Carrot and Red Quinoa Cake

Ok, a bit odd but bare with me!

Gluten free baking has its challenges and making a cake rise and stay risen is one of them.

Enter quinoa, a bit like beetroot brownies the bulk of the carrots and quinoa keep the cake well risen and the quinoa adds a slight crunch which I rather like.

This is the single layer version of the cake, I made it for the lunch boxes so no icing but if you want a multi layer gluten free cake this is the one to use, moist, a little crumbly and lovely with cream cheese icing!

Serves 8.

Ingredients

3 eggs

120g brown sugar

100mls oil

150g grated carrot

90g cooked quinoa, I use red quinoa but regular works well too

40g coconut flour

60g buckwheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Centigrade, grease and line the base of a 23cm spring form tin.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until very light and creamy.

Slowly fold in the oil followed by the remaining ingredients.

Spoon into the tin and smooth.

Bake for 30-35mins, allow to cool a little in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Sprinkle a little caster or icing sugar over the top to serve.

Mushrooms With Thyme and Garlic Topped With Potato Rosti

Good for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

If you like mushrooms then you will love this! Use all of your favourite mushrooms, chopped up roughly.

To make this vegan and dairy free omit the butter and cheese and use oil to cook the mushrooms

Serves 2-3.

Ingredients

400g mixed mushrooms

30g butter

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon fresh them leaves

500g potatoes, julienned

50g Parmesan, finely grated

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Take a medium, oven proof frying pan, heat over a medium heat, add butter.

Once the butter has melted add the garlic and thyme.

Once the garlic is aromatic, 30secs, add the mushrooms and cook until softened. Season well.

While the mushrooms are cooking, finely julienne the potatoes and soak in a bowl of cold water.

Once the mushrooms are cooked, empty the potatoes into a colander and rinse under cold water, tip onto a tea towel and dry thourghly.

Top mushrooms with the potatoes and sprinkle over the cheese and a little more salt and pepper.

Pop the pan in the oven and bake for 30mins until the top potatoes are crispy and lower potatoes are cooked through.

Spinach and Cherry Tomato Pie

We all need a cheat in the kitchen!

Sometimes time is not on my side so pastry cases and spinach in the freezer save me with this pie, the chooks help out with the eggs.

Dare I say, it also gets a good dose of greens into the boys with no complaints! It also transports well so large slices are ideal for lunch boxes.

Serves 4-6. I tend to make two at a time to give me the lunch box leftovers.

Ingredients

1 frozen savoury pie case

225g frozen chopped spinach

5 eggs

150mls cream

8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved

freshly grated nutmeg

salt and pepper

10g Parmesan, finely grated

Method

Blind bake the pastry case as per instructions.

Defrost the spinach and squeeze out all of the excess water, set aside.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs and cream, grate in a little nutmeg and season well.

Add the spinach to the egg mix and stir well.

Once the case has pre baked, remove from the oven and fill with the egg and spinach.

Top with the halved tomatoes, cut side up and sprinkle with cheese.

Return to the oven and bake until the centre of the pie has only just set, it can still have a bit of a wobble!

Allow to sit for 10mins before cutting.

Rhubarb Crumble

Oh I love rhubarb!

If the oven is on for a roast I like to pop a crumble in to make the most of the heat.

The crumble topping can be made and frozen for a future speedy pudding so I normally make double and freeze half for another day.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

800g rhubarb, cut into 1cm pieces

2 tablespoons caster sugar

200g gluten free plain flour

100g butter, diced

60g sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Centigrade.

Grease your baking dish and fill with the rhubarb.

Sprinkle over the 2 tablespoons of caster sugar.

In a large bowl, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, add the sugar and stir through.

Spoon the crumble topping over the rhubarb.

Pop in the oven and bake for 30-40 mins until the crumble is golden and the rhubarb juices are bubbling.

Almond and Cumin Roast Chicken

This is a treat!

The marinade creates a crust around the chicken that keeps it deliciously moist. By removing the spine and flattening the chook you manage to cut down on the cooking time. I roast the spine with the chook and then use the bones to make a beautiful stock with the scrapings from the pan.

Serves 4-6 depending on sides and appetites!

Ingredients

1 x 1.8kg chicken, spine removed and butterflied

4 tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons garam masala

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli

3 large garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

100g dry roasted almond, unsalted, skin on

300mls Greek or natural yogurt

2 tablespoons olive oil

juice of 1 lime

salt and pepper

Method

Process all the ingredients except the chicken.

