Light & Fluffy Pancakes (GF, DF and Low Fat)

This recipe is a sweet and satisfying treat  for a weekend brunch with family. One that everyone can enjoy without it ruining your healthy eating attempts.

This basic recipe can be adapted depending on what you fancy. I have included a few tips at the end for variations which are tried and tested, including a vegan option.

Light & Fluffy Pancakes (Makes 6-8)

Ingredients

135g gluten free plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
1 egg OR 1 small banana, mashed (Vegan option)
130ml unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp runny honey OR agave nectar (less calories and Vegan)

1. Sieve the flour and bicarbonate in to a bowl and add the salt. 
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and milk together with a fork to combine, add the honey and whisk again, then pour in to the flour mixture. 
3. Whisk the full pancake mixture together and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. 
4. Heat a non-stick pan and spoon in 2 tbsps of mixture at a time. 

5. Swirl the pan slightly to spread out the mixture so that the pancake is roughly 10cm in diameter.

6. Small bubbles will appear across the surface, that's when you know it's time to flip over. You can then watch as the pancake fluffs up!

7. Set your pancake aside and repeat with the remainder of your batter. 

Ideas for toppings:

• Agave nectar or maple syrup (With crispy bacon if you like a savoury and sweet take on things)
• Blueberry Compote (In a saucepan, cook down blueberries with a tbsp icing sugar and a drop of vanilla essence.)
• Toasted and crushed hazelnuts, sliced banana and dairy free chocolate sauce
• Lactose free greek yoghurt, milled linseed and chia seeds

Tips:

• I often make a chocolate version by adding a tbsp of cacao powder in to the flour mixture
• I sometimes like to add the milled linseed in to the mix to add more texture and fibre before cooking the pancakes. 

Veggie Ideas-Aubergines, Lentils and beans oh my!

I've had a few requests for more Vegetarian and Vegan dinner ideas lately, so here are a few I rustled up mid week.

Stuffed Aubergines (Serves 2)

1. Slice 2 aubergines length ways, score the flesh with a knife and then carefully cut out the centre, dice and set aside. Lay the aubergines in a tray, spray some frylight in to the shell and season. Place in an oven at 200 degrees C.
2. Finely dice a red onion, a courgette and a yellow pepper. In a large pan, fry off all the chopped vegetables in a little frylight with a tsp crushed garlic until soft. 
3. Stir in 200ml tomato passata. Add a tsp smoked paprika, oregano and basil and season. Sprinkle in 1/2 tsp chilli flakes and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes on a low heat. 
4. Carefully fill the par baked aubergine shells with the vegetable mixture, sprinkle some yeast extract flakes across the top and put back in the oven for 20-30 minutes until cooked through. 

Aubergine, Courgette and Lentil Bake with trimmings (Serves 4)

1. Using a mandoline, thinly slice one aubergine and 2 courgettes length ways. In a frying pan, use a little frylight and lightly brown off the vegetable slices to soften, season and set aside. 
2. Dry fry a diced red onion with a tsp crushed garlic until soft. Add a tsp tomato puree and a tbsp water. Pour in a can of cooked green lentils (drained and washed)
3. Finely chop a handful of sundried tomatoes and add to the mix. 
4. In an oven proof dish, layer your vegetables and lentil mix alternating until the dish is full.
5. Place in a preheated oven at 220 degrees C for 25 minutes. 
6. Toast two slices of gluten free, brown bread and blend in a mixer to make breadcrumbs. Mix in 2 tsp garlic granules and 2 tbsp yeast extract flakes. Sprinkle evenly across the top of your vegetable bake and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes until browned. 

Roast Potatoes

1. Peel and quarter 4 medium potatoes and place in a pan of cold water. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. 
2. Drain and shake about in a colander to fluff up the edges of the potatoes. Return to the pan. 
3. In an oven proof dish, measure out 3 tbsp vegetable oil and heat in the oven for about five minutes.
4. Whilst this heats up, sprinkle 2 tbsp gluten free plain flour in to the pan of potatoes and season. Shake the potatoes around to ensure they all get a covering. 
5. Carefully take the preheated dish out of the oven, add your potatoes and return to cook for 20 minutes. 
6. Every so often, turn the potatoes to ensure all sides brown nicely. 

Green and broad beans

1. Heat a non-stick pan and pour in frozen green and broad beans-Enough to serve four. 
2. Season and scatter across a tsp garlic granules, oregano and basil. 
3. Stir regularly until the beans gain colour and are al dente to taste.

