Oh Christmas tree oh Christmas tree....

Final pre-Christmas post!!! I got there in the end....

I know by now some of you will be buried under wrapping paper in full flow of Christmas spirit (but hopefully not quite yet Christmas spirits!)

For me it's now 9:40pm on Christmas eve so I'm putting together the finishing touches...final blog post, bread sauce, the first bake of the nut roast (I go for the double bake strategy), wrapping up the gifts (I wont elaborate for now in case of prying eyes)...and finally if I have time, a few games with the family.

So, here you have it, a super simple but super cute christmas buffet recipe...perfect for the times throughout the holidays when you put out a display of 'picky bits' for people to nibble on.

I can't take credit for the 'visual' idea since I saw this version linked through Facebook, the original uses a dairy based guacamole for the 'green' but my version opts for a simple white bean and pea dip layered up on my gluten free flatbread, topped with corn and peppers and white chia seeds for fairy lights...a spontaneous moment of genius ;-) For an even quicker non GF option you could use regular pitta breads as the triangular bases.

On that note, I will be off to get busy in the kitchen. I hope you have a magical day wherever in the world you may be!

Recipe: White bean and pea dip 

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
1/2 cup white beans
1 garlic clove- crushed
a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
1 shallot (or 1/4 white onion)
1 tbs fresh herbs (I used parsley)
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Whizz everything up together until smooth!

Spread onto the flatbread triangles and decorate with corn, pepper pieces and chia seeds (or sesame seeds) and some carrot wedges for the trunks.

Store any remaining dip in the fridge and use within 2 days.

Notes: I only used half the amount of dip to cover the trees, you can use the rest as a dip for veg sticks served hot or cold.  For the flatbreads use half of this recipe to make six trees.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Coconut sweetbread

Flatbread oh how I do love you!

...so quick

...so simple

...so versatile

Oh and it's also gluten free (or not if you prefer other flours).  I have developed the humble flatbread recipe into so many variations over the past months...earlier this week I even went all out for a huge wholegrain spelt pizza using the same principles and subbing the spelt for the GF flours. It made for a super speedy supper.

But, what if you flip the coin and think sweet not savoury...now another world of options opens up!

Sweetbread!

Keeping it simple for my first attempt I warmed things up with a cinnamon kick, added a touch of sweetness, some coconut and then simply pressed slices of nectarine into the surface prior to baking. It made for a lovely mid morning treat...like a modern twist on a tea bread (it would also make an awesome breakfast!). I think it could also benefit from even more fruit than shown in the photos, that is if you wanted more of a cakey and less bread-like treat. 

My favourite bit was the soft gooey layer of dough beneath each slice of baked nectarine....mmmmmm!

Recipe: Cinnamon sweetbread

One medium flatbread serves 1- 2

Ingredients

100g gluten free self-raising flour mix (I used Doves Farm mix which contains rice, potato, tapioca, maize and buckwheat flours)

1tsp cinnamon

2 tbs desiccated coconut

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs agave

1 banana (approx. 80g)

2 tbs soy milk/water (if needed depending upon size of banana)

1-2 handfuls handfuls berries/sliced fruit (I used a large nectarine)

Sprinkling of chopped nuts/coconut flakes

Method

Mix the wet ingredients together well until smooth, add the flour, coconut and spice and mix to form a dough adding the milk/water if needed to achieve a good handling consistency.

Withwell  floured hands form a round patty approx. 1cm thick and place on lined baking sheet. Press the fruit into the top and sprinkle with extra spice and nuts/coconut if desired.

Bake for approx. 20 mins until lightly golden.

mmmm....look at the gooey bit!

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Bruschetta…deconstructed!

This recipe is pretty special. It’s simple, summery, colourful and …gluten free. Yup, gluten free crispy baked bruschetta chunks. Simply moreish!

This recipe was inspired by a meal I had with a friend one lunch time a couple of weekends ago. I’m actually rather disappointed that I didn’t take a photo of my ‘bruschetta salad’ starter because my own version of the recipe is spot on, actually it may be even better than the starter I had at the restaurant and its gluten free to boot!

I took the principle of my super simple GF flatbread recipe, once cooked I ripped the flatbreads into rough chunks, lightly coated with a little olive oil and then double baked them. Soooo crispy…so much so that I actually had full on jaw ache by the ache of this bowlful (note: bake for slightly shorter time if you want a slightly less crispy crouton!!)

