Tag: Gluten Free

3 Ingredient Snickers Bars (aka Reindeer Poops)

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As someone who is allergic to most nuts, I’ve never had a Snickers bar, but I have heard they are filled with crunchy peanuts, sweet caramel and coated in chocolate. I’ve not got a very sweet tooth, so I’m subbing in dark chocolate for milk, adding extra plant polyphenols which my gut will love. It’s also got the benefit of fibre from the naturally sweet and caramel-like date, and the crunchy almond butter has been blended with the skins on for even more fibre benefit, as these are the nuts I’m not allergic to.

All in all, this is a really easy recipe which will help to satisfy your sweet tooth when you might normally reach for a shop-bought version. Make a larger batch and keep them in an airtight container, if they last that long!

Serves 5

Ingredients

  • 5 Medjool dates, pitted and split down one side
  • 5 tsp crunchy almond butter (or any other nut butter of choice)
  • 100g dark chocolate, melted

Method

  • Add a teaspoon of nut butter to the middle of the date and close as best you can
  • Roll the stuffed date in the melted chocolate, getting an even coating over the whole surface
  • Allow to set on baking parchment for around 30 minutes
  • Enjoy straight away, or store in an airtight Tupperware for up to 2 weeks
Reindeer Poops

Per serving: 257kcal/ 15g fat/ 5.5g saturated fat/ 24g carbohydrates/ 4.4g fibre/ 4.6g protein

Kuri Squash Frittata

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Serves 6 as a lighter meal that is still high in protein.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large red onion, sliced
  • 1/2 Kuri squash (350g), skin on and thinly sliced
  • 100g baby leaf spinach
  • 9 eggs
  • 100ml milk
  • 150g reduced fat feta cheese

Method

  • In a frying pan cook the onion for 2 minutes with the olive oil before adding in the squash and cooking for 5 minutes.
  • Add the spinach and allow it to wilt.
  • Whisk the eggs and milk, adding two-thirds of the feta before seasoning with pepper to taste.
  • Line a baking tin with parchment paper and add the cooked vegetables.
  • Pour over the egg mixture and scatter the remaining feta over the top.
  • Bake in a preheated oven set to 180°C fan/ 200°C convection for 22-25 minutes till golden brown and set.
  • Delicious served with a side salad.
Squash Frittata

Per serving: 241kcal/ 15g fat/ 4.8g saturated fat/ 7.9g carbohydrates/ 1.6*g fibre/ 18g protein

*Analysis completed with peeled butternut squash. Leaving the skin on the squash will help to increase the fibre content of this dish.

Air Fryer Falafel

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I used to work at King’s College London as a postdoctoral researcher and there was this little falafel stall just around the corner which would be mine and my colleagues go to spot when we were treating ourselves to lunch out (or running back to the metabolic research unit!).

These falafel are a nod to those which I used to have more frequently than I would like to admit, but I’ve put a healthy twist on them by cooking them in the air fryer, making no deep fat frying. This helps to reduce the overall fat of the falafel, as well as using extra virgin olive oil, which is a healthy fat which probably wasn’t the oil used for frying at the stall.

Makes 24 falafel

Ingredients

  • 250g dried chickpeas, soaked for at least 8 hours in cold water
  • 1 large red onion
  • 45g flat-leaf parsley
  • 20g dill
  • 30g coriander
  • Green chillis to taste (optional)
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 2-3 heaped tablespoons of gram flour
  • 30g sesame seeds
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

  1. Add the soaked chickpeas, onion, herbs, spices, salt and bicarbonate of soda to a blender and pulse till everything is finely chopped and combined.
  2. Mix in the gram flour to get a consistency that is still wet, but just holds together when gently pressed.
  3. Rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  4. Using a 2 tbsp measure, create little pucks of the mixture and gently top with sesame seeds on each of the flat sides.
  5. Place each falafel onto a non-stick baking tray (or line with baking parchment) leaving a 1cm gap between them.
  6. Brush with olive oil on the top and bake in the air fryer* for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  7. Serve hot and crispy!

*option to bake in an oven set to 200°C fan for 15-20 minutes

Air Fryer Falafel

Per serving (4 falafel): 280kcal/ 12g fat/ 1.7g saturated fat/ 24g carbohydrates/ 11g fibre/ 13g protein

Prawn Dumplings

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Makes around 18 dumplings

Ingredients

  • 100g bamboo shoots, finely sliced
  • 2 spring onions, finely sliced
  • 300g prawns, deveined and chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 1/4″ ginger, grated
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 18 rice paper sheets, each cut into 4

Method

  • Mix all the filling ingredients together
  • Soak 4 small squares of rice paper in cold water for 1 minute before layering 2 as a square and 2 as a diamond.
  • Place 1 heaped teaspoon of mixture into the middle of the rice paper and fold the diamond corners in followed by the square corners in. Pinch at the top to seal.
  • Place in a lined steamer and cooker for 10-12 minutes.
  • Enjoy hot with your favourite chilli oil or sauce.
Prawn Dumplings

