Christmas pudding flavored cake (microwave or tray-bake)

OK, I admit this is a bit of a cheat.....
This is basically the carrot and courgette cake with a Xmas twist

Who can eat it?

This recipe is gluten and wheat free, dairy free, egg free and nut free. It is suitable for vegetarians, vegans and coeliacs and anyone in need of a Xmas flavored pudding in a flash!

Who can't eat it?

It's cake and therefor not suitable for those needing a reducing diet however I have tried to keep the sugar content low and I think it would probably work OK if some of the sugar was substituted with a powdered sugar substitute. This recipe is rather high in fibre so it may not be suitable for those with Crohn's, colitis or IBS but it will depend on their condition at the time.

For the individual 'Xmas pudding' 

(scroll down for the tray-bake)

Dry mix 1/4 cup of rice flour 2 tablespoons of sugar (white or light brown) 1/8th teaspoon of cinnamon  1/4er teaspoon of mixed spice (or pumpkin pie spice if you are in the US) 1/4er teaspoon of GLUTEN FREE baking powder 1/8th baking soda/sodium bicarbonate 1 large pinch of salt
Wet mix
Half a small, finely grated carrot and  a small, finely grated apple which together should make 1/4 of a cup if you compact it (don't lose any juice, it's tasty!)
2 finely chopped prunes 2 teaspoons of ground flax powder (yes I know this is technically dry but bare with me!) 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of sunflower oil 1/4 teaspoon of natural vanilla essence  1/4 teaspoon of cider vinegar (or 'white vinegar' if you don't have this)
1/2 teaspoon of 'gravy browning' liquid
1/2 a tablespoon of brandy 
1/2 a tablespoon of Cointreau 

A handful of raisins and a few dried cranberries.

Brush the inside of a small microwaveable pudding basin with oil.
Mix the dry together in one bowl. Mix the wet ingredients together in another bowl. Now mix the wet and the dry together then add the raisins and cranberries and pop into your pudding basin. Slam the  whole lot into the microwave for about 2 minutes or until firm. Tip out onto a plate and low and behold you have your very quick Inclusive Xmas pudding!

The Tray Bake

You will need a 9inch by 13 inch tray, fully lined and brushed with oil. Gluten free cake sticks like crazy and with out oiling the paper it wont rise and will fall apart when you try to take the paper off.

Dry mix
2 cups of rice flour
1 cup of sugar (white or light brown)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of mixed spice (or pumpkin pie spice if you are in the US)
2 teaspoons of GLUTEN FREE baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda/sodium bicarbonate
1 teaspoon of salt
Wet mix
2 large carrots and 2 medium sized apples, finely grated. Together this should make 2 cups if you compact it (don't lose any juice, it's tasty!)  
5 finely chopped 'ready soaked' prunes 1/3 of a cup of ground flax powder (yes I know this is technically dry but bare with me!) 2/3rds of a cup of sunflower oil 2 teaspoons of natural vanilla essence    2 teaspoons of cider vinegar (or 'white vinegar' if you don't have this) Some water, between 1/2 and 1 cup full. 1/3rd of a cup of raisins - remember raisins are often coated with palm or coconut oil (which I'm allergic to) to make them shiny so if you are making this for me you'd better get organic ones unglazed of glazed in sunflower oil.
1/3 or a cup of dried cranberries
1 tablespoon of gravy browning
1 tablespoon of brandy
1 tablespoon of Cointreau
Heat your oven to gas mark 5 or 190 C

Mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl. In a larger bowl mix your wet ingredients then add the dried mix and stir well. Add enough water to make the mixture like well watered (but not runny!) sand, about half a cup, may be less, it depends on how wet your apples were.

Pour it into the tray, and pop in the oven for about an hour.


 

Braised red cabbage

Xmas is quickly approaching and I'm well on the way to having my cupboards freezer loaded and ready to go with all lovely food I associate with this time of year. I'm going to try to do a few short blog posts on some of my favourites and some of the new recipes I've been working on.
This first one is braised red cabbage. It's a firm family favourite and every cook in my family has their own recipe. (Mine is very simple but I've included ideas for jazzing it up a bit lower down).

Who can eat it?

Anyone who likes red cabbage! It's naturally wheat and gluten free so suitable for most coeliacs. It's suitable for vegetarians and you can make it dairy free too so it's suitable for vegans. It's nut, egg and yeast free as well.

Who can't eat it?

It is a little high in fibre so may not be suitable for all sufferers of IBS or Crohns or colitis. It's also got plenty of sugar in (sorry!) so may not suit those on a reducing diet. If you need it to be dairy free please sub the butter for oil and add a table spoon of tomato puree. 

Ingredients

1 medium red cabbage, finely shredded and chopped to suitable lengths (with the stalk removed)

2 onions, chopped
2 large cooking apples, peeled and cored and chopped
2 tsp ground mixed spice
100g  brown sugar
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
25g butter (or a tablespoon of oil with a tablespoon of tomato puree)

Mix together the sugar and spice, then mix in the apples, add the red cabbage mix well and then place into your largest casserole dish. Pour over the vinegar and put the butter in knobs on top. If you are making a vegan version blend the oil and tomato puree and pour that over too. PUT ON THE LID! Pop it in the oven at gas mark 2/150C/300F for about 2 and a half hours. You can just forget about it over that time or you can give it a stir on the hour marks.