I used large rings of red onion, ribbons of courgette, peppers and tomatoes as these are my favourite summer salad vegetables and made the perfect colour combo for this dish, but you can vary the veg however you like. Basil and tomato are the traditional bruschetta toppings so don’t skimp in them! I only used a small handful of tomatoes and would have used more for the lovely roasted oozy sweetness they give, but I was running low on supplies at the time.

This salad would make a perfect change from traditional bruschetta and would make a great starter or lunch. Also fab baked as a big batch for a bbq party and tossed onto a large bowl…the vibrant colours and chunks of  crispy crouton will be a hit with everyone…no-one would guess its gluten free!

For more simple gluten free breads see this focaccia bread or this 10-minute pizza.

Recipe: Bruschetta salad

Serves 1-2

Ingredients

½ red onion- sliced into rings

½ courgette- sliced into ribbons

½ medium pepper- sliced thinly

Large handful of cherry tomatoes

1 tbs tomato puree

1 tbs olive oil

½ tsp dried mixed herbs

¼ tsp garlic salt

Fresh basil to garnish

Flatbread (makes two ):

100g gluten free self-raising flour mix*

½ tsp mixed dried herbs

1 tbs ground chia or flax

75g soy yoghurt (or other yoghurt)

25ml water

Pinch salt

1 tbs nutritional yeast (optional)

Method

To make the flatbread, mix all ingredients together in a small bowl to form a soft dough, form two small or one larger flat pattie with hands and then place on a lined baking sheet and bake at 180C for approx. 15 minutes until just cooked.

Meanwhile prepare vegetables and combine with remaining ingredients in a medium bowl to coat well .

Allow baked flatbread to cool slightly and then rip into small rough edged pieces, lightly brush  all over with olive oil (I used approx. 2 tsp worth) and then place back on the baking sheet. Arrange vegetables in an even layer on a separate baking sheet and placed both trays  in the oven for a further 10 minutes or until ‘croutons’ are crisp and vegetables are lightly roasted but still juicy.

Toss together and serve immediately.

golden crispy croutons freshly baked!

* for further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Black bean beet burgers

Chant the title of this recipe over and over and you’ll have yourself a rap…or something of that sort! Either way these burgers are worth the chant (and the wait for those of you saw the sneaky picture I posted on my Facebook page when I’d first made them a week or so ago)

I know I still have a few recipes to share from my birthday post, and also another birthday related recipe (who doesn’t like to keep birthday’s alive for as long as possible?) but for today, I didn’t want to make you wait any longer for these burgers that have been grinning at me from the folder of photos on my computer desk top for too long!

Black bean beet burgers… Black bean beet burgers… Black bean beet burgers… Black bean beet burgers… Black bean beet burgers…

So I figure the title of this post gives them away rather but apart from having a slight purple tinge, I think they look pretty authentic, complete with chargrilled lines and all.  When I make these burgers again I may reduce the amount of beetroot slightly and also use a mix of cooked quinoa and rice for a variation in texture, since quinoa holds the firmness of the grain more so than rice which may be even more realistic for a meaty texture…just a couple of tiny thoughts to bear in mind, but here I have given you the recipe exactly as I made it.  It goes without saying that you could make a big batch and freeze some. You could also form balls and make meatballs…another variation on this theme.

Typically I don’t seek to replicate ‘meat’ in my meals, I simply don’t feel the need to and a just don’t miss it. I love the taste and textures that veggies and non-meat foods provide without trying to replicate meat…but this was simply a challenge I could not ignore. Plus I wanted to see how authentic I could make these, particularly for non- veggie friends. 

Another important side note to these burgers is that they are very ‘stable’ by that I mean they hold up very well to handling pre-cooking so I think they’d be great for a BBQ! I am definitely going to be making some of these this summer.  I found that the most authentic colouration came from part oven baking and part pan frying in a griddle to obtain the best colour and charred lines. The first batch I just oven baked and they tasted great but just lacked a little something in the visual department… me…perfectionist…never!

I teamed this meal with homemade tomato ketchup, cheezy mustard dip, avocado slices, and a homemade coleslaw. The burgers buns were simply baked versions of my gluten free flatbread with sesame sprinkled on top. Sweet potato fries sealed the deal! I have a recipe for the ketchup and cheezy mustard dip on the way soon….

