Category: Gluten Free

Gluten Free · Salad · Vegetable sides

Warm lentil salad with goat’s cheese

Belinda

How gorgeous does this salad look?
Made from lentils that you can store in your cupboard (a good staple to have in there), and livened up with juicy, sweet beets, radicchio, creamy goat’s cheese and fresh herbs, it’s a really filling salad, which is super-healthy and a no-fuss, no-stress supper.

Serves 2

1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ tbsp finely chopped rosemary
1 x 250g packet of pre-cooked Puy lentils
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cooked beets, halved and cut into wedges
Half a radicchio, roughly torn
50g soft goat’s cheese, broken into chunks
50g pecans
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 tbsp mint, roughly chopped

For the dressing
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a medium pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and rosemary and gently fry until the garlic is just turning a light golden color. Stir in the lentils and warm through. Season to taste.
To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper.
Toss the dressing, beetroot and torn radicchio leaves through the warm lentil mixture and transfer to a serving dish.
Scatter over the goat’s cheese, pecans, parsley and mint and serve.

*Note Torn mozzarella or burrata or crumbled vegan feta cheese are good alternatives for the goat’s cheese.

Asian flavors · Curry · Dairy-free · Gluten Free

Creamy vegan chickpea and spinach curry topped with cumin roasted parsnips

Belinda1 Comment

For the parsnips
4 large parsnips, cut into batons
3 tbsp vegetable oil
4 tsp roasted cumin seeds
Salt and pepper
Toss the parsnip batons in the oil and seasoning and roast at 375F in a roasting tin for 40 mins or until soft and browned

For the curry
1 large red onion, finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2″ piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 tbsp tomato paste (puree)
1 1/2 tbsp Madras curry powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp roasted ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
pinch chili powder (or more if you like it spicy)
1 1/2 cans full-fat coconut milk
2 cans (800mls) chickpeas, drained, or the equivalent in dried, soaked and cooked if you make them yourself
4-5 large handfuls fresh spinach
1 lime, juiced

For the toppings
Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
thinly sliced red onion
Plain yoghurt to drizzle
chili flakes
Rice or naan to serve with it

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large frying pan on medium heat.
Add the chopped red onion to the pan, fry for a few minutes before adding the minced garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute until fragrant and the onion is soft. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry until the tomatoes have broken down. Help by squishing them with the back of a wooden spoon when soft.

Add the tomato paste, all the spices, salt and a drizzle of oil. Stir and cook for a minute until fragrant and it resembles a paste.

Now add the coconut milk, stir and simmer for 10 minutes.

Drain the chickpeas and add after 10 minutes. continue cooking for a further 20 minutes.

Add the spinach and stir well.

When serving, sprinkle with the lime juice, top with the roasted parsnips and the other toppings.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry

Sticky miso chicken roasted on sesame butternut squash

Belinda

The perfect balance of salty and sweet, miso chicken is the absolute star in this recipe. Get creative with a simple switch of veg and herbs for a tasty new spin.

Serves 4

3 lb 3 oz (1.5 kg) butternut squash, skin scrubbed and thinly sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
sea salt flakes
scallions (green onion) thinly sliced and cilantro (coriander) leaves, to serve

Sticky miso chicken
⅓ cup white miso paste (shiro)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
¼ cup mirin (Japanese rice wine)
2 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp brown rice vinegar
5 oz boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and halved

Preheat oven to 425F (220°C)
Place squash, oil, sesame seeds and salt in a bowl and toss to coat. Place on a large baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Roast the pumpkin for 20 minutes.

To make the sticky miso chicken, place the miso, oil, soy, mirin, sugar and vinegar in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Set aside until ready to use.

When the pumpkin has cooked for the 20 minutes, top the pumpkin with the miso chicken and pour over any remaining miso marinade. Roast for a further 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

To serve, divide between plates, sprinkle with extra sesame seeds and top with green onion and coriander.

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

Roasted beetroot falafels with tahini sauce

Belinda

A delicious beet-inspired falafel recipe. Baked or broiled to maintain a wonderful, healthy, gluten-free, vegan falafel.

Makes 10

2 beetroots (just under tennis ball size)
2 large garlic cloves
250g (2 cups) cooked chickpeas
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
Tahini Sauce (to serve)

Ahead of time: Slice the rough neck/top off the beetroots and discard. Chop the remaining beetroot into cubes (1.5cm/half an inch cubed in size). Bake in the oven on a baking tray for about 45 minutes on a high heat. When done, take out and leave to cool until you are ready to make the falafels. This can be done ahead of time, or the night before when you are using the oven for something else.

When beetroot is ready…
Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until everything has broken down. It doesn’t need to be pureed completely, just broken down into tiny pieces so that when you compress, everything binds together.
If it seems a little too crumbly then I recommend adding a teaspoon or two of water or olive oil. Moisture depends on how much the chickpeas have been drained or how the moisture level of the baked beetroot.
Roll into balls (a little smaller than golf balls in size).
Press the balls down into mini patty shapes.
Place onto a broiler tray and broil on a medium/low heat for about 8 minutes on each side. (You can also bake these in the oven as an alternative to grilling).
Serve right away.

This is really good served with this tahini sauce

Tahini Sauce

100ml tahini
50ml spring or filtered water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander
1 clove garlic

Crush the garlic.
Blend all ingredients together with a hand blender.
If you prefer to mix with a spoon, it works best by mixing a little water at a time. It might take a little longer to come together by hand, say 30 seconds, but is well worth the effort.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Za’atar Spice and Green Tahini Sauce

Belinda

This is a healthy vegan side dish bursting with Middle Eastern flavor. Easy and delicious!
Allow 90 minutes roasting time

1 whole large cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon za’atar spice (or try dukkah) ( or try a mix of coriander, cumin and optional sumac)
1 cup water
1 Batch TAHINI SAUCE (go to recipe below)
Garnish with fresh herbs – parsley, dill and or mint, sprinkle with optional Aleppo chili flakes, drizzle with this the green Tahini sauce!

Preheat oven to 425F.

Trim the cauliflower – either cutting off the stem (easier) or leaving it intact, trimming and slicing the bottom so it stands up straight.

Place it in an ovenproof skillet or dutch oven. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil all over the cauliflower, sprinkle with salt and za’atar spice. Pour one cup of water into the bottom of the pan.

Cover tightly with the lid or foil and bake for 45-60 minutes- or until tender all the way to the middle, when pierced with a knife. Smaller cauliflower heads may only take 45 minutes, larger can take up to 60.

Make the Everyday Tahini Sauce! Follow the link to the recipe.

Very carefully take the lid or foil off, minding the hot steam (it will burn!). Drizzle with a little more olive oil, place back in the oven for 30 minutes, perhaps rotating halfway through. At this point it should be deeply golden, but if not, continue roasting until it is… please no pale cauliflowers here!!!

Remove from the oven and sprinkle more za’atar if you like, fresh herbs, optional Aleppo chili flakes, and either drizzle the tahini sauce over the whole thing right in the pan, or cut it up, like a cake, into wedges and serve the tahini sauce on the side.

GREEN TAHNI SAUCE

1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 fat garlic cloves
3/4 cup fresh herbs (cilantro, Italian parsley, mint, dill or basil or a combo! See notes)
2–3 slices jalapeno (optional)
1/2- 1 teaspoon salt, start with 1/2 teaspoon add more to taste
½ cup tahini paste, stirred

Place all the ingredients (except the tahini paste) in a blender or food processor and blend until combined but not overly smooth. Add tahini paste. Blend until creamy, leaving some of the herbs intact.

Taste, and adjust salt, acid and heat. (Add salt, lemon, fresh chilies to taste).

If you want a “looser “sauce, add a little more water until the desired consistency.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Miso roast squash and potatoes with almonds and kale

Belinda

Recipe by Anna Jones


This recipe saves a lot of work, as squash, potatoes and greens can be cooked together in one tray. The chili, miso and lemon combo is a great foil for some of the richer seasonal dishes.

Serves 8

500g small potatoes, scrubbed clean
700g Crown Prince, butternut or other squash
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp white miso
2 tbsp harissa
Juice of 1 lemon
100g kale, de-stemmed and shredded
100g toasted almonds

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters no larger than your thumb.

Cut the squash in half lengthways (no need to peel), use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, then cut into 2cm slices.

In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, miso, harissa and lemon juice.