Spicy and Sweet Vegetable Curry (Serves 3)

1. Dice the following vegetables in to even sized cubes/pieces; 1 large red onion, 1 yellow pepper, 1 green pepper, 2 courgettes, 1 head of broccoli. 
2. Heat a tbsp vegetable oil in a large, heavy set pan. Saute the onion with a tsp crushed garlic until soft. 
3. Add to the pan; 1 tbsp medium curry powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp chilli flakes, and a tsp of crushed ginger. Mix through for the spices to release their flavour. 
4. Add 1/2 tbsp tomato puree and a splash of water to stop the spices browning. 
5. Pour in all the chopped vegetables and mix through the spice mix. Cook the vegetables for 5-7 minutes, regularly stirring until softened. 
6. Pour in a tin of chopped tomatoes. Fill the empty can 3/4 full with water and pour in, season the dish and bring to the boil. 
7. Reduce to a simmer, cover the pan and allow to cook for 10 minutes. 
8. Serve with fluffy pilau rice or fresh spinach. 

Creamy Mushroom Risotto (VEGAN & GF)

Dairy free Risotto that still has a rich and creamy texture takes time and patience. As with any risotto, you need to slowly cook the rice, gradually add the stock and be generous with the seasoning.

This method can be used for lots of different risottos, whether it be plant based, seafood or a meat dish; the cooking of the rice is basically the same each time.

Mushroom Risotto 

300g Arborio rice
300g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1 white onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp gluten free Worcester sauce
4 tbsp Yeast extract flakes
1.5 tsp dried oregano
1.5 tsp dried basil
1 vegetable stock cube
Salt and Pepper
Frylight

50ml soya cream (optional)

1. Heat a little frylight in a heavy based, wide pan. Saute the onion and garlic until soft. 
2. Dissolve the vegetable stock cube in a litre of boiling water. Keep this in a saucepan with a lid, on a very low heat next to the frying pan.
3. Reduce the heat a little on the onion and pour in your dry arborio rice. Stir with a spatula to coat the rice. Stir regularly for about 3 minutes. 
4. Add a ladle of the vegetable stock and stir through the rice, which will gradually absorb the liquid. Keep adding the stock, one ladle at a time and stir regularly to help it along. The rice needs to keep cooking and absorbing liquid for about 25 minutes on a simmering heat. 
5. Season the rice. 
6. In a separate frying pan, heat some more frylight and add the mushrooms. As they start to brown, season, add the herbs and Worcester sauce. They should take roughly 5-7 minutes. 
7. If you are using the soya cream, add this to the mushrooms and stir through, then set aside. 
8. Taste the rice to see if it is cooked, it should be al dente with a slight bite to it. 
9. Add your cooked mushrooms and yeast flakes, stir through on a low heat for the ingredients to come together.

I served mine on a bed of spinach leaves and with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. For the meat eaters out there, this works really well with diced, chicken breast. 

Xin Xim Chicken my way

This Brazilian chicken curry is one of my all time, favourite, comfort dishes. Recipes online vary greatly, so I decided to create my own version which has been a hit with friends.

It is free from: Gluten, Dairy and Soya

Xin Xim Chicken-Serves 4

4 chicken breast, diced
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 can coconut milk
1 white onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1/2 ripe mango, diced

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
1/2 tsp crushed ginger
2 tbsp organic crunchy peanut butter
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
seasoning
2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime
chilli oil

300g White basmati rice, washed

To garnish: chopped dry roast peanuts, coriander leaves, 2 sliced spring onions

1. Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees C. Place the sweet potato chunks on a tray and cook for 25-30 minutes.
2. Heat a tsp of chilli oil in a large pan, fry the onions, garlic and ginger until soft.
3. Add the chopped peppers, chilli, soy sauce, tomato puree and turmeric and stir in. 
4. Add the peanut butter, stir until well mixed in to the vegetables and then pour in the coconut milk. Bring to a low simmer. 
5. In a separate non stick frying pan, brown off the chicken pieces. 
6. At this point, you can put your rice on to cook. Measure 700ml cold water, add to a pan with the rice. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10-12 minutes. 
7. Once the chicken pieces are cooked, add to the curry, along with the mango chunks.
8. Add in the cooked sweet potato chunks, season and allow the whole dish to cook on a low heat for 5-10 minutes for all the flavours to infuse. Finish with the lime juice.
9. Once the rice is cooked, fluff up with a fork and serve between 4 dishes. 
10. Spoon generous helpings of the curry over the rice and allow your guests to garnish with toppings of their choosing. 

Tray bake Soup

This is a really comforting soup which I have made almost every week since the start of the October!

Its become a weekend ritual to batch cook a soup to see me through for the following week. Either for lunch on the go or a quick mid week dinner, I will often freeze it in portions and save for later.

This is a basic recipe, which you can easily adapt to suit your tastes or dietary requirements. It's low fat, vegan and gluten free too.

