Gluten and Dairy Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Another purely pictorial post (for the moment, anyway). These chocolate birthday cupcakes were my first foray into gluten free baking, and I was more than a little nervous, imagining dry, gritty cakes. But far from it, they were moist and enjoyed not only by the gluten-free Birthday Girl, but the other party goers too. I was surprised at how easily I could just sub out standard flour from a normal recipe for a gluten-free variety. Adding a little extra liquid, they came out really well.

Dairy Free Baby Shower Cupcakes

A pictorial post... but these little beauts are dairy free and topped with vegetarian jelly beans...

Iced in pale pink, yellow and blue as the baby's sex is a surprise, they went down a treat.

Springtime Stew with Celeriac Puree

So the low cal diet plan got a little interrupted with last minute dinner guests. I had to change tack and carb things out a little, simply to make the veggies go further. Last night I picked up where I left off with this veg laden, lighter version of a stew. Instead of the traditional mashed potato, rice or cous cous accompaniment, I went for celeriac. It's lighter tasting and much lower in calories than potatoes.

Ingredients:

For the stew...

low fat cooking spray

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 leek, finely sliced

1 large carrot, cut lengthwise and chopped

1 red capsicum, chopped

1 small eggplant, diced

1/4 head of broccoli, chopped into small florets

1 courgette, sliced lengthwise and chopped into chunks

1 tin cannellini beans

1 Tbs tomato paste

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1/2 Tbs vegetarian gravy granules

1 tsp brown sugar

1/2 c water

1/4 c red wine

1 Tbs nutritional yeast

20 fresh basil leaves, chopped

A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

For the puree...

1 celeriac, chopped into big pieces

1/2 tsp celery salt

Black pepper

To make:

1) In a large pot, heat some low fat cooking spray and add the onions. Cook for 2 minutes before adding the garlic and cooking for another minute. Add the leek, salt, pepper and celery salt and stir well, then cook for another 2 minutes.

2) Add the rest of the vegetables (except the beans) and cook, stirring every now and then for 8 minutes, then turn the heat down, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

3) While the stew is cooking, boil the celeriac in plenty of water until soft (about 10 minutes).

4) In a small bowl, mix together the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, gravy granules, sugar, water and wine. Add this to the vegetables with the nutritional yeast and cannellini beans and mix well, then cover and cook for 10-15 minutes (until all veggies are tender), adding the fresh herbs 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

5) Puree the celeriac with a stick blender and spoon onto plates. Serve the stew over the puree.

Serves 2 to 3.

Spring Green Patties with Salmon and Ribboned Carrot Salad

Day 2 on the consciously low carb, low cal plan - I wanted to do something a bit more exciting than just salmon and veggies. A really fresh tasting meal, the patties complimented the salmon really well and the carrot salad added crisp sweetness.

Ingredients:

2 large salmon fillets

For the patties...

200g shredded spring greens

1/2 large leek, sliced

1 egg

Salt & pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp wholegrain mustard

2 Tbs chickpea flour (or any kind you want to use)

For the carrot salad...

2 large carrots, trimmed and peeled

Small handful of fresh corriander, finely chopped

Zest of 1/2 lemon

Juice of 1/4 lemon

To make:

1) Season the salmon as per the salmon and roast vegetables recipe and wrap in tin foil. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes on gas mark 6, making sure the foil is folded together to seal.

2) Cook the spring greens in a pot of boiling water and drain. Sautee the leeks with a small amount of low fat cooking spray and add the vinegar when just about done. Turn out on a chopping board and chop into small pieces.

3) Mix the spring greens with the leeks in a small bowl, add the egg, salt and pepper, nutmeg, mustard and chickpea flour. Mix well and put into the fridge while you make the carrot salad.

4) Use a vegetable peeler to 'ribbon' the carrots (run the peeler down the length of the carrot) into a medium sized bowl. Toss in the corriander, lemon zest and lemon juice.

5) Shape the spring greens mix into patties and fry over a medium high heat for 4 minutes each side.

6) Place the salmon on the patties and pour some of the juices from the foil over it. Serve the carrot salad on the side.

Serves 2.

Virtuous Veggie Stir Fry

After a weekend in Barcelona, a birthday to celebrate and general summer socialising, this week calls for a low carb, low cal dinner menu.

Starting as I mean to go on, Mnday's meal was this vege packed stir fry. It has a light but tasty flavour, with the added health benefits of miso. Miso has a fairly strong flavour but is a really delicious addition to soups, stir fries, stews etc. The thing to remember with Miso is that it contains good bacteria, so it needs to be added at the end of cooking when it won't be heated for too long - or you'll kill said bacteria.

I've not been too specific on times for this one, as it does depend on how well done you like your vegetables.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 large onion, sliced

6 vegetarian sausages, cut into strips

1 large carrot, sliced into thin batons

1 medium head of broccoli, cut into small florets

1 yellow capsicum, thinly sliced

1 large courgette, cut into rounds

Handful of green beans

4 medium mushrooms, sliced

Handful of mangetout

Small handful coriander, chopped

For the sauce..

1 Tbs soy sauce

1 Tbs rice vinegar

1 tsp honey

2 Tbs water

1/2 Tbs lemon juice

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 Tbs chopped fresh ginger

For the miso mix...

1 Tbs miso paste

1 Tbs water

To make:

1) Start by mixing the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, and the miso and water in another bowl.

