Category: Gluten Free
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Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
“Do you know the muffin man who lives in Drury Lane …” is mentioned by Snopes as a popular nursery rhyme which is rumoured to have been used as a “caution to children, warning them to beware of a 16th-century baker-turned-serial-killer who enticed his young victims by pulling a muffin down the cobblestone streets of London with a string”.
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Iced Oat Bars
Craving a sweet treat? For as long as I can remember, I have always reached for something sweet at the end of a meal. It has definitely been a time-honoured tradition in our family to enjoy dessert and it is a habit I have never considered giving up. However, what has changed over time is the type of treat that I find will satisfy the sweet craving and it no longer needs to be something full of refined sugars, saturated fats and processed ingredients.
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Spiced Mango Chutney
Chutney is a delicious and versatile condiment that is full of micronutrients and thought to aid digestion. It can be used in a variety of cuisines and is often made from fruits, vegetables, and/or herbs with vinegar, sugar, and spices. There are many types of chutney which can be used to add a variety of flavours to a range of things such as curries, cheese and biscuits, roasts and sandwiches. Generally, chutney can be used to highlight specific flavours or provide balance to a range of dishes.
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Orange and Lemon Sweets (Vegan and GF)
When you think of oranges and lemons, what comes to mind? More than likely it is a vision of a couple of citrus fruits characterized by their leathery rind, white pith and juicy segments! Not at all surprising as these fruits are a common ingredient in baking and cooking and can have many uses for both sweet and savoury dishes. However, when I think of oranges and lemons something quite different comes to mind.
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The “Happy Pear” Flapjacks
Although these treats are definitely unlike any flapjack I have ever tasted, the appeal of this healthy treat is that you can be creative with the ingredients and mix up the fruits and nuts as long you keep approximately the same volume of ingredients. I modified the original recipe replacing some of the walnuts with pistachio nuts and adding sunflower seeds in place of some of the pumpkin seeds to add colour and texture.
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One Pot Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew with Cashew Coconut Lime Cream
When the weather turns cold and food is scarce, some animals such as bears hibernate to survive. Although people do not have the same metabolic characteristics needed to hibernate, I must say that I often feel the inclination to cocoon during the cold months of the year. However charming this concept seems, the “not eating” aspect of hibernation has far less appeal. In contrast to the fasting bears, during these dark and cold days, I feel that nothing beats the comfort of a simmering pot of a hearty stew.
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Raw Ginger Bites (Vegan and GF)
Ginger is one of my kitchen staples and I appreciate its versatility as a kitchen spice for both savoury and sweet dishes. Not only is ginger valued for the bite it adds in the kitchen but, historically, ginger has also been used as a preservative, a tonic to treat common ailments and is renowned in both Eastern and Western medicine as a digestive aid. After the holiday season, which can involves eating more rich foods than normal or, in general day-to-day eating, ginger can serve as a natural remedy to assist with the digestive process.
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Three Variations of Lime Tahini-Based Sauces or Dressings
As tahini is high in protein but relatively low in saturated fats, I tend to use it mostly to enhance the flavour and nutrition of a simple salad or meal of roasted vegetables. A different sauce makes for a different meal. One of the most popular and simplest sauces to make is lemon tahini which creates a deliciously rich, creamy, nutty, and tangy sauce which goes with many dishes. As I use the lemon tahini sauce so frequently, I started looking for variations and discovered a tasty selection of lime-based tahini sauces. Similar to lemons, limes also add additional flavours and health benefits to a meal.
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Gingerbread and Cranberry Chocolate Cups (Vegan and GF)
Throughout history, winter solstice festivals have been held across the world to celebrate the changing seasons and to mark the longest night of the year and rebirth of the Earth. The origin of baking treats for holiday festivities such as Christmas dates back to these solstice rituals. One of the reasons these celebrations tended to revolve around food was because it used to be necessary to feast before the winter famine. In addition, the festivities and food often had an emphasis on the Earth itself incorporating natural foods. Full of natural foods such as nuts, berries and spices, this recipe makes a delicious, healthy treat which can be enjoyed as part of holiday celebrations or packaged and shared as special gifts.
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Christmas Mincemeat (Vegan and GF)
Growing up in England, one of my strongest associations with feasting at Christmas includes mince pies! These days I make my own mincemeat and tend to experiment with different variations every year. Although the recipes generally include a mix of fruit, dried fruit and spices, one of the beauties of modern mincemeat is that it is extremely flexible and forgiving. Some years, I have been ambitious enough to make candied peel from scratch. Not this year, however! Still, regardless of how it evolves, mincemeat with its distinct taste and aroma will always be a holiday favourite of mine. This is the first mincemeat recipe I have tried that uses a Dutch oven rather than the stove-top method. The slow cooking of the mincemeat in the oven over 90 minutes fills the kitchen with the familiar and delicious aroma of dried fruit and spices.
The Dragon's picnic 