Chicken with Orange & Mint

A tasty - and easy - way to make chicken breasts more interesting, takes very little time and even less effort! Serves 2. (Served here with rice and courgettes, though I imagine that carrots would be the perfect accompaniment).

2 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts

100ml freshly squeezed Orange Juice

1-2 tbsp Chopped Mint Leaves

1 tbsp Butter Substitute

Orange Slices to garnish (optional)

1. Season the chicken breasts with s&p and then fry  for 5 minutes in a decent sized pan that has a lid (next stage!), until golden brown all over.
2. Pour in the orange juice and bring to a simmer, put the lid on and cook on low for 10 minutes.
3. Add the chopped mint and butter substitute, bringing it up to a high heat and stirring  for a couple of minutes.
4. Serve immediately, with orange slices as a garnish and extra mint sprinkled over if you like.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Shopping: Lazy Day Foods Chocolate Chip Shortbread

Tasty! Could be a bit crumblier for my tastes but the flavour is spot on and anything with chocolate chips is all good in my mind!

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Venison with Blueberry Sauce

This is really very nice and no chopping which is always good! Here I have served it with rice and samphire (rubbish photo - sorry! but it would work equally well with potatoes and veg. Serves 2.

125g Blueberries
3 tbsp Sherry
Pinch of sugar
1/2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 tbsp Orange Juice
1 tsp Butter Substitute
2 Venison Steaks

• Put the blueberries in a small saucepan with the sherry and sugar and simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes.
• Add the balsamic, orange juice, s&p and butter type stuff to the pan, stir well and keep warm.
• While the sauce is simmering rub the venison with oil and season before placing on a hot griddle pan and cooking on a hot griddle and cooking on both sides for 3-5 mins until done to your liking, leave to rest.
• Serve the venison with your choice of sides and pour over the sauce.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Fennel & Lemon Risotto

A nice light meal or could be a good accompaniament to fish. You don't miss the cheese in this as the zesty fresh flavours keep your tongue tingling! Serves 3 as a meal or 4 as an accompaniament.


250g Fennel
Half an Onion
250g Arborio Risotto Rice
1-2 tsp Lemon Juice
1.25l of Vegetable Stock
The grated zest of 1 Lemon
1 tbsp chopped Mint &/or Parsley

• Slice the fennel and finely chop the onion, fry them gently until the fennel is soft.
• Add the rice and stir, followed by the lemon juice and s&p.
• Add the stock gradually stirring and allowing the rice to absorb the stock before adding the next bit.
• Keep adding and stirring until it is creamy but the rice is a little al dente.
• Add the lemon zest and stir, cover the pan and leave off the heat for a few minutes.
• Stir through the herbs before serving.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Shopping: M&S unsliced white loaf

I's brilliant, soft & moist sliced without warming and a real treat to have a hunk of bread!

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Serving Suggestion: Chocolate & Strawberry 'Cream' Cakes

Basically I cut a chocolate cupcake in half, added some strawberries and a generous squirt of the rice whipped 'cream' mentioned previously - nom nom nom!

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Spanish-ish Chicken

This wasn't even authentic before I messed about with it, but is yummy and has a Spanish flavour! Serves 2.

2 Chicken Breasts, skin on

70g Chorizo

2 tsp Cumin Seeds

1 clove of Garlic, crushed

2 tbsp dry Sherry

450g baby new potatoes, sliced or cut into chunks

2 large Tomatoes, roughly chopped

Coriander Leaves to serve

1. In a large frying pan with a kid fry the chicken breasts skin side down for 4 minutes
2. Add the chorizo, cumin and garlic (just shove the chicken breasts to the side) and fry for a  minute before adding the potatoes and frying for another minute.
3. Splash in the sherry, let it bubble then add the chopped tomatoes and stir.
4. Season with S&P, pop the chicken breasts on top and put the lid on. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
5. Whenthe chicken and potatoes are cooked through, remove the chicken breasts, stir through the coriander and serve.

Shopping: Lazy Day Foods

Just got a lovely little box of treats from Lazy Day Foods; they missed out a couple of things from my order and the millionaires shortbread has soya flour in which it didn't say on the website so they sent me some extra treats gratis, except some more reviews soon when I have eaten up all my chocolate cupcakes! They sent me chocolate chip shortbread (I know that is going to be good without trying it) and some chocolate orange slices.