Flatten the chicken in a roasting tin, using a very sharp knife, slash the skin and flesh of the breasts and legs.

Pour the marinade over and rub all over the chicken, including the cavity.

Set aside to marinade for 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Roast the chicken for 45-50mins, basting regularly.

Allow to rest for 20-30 mins, covered with foil before serving.

 

 

Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Egg Breakfast Wrap

My breakfast of choice on my birthday. Possibly because even my boys can make it!

Hot smoked salmon works well too and a little sprinkling of fresh dill is lovely too.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

50g butter

6 large eggs

125mls full cream milk

250g cold smoked salmon, cut into strips

salt and pepper

4 gluten free wraps

Method

In a jug, whisk the eggs, milk and a good grinding of pepper.

Heat a large non stick frying pan over a medium heat.

Add the butter.

Once the butter has melted, pour in the egg mixture.

Using a spoon, slowly draw the egg from the base of the pan as it cooks.

Sprinkle over the salmon and continue to draw the egg until fully scrambled. Check if you need to add salt.

Heat the wraps a little in a microwave to soften them.

Spoon the eggs and salmon into each wrap and fold, serve immediately.

Chocolate Crepe Pudding

Leftover crepes never tasted so good!

This recipe uses one quantity of my gluten free buckwheat crepe recipe however you can use regular crepes if you prefer. You need around 24 crepes.

As great as this is for a pudding, the boys took wedges in to school for recess the following day and swear its better cold!

Serves 8.

Ingredients

200g milk chocolate

340ml cream

200mls full cream milk

40g butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 quantity gluten free buckwheat crepe recipe, makes 20-24

Method

Grease an oven proof dish that the flat crepes fit snugly into.

Gently warm the chocolate and butter in the microwave, once melted, add the cream, milk and vanilla.

Pour a thin layer of chocolate sauce into the prepared dish, top with a crepe add a little sauce and add another crepe.

Continue until all of the crepes are used and pour all of the remaining sauce over the crepes.

Allow to sit for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade.

Pop the pudding into the oven and bake for 25-35 mins.

Serve with a little vanilla ice cream!

Garlicky Broad Bean and Halloumi Salad

Broad beans were a much maligned veg in my house until we had this salad with Tarragon Chicken pieces.

If you can get your hands on some really good halloumi the saltiness combined with the garlicky beans is a winner.

I use frozen beans, they are so  handy loitering in the freezer. I don’t dress the salad as we have juicy chicken with it but a simple vinaigrette would work well.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

500g frozen broad beans

2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

30mls olive oil

200g haloumi, drained and dried,  sliced 3-5mm thick

250g mixed salad leaves or rocket

Method

Take the broad beans and blanch for 30seconds, cool under a running tap.

Take each bean and peel off the outer skin, set aside and repeat.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the garlic and once fragrant add the beans and fry quickly.

Set aside and add the haloumi slices to the pan, fry until golden.

In your serving bowl, lay the mixed leaves on the base, top with the warm broad beans and add the haloumi slices.

Serve immediately.

Tarragon Chicken

This used up the last of the French tarragon in my garden until it reappears in spring.

I served this with my garlicky broad bean and haloumi salad, a lovely light but filling combination.

Although this chicken was cooked in the  oven it is lovely cooked on the barbecue too.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

1 x 1.8kg whole chicken, jointed into 10 pieces

2 garlic cloves, crushed

A good handful of fresh tarragon, leaves picked and chopped roughly

60mls olive oil

Salt and pepper

Method

Combine the chicken, garlic, tarragon, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Set aside for 4-6 hours.

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Centigrade and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Take the chicken and lay it out, skin side up on the prepared tin.

Bake in the oven for 40-45mins, basting regularly until cooked through and golden.

Set aside to rest before serving.

Pancetta Wrapped Mushrooms With Sausage

As simple as it sounds, these are a bit of fun for breakfast!

I love mushrooms baked with a whole egg in them but my meat eating boys would rather have this version, they even eat the mushroom!

If you can’t find pancetta, thinly sliced streaky bacon is perfect!

Serves 4.

Ingredients

8 large portobello mushrooms

32 thin slices of flat pancetta, rind removed

8 small sausages

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade.

Scoop out the insides of the mushroom.

Lat it on the chopping board, top uppermost and lay four strips of pancetta over the top with an overhang.

Turn the mushroom over and tuck the pancetta into the centre.

Remove the skin from the sausages and push the meat into the centre of the mushroom, covering the pancetta ends.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins.