Serves 4 Preparation Time 15 Minutes Cooking Time 15 Minutes Macaroni cheese has always been one of my most favoured comfort foods. My earliest but not the most pleasant memory of this wonderful dish was from a tin of Heinz macaroni cheese. I can still remember the cloying texture and artificial flavour. Now, mac n... Continue Reading →
Russian potato salad
Preparation Time 15 Minutes Cook Time 15 Minutes Serves 4-6 One of my favouite food product in the summer months are new potatoes. I especially love the waxy ones such as Anya or particularly Jersey Royals. To me, these make the best potato salad. Think of this Russian potato salad as a boosted normal one.... Continue Reading →
Chocolate & hazelnut flapjacks
Makes Preparation Time 10 Minutes Cooking Time 15 Minutes Chocolate and hazelnut is a classic combination whether in cookies or cakes. I wondered if these flavours would also work when used in a flapjack recipe. I was so pleased with the result, they are incredibly Chewy Moist Delicious Moreish They certainly went down well in... Continue Reading →
Gluten free plain flour blends
For around eight years, I have been baking with shop-bought gluten-free flours. Never really getting the result I wanted, and it was never on par with my pre-coeliac baking days. I just assumed that this was as good as it got. I was also thankful that at least it was better than say twenty-five years... Continue Reading →
Spicy vegan pasta bake
Serves 4 Preparation Time 35 Minutes Cooking Time 35 Minutes Ingredients 2 small red onions finely chopped1 tbsp olive oil or spray oil1 red and 1 orange pepper finely chopped2 cloves of garlic crushed2 carrots diced1 small courgette diced300g meat-free substitute as in mince, fake beef or chicken strips2 tbsp chilli tomato pureeDash of chipotle... Continue Reading →
Banana & walnut loaf
Preparation Time 10 Minutes Cooking Time 45 Minutes We all have those times when there are a few bananas lurking in the fruit bowl, black and spotty and slightly less appealing. I love these forlorn pieces of fruit and the potential they have to produce gorgeous tasting cakes and muffins. When I buy bananas I... Continue Reading →
Pear and ginger streusal bars
Makes 12 Preparation Time 25 Minutes Total Cooking Time 50 Minutes Safe to freeze for 3 months I make no apologies, I love the top of fruit crumble, ever since I was a young girl the top to an apple crumble held more appeal. That crunchy sweet part was so delicious it started... Continue Reading →
Vegetable cassoulet (stew)
Serves 6 Preparation Time 20 Minutes Cooking Time 1 hr 45 Minutes Cassoulet is a slow-cooked casserole originating from south of France which usually contains meat such as sausage and pork. Obviously, this is not the traditional version but a great vegan one. Hearty, warming and full of flavour, a comforting dish on a cold... Continue Reading →
Quick Mushroom risotto
Serves 2 as a lunch dish Preparation Time 10 Minutes Cooking Time 18-20 Minutes I love this simple risotto dish, it does not require me to stand by the stove protecting it as I lovingly ladle the stock a little at a time while constantly stirring. The stock goes in all in one go and... Continue Reading →
Green Lentil Bolongese
Serves 4 Preparation 10 Minutes Cooking Time 45 Minutes I love a homemade ragu sauce for a bolognese and this is one of my favourite ones. The green lentils replace the meat part wonderfully. It is a real stick to your ribs hearty sauce which is what is needed for these cold months. It is... Continue Reading →
Low Fat Garlic Potatoes
Serves 4 Preparation Time 20 Minutes Cooking Time 1 Hour Roast potatoes are a stalwart of many a Sunday dinner. To me, they should be golden and crispy where they caramelize in the tin. This is normally achieved by using oil or some type of fat. These days or especially this time of the year... Continue Reading →
Vegetable Biryani
Serves 4 Preparation Time 20 Minutes Cooking Time 30 Minutes The weather is still decidedly chilly and will be for a few months yet. We need food to warm our bellies. Also after the splurge of the festive season, it is good to have a meal that is low in calories but also loaded with... Continue Reading →
Sundried Tomato Quinoa Burgers
Makes 5 Preparation Time 15 Minutes Cooking Time 8-10 Minutes I really struggle to buy a burger that is both vegan, gluten-free and a reasonable price. There are so many vegan burgers on the market now as there are gluten-free. This difficulty has sort of forced my hand a bit into making my own burgers.... Continue Reading →
Cranberry & Orange Sauce
This is one sauce I eat all year around as I love it. To me it adds such a wondeful flavour to vegan gravies or compliments lots of vegan meals, especially a nut roast. Although really it is both gluten-free and vegan, being Christmas I feel that it had to be included. It really is... Continue Reading →
Its a Date Bar
I used to often buy a cereal bar when out on about, especially when I could not get a sandwich for my dietary needs. Some were lovely but others were overly sweet and certainly did not delay any hunger pangs. Since I found how easy it is to make your own, I now make a... Continue Reading →
Autumn apple oaty crumble
Serves 6 Prep 20 minutes Total time 50 minutes The most autumnal desserts have to contain the most versatile and in-season fruit the apples. They provide us with some wonderful desserts such as apple pie, baked apples, apple chutney, or apple crumble. To me, crumble is the better option, also if time is... Continue Reading →
Ginger & Oat Crunch Biscuits
Ginger flavour cakes and biscuits for me are synonymous with the winter months. Deliciously spiced sticky ginger cake and parkin for Bonfire night and gingerbread men and houses at Christmas time. It is something I have done since my boys were little. These biscuits are a combination of the family's favourite oat cookies and ginger... Continue Reading →
Garlic Cauliflower Mac n Cheese
Serves 4 Prep time 20minutes Cooking time 20-25 minutes Macaroni cheese is the ultimate comfort foods. I think it is the silky cheesy sauce for me. It is also one of the most popular searched for vegan recipes online. I wondered if it would still be as indulgently satisfying without the dairy overload that I... Continue Reading →
Gluten-Free Shortcrust Pastry
I have been told that I am very good at making the pastry, although it is not a thing I really enjoy doing. When I first started making the gluten-free pastry the results were horrendous. It broke into pieces when I tried to roll it, then when I attempted to line a tart tin it... Continue Reading →
Lasagne my way
Preparation Time 1 hour 15 Minutes Cooking time 45-50 minutes Serves 4-6 From the time I first got married 33 years ago, I have been cooking lasagne in one form or another. I was neither coeliac or vegan back then, it was a dish that seemed to take every pan in the house... Continue Reading →