gluten free – Page 13 – littlefruitbat.com

Vegan, Coeliac Friendly Fried Noodles

I love crispy fried noodles and before I was diagnosed with coeliac disease (and a few other dietary requirements to boot) I used to love fried noodle dishes at Thai or Chinese restaurants. This is my own version and is still super tasty.

The veg I’m using in this is a first for me and inspired by the miniature aubergines I found in my local supermarket. I chopped the miniature aubergines (so tiny and cute), a courgette and some green veggies. I used broccoli, green beans and asparagus as I love crunchy seasonal veg and like to get as many into one meal as possible.

Warm a teaspoon of sesame oil in a wok or frying pan and when warm add the veg directly. Whilst the veg is stir frying I soak rice noodle nests in boiling water. This gives the noodles a more al dente crunch which is perfect for this dish.

Once the veg is looking well stir fried drain the noodles and add the wok. Make sure the heat is high and then drizzle a little more sesame oil in. The noodles will start to brown and crisp. I use simple flavouring in this dish with a sprinkle of tamari. The Clearspring or Kikkoman gluten free brands are great and easy to get hold of.

After a few minutes the lovely stir fried noodles and veggies will be all ready. I’ve toppes with some chopped spring onions and toasted sesame seeds just before serving. It’s made an amazing Friday night dinner. Mmmm.

Zizzi’s – Gluten Free, Vegan Menu

During a day out in Nottingham my friend said we should go for lunch. I was all ready to go to the usual spots I know when they said we were heading to Zizzi’s instead.

They had researched the menu and found I could have a full 3 course meal even though I’m a coeliac, vegan with a lot of dietary requirements and allergies.

When we got in I asked for the gluten free menu and found they had a vegan menu as well and lots of keys beside the dishes. Vegan options on the gluten free menu had Ve next to them.

My friend was right I could eat starter, main and dessert! To start I had marinated olives. When they brought the food over they had a sticker on the dish to indicate the dietary requirements and they told me about their separate preparation areas for specialist diets.

My main was incredible. I had a gluten free margherita with vegan cheese. It was the best gluten free, vegan pizza I’ve had. I loved it. Perfect for lactose intolerance and vegan needs.

After my delicious pizza I tucked into vegan and gluten free ice cream – coconut and dairy free chocolate flavour and a lemon sorbet and raspberry sorbet.

The staff were all helpful and supportive and the food was amazing. I left full and very happy.

I will definitely be returning.

Rootcandi, Brighton – Vegan, Gluten Free Thai Tapas

I’ve found another amazing restaurant during a weekend away and wanted to share it with you all. Rootcandi in Brighton serve entirely vegan Thai fusion tapas and it is a delight.

I found the restaurant searching online for recommended coeliac. As I have quite a few additional allergies I had a chat with the manager when I booked the table and they emailed me the menu and allergy information.

When I arrived they had jotted down on the menu the options I could eat. There were a lot to choose from and it was really tough not to order them all.

I had crispy tofu, summer rolls and courgette fries. I have to say that it was one of the tastiest meals I’ve eaten since being diagnosed.

With friendly staff and a busy but chilled atmosphere I would thoroughly recommend Rootcandi as a top free-from choice.

Coriander and green vegetable soup

The delicious, peppery taste of coriander is something I really enjoy. This soup maximises the flavour from the coriander and blends it perfectly with other aromatic flavours.

Another benefit of this meal is that it is super easy to cook and you will only have one sauce pan to wash! Warm a small amount of oil in a saucepan, then to start the flavour base add chopped garlic, ginger, red chilli, lemongrass and of course coriander to the oil. Sizzle just the herbs and spices for a minute before adding chopped vegetables directly to the pan.

Once of the benefits of this dish is you can be really versatile with the vegetables. I’m using courgette, pak choi and green pepper. Saute with the flavour for another 3 – 4 minutes. I then add sweetcorn and dried rice noodles. I’m using vermicilli but ribbon noodles are also tasty.

Cover the noodles with boiling stock. I use Kallo vegetable stock as it coeliac friendly, vegan and available in a low salt variety.

Turn the heat down to a medium setting and simmer for 10 minutes. Once the noodles are soft it’s time to add the final ingredient. A dash of coconut. I’ve started using the Alpro coconut cream. It’s lower in fat but is also a more subtle flavour which lets the other tastes shine through.

Top with a sprig of coriander and serve as a tasty coeliac comfort food.

Carrot, orange and chilli soup

Orange is such a happy colour. I’m channelling that happiness into this soup which is packed with vitamins as vitamins also make me happy.

Carrots are high in vitamins A, K, many if the B vitamins and of course vitamin C. They also contain antioxidants which help to refresh and cleanse. Start by chopping carrots and place into a pan or slow cooker. Chop an onion and add this into the pan.

Red chilli is recommended as a good to help reduce inflammation, pain and support cardiovascular health. Add chopped red chilli to the soup. Cover with boiling vegetable stock and add 100 ml of pure orange juice.

Bring back to the boil and then turn down the heat and simmer. Cook for approximately an hour or until the vegetables are soft and easy to blend. Blend the soup and serve.

Baked Sweet Potato topped with Curried Chickpeas

Sweet potatoes are a great alternative to a baked potato, they are much higher in fibre and lower in fat and carbohydrate. They also get you a good hit of vitamins A and C. I love them and topped with a tasty, veggie dish they are excellent.