Enjoy!

Recipe: Black bean beet burgers

Makes approx. 6 burgers

Ingredients

1 cup black beans- cooked

1 cup brown rice- cooked

1 cup oatmeal

1 small onion- finely sliced

1/3 cup cooked beetroot- shredded finely

2 tbs chia and 3 tbs water

2tbs tahini

2 tbs soy sauce

2 tsp mustard

Approx. ½ tsp hot chipoltle sauce (to taste)

1 tsp garlic powder

½  tsp chilli powder

½ tsp paprika

Method

Mash black beans and mix with all other ingredients until you have a well mixed but still textured (meaty) mixture. The mixture should be sticky but manageable.

Form into burger patties approx. 1.5cm thick using your hands or use a cookie cutter as a mould to achieve neat edges (perfectionist!). Lay the burgers on a lined baking sheet and bake for approx. 10 minutes until they are just beginning to brown and then fry on a griddle pan for a few minutes each side to complete the cooking and achieve seared pan lines.

Can be frozen.

This recipe was shared in Allegy Free Wednesday's

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Super simple gluten free flatbread

One morning last week I was cosied up on the sofa with a big mug of spiced apple and camomile tea (I’m really into spiced herbal teas at the moment) and a warm snuggly blanket, whilst flicking through cookbooks for soup inspiration for the coming weeks.

I happened to come across a ridiculously simple recipe for flatbread.  So simply I could barely believe it could actually work and to top it off, it was also gluten free.  I was intrigued and hurried off to make a small batch straight away. The original recipe comes from BBC Good Food: 101 Soups and Sides, I made a few modifications (primarily substituting the natural yoghurt in the recipe for soy yoghurt so that it is vegan- but feel free to use natural yoghurt if that’s more your thing).

I am not very experienced with typical GF breads, so it is difficult to compare, but for me I would not have questioned this bread as being anything other than made with regular ingredients. I'd be interested to hear from others who have more experience in this area if you do try this recipe out! I have since made another batch to go with my spicy lentil and chickpea soup that i'll be posting shortly, this time I used wholemeal spelt flour to get a comparison. The spelt made for a slightly lighter, fluffier bread, but im not sure if that was in part due to the ratio of baking powder used since the GF flour in the original recipe was self-raising so I did not add baking powder separately.

The original recipe states that the bread should be served straight away whilst still warm.  I would emphasize that this is important since the GF bread did become tougher after a few hours once cooled and less fresh, though you could by all means freshen up in the oven. Since the flatbread is so simple to make- 15 minutes tops, there is no reason why you wouldn’t make these fresh whilst you are preparing the rest of the meal. 

When freshly grilled, the flatbread has a lovely crisp outer crust and a soft and quite dense inside…perfect for ripping and dipping into a hearty warming soup. Also, feel free to jazz up the seasonings however you wish.

The flatbreads would also make a great base for mini grilled toasties, hummous or nut butter open sandwich creations. 

Recipe: Gluten free flatbread

Ingredients

200g gluten free self-raising flour mix (I used Doves Farm mix which contains rice, potato, tapioca, maize and buckwheat flours)*

1-2  tsp toasted cumin seeds

150g soy yoghurt (or natural yoghurt)

50ml water

½ tsp salt to taste

1 tbs nutritional yeast (optional- I added this but it was not in the original recipe)

* you could alternatively substitute the GF flour for spelt flour plus 3tsp baking powder.

Makes 4 small saucer sized flatbreads

Method

Heat the grill to medium and dust a baking sheet with a little flour. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan for a minute or so to release a better aroma. Mix the flour, cumin seeds and salt in a bowl then add the yoghurt and water and stir through, using your hands at the end as necessary. This should result in a lovely soft dough.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and form circular patties with your hands approx. 5mm thick. Dust lightly with a little more flour if they are quite sticky to touch. Lay on the floured baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired.

Grill for approx. 3-5 minutes on each side (depending on the strength of your grill) until lightly golden and puffed up.

Note: for a future batch, once laid on the baking sheet I may brush the top surface with a little soy milk before sprinkling with salt and pepper to achieve more of a golden glazed finish. This hasn’t yet been tested so feel free to experiment.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.