Gluten and Dairy Free Lemon Polenta Biscuits

I made these biscuits last week with my son. Something for us to do on a very, very rainy day... He loves using the rolling pin and making shapes. He made a big snowman and a big robin but both broke when I lifted them out of the baking tray :(

These biscuits are really light and lemony, delicious with a cup of coffee.

This recipe comes from a book called Sweet Food that I have borrowed from a friend of mine. Most of the recipes are off limits for people on a Low FODMAP diet but some can be adapted, like this one. I don't see polenta listed as an ingredient for biscuits very often and I have found already two recipes with it in this book. I had to share this one..

Ingredients:

• 125g softened butter
• 125g caster sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 155g gluten free flour
• 110g polenta

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Beat the butter and the sugar until creamy. Add the yolks, zest and flours and knead until you get a soft ball. Roll out the dough on a floured surface with a rolling pin. Cut into shapes and lift onto a greased baking tray. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until lightly golden.

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Easy Low FODMAP Seafood Paella

Not as yummy as my mum's but still pretty nice! You could add chicken or chorizo (read ingredients first, some contain garlic) or substitute the seafood mix for cooked prawns.

Ingredients:

• 300g paella rice
• 300g cooked seafood mix
• 200g baby courgettes, chopped
• bunch spring onions, sliced (green part only)
• 100g frozen peas
• 3 tblsp olive oil
• 400g tinned tomatoes
• 900ml hot fish stock
• pinch of turmeric
• pinch of chilli flakes

Method:

Heat the oil, chilli and turmeric in a large frying pan and cook for one minute. Add the rice and spring onions and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in 600ml of the stock and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, vegetables and remaining stock and cook for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the seafood and cook for 3 minutes until heated through. Season well with salt and black pepper. Serve with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Squeeze over some lemon juice. 

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Low FODMAP Seafood Stew

I love finding recipes that include frozen food, without the need for defrosting it before cooking. This one uses frozen prawns and it's made with Pernod which gives the sauce a subtle fennel flavour. I don't make it as often as I like because neither my son or my husband are fans of prawns which is a pity as it's so easy to put together and all you need is cupboard ingredients.

I have adapted this recipe from Phil Vickery's book “ Seriously good gluten free cooking”. I hope you like it.

Do you have any recipes with frozen food? Please share them!

Ingredients:

• 1 small glass of Pernod
• 2x410g cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 gluten free fish stock cube
• 2 tsp sugar
• 300g frozen prawns
• 2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tblsp chopped fresh chives
• salt and ground black pepper

Method:

Cook the canned tomatoes, stock cube, sugar and seasoning for 20 minutes or until thick. Add the chives, prawns and extra virgin olive oil to the pan and heat through. If you used uncooked prawns make sure they are pink and if you used cooked prawns be careful not to overcook them.

Serve with rice or gluten free pasta.

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Pasta Putanesca

There are many versions of this dish, some people leave the tuna out altogether, others add mozzarella, garlic or fresh basil. I basically make it with whatever is available in my cupboard! I like to make it with black olives but green olives work well too. Capers are optional, mainly because I don't know what their FODMAP status is. I find their taste quite strong but my husband loves them so I add just a handful.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of chopped tomatoes (2x400g)
• a pinch of crushed chillies
• 1 can of tuna (180g), drained
• 1 cup of olives, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of capers (optional)
• 1 small tin of anchovies, drained
• 1 teaspoon dried basil

Method:

In a saucepan heat a little oil and fry the chillies for a few seconds until fragrant taking care not to burn them. Add the olives, anchovies and tuna and cook for a couple of minutes. Then, add the tomatoes and simmer for about 25 minutes or until thick. Stir in the basil and serve with gluten free pasta of your choice.

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Low FODMAP Minestrone Soup

You can put together this soup with cupboard ingredients and any leftover veggies. I blend it for my vegetable fussy kid and it always goes down a treat!

Ingredients:

• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stick, chopped
• 1 potato,diced
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tblsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 and ½ l vegetable or chicken stock
• 100g gluten free spaghetti, cut into pieces
• 1 cup of frozen peas or frozen green beans
• salt and pepper

Method:

Bring the stock to the boil and add the carrot, celery, potato, tomatoes, tomato puree, and sugar. Simmer at a medium heat. After 10 minutes add the spaghetti and the frozen vegetables. Cook for a further 15 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked. Season to taste.

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Black Olive Tapenade

This is super quick and super tasty. It makes a great snack.

Ingredients:

• 340g pitted black olives jar, drained
• 2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Method:

Blend all the ingredients with a hand blender. Season if needed it and serve with gluten free oat cakes.

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Polenta

This is a good alternative to bread, very versatile and you can cook it in advanced for packed lunches.

I have made the polenta slices in the picture with chopped sundried tomatoes, chopped black olives and chopped serrano ham but you can add anything you like: tuna or anchovies instead of ham, smoked salmon and spinach, cooked potatoes and pancetta...

Ingredients:

• 1 l chicken stock
• 1 cup polenta
• chopped black olives
• sundried tomatoes, chopped
• serrano ham, chopped

Method:

Bring the stock to the boil in a large saucepan. Stir in the polenta. Be careful, as soon as it starts boiling it will start spitting all over the place. Put a lid on the pan, slightly ajar, turn the heat down and stir every 5 minutes until it thickens up (20-30 minutes). Stir in olives, tomatoes and ham. Spread this mixture into tupperware containers, cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour or until the polenta is firm. Then you will be able to cut it into squares, cubes, fingers or slices. You can eat it cold, reheated in the microwave for a few seconds, grilled o pan fried.

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Spaghetti Bolognese

There are so many variations of this recipe.. This is my low FODMAP version. Sometimes I double the portions and freeze the leftovers.

Ingredients:

• 500g of minced beef
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 celery stalk, grated
• 3 rashes of bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 tblsp of tomato puree
• 350ml of beef stock
• salt
• pepper

Method:

Gently heat a large saucepan and add the minced beef. I don't like to add oil, I prefer to fry the mince in its own fat. When the fat starts to render off add the bacon and fry until lightly brown. Add the carrot and celery, cook for 1 minute. Add the other ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the sauce has reduced. Sometimes I add a tablespoon of cornflour diluted in a little cold water to the sauce to thicken it up a bit.

Serve with gluten free spaghetti.

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