Satay Burgers

Some nights there are too many comings and goings to allow us to sit down and eat dinner together.

Those nights the boys cook their dinner on the bbq and burgers are a favourite.

I’ve used pork in this recipe but minced chicken is delicious too. As the gluten rolls that we like are long and skinny, I just make the patties to fit the roll.

Makes six burgers.

Ingredients

500g minced Pork

3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

3 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

30g fresh coriander chopped

Salt and pepper

Method

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and form into burgers.

Heat your bbq or pan over a medium flame.

Once hot cook the burgers, as it is pork, you need to cook it all the way through.

Chicken Nibbles

This is my gluten and egg free version of every child’s favourite, popcorn chicken.

Serves 4-6 depending on appetites!

Ingredients

WET INGREDIENTS

1kg chicken breast, diced 1cm

50mls buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

DRY INGREDIENTS

230g chickpea flour

2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

Method

Get out two large bowls, measure the ingredients out at the same time, it saves you measuring out the spices again later.

So, all the wet ingredients in one bowl and all the dry ingredients in the other.

Combine the wet ingredients well and pop them into the fridge for 2-4 hours.

Heat your deep fat fryer to 170 degrees.

Take handfuls of the chicken and tumble the chicken pieces through the dry spice and chickpea mix.

Fry in batches for 4-5 minutes until cooked through and golden.

Drain on kitchen towel roll and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Cannellini Bean and Harissa Burgers

Getting three carnivorous teenage boys to eat vegetarian food can be a bit of a challenge but, I find with my boys if I serve it in a bun, all will be right in the world!

I spread Greek natural yogurt on the bottom of the roll, top with salad leaves, burger, more yogurt and then finely diced sun dried tomatoes and some fresh pepper.

Makes 8 burger patties.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil

100g finely diced onion

220g grated carrot

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons harrisa paste

80g fresh gluten free breadcrumbs

2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 limes, juiced

10g mint leaves

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions, cook until soft.

Add the grated carrot and garlic to the pan and cook over a low heat for 8-10 minutes until the carrot is soft.

Add the harrisa paste to the pan and cook for one minute.

In a food processor, whizz the bread to make breadcrumbs, tip into a large bowl.

Process the beans, lime juice, mint, egg, smoked paprika and cumin to a slightly lumpy paste.

Pour the paste into the bowl of breadcrumbs and add the carrot mixture.

Season and combine well.

Leave to rest in the fridge for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

Divide the burger mix into eight balls and form into patties.

Lay four patties onto each prepared tin.

Drizzle with a little oil and pop the trays into the oven.

Bake for 25 minutes until the outside is crisp.

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.

Chickpea Pizza Base

Another pizza base!

I love how quickly these can be made and then personalised and the base only has three ingredients, chickpea flour/besan which I always have a box of,water and salt, too easy!

This pizza is topped with passata, chorizo, Parmesan and spring onions.

To make this vegan, just use oil in your pan and select your usual toppings.

Makes 5-6 pizza bases.

Ingredients

275g chickpea flour

750mls water

Pinch of salt

Butter and or oil

Method

Measure the flour into a large bowl.

Make a well in the centre and slowly whisk the water into the flour to form a very runny batter. Set aside for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, heat your grill or broiler to high.

Take a non stick, oven proof, 22/24cm frying pan and heat over medium to high heat with 10g butter and 10mls oil.

Whisk the batter, season and whisk again.

Once the butter has melted, swirl around the pan and add 200mls of batter.

Swirl the pan and pop back on the heat.

Cook for 3-4 minutes until the surface appears to dry a little.

Now slide the pan under the grill, my pan doesn’t have an oven proof handle so I have it sticking out away from the heat!

Grill for 3-4 minutes until colouring.

Now you can choose to top the pizza and grill again to melt your toppings or as I do, make all the bases and then bake them in a 210 degree Centigrade oven until the toppings have melted, less than a minute for the pizza in the picture.

Black Bean And Beetroot Burgers

Well, what can I say……… my meat eating carnivore sons wolfed these down!

Non coeliacs had them in a brioche bun and us coeliacs had them with sweet potato wedges, absolutely delicious and healthy to boot! 

I have got into the habit of buying dry black beans in bulk, cooking up a big pan of them and freezing portions in boxes for later use, hence the non tin quantity.

Makes six large burgers and 8 regular sized burgers.

Ingredients

30ml olive oil

180g onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

200g carrots, peeled and grated

380g beetroot, peeled and grated

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3 teaspoons ground coriander

1/4-1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

70g fresh coriander, stalks and leaves

600g cooked black beans

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade, line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil and cook the onion for 5 minutes over a medium heat.

Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes then add the grated carrot and beetroot, stir and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the ground cumin, ground coriander and chilli. Tip into a large bowl.

In a food processor, process the beans and fresh coriander until you have a loose crumble. Tip into the bowl with the beetroot mix.

Season with salt and pepper and then use your hands to combine the ingredients.

Once they are thourghly combined, divide the mixture and squeeze into patty shapes with your hands.

Lay each burger on the baking sheet until all of the mixture is used.

Drizzle each patty with a little olive oil and then bake for 20 minutes.

Use a large fish slice to lift the patties carefully as they are a bit on the crumbly side. I topped ours with avocado and Persian feta.

Taco Coleslaw

I’ve found that the best way to get raw vegetables into the boys is make them an essential component of their tacos!

We have this coleslaw with most of our tacos, fajitas and burritos. Due to the creamy dressing I tend not to have sour cream as well, another incentive to get the boys to eat veg and not just meat and sour cream!

We love dill so there is a fair whack of it in this salad but cut it back if you aren’t a fan. I do deseeded the pickled chillis but if you love spicy food, leave them in.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

1/4 large white cabbage, very finely sliced

2 large carrots, peeled and julienned

25g fresh chives, snipped

25g dill, fronds picked and roughly chopped

2 pickled jalapeños, deseeded and finely diced

DRESSING

130mls mayonnaise

100mls sour cream

1 lime, juiced

Salt and pepper

Method

Combine the dressing ingredients.

Pour over the slaw ingredients and mix well, I use my hands.

Allow to sit for 30 minutes if you have time and then serve.

The Real Deal Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets

A ridiculously long name for these but it so fits the bill!

It might sound like a large quantity in this recipe but honestly, make at least a kilo of these! They don’t last so, to tell the truth, I use a couple of kilos of chicken, bake and freeze the leftovers, they freeze brilliantly for a quick dinner another night and can be gently reheated from frozen, too easy!

The bread that I use is a bit of a heavy wet loaf so by whizzing it with the polenta you get a lighter crumb rather than wet globby balls! 

And remember, use the heels and crusts of the loaf, it adds a little colour and saves any waste of what is always an expensive ingredient here in Australia.

Makes 42-50 depending on size.

Ingredients

450g gluten free bread

160g polenta

1 teaspoon mixed herbs

1kg minced chicken

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1&1/2 teaspoons salt

Pepper

2 eggs

40mls milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Centigrade.

Line three baking sheets with baking parchment.

In a food processor, whizz the bread and polenta until you have fine breadcrumbs. 

In a large bowl or on a tray, combine the chicken, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and 280g of the breadcrumb mix.

Whisk the egg and milk in a bowl.

Add the mixed herbs to the breadcrumbs, mix well.

Take small amounts of the mince mix, form into a nugget shape or rough circle, dip in the egg and then in the reserved breadcrumbs to cover.

Lay the raw nugget onto the prepared tray and repeat with the remaining mix until it is all used up.

Bake in batches for 17-20 minutes, you might need to swap the trays half way through to get an even bake.

Serve hot.

Mexican Peanuts

With no added fat, these little peanuts pack a punch, especially if you add more cayenne. As these were made as a nibble for one of my youngest sons party they are less spicy to suit the younger taste buds!

Ingredients

375g raw peanuts

4 limes, juiced

1 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoons garlic powder

A pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

Method

Preheat your oven to 110 degrees centigrade. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

Pour the nuts onto the prepared tray and bake for 30 minutes.

While the nuts cook, mix the lime juice, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.

After the thirty minute bake, tip the nuts into the lime mix and tip back onto the tray with the baking parchment still on it.

Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool before serving.

Party Pizzas

These super cute pizzas were originally planned as a party food for my youngest sons birthday party this week but he has decided to have a Mexican feast instead! 

I am delighted that I can still share them with you, they are gluten and nut free. Great as school lunch box fillers and you can make them ahead of time and top them later.

This recipe makes 6 10cm pizza bases. I just topped mine with a little passata, mozzarella, tomato and oregano but let your imagination run wild.

Ingredients

100g Greek natural yogurt

1 egg, beaten

50g rice flour

50g potato starch

20g buckwheat flour

1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder

Method

Preheat the oven to 210 degrees centigrade. Slide a baking sheet into the oven while it heats up.

In a bowl, whisk the yogurt and egg.

Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until there are no lumps.

Remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and cover with a piece of baking parchment.

Spoon six equal quantities of batter onto the baking parchment and then using a wet spoon swirl with the back of the spoon until you have six 7-10cm circles.

Pop the tray into the oven and bake for 7 minutes.

Remove and top with your favourite toppings, return to the oven for 4-7 minutes until the toppings are hot and any cheese is golden.