Category Archives: recipe

Fun with new pancake ideas (video)

Posted on 20 February, 2012 by | Leave a comment

We’ve been messing around in the kitchen in the run up to pancake day.

We tried vegan pancakes, egg free banana pancakes and buttermilk pancakes and I think you’ll agree (recipes here). We had a lot of fun.

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Posted in Dairy Free, Egg free, Gluten-Free, recipe

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Blueberry & Coconut Pancakes with Syrupy Oranges (Gluten Free, Dairy Free and no added Table Sugar)

Posted on 19 February, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Healthy and allergy friendly pancakes for Pancake Day are not far away. These are sweetened with Sweet Freedom (a natural sweetener) for fewer calories.

Mmm... Blueberries and Sweet Freedom

Mmm... Blueberries and Sweet Freedom

Makes approx 16 pancakes

Pancakes
55g Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut
60g Quinoa Flour
1 Tsp Gluten Free Baking Powder
1 Medium Egg
160g Coconut Milk
30g Sweet Freedom Original – natural sweetener
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
200g Blueberries plus extra to serve

Rapeseed Oil or Coconut Oil, to cook

Syrupy Oranges
Finely Grated Zest of 1 Orange
225ml Orange Juice
60g Sweet Freedom Original – natural sweetener (or to taste)
Segments of 4 Large Oranges

Blitz the desiccated coconut in a food processor for 2-3 minutes. Add to a large bowl along with the quinoa flour and baking powder and mix together. Whisk in the coconut milk, egg, Sweet Freedom and vanilla extract until it forms a thick batter. Now leave the batter to stand for 20-30 minutes during which time it will thicken. Finally stir in the blueberries.

Heat a frying pan and lightly grease with the oil. Using a dessert spoon, pour one spoonful of the batter onto the pan and quickly spread the mixture out slightly with the back of the spoon. It’s best just to cook one pancake initially to test that the frying pan is at the right temperature – it really needs to be at a medium heat; too hot and the base will scorch before the middle is ready. When the pancake is golden brown on the bottom and the top is beginning to set, carefully flip it over with a large palette knife. Gently press the pancake down onto the pan with the palette knife and cook until golden brown. Remove from the pan and keep warm whilst you cook the remaining pancakes – grease the pan between each batch and leave plenty of room between the pancakes to make it easier to flip them over.

To make the syrupy oranges, place the orange zest, Sweet Freedom and orange juice in a pan and boil until syrupy. Keep warm and just before serving add the orange segments.

Serve the pancakes with the syrupy oranges and some fresh blueberries.

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Posted in Coeliac (Gluten-Free), Dairy Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, recipe, Vegetarian

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Buckwheat pancakes with Sweet Freedom (natural sweetener)

Posted on 18 February, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Serves 6

Stack your pancake with fruit

Stack your pancake with fruit

100g buckwheat flour
1 large free range egg
250ml semi skimmed milk
125ml water
1 tbsp Greek yoghurt
Oil for frying (try rapeseed oil as it has half the saturated fat of olive oil)
Sweet Freedom mild fruit syrup (mandatory as a topping)

 1. Whisk the flour, egg and milk together until you have a smooth paste.

2. Whisk in the water and yoghurt to make a smooth batter. *if you want to make lighter ‘crepes’ then add a little extra water at this point to make a thinner batter.

3. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan and swirl around to cover the base.

4. Add enough batter to cover the base of the pan, tilting to spread evenly and fry until golden underneath and then turn or flip gently and fry on the other side until golden and cooked through (they are quite delicate at this stage) but well worth the effort!

 *You can also make a batch, freeze, and defrost in a dry pan or microwave as you need them. To freeze, after cooling separate each one with greaseproof paper first and place in a sealed bag in the freezer.

Suggested toppings

Berry topping
Top with strawberries and blueberries as in the photograph (or your favourite fruit) and drizzle over Sweet Freedom.

Hot chocolate sauce
In a bowl blend 2 tbsp cocoa powder with 2 tbsp of milk and 2 tbsp of water to form a smooth paste, stir in 2 tbsp Sweet Freedom , transfer to a small pan and heat for a few minutes, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon until it bubbles and thickens slightly. Taste and stir in more Sweet Freedom if necessary. Drizzle over pancakes whilst still warm. Can also be served cold and drizzled over pancakes or over ice cream.

