Category: Gluten Free

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Balsamic beets with Roquefort and sesame seeds

Belinda

When I first saw this recipe on the BBC Good Food website it intrigued me. We are huge beet lovers in this house, but combining them with Roquefort and toasted sesame seeds really drew me in.

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1 1/4 lbs cooked baby beets (beetroot) but not the ones in jars cooked in vinegar. Roast some yourself or boil them, then peel and trim.
4 tbsp olive oil
7 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
5-6 oz Roquefort cheese
1-2 tsp sesame seeds, dry toasted in a pan.

Halve or quarter the beets when cooked, depending on the size
Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan, add the beets and sauté for 2 -3 minutes, tossing well to coat.

Add the balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper and cook 1-2 minutes longer until reduced right down to a syrupy glaze.

Transfer to a serving bowl and cool, then cover and chill
This can be done up to 1 day ahead.
Remove from the fridge 30 mins before serving, crumble the Roquefort over the beets and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan

Green pea hummus

Belinda

This is delicious and oh soooo easy, using frozen peas!

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Makes about 2 cups

1lb frozen baby peas or petit pois, thawed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Set aside 1/4 cup peas for garnish. Place remaining peas, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice in bowl of food processor and process until smooth puree is formed, scraping down sides as necessary, about 30 seconds total.

Transfer hummus to serving bowl, sprinkle with remaining whole peas, drizzle with additional extra-virgin olive oil, and serve with crostini or pita bread.

** For Green Pea Hummus with Mint and Feta:
Follow directions for Green Pea Hummus adding 1/2 cup of chopped fresh mint leaves and 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese along with other ingredients to food processor in step 1. Serve garnished with additional chopped mint and crumbled feta.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat · Sauces

Mushroom, sherry and grain mustard sauce

Belinda

If you want to take your steak up a notch, try Gordon Ramsey’s superb sauce.

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3 tbsp olive oil
4oz button mushroom, quartered
1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
1 sprig thyme
5 fl oz of dry sherry
1 tbsp sherry or balsamic vinegar
5 fl oz beef stock or brown chicken stock (could be made with a good bouillon powder)
2 tbsp crème fraîche
1 tbsp grain mustard
2 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the mushrooms with the garlic and thyme, stirring until softened.

Pour in 3 fl oz sherry and cook until reduced to a glaze, about 3 mins. Add the vinegar and cook for a few secs more. Mix in the remaining sherry and the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 3 mins.

Remove the garlic and thyme, then mix in the crème fraîche and mustard. Pour in any juices from the steak, then add the parsley.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry

One-pot garlic, lemon-herb Mediterranean chicken and potatoes

Belinda

Allow time to marinade the chicken, then throw everything in the same pot after searing the chicken and go and watch your favorite tv series!
Recipe c/o Cafe Delites

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4 skin-on , bone-in chicken thighs. (I have also used boneless, skinless, if you don’t need crispy skin)
¼ cup lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
3 tbsp olive oil , divided
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 large garlic cloves, crushed
3 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp salt, plus extra
8 baby potatoes, halved
1 red onion, cut into wedges
1 red bell pepper (capsicum) deseeded and cut into wedges
1 large zucchini, sliced
4 tablespoons pitted Kalamata olives
Lemon slices , to serve

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towel. In a shallow dish, combine the lemon juice, 2 tbsp of olive oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, oregano, parsley and salt. Pour out half of the marinade and store in a pitcher to use later.

Add the chicken to the marinade in the dish and coat evenly. Cover and marinate for 15 minutes if rushed; 1 hour if time allows; or over night, turning each chicken thigh occasionally in the marinade.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large oven-proof pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden browned (about 4 minutes each side). Drain some of the excess fat, leaving about a tablespoon for added flavor.
Arrange the vegetables around each chicken thigh. Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining marinade, tossing them through the oil mixture to evenly coat.

Cover the skillet or dish with lid (or foil), and bake until the potatoes are soft and the chicken is completely cooked through (about 35 minutes).
Change the oven setting to broil on a medium heat setting; uncover and cook for about 5-10 minutes, or until chicken and potatoes are crispy and golden browned. Serve with olives and lemon slices.

Gluten Free · Vegetable-related

Cheesy, garlic, parmesan, spinach spaghetti squash

Belinda

This delicious garlic, parmesan spaghetti squash is great and it’s pasta-free!

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Serves 4
1 medium spaghetti squash (approx. 2-3lbs)
2 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
5 oz fresh spinach chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp cream cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus extra for topping
salt and pepper to taste
Grated or sliced mozzarella for topping to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
For easy cutting, feel free to stick your squash in the microwave to soften it up just a tad.
Pierce it a few times with a knife (to help vent so it doesn’t burst) and cook for for 3-5 minutes. The knife slides through way easier this way! Smaller squash will need about 3 minutes while larger ones will be good to go at 4-5 min.
Next grab a lipped baking sheet or a rimmed baking dish.
Rub the cut side of the squash with a teeny bit of olive oil and place on your baking dish/sheet cut side down. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Cooking time will vary a bit depending on the size of your squash, and larger squash will need to roast a bit longer to tenderize. Once ready, the once rock-hard exterior of the squash will be visibly softened with a tender interior.

