Dairy free Hazelnut Blancmange

Made in less than 10 minutes with cupboard ingredients and great hot or cold. What's not to like?

Ingredients:

• 50g dairy free margarine
• 50g rice flour
• 425ml hazelnut or almond milk
• 50g sugar

Method:
 Heat the butter, flour and milk in a saucepan stirring until smooth and thick. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sugar. That's it.

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Dove's Gluten Free Machine White Bread

I decided to try the machine version with Dove's gluten free white bread blend. I don't have a fancy bread machine with gluten free baking options, it's a Biffinet I bought it in Lidl 10 years ago. I like the convenience of bread machines, you just put the ingredients in and you can forget about it and get on with the rest of the day, plus you get a very nice bread. The only thing I don't like is those holes at the bottom of the loaf from the blades...

Bread machines don't brown the top so I was expecting that but I wasn't expecting it to sink. Other than that it was fine, same texture inside, same taste, same crust (on the sides) than the oven baked version. I made the large loaf and it turned out to be huge! I followed the instructions on the packet and baked it on a normal baking programme ( I have read on the Internet that if you don't have a gluten free one the quick programme is best but it worked very well).

Note: I have made this bread again in the breadmachine since posting this recipe and it keeps sinking...

Ingredients:

• 465g rice milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vinegar
• 9 tbsp oil
• 3 eggs
• 675g gluten free bread flour blend
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tsp yeast

Method:

1. Mix all the wet ingredients in a bowl. Then pour into the the machine pan. 
2. Add the flour, salt and sugar to the pan and stir with a spoon. Now, I have to confessed that I did not follow this step to the letter as my Biffinet manual says to put the salt and sugar first, then cover the whole thing with flour so the yeast doesn't get in contact with the salt (is this why it sunk?).
3. Sprinkle the yeast on top.
4. Start machine on normal bread programme.
5. After a few minutes mixing, lift the machine lid and using a plastic spatula scrape down the sides of the pan. Do not use fingers.
6. Continue machine on normal baking programme.

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Ground Rice Cakes

This recipe is from Whitworths' website. The cakes are a little grainy but you can expect that from the ground rice. They are still tasty though. The recipe called for glace cherries for decoration but I didn't have any.

Ingredients:

• 125g dairy free margarine
• 125g caster sugar
• 150g gluten free self-raising flour
• 75g ground rice
• 2 eggs, beaten with 4 tbsp rice milk and 1/2 tsp almond essence

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C. Cream the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix together the flour and the ground rice. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the beaten liquids. Mix thoroughly. Spoon the mixture into paper cases and bake for 15 minutes. Makes 20.

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Dove's Gluten Free Oven Baked White Bread

I am done experimenting with self-raising flour to make bread. This bread is perfect, it tastes lovely, it doesn't crumb, it slices easily... I bought a Gluten and Wheat White Bread Flour Blend from Doves Farm (they sell it in Tesco now) and gave it a go. It has a blend of potato, tapioca, rice flours and xantham gum. I tried the oven baked recipe that comes at the back of the packet. I will be trying the bread machine version next.

Check their website for more recipes: www.dovesfarm.co.uk

Ingredients:

• 450g white bread flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp quick yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 325ml warm milk
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 2 eggs
• 6 tbsp oil

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220C/Fan 200C. Mix together the flour, salt, yeast and sugar. In a large bowl beat in the milk, vinegar and eggs. Add the flour and mix to form a sticky dough. Continue mixing adding the oil. Place the dough in an oiled 1kg/2lb bread tin, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour (I use the hot press).  Bake for 40/45 minutes.

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Lard Cake with Dairy Free Coconut Icing

Lately I have been reading about fats and oils. There is so much information on nutrition on the Internet and often contradictory.
Some people praise the use of vegetable oils and condemn saturated fats and high cholesterol foods as the main cause of heart disease.
Others say that both have their uses: saturated fats are the most stable fats for high heat cooking and unsaturated oils/fats are easily damaged when heat is applied to them. Basically they tell you to avoid highly processed vegetables oils (like sunflower oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, corn oil...), margarines, hydrogenated oils and man made trans-fats found in spreads. So, what are the alternatives? For cooking: coconut oil, butter, ghee, lard, tallow, lamb fat, duck fat (the animal fats should be from pasture-raised/grass-fed animals).  For cold uses: olive oil, sesame oil, nut oils, avocado oil.

Also, I have read somewhere that you should never reheat oils even if they look clean.

If you want more information on this subject check these websites:
www.marksdailyapple.com
www.balancedbites.com
www.westonaprice.org
www.realfoodkosher.com/complete-guide-to-fats-and-oils

To me it makes sense. I already avoid anything with hydrogenated oils but I do cook a lot with vegetable oils. I'm trying to vary a bit more my fats and oils and I have started using lard for frying. I cannot find any "organic" lard but the one I use doesn't have anything artificial in it and I'm not ready to render the fat myself to make my own lard. Baking is a bit of a problem though. Butter would be the most natural option but I tried to reintroduce it to my diet and dairy is just a big no no for me. I searched on the Internet a few recipes with lard, there aren't many to be honest.

I have adapted this recipe from www.cooks.com and to my surprise it really works!