Lemon and orange pancakes
Squeeze ¼ of a fresh lemon or orange over each pancake (removing any pips) and drizzle Sweet Freedom over the top.

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Amazing ways to make pancakes – coconut pancake recipe included

Posted on 15 February, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Is it me or are there more special days around this time of year: Valentines, Burns Night, Mother’s Day, St Patrick’s?

But Pancake Day is surely the most loved of all!

Pancakes are so popular they are made in thousands of different ways around the world, whether they are French crepes, Russian blinis, Mexican tortillas or Indian dosas, so don’t be afraid of trying something a little different.

Just add fizzy water…
If you’re avoiding dairy, or eggs, the day can still be fun.

Did you know that it’s possible to make pancakes with just self-raising flour and carbonated water? You just sift 300g/11oz of flour and whisk in 600ml/1pt of water, and that’s it! Of course, there are lots of little flavourings you can add like vanilla or cinnamon, and it’s easy to use buckwheat flour as a substitute well.

Pancakes - You may start drooling now...

You may start drooling now...

Cooking pancakes with fruit.
Or perhaps if you are avoiding eggs you may want to use pulped mango or banana instead which make brilliant binders for flour and milk (or soya milk). There again, you could always use an egg replacer. Significantly for coeliacs, when it comes to avoiding gluten, the whole process is now a lot easier because there are so many speciality flours out there.

However, if you want a tried and tested method then there are always pancake mixes from Orgran and Barkat. The Orgran versions are vegan too.

Try this recipe
Finally, you could try using coconut flour in your pancakes – an entirely gluten free recipe of course; but be careful, the coconut flour soaks up a lot of liquid, you may need to water it down…

Makes 4 pancakes.
2 tablespoons organic coconut flour, sieved
2 tablespoons organic butter, melted down
2 organic eggs
1 teaspoon organic sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
75ml whole organic milk

Blend the eggs, oil, sugar and salt. Then mix in the coconut flour thoroughly. Continue to stir the mix as you add the milk.

When frying the pancakes use a small frying pan. Make sure you spread the batter thinly across the whole pan.

Enjoy.

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Posted in Coeliac (Gluten-Free), Dairy Free, Dairy-Free, Egg free, General Food, Gluten-Free, Organic, recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Honey love and the recipe for Jus d’Amour

Posted on 14 February, 2012 by | Leave a comment

They say that you can be a connoisseur of honey in the same way that you be a collector of wines because there are so many types and flavours of the Aphrodisian nectar.

In fact, the rarest, most valued honeys are difficult to find because not simply as a result of their taste but also their energizing, aphrodisiac properties.

Referenced in both the Kama Sutra and The Perfumed Garden, honey does indeed bless the body. It releases enzymes and vitamins which are absorbed quickly into the body.

In fact there is a recipe called Jus ‘Amour or love juice which I’ll copy out for you in a moment…

Ogilvy's Honey - Food to be passionate about

Ogilvy's Honey - Food to be passionate about

Ogilvy’s Honey
But first to tell you about Ogilvy’s because they really are honey-collectors who are making finds from all over the world available to the British populus.

Ogilvy’s are the first to provide fine, single source and rare honeys on a national scale in the UK. Not only that but, because they want you to be passionate about honeys too, tasting notes are included on every jar of honey they produce.

Himalayan Highlands (Organic)
A very light, intensely sweet flavour.  Mild to medium in strength.
New Zealand Rainforest
Fresh, mild taste.  Mild to medium in strength.
New Zealand Tawari
Hints of orange blossom and a buttery taste.  Medium in strength.
New Zealand Rewarewa
An intense toffee flavour. Delicious to eat and wonderful for cooking. Medium in strength.
Zambezi Plains (Organic)
Slighty spicy with a distinctive red currant flavour.  Strong in strength.
Balkan Black Locust
A lovely pale shiny honey with a delicate light flavour. Mild in strength.
Balkan Linden
An intense aromatic sweet honey that is particularly delicious in tea. Medium to light in strength.
Argentine Delta
(Awaiting good weather for harvest.)

Jus d’Amour recipe
A traditional drink made simply of honey, ginger, lemon and water. Sharp and fresh, it will enliven your senses.

