Tag Archives: gluten free

Ginger & Lime Tahini Dressing

Posted in Dips & Sauces by

Ginger, lime tahini dressing

Well we had two glorious days of sunshine last week and me being ever so positive decided to finally put all my Winter clothes away, bring out my Summer clothes and started trying some Summer inspired recipes I have planned.  It is now cold, grey and raining and I’m wearing a jumper!  I’m hoping this is just a temporary blip in the Scottish Summer.

I love all the fresh fruits and vegetables during the Summer months.  I like trying different ways to incorporate the various foods available into my diet, not all salads have to be limp lettuce, a tomato, cucumber & grated carrots as I have learned!

This dressing gives a lovely punch from the lime and a bit of heat from the ginger.  Ginger is great to help digestion and also is anti-inflammatory so an excellent addition to your diet.  I use lots of ginger in this dressing but if you’re not overly keen use less and adapt to your taste.

salad with tahini dressing

Ingredients

-2 Tbsp. tahini

-1 Tbsp. tamari

-juice of half a lime

-zest of one small lime

-large piece of ginger (approx. 2″-3″ ) peeled & finely grated

-2-4 Tbsp. cold water

How To Make

Place all the ingredients except the water into a small jar.  Add two tablespoons of water first, secure the lid on the jar and give it a good shake.

Check consistency of dressing and if you prefer a thinner dressing add more water.

Stores well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Enjoy 🙂

 

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Sweet Potato & Spinach Curry

Posted in Main Dish by

Sweet Potato & Spinach Curry

I hadn’t realised when I wanted to make a curry from scratch it would be so difficult.  Trying to get the spices just right nearly defeated me but I kept on trying and I am so glad I did.  This curry is lovely and creamy with just enough heat but if you prefer more heat then add an extra chilli or more curry powder.

The ingredients list for this recipe may seem long but I promise you it will be worth it.  I normally use a curry paste when I make a curry but I always wanted to make my own from scratch.  My mum used to make great curries from scratch and now I wish I’d paid more attention to what she was doing!

Like most curries, this tastes even better the next day.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

-1 red chilli, seeds removed

-large thumb size piece of ginger, peeled

-4 cloves of garlic, peeled

-1 Tbsp. coconut oil or olive oil

-1 red onion, peeled & diced finely

-1 tsp. curry powder

-2 tsp. garam masala

-1 tsp. ground coriander

-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

-1 tsp. turmeric

-2 Tbsp. tomato puree

-1/4 cup desiccated coconut

-2 medium organic sweet potato, peeled and diced (large dice)

-1 x 400ml can of light coconut milk

-1 x 400ml can of cannellini beans, drained & rinsed well

-approx. 180g of baby spinach, rinsed

Sweet Potato & Spinach Curry2

How To Make

First put the chilli, ginger and garlic in a mini food processor and process until very finely chopped.  If you don’t have a mini food processor you can crush the garlic and finely chop/grate the chilli and ginger.  The processor just saves time!

In a large pan heat the oil over a medium heat and add the onion.  Cook the onion gently for 4-5 minutes until it starts to soften.  Next add the garlic, ginger and chilli and cook until it becomes fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add the spices and cook for another minute then add the tomato paste.  Cook the tomato paste for about 5 minutes as this helps remove any bitterness.  You may need to reduce the heat to prevent the spices burning.

Next add the sweet potato and give everything a good stir.  Pour over the coconut milk and fill the empty coconut milk can with water and add this to the pan too.  Add the desiccated coconut and cannellini beans, giving everything a good stir.

Put the lid on the pan and bring everything to a boil.  Reduce heat to a high simmer and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until the potatoes are just becoming tender (cooking time will depend on the size of your diced potato).

Add the spinach and cook until wilted and the potatoes are ready.

Serve with brown rice or buckwheat.

This curry can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Enjoy 🙂

 

 

Satay Sauce

Posted in Dips & Sauces by

Noodle salad with satay

This dressing is extremely quick and easy to make and has proved to be popular amongst my friends and family that I thought I’d share it with you all.  You can use it as a pour over sauce (great on noodle salads), a marinade or as a dip.

I use crunchy peanut butter as I like the texture but you can use smooth if you prefer.  Ideally your peanut butter will not contain anything other than peanuts – no added salt or oils.  I use the Meridian brand but there are many other good ones available.

If you prefer a thicker sauce just use less coconut milk but you can easily adapt the recipe to your liking.

Ingredients

-2 Tbsp. peanut butter

-1/4 cup tinned coconut milk

-1 red chilli, seeds removed & finely chopped

-thumb size piece of ginger, peeled & finely grated

-1/2 tsp. curry powder

-1 Tbsp. tamari

-1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil

-juice of 1/2 lime

Satay Sauce

How To Make

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Enjoy 🙂

Chilli & Lime Smashed Avocado on Toast

Posted in Breakfast, Main Dish by

smashed avocado

I don’t think this is technically a recipe as it is so easy to put together but I had to share it with you all as it’s one of my favourite things to eat right now.  I have an avocado every day, whether it be in a smoothie, as a dip, served like this or eaten straight out of the skin with a skin of lemon juice on top.

I sometimes have this avocado on toast with a poached egg on top which makes a great brunch or quick evening bite to eat.

Serves 1-2

Ingredients

-1 ripe avocado

-1/4 red chilli, finely chopped

-1 spring onion, green part only, finely chopped

-juice of 1/2 a lime

-salt to taste

-2 slices gluten free bread (I use Biona buckwheat rice bread)

-a few fresh coriander leaves (optional)

How To Make

Pop your bread in a toaster to toast.