Lard cake Ingredients:

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2/3 cup of rice milk
• 1/3 cup of lard, diced
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all the ingredients in a food processor and bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 30-35 minutes.

Coconut Icing:

• 1x50g creamed coconut sachet, melted (I used Patak's)
•  4 tblsp coconut cream 
• 2/3 cup of sugar
• 1 cup shredded coconut

Mix all the ingredients and spread them on the cake while it's still warm. Place under a preheated grill until it bubbles.

 Give it a try, it's really good!

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Low FODMAP Pork Meatballs

You can now buy 500g of mince pork in Aldi for €2.89 which I think is really good value. Don't know what to do with it? How about meatballs?
I have adapted one of my mum's recipes for this post. She makes the meatballs with minced beef and pork but since I only had pork in my fridge that's what I used.
My mum cooks the potatoes separately, sometimes she serves this dish with fried cubed potatoes, mashed potatoes would be a good choice too...

Ingredients:

For the meatballs

• 500g minced pork
• 1 tblsp gluten free flour
• 1 tblsp chopped fresh parsley
• a pinch of cumin
• 1 tblsp mustard
• 1 egg, beaten
• salt and pepper

For the rest

• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 100 gr frozen peas
• 1ltr stock or 1/2 ltr stock, 1/2 ltr white wine (the wine does make a difference in the taste)
• a pinch of paprika
• salt and pepper

Method:
 
Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs in a bowl with your hands without over mixing. Make walnut size balls and roll them in a little gluten free flour. Fry them in a big deep pan until lightly browned. Set aside. In the same pan, sautee the carrots and potatoes until all the oil and flour have been absorbed. Then add stock, wine and peas. Cover and simmer on a low heat for 15-20 minutes. 

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Low FODMAP Courgette & Bacon Sauce

Are courgettes in season now? I'm wondering because Tesco had them on offer last week and this week Aldi is selling a pack of 2 for 69 cents... They are not normally cheap in Ireland so go on and stock up! If  you don't know what to do with courgettes I will give you a few simple ideas: make a soup (see my recipe), use them in pistos (see my recipe), fry them and cook them in omelettes (delicious) or just add them to a plain tomato sauce (see below).

Ingredients:

• 12 streaky bacon rashers, chopped
• 2 courgettes, diced
• 2 cans of tomatoes
• 2 tblsp tomato puree
• 2 tsp mixed dried herbs
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Fry the bacon and the courgettes in a little oil or lard for 5 minutes or until the courgettes are soft. Add the tomato cans, puree, dried herbs and season. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce has reduced. Serve with gluten free pasta of your choice.

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To Love Yourself

This blog has become my diary. I don't know if anybody actually reads it or if people just stumble upon it but it has become a point of reference for me. I can look up my recipes or the FODMAP list anywhere now.

Sara Stacey has a health column on the Irish Daily Mail magazine and last week she published some strategies for a calm mind. I want to keep my favourite five in my blog so I can have a look at them anytime I need a little pick me up. Here they are:

• Be loving to yourself: don't rely on others for your self-esteem, give yourself permission to get things wrong, acknowledge it and move on.

• Count your blessings before bed: think of three nice things that happened today (a sunrise, a great cup of coffee...).

• When you wake, decide that just for today you'll be as happy as you can.

 

• Never lose hope: if it seems to be slipping away, phone a supportive friend and share the problem. But don't dwell on it afterwards.

• Make things fun: wear bright colours, put on make-up, do your hair, play music during tedious chores, reward yourself with flowers or a movie.

Dairy & Gluten Free Marbled Chocolate & Orange Cake

This cake has been a hit in my house. Gone in two days! I have adapted it from a recipe from my 20 year old Good Housekeeping cookbook, not many low FODMAP recipes in it, but it's a book I will keep for life.

Ingredients:

• 225g dairy free margarine
• 225g caster sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten

For the orange mix:

• 125g self-raising gluten free flour
• finely grated rind of 1 orange
• 2 tblsp orange juice

For the chocolate mix:

• 125g self-raising gluten free flour
• 2 tblsp dairy free cocoa powder
• 2 tblsp rice milk

Preheat the oven to 180C. Cream the margarine and the sugar together, then beat in the eggs gradually. Transfer half of this mixture in the orange mix and the other half in the chocolate mix. Alternate spoonfuls of the two mixtures into a 2 pint silicone loaf tin and, using a knife, swirl through to make a marbled effect. Bake for an hour. 

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Carrot and Cardamom Soup

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I think this soup is delicious but my husband begs to differ. It's not that he doesn't like it but he doesn't love it. I, on the other hand, believe this soup is wonderful. I guess cardamon is a little too exotic for my hubby but since I didn't have any ginger handy and a lot of carrots to use up I wanted to try the carrot and cardamom combination I have seen on the internet. It works.

Ingredients:

• 500g carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 medium potato, roughly chopped
• 6 cardamom pods
• 1litre chicken stock
• salt to taste

Method:

Saute the vegetables in a little oil. Meanwhile, crack the cardamom pods and extract the seeds. Add the stock and cardamom seeds to the vegetables. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Blend. That's it. Delicious.