Ringing the changes

Fancy something a little different? Here are some ideas from recipe variation within my family

Add a couple of crushed cloves of garlic (I often do this)

Add some tomato puree (even if you are not vegan!) This makes it extra glossy.

Add some raisins and reduce the sugar a little.

Add some cranberries and increase the sugar a little.

Add a couple of tablespoons of red currant jelly or cranberry sauce to the vinegar.

Add the rind and juice of an orange.

Add a cup of cider or a small glass of sherry or red wine (but not all three!)
Add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce ('Life' do a nice vegan version)

Add extra salt and pepper before cooking.

Swap the mixed spice for a teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg and quarter of a teaspoon of cloves and possibly a little star anise.

 

And for something REALLY different swap the onion for fennel and instead of the sugar and spice and butter, add (drum roll please) 3 tablespoons of yogurt or creme fraiche and 3 tablespoons of HORSE RADISH SAUCE!! I know, flavour to knock your socks off and possibly keep the rest of the family away until new year!!

A final note. 

One thing EVERYONE in my family agrees on is that this is nice fresh or cold but it's even better when it's reheated! I tend to freeze mine in smaller portions and defrost and reheat in the microwave as I need it.

Courgette and Carrot cake - the tray bake!

Apart from eating fondue I spent last week messing around with more carrots and courgettes to see if I could 'big-up' my mug cake into a tray bake. I'm pleased to say it worked and after inflicting the results on various friends and a few of my husband's work colleagues I now have a recipe for you!

Who can eat it?

This recipe is gluten and wheat free, dairy free, egg free and nut free. It is suitable for vegetarians, vegans and coeliacs and anyone in need of a tray bake!

Who can't eat it?

It's cake and therefor not suitable for those needing a reducing diet however I have tried to keep the sugar content low and I think it would probably work OK if some of the sugar was substituted with a powdered sugar substitute. This recipe is rather high in fibre so it may not be suitable for those with Crohn's, colitis or IBS but it will depend on their condition at the time.

You will need a 9inch by 13 inch tray, fully lined and brushed with oil. Gluten free cake sticks like crazy and with out oiling the paper it wont rise and will fall apart when you try to take the paper off.

Ingredients

Dry mix
2 cups of rice flour
1 cup of sugar (white or light brown)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of mixed spice (or pumpkin pie spice if you are in the US)
2 teaspoons of GLUTEN FREE baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda/sodium bicarbonate
1 teaspoon of salt

Wet mix

2 large carrots and 2 medium sized courgettes, finely grated. Together this should make 2 cups if you compact it (don't lose any juice, it's tasty!)  
1/3 of a cup of ground flax powder (yes I know this is technically dry but bare with me!)
2/3rds of a cup of sunflower oil 2 teaspoons of natural vanilla essence   
2 teaspoons of cider vinegar (or 'white vinegar' if you don't have this)
Some water, between 1/2 and 1 cup full.
2/3rds of a cup of raisins - remember raisins are often coated with palm or coconut oil (which I'm allergic to) to make them shiny so if you are making this for me you'd better get organic ones unglazed of glazed in sunflower oil.

Heat your oven to gas mark 5 or 190 C

Sorry if the next bit sounds a little familiar....

Prepare your dry mix and stir well. 
Grate your carrot and courgette really finely into another bowl. Add the flax and other wet mix ingredients and stir well. The flax powder is now absorbing the moisture and will act like an egg. I chose to use flax because its vegan, I have plenty in the fridge and its has some outstanding health benefits.
Now tip the wet mix into the dry mix and combine quickly to an even consistency then add the raisins. Now you'll have to look at the mix and decide how much water to put in. If your veg were really juicy you might only need half a cup, if they were dry you may need the whole cup. You are aiming for a consistency that's a bit like wet mud, not runny but not like the sandbox on a damp day either.
Give it one more quick stir and quick as a flash tip the whole lot into pre-lined and greased tin. Now pop it in the oven for about 40minutes. After the 40 minute mark keep checking the cake, gluten free flour goes from under-baked to burnt more quickly than regular flour so if you are not used to it check every 2 minutes or so, when it has risen, changed colour and has lost it's stickiness on top it is done! Over all this cake takes around 50 minutes in my gas oven.

Testers for trial cake 1 will have noticed it had icing on the top, this is just a large scoop of butter with a squirt of maple syrup and as much icing sugar as I had in the cupboard whisked together. This is because I forgot to pop in the raisins which made the whole cake under sweet (I blame my parents who phoned at a crucial point it it's construction!)

Shopping tips

I don't like to plug particular supermarkets but my local 'big 3' have stopped selling ground flax. This is a shame BUT I have found it in Aldi at a reduced price. Aldi also had raisins glazed in sunflower oil.
If you don't have a baking tray 9inches by 13 inches don't panic, I don't either. I have been using an old grill pan with the handle taken off! So before you go and buy one check if you can do the same. Alternatively two 8inch sandwich tins will give you two good sized cakes but make sure you can fit both in the oven at the same time.


No photos yet but I'm sure I'll be making it again soon, so keep your eyes peeled on the facebook page. Enjoy!! 

