gluten-free and dairy-free chicken shawarma salad

 

It might look like a mess on a plate, but with spices like cumin and turmeric and cayenne pepper, this is absolutely more-ish. Comes by way of Our Salty Kitchen. 

This is basically a veggie-full salad topped with roasted spiced chicken and then drowned in tahini-lemon dressing. Here's my take on the recipe.

For the chicken, you'll need:

• chicken breasts, about 1.5 pounds
• a big Ziploc bag
• 1/2 cup oil (I use grapeseed)
• 2 juiced lemons or equivalent bottled lemon juice
• several minced garlic cloves or big shakes of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 t. cumin
• 2 t. paprika
• 1 t. turmeric
• sprinkles of cayenne pepper

Do this for the chicken:

Throw all of the above into the Ziploc bag and squish it around till coated, then fridge it for a few hours or overnight. After it's all succulent-ized, roast it in the oven with the juices at 425F/220C for 30 minutes, then let it cool. 

For the lemon-tahini dressing, you'll need:

• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced, or equivalent bottled lemon juice
• salt and pepper

Do this for the dressing:

Blitz it with a hand blender and fridge till ready. Can do this ahead of time! 

For the salad, you'll need:

Whatever salad ingredients you like. Nice with lettuce, cukes, tomatoes, mint, parsley, grated carrots, radishes, watercress. 

Plate it up:

Salad first, then chopped up chicken, then douse in the fab dressing.

MORE-ISH, I tell ya. 

gluten-free dairy-free red-miso chickpea burgers (optionally vegan)

 

Another Mamatouille original! Something I made up and have perfected over a few tries. 

You'll need:

• 4 cans chickpeas (450 g each), drained
• 7-8 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 tablespoon red miso paste
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley or a few tablespoons fresh
• black pepper to taste
• optional: 1 egg

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons plain soy yogurt
• 1 tablespoon red miso
• 1 teaspoon black vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Do this:

For the burgers, throw all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz. I leave it a little bit chunky, not totally blended into a smooth paste. I like a little bit of texture. 

Shape them into patties and fry in a little bit of oil on both sides till browned. Leave them awhile on each side to get browned and so they won't fall apart. 

For the sauce, blend all the ingredients with a hand blender. 

I served it all with rice, homemade furikake (rice topping), vinegary coleslaw, and tomatoes sprinkled with Noto salt. 

Itadakimasu! 

gluten-free and dairy-free homemade peanut-butter cups

 

This is such an easy, fun, delicious recipe and I honestly don't even know where I got it---Facebook was just showing me random cooking videos and I clicked on one that captured my fancy. 

I think these puppies will capture your taste buds' fancy too.

You'll need:

• peanut butter (I used homemade salted and unsweetened
• honey (because I use unsweetened peanut butter)
• soy yogurt (or your favorite plain yogurt)
• chocolate bar (I used dairy-free)

Do this: 

In a bowl, mash your peanut butter, honey, and soy yogurt together. You want it to be a stiff mixture and not too liquidy.

Form that on to food-grade popsicle sticks, and freeze on baking paper in the freezer.

Once that's frozen solid, dip into melted chocolate. I just whack a chocolate bar (broken into bits) in a glass measuring cup in the microwave in 20-second increments till it's nice and smooth.

Put into the fridge to set and then chow down! 

gluten-free dairy-free banana-cranberry muffins

I got this recipe from Mama Knows Gluten Free, but of course, as per usual Mamatouille style, I changed it for our tastes and what I have available. They were so moist and filling! 

You'll need:

• 4 small bananas or 3 bigger ones, mashed
• 2 beaten eggs
• big dashes of cinnamon
• big dashes of powdered ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup grapeseed oil
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup gluten-free baking mix
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• about 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Do this:

Mix mix mix and bake bake bake at 350/170 for about 15 minutes.

Eat eat eat.

gluten-free and dairy-free spicy chocolate mug muffin

I've been making mug muffins for years and decided to spice it up a little! 

You'll need:

• 1 tablespoon oil, plus more for greasing the mug
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon chicory powder
• generous sprinkle of cayenne pepper
• generous sprinkle of cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• pinch of baking powder
• 3 tablespoons almond flour
• dash of vanilla essence
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon honey

Do this:

Grease a big mug. (Not your face mug.) Crack an egg in there and beat it with a fork, then add everything else and beat that too. Cover and cook at 600 watts for 1.5 minutes in your microwave, then splash on some soy milk and homemade chocolate sauce (or you can break up some dairy-free chocolate into the muffin before cooking). 

Spicy chocolate? Oh my! 

middle-eastern style fusion renkon (lotus root)

 

Normally I make very traditional Japanese renkon (lotus root) with soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil, but I was making some eggplant fritters with some warm Middle Eastern spices and decided to experiment on a lotus-root side dish to match it. I absolutely loved it! 