Put the potatoes and squash on to a baking tray with half the harissa mixture. Toss well, using your hands, to make sure everything is coated. Roast for 40-45 minutes until everything is cooked through and browning at the edges. Turn everything once or twice to make sure it browns evenly, and keep a close eye on it as it can burn in a flash.

Add the shredded kale and roast for a final 10 minutes. It should crisp up a little. Transfer to a serving dish and spoon over the remaining dressing and scatter with the toasted almonds.

Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free

Za’atar Salmon & Tahini

Belinda

Fabulous recipe from the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen (OTK)

4 salmon fillets (1lb 5 oz/ 600g), skin on and pin bones removed
2 tbsp za’atar
2 tsp sumac, plus 1/2 teaspoon more for sprinkling
4 tbsp (60 mls) olive oil
9 oz (250 grams) baby spinach or other tender green of choice
1/3 cup (90 grams) tahini
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Pat dry the salmon and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the za’atar and sumac, then sprinkle this all over the top of the salmon to create a crust.
Place a large, oven-safe sauté pan on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add the spinach and a pinch each of salt and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until wilted.
Top with the salmon, skin side down, and drizzle the top of the fish with 2 tablespoons of oil. Bake for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the tahini, garlic, 21⁄2 tablespoons of lemon juice, a good pinch of salt, and 7 tablespoons/100ml of water until smooth and quite runny.
When ready, remove the pan from the oven and pour the tahini all around the salmon (but not on the fish at all). Bake for another 5 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and the tahini is bubbling. Spoon the remaining 1 tablespoon each of lemon juice and oil over everything and top with the cilantro and extra sumac.
Make it your own:

– Swap out the salmon for other sustainably caught fish, adjusting cooking times as needed.
– Use other leafy greens in place of spinach, such as kale or chard.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free

Soy and Scallion Tofu Bowl

Belinda

Serves 2-4

1 14-oz. block firm or extra-firm tofu, drained
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, plus more for serving
1 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
3 scallions, chopped into 1″ pieces
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine) or 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Cooked white rice (for serving)

Squeeze the tofu over a bowl to expel as much water as possible (don’t worry if it starts to break apart). Grate on the large holes of a box grater; set aside.

Heat the oil and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Cook, turning once, until garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds and 1 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tofu, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, tossing occasionally and breaking tofu apart with a wooden spoon, until it begins to crisp in spots, about 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, soy sauce, mirin, and butter and cook until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes.

Divide rice among shallow bowls and spoon tofu mixture over; top with more sesame seeds and Aleppo-style pepper.

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

Spiced Green Tahini Sauce

Belinda

This is addictive and healthy. It’s great as a dip, a dressing on salads and on just about anything else.

8 Servings

3 garlic cloves, crushed
¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon roasted ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
1 cup tahini
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Pulse the garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin, fenugreek, and 2 tsp. salt in a food processor until similar in texture to pesto. Add the tahini and lemon juice; process 30 seconds.

With the motor running, gradually drizzle in ¾ cup water and process, adding more water to thin if needed, until sauce is light green and the consistency of sour cream. Season with salt.

Do Ahead: The sauce can be made 6 hours ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable-related

Stir-fried cabbage and bean sprouts with ginger sauce

Belinda

I made this last night and besides being vegan, it was delicious and the sauce is really special. You could make the sauce a day ahead and it would also be great thrown around hot udon noodles.
Once you’ve prepped the vegetables and made the sauce, it take about 8 minutes to throw together

Serves 4

For the sauce
2 oz fresh ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced against the grain
6 tbsp good quality soy sauce
6 tbsp mirin
4 tbsp sake
1 tbsp Ketchup
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

For the vegetables
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 medium-sized cabbage (hispi cabbage if you can find one) halved, cored and cut into 1/2″ wide strips
12 oz bean sprouts
4 scallions, finely sliced, to garnish
toasted white sesame seeds, to garnish
cooked rice or udon noodles to serve with

Pure in a food processor or blender, the ginger, soy sauce, mirin, sake, ketchup, sesame oil and cornflour.

Heat the oil in a wok or good sized frying pan over high heat and add the onion and cabbage.
Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes then add the beansprouts and ginger sauce.
Keep stir-frying until the sprouts have softened sightly and the sauce has coated everything nicely- 3-4 minutes
Garnish with the scallions, sesame seeds and serve with rice or noodles