West-Country Fondue

Until quite recently my lovely sister was living in Switzerland. Trips to see her are always a joy, not just for her wonderful company but also for her brilliant cooking. One dish she served us last time we were there was fondue and my girls were so impressed with 'Aunty Mandy's Cheese Soup' that I resolved to make it for them at home. This is not her recipe, I forgot to take it and to be honest this really isn't a Swiss fondue, it is a West Country fondue. Why West Country? Because it contains one of my all time favourite cheeses - Ilchester Applewood.  It's a lightly smoked farmhouse cheddar from Somerset. It's quite soft and 'bendy' as Cheddar goes but it is packed full of flavour and my family love it. Most importantly this cheese likes to go stringy when heated!

Who can eat this?

Children, this fondue contains no alcohol (but under constant supervision as a naked flame is involved). Wheat and gluten intolerant but not all coeliacs as it is so high in dairy. It has no egg, no cream and no nuts. It's also vegetarian.

Who can't eat this?

Anyone dairy intolerant (which includes some coeliacs - ask first!), it's not for vegans, or for anyone on a low calorie diet.

Before we go any further...

Before you make the fondue you will need to think about what you are going to put on the ends of those little forks. Applewood goes really well with fruit: grapes, chunks of apples (I find really tart ones best) even pineapple pieces work well. Many vegetables also work nicely if they are lightly steamed: cauliflower  and broccoli florets, chunks of carrot, sweet potato or just regular potato. Pickled onions and gherkins can also be nice but watch the ingredients and steer clear of malt vinegar. We obviously don't use wheat bread as that be very bad for my husband and we tend not to use gluten free bread either as otherwise we wont get any fruit or vegetables into the girls.

Ingredients for the fondue

2 x 185g packets of Ilchester Applewood
190g of Swiss Gruyere
6 teaspoons of maize starch (often sold as cornflour though in the UK 'cornflour' can contain wheat so check your ingredients).
approximately 300mls of unsweetened apple juice
1 tablespoon of cider vinegar (or white/distilled vinegar if you don't have this)
2 cloves of garlic (optional)

Start by grating your cheese into a large bowl. Every half -packet stop and add a teaspoon of maize starch, and give a gentle mix so that every bit of cheese is coated in the fine flour. Mix it all well at the end so there are no clumps and the Gruyere is evenly spread through.
Now in a large saucepan start heating your apple juice, cider vinegar and garlic (if you are using it).  Don't skip the vinegar it's the acidity that makes the fondue stringy.
As it starts to boil drop in a handful of the cheese mixture and stir like crazy until it has all melted. Reduce the heat to a point where the mixture is simmering but no so hot as to 'catch' on the bottom of the pan and keep adding the cheese a handful at a time. If the mixture gets too stiff add more apple juice.
When all the cheese has melted transfer the mixture to your favourite fondue pot and light the fuel.
Serve with your chosen fruit and vegetables and a nice glass of chilled cider if required!

We love this dish. It's so tangy and smokey and it's great fun to eat. In fact it's so much fun and so exciting that I keep forgetting to take pictures so all I can show you is the empty pot - sorry!

Carrot and Courgette Cake-in-a-mug

I had an over supply of carrots and an over supply of courgette but what I wanted was cake and fast too. 
So what's a girl to do but invent a new 'microwave in your mug' 10 minute cake? 

I admit I had to eat several samples before I got the recipe right but as none of them tasted too bad (mostly they were just soggy) it was no hard work.

This is the first one I got right but I had to make it again to be sure. Of course then I had to eat that too and this may possibly be why I've lost no weight this week. 

Who can eat it?

This recipe is gluten and wheat free, dairy free, egg free and nut free. It is suitable for vegetarians, vegans and coeliacs and anyone in need of a fast cake!

Who can't eat it?

It's cake and therefor not suitable for those needing a reducing diet however I have tried to keep the sugar content low and I think it would probably work OK with a powdered sugar substitute (to be honest most of the trial runs went wrong because I was trying to be clever with natural liquid sweeteners but I think a powder would work). This recipe is also rather high in fibre so it may not be suitable for those with Crohn's, colitis or IBS but it will depend on their condition at the time.

Ingredients

Dry mix
1/4 cup of rice flour
2 tablespoons of sugar (white or light brown)
1/8th teaspoon of cinnamon 
1/8th teaspoon of mixed spice (or pumpkin pie spice if you are in the US)
1/4er teaspoon of GLUTEN FREE baking powder
1/8th baking soda/sodium bicarbonate
1 large pinch of salt

Wet mix

Half a small, finely grated carrot and half a small, finely grated courgette which together should make 1/4 of a cup if you compact it (don't lose any juice, it's tasty!)
2 teaspoons of ground flax powder (yes I know this is technically dry but bare with me!)
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of sunflower oil
1/4 teaspoon of natural vanilla essence 
1/4 teaspoon of cider vinegar (or 'white vinegar' if you don't have this)

Some water, about 1 tablespoon.

1 handful of raisins - remember raisins are often coated with palm or coconut oil (which I'm allergic to) to make them shiny, I use one small treat-sized box of Sunmaid raisins because I know they don't coat them with anything and they are just the right size.

You will also need a mug suitable for the microwave and either a couple of small mixing bowls or one small bowl and a half pint mug.