Chocolate Cupcakes

These are very yummy; light, moist and chocolatey and people who aren't on special diets will want them too so think carefully before you take them to work! My receptionist loves these, especially with chocolate frosting. They don't taste coconutty at all.

Makes 10 - 12 cupcakes depending on the case size. They rise a LOT more than you think; you have be warned! I normally fill cases just over 2/3.

6 tbsp coconut butter/oil
1/2 cup sifted coconut flour
1/4 cup coconut cream
1/2 cup cocoa
6 eggs
1 cup & 2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 175c.

• Mix together the melted coconut butter and the cocoa.
• In a bowl whisk together the eggs, coconut cream, sugar, salt and vanilla.
• Stir in the cocoa mixture.
• Combine the flour & baking powder then whisk in until there are no lumps.
• Spoon into cupcake cases, it may look to thin to start with but you will see it thickening even as you scoop.
• Bake in an oven for around 20 minutes until a skewer in the centre comes out clean.
• Let cool on a rack, though the cook obviously deserves one still warm out of the oven.
• Great frosted, I'll post some recipes soon!

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Prawn, Grapefruit & Avocado Salad

I am not a massive avocado fan but they really work in this zingy salad. Serves 2.

150g cooked & peeled Tiger Prawns, sliced in half lengthways
Pink Grapefruit, in segments
White Grapefruit, in segments
1 or 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Ripe Avocado, sliced
2 Handfuls of Rocket
Lime
Drizzle of Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

• Combine the prawns, grapefruit, dill and avocado in a bowl
• Dress with the lime juice, oil, s&p.
• Put a handful of rocket leaves on the plate and top with the prawn mixture.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Shopping; Lazy Day Foods Savoury Biscuits

I must admit the first bite of these is confusing wrongness as your brain tries to work out why something the consistency of a sweet biscuit has a hint of curry flavour, but once your brain has given up and gone with it you start to enjoy them. They have more texture than say shortbread and a subtle savoury taste which has indian spicing and a pleasing tingle of heat. A suprising win which made my salad a bit more filling and will be fab with soups when the attempt at summer gives up entirely.
Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Katsu Chicken

I'm getting better at the pictures malarky, though the crispy chicken bits could be browner! A tasty dish which is easier than it looks, though getting prepared before you start (unlike me!) makes it easier. Serves 2.

for the sauce1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 cardamon pod
1 onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 red chilli
200g chopped tomatoes
1/2 inch piece root ginger
1/2 tbsp turmeric
125ml chicken stock
1/2 tbsp honey
salt
1 carrot, sliced
1 courgette, sliced
2 spring onions, sliced

for the chicken75g plain flour seasoned with salt, pepper and a pinch of chilli
100g rice crumbs or gluten free breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 chicken breasts

basmati rice to serve

• dry fry the spices for a couple of minutes then grind to a powder
• fry the onions until golden & soft
• add the garlic, chilli, chopped tomatoes, ginger & turmeric and bring to the boil
• add the stock and simmer for 25 minutes
• blend until smooth then add the honey and a good pinch of salt
• boil the rice & steam the veg above
• when the veg is done, add to the sauce
• for the chicken line up a plate of seasoned flour and a dish of the lightly beaten egg
• dip the chicken pieces in the flour, then the egg, and finally the crumbs
• fry the chicken pieces until crunchy & cooked through
• serve the sauce over the rice with the chicken pieces alongside

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Nohm

This challenges the chocolate ice nohm for my favourite! I will take a picture when I have a pretty serving - rather than eating it out of the ice cream maker bowl and before dinner too - terrible!

1 tin of coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
Tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp xantham gum
Cup of strawberry puree (a good way to use up over ripe strawberries, add a bit of sugar before you whizz them up)
125g shortcake biscuits (coincidentally the amount in the packet of sainsburys shortcake biscuits I was using!) smashed up

Mix together the coconut milk, sugar, vanilla and xantham gum. Tip into the ice cream maker and set it going. Once the ice cream is thick and part frozen tip in 1/2 a cup of strawberry puree and leave to finish. Once the ice cream is done add the rest of the strawberry puree and the crushed biscuit pieces to stir through (but not thouroughly).

