Tag: easy

Spinach and Courgette Balsamic Tart

I love a pastry based meal. Having just discovered the gluten free, vegan Jus Rol puff pastry I think it’s fair to expect and few simple pies and tarts coming your way from me!

This is one of my favourites. It’s incredibly easy to cook too.

Start by allowing the pastry to warm for 10 minutes when you take it out of the fridge. I’m not sure if this is specific to gluten free or dairy free pastry but is certainly the case on the instructions for this brand.

Whilst the pastry is coming to room temperature wilt down some spinach brining it to a low heat in a large pan. This is also a great time to slice the courgette finely. The thinner the better as they may need to overlap in places.

Roll out the pastry and spread a small amount of garlic paste across the top.

It’s really important to pat dry the wilted spinach. If you don’t get the excess moisture out the tart will be really claggy. Place the dry spinach across the pastry to form a base.

Once covered in spinach layer slices of courgette across the base and top with dairy free cheese. I’m living Daiya dairy free mozzarella for this recipe.

Pop into the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes. At the 15 minute mark I take out the tart and top with balsamic glaze before popping back into the oven for a final 10 minutes.

This is a great summer evening meal suitable for everyone.

Spicy Parsnip and Coriander Carrot Soup

Two of my favourite winter soups are spicy parsnip and carrot and coriander. This soup combines those flavours and is perfect and enjoyable.

This is another easy dish to cook. Add chopped parsnips, carrots and onions to a large pan. To serve 6 I used 4 large parsnips, 4 large carrots and a white onion.

Add chopped garlic, red chilli and coriander. Then cover with stock and bring to the boil. Using gluten free vegan stock cubes like the Kallo brand means this meal is perfect for my coeliac needs and vegan dietary choices.

Once boiling turn down the heat and cook on a low setting for about an hour so the soup simmers slowly.

Once cooked blend and enjoy the heat of the chilli with the aromatic coriander. Soups like this make me happy to be a coeliac vegan.

Tamari Tofu and Aubergine

Tofu is such a perfect food. Loved by vegans it brings protein and nutrients as well as a tasty staple and focus of a meal.

This meal is so easy cook. Start by marinating sliced aubergine and tofu in tamari sauce. I’m using the Kikkoman gluten free tamari.

Then heat a large griddle pan. To reduce fat I use Fry Light Coconut spray rather than a full oil. Cook chopped tofu and aubergine on the hot griddle turning half way through. It will only take a few minutes to cook the tofu and aubergine.

Just before cooking is completed add chopped spring onions to fry lightly.

Serve with steamed mange tout for a tasty vegan treat.

Butternut and Spinach GF Pasta

An excellent and tasty vegan and gluten free meal packed with tasty and complementary flavours; this is a true treat.

As a vegan coeliac I often do a weekend batch cook to keep me in lunches and ready to go meals. Today I’m cooking up some healthy meals ready for the week.

I’m starting by roasting a large butternut squash. Skin and chop, add to a roasting pan with sage and a little olive oil. Roast for approximately 45 – 60 minutes.

Whilst the butternut squash is roasting it’s time to cook the pasta. As a coeliac is use gluten free pasta. I like the fusili pasta made from maize flour but it is key to have the water boiling before you add the pasta – as well as throughout. Follow instructions as cooking varies dependant on the flour used to form the pasta.

Once the squash is roasted mix with spinach whilst warm until wilted.

Serve the spinach, squash and pasta with vegan feta and cracked black pepper.

Delicious.

Spiced Kalette Soup

I love kale and was delighted to discover kalettes whilst shopping. Kalettes are a hybrid of kale and sprouts. They are high in vitamins C and K. In addition like all cruciferous vegetables they have high levels of folic acid and fibre. Perfect for a healthy diet.

Start this recipe with a roasting pan and a warm oven. Add 2 chopped red peppers and a chopped courgette to the roasting dish and spray with cooking oil. I’ve used Fry light sunflower as it reduces the fat content in the dish. Stir through paprika and cayenne pepper and pop into the oven to roast for about 45 minutes.

Whilst the vegetables roast chop white onion, and garlic and prepare stock. I’m a coeliac so I find Kallo reduced salt vegetable stock cubes are an ideal stock cheat as they are gluten free and vegan. At only 6 calories as well they are perfect for a healthy meal.

When the vegetables have roasted combine in a saucepan with the garlic, onion and kalettes. Cover with stock and bring to the boil.