Tray bake Soup-Sweet potato and carrot (serves 4)

3 medium sweet potatoes-peeled and diced
2 white onions-roughly chopped
3 large carrots-peeled and diced

1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp garlic granules
Seasoning
Frylight oil

1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tin chopped tomatoes
750ml vegetable stock

1. Put all your chopped vegetables in a large oven tray and sprinkle over the spices and seasoning. Add several sprays of frylight and mix all the vegetables so that they are all coated in the flavours. 
2. Put in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 45 minutes until soft and browned. 
3. Scrape all of the vegetables into a large and deep pan and add the puree. 
4. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. 
5. Put a lid on the pan, bring to the boil and then allow to simmer for roughly 10 minutes. 
6. Using a hand blender, pulse the soup until smooth. You may need to add some more water to loosen the texture. Depending on how thick you like your soup, repeat until you are happy. For me, it works to keep it on the thick side. 

Tips

I regularly make variations of this soup depending on what is in the fridge, but I stick to red and orange vegetables to boost vitamin C intake during the colder months. 

You can take away a carrot and 2 of the sweet potatoes and swap them for a butternut squash, or use red and orange peppers instead of the carrots. 

For a Thai twist, add just half a can of chopped tomatoes and top up with half a can of coconut milk instead. It's also a good idea to add a thumb of grated ginger once the mixture is in the pan. 

Get creative and see what works for you. 

Proper Chinese Curry without the guilt

We LOVE a Chinese Takeaway in our house, but with the recent restrictions, our beloved local has temporarily had to close it's doors.

Rather than be unfaithful, I thought I would give it a go myself and the results have not disappointed either of us. This version of a Chinese chicken curry is free from gluten, dairy, MSG and is low fat too.

Chinese Chicken Curry and Slim Rice

Serves 2 hungry people (Or Northerners)

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, diced

2 white onions, diced

2 cups mushrooms, diced

3 carrots, grated

1/2 cup frozen peas

2 tbsps medium curry powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric

pinch of chilli flakes

2 garlic cloves crushed

1/2 tsp grated ginger

750ml chicken stock

3 tbsps gluten free flour

seasoning

2 packets slim rice (Follow instructions for cooking)

1. Heat some fry light in a wide, large pan. Add the onions, carrot, garlic and ginger, add a little water and cook until soft. 
2. Add the spices and flour and cook off in the pan, adding a little bit more water if necessary. Add the mushrooms and soften for a minute. 
3. Pour in the chicken stock and mix well to distribute the flour and spices. Bring to a low simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. In a frying pan, dry fry the chicken breast pieces until tender and cooked through. 
5. Add the chicken and peas to the curry sauce and allow the flavours to soak in for a few minutes. Season to taste.
6. Serve alongside the slim rice. Be generous with the sauce!

TIP: 

We had this 2 weeks in a row, but the second time around, I served it with low fat oven chips and slim rice, to make it even naughtier but still nice. 

King prawns or Tofu cubes make a great substitute for the chicken. They don't take as long to pan fry, but can still be added to the sauce at the same time as the peas to soak up the flavours. 

Lazy Vegan burger and dirty, clean potato skins

I have to admit, this meal was a mid week cheat, I didn't have a great deal of time on my hands and so I reached for a few ready made items that I could use to create something new.

Mais, Je ne regrette rien! It was delicious and gave me holiday vibes with the heat.

Spicy tomato and sweet potato burger, crispy potato skins and raw, salsa salad

(GF, V)

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 pack of spicy tomato vegan balls (Aldi)
1/2 red onion, diced
1 tsp paprika
pinch of chilli flakes

6 medium size potatoes
salt and pepper for seasoning
1/2 tbsp paprika
2-3 tbsps cooking oil
Seasoning

3/4 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup diced cucucumber
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 red pepper diced
3 tbsps mild salsa

1. Scrub the potatoes under cold running water to prepare and then pat dry. Using a knife, peel the potatoes, leaving a good amount of flesh still on the skin to create your potato skins. 
2. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C. Take a large oven tray and grease the base with a little oil. 
3. Space out your skins on the tray and drizzle over your cooking oil. Sprinkle the paprika evenly and season well. Using a spatula, give the skins a toss in the oil and spices. 

4. Place in the preheated oven for 40 mins until the skins are crispy and browned. 

 5. In a bowl, put the vegan balls, red onion, paprika and chilli flakes. Using a fork, break up the balls and combine the new ingredients evenly to the mix.

6. Shape in to two flattened balls and place on a lightly greased baking tray. Cook in the oven alongside your skins for 20 mins.

7. For the raw, salsa salad, combine the raw, chopped vegetables with the salsa and dish up, ready to be served alongside your burger and skins when cooked.

We had ours with a ramekin of low fat, paprika mayonnaise for dipping, but to keep it vegan, replace with sweet chilli or BBQ sauce.