1) Heat a few sprays of cooking spray in a wok over a medium heat and add the onions. Stir fry for about 2 minutes and then add the vege sausages. Stir fry this for about 2-3 minutes until everything begins to colour.

2) Add the carrots and stir for about 2 minutes, then add the broccoli and capsicum, cook for 2 minutes. Add the courgette and sauce and stir well.

3) Add the green beans and mushrooms to the pan and stir until the mushrooms begin to soften.

4) Turn the heat up to high and add the mangetout and coriander with the miso mix. Stir quickly until the liquid reduces (only about 1 minute).

Serves 3 (or 2, including 1 hungry, post-gym boy).

Carrot, Coriander and Chickpea Koftas

Our flat happens to be situated above an exceptionally good Indian takeaway shop. Sometimes the scent is just too much when coming home from a long day at work. Today was one such day, so I set about creating an Indian inspired feast of my own. These koftas have been forming in my mind for a while, so I was more than happy to put them into practice.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 onion, finely sliced

1 tsp garam masala

1 clove garlic

4 medium carrots, grated

1/2 tin of chickpeas, lightly mashed

A good handful of fresh coriander, chopped

2 tsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

3 Tbs chickpea flour, plus extra for rolling

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 200°c and line and oven tray with foil. Spray with cooking spray.

2) In a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin and coriander seeds. Warm a small pan over a medium heat, spray some cooking spray and then add the ground seeds. Cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes until aromatic.

3) Add the onion and stir for 2 minutes before mixing in the garlic and the rest of the spices. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft.

4) Add the grated carrot and stir well to combine, then cover and leave to cook for about 5-10 minutes until the carrot is very soft.

5) Tip into a bowl and add the chick peas, coriander, lemon juice and salt to taste. Then stir in the flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

6) Shape into balls and roll in some flour. Place on the baking tray and cook for 20 minutes, turning once at about 12 minutes. Serve as part of an Indian meal with chutney and plain soy yoghurt.

Makes 6.

Savoury Muffins

These muffins are so simple to make and are a tasty weekend lunch option. Serve with salad and chutneys for a really tasty meal.

Ingredients:

1 c wholemeal flour

1 c plain flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

3 Tbs nutritional yeast

1 Tbs parsley, chopped

1 Tbs basil, chopped

1 small shallot, diced

2 Tbs courgette, grated (about 1/4 of a courgette)

1 Tbs celery, chopped

Black pepper

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 c rice milk

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp Worchester sauce

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 200°c and prepare a 12 hole muffin pan.

2) Sift the flours, baking powder, salt and smoked paprika into a large bowl. Add the nutritional yeast and herbs, and stir well.

3) Tip in the chopped vegetables and olives, stir well and make a well in the middle.

4) Mix the egg, milk, oil and Worchester sauce together in a small bowl.

5) Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients and gently fold together until just combined.

6) 2 thirds fill each muffin hole and cook for 15 minutes, until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack and serve with chutney.

Makes 9.

Cold Cross Rice Buns

Hot Cross Buns are an Eastertime must for me. Slightly unconventional, this recipe takes the essential flavours of the hot cross bun, and transfers them to rice - like a sweet onigiri (Japanese rice ball).

Gluten and dairy free, they are easy on the digestion and really substantial - you'll feel very satisfied after one and won't be tempted to keep eating. They make a great, sustaining snack and there's no temptation for loads of butter.

Ingredients:

1 c sushi rice

1 1/2 c rice milk

1 1/2 c cold water

2 Tbs rice syrup

50g raisins

30g mixed peel

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Cinnamon for the crosses

To make:

1) Rinse the rice and place in a bowl. Cover with water and leave to soak for 30 minutes.

2) Drain the rice, put it in a small pot and add the water and milk. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the rice syrup, raisins and peel, cover again and leave to simmer for another 10 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

3) Mix well with a fork and add the cinnamon and nutmeg. Leave to cool completely.

4) Wet your hands to stop the rice sticking to them and shape into rounded patties. Create the cross on top by sprinkling 2 lines of cinnamon on each.

Makes 10.

Ottelenghi's Multi-vegetable Paella

Straight from the pages of my treasured Ottolenghi recipe book 'Plenty', this was my second ever attempt at paella and by far the best of the two. The trick with paella is to leave it well alone while the rice cooks. A hard task, but it just won't work properly if you insist on stirring.

You could substitute the veggies for what is in season, I had a delicious paella the other day with big chunks of butternut squash and eggplant. Delicious.

Also note - while saffron is expensive, a little goes a long way and it makes all the difference to both the look and taste of the dish.

Ingredients:

A drizzle of olive oil

2 small shallots, sliced

1 small red and 1 small yellow capsicum, cut into strips

1/2 fennel bulb, cut into very thin strips

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 bay leaves

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp chilli powder

150g paella rice

100ml sweet or medium sherry

A good pinch of saffron threads

450ml boiling veg stock

A pinch of salt

200g shelled broad beans (frozen are fine)

10 mini plum (or cheery) tomatoes, halved

5 small grilled artichokes in oil (from a jar) drained and quartered

12 pitted Kalamata olives, roughly crushed

2 Tbs roughly chopped parsley

To serve...