Once the soup mix is boiling turn the heat down and simmer for about 30 mins. It is so hard to wait for this soup to cook because it smells beautiful. Use a hand blender to whizz the soup up and stir. My husband has topped his with a little parmesan but I don’t need it so I’m happy as it it. The paprika, cayenne pepper and garlic are so light it makes for a perfect lunch.

Mexican inspired fried rice

As a coeliac I eat a lot of quinoa and rice as a way to bulk up meals and enjoy some carbs. This recipe takes the crisp texture of a fried rice dish and combines it with tasty veg and a little heat.

Start by popping the rice onto cook. I’m using brown rice as the process applied to white rice reduces the nutritional value in white rice. Add rice to a pan of boiling water and leave to cook for 20 minutes stirring regularly.

The time the rice takes to cook is ideal veg preparation time. I’m using a red pepper, a courgette, half a cucumbers large avocado and a number of sweet, small tomatoes. Chop all the veg into small chunks approximately 1cm square.

Once the veg is chopped heat a small amount of oil in a large pan. I’m using Fry Light Avocado as it is lower in calorie and a complementary flavour. Add the chopped pepper and courgette to the pan and cook until slightly softened.

When the brown rice has cooked and been thoroughly drained add it to the pan and continue to fry.

After 10 minutes of cooking the rice should be crisp and tasty. Sprinkle over a dash of cayenne pepper and stir through chopped coriander.

Add the chopped avocado, cucumber and tomato to make a crisp, tasty and warm fried rice salad.

Tucking into this beauty for dinner has me thinking about the spring and summer ahead already.

Roasted vegetable quinoa

Lunch on the go can be harder with allergies, intolerance and other dietary requirements. I often find it hardest when I’m out and about or needing to plan lunch in advance. This menu is one of my favourite, easily made, easily packed up lunch for on the go. 

Roasted vegetables are a great staple for vegetarians and vegans alike. I often roast a big tray of chopped Mediterranean vegetables and use them for lunches and evening meals. 

Mixed with cooked quinoa this is a perfect coeliac, vegan lunch. Full of vegetables and free from anything artificial. 

Spinach and Feta Rolls (gluten and lactose free) 

I’m feeling festive… from about October normally and I’ve been practising different gluten and lactose free options for Christmas. 

Last month I tried some fig and vegan cream cheese pastry tartlets and this weekend I’ve gone savoury and tried some spinach and “feta” sausage rolls. 

As a lactose intolerant coeliac you can imagine my joy when I discovered gluten free, vegan Jus Rol puff pastry in the dairy free section of my local supermarket. At the moment allergens and free from is expanding so rapidly I seem to find something new every time. This pastry is easy to roll out, shape and eat. It’s delicious. It’s such a cheat to use ready made pastry and I’m so happy coeliacs and vegans can cheat too. 

Open the pastry packaging, roll out the pastry and let it warm a little after the fridge whilst you prepare the filling. 

I say prepare. It’s really not a tricky recipe this one. Wilt 100g spinach. I’m using my microwave steamer for 30 seconds so the spinach softens but retains some substance and doesn’t go watery. Layer the spinach in a line throughout the length of the pastry. About an inch from the edge of the pastry. Then slice your “feta” I am using a vegan Greek style cheese made with coconut milk which is very exciting. I make long slices approximately 5 mm wide. Layer the feta (or substitute) on top of the spinach. 

Take the inch of pasty and roll it over the top of the filling and press down firmly. Then roll the filling and pastry over to create a full sausage roll effect. 

I use a little soya butter to hold the very top down and then chop the long pastry length into inch long pastries. 

Pop into the oven and cook for approximately 30 minutes. This is a really enjoyable and incredibly easy recipe suitable for free fromers and more. 

Scrambled Tofu on Toast 

Another weekend has flown by and as I wrap myself up in a warm knit and cosy up for the evening I plan on tucking into a tasty Sunday supper full of protein. 

Scrambled tofu is an excellent vegan alternative to scrambled eggs. Tofu is high in protein, low in fat and incredibly versatile. It’s also simple and easy to cook with. 

For this meal I use a third of a block of Cauldron organic tofu. Start by warming a pan with a teaspoon of olive oil (or fry light olive for a lower calorie alternative). Rather than chopping the tofu crumble it into the pan once the oil is warm. Keep stirring and season with a small amount of sea salt, black pepper and basil. 

It really does only take a few minutes for this meal to cook. Once the tofu starts turning golden brown, usually less than 5 minutes, then it is cooked. 

I’m serving on gluten free toast (as I’m a coeliac) and top with a small squeeze of balsamic syrup. 

Scrambled tofu on toast and green tea. It’s like a Sunday night vegan hug.