Courgette Risotto

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Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 4 courgettes, 2 sliced and 2 grated
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 red onions, finely diced
  • 5 garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • 20g butter
  • 250g risotto rice
  • 250ml dry white wine (optional)
  • 1 vegetable stock cube made up in 600ml boiling water
  • 60g parmesan

Method

  • Fry the sliced courgettes in the olive oil for around 10 minutes, till soft and golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • In the same pan add the onions with a splash of water and cook over a low heat till soft and translucent. Add the garlic in and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  • Add the butter and rice and toast for a few minutes till fragrant before adding the wine and stirring continuously.
  • Add hot stock a few ladles at a time, stirring till the liquid is absorbed before adding more stock in.
  • When the rice is almost cooked al dente, add the grated courgettes in and allow to soften as the risotto finishes cooking.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan, and serve topped with the fried courgettes.
Courgette Risotto

Per serving: 486kcal/ 20g fat/ 7.2g saturated fat/ 61g carbohydrates/ 2.9g fibre/ 14g protein

Roasted Smashed Potatoes with Broccoli and Beans

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If you cook potatoes and then let them cool overnight you can create something called resistant starch, which, as the name suggests, is resistant to digestion. This means that you get to eat delicious-tasting food, and your gut microbes also benefit from the starches, which we are unable to digest, but they love!

Serves 3

Ingredients

  • 500g new potatoes, cooked and cooled overnight
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, skin on
  • 1 tin of cannellini beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry
  • 250g sprouting broccoli
  • 200g thick strained yoghurt
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice
  • 10 sprigs of mint, leaves finely sliced

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C convection
  • Smash the potatoes using a large flat item so they are around the thickness of a pound coin. Place on a baking sheet and brush with 1 tbsp olive oil. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes
  • Flip the potatoes over to crisp up the second side, adding the cloves of garlic and brushing with more olive oil. Bake for another 30 minutes, or till the potatoes are golden brown and crunchy.
  • Meanwhile, run your beans with the remaining olive oil and spread out over a second baking sheet, tucking the broccoli down the centre. Roast for 20 minutes.
  • Once the potatoes are cooked, remove the garlic cloves from their skin and mash into the yogurt along with half the lemon zest and juice. Mix well and season with pepper to taste.
  • Plate up with all the elements, and finish with the remaining lemon zest and juice and a sprinkle of mint.
Roasted Smashed Potatoes with Broccoli and Beans

Per serving: 350kcal/ 11g fat/ 2.5g saturated fat/ 38g carbohydrates/ 12g fibre/ 18g protein

Wholegrain Spring Risotto

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This risotto is a true labour of love, starting with growing the broad beans from scratch, to shelling them with fresh British peas, and then using wholegrain risotto rice, which, unbeknown to me up till this point, takes much longer to cook in comparison to its white counterpart. Something I feel I should have know, but may have overlooked. Therefore, I have a few simple swaps to make the process easier. Despite this, Matt said it was really delicious and I should make it again!

I was also surprised that using brown risotto rice only gave 8.6g of fibre per serving, whereas white risotto rice would have given 8.3g fibre per serving. So the addition of 0.3g of fibre per serving for me doesn’t equate to the extra time spent cooking and stirring an already labour intensive dish!

I absolutely love fresh peas straight from their pod, there is nothing that quite tastes like it. However, if you’re short on time, or if peas are not in season, use frozen peas and broad beans, or swap the seasonal asparagus for other green veg such as kale, swiss chard, purple sprouting broccoli or sugar snap peas.

Serves 5

  • 825g broad beans in their pods, or 250g shelled
  • 450g peas in their pods, or 100g shelled
  • 200g asparagus, tougher stems finely chopped and tender tips cut into large lengths
  • 1 very large onion, finely diced
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 300g brown risotto rice (or swap to white if you prefer)
  • 250ml dry white wine (option to leave out if preferred)
  • 2 stock cubes
  • 75g parmesan, grated
  • 100g pea shoots

Method

  • Blanch your broad beans, peas and asparagus tips in 2l* of boiling water for 2 minutes, 30 seconds and 1 minute respectively before plunging into iced water to retain their vibrant green colour. Set aside.
  • Using the reserved blanching water, add your stock cubes and keep on a low heat.
  • In a large pan, gently soften the onions in the olive oil with the tougher asparagus stems for around 10 minutes, till the onion starts to turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute longer.
  • Add the butter and risotto rice and toast till fragrant, usually around 2 minutes, before adding the wine and allowing the grains to absorb the liquid.
  • Add a few ladles of stock at a time, and stir continuously till absorbed. Repeat this process till the rice is cooked through, but still has a slight bite to it.
  • Drain the broad beans, peas, and asparagus tips and add to the rice, cooking for 1-2 minutes till warmed through.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan and serve with pea shoots.

*White risotto rice will use less water than brown risotto rice

Wholegrain Spring Risotto

Smoked Mackerel Potato Salad

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Smoked Mackerel Potato Salad

This potato salad is for all those mayonnaise haters out there! I’m using lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and Dijon mustard as the base of the sauce, and keeping it light by using a load of chopped herbs, capers and gherkins.

