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!