The squash can be roasted and stored in the fridge for a few days if you’d like to meal prep and plan ahead for a speedier dinner.
While the squash roasts, start on the sauce.
In a medium pot or skillet, bring a drizzle of olive oil to medium-high heat and sauté the garlic until fragrant.
Next add the spinach and stir until wilted. Add your cream, cream cheese and parmesan cheese and stir well.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
Once the squash is done roasting, allow to cool until easily handled or pop on an oven mitt and use a fork to separate and fluff the strands of spaghetti squash.
Pour your sauce over each squash boat, stir to mix, and top with a little mozzarella cheese and additional parmesan cheese, if desired.
Bake at 350 degrees F for around 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

A few extra thoughts…
For a golden cheesy topping, flip your oven to broil on high for just a minute or two until lightly browned.
Feel free to add chopped cooked chicken if you’d like! Stir it in with the sauce and veggie noodles or serve it up on the side. Shrimp is also a tasty addition to the squash.

Appetizers · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat

Incredible bacon jam!

Belinda

This is the most delicious spread that can be used in so many different ways, including slathering on burgers.
The bacon is basically slow-cooked with onions, spices and brown sugar.

 

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1 lb thick cut hickory smoked bacon, finely chopped
2 medium white onions, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup brewed dark coffee
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

In a heavy skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy.
Remove all but 2 Tbsp. of the bacon grease.
Turn the heat to low and add in the onions and salt then cook until browned or lightly caramelized.
Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
Remove all but 1/2 tbsp of the grease.
Add in the brown sugar, cider vinegar, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, and prepared black coffee.
Let cook down until slightly thickened and lightly browned, or about 20-25 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in balsamic vinegar.
Serve warm or in the refrigerator in an airtight container or mason jar.

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable-related

Homemade pickled beets (beetroot)

Belinda

Beets aren’t everyone’s “cup of tea” however, I adore them, as does my husband. These are so easy to make and you will never want to open a store-bought jar of beets again once you make these.

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8 medium fresh beets (beetroot)
1 cup vinegar
½ cup sugar
1 ½ tsp whole cloves
1 ½ tsp whole allspice
½ tsp salt

Scrub the beets and trim the tops to 1 inch. Place in a Dutch oven and add water to cover.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, simmer, covered for 25 to 30 mins or until tender. Remove from the water. Cool. Peel beets and slice. Place in a bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan combine the vinegar, sugar, cloves, allspice and salt.
Bring to a boil and boil for 5 mins. Pour over the beets. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Drain before serving

Baking · Chocolate · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

Chocolate olive oil cake

Belinda1 Comment

This cake from Nigella Lawson is absolutely wonderful and gluten free.
It’s very moist, not too sweet and divine simply served with raspberries and creme fraiche.

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Makes: 8-12 slices

⅔ cup regular olive oil (plus more for greasing)
6 tbsp good-quality unsweetened cocoa (sifted)
½ cup boiling water
2 tsp best vanilla extract
1½ cups almond meal or ground almonds
½ tsp baking soda
1 pinch of salt
1 cup superfine (caster) sugar
3 large eggs

Preheat your oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/gas mark 3/325ºF.
Grease a 9inch springform tin with a little oil and line the base with baking parchment.

Measure and sift the unsweetened cocoa into a bowl and whisk in the boiling water until you have a smooth, chocolatey, still runny (but only just) paste. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then set aside to cool a little.
In another smallish bowl, combine the almond meal with the baking soda and pinch of salt.

Put the sugar, olive oil and eggs into the bowl of a freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment (or other bowl and whisk arrangement of your choice) and beat together vigorously for about 3 minutes until you have a pale-primrose, aerated and thickened cream.
Turn the speed down a little and pour in the cocoa mixture, beating as you go, and when all is scraped in you can slowly tip in the ground almond mixture.
Scrape down, and stir a little with a spatula, then pour this dark, liquid batter into the prepared tin.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the sides are set and the very centre, on top, still looks slightly damp. A cake tester should come up mainly clean but with a few sticky chocolate crumbs clinging to it.
Let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, still in its tin, and then ease the sides of the cake with a small metal spatula and spring it out of the tin. Leave to cool completely or eat while still warm with some ice cream, as a pudding.

Baking · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free

5-ingredient flourless orange and almond cake

Belinda2 Comments

This cake is so easy and incredibly tasty and moist, given the whole orange goes into it.Well worth having in your repertoire and delicious served with creme fraiche and dark berries

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2 large oranges
6 large organic eggs
½ lb ground almonds (also called almond flour)
½ lb sugar
1 tsp baking powder

Wash the whole oranges and simmer them, unpeeled, in water to cover for 2 hours. Cool, cut them open and remove the seeds. Puree the oranges, including the peel, in a food processor.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Beat the eggs in a food processor or large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, including the orange puree, and mix thoroughly. Pour into a buttered and floured cake tin, with a removable base if possible.
Bake for one hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the tin before turning out.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Whole30 compliant

Shrimp and Asparagus Stir fry

Belinda

A lovely, super healthy, super tasty and super low calorie meal

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Serves 4

4 tbsp olive oil
1 lb raw shrimp
1 lb asparagus, cut into 3″ pieces
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, or more if you like it spicy
1 heaped tsp garlic, minced
1 heaped tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
6 scallions, chopped

In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add shrimp to the pan, then season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Cook until the shrimp is pink. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and add asparagus.
Add ginger and garlic, then season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir frequently and cook until the asparagus is tender-crisp, adding in the chopped scallions halfway.
Return the shrimp to the pan then add the soy sauce/coconut aminos. Stir until the ingredients are well combined. Just before the dish is ready, add lemon juice, stir once more, then serve while hot.