gluten-free dairy-free elderflower and lemon pudding cake

 

This is a cake I can really only make when I'm in the UK and have access to elderflower cordial, but I'm wondering if I can try it with umeshu, or plum wine in English, when we return to Japan in the summer. Anyhoo, I'm writing up the recipe now, which comes via the inimitable Nigella Lawson, so that I'll have easy access to it later if I want to branch out with the liquid flavors.

You'll need: 

• 175 g dairy-free butter 
• 150 g sugar
• 100 g rice flour or other gluten-free flour
• 75 g ground almonds
• 50 g plain dairy-free yogurt at room temp
• Pinch of salt
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 large eggs at room temp
• 1 large lemon, zest and juice separated
• 30 ml elderflower cordial
• 45 ml fresh lemon juice from the above large lemon
• 100 ml elderflower cordial

Do this: 

Grease a baking pan, about 1.5 L capacity.

Preheat your oven to 160 C or 350 F.

Add your butter, sugar, flour, ground almonds, yogurt, salt, baking powder, eggs, and lemon zest to a food processor. As it's whizzing up, drizzle in the 30 ml elderflower cordial.

Bake that at 160 for 20 minutes, then cover with foil and bake for 5 or 10 more. 

Make a drizzle with the lemon juice and 100 ml elderflower cordial. When the cake is done, take it out and poke it all about with a toothpick, then pour on the lemon juice/elderflower concoction. 

Scoop out and eat with a dollop of plain yogurt. 

It's deliciously tart and sweet and floral. Try it. 

gluten-free dairy-free sausage, white bean, and spinach soup

 

This soup comes by way of Joyful Healthy Eats, but I changed it slightly.

You'll need:

• 450 g sausage, chopped
• peeled and chopped potatoes
• peeled and chopped carrots (I used yellow carrots)
• spinach (I used frozen chopped spinach)
• 2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 onion, chopped
• celery, chopped
• 1/2 head of garlic, minced
• thyme
• oregano
• 5 cups veggie broth
• 300 ml milk (I use soy)

Do this: 

Saute your veg in olive oil, then add the sausage and herbs. 

Dump in the veggie broth and beans. 

Cook till everything is soft. 

Near the end, add the milk and spinach. 

Then enjoy with mucho gusto. 

gluten-free dairy-free banana and black sesame pancakes

 

These are nutty and sweet and delicious. Make them pronto.

You'll need: 

• 2 bananas, mashed
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups rice flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 3 tablespoons katakuriko potato starch or cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup black sesame paste
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds, black or white
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons oil, plus more for frying
• 1.5 cups milk (I use soy)

Do this: 

Mix into a batter and fry on both sides till browned and toasty. In Japanese, they say "fox colored." 

gluten-free dairy-free mince pies

 

My husband used AI to do a mashup recipe for us using flour ingredients that I had on hand: almond and rice. 

Our sons and I made these delectable gluten-free and dairy-free mince pies during our New Year holiday this past January, and for the filling we used a jar of a British mincemeat that I bought online. 

For the crust, you'll need: 

• 2 cups rice flour, or 240 g
• 1 cup almond flour, or 100 g
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold dairy-free butter or margarine, cubed
• 2 large eggs, cold

Do this: 

Mix dry ingredients. 

Rub in the butter, using fingertips, until crumbly.

Add eggs in, but if it's too dry, add in 1 or 2 tablespoons of cold water if needed, 1 teaspoon at a time.

Chill it for 30 minutes.

Roll to about 3 mm thick, cut, fill with your jarred mincemeat, and put star lids on if desired. Patch cracks if needed. 

Bake at 180 C for about 18-22 minutes. 

Cool and then enjoy Christmas for New Year's. 

bento lunches

I just found this in my drafts from a few years ago. I made some pretty bentos!  

vegan gluten-free dairy-free savory nut roast

 

This is from BBC Good Food; they called it "perfect nut roast."

And it pretty near is.