I freeze it in individual pots so I don't have to take the whole tub out to soften before scooping - admittedly this has a lot to do with my lack of will power! Lakeland do some pots for individual steamed puddings which are ideal! This mixture filled 7 plus a bit left in the machine.

Shopping: It's nearly a crunchie but all grown up

Mr Simms do the usual range of chocolate I can't eat but they do a few dark things which include dark chocolate drops, which I put in my brownies sometimes, and Cinder Crunch. It is dark chocolate with bits of what is very like the inside of crunchies in - kind of like an accident in a crunchie factory where they were trying to make a grown up version. I have only 3 words - nom nom nom. As you can see I couldn't even wait until I'd taken the picture.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Good Things Breakfast Muffin

Yes it's still cake for breakfast but at least it's packed with good things!

2 eggs
90ml grapeseed oil3 heaped tsp apple sauce
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 very ripe banana mashed with a fork
4 tbsp maple syrup
100g grapeseed flour (not a lot  of places carry this yet - I got mine from Pure Nature)
100g buckwheat flour
6 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp linseed
Pinch of salt
Handful of chopped pecans
Handful of dried blueberries
Pumpkin seeds to scatter on top

Preheat the oven 180c and pop some muffin cases in a tin.

• Mix together the dry ingredients -flours, sugar, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and linseed- in a small bowl.
• In another small bowl mash the banana and add the apple sauce, vanilla & maple syrup.
• In a third (yes I know - the washing up, but it's easier this way) whisk the eggs until they are fluffy then whisk in the oil.
• Mix in the wet ingredients into the eggs.
• Tip the dry ingredients into the wet ones and mix in.
• Stir in the pecans and blueberries.
• Spoon into muffin cases (not too full!) and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the top of the oven.

Especially good straight out of the oven!
Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Shopping: Vanilla, Chocolate & Caramel Dessert Pots

I had the vanilla flavour for the first time today and it was very nice. The caramel and chocolate flavours I already know I like! They are quite set and pudding like in consistency, don't need to be kept in the fridge (although nicer chilled)  and are ideal tor packed lunches. Click on the title to be taken to the page at Pure Nature.

Shopping: M&S Baby Rosti (hash browns to most of us!)

I had some of these for breakfast this morning with a breakfast sausage patty (see earlier post). Makes a nice change from bread (I can't believe I am saying those words, I spent so much time longing for nice bread)! They are good as a cheats accompaniment for dinner too.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Jelly Belly

Not a recipe or a tip - just a moment to express my love of jelly belly beans, especially the watermelon ones! The strawberry chhesecake ones are pretty good too. And the toasted marshmallow. And... Leanne really likes the cinnamon ones which I think are very wrong. You do get a headache from the sugar though!

Greek Syle Stuffed Tomatoes

Gives a greek flavour and easy carb & veg options in one. A pretty poor picture, sorry, they look better in reality! Here I've served them with griddled (skinless and boneless) chicken thigh marinated in olive oil, garlic, lemon juice & oregano.

4 large tomatoes (bigger than the ones in the photo ideally!)

Tsp caster sugar

1 onion, chopped

2 courgettes, diced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

Tbsp dried oregano

100g basmati rice

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 180c

1. Carefully slice off the tops of the tomatoes keeping them for the lids. Scoop out the inside of the tomatoes, chopping if needs be, and put in a measuring jug. Put the shells in a baking dish and sprinkle with some salt, pepper & sugar.
2. Fry the onion, courgette, garlic and oregano until cooked through. Add the rice and stir.
3. Make up the tomato insides to 300g with water and add to the pan, season and cook until the rice is very nearly cooked (you may find you need to add a little bit more water). At this point stir in the mint & parsley and take off the heat to cool a little.
4. Stuff the tomatoes with the rice mixture, pop the lids on and drizzle with a little olive oil. If your tomatoes were a bit puny you may find you have rice over, pop it in a little tin foil parcel and add to the dish. Drizzle some olive oil on top of the tomatoes and bake at 180c for 20 minutes.