Lemon wedges and salt

To make:

1) Heat the olive in a large, shallow frying pan and gently fry the onions for about 5 minutes, stirring. Add the capsicums and fennel, continue to fry for about 6 minutes until the veges arte soft and the onions golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

2) Add the bay leaves, paprika, turmeric and chilli powder and stir well. Then add the rice and stir well for 2 minutes (you really want to get all the rice coated in the flavours) then pour in the sherry and sprinkle the saffron in.

3) Boil down for a minute, then pour in the stock and pinch of salt. Turn the heat down to the minimum and let it gently simmer for about 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. DO NOT cover or stir during this time.

4) While you leave the rice to cook, keep yourself busy by pouring plenty of boiling water over the broad beans in a bowl and leave them for a minute or two. Drain and leave to cool, then when cool enough to handle, squeeze each bean until it pops out of the skin. Discard the skins.

5) Take the paella off the heat and taste - add more salt if needed, but try not to stir the mix. Scatter the tomatoes, artichokes and broad beans over the rice and cover with a lid or foil. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

6) Remove the covering, scatter over the olives and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Serves 2 very well.

Zingy Wild Rice and Roast Veg Salad

My very first foray into cooking wild rice.

Not only does it look amazing, but the taste and texture add another dimension to your standard image of rice. The flavour is somewhat nutty and the texture is slightly crunchy/chewy on the outside, yet soft in the middle. Very different from you standard rice and this is probably because wild rice is actually an aquatic grass. It is packed full of nutrients and contains folic acid, B vitamins and protein.

Wild rice freezes well once cooked, so cook up the whole packet and freeze in single portions for easy lunches.

This recipe was a bit of an experiment and I took the flavour ideas from the many grain salads that I have cooked over the years. Black rice would also work exceptionally well with seafood and oriental flavours.

Ingredients:

125g wild rice

low fat cooking spray

1/4 butternut, peeled and chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into batons

1 red onion, cut into wedges

1 red capsicum, sliced

1 courgette, sliced

Salt and pepper

1/2 bunch of corriander, roughly chopped

1 satsuma, chopped into small pieces

1 Tbs each of pumpkin and sesame seeds

For the dressing...

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 Tbs tahini

2 Tbs lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp crushed hot chilli

Juice and zest of 1 satsuma

Some water to thin the dressing as you go

Salt

1) Cook the rice according to the packet instructions - it will generally take 50-60 minutes.

2) Turn the oven to 200°c, or gas mark 6. Spray the cooking spray into a foil lined tin and add all the vegetables, sprinkling with salt and pepper. Roast them in the oven for about 45-50 minutes until tender, stirring around a couple of times.

3) To make the dressing, mix the garlic, tahini and lemon juice together with a fork. Add the chilli and a good pinch of salt and then add a little warm water (about a Tbs at a time) until you get a dressing like consistency. Don't add to much at a time because it quickly goes from too thick to too thin. Stir in the zests and set aside.

4) In a small, oil free pan, toast the seeds over a low heat and stir every few minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they'll burn easily. They'll take about 15 minutes and the pumpkin seeds will start to burst their little green skins when done. Again, set these aside.

5) When cooked, drain the rice and allow it to cool a little. Take the orast veggies out of the oven. Put the cooled rice in a large bowl with the corriander and satsuma flesh and pour half the dressing in, mixing well. Add the roast vegetables, mix well together and then pour over the rest of the dressing and mix everything again.

6) Serve scattered with the toasted seeds.

Serves 2-3.

Indulgent Banana-Chocolate Crumbles

I don't think banana is used enough in desserts. Yes, cakes and breads, but not so much in the actual dessert category. Mixing the banana with dark chocolate makes a really smooth filling that sets well. I think it would be delicious used to sandwich layer cakes together.

The base crumble isn't overly sweet - you could add sugar if you like, but the banana contributes such a lovely sweetness (very important to use a really ripe one) that I really don't think sugar is necessary.

For how naughty these taste, they are actually rather healthy.

Ingredients:

75g wholemeal flour

75g rolled oats

40g dairy free margarine

1/4 c barley malt

1 large banana, mashed

60g dairy free dark chocolate, melted

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 180°c, gas mark 4 and prepare 5 silicone muffin moulds or small ramekins.

2) Combine the flour and oats in a bowl and rub the margarine in so it is evenly distributed. Spoon in the barley malt and mix initially with a spoon, but then with your hands to ensure it's well mixed in.

3) Use 2/3 of the mix to press into the bottom of each mould as the base.

4) Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave on medium low (keep an eye on it, but about 2-3 minutes) and while it's melting, mash the banana. When the chocolate is smooth, add the banana to it and mix well with a fork. Spoon an even amount of this mix over each base and level it gently with the spoon. Sprinkle some of the remaining oat mix over each one.

5) Bake for 15 minutes then remove from the oven and leave to cool completely. Serve with dairy free vanilla yoghurt or ice cream.

Note: Kept in the fridge, these make a delicious cereal bar substitute. Just make sure you keep them cool until eating or the chocolate and banana will melt everwhere...mmmm

Mixed Mushroom Penne

I love mushrooms. Shitake, oyster, button, portabello, chestnut; you name it, I love it. They are so versatile and while I know it's the texture that puts so many off, I just think it adds to their deliciousness.

A creamy mushroom sauce on pasta is a flavour match made in heaven, so here I've made a lighter, healthier, vegan version which is still rich and really flavoursome and with a little hint of heat. Perfect for a spring evening with a nice green salad.