You'll need:

• one fresh chunk of lotus root
• tomato paste
• olive oil
• powdered cumin
• powdered coriander
• cayenne pepper
• paprika 
• salt

Do this:

Wash, peel, slice, and soak your lotus root slices in water for a little while. You can do this earlier in the day and put it in the fridge in the water. Then drain.

In a frying pan, saute the slices in olive oil, then add some squirts of tomato paste and all the seasonings. Stir and cook till a little bit bubbly, and serve with your favorite Middle Eastern main dish. 

gluten-free and dairy-free rice-flour pancakes with a carrot-cake pancakes variation and a turmeric variation

I'll start with the basic rice-flour pancake recipe that I nabbed (and slightly changed) from Laura Fuentes, then show you two variations that we love and that I made up myself! 

Rice-Flour Pancakes 

You'll need:

• 2 cups rice flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1.5 cups soy milk (or milk of choice)
• 3 tablespoons katakuriko (Japanese potato starch) or cornstarch

Do this:

Mix it all up in a bowl dance party, then cook in oil on a griddle. Yum yum. I like mine with honey or peanut butter. 

Carrot-Cake Rice-Flour Pancakes

You'll need:

• the above ingredients
• two grated carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Warm and Spicy Carrot-Apple Turmeric Pancakes

You'll need:

• the basic rice-flour pancake ingredients
• one grated carrot
• two peeled and finely chopped apples
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
• dash of nutmeg

If you can't finish these in one sitting with your family, they freeze well between baking paper and sealed in a freezer bag. These recipes work for 4 of us, and anything leftover I eat during the week when my guys have oatmeal. 

Bon pancake appetit! 

elana's pantry's (sort of) paleo fruitcake

This is a cake from Elana's Pantry that I try to make every Christmas, and I use two small glass loaf pans that I grease first. Two of these tiny cakes don't seem like much, but they are dense. I tend to use whatever dried fruit I can find here in Japan. (It's not totally Paleo because I don't use the coconut ingredients that she calls for.)

You'll need: 

• 1.5 cups almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup dates, with pits removed and then chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup dried cherries (I usually use dried cranberries instead)
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (or soak the fruit in orange curacao instead)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

Do this:

Combine your dry ingredients, then add in the fruit and walnuts. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients, and then stir them into the dry ones.

Into your greased mini loaf pans they go.

Bake 350/170 for 20-30 minutes, and try not to eat it up all at once. 

gluten-free vegan yaki udon

This has quickly become one of our favorites. It comes via FitGreenMind, aka Maya from Germany on Instagram. That girl has great recipes, but I had to change a couple things for us with what we have available here in Japan. 

You'll need:

• gluten-free udon noodles, cooked according to package directions (they come in small individual-sized packets here, so I get four for us)
• veggies of choice (I use cabbage or komatsuna greens, plus onions and carrots)
• hard tofu (I buy a 300-gram pack), drained and cut into cubes
• 4 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 teaspoons vinegar (I use rice vinegar)
• salt to taste
• a little bit of water 
• chopped green onions

Do this:

Stir fry the veggies in oil, then add in the cooked udon noodles and brown a little bit. Mix the sauce ingredients together and pour over, then add your cubed tofu. Stir it all up till browned and sticky. Top with chopped green onions. 

All of us love this.

Go yaki some udon already! 

gluten-free vegan blonde brownies

 

These gluten-free vegan blonde brownies come by way of FitGreenMind on Instagram, the popular account of a German girl named Maya who makes great videos and comes up with delicious recipes. 

You'll need:

• 1 can (450 g) chickpeas
• 1/4 cup (75 g) peanut butter
• 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup (40 g) flour (I use a gluten-free baking mix)
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• dark vegan chocolate (a bar, chopped, or chips)

Do this:

Drain the chickpeas and rinse them, then add to a food processor with all the ingredients except for the chocolate. Process until smooth.

Add the batter to a bowl, then stir in the chocolate. 

Line a loaf pan with baking paper and add the mix, flatten it out, and bake at 170 C for 35 minutes. Let it cool completely, then cut into bars.

These are so more-ish! 

quick and easy gluten-free oyakodon (Japanese chicken and egg dish)

I've been making oyakodon, a Japanese chicken and egg dish to put on top of a bowl of rice, for years and years. The recipe I had was a bit complicated and time-consuming, so I was happy when a friend here in Japan passed along a simpler version. I can't remember where it's from exactly, and I've changed it a little bit anyway, so here's my take. This makes enough for four people. 

You'll need: 

• 2 chicken breasts, chopped in bite-sized pieces
• 1 bunch of spinach, washed and chopped
• any kind of mushrooms, chopped
• 2 onions, sliced
• 6 eggs, beaten
• oil for cooking
• 4 tablespoons cooking sake
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup homemade dashi (with konbu and katsuobushi flakes)
• 4 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce

Do this:

Heat up your oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken till all the pieces are browned. Add the mushrooms and onions, then all the liquids and sugar. When everything is soft, add the spinach for a minute and then dump the eggs over it all and let it set till cooked. 