Cooking and cooling potatoes allows for the starch to retrograde into something called resistant starch. Our bodies are not able to digest this type of starch, but instead, it helps to feed the microbiota living inside your digestive tract.

Serves 2 as a main, or 4 as a side dish

Ingredients

  • 500g new potatoes
  • 200g asparagus, trimmed and cut into short lengths
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 heaped tablespoon of Dijon mustard
  • 40g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 20g dill, finely chopped
  • 20g chives, finely chopped
  • 1 heaped tablespoon of capers, drained and roughly chopped
  • 2-3 gherkins, chopped
  • 1 packet smoked mackerel, skin removed and roughly flaked

Method

  • Boil the potatoes for around 15 minutes untill cooked through, adding the asparagus in for the last minute of cooking.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by mixing the lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, herbs, capers and gherkins together.
  • Drain the potatoes and asparagus and add to the sauce, mixing while hot.
  • Serve with flaked smoked mackerel over the top.
Smoked Mackerel Potato Salad
Smoked Mackerel Potato Salad

Wild Garlic Hummus

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I’ve had a few requests for some wild garlic recipes which are easy, so I’ve made this Wild Garlic Hummus which couldn’t be simpler for anyone wanted to use wild garlic which has arrived in their weekly veg delivery box. You can choose how much wild garlic you want to use, and obviously the more you use, the greener it will be as well as the stronger the garlic taste – you can always add more!

Ingredients

  • 50-100g wild garlic
  • 1 tin of chickpeas
  • Juice of 1-2 lemons
  • 50g tahini
  • 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

  • Add everything to a blender and blend to a desireable consistency, adding extra lemon juice of olive oil where needed.
  • Serve with your favourite crudités, bread, crackers, storing any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Wild Garlic Hummus

Wild Garlic Hummus

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I’ve had a few requests for some wild garlic recipes which are easy, so I’ve made this Wild Garlic Hummus which couldn’t be simpler for anyone wanted to use wild garlic which has arrived in their weekly veg delivery box. You can choose how much wild garlic you want to use, and obviously the more you use, the greener it will be as well as the stronger the garlic taste – you can always add more!

Ingredients

  • 50-100g wild garlic
  • 1 tin of chickpeas
  • Juice of 1-2 lemons
  • 50g tahini
  • 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

  • Add everything to a blender and blend to a desirable consistency, adding extra lemon juice or olive oil where needed.
  • Serve with your favourite crudités, bread, crackers, storing any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Wild Garlic Hummus

Radicchio and Burrata Salad

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I had a very similar salad in a restaurant recently for a friend’s birthday. I thought I could recreate it, with a slight nutritional twist whereby each serving provides you with an actual portion of salad! It’s just as delicious as the restaurant, but knowing it’s providing that little bit of extra nutrition makes me forgive the fact that I’m actually eating a double portion of cheese in one go.

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 6 large leaves of radicchio (160g)
  • 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 30g pumpkin seeds
  • 30g pomegranate seeds
  • 1 ball of burrata

Method

  • Mix the pomegranate molasses, vinegar and olive oil together in a small bowl
  • Tear the radicchio leaves into a more manageable size and arrange on a large plate.
  • Scatter the seeds over the top before placing the burrata in the middle and drizzling everything with the prepared salad dressing.
Radicchio and Burrata Salad

Per serving: 427kcal/ 35g fat/ 12g saturated fat/ 17g carbohydrates/ 2.3g fibre/ 10g protein

Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies

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People talk about the 4 C’s when it comes to diamonds, but I’m talking about the 4 C’s when it comes to cookies! These are delicious, super soft whilst still chewy, yet completely gluten-free thanks to the use of chickpea flower, otherwise known as gram flour.

I also have to give credit to my then 6-year-old nephew, who, after I had made brunch with some gluten-free vegetable fritters, asked if we could make some gluten-free cookies for his mummy using my special flour. And here we are. A word of caution, the raw batter is disgusting! But it’s transformed once it’s cooked, so, a) don’t lick the bowl clean and b) trust the process!

Makes 12 cookies

Ingredients

  • 125g unsalted butter
  • 100g soft light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 250g chickpea/gram flour
  • 1/2 tbsp gluten-free baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 175 dark chocolate chips

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/ 180°C convection and line 2 large baking trays with baking parchment.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and melt in the microwave or bain marie. Once melted mix in the sugar, mixing well before adding in the eggs and vanilla extract.
  • Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt together before adding to the wet ingredients and mixing to form a stiff dough. Add the chocolate chips and mix to incorporate.
  • Spoon 12 equal blobs of dough across 2 baking trays with a gap between each cookie, before trying to flatten slightly.
  • Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes till lightly golden brown on the edges. Allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before tucking into a warm cookie.
Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies

Per cookie: 283kcal/ 17g fat/ 9.5g saturated fat/ 24g carbohydrates/ 3.7g fibre/ 7.3g protein