Prick the potatoes a couple of time and pop in the oven at 200 degrees. It will take 45 minutes – 1 hour to cook and whilst it is you can cook up a delicious, hearty filling. I’m making a curried chickpea topping.

Start by chopping a white onion and a courgette. Add to a frying pan with a little coconut oil, or for a lower fat alternative use fry light. Cook until soft and the onion is transparent.

When the onion and courgette is cooked add spice. I’m adding chopped garlic, chopped red chilli and coriander. Then add drained chickpeas and continue to cook on a high heat.

Once the chickpeas are chewy and cooked pour over a tin of coconut milk. I’m using light coconut milk. Turn the heat right down and cook slowly until it forms a light sauce.

Once the sweet potato and the cuurry are cooked, dish up and enjoy. I’m serving with a spoonful of Alpro soya yoghurt – coconut flavour of course! Hope you love it.

Mixed bean gluten-free pie

This is a real treat and a meal I’ve enjoyed making as much as eating. It’s tasty and full of protein. It makes it so easy to live as a coeliac when there are so many amazing alternatives and recipes out there to enjoy.

I’m using ready made gluten free pastry. Which is great because I’m also having a busy day. I roll out the gluten free pastry and line a quiche dish and blind bake for 30 mins. Blind baking is a term I picked up from the great British bake off, it basically means the pie crust is ready to add the filling.

Whilst the pie crust is baking it’s time to prepare the filling. Chop an onion, a red chilli and a couple of cloves of garlic and start to cook with a little olive oil. Once the onion is soft and transparent add beans. I’m using borlotti and canelini beans. Continue to fry. Add a tin of chopped tomatoes and continue to sizzle.

When the filling is cooked through add to the pie crust and cook for about 15 minutes.

Hope you love it.

Egg fried noodles

Although not vegan this dish it is still lovely. It’s a simple Sunday tea time and is full of veggies and protein.

I rarely eat eggs and when I do I make sure I have free range, local and organic eggs so the well being of the hen is paramount.

Start by cooking the noodles, I’m using King Soba gluten free noodles. They are made from pumpkin, ginger and rice abd they cook in just 6 minutes. I love cooking with these noodles as they bring a depth of flavour to the dish you don’t always get with plain rice noodles.

Whilst the noodles drain pop a wok onto the hob with a tablespoon of sesame oil. Add asparagus, sugar snap peas, chopped spring onions and tender stem brocolli and stir as the vegetables cook. Cook for a few minutes before adding the drained noodles.

Whisk an egg and clear a space in the middle of the wok, pour in the egg and stir swiftly whilst keeping the heat on high.

Continue to cook for a few minutes and add gluten free tamari (I’m using the Kikkoman brand).

When cooked serve with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. This meal is crunchy, healthy and enjoyable. Happy food Sunday.

Yo! Sushi

It can be surprisingly scary to eat out with dietary requirements. When you have several it can be really daunting so it was lovely to eat at Yo! Sushi in Meadowhall Sheffield where the lovely manager Kate helped me out with tasty free-from recommendations.

I’m a lactose-intolerant, coeliac, vegetarian and have allergies to mushrooms and nuts so I can feel like a pain when I do eat out. The manager at Yo! Sushi is also a gluten free vegan and was able to make substitutions and recommendations.

One of my favourite dishes even before I was diagnosed was the Kaiso salad. This is a salad of seaweed and carrot with a sesame dressing. To make the Kaiso salad celiac friendly make sure you have it prepared without the kaiso sauce, I’m happy to report it is just as delicious without the sauce. Yo! Sushi makes you feel really secure eating with allergies because as well as picking dishes off the belt you can also order dishes and they will make them to suit your needs perfectly.

Maki is a key sushi dish and one that I make at home when I make from scratch; it’s never as neat as the maki at Yo! though. I’ve tucked in happily to the avocado maki and the cucumber maki, which were both made without mayo to ensure the vegan credentials. The manager bought over a bottle of guaranteed gluten free soy sauce as an accompaniment so I didn’t have to miss out on any of the flavour.

My final dish was a recommendation from the manager (by the way she is called Kate and is brilliant – would very much recommend to any free-fromers or coeliacs in Sheffield looking for a nice meal). She organised for a hand roll to be madefrom scratch with suitable ingredients – it was absolutely lovely and made my night.

It feels so nice tucking into lovely food and also feeling normal whilst you eat out. Definitely two thumbs up for Yo! Sushi.

Gluten Free Pasta Salad

As a coeliac it can be hard to find gluten free pasta which is fairly healthy or in fact tasty. Lots of gluten free alternatives use added sugar to amend the taste. This is why I was so happy to discover Profusion a brand who make gluten free from red lentil flour. Tasty, organic, gluten free and high in protein this pasta is deal for a limited diet.

Today I’m going to make an incredibly simple pasta salad using Profusion Red Lentil pasta. Start by bringing a pan of water to boil and then add the pasta straight to the pan. It is important with gluten free pasta to keep the water boiling continuously or the pasta may break apart whilst cooking.

Continue to cook for approximately 20 minutes and then drain the pasta and leave to stand.

Warm a little olive oil in the same pan used to cook the pasta and add chopped baby plum or cherry tomatoes and a sprinkle of salt. Chop spinach and fresh basil then add both to the pan. Stir frequently and when the spinach is slightly wilted add the pasta and thoroughly mix.

Served either warm or cold this simple pasta salad is delicious and much more healthy than other gluten free alternatives.