Ingredients:

10g dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated and finely chopped

A drizzle of olive oil

3 small Spanish onions, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

200g fresh mushrooms (I used standard white mushrooms, but portobellos, chestnuts or buttons would also work)

Salt and black pepper

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp dried Italian herbs

1/2 tsp crushed hot chilli

1/2 c sweet sherry

1 tsp cornflour, mixed with hot water to remove any lumps

2 Tbs nutritional yeast

200g penne pasta

1/2 tin of cannelini beans

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 packet of rocket

Fresh parsley or chives

1) Start by rehydrating the porcinis in a bowl of warm water. Cover them and put to the side - they'll take about 15 minutes.

2) Heat some oil in a large pan over a medium-low heat and add the shallots. Cook until they turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir for another 2 minutes.

3) Tip in the fresh mushrooms and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms are softening. Add the porcinis, seasoning and herbs. Mix well so everything is combined cook for another minute before pouring in the sherry. Again, mix to combine, turn down low and leave to cook while you put the penne, according to the packet instructions.

4) Add the cornflour mix and nutritional yeast to the mushrooms and stir. You may like to add a bit more water at any stage if it's looking too thick. However this recipe is very 'saucy' as such, it just has enough liquid that should be thick enough to coat the pasta.

5) Tip in the cannelini beans and leave it all to cook until the pasta is done. Then, while the penne drains, take the mushrooms off the heat and tip in the rocket and add the lemon juice. Stir well and add the drained pasta to the pan. Mix thoroughly so each piece of pasta is coated in the mushroomy sauce. Serve with fresh parsley or chives.

Serves 2-3.

Cheesy Vegan Pizza

Who doesn't love pizza? Although I didn't eat it a lot, when I gave up dairy, I was sad to say goodbye to pizza. Now I know that you don't HAVE to have cheese to make a good pizza, but to me, it really makes it. So I set about looking for something that would add the same deliciousness. And I think I've become pretty darn close with this spreadable tofu based alternative. It stops the base from drying out and adds a cheesy richness - all with the low fat content of tofu.

This pizza base recipe is a brilliant one because it's so easy - all the proving is done in the microwave so there's no waiting around while the dough sits in the hot water cupboard for hours. It's from a fabulous little book called Destitute Gourmet by Sophie Gray. Originally for calzone, it makes enough dough for 2 large, thin crust pizzas.

Ingredients:

For the base...

1 cup warm water

1 tsp sugar

1 Tbs dried yeast

1 cup plain flour

1 cup wholemeal flour (or another of plain instead if you prefer)

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbs oil

For the 'cheese'...

400g carton of silken tofu

3 Tbs nutritional yeast

Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings...

Tomato paste

Crushed garlic

Mushrooms, sliced

Capsicum, sliced

Red onion, finely sliced

Olives

Mixed Italian herbs

Salt and Pepper

To make:

1) Start by turning the oven to 200°c.

2) In a small bowl, mix the water and sugar, then sprinkle the yeast evenly over the top and leave somewhere warm for 10 minutes, until it goes frothy.

3) Warm the flours in a large bowl for 1 minute in the microwave on 70%. Stir in the salt and oil, then add the frothy yeast and water mix.

4) Stir together and kneed on a well floured surface (you may have to add a little more flour as you go) for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

5) Put it back in the bowl and microwave for 1 minute on low, stand for 10 minutes. Repeat this until the dough has doubled in size, normally 2 cycles is enough.

6) While you are letting the dough stand, prepare the 'cheese' spread by pouring any excess water off the tofu and tipping it into a bowl. Add the nutritional yeast and salt & pepper and blend with a stick blender for a smooth consistency. Season to taste.

7) When the dough has doubled, divide it into 2 even portions and roll out on a floured surface. Transfer this to a greased pizza tray.

8) Spread each with tomato paste and crushed garlic, followed by the 'cheese'. Then arrange the toppings and bake for 25 minutes until the edges are risen and golden.

Pear and Banana Breakfast Loaf

This makes a delicious, nutritious and satisfying weekend brunch. Lovely on its own, or served with jam or honey and some plain soy (or dairy) yogurt. It's best served warm and fresh out of the oven, but we discovered it's still really tasty cold - if you're lucky to have some left over for afternoon tea!

Adapted from a recipe in the trusty ol' NZ cooking bible, the Edmonds Cookery Book, it uses barley malt extract to sweeten which provides slow release energy.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c self raising flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

2 tsp egg replacer, mixed with water (or I used apple juice) according to the packet

1/4 c rice milk

70g vegetable margarine, melted

1/3c barley malt extract

1 large banana, mashed

1 medium pear, peeled and finely chopped

rice milk to brush

sunflower seeds to scatter

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 180°c and grease a loaf tin.

2) Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl and mix.

3) In another bowl, whisk the egg replacer mix, milk, barley malt extract and melted marge until well combined. Mix in the mashed banana and pear.

4) Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Fold together until just combined.

5) Spoon the mix into the loaf tin (it'll be quite a sticky mix) and brush with rice milk. Scatter sunflower seeds over the top and bake in the oven for 50 minutes, until it comes away from the edges and is slightly golden.