They reheat well so save any left over ones for lunch!

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Shopping: Lazy Day Foods

I have tried their Tiffin (just had a bit after my salad for lunch actually, well I did have salad!) and they not only have an online oredering facility but in their (quite small but perfectly formed) range they have MILLIONAIRES SHORTBREAD! Expect some more reviews of their food soon!

Amazingly I have the tech skills to make the title of this post a link to their site!

Breakfast Patties

Admittedly I burnt these ones, but they are pretty good and a healthy protein bfast option. I am focussing more on bfast at the moment as I find a filling bfast stops me spending the whole day grazing, which is usually on things which make my bum bigger!

I make about 8 patties out of this mix.

500g minced turkey
1/4 cup dried apple, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 egg white, lightly beaten
3 tbsp gluten free oats or some other porridge mix type thing
2 tbsp fresh parsly, chopped
Good pinch each of salt, thyme, nutmeg & cayenne.

• Mix everything together in a big bowl.
• Shape into patties - I made them into the right shape for the buns I had!
• Cook over a medium heat until browned (slightly less browned than the photo!) and cooked through.
• Serve in a bun or with hash browns.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Shopping: M&S Soft White Baps

Pretty good! Better warmed a bit, but so is most wheat free bread.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Shopping: Chocolate Tiffin from Waitrose

Another tasty & naughty treat from my recent shopping trip to Waitrose, if there was one in Derby I would be waving goodbye to size 12 forever I think! Chocolatey, biscuity and raisiny nom!

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Chicken, Peach & & Hazlenut Salad

Bit too hot for cooking here this weekend! A nice way to use up leftover chicken or just grill a couple of chicken breasts. Seems like an odd combination but it works!

2 handfuls of leftover chicken or 2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced.
1 ripe peach, sliced.
2 handfuls of rocket or baby salad leaves.
Small handful of basil leaves.
1 handful of blanched hazlenuts, toasted in a dry pan.
Tsp orange zest.
Lemon Juice.
Olive Oil.
Salt & Pepper.

• Toss everything together and then dress with the lemon juice and oil.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Shopping: M&S Chocolate Muffins

Finally, M&S enter the free from arena! Not a very wide range and quite a few contain butter but it's a start! First thing tried are the chocolate muffins (if that's a surprise to anyone you haven't been paying attention!) and they get the thumbs up! They are moist, light and chocolately - exactly what you'd expect of M&S cakes. Have some bread rolls to try too- watch this space!
Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Italian Wedding Soup

This is a yummy main meal soup that I make a vat of and take to work for lunch as well. It has quite a lot of ingredients but is easy to make and can be done in 40 minutes..

It has nothing to do with weddings - apparently it is a bad American translation of the Italian which means a marriage of meat & vegetables.

The picture is rubbish - I will endeavour to take a better one next time I make it!

Makes 8 ish servings:

For the meatballs:
3/4 pound minced chicken
1/2 pound minced pork or sausage meat
2/3 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
2 tsp garlic paste
3 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 cup nutritonal yeast flakes
3 tbsp rice milk
1 xl egg, lightly beaten
Salt & Pepper

For the soup:
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots (about 3)
3/4 cup chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
10 cups chicken stock (the better the stock, the better the soup but I must admit I use cubes - Kallo Organic)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup small pasta (as you can see I struggled to get gf soup pasta so snapped spaghetti)
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped (this is amazing in it!)
12 ounces baby spinach, washed

Preheat the oven to 180c

1. Mix all the meatball ingredients together and make teaspoon size meatballs on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.
2. Saute the carrots, onion & celery for 5 minutes, until softened.
3. Add the wine and then the chicken stock and bring to the boil.
4. Add the pasta and cook as per the packet.
5. Add the dill & meat balls and simmer for 1 minute.
6. Taste for salt & pepper then stir in the fresh spinach and simmer for 1 minute - just until the spinach has wilted.
7. Serve!

