Healthy, low-cost dishes to make you smile

Tag: gluten-free

Indian style sweet potato fritters

Indian style sweet potato fritters

I love a fritter as a freeze-ahead meal prep item to use for impromptu dinners, packed lunches, picnics and as a veggie packed side, so these Indian Style Sweet Potato Fritters are a total winner. If you have any random root veg laying around you […]

Christmas Granola

Christmas Granola

Rather than have to make a breakfast on Christmas Day enjoy this delicious Christmas Granola which is amazing with coconut or Greek yoghurt. It has all the smells and tastes we associate with the festive season – and of course a hint of chocolate! You […]

Sunflower and Pine Nut Cookies

Sunflower and Pine Nut Cookies

Personally I am not gluten intolerant, but I’m always looking for ways to bring different foods into my diet to make it as varied as possible as this is so good for our gut flora. That means not just using wheat flour in everything and perhaps something a little different from time to time. Like these Sunflower and Pine Nut Cookies which are made with a flour created with the seeds.

These protein packed biscuits are so tasty and sweet despite having no refined sugar in them. They have a little bit of sweetness from the agave nectar / rice malt syrup / honey – you decide – but much of the sweetness and flavour comes from the delicious pine nuts which are so naturally sweet. All the seeds also means these cookies are high in omega oils. They contain no nuts, so can be put in a kids lunchboxes and are good for anyone who has a nut allergy and is looking to include more plant protein in their life.

You can top them with nothing at all, some traditional jam (I’ve used some home-made blackberry and apple because we still have lots of jars left) or you can use my 5 minute chia jam instead. If you don’t want the extra crunch of the seeds which you put to one side when making flour, then just make a flour from the whole lot and have a smoother texture.

These Sunflower and Pine Nut Cookies can be frozen, so I like to make as a double batch, wrap and just pop straight into a lunchbox box from the freezer. There are also a brilliant breakfast on the go or a post gym snack.

Sunflower and Pine Nut Cookies

January 14, 2019
: 16
: 10 min
: 15 min
: Easy

By:

Ingredients
  • 180g sunflower seeds
  • 40g pine nuts
  • 50g buckwheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • A pinch of salt
  • 50g coconut oil or butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons agave nectar, rice malt syrup or honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • Around 3 tablespoons of jam of your choice
Directions
  • Step 1 Preheat the oven to 150°C Fan/ 180°C/Gas 4. Line a baking tray with parchment or a silicone liner.
  • Step 2 In a dry frying pan toast the seeds and pine nuts by stirring them while they begin to colour. Remove from the heat and set 3 tablespoons to one side, blitz the rest in a food processor or high speed blender to make a flour.
  • Step 3 In one bowl mix the seed flour, whole seeds, flour, arrowroot, baking powder and salt. Mix well.
  • Step 4 In another bowl beat the egg, melted oil/butter, nectar/syrup and vanilla.
  • Step 5 Add the wet mix to the dry and combine until you have a firm dough.
  • Step 6 Take tablespoons of the mixture and form into round patties, make a dip in the middle for a half teaspoon of jam.
  • Step 7 Bake for 10-15mins until golden brown, allow to cool before serving as they will get firmer as they cool.

Allergy Friendly Flapjacks

Allergy Friendly Flapjacks

  It’s always so helpful to have a quick and easy recipe up your sleeve which uses store cupboard ingredients and tastes delicious too. Even better if it’s accessible to as many people as possible. These healthy flapjacks are great for those who might not […]

Spinach, Carrot and Coconut Salad

Spinach, Carrot and Coconut Salad

There are so many reasons to love this Spinach, Carrot and Coconut Salad. Firstly, it’s actually really easy to throw together with things that you probably already have in your fridge. Secondly, coconut in a salad? I know it sounds weird but trust me it […]

Herby Bean Crumble

Herby Bean Crumble

Ok I know a crumble is usually sweet – but it doesn’t have to be that way! This Herby Bean Crumble is a great way of making beans less of a side and more of a main meal. It’s easy to throw together and freeze in advance so you can serve it with a dinner or just enjoy on its own with a salad or vegetables. I also love this as an alternative baked potato topping.