6) Let it sit in its tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Minty Lebanese Salad

A wonderful friend gave me a recipe book from her favourite cafe in NZ for my birthday. She knows me too well! This recipe is adapted from that book - Ripe Recipes by Angela Redfern. There are so many different flavours and textures, it was declared 'a taste sensation' when I tested it.

I usually use tinned beans, but this time I thought I'd give dried ones a go. Not sure if they are worth the effort to be honest, but it was gratifying seeing the hard little beans turn into something edible. You can easily use tinned chickpeas here though, just add them into the salad at the end - in this case use about a cup.

Ingredients:

100g bulgur wheat

1/3 c dried chickpeas, soaked overnight

1/2 c fresh mint, chopped

1/2 c fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 c whole almonds

12 Kalamata olives, chopped into big pieces

zest of 1 lemon

100g fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

1 Tbs pumpkin seeds

1 Tbs sunflower seeds

Salt and black pepper

For the dressing...

1/4c white wine vinegar

3/4 Tbs soft brown sugar

1 clove garlic, crushed

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 c chopped, fresh mint

1 Tbs wholegrain mustard

To make:

1) Cover the beans in plenty of water and bring to the boil. Turn them down after about 10 minutes and cook rapidly for a further 50 minutes or until tender.

2)Put the bulgur Wheat in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for about half an hour.

3)Toast the almonds and seeds in the oven on about 180°c for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they'll quickly go from toasted to too-toasted.

4) Mix all the dressing ingredients in another bowl and use a stick blender to get a smooth(ish) consistency.

5) Chop the almonds roughly, but so they are still in large chunks.

6) Combine all of the ingredients, except the seeds, in a big bowl and carefully mix. Seaon with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over and again, mix carefully.

7) Sprinkle with seeds to serve. Goes really well served with roast veggies.

Serves 2 for dinner with leftovers.

Spinach, Potato and Mushroom Curry

Easy to make and very healthy, this curry is a lovely Sunday night supper. It's got some great earthy flavours, which contrast really well with a nice sweet chutney. It's a distant relative of a Nigel Slater potato and spinach dish.

Ingredients:

500g potatoes

1 tsp hazelnut oil

1 large onion, finely sliced

3 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp chili paste

1cm piece of fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp crushed cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp garam masala

salt

Juice of 1/2 lemon

200g mushrooms

300g baby spinach

To serve...

Nigella seeds

Basmati Rice

Chutney

To make:

1) Peel and chop the potatoes, cook them in a large pot of water until tender. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

2) Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion. Fry for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and start to colour.

3) Add the garlic, chili and ginger and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring. Then add all the spices and mustard seeds. Cook for another 1 minute, stirring.

4) Tip in the potatoes and a cup of water and bring to the boil. Stir well to get the potatoes coated then add the mushrooms and turn down to a simmer.

5) When the liquid has reduced, add the lemon juice and salt, followed by the spinach. Cook 3-4 minutes until the spinach is well wilted. Sprinkle with Nigella seeds and serve with Basmati rice (or naan if you prefer) and chutney.

Serves 2 very well for a main.

Strawberry and Almond Divine

I planned on this recipe coming out like the frangipani tarts I have made before, but the creme patisserie that I made from a fairly distant memory didn't set as I had remembered. As I result I ended up folding it into whipped soy cream for a smooth, indulgent dessert. It was licked clean from the plates.

This makes 1 smallish tart, for 2-3 people (or would make 2 individual small tarts). The recipe would be easily doubled to make a larger dessert. The soy whipping cream was fairly hard to get hold of, I ordered it especially in from my local health food shop. The brand is Soya Too.

Ingredients:

For the almond pastry...

75g plain flour

50g ground almonds

25g vegetable margarine (the firm kind, like Stork)

40g caster sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 Tbs cold water

For the creme patisserie filling...

2 egg yolks

1/2 tsb vanilla essence

50g caster sugar

1 Tbs cornflour

300ml non-dairy milk (I used oat milk)

150ml soy whipping cream

To top it off...

4 large, ripe strawberries

a little honey, melted

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 200°c or gas mark 6 and grease the pie dish/ramekins you want to use.

2) Combine the flour, ground almonds, sugar and margarine in a bowl, and either rub together or whizz in a food processor until it has the appearance of fine crumbs. Add the egg yolk, mix well, then add the water and mix until well combined. Put the mix in the fridge for at least half an hour.

3) Roll the pastry out on a clean, floured surface and line the pie dish. Cut some greaseproof paper to fit in the bottom of the dish, lay it over the pastry and then cover with some raw beans, or ceramic baking beans for the posh option. Bake it blind it in the oven for 20 minutes until lightly golden. Remove the beans and baking paper and return to the oven for a final 5 minutes. Set aside to cool completely and turn off the oven.

4) Put the milk in a small saucepan over a medium/low heat and to warm.

5) In a medium sized bowl, beat the egg yolks well, then gradually add the sugar and beat until really thick. Add the vanilla.

6) Spoon about a tablespoon of the warm milk into the egg mix and mix together well, then add it all to the pan with the cornflour, heating the mix and stirring continuously for about 10 minutes.

7) Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl and leave to cool completely in the fridge.

8) Whip the soy cream with electric beaters for about 2 minutes until stiff. Gently fold this, a spoonful at a time, into the creme patisserie. Put this mix in the fridge.

9) Cut the strawberries in half lengthwise and melt the honey.