Rocky Road (Chocolate Refrigerator Cake)

This is all kinds of bad but is soooo good, and brilliant for a girls night in - it gets requested often! No cooking and ridiculously easy - a version of this is what any guide or brownie was taught to make! I was a guilde for about ten minutes, I think this and how to tie a reef know were the only things I learnt! I'm sure you could make this healthier but I like it naughty!

road:
150g dark chocolate
3 tbsp golden syrup
100g margarine (I use Pure spread)
Pinch of salt

rocks: (you can be fairly creative with this once you know what the mix should look like!)
90g mini marshmallows (or big ones cut up)
60g raisins or other dried fruit
150g biscuits (something crumbly and fairly plain is good)

1. Put the road ingredients in a bowl and melt together in the microwave - it doesn't take long at all so do it by minutes with a stir inbetween!
2. Bash the biscuits so they are in bits then stir them into the road mix followed by the other rock ingredients.
3. Line a tin or dish with clingfilm (trust me - you'll regret it if you don't) and tip the chocolatey mess in. Fold the clingfilm over.
4. Pop in the fridge for about 4 hours - go out! - when it's set tip it out the tray, peel off the cling film and slice into chunks. Serve and tell everyone it was much harder work!

Pancakes v1

I have a few pancake recipes so expect a few more pancake posts ... These use coconut flour and are the easiest to make and come out fat & fluffy. Add blue berries or bananas while the first side is cooking for a fruity version.

2 eggs
2 tbsp coconut oil/butter, melted
2 tbsp coconut, rice or nut milk
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp sifted coconut flour
1/4 tsp baking powder

1. Mix together the eggs, oil, milk, sugar & salt.
2. Mix the flour & baking powder then combine thorougly with 1,
3. Heat some oil in a frying pan then spoon batter on - the batter will flatten out while cooking so start small.
4. Flip when underside is done. Serve with maple syrup (mmmm) crispy bacon, fruit ... use your imagination!

Shopping: Lloyd Grossmans Sauces

I'm not one for bought sauces but sometimes you just don't have the energy to cook after work. The Lloyd Grossman range has a number of pasta sauces that are free from gluten/dairy/legumes and they're pretty good. This is me about to tuck into a bowl of puttanesca sauce (my personal favourite) - the pasta is from the sainsburys free from range and I have sprinkled it with some nutritional yeast flakes (cheesy!). There are also curry sauces that are Ok too. Just read the jars on both, a few have dairy in.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Sarahs Chocolate Orange Cake

This cake isn't really anything to do with my friend Sarah but she loves it so much I had to include her! Here she is with a little frosted one just for her to eat on her birthday. It is not designed to be 'special', it is based on a middle eastern recipe I believe, but with no flour and no butter it is ideal for those of us on 'special' diets and decadently chocolatey!

1 whole orange
125g caster sugar
200g dark chocolate, melted
100g ground almonds
3 eggs, seperated
1/2 tsp baking powder

1. Put the orange in a microwaveable bowl, add 250ml water, cover with clingfilm and microwave on high for 20 mins, turning half way through. It doesn't explde - honest! It goes a bit like a shrunken head! Leave to cool, still covered.
2. Preheat oven to 180c. Line a 20cm springform tin with baking paper.
3. Cut the orange in half and remove the pips, put it in the food processor with 5 tbsp of the orangey water and blitz to a puree. Yes, the peel and all!
4. Add the sugar, melted chocolate, almonds, egg yolks and baking powder and whizz again. Pop it into a large bowl.
5. Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry and gently fold then into the chocolate mixture - you want to keep as much air in as you can.
6. Spoon into the tin, put on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for an hour, putting a piece of baking paper or tinfoil on the top half way through to stop the top burning. Cool in the tin.

This suits a dessert cake for a dinner party or as a tea time cake. I must admit I have had a piece for breakfast before! I will post frosting recipes soon!