Serve over rice in a bowl, and add all those delicious juices and then eat with a spoon. 

easy chili

 

I served this with grated soy cheese, tortilla chips, and salad. (Would be great with cornbread too!) Normally I do a chili with kabocha squash, cinnamon, and cocoa powder, but it was nice to have a more traditional one for a change.

You'll need:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 piman (small Japanese green peppers, chopped (or 1 chopped regular green pepper)
• 6-7 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 kg ground beef
• 2 450ml cans kidney beans, drained
• 2 450ml cans chopped tomatoes (add water to the empty cans to swish out the tomato remains into the chili pot, for a total of about 1 can of water)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Do this: 

Saute the onions, green pepper, and garlic in oil in a soup pot, then add the rest of the ingredients and stir till the ground beef is in small pieces. Simmer about 20 minutes or more if you have time.

Options: 

Substitute half the ground beef with cooked lentils.

Add a teaspoon of cumin if you like it. 

dairy-free turmeric latte + dairy-free gluten-free turmeric latte pancakes

I've been making turmeric lattes (or golden milk) for a long time, but then completely forgot about them until my friend reminded me again the other day. Now I'm making these delicious healthy drinks about every other day! I originally got the recipe from BBC Good Food. 

Well then I brainstormed and thought why not make some turmeric latte pancakes! They were easy and spicy and delicious, and I topped them with soy cream that I whipped with a little vanilla and powdered sugar, then a drizzle of honey. 

First, the latte.

You'll need (for two lattes):

• 350 ml or so of dairy-free milk (I use soy)
• 1/4 t. ginger powder
• 1/4 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. turmeric
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 1 t. honey
• black pepper to taste

Do this:

Throw it all in a pot on the stove on medium flame/heat and whisk till hot and frothy.

Now for the pancakes! 

You'll need:

• 150 g gluten-free and dairy-free pancake or baking mix
• 1 egg
• 1 T. apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup milk 
• 1/2 t. turmeric
• 1/8 t. black pepper
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. ginger powder
• 1 T. honey
• 1/2 t. vanilla

(For the whipped cream I whipped 200 ml soy cream with 1/4 t. vanilla and 1 t. powdered sugar.)

Do this: 

Whisk the pancake ingredients together and cook on a griddle or frying pan in a little oil on both sides. Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of honey.

This made about 12 small pancakes. 

Joy joy enjoy! 

sweet and spicy nuts

 

A lovely friend shared some of these sweet and spicy nuts with us on her boat on the Thames last summer, and when I asked for the recipe, she wrote it up in her beautiful handwriting and mailed it to me. It came originally from Gordon Ramsay.

You'll need:

• 300 g mixed nuts (whole, blanched, unsalted)
• 2.5 tablespoons icing/powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• black pepper

Do this:

Mix nuts, powdered sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper in a big bowl, then grind over some black pepper. Tip the nuts into a hot wok/frying pan, then sprinkle over about 1 tablespoon of water to help it all caramelize. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring or shaking constantly till browned. Dump it all onto a baking tray lined with baking paper in a single layer. Put in 140 C oven for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally. 

Serve with love in a glass jar on a boat on the Thames or in a bowl in your living room in Japan. Give as gifts in jars for birthdays or just as a love-note of crunchy joy. 

favorite new year's black-eyed peas

I've experimented through the years and riffed many times on my grandma's black-eyed peas New Year's Day tradition. We think this year's was the best so far.

And I believe that part of the flavor came from gratitude; I finished cooking this pot of beans on January 1, 2024, just before our Ishikawa Prefecture earthquake hit at 16:16. We survived and so did our black-eyed peas. (Normally I would serve these with cornbread, but after evacuating from the house and coming back later in the evening, I shakily defrosted some frozen rice instead.)

You'll need:

• Bacon fat
• Chopped bacon
• Onion
• Garlic
• Komatsuna greens (mustard greens)
• Salt and pepper
• Green beans
• Veggie bouillon
• Tomato paste
• Bay leaf
• Dried thyme
• Dried parsley 
• 500 g dried black-eyed peas
• Cayenne pepper
• Paprika

Do this: 

In a stock pot, saute onions, garlic, bay leaf, and komatsuna greens in a big wad of bacon fat. Add in the chopped bacon and cook through, then some chopped green beans. Next, add the black-eyed peas that you have soaked overnight in the fridge and then drained. Cover all of it with water and throw in your seasonings and tomato paste. Simmer until the beans are soft and a lot of the liquid has evaporated.

The only measured ingredient was those black-eyed peas. All the rest was conjured with love. 

Add in or detract as you desire. You know what your family likes. 

Everyone in mine said this was the best version yet.