Whilst the bread is toasting, peel, remove the stone from the avocado and roughly mash (smash) the flesh in a bowl.

Add the chilli, lime juice, spring onion and salt to taste to the avocado.  Stir well.

Place your toast on a plate, top with the avocado mixture and scatter over the coriander leaves if using.

smashed avocado2

Enjoy 🙂

 

Tomato & Basil Soup

Posted in Uncategorized by

Tomato & Basil soup

For the past two weeks I’ve been battling a cold and it’s starting to become annoying.  I’m not one for sitting around but there have been some days I’ve had hardly any energy.  Actually I’m not sure if it’s a cold or allergies but I’m going with a head cold as it’s far too early for my hay fever to be here.

When I’m not feeling 100% I mostly live off soup, fresh juices and smoothies.  Pretty much anything that’s quick, easy and doesn’t involve too much thought.  I used to love a certain canned cream of tomato soup whenever I wasn’t feeling well but I can’t have it anymore as it contains milk and it also contains added sugar and I still can’t get my head round why sugar appears in almost everything these days.  Plus, it is so easy to make some soup at home and you can stock up the freezer for future.

Whilst this soup isn’t creamy it certainly tastes good and doesn’t contain added sugar!  I try to dice the carrots and celery the same size so they cook in the same amount of time.  I have also learned that cooking off the tomato puree first before the stock or tinned tomatoes are added gets rid of the bitterness which is often found with tomato puree.

Tomato & basil soup2

Ingredients

-1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

-1 carrot, peeled & cut in to small dice

-1 stick celery, cut in to small dice

-1 red onion, diced

-2 Tbsp. tomato puree

-2 x 400ml tins of chopped tomatoes

-450ml gluten free vegetable stock or water

-handful of fresh basil leaves

-salt & pepper to taste

How To Make

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat.  When the oil is hot add the onion, celery and carrots.  Give the vegetables a stir and saute for about 3 minutes.

Add the tomato puree and stir well.  Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the stock, chopped tomatoes and seasoning.

Place the lid on the pan, bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Add a handful of fresh basil leaves and simmer for another 2 minutes.

Remove the soup from the heat and allow to cool slightly before blending.

Either blend the soup with a stick blender or in a stand blender.  If you prefer a very smooth soup, strain it through a sieve after blending.

Check seasoning.

Serve warm with a garnish of fresh basil if you would like.

This soup keeps well in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days or in an airtight container in the freezer.

Enjoy 🙂

 

Banana & Oat Pancakes

Posted in Breakfast by

Banana & Oat pancakes 2

It is often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  In fact there’s a saying;

“Breakfast like a King

Lunch like a Prince

Dinner like a Pauper”

Whilst my daily meals don’t necessarily follow this, I do love a good breakfast.

For years I couldn’t eat breakfast first thing in the morning.  Then when I started exercising more and cleaning up my diet I realised how well I function for the rest of the day when I’ve had a good breakfast.  I don’t get a mid-morning or mid-afternoon slump and I don’t have the constant feeling of needing more to eat.  You know the feeling, that no matter what you eat you don’t feel satisfied?  I’ve found that having a healthy, balanced breakfast gets rid of those feelings for me.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t make pancakes everyday as I don’t have time and it would get boring, but these are great to make on a relaxed weekend morning.

I normally serve mine with berries and yoghurt but a drizzle of nut butter over them would be tasty too.

Makes approx. 5 pancakes

Ingredients

-2 tsp. coconut oil or olive oil

-1 very ripe banana, mashed

-2 eggs, beaten

-3 Tbsp. gluten free oats

-pinch of cinnamon (optional)

 

Banana & oat pancakes

How To Make

In a bowl mix together the banana, eggs, oats and cinnamon (if using).  Stir until fully combined.

Place 1 teaspoon of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.  Once the oil is hot, add 2 tablespoons of pancake mixture to the pan.

Cook for 2 minutes, until brown then flip over and cook until brown on the other side.  Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Repeat until all the pancake mixture is used up.  Add the extra teaspoon of oil to the pan when it starts to dry out.

Serve with berries and yoghurt or as you like!

Enjoy 🙂

 

 

Vegetable Spring Rolls (Gluten Free)

Posted in Main Dish, Side Dish by

Spring Rolls

I’ve noticed since I’m getting older my taste buds are changing.  I was never one to have a lot of spice in my food, I was the girl who always ordered a korma and had yoghurt on the side to stir through it, but now I’m loving all different spices in my dishes and chillies too.  I’m not at the point of having too much chilli that I cannot taste the food (I really don’t see the point in that as food is to be enjoyed) but I’m loving a little heat.  I also disliked mushrooms for years, I couldn’t stand the smell, sight or taste of them, it wasn’t until I was in my twenties at a dinner party and presented with a mushroom starter which I forced my self to eat out of politeness then….BAM I actually realised I liked them!

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Chicken Goujons (Gluten Free)

Posted in Main Dish by

Can you believe it’s May already?  It seems 5 minutes ago I was thinking of Christmas and the New Year, this year is certainly whizzing by.  I’m looking forward to warmer weather (which we’ll hopefully get; in Scotland you are never guaranteed a warm Summer), I’ve already started lists of recipes I want to try to develop with lovely Summer flavours.

Chicken Goujons

This recipe doesn’t really scream Summer or any particular season to be honest.  You could have these goujons any time of the year with either a salad or homemade fries or baked potato.  And these goujons are not just for kids, adults will enjoy them too and you can change the seasoning to whoever you are making them for, so if it is adults who are going to be having them, then a little chilli powder gives them a lovely wee kick.

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