10) Spoon the creme patisserie into the pastry shell, arrange strawberry halves on top and brush a little honey over the strawberries. Refrigerate until you are ready to eat.

Barbie Cake

Yes, it is a in a Barbie birthday cake, as per many a little princess's early memories.

One such little princess is a wonderful friend of mine, so when she put in her request, I was on a mission.

Definitely one that has to be planned ahead, but SO much fun to make.

I won't go into all the ingredients etc on this one, but basically it consists of 2 cakes, one made in a pudding bowl (I used a glass Pyrex one) and copious amounts of buttercream icing.

You bake both cakes, when they are cool punch a circle out the middle, then merrily ice your way into Barbie land, inserting the doll and icing her in at the end. Her bodice is made from fondant icing.

This had a pink layer under the yellow to make it all the more dynamic when slicing in.

The whole thing is dairy free, but I'm sorry to say there's no way it could pass as healthy.

NB: Due to its height it's a wee bit of a mission to transport!

Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Spinach Curry

A tasty veggie curry with lots of aromatic, earthy flavours. The sweetness of the potato really compliments the rest of the flavours. You could easily use butternut squash if you wanted to.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (cook for 3 min on high in the microwave to speed up cooking time)

1 Tbs tahini

2 Tbs tomato paste

2 tsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp curry powder (use whichever heat you prefer, I used medium)

1 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp brown sugar

6 Tbs hot water

50g green beans, trimmed and chopped

6 mushrooms, chopped

1 cup water

150g fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

1 tin chickpeas, drained

2 Tbs fresh coriander, chopped

1 tsp Nigella seeds

To serve...

Rice

Pita or naan bread

Chutney

Plain soy yoghurt

To make:

1) Spray a large saucepan with low fat cooking spray and put over a medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add the sweet potato and cover, cook for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

2) In a small bowl, mix together the tahini, tomato paste, lemon juice, curry powder, garam masala, salt, ginger, cinnamon, paprika, and brown sugar. Gradually add the hot water, stirring.

3) Add the mix to the sweet potato and onion mix, recover and cook for another 10 minutes, checking every few minutes and stirring in the water gradually as the sauce reduces.

4) Add the beans and mushrooms and cover again, cooking for 3 minutes. Then add the chickpeas and spinach and cook for 3 minutes, until the spinach is well wilted.

5) Mix in the coriander and turn off the heat. Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with the Nigella seeds. Serve with rice, breads, yoghurt and chutney.

Serves 4.

Blueberry and Lemon Muffins

This is a brilliantly easy and delicious muffin recipe, taken from the Silver Spoon sugar website - www.silverspoon.co.uk. I've added a walnut and sugar topping which adds tasty crunch. To make chopping the nuts super easy, I crushed them in my mortar and pestle.

Ingredients:

350g self-raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

40g soft brown sugar

35g caster sugar

grated zest of 1 lemon

150g washed, drained fresh blueberries

75g dairy free margarine, melted

2 large eggs, beaten

300ml rice milk

25g walnuts, finely chopped

1 Tbs demuera sugar

To make:

1) Turn the oven to gas mark 6, 200 °c and line a 12 hole muffin tray with paper cases.

2) Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add the sugars and zest, stir then mix in the blueberries.

3) Mix the walnuts and sugar and set aside.

4) Beat the eggs lightly in a medium bowl. Add the milk and margarine.

5) Make a well in the flour mix and pour in the wet ingredients.

6) Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together so they are combined - but there will still be lumps that will cook out.

7) Divide the mix out between the muffin cases and top each with a good sprinkling of the walnuts and sugar. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden and well risen.

8) Leave them to cool on a wire rack.

Makes 12

Smoked Salmon Pasta for One

I feel a bit wrong calling this a recipe - it's more a mixture of flavours that work deliciously together - but I guess that's a recipe, isn't it?

This is my ultimate dinner for one indulgence. It's something that the boy wouldn't be fussed on, so when I'm home alone and want to treat myself, this is it. Plus it takes almost no time to make.

My mum has always loved the pasta and smoked salmon combo, and would probably eat it every night if she had her way, so this is really inspired by her. Right down to the angel hair pasta which she favours with salmon.

Ingredients:

8 spears of asparagus

80g angel hair pasta

80g cold smoked salmon flakes

2 Tbs fresh dill, chopped

1/4 red onion, very finely diced

1 tsp capers

Juice of 1/4 lemon

Freshly ground salt and black pepper

Lemon wedge to serve

1) Trim the thicker ends from the asparagus and place in a small pot. Pour over about 2cm of boiling water and cook for about 3-4 minutes until tender.

2) While the asparagus is cooking, bring another pot of water to the boil, add salt and the pasta. Cook according to the packet (normally only 2-4 minutes - be careful not to overcook).

3) Use this time to prepare the rest of the ingredients.

4) Drain the pasta and toss a little olive oil through to stop it sticking. Add the smoked salmon flakes and gently mix them through the pasta with a spaghetti server to get the flavour throughout. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine well - make especially sure that the dill is mixed throughout.

5) Squeeze lemon juice over the asparagus spears and season generously with salt and pepper.

6) Serve the pasta with asparagus on the side and a lemon wedge.

Serves 1 blissfully.