Method

Prepare your dry mix and stir well. 
Grate your carrot and courgette really finely into another bowl. Add the flax and other wet mix ingredients and stir well. The flax powder is now absorbing the moisture and will act like an egg. I chose to use flax because a) I have plenty in the fridge and b) it's keeps the recipe vegan and c) I don't like using half an egg and wondering what to do with the rest!
Now tip the wet mix into the dry mix and combine quickly to an even consistency then add the raisins. Now you'll have to look at the mix and decide how much water to put in. If your veg were really juicy you might only need 5ml, if they were dry you may need 20ml. You are aiming for a consistency that's a bit like wet mud, not runny but not like the sandbox on a damp day either.
Give it one more quick stir and quick as a flash tip the whole lot into your microwavable mug and pop it in! 
My microwave is 700W and at that setting this cake takes 2 minutes. 1000W will probably take about one and a half minutes. When it comes out the cake should have risen and will no longer look damp in the middle.

The really tricky bit is waiting for it to cool, running a knife around the edge and getting it out in one piece, I have to be honest and say I failed at this, both the first time I got it right and the second and the third. (I'll keep trying ;D) 

This cake was really, really easy. So easy my girls did it themselves and we still had cake in about 15 minutes. Please prepare yourself for cute shots of their little hands now!

 

And of course they had to lick the bowl clean! 

On this occasion we made double quantities and split the mixture between 4 little glass ramekins. We doubled the time in the microwave and when they we ready we ate them with a nice blob of half-fat creme fraiche on top! 

Everyone was very happy. The End.

Chocolate cheese cake

Sorry for the lack of recipes recently. First of all I had a very nasty wrist sprain where it was too painful to type and then my computer decided to play up and getting on here was impossible.

And now I've hit the summer madness. This time of year is always tricky, apart from the usual 'end of academic year' stuff it's birthday season. We are a family of 4 and 3 of our birthdays are within 2 weeks and the last is only a month later. Franky even I can get sick of the sight of cake. So for my darling husband's birthday I opted out of cake and made a chocolate cheese. If you know my husband this would make perfect sense, the marriage of cheese and chocolate is simply his idea of heaven.

Chocolate cheese cake may sound easy. It is but getting a gluten free one that we could guarantee was free from nuts and palm oil required a bit of adapting from the old 'bash-up some digestive biscuits' method. This one is double-choc as the base is chocolately too and it is easily adapted.....

Who can eat it?

It's vegetarian, egg free (not all cheese cakes are), gluten and wheat free and nut free BUT I can actually do a vegan and dairy free 'I can't believe it's not cheese cake' version too!

Who can't eat it?

If you are on a reducing diet then you will have to pass, the vegan version is somewhat healthier being lower in calories and fat but it is still very rich. This really is a special occasion dish. 

Ingredients

  For the base

• 150g well crushed gluten free breakfast flakes
• 45g of melted butter or cocoa butter (cocoa butter is vegan) 
• 50g caster sugar 
• 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder 
• a pinch of salt

For the topping (regular version, the vegan version is lower down the blog)

• 120ml whipping cream
• 150g dark chocolate, melted and cooled 
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder mixed with a little hot water to form a runny paste
• 200g cream cheese 
• 90g caster sugar
• 8 strawberries (optional)

Note: make sure you choose chocolate and coco powder are good quality and gluten free, not all is.

This dish is best made in a 7 inch spring-form tin. If like me you don't have one use a sandwich tin liner in a 7 inch sandwich tin. You should grease the inside of the tin or liner with a little of which ever butter you are using.

Combine the ingredients for the base, mixing well. Spread evenly across the base of your tin and pop in the freezer.

Whip the cream into soft peaks then fold in the melted chocolate and cocoa paste.
In a separate bowl whisk the cream cheese with the caster sugar. Add the cheese mix to the cream mixture and gently fold until evenly combined.

Now gently spread the mixture evenly over the base and return to the freezer for an hour before transferring to the fridge. Just before serving slice some strawberries in half and arrange around the top.

Yum!!

The vegan version.

This is a recipe I usually turn into frozen chocolate push pops for my children. You will need:

• 2 very ripe avocados (yes really!)
• 70g of cocoa powder
• a large pinch of good quality, finely milled salt.
• 150g of maple syrup (or golden syrup if you are stuck) 
• 60g of cocoa butter (melted)

In a food processor blend the avocado, while processing add the cocoa powder and salt then the maple syrup, then finally add the melted cocoa butter. As this cools it is just about possible to pop it into a bowl and whisk it to get more air in but it is rarely worth the bother. Carefully spread this over your frozen base and return to the freezer for about 40 minutes before moving over to the fridge.

If the thought of avocado in a desert is too much for you 3 bananas that are going brown but not yet soft will work but it's not as rich, you will also need to miss out the salt, reduce the syrup by about a third and leave in the freezer for about an hour before moving to the fridge for another hour. Like I said this also works well in 'home freeze' push-pop molds as a treat for children.

Serve with strawberries on the top or alternatively try orange or clementine segments with the skins removed.

May you have a yummy time, and remember nice mums let the kids lick the whisks when the mixing is done and REALLY nice mums turn the whisk off first!! xx

BBQ inclusive style

Save me from the undercooked vegetable kebabs!!!!

Scary memories of undercooked, slightly soggy courgette pieces, pinned next to boiling hot baby tomatoes and under cooked mushrooms and onion.

The reason why so many veggie kebabs don't cook properly is that vegetables that cook at different speeds are cubed and packed too tightly together. Here are things that do work for us.

Par-boiled asparagus spears coated in melted butter and finished off on the BBQ.

