I did a thing and I am oh so proud of it. I made homemade pasta, it was vegan and gluten free and it was oh so tasty, and I’ll teach you to do it too. It’s not difficult and you don’t need a lot of special equipment. You will need time and patience but hey, we’re in lockdown, time isn’t something we’re short of right now. Get the kids involved, they’ll love it, or spend your next Friday night making pasta, while you watch something fascinating. I found it really quite satisfying. But first, before we look at pasta, we need to talk about flour. Gluten free flour to…
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Spicy Miso Ramen with Marinated Tofu (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Ramen may never have gone completely out of style but it certainly seems to be going through something of a renaissance in the west. Noodles are so important in Japan that they famously managed to create space worthy ramen back in 2005 when other space foods were still being eaten with a straw. I can’t even begin to be an expert myself, as a white girl living in London who’s never even been to Japan but it’ll often be the first thing I order if available. Tasty noodles floating in a deeply flavourful broth, paired with beautiful toppings. The problem, as with many dishes like it, is two fold for…
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Indian Beetroot Pancakes or Beetroot Dal Chilla (Vegan & Gluten Free)
I’ve made pancakes inspired by dal chilla before (see here) but with these I’ve gone along the more traditional route. Healthy, nutritious, and packed with protein, these make the ideal companion to your next curry night. We paired them with last week’s Gobi Manchurian which made for a very colourful dinner. I’ve flavoured the pancakes with beetroot and chives and it’s a great way to squeeze in yet another vegetable into your dinner. Provided you have a blender, these are really quite easy to make. Stuff them with your favourite vegan cheese to make a quick snack, fold them up and they make a great addition to any lunchbox, or…
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Tropical Carrot Cake (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Just before the first lockdown was announced last year, we decided to try a free trail of a veg box. We had no idea the lockdown was coming but it turned out to be one of the better decisions we’ve made. I’ve loved the seasonal veg, plus the security of knowing that we don’t have to fight through a busy supermarket to get fresh food at the moment is always welcome. BUT the side effect at winter can be a lot of the same vegetables (I might be running out of ideas for beetroot at this stage…). We had a pile up of carrots this week and I just knew…
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Gobi Manchurian (Vegan & Gluten Free)
I saw Asama Khan’s recipe for Gobi Manchurian and I just knew I had to make my own version (find her recipe here). The first issue with this recipe for us is that batter on the cauliflower. It’s not gluten free but a crisp batter is incredibly important to make an authentic dish. I’ve pull together a tasty, gluten free batter that keeps your cauliflower crisp once dunked in the sauce. Unfortunately this can’t be baked, I did try but I’ve yet to find a baked version that I’m happy with. Kenny has pointed out that we eat perhaps a little more fried food than we should so I promise…
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Courgette Rotis (Vegan & Gluten Free)
I regularly make my own gluten free flour blends so getting bags of random flour types being delivered to the house is pretty normal here. On my last batch of sorghum flour I noticed a serving suggestion I’d never thought of before- parathas! Now I love a good flatbread alongside a curry so this was a perfect idea for us. After trying to make a good paratha however, I had to change my techniques and look towards making chapatis instead. There are numerous different types of Indian flatbreads and I love them all but, paratha is special. A decadent dish all by itself, you’re looking for a texture similar to…
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Leek & Potato Soup – Three Ways (Vegan & Gluten Free)
There are few things more comforting during cold, damp weather than a bowl of steaming hot soup. A few simple ingredients, cooked together to make something special. The best soups are ones you can throw together with a few kitchen basics and come out with something everyone will love. Leek and potato soup is one of those French classics that everyone has heard of. It’s incredibly simple and only a needs a few simple touches to make it a success that anyone can make. Lets a look at some of the important points here; Leeks – I’m not always a great fan of leeks since they’re so difficult to clean.…
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Banana Ketchup (Vegan & Gluten Free)
This is going to be a but of a controversial post today, I know. As I’m sure everyone did, we bought more than we could ever eat over Christmas. Now I’m trying to work through the excess before everything goes off. One of the things that just didn’t get eaten over the festive season were bananas. After all the lockdown banana bread last year I don’t think I could handle yet another batch. So instead I’ve taken a look the culinary habits of Asia for inspiration and gone for Banana Ketchup! Now I know, this is a little odd. Kenny turned his nose up at it without even trying it…
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Spanish Omelette (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Surprisingly enough, this is one of those recipes that doesn’t have to change much from the original to make it vegan. Chickpeas are a familiar staple in Spain and a well known traditional substitute for eggs which makes it easy for us. Traditionally filled with potatoes, this makes a filling breakfast for a crowd or a great light lunch with a side salad. I like to mix mine up with more than potatoes, sweet red peppers make a great addition too, along with red onion. It’s an incredibly easy dish to make and doesn’t need to be closely watched. If you’re into batch cooking then the vegetables can be easily…
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Black Bean and Butternut Squash Empanadas (Vegan & Gluten Free)
The weather in good old blighty is a little confusing at the moment. While we sign about white Christmas’s and bleak midwinters, the weather seems convinced it’s mid September. Damp, a little chilly, but certainly not cold with no chance of snow or ice. Never mind, our Christmas preparations continue on apace. In the weeks leading up to Christmas I always to like to make food that completely contrasts with Christmas dinner just so you’re completely invested in the feast on the day. Even better, is food that I make make easily or even reheat from the freezer, leaving plenty of time for Christmas prep. These empanadas are perfect –…