Shopping: Chocolate Dessert

Again from Pure Nature, tastes like the chocolate bit of rolo desserts! Doesn't have to be kept in the fridge and makes a good lunch box treat. They do vanilla (haven't tried yet) and caramel (yum) flavours too.
Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Shopping: Rice Whipped Cream

Another Pure Nature item - it's a bit trailer trash I know but really handy to have in the fridge! Tastes a bit like instant whip, doesn't go off too quickly and great with fruit, meringues, ice cream etc

Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Shopping; Chocolate & Hazlenut Spread

Just had a Pure Nature order delivered, with some new stuff - I'll post when I've tried them - as well as some I know are lovely. Having been missing my Nutella big time since starting the diet this Italian spread was a gift from the gods and I shed a little tear when I finish the jar.
Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Chicken, Chorizo & Artichoke Baked Rice

This is a very tasty 1 pot meal (have you noticed I like 1 pot things yet?) which is so much nicer than it's constituent parts or the effort put in!

I had it for dinner last night and have some for lunch at work today in my aladdin thermos style bento box  - you can get them at Firebox or Lakeland (though they only have pink). A real lifesaver when it's difficult to get lunch out or you don't have a microwave/fridge at work - keeps food hot or cold til lunch!

Serves 4
1 x 300g (ish) jar of Artichoke Hearts in Olive Oil

4-6 Chicken Breast Fillets

1 Large Onion, chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, chopped

100g (ish) Chorizo, sliced - watch out when you are shopping, some of these contain gluten &/or dairy)

350g Basmati Rice

Pinch of Thyme

150 ml Dry White Wine

600ml Chicken Stock

Parsley to serve (optional)

Preheat oven to 180c

1. 
   
   Drain the artichoke hearts and reserve the oil - put a couple of tbsp in a flameproof casserole dish or frying pan (and transfer to a casserole dish later).
2. 
   
   Season the chicken breasts - you can keep them whole or cut them into chunks as I have here - and fry them until they are lightly browned. Set aside.
3. 
   
   Add a little more oil to the dish/pan and saute the onion and garlic until softened but not coloured (2-3 mins). Add the chorizo, thyme, and rice and cook, stirring,  for a couple of minutes. Add the wine and stir.
4. 
   
   Transferring to the casserole if you're not already in it, mix in the stock, artichokes and chicken pieces or put the whole breasts on top, pushing them in a bit. Cover and bake for 30-40 mins until the stock is absorbed and the chicken & rice are cooked. Scatter with the parsley (if using) and serve. 

Shopping: Waitrose Chocolate Chip Cookies

Need I say more? nom nom nom ...
Connected by MOTOBLUR™

Prawns with Almond & Parsley Crust

An easy recipe which can be used as a starter, part of a tapas or mezze selection, with salad ...

200g Raw Tiger Prawns
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
100g Toasted Flaked Almonds, crushed fine
2 tbsp chopped Parsley

1. Preheat oven to 200c
2. Mix together the almonds and parsley
3. Dip prawns in mustard and then in almond/parsley mix.
4. Place on a baking tray in a single layer and bake for 5-6 minute

coconut flour & butter

Just a quick note on coconut flour & butter as I have just posted the first of many recipes using them!

Coconut Flour: it smells coconutty when you open the pack but the finished result isn't, gives lovely moist baking results. Gluten free and high in fibre. It does absorbs a lot of water so make sure you drink plenty. You can't swap it like for like in recipes because of this - you can swap a third ok, or use recipes designed for it (check out the Tiana link or google - there are loads!)

Coconut Butter/Oil: virgin is quite coconutty, non virgin isn't. virgin is obviously better for you! Has that solid when cool liquid when warm thing like dairy butter. Great for baking and makes great frosting and I use it in savoury cooking too - curries and the like. It is anti-microbial and anti-virus and low in cholesterol. It can kill swine flu - I got some for my mum when she got swine flu (virgin coconut oil is not a good thing in mashed potato I am told!).

Both are becoming easy to get - Tiana is a good source but I have got both from Pure Nature and Goodness Direct (both linked below) too.

Best Ever Brownies

Not just best ever by special standards but best ever by anyones standards! Coconut flour makes the best brownies, and they are easy to make. The nuts/no nuts argument will rage eternally - I like a mix of chocolate chips and walnuts or pecans in mine but put in what you like or nothing at all! The picture left is of choc chip and cherry brownies, kind of a Black Forest vibe!