Thin slices of courgette and aubergine, (a mandolin slicer is great for this) brushed in oil and char-grilled.

Large flat mushrooms (whole or cut into thick slices) and brushed with oil.

Slices or fine segments of fennel (brushed with more oil).

Fine slices of sweet potato.

Young sprouting stems of broccoli (green or purple).

Slices of halumi cheese (again, better when brushed in a little olive oil).

Halves of pepper. These are much nicer really burnt on the skin side then strip the burnt bits off before serving (don't do this under running water as it washes the flavour away).

Flat-bread -  http://the-inclusive-cook.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/flat-bread.html If the whim for a BBQ strikes you can bet you don't have any gluten-free rolls in or for miles around! Make the flat bread the normal way, cover one side in hummus (immediately boosting everyones 'five a day' count) and it will wrap up the vegetables and cheese a treat.

Pineapple slices, fresh works best but do be aware that BBQ-ing may not be hot enough to kill the enzymes people might be allergic too. Glazing with honey towards the end can be very nice.

Bananas in the skin. Personally I hate banana but I'm told that injecting them with a spirit such as Tia Maria before cooking makes a great desert for grown ups.

Pears or soft eating apples, push an 'apple slicer' half way down then bring it back up, in the gaps in between the slices shove in tiny pieces of chocolate (if you are vegan this needs to be the high coco, milk free version). Then wrap in kitchen foil and pop straight into the ashes. Be careful unwrapping and allow to cool a little before serving.

A cooking apple with the core removed, fill the middle with home-made mincemeat, wrap in foil and treat as above. 

A couple of points to note:

Almost any vegetable will work when sliced thinly and brushed with oil. You fancy pumpkin slices? Make pumpkin slices, they will work. Just make sure your BBQ is hot and ready. 

And on that note, BBQs work really well with fatty meat, the fat melts, drips down and keeps the charcoal burning hot and for a long time. Clearly vegetables do not have this sort of fat. To compensate for this you will either need to keep brushing your veg with oil, or get super organised before you start so you can cook really quickly while the coals are still at their hottest, or you can cheat a little and par-boil or part steam your veggies. Or a combination of the 3. For safety's sake never pour oil directly onto the BBQ.


Vegetarian sausages are great but it is rare to get gluten free ones and just as rare to get ones that are palm oil free. You have been warned! Also they all tend to be low in fat so always brush with oil and never cook from frozen as the outside will be burnt before the middle is hot.

Finally I know very little about cooking meat but I do know about ingredients. If you are cooking for a gluten-free meat eater (or a meat eater with any other allergy) stick with proper cuts of meat as burgers and sausages in the UK nearly always contain wheat (sometimes called rusk).

And now I'm off to enjoy the last day of summer as going on my experience of previous years 'it feels like autumn already' will start before the week is out ESPECIALLY as I've written a post all about BBQ - blame it all on me!

Fun with Fennel

While on a rare trip to a supermarket a few days ago I happened to spot some bulbs of fennel on offer so I picked them up. I like fennel, it has an interesting aniseed taste, I had originally thought to juice it to get a maximum taste hit but due to a mix up on my grocery order I didn't have a meal planned for last night so I made a spur of the moment decision to make fennel bake.

Who can eat it?

As usual this is a vegetarian gluten free recipe, you could also leave out the cheese and it would be vegan (this was one of my favourite dishes when I was vegan but my family REALLY like their cheese!) It's egg free (check your g-f bread carefully if using it), nut free, wheat free, yeast free and Coeliac friendly (leave out the cheese).

Who can't eat it?

It is possible that this may be too high in fibre for those with Crohns or colitis. Those with IBS may also want to watch out however fennel is supposed to have a calming effect on the stomach and bowel so actually this may work really well!

I'm going to give you a few different versions of this (why do one recipe when you can do 3?!). WITH gluten free pasta, it's big and bulky with plenty of calories and should serve 4, without the pasta it's nicely low in carbs and calories and might just feed 2 and finally there's a version at the end without pasta, onion  or tomato that goes nicely with a salad or 'Sunday veg'.

Ingredients 

2 small bulbs of fennel
1 shallot - optional
1 tablespoon of olive oil
300g of dried gluten-free penne pasta
400g of pasata (Suma do a nice organic one in jars that is sulphate free)
a large pinch of dried oregano 
2 tablespoons of black olives (drained from the brine!) cut in half. -optional

Topping
Either 1 cup of gluten free bread crumbs OR  half a cup of cooked quinoa and 2 tablespoons of buckwheat groats. 
and if dairy is OK, some cheese, blue cheese tastes fab but so does a hard cheese like Parmesan or even Cheddar.

Cook your pasta to a point where is it slightly under cooked. (You can read how to do that here http://the-inclusive-cook.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/pasta-food-of-champions.html )
Finely slice the fennel, (retain any leaves for garnishing the finished dish if you like that sort of thing) and the shallot and fry with the oil on a high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep it moving and do NOT let it start to brown. Turn off the heat and add the cooked pasta (if your are using it), the pasata, the oregano and the olives if you are using them. (I had to leave them out and serve them as a garnish as my husband hates olives with a passion!) and gently stir then pop into your oven dish. Or you could just crumble some cheese on the top and serve it as is if time is short (4 dishes ;) )

Now choose your topping. Let me explain my thinking here - I chose quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) and buckwheat for a few simple reasons 1) they are both complete proteins, 2) they are more fun than gluten-free bread 3) I have them in my cupboard. I do try not to put anything too unusual on this blog, I want you to feel it's stuff you can easily cook for people, I short I want to show that with a little thought most cooks can cater for any and every kind of allergy, intolerance or ethical eating plan. The turning point on including buckwheat and quinoa was that 2 of my local supermarkets and the village shop now stock them so I figure they shouldn't be too hard for you to find.

Back to the topping, the easy choice is bread-crumbs. Choose your gluten-free bread with care and make sure it doesn't have egg or other allergens in it. Lightly toast it and crumble into breadcrumbs scattering it over the top.  

On to the quinoa, a common mistake is not to wash the seeds before you use them. Measure your seeds, stick them in a sieve and give them a jolly good wash under the tap, if you don't do this they can taste rather bitter. Now pop the wet seeds in a pan and add twice the quantity of fresh water. Pop a lid on the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a low boil for 15minutes when just like easy cook rice all the water should be absorbed and you should have nice fluffy quinoa. Mix with the buckwheat (this will add a nice crunch) and scatter over your fennel and pasta mix.

Dot over the blue cheese or grate your harder cheese if that's what you are using. I've not given a quantity of cheese because frankly you know how much cheese your family like, what might be normal for us might be tonnes for you and for vegans I can reassure you it tastes just fine without though a little drizzle of olive oil over the top might just improve the crunchiness of the topping later on.

Now pop the whole thing into an oven at gas mark 6/ 200 C/ 400F for about 40 minutes.

Serve with your retained fennel leaves for a garnish or with a green salad or just as it is.

Yum. Scoff the lot then face-palm because you didn't take a picture....

Crunchy fennel slices. (Tomato free version)

Trim the root and leaves from your fennel. Sit the bulb up right on the chopping board. Imagine it is an orange and you are going to cut it into segments (from tip to root), For a small bulb make 4 segments for a larger one make 8. Pop the segments into pan of boiling water for 8 minutes then fish them out and rinse in cold water.

Pop in an oven-safe dish you will serve them in. Coat them in a generous table spoon of olive oil then scatter the topping mixture over them and pop them in the oven at gas mark 5 for 30 minutes or until tender then serve.

(Sorry no pictures of this as I haven't done it in a LONG time.)



Final note, while fennel is very calming on the digestion it is quite 'cleansing', which is another word for saying 'it makes you pee a lot'. Just in case you needed to know that!!

Flat bread

This is a very simple recipe from 'project bread' that is definitely worth sharing.

Project bread is my attempt to come up with very easy gluten free bread that is cheaper than the supermarket stuff and quick to make. It's not been going well. As I've explained before most of my loaves come out more like a weapon than a food stuff. (Those that share my love of Terry Pratchett books will recognise the term 'dwarf bread') Sooner or later I'm going to have to beg a friend to give me lessons. But more than that, once I've factored in the time and expense they are a very similar cost to the ready made stuff (though obviously they are fresher and have less additives). However this recipe is quick, easy and as cheap as they get.

Anyway this recipe is born out of desperation on my part and a very basic knowledge of Indian cooking. It makes 8 small flat breads in about half an hour (faster if you are a better cook than me) which are suitable for use as a 'wrap' or for dunking into your soup or curry.

Who can eat it? 

Pretty much anyone. But if the eater is coeliac or dairy intolerant do use olive oil instead of butter.

Who can't eat it?

Pretty much no one.

Ingredients

1 cup of corn flour (I don't mean 'traditional English cornflour' which is often made from wheat, make sure this is maize flour)
about 125ml of water
salt (to taste)
and either some melted butter or olive oil

Fill your cup measure with flour and turn it upside down onto your work space. Lift the cup and admire your sandcastle flour dome. (Can you tell I get help from my children?) Now make a large whole into the top of your 'flour castle' so you have something resembling the top of a wide mouth volcano. Grind in as much salt as your taste or diet requires (if you are using olive oil or unsalted butter you may need more). Add about 100mls of your water into the middle and mix into a dough, keep adding water until you get something a bit like fresh playdoh, straight out of the pot (we get through a lot of playdoh in this house).

I then divided the dough into 8 equal portions (very conveniently these were 40g each) and rolled them out into saucer sized disks (about 15cms), I chose this size because it fits in my frying pan nicely, do whatever suits you.

Next pop your non-stick frying-pan (or griddle or flat-iron or hot plate etc) on to a high heat until it gets to temperature then turn it down to low. Next take your dry, rolled out dough and place it flat in the middle, it will only take a minute or so to cook one side but while it cooks press it down gently with either your finger tips or a wide spatula or fish slice (it's well known in this family that Mummy has no feeling in the ends of her fingers after years of work on the press in an industrial laundry so can do this hot stuff). Then flip it over and do the same while brushing the top side with melted butter.

The crispier wraps are thinner and cooked for longer, if you prefer something a little softer try making them slightly thicker and cooking them on a lower heat. (You could also add a little more water when mixing but this knowledge comes from experience.)

When the underneath is done flip it over onto a plate or cooling rack (I use the grill pan) and brush the other side with melted butter too while you then get on cooking the next.

These breads are best served warm but if you need to keep them for later pop them all inside a bit of tin foil, wrap it up and warm them in the oven later.

