Baked Egg and Zucchini Cups

These are versatile little cups that we have for dinner when the non gluten free boys are having quiche.

This recipe makes 6 standard muffin cups.

Ingredients

3 large eggs, beaten

70mls milk

130g grated zucchini

30g ground almonds

15g fresh coriander, chopped

1 red chilli, shedded and sliced finely

Salt and pepper

1-2 teaspoons black chia seeds

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Take out a muffin tin and cut squares of baking parchment to line 6 of the muffin holes.

Squish the paper up under a running tap and then shape to line the holes.

Combine all of the ingredients, except the chia seeds, in a bowl.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and then sprinkle over the chia seeds.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until risen, they will sink again as they cool.

Cheese and Chorizo Puffs

These little Brazilian breads are an absolute delight and so easy to make.

The batter also keeps for a couple of days on the fridge so you can make them fresh as you need them.

Makes 60-70 mini muffin sized puffs.

Ingredients

100g chorizo

170g cheddar, finely grated

350g tapioca flour

350mls milk

150mls oil

2 eggs

Method

Cook the chorizo over a high heat until crispy, use a slotted spoon to remove from the pan and place on some kitchen paper to remove excess fat. Allow to cool completely.

Grease 3 x 24 mini muffin tins if you are using all of the batter.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Once the chorizo is cool, place in a food processor and pulse until it creates a chorizo crumb.

Now add all of the other ingredients and whizz to form a batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared tins, no more than two thirds full.

Place the trays in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Green Chicken Burgers

You always need a good chicken burger recipe and this one is a cracker.

Made on the BBQ or in a pan it works well both ways.

Makes 6 burgers.

Ingredients

500g minced chicken

75g chickpea flour

30g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks chopped

2 spring onions/green onions, sliced finely

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 jalapeño, deseeded and finely diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and place in the fridge for at least two hours.

Heat a little olive oil in a non stick pan over a medium to high heat.

Form the meat into six patties.

Place the patties into the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes and then turn and cook for a further 4-6 minutes until cooked through and golden.

Serve with some fresh aioli in a gluten free or regular bun.

Gluten Free Sweet Waffles

Bit of a lazy Sunday morning breakfast that the boys love making.

If you don’t have nutmeg, cinnamon works beautifully too.

Makes 6-8 waffles depending on the size of your waffle iron.

Ingredients

150g gluten free plain flour

40g caster sugar

2 and 1/2 tablespoons gluten free baking powder

1 egg

300mls milk

Freshly grated nutmeg

Method

Heat your waffle iron.

Using a stick blender, whizz all of the ingredients until lump free.

Cook according to your waffle iron instructions.

Smoked Haddock with Spinach

I recently got my hands on some beautiful smoked Haddock from Scotland. Any firm fish, smoked or not, works really well here.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

800g baby potatoes, cooked and halved

400g baby spinach leaves

A little freshly grated nutmeg.

50g shallots, peeled and finely sliced

500g fresh of smoked fish

150ml cream

150mls mascarpone

40g fresh chives

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade.

Place the spinach in a large colander, pour over a kettle full of just boiled water, set aside.

Butter the inside of an oven proof dish.

Once the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze out the water and chop roughly.

Place the potatoes in the bottom of the prepared dish.

Sprinkle over the chopped spinach and grate over a little nutmeg.

Top the spinach with the shallots and then place the fish on top, I break it up a little.

In a jug, combine the cream, mascarpone and chives, pour this over the fish.

Sprinkle over a few more chives and then bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the sauce has thickened a little

Breakfast Tacos With Harissa Potatoes And Corn

A seriously tasty breakfast taco, heaps of flavour and filling too!

Serves 2.

Ingredients

Oil

10 cooked baby potatoes, quartered

1/4 cup fresh corn

1 tablespoon Harissa paste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

4 eggs

4 corn tortillas

Salt and pepper

Method

In a frying pan, heat the oil, add the quartered potatoes and fry for 5 minutes until they begin to colour a little.

Add the harrisa and corn to the pan and stir through with the potatoes, cook for 5 minutes.

Now, if you are using a big pan, move the potatoes and corn to the side and fry the eggs in the pan or oil another pan and fry the eggs.

Once the eggs are cooked, stir the coriander through the potato mixture, season well and divide between the tortillas, top with an egg and enjoy!

Moroccan Spiced Potatoes

I love potatoes, the ultimate comfort food!

They are a great way to fill the boys up and they pair so well with onions and spices.

If you have leftovers, reheat gently and serve for breakfast with a poached egg on top.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

750g baby potatoes, skin on, cooked

30mls oil

2 onions, halved and cut into 1cm wedges

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes

1/2-1 teaspoon salt flakes

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Pepper to taste

Fresh dill

Method

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat, cook the onion until softened, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

With the pan over a medium to high heat, add the potatoes, crushing them a little with your hands as you go.

While the potatoes are beginning to brown, use a mortar and pestle to lightly crush the coriander, cumin, thyme, chilli and salt.

Once the potatoes are beginning to get some colour, add the coriander mix, sesame seeds, cooked onion and garlic slices.

Stir constantly over a medium heat until the potatoes are golden and the onions are browning.

Sprinkle over the fresh dill and serve.

Texan Breakfast Sausage

One of the most versatile skinless sausages I know.

Here I’ve made the sausage into a pattie and used it in the Texan gravy too with a gluten free buttermilk biscuit to keep it company.

Makes 14 patties. The raw sausage meat freezes really well.

Ingredients

1kg minced pork

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried marjoram

2 teaspoons dried sage

1 teaspoon ground chipotle chilli

1-2 teaspoons salt

1/2-1 teaspoon freshly ground coarse pepper

Method

Combine all of the ingredients to make your sausage meat.

Form into patties, heat a non stick pan over high heat or get your BBQ nice and hot and then cook until cooked through.

Pink Stuffed Potatoes

This is what happens when I bake too many potatoes the night before!

A great way of sneaking some more veg into the kids and in a house full of males I need some pink in my life!

Serves 4-6 depending on the size of your potatoes.

Ingredients

4 medium to large potatoes, baked and cooled

30g butter

1 small onion, finely diced

230g beetroot, peeled and grated

100g gruyere cheese, finely grated plus a little to top 

1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped

Freshly ground pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Half the potatoes, scooop out the flesh, leaving the skin intact. Place the cooked potato in a large bowl.

In a large frying pan, heat the butter over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes until it begins to soften.

Add the beetroot to the pan and cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

While the beetroot cooks, lightly mash the potato with a fork, add the grated cheese and pepper, mix lightly.

Once the beetroot is cooked, add to the potato mix and combine thourghly.

Divide the beetroot mix into eight and spoon into the potato skins.

Sprinkle with a pinch of parsley and top with a little cheese. Lay the filled skins onto the baking tray.

Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is golden and the filling is hot.

Marmalade Chicken

Now, I don’t know about your house but in mine we seem to have a never ending drawer full of jars of jam and spreads with just dregs in them!

This is my way of using up the marmalade, simple, effective and rather tasty.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients 

1kg skinless chicken breasts or thighs, diced

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons orange marmalade 

2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard

250mls chicken stock

Method

Heat the oil in a large oven proof frying pan, once hot add the chicken and season well.

Once the chicken is sealed, add the marmalade, mustard and stock. Cover and bring to the boil, simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade while the chicken simmers.

Now uncover th chicken and slide the pan into the hot oven, bake for 10 minutes and then gently shake the pan to cover the chicken in the pan juices.

Repeat this another couple of times over twenty minutes. The pan juices will have reduced and the chicken darkened.

Serve while hot or warm, pouring the pan juices over the chicken.