1. Peel and juice 100g of ginger and mix with water to make one litre. Leave in a jug to stand for a few hours.
2. Squeeze 5 lemons and add the juice to the jug. Pour in a quality fluid honey, enough to sweeten the drink.
3. Serve very cold (and if you drink too much at once I won’t be held responsible for your actions…)

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Posted in General Food, Organic, recipe, Vegetarian

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A wholesome, delicious winter stew for everyone (including vegans and coeliacs)

Posted on 4 January, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The New Year is here and many of us will be resolving to eat more healthily. That without a doubt will mean plenty of vegetables.

This stew is so basic, yet so tasty, that I thought I would share it with you. A simple vegan recipe for Red Bean Stew which can easily be adapted to your taste and any specific dietary restrictions. Maybe you can just use a suitable stock or replace one of the veg with one you can eat. This stew originates in the Caribbean, it’s filling and healthy with a slightly sweet spicy taste.

Warm up with a winter stew

Warm up with a winter stew

Red Bean Stew

1 red onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 celery stalks, chopped
8oz (200g) carrots, chopped
8oz (200g) potatoes, chopped
8oz (200g) courgettes or broccoli, sliced
4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or a tin of chopped tomatoes)
4oz (100g) red lentils
14oz (or 1 tin) red kidney beans (cooked)
1.5 pints (850ml) vegetable stock (vegan and gluten free)
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper

For the dumplings:

4oz (100g) plain flour or gluten free flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp parsley
1 oz (28g) vegetable suet (just rice flour and vegetable oil in this suet)
7 tbsp water
1/2 tsp salt

Serves 4

1. Fry onion, garlic and celery in oil until golden. Add the vegetable stock, carrots and potatoes. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the courgettes and broccoli, tomatoes, lentils, beans, paprika, salt and pepper. Bring it all to the boil, cover and leave to simmer.
2. For the dumplings, mix the flour with the paprika, parsley, baking powder and salt. Then add the suet. Make into a dough with the water. Roll into 8 balls.
3. Stir up the stew and add the dumplings to the top so they are slightly submerged. Replace the lid and simmer for a further 15 minutes for the dumplings to cook.

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Posted in Dairy Free, Egg free, Gluten-Free, recipe, Vegetarian

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Parsnip Cranberry Bake – A veggie centrepiece for any Christmas dinner

Posted on 2 December, 2011 by | Leave a comment

I’ve got an amazing vegetarian recipe for you to try, perfect for Christmas. I first sampled this at my friend’s house and everyone was coming back for more. It could easily make the centrepiece of a meal and can be adapted for a vegan palate. I asked her to give me the recipe to share with you all. The good news is it’s not only tastes great, it’s easy to make too and is a great way to use up left over cranberry sauce.

Parsnip cranberry bake

Makes 6 servings

1.5lbs parsnips, peeled and diced
1oz butter (or margarine)
4tbs double cream (or vegan cream)
3oz cheddar (or vegan cheddar) grated
3oz roasted peanuts chopped
1 oz wholemeal beadcrumbs
7 oz cranberry sauce
a handful of parsley, roughly chopped
a handful of cranberries
salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 7
2. Boil or steam the parsnips until they are soft (about 10 minutes), then mash them.
3. Stir in the parsley, butter, cream and 2oz of cheese. Season to taste.
4. Spoon half of mash a into greased oven proof dish.
5. Scatter half of the peanuts over the top and then add a thin layer of cranberry sauce.
6. Cover this with the remaining parsnip mash.
7. Mix the remaining peanuts, cheese and breadcrumbs together and sprinkle over top. Add a sprinkling of cranberries too, for effect.
8. Bake in the oven for 15 mins or until golden.

This recipe is so easy it really is worth trying but, alternately, you might want to try a vegan sausage pie or vegan haggis as a non-meat option.

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Posted in Egg free, Gluten-Free, Nuts, recipe, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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November = Vegan month

Posted on 15 November, 2011 by | 2 Comments

Want a healthier diet? Thinking of going vegan? Follow this meal plan and try it for just 7 days.

Day 7

Breakfast

French toast
Serves 2.

In a large bowl, mix together 250ml soya or rice milk (for a richer flavour, use half soya cream and half soya milk), 2 tbsp plain flour, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes, 1tsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Dip slices of bread (halved) into the mixture and fry until golden (up to 5 minutes) and then flip over and fry some more. Keep them warm in the oven until all are cooked and then serve with maple syrup.

Lunch

Roast Sunday lunch

The traditional Sunday roast can be easily veganised. Roast potatoes, parsnips, celeriac, beetroot and carrots in olive oil. As the ‘centrepiece’ choose from Redwood’s ‘Celebration Roast’, ‘faux roast turkey‘, or Granose nut roast. Or you can make a ‘centrepiece’ yourself. There are many, many recipes but try the one below – Chestnuts in red wine en croute. Steam or boil peas, green beans, cauliflower and broccoli. Cook stuffing balls (as per instruction on packet or make your own). Serve with gravy, mustard and cranberry sauce.

Chestnuts in red wine en croute (Serves 4)

Fry 2 onions (chopped) in 2 tbsp of dairy-free margarine until soft. Add 2 cloves garlic (chopped) and 50g button mushrooms (sliced) and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in 90ml red wine and let it boil for a minute or two until most of the liquid has gone. Remove from the heat and stir in 75g breadcrumbs and 1 can of chestnut puree. Season to taste.

Use ready-made pastry (or make your own) and roll it out into two strips, one measuring roughly 15 x 30cm and the other 22 x 30cm. Put the smaller strip onto a baking sheet and brush with cold water. Spoon the chestnut mixture onto the pastry, leaving 1cm clear round the edge. Put the larger piece of pastry over the top and press it around the edges. Brush the top with a little soya milk and bake for 7-8 minutes at 230/450/GM 8, then reduce the heat and bake for another 25 minutes at 200/400/GM 6.

Dinner

Vegetables in satay sauce
A simple, delicious Thai style meal.

Fry or boil any veggies you like and then smother them in a delicious satay sauce and serve with rice. To make one simple satay sauce, put 2/3 cup of peanut butter, 1 cup water, 4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped), 4 tbsp fresh ginger (peeled and grated) and 1/2 tsp chili powder in a blender. Whizz until smooth and then heat in a saucepan.

http://www.govegan.org.uk/Recipes.html

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Posted in Diet, recipe, Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian

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November = Vegan month

Posted on 11 November, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Want a healthier diet? Thinking of going vegan? Follow this meal plan and try it for just 7 days.

Day 6

Breakfast

Traditional English breakfast

There is no need to miss out on the traditional fry-up when you become vegan. Fry or grill veggie sausages, veggie bacon and tomatoes. Fry onions, mushrooms and bread, and heat up beans. In a separate pan, make tofu scramble (see separate recipe here). Serve with a mug of tea!

Lunch

Avocado Salad

Combine pieces of fresh but firm avocado, red apple, watercress and a handful of salted peanuts. Cover in a dressing of your choice. Serve with crusty bread.

Dinner

Smoked tofu and spinach cannelloni
Serves 2.

Preheat the oven to 200/400/GM 6.

Fry 1 red onion (peeled and chopped) until soft. Add 1 clove garlic (peeled and crushed), 225g spinach (with tough stalks removed) 1/2 tsp thyme and some black pepper. Fry until spinach is wilted.

Mash 1 pack of smoked tofu with a fork and stir it into the spinach. Stuff 10 tubes of cannelloni pasta with the mixture and place the tubes in an ovenproof dish. Pour a tin of chopped tomatoes over the top and sprinkle with more thyme and black pepper. Add some grated melting vegan cheese (optional) and bake for 35 minutes.

http://www.govegan.org.uk/Recipes.html

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November = Vegan month

Posted on 10 November, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Want a healthier diet? Thinking of going vegan? Follow this meal plan and try it for just 7 days.

Day 5

Breakfast

Bagel with cream cheese & bacon
Halve and toast the bagel, smother in dairy-free cream cheese and top with veggie bacon. Add fresh parsley and black pepper to taste.

Lunch

Noodle salad
This Asian-style salad is filling and tasty.

Cook noodles of your choice. While they are cooking, mix together in a bowl 30ml balsamic vinegar, 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Mix with the cooked noodles and eat hot or allow to cool.

Dinner

Bangers & mash

Choose from one of the many vegan sausages. Use dairy-free margarine for the mashed potato and serve with either baked beans or green vegetables and gravy.

http://www.govegan.org.uk/Recipes.html

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Posted in Diet, recipe, Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian

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