1/3 cup coconut oil/butter - melted
1/2 cup cocoa powder
6 eggs
1 cup sugar (i use golden caster, it seems to give the best taste & texture)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sifted coconut flour
1 cup nuts and/or chocolate chips - optional


1. warm & blend together the oil and cocoa then set aside to cool a bit
2. in a bowl mix together the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla
3. Stir in the cocoa mixture .
4. Whisk in the flour until there are no lumps.
5. Fold in the nuts/chocolate chips if using.
6. Pour into a pan around 8x8x2. Do not worry that is is too runny! Coconut Flour absorbs a lot of moisture!
7. Bake at 175c for 30-35 minutes. When you take them out depends on how squidgy you like your brownies - stick a skewer in the middle and test but make sure you take them out just before they are at the perfect point!
8. Let cool in the pan or they will collapse - no matter how tempting! You may have to guard them!

Shopping: Caramel Choices

I got these in Kingston Waitrose and they are soooo good! I expect they would be good to a non -'special' person, but they would have to prise them out of my cold dead hands to get one! They are made by Celtic Chocolates and I am rationing them at 1 a day!

I was down in Kingston visiting my bessie mate, her husband and 'the bump', had a fab weekend and we finished it off with lunch on the river opposite Hampton Court which was brill. With the soon to arrive bump I will have to find another source of these yummy chocolates as I suspect with a new baby she'll have better things to do than shop for chocolates for me!

Shopping: Sausage Sandwich

Well I guess I cooked it too but it doesn't really count as a recipe! I find if I have something substantial for breakfast I snack less through the day - though I did have the other flapjack from yesterday this afternoon!

The sausages were from Waitrose and are yum ( Cambridge Gluten Free Pork Sausages) and the bread is the utterly brilliant Genius which you can get from Waitrose, Sainsburys, Tescos and other places. Forget everything you think you know about gluten free bread, this is brilliant - and soft straight from the packet wih no warming required.

I cooked the sausages and stuck them between the bread - do you need me to describe that lol? Sometimes ketchup, sometimes not, never brown sauce!

Indian-ish Baked Chicken & Rice

Two recipes today as I have such a backlog! This recipe is a way from being Indian but it does have that vibe and is an easy 1 pot dinner. Serves 4. You can use a casserole which is safe on the hob or use a frying pan and then transfer to a oven proof dish.


8 chicken thighs
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves (or cheats equivalent) sliced
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground ginger
1 green chilli, finely sliced
300g basmati rice
650ml chicken stock (hot)
200g frozen (I have used fresh as well) green veg (I like broccoli and spinach)
2 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley or coriander (optional)


Preheat oven to 190c
1. Brown chicken all over in a little oil, and remove.
2. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, garam masala, ginger, chilli and rice and cook for 1 minute.
3. At this point transfer to the casserole dish if you're not already using it. Pop the chicken on top, pour in the stock, cover and bake for 20 minutes.
4. The rice should have absorbed most of the stock by now - add a bit of hot water if it is too dry, add the vegetables, stir through and bake for 10 minutes or until everything is cooked.
5. Scatter with parsley or coriander and serve.


A dollop of mango chutney on the side works well!

Easy Creamy Chocolate Ice Nohm

Well I thought long & hard about what to put on as the first recipe, but in the end the sunshine and the amount of this I eat made it an easy choice!
This makes enough for 1 batch in my 1.1l icecream maker.

It is very creamy and oh so easy - 30 minutes tops to a bowl of chocolate ice cream! (probably a bit too easy for my waistline!)

Tin of coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

Pinch of salt

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

Whisk all of the ingredients in a bowl. If you leave it for a bit the icecream is tastier and thicker but there is no harm in pouring it into your ice cream maker right away! Chocolate chips tipped in just as the mix is pretty much done are a good addition! Am going to start experimenting and I will add more options soon!

Just be warned once you have frozen it it does take a while to be scoopable so make sure you take it out before dinner!

this is my absolute favourite book for cakies and things! highly recommended!

Shopping: Flapjacks from Waitrose

just eaten a flapjack I got from Waitrose - 'Purely Oaty' made by 'Delicious Alchemy' and free of gluten (you can take it as a given that things I post about are dairy, gluten and legume free) and rather tasty!

recipes start tomorrow!

well I have successfully started my blog ... and i will start posting recipes tomorrow!