Welcome all, fill your tum with my num num nums.


Gluten, Dairy & Legume free recipes; some by design, others are just nice recipes that happen to be! There are recipes and also shopping 'finds', all of which are good for free from people and all yummy whether you are following a particular diet or not! Just because something is 'free from' doesn't mean everyone can't enjoy it - and you may be surpised at how much happier your body is.

'Special' is how my friends describe my food and me, I don't think it's entirely complimentary!

Friday 31 August 2012

Hake with Tomatoes, Fennel & Olives

Cooking fish in an individual foil parcel is ideal for me coz I get to have the flavours I like without having to do two dinners coz dad doesn't like anything much. I got frozen hake fillets from waitrose (via ocado) and cooked them in tinfoil parcels (from frozen!).

Ingredients per portion:
Hake fillet.
1/4 fennel bulb, finely sliced.
5 or 6 cherry tomatoes.
Few marinated olives (depending on size, mine were fat ones stuffed with almonds)
Slice of lemon
Lovage leaves
Garlic oil

Preheat the oven to 200c & tear off a sheet of tinfoil that will be big enough to scrunch closed around the fish and lay flat. Drizzle some garlic oil on the foil then place the fish fillet on top. Scatter the lovage leaves over the top then lay the lemon slice on the fish. Get the foil lifted up around the fish a bit then pop the tomatoes, sliced fennel & olives on top. Scrunch the foil so it's sealed then put in the oven on s baking tray for 25 minutes (or a bit longer if you forget it; not saying you will or I did ;-) - there's so much liquid in the parcel it won't dry out).  


Five Things Away From Paleo

Sugar
Rice
Chips
Genius
Deep frying
I want to be paleo, I'd like to be paleo, I really would - and some of my meals are, despite having to do potatoes for my dad everyday - but I just can't kick these last five things.

Sugar is an addiction, I won't pretend I am in control of it. Giving up booze would be easier I think! And giving up booze would not be easy. Hendricks & tonic anyone?
I do manage to swap sugar for honey or agave in some things but when I bake the sugar usually comes out! I am also so easily tempted by sweets & treats. I know I feel better without it but like a crackwhore I keep going back.

I have eaten so much rice since giving up gluten that I really can't imagine life without it. And I really love sushi! Sashimi only satisfies the craving so much, even if it includes beef tataki which I love.

Chips are self explanatory surely? I don't eat a lot of potatoes but chips & their chunkier sister, roast potatoes are very hard to give up. And fresh jersey royal potatoes - they just taste so good.

Genius is really the only gluten free bread worth eating and although I eat bread rarely their bloomer is just yummy. Bacon sandwich? Why thankyou!

Deep Fried. It's not so much the method of cooking, more that I turn a blind eye to the gluten in the batter. Soft shell crab tempura night be one of my favourite things. Whitebait? Pass the pail (pubs always serve them in those witty buckets don't they?). I think it's the only thing I cheat on gluten in. 

As I write this post I know I'm not going to be able to give these things up easily. I will try to cut them down with a view to phasing them out but giving up smoking pales into significance next to giving up sugar.

Wednesday 22 August 2012

Paleo Dirty Rice

I pretty much did this off the recipe on Elanas Pantry, http://www.elanaspantry.com/paleo-dirty-rice/, except I pretty much guesstimated the quantities & used some waitrose ready made soffrito mix to replace the onions/scallions/celery and garlic oil instead of cloves. I'm lazy, what can I say!

It's more like cous cous than rice but made a good accompaniment to the slightly smoked salmon I have here. I'll def be doing it again.


Monday 20 August 2012

Rosemary & Fig Crackers

I followed the recipe faithfully here, it's from Elanas Pantry and you can find it here;  http://www.elanaspantry.com/rosemary-fig-crackers/.

They're yummy - mine aren't quite as thin or square but they taste good. Am already thinking of variations.


Tuesday 14 August 2012

Swedish Wedding Soup

This is a made up thing, using an American - Italian recipe & Swedish meatballs. No chopping just a bit of snipping!

Pack of Swedish meatballs (350g)
1 pack waitrose soffrito mix (about 3 cups chopped onion, carrot & celery)
Vegetable bouquet garni
10 cups chicken stock (the better the stock, the better the soup but I must admit I use cubes - Kallo Organic)
1 cup small pasta (doves farm do gf ditalini)
Small bunch fresh dill
12 ounces baby spinach (about a small pack)

1. Cook the meatballs as per instructions
2. Saute the carrots, onion & celery with a pinch of salt until softened.
3. Add the chicken stock & bouquet garni and bring to the boil
4. Add the pasta and cook as per the packet
5. Snip in the dill and add the 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! (here with a couple of slices of Genius bloomer)


Sunday 5 August 2012

Coconut Fried Chicken

This recipe is mainly from Cooking with Coconut Flour but as I changed it a bit I don't feel bad blogging it.

Raw Chicken Pieces (I used 2 thighs & 2 legs (4 thighs in the pic) but the dusting mix would have done more)

Dusting Mix:
1/3 cup coconut flour
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp thyme
Good pinch of cayenne
1/4 tsp pepper
1 heaped tsp salt

Coconut oil

Heat 1/4 inch of coconut oil in a pan that's got a lid.
Mix together the dusting mix then coat the chicken thoroughly in a bag or bowl.
Brown the chicken on both sides (about 10 mins).
Put the lid on & turn down the heat.
Cook for 30-40 mins (until cooked through) with the lid off for the last 10 mins (turning at least once during this last 10).
Pop on a bit of kitchen towel before you plate up.
Not overwhelmingly coconutty - the spices & the chicken come through more. Very tasty!

This has become a regular menu fixture and I've taken a better pic.