Ringing the changes

You should have worked out by now that I'll never settle for one recipe when I could have 2 or 3 slightly different ones. For something a little different add a few nigella seeds (the black bits you get in a nan bread) or chia seeds, even a few fennel seeds or cumin, perhaps a little celery salt if you are not sensitive to it. And if you want something a little more 'springy' add some ground flaxseed.

I admit this bread is nothing ground-breaking, anyone from an Asian heritage will recognise them as a VERY basic roti but I'm putting them in here because they are quick, cheap, very easy and suitable for so many people, all you need is a little gluten free flour (and to be honest almost any flour will do) and half an hour - quicker and cheaper than a trip to the shop!

And now I have to go and decide what to put in mine for lunch.....

Chocolate 'cup-cake' for one

I admit this post is a bit of a cheat, I've written this recipe before here (scroll to the bottom half) but it's been so popular, not just with you dear reader but with my own family however it wont show up on my smart phone, so I can't check the quantities on the move (I am terrible at remembering these things). So here it is again.

The microwave mug cake recipe

Who's it suitable for?

It's egg free, it's nut free, it's yeast free, it's wheat free, it's vegetarian and also vegan and it's coeliac friendly. It's not high fibre but the high levels of cocoa may not be suitable for all sufferers of IBS and Crohns, best to check. And it does contain high levels of sugar and fat (oil) so it's not suitable for those on a reducing diet.

It is extremely suitable for young children to make on their own (with a little supervision). Apart from the fact that they LOVE the result ("a whole cake, just for me?!!) it helps them with measuring and pouring skills as well as reading, maths and science (reversible and irreversible changes). The fact that the result is nice and quick is also a bonus in retaining their interest. Just watch the temperature when it comes out of the oven.

Ingredients

1/4 of a cup of rice flour (or other gluten free flour, but rice flour works best)
1/4 of a cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of (diary and gluten free) coco-powder
a pinch of gluten free baking powder
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of oil
3 tablespoons of water
1 drop of vinegar (do not trust yourself to pour this out of the bottle, pop some on a spoon and from there add one drip!)

Add all the dry ingredients to the mug and mix, add all the wet ingredients, mix and pop in a microwave for about 2 minutes (mines a 700W, if yours is more powerful reduce the cooking time). And hey-presto one cake!! Eat from the mug while still warm, maybe add a blob of cream!

"Actually that's really nice" - Lentil Dahl

I wont lie, sometimes it's been a bit of a stretch to get my girls to try something 'new'. Unless I call it cake and stick candles on it, it is always met with an air of reluctance (and that's putting it mildly). They are not naturally adventurous eaters. However I decided it was time we did curry so I looked back through my scrap book of recipes (I've been collecting since my early 20's) and came up with this recipe for dahl by combining something clipped out of a Sainsbury's magazine and an article by Madhur Jaffrey. 

Who can eat it?

Vegans, vegetarians, coeliacs, children (as curries go this is very, very mild, if it was just adults eating I'd double all the spices). It has no gluten, no wheat and no nuts either.

Who can't eat it?

Those allergic to lentils (or other legumes) and those allergic to onions will have to leave this dish out. Some with Crohns, ulcerative colitus and highly sensitive IBS may also have to avoid this dish due to it's relatively high fibre content. I know some can't eat 'spicy food' but as I've already said this dish is very, very mild, this may just be the curry you can eat but if it's for a guest check with them first.

Ingredients

My top tip for your ingredients is to get really good quality herbs and spices, if possible buy whole and grind your own and then you know they haven't been thinned out with wheat flour or anything daft. Avoid using old spices as they don't have the same taste and never use a 'ready made mix' as all sorts of allergens can be hiding inside.
 
250g red split lentils
1 bay leaf
500mls of water
1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1 bay leaf
1 cup of easy cook basmati rice plus 2 cups of water per person  
A pinch of saffron
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh raw ginger root
2 small cloves of finely chopped garlic (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
A handful of raisins*
Salt and pepper to taste
Coriander leaves to garnish 

 *I'm allergic to palm and coconut which is often used to coat raisins to make them look nice so I tend to use one small packet of Sunmaid Californian Raisins because these don't have any oil on. 

Start by rinsing your lentils well to remove any grit then place them in a good sized pan with the water and bay leaf and half a teaspoon of turmeric. Stir well and bring gently to the boil then simmer for 40mins by which time you should have a yellow mush, don't let it burn to the bottom of the pan as it's a devil to get off!
Use the next 25 minutes profitably by getting the rest of the stuff ready because then you will need to get the rice on. 

Rinse your basmati rice and 25 minutes after you put the lentils on pop it in twice the quantity of boiling water with a pinch of saffron. (e.g. if you are using 2 cups of rice you need 4 cups of water) Put the lid on the rice and leave on a low simmer for the next 15minutes.

Moments later (and in your third pan!) warm the oil (you could use ghee or butter instead of oil if it doesn't have to be dairy free) and very gently fry your onion for about 6 to 8 minutes. We are after very gently cooked onion, burning will not enhance your dish! 

Next add the ginger and the garlic (if you are using it) and cook for two further minutes.
While you are doing this take a your handful of raisins and add them to the rice, giving it all a quick stir before you slam the lid back on.

Now add all the rest of the spices and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring well. Then remove the bay leaf from your cooked lentils and add them to the onion mixture. 