Tofu, Quinoa and Mango salad

This dish takes its inspiration from a Marks and Spencer crayfish salad that really isn't similar in any way, except for the use of mango. I used to think that mixing fruit with savoury dishes was an abomination, but done with the right flavours, it can be a match made in heaven.

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is an exceptionally nutritious grain and contains all 9 amino acids to make it a complete protein. The tofu adds an extra proteinous boost.

This would be great as a summer meal; there are lots of flavours and textures working together here, and they do get on rather nicely.

Ingredients:

For the tofu...

400g block tofu, diced

soy sauce

juice of 1/4 lemon

heaped teaspoon of crushed garlic

1cm grated ginger

For the dressing...

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp crushed hot chili

1/2 tsp tamari soy sauce

1/2 Tbs rice vinegar

1 Tbs sweet chili sauce

1/2 Tbs water

2 Tbs fresh, chopped coriander

1/8 tsp brown sugar

And the rest...

1/2 c quinoa

50g mangetout, cut in half

1/2 small head of broccoli, cut into small florets

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 small iceberg lettuce, shredded

1/2 mango, cut into small pieces

1/2 avocado, diced

1/4 bunch fresh coriander

To serve:

Fresh coriander, chopped

Lemon wedges

To make:

1) Put all the tofu into a shallow bowl and drizzle with soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic and ginger. Cover and refrigerate to marinate overnight or for at least an hour.

2) Turn the oven to gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Put it into the oven to heat up for a couple of minutes, then lay the tofu evenly out on it. Put in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, turning once.

3) Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together and set aside.

4) Put the quinoa in a small pot with 1 and a half cups of water. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the quinoa is cooked and the water absorbed.

5) Put the hot quinoa into a large bowl and mix in half the dressing. Leave it to sit while you blanch the broccoli for 3 minutes and the the mangetout for 1 minute.

6) To the quinoa, add the red onion, lettuce and coriander. Mix well. Next add the mango and slightly cooled broccoli and mangetout. Add the avocado last, gently stirring through with the remaining dressing.

7) Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Serves 2.

Moroccan Chickpea Bites

This is so simple to put together, it takes almost no time and makes a great starter. You could make the patties large and serve as a main course. If you are having people over, make the mix the night before and simply shape them and put in the oven before your guests arrive.

Ingredients:

400g can chickpeas, drained

1 small courgette, finely grated

1/8 of a red onion, finely chopped

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 tsp dried mint

1/2 tsp Moroccan seasoning (or 1/4 tsp each of ground cumin and coriander)

juice of 1/4 lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

Chopped fresh coriander

Good quality fresh tomato salsa

To Make:

1)Heat the oven to 190°c or gas mark 5.

2)Put the chickpeas in a food processor and blend until smooth and paste like.

3)Turn the chickpeas into a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, then mix well and season to taste.

4)Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours or overnight.

5)Shape into small patties and bake for 20 minutes, turning the patties half way through.

Serve sprinkled with the coriander and the fresh salsa on the side.

Black Forest Tofu Cheesecake

Before I adopted a dairy free diet, I'd never given even the slightest thought to vegan desserts, why would I? So when I said no to milk, I got curious about the illusive tofu cheesecake. After tasting a few VERY bland examples, I have come up with a recipe that is delicious, SO easy to make, and produced a product that has been licked from the plate by unsuspecting tasters, always shocked when I tell them it's tofu. Now I am not saying this is healthy, but without the presence of cream, cream cheese etc, it is a healthier alternative and exceptionally indulgent.

One thing I would point out, is that you need to beat the tofu really well to get a smooth consistency and get rid of any white flecks.

It's best made the the day before you want to serve it.

Ingredients:

For the base

200g dairy free ginger nuts, broken

2 Tbs dairy free margarine, melted

For the cheesecake

1 400g pkt of silken tofu (hard variety)

1/4 c soft brown sugar

1/4 c caster sugar

1/4 cup cocoa, sifted

1 tsp vanilla essence

100g dark, dairy free chocolate. Set aside about 20g to serve, then grate half of the remaining chocolate and finely chop the other half

200g fresh cherries, halved and stoned. Finely chop half, and reserve half for serving

Icing sugar to dust

To make:

1) Lightly grease a lose based 20cm cake tin, line the bottom with some baking parchment and turn the oven to 180°c or gas mark 4.

2) Put the biscuits in a food processor and whizz until they are fine crumbs. Add the softened margarine and pulse again so the crumbs bond together when pressed. Firmly press the crumbs into the bottom of the tin and cook for 5 minutes. Take out of the oven and leave to cool completely.

3) Discard any excess liquid from the tofu and put it into a large bowl. Beat well with an electric whisk.

4) Add in both sugars and cocoa and blend until smooth with the whisk. Add the vanilla essence and mix.

5) With a wooden spoon, stir in the grated and chopped chocolate and the chopped cherries. Mix together well, pour over the cold base and use a spatula to smooth the surface.

6) Bake for 25 -30 minutes, take out of the oven and cool in the tin. The top will crack a little and should be coming away from the edges. Refrigerate (still in the tin) for at least 2 hours until thoroughly set.

7) Remove from the tin and serve topped with the remaining cherry halves and the rest of the chocolate, grated, then dust with icing sugar.

It tastes best if you take it out of the fridge and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Delicious with plain soy (or dairy) yogurt.

Salmon and Roast Vegetables

Salmon is bursting with health properties. It's high in omega 3 which is good for brain development, healthy skin and hair, and studies have shown anti cancer properties and reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease. Plus it tastes delicious.

This is a dish I have been making for years and it never fails to please. The richness of the salmon goes especially well with sweet roast vegetables, like sweet potato, carrot, red onion and butternut. You can use whichever veggies you like, the below is simply a suggestion. I do try to aim for a spectrum of different colours to keep it visually interesting as well as delicious. All the vegetables have different cooking times, so it's a matter of just adding them in at different points. Remember - the vegetables will shrink while cooking, so don't be overwhelmed by the quantities (and they always taste delicious the next day if they last that long!). Generally I allow an hour to cook and prepare this meal.

Ingredients:

For the salmon

2 fillets fresh salmon, skinned and boned

1 Tbs soy sauce (s)

1 tsp crushed garlic (s)

Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tsp) (s)

1 tsp clear honey (s)

1 cm fresh ginger, grated (s)

1/2 tsp dried dill (s)

Ground black pepper (s)

For the vegetables

1 tsp celery salt

Freshly ground back pepper

1 tsp dried rosemary

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced lengthways ten cut into 2-3cm cubes

1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 6 wedges

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 2 cm cubes

1 red or yellow capsicum, thickly sliced

a small head of broccoli, cut into small florets and precooked for 1 minutes in the microwave

1 large courgette, sliced thickly

6 mushrooms, quartered

To serve

capers

lemon wedges

To make:

1) Marinate the salmon with all of the ingredients listed under 'for the salmon'. Rather than mixing them all first, I just place the fillets in a shallow, flat based bowl and pour each one over the salmon one by one, diving the application evenly among the two. Leave in the fridge to marinate until needed, turning once.

2) Turn the oven to 200 °c or gas mark 6. Line 2 oven trays with tin foil and a drizzle of olive oil. Start by putting the carrots on a tray on their own in the oven for 10 minutes, then add the onion, capsicum and sweet potato across both trays, making sure they are evenly spread. Sprinkle over celery salt, pepper, dried rosemary and another drizzle of olive oil. Toss everthing together and return to the oven. Leave to cook for about 10 minutes before adding the broccoli and courgette and turning everything again.

3) After another 25 minutes, add the mushrooms and toss everything really well.

4) Make a space on the tray with the mushrooms for the salmon and add the fillets, pouring any left over marinate over the fillets (this will cook nicely into the vegetables). After 10 minutes of cooking, put the salmon under the grill for 5 minutes, or until cooked through and the edges are charring.

5) Serve on a platter with lemon wedges and capers.

Serves 2 with leftover veggies.

Creamy Celery and Celeriac Soup

This soup is a dieter's dream when trying to shed a few of those Xmas pounds. It is so creamy, that it's hard to believe it's just veg. Plus it's super easy to make.

This was originally a Weight Watchers' recipe that has evolved a little over time.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 large onion, diced

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp celery salt

ground pepper

1 large celeriac, diced

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 stock cube

1L boiling water

1 bay leaf

To make:

1)Cook the onion over a medium low heat with some cooking spray for about 5 minutes, until soft but not brown. Add the garlic, celery salt and pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.

2)Add celery, celeriac, bay leaf and stir together, then crumble in the stock cube and pour in the water.

3)Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until veggies are really soft.

4)Remove the bay leaf, pour soup into a blender and give it a really good blend so it's very smooth.

Serves 4

"Butter" Biscuits

While January should be the month of detox, I was the very happy recipient of a biscuit press this Christmas, so of course testing was a must.

This press also functions as an icing gun, which was why

I originally wanted it. But the biscuit press really is a little bit fabulous. It shapes the dough out like Danish butter biscuits.

A few things to note when using a biscuit press - I had to use a bit of trial and error.

1) Use a recipe formulated for a biscuit press (like below)

2) Obviously recipes with chunks in them won't work as the chunks will get caught in the press

3) Don't use baking paper or a greased tray or the dough won't stick - use foil to line your baking trays and don't grease it

You can either ice the biscuits together, like I have, or sprinkle them with some demura sugar and cinnamon before cooking.

The recipe below is halved from one that I've had for ages, hence the half egg - the original full quantity would make lots of biscuits, perfect for gifts or events.

Ingredients:

3/4 c dairy free spread

1/2 c granulated sugar

1/2 an egg

1 Tbs soy milk

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 3/4c plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 190°c or gas mark 5.

2) Cream the spread and sugar until pale and fluffy

3) Mix in the egg, vanilla and soy milk until well combined.

4) Sift in half the flour and baking powder at a time and mix it really well after each addition until you have a smooth dough.

5) Load up the biscuit press and push the cookies out onto your foiled tray. Bake for about 20 minutes, but check after 15. They should be slightly golden.

For the icing...

Ingredients:

1 heaped Tbs dairy free spread

1 c icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

a few drops of hot water to mix

then for whatever flavour you'd like, add:

Cinnamon creme

1/8 tsp cinnamon

Chocolate and hazelnut

1 tsp cocoa

2 Tbs very finely chopped hazelnuts

Lemon

omit vanilla and replace with lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

Mix the spread and icing sugar together and then add the other ingredients. You may need to add a little more liquid or sugar to get a smooth but firm icing. Pipe onto the underside of one biscuit and sandwich another on top. Dust with icing sugar.

Makes about 50 individual biscuits.