prepare and the flavour explosion in your mouth. I really struggle to not pick at this before serving. And although Iâ€™ve said this serves three to four people, I could devour it all by myself!

Adapt the ingredients appropriately to make it vegan/gluten-free.

Ingredients:

1 large cucumber

1 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp fish sauce (optional – leave out if making this vegetarian or vegan)

1 heaped tbsp crispy chilli oil (gluten-free/vegan if required)

Sesame seeds (optional)

Step 1: Top and tail the cucumber (peel too if you like), make sure it is lying flat on a chopping board and then use a rolling pin to give it a few whacks. The cucumber should split in several places. Then use a knife to cut these pieces into one or two inch chunks.

Step 2: Place the chunks in a bowl and add the soy, vinegar, fish sauce and chilli oil. Mix.

Step 3: Arrange on a plate and scatter with a pinch of sesame seeds. Serve.

Blood Orange Curd

4th February 20214th February 2021
by thefoodwife

I picked up a bowl of blood oranges for Â£1 in the local fruit and veg shop (although Iâ€™m sure these will be from Italy rather than Wiltshire!) and two of them have just been turned into a gluten and dairy-free curd.

I think it will be destined as the filling for a cake (as long as it survives not just being eaten out of the jar with a spoon).

Ingredients:

1tsp corn flour
75g vegan baking block (or butter if not making dairy-free)
175g caster sugar
3 large free-range eggs, beaten
2 blood oranges (juiced, reserve the zest for later)
1/2 lemon (juice only)

Step 1: Put all the ingredients (except the zest) in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and very gently heat, stirring nearly constantly to avoid any scrambling.

Step 2: Cook until the curd coats the back of a spoon (10-15 minutes). Remove from the heat and then pass through a sieve. Now stir through your zest before pouring into a sterilised jar.

Itâ€™s Christmassssss!

14th December 202015th December 2020
by thefoodwife

I thought Iâ€™d do a bumper post with links to some of my favourite recipes for this time of year. There will be savoury and sweet recipes and plenty of ideas for what to do with all that left over turkey!

If you fancy making your own mincemeat, but are looking for a slimmer version, why not try my Fat-Free Bramley Apple and Vintage Cider Mincemeat my latest batch had the addition of amaretto instead of the rum. Delicious. You can use it in my Mince â€˜Pieâ€™ Cupcakes with Custard Buttercream for a festive themed baked treat. On the theme of amaretto, if youâ€™re looking for an alternative showstopper dessert for the big day, take a look at The Food Wifeâ€™s Chocolate and Amaretto Italian Cheesecake. Make ahead and easily made gluten-free.

When it comes to the main event, my favourite part of the Christmas dinner is always the â€˜stuffingâ€™. Here is my take on it with my Pork and Pear Stuffing. This year Iâ€™ll be following the same principles but using dried apricots in place of the pear.

And after the 25th? Well you may well have a lot of left overs. We deliberately buy a bigger bird in order to create some exciting post Christmas meals such as a Vietnamese soup with a post-festive twist, my Turkey Pho or my sticky Korean Turkey Baos. If youâ€™re looking for less fuss then give my Turkey Tagine or Coronation Turkey a whirl.

If Turkey isnâ€™t your bag, then you may have bought a different joint. Pork or Beef will work wonders in my recipes for RagÃ¹.

And finally, wave goodbye to this year and see in the next with my New Year Rocky Road . It wonâ€™t disappoint (the rocky road, that is. I canâ€™t guarantee anything about 2021).

Gingerbread

9th December 20209th December 2020
by thefoodwife

Gluten free and vegan, this is my go to recipe for gingerbread. Today we made glittery Christmas trees and gingerbread people. Easy and quick to make! Perfect to make with your little people. Of course you don’t have to make these gluten free or vegan. By all means use regular flour and butter, if you like.

Ingredients:

125g of vegan baking block
100g light soft brown sugar
65g golden syrup
300g gluten-free plain flour
1 tsp gluten-free bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon.

Step 1: Preheat oven to 180c (fan). Line baking trays with parchment.

Step 2: Melt 125g of vegan baking block with 100g light soft brown sugar and 65g golden syrup. Set to one side.

Step 3: In a bowl mix 300g gluten-free plain flour, 1 tsp gluten-free bicarbonate of soda, 2 tsp ground ginger and 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon. Add the molten fat and sugar and stir until you have a smooth dough.

Step 4: Allow to cool for a few minutes and then tip out on to a large piece of grease proof paper. Top with another piece and then use your hands on top of the paper to spread the dough out until a few mm thick.

Step 5: Use your chosen cutters to press out shapes and carefully transfer to your lined baking sheets (you will need to be delicate as the dough tears easily at this stage) and then into the oven for 10-12 minutes until golden.

Step 6: Remove and allow to cool (wait about 15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool fully and then decorate as you wish).

Keep in an air tight container for up to a few days.