Give everything a gentle stir and if it has gone too thick to stir easily add a little water until it is as runny as you desire (I like mine to have a little substance but I have a friend who prefers it like soup).
Add salt and pepper to taste and that's it, you can serve up.

It looks nice if you can serve it with some Mango Chutney and possibly some plain yoghurt if you don't have to keep dairy free. If you'd like a nan bread to go with it Tesco do a nice gluten free one (but it's not vegan). It looks even better if you have a little fresh coriander to go on top but sadly I didn't. (Note to self - must get better at presenting and photographing food!)

Ringing the changes.

Adding some steamed/boiled veg such as carrot, cauliflower, sweetcorn and potato together with some fresh skinned and chopped tomatoes and a bit of extra water turns this into a nice vegetable curry. 


Try adding a few handfuls of (gluten free) breadcrumbs to the dahl, roll it up into balls and press flat for burger shapes and you have an indian flavour rissole you can shallow fry later (this is great for using up the left-overs if you have any). This goes really well with a salad.

If you want something a little lower in carbs then skip the rice and go for lightly steamed cauliflower pushed through a potato ricer and 'thin out' the dahl with a tin of chopped tomatoes and heat through. 

If you'd like to up the calorie content and don't have a problem with coconut then I suspect that grating in some creamed coconut would be really nice, (but not for me).

The verdict

At first the girls took a look and declared they would eat the rice but wouldn't touch "that other stuff", however with a little Mummy-know-how I got them to taste it and was rewarded with

"Actually that's really nice"

Daddy has now explained that it's better to say such sentences without such a sound of surprise in your voice. But 'really nice' from a really picky eater? I'll settle for that!

More soup

'Project bread', where I try to make a great gluten free loaf for less than a store bought one has not been going well. Aside from the Sun Dried Tomato Corn Cakes my bread has had a tendency to turn out like dwarf bread, a little short (or unrisen) and more like a weapon than a food stuff, Captain Carrot might have been pleased but I am not. (And it fails in my chosen criteria of being cheaper than the shop bought.) I am glum. What to do with lots of bread that has to be eaten quickly? The answer as always is make soup to dunk it in!

I've been experimenting with leek and potato soup. It was nice but without a a good few spoonfuls of dairy it lacked a certain something. So tried leek and sweet potato soup. To be honest the early ones  were not fab and again without a half pint of cream they were a bit flat. But I am pleased to announce that I have cracked it. A super creamy soup without a trace of dairy!

Who can eat it?

Vegans, vegetarians, coeliacs, wheat/gluten intolerant. It's egg free, nut free and yeast free.

Who can't eat it?

Some with IBS or Crohn's disease may find it a little fibrous and anyone allergic to alliums should steer clear.

Ingredients

About 300g of finely sliced leeks (use only the white stuff, no green)
About 400g of cooked sweet potato flesh
400g can of butter beans, rinsed
Olive oil
750ml water

Use enough olive oil to gently fry the leeks in. Do NOT fry on full blast, we are not after caramelised or even burn leeks, just really soft ones. Add the sweet potato flesh and the rinsed butter beans. Add 750ml of water and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat then blend in your chosen manner. I use a stick blender and keep going until all the large lumps have gone but it's not completely smooth. Add salt a pepper to taste.

This makes about 4 good sized portions.

It's soooo easy. No messing around trying to find the right stock, you can bake your sweet potato (I do mine in the microwave) while you are chopping the leeks and then rinsing them (a pesky bit of grit has spoilt many a leek dish) and your soup can be ready in next to no time.

So now I have fresh soup in the fridge to feed me lunch all this week and no one to share it with but Teddy.

Sundried tomato corn cakes

I love my soups. I pretty much live on soup every day for lunch. I think I may have been a Soup Dragon in a previous life (less Scottish alternative rock, more Clangers)
Soup is great on it's own but sometimes it's nice to have a bit of bread to dip in it. This recipe makes 6 beautifully sized corn cakes that are just right for dunking!

Who can eat them?

These are wheat, gluten, nut, yeast and egg free. They are also vegetarian.

Who can't eat them?

These are not suitable for vegans as they contain cheese, which means they are also not suitable for Coeliacs. Anyone allergic/intolerant to tomato should also avoid them.

Ingredients 

75g of cornmeal or instant polenta powder
50g of rice flour
1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of gluten free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of xantham gum (now available in larger supermarkets in either the home baking isle or 'free-from' section)
1/2 teaspoon of castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 heaped tablespoon of sundried tomato purée (you could use regular tomato pure but it's not quite as rich or as sweet)
60g grated high quality cheddar cheese
110ml milk
20g butter
1 tablespoon of milled/ground flaxseed

Grease a backing tray and set your oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4

Sift together the cornmeal, rice flour, baking powder, xantham gum, sugar and salt.

Melt the butter and add to the milk, then whisk in the flax powder and the sun-dried tomato purée.

Reserve a little of the grated cheese for a garnish and add the rest to the dry mix, then gently beat in the wet mix until you have an even consistency.

My mixture is then usually dry enough to roll into 6 equally sized balls which I place on the baking sheet  and squash flat a little however sometimes the mixture is a little runny in which case I use a muffin tin.

Bake in the center of your pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes then add the reserved cheese on top and return to the oven for 5 more minutes. Allow to cool before scoffing with your soup of choice!