You can use four different tins of beans or ready mixed ones. I also use beans I have boiled up from dried in a big batch, just use the final cooked weight to measure. When it comes to cheese I think a nice strong Cheddar works well, but adjust to suit your palette.

Herby Bean Crumble

October 5, 2018
: 4-6
: 10 min
: 45 min
: Easy

By:

Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 2 red onions, finely sliced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 4 (400g) tins of cooked beans, drained
  • 2 (400g) tins of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp Marmite (or Vegemite or any yeast extract)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp dried sage
  • ½ tsp dried rosemary
  • 3 bay leaves
  • Black pepper
  • For the crumble:
  • 100g wholemeal plain flour
  • 50g cold butter
  • 100g rolled oats
  • 75g grated cheddar cheese
Directions
  • Step 1 Soften the onion and garlic in the oil in a large saucepan, lid on, for around 5mins.
  • Step 2 Add the tins of tomatoes, Marmite, oregano, sage, rosemary and bay leaves. Stir well and cook with the lid on for 10mins on a medium heat.
  • Step 3 Remove the bay leaves.
  • Step 4 Add the beans and combine, cook on a medium heat for 5mins.
  • Step 5 Pour into a large bake-safe serving or casserole dish.
  • Step 6 Preheat the oven to 200°C fan / 220 °C/ Gas 7
  • Step 7 Make the crumble by grating the flour and cold butter together. Then add the cheese and rolled oats and mix well. Sprinkle over the top of the bean mix.
  • Step 8 Bake for 25 minutes until the top is crisp and browning.

Berry Filling Breakfast Smoothie

Berry Filling Breakfast Smoothie

Some people are just not breakfast people. No matter how hard they try the idea of food in the morning does not work for them. While this isn’t true of me – I get it. But there’s no reason why they should lose out on […]

Free From Everything Healthy Chocolate Brownie Muffins

Free From Everything Healthy Chocolate Brownie Muffins

Okay, now brace yourself, these chocolate muffins are (deep breath) egg-free, fat-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, nut-free, but definitely NOT flavour free! There is a good reason they are called Free From Everything Healthy Chocolate Brownie Muffins you see! I know what you’re thinking, what do […]

Cauliflower, Spinach and Lentil Curry

Cauliflower, Spinach and Lentil Curry

Curries are my go-to when I have random veggies to use up, lots of friends to visit or need to meal-prep some lunches in the freezer. I know a lot of people are scared of making their own curies from scratch and the list of ingredients can look daunting, but once you have bought a few basic spices you are good to go. It’s such a cheap and easy way of making flavourful food and best of all it tastes better the next day!

I’m not the world’s biggest cauliflower fan so this is a great way of making it tasty. The lentils add some oomph and also protein to keep you feeling fuller for longer and the spinach ups the iron content too. By making the spices and onions into a sauce the flavour is really concentrated into the veggies and it makes it more palatable for kids too.

Whether you serve it with rice or an Indian style bread, in a wrap or even on a baked sweet potato, it’s a fab way to get more veggies on your plate.

Cauliflower, Spinach and Lentil Curry

September 17, 2018
: 6
: 5 min
: 30 min

By:

Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 15 dried curry leaves
  • 400g tin of chopped tomatoes in juice
  • 250g uncooked red lentils
  • 600g cauliflower, broken into florets
  • 250g spinach
  • Salt and pepper
Directions
  • Step 1 Melt the oil and when hot add the onions. Soften with the lid on for around 5mins until cooked.
  • Step 2 Add all the spices and fry off for a minute or so, if you need to add a tiny bit more fat to do this. Remove from the heat.
  • Step 3 Pour in the chopped tomatoes and their juice then blend together until you get a sloppy paste. Return to the pan and fill the tomato tin with water to rinse and add this to the pan too so you have a sauce.
  • Step 4 Add the lentils and cauliflower, cover and cook together on a medium heat for 20mins.
  • Step 5 Add the rinsed spinach and stir through the lentils and cauliflower. Cover again and cook for 5-10mins until all everything is soft.
  • Step 6 Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Pineapple and Ginger Energy Balls

Pineapple and Ginger Energy Balls

Having a naturally sweet energy ball at the ready in your fridge is brilliant if you are trying to cut down on your chocolate and candy intake – by filling up on the good stuff you won’t crave the rubbish! And the great thing about […]