You'll need: 

• 300 g mixed nuts (I tend to use almonds and walnuts)
• 1 veggie stock cube or sachet
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, also finely chopped
• 1 leek, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, grated
• 2 (or more!) cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons cashew butter (I make my own)
• 180 g cooked chestnuts, chopped
• 75 g dried cranberries
• 20 g fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 lemon, finely grated zest only
• 4 tablespoons vegan milk (I use soy)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• I also add in dried sage to make it taste Christmassy

For my own vegan gravy: 

• 4 cups water
• 3 sachets vegan bouillon ("chicken" or veg)
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley
• vegan butter
• splash of olive oil
• vegan milk
• katakuriko (potato starch) or cornstarch for thickening

For the gravy, do this:

Bring the water to a simmer and add the bouillon, salt, pepper, herbs, olive oil, and vegan butter. Add vegan milk to taste, then thicken with a starch and milk slurry. 

For the nut loaf, do this: 

In a food processor, blitz the nuts and bouillon till finely chopped but not paste. Mix well, then dump into your prepared loaf tin. 

Mash it down and smooth its feelings, I mean top.

Cover with foil and then bake it for 30 minutes. 

Then remove the foil and bake another 20 minutes. 

Let it rest for a few minutes, remove, and slice. 

Slosh with gravy. 

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

Oil a 900 g/2 lb loaf tin then line with baking paper.

In a large frying pan, cook the leek, celery, onion, and carrot in oil till soft. Add the garlic last. 

In a large mixing bowl, add the nut mixture, the veg mixture, the cashew butter, and the rest of the ingredients. 

chiiko's wonderful gluten-free and dairy-free salad dressing

This comes by way of our good friend Chiiko, and it's the only salad dressing one of our sons will eat. 

You'll need: 

• 3/4 cup olive oil (187 ml)
• 1/4 cup red or white wine vinegar (I used white)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp honey

Do this: 

Shake. 

Shake. 

Shake. 

death-row microwave potato chips

 

I've recently posted about a salsa recipe that I received from a pen pal on death row in the US, and my other pen pal wrote to me about how he makes potato chips in the microwave. I had no idea that this was even possible, or that the potato slices would crisp and brown.

It's pretty simple:

Slice a potato thinly and dry each piece as much as possible with paper towels. 

Microwave at 600 w power for 1 minute and 30 seconds at a time, turning the chips each cycle until they're brown and crispy. Sprinkle with a little salt and let cool slightly. 

gluten-free dairy-free colcannon croquettes

 

These are as easy as pie...I mean croquettes! 

You'll need: 

• Leftover colcannon (Irish-style mashed potatoes that include leeks and cabbage)
• Rice flour
• Beaten eggs
• Garlic powder
• Salt and peppper
• Oil
• Corn flour if you have it (or even gluten-free panko)

Do this: 

In a big bowl, mix the colcannon, rice flour, eggs, garlic powder, and salt and pepper together and shape into patties. Then dredge in corn flour and fry in oil. 

jerk chicken

 

This is one of those where you just eyeball everything.

And it is so so so tasty. We all love it.

• chicken pieces (I use breasts)
• jerk chicken spice (about 2 teaspoons for 4 breasts)
• neutral-flavored oil
• Worcestershire sauce
• ketchup
• apple cider vinegar
• salt and pepper
• thyme
• fresh garlic
• soy sauce 

Mix the sauce ingredients together, put the chicken in doubled Ziploc bags, pour the sauce in, zip the bags, and mash it all together. With your fists, get your stress out and pound the chicken breasts, then fridge it for at least a few hours.

Bake at 220 C for about 25 minutes, until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the chicken reaches at least 60 C. Sit it out on the counter, tent with foil for 10 minutes, then serve with rice and sauteed spinach. 

easy gluten-free vegan stirfry

 

One day I had some fried tofu (age dofu) that I needed to use up, and this dish was born. It's easy, it's fast, there's minimal chopping, and with the "everything bagel" seasoning, the onions and garlic are already included without any mincing or grating. 

Serve over rice, of course! 

You'll need:

• eringi mushrooms, chopped (or mushrooms of choice)
• fried tofu, chopped
• fresh or frozen spinach, chopped
• gluten-free soy sauce
• "everything bagel" seasoning, which includes dried onion and garlic, and toasted sesame seeds
• sesame oil
• 7 spice

Do this:

In a frying pan, saute your mushrooms, tofu, and spinach in sesame oil. Add soy sauce and "everything bagel" seasoning. 

Put a jar of 7 spice on the table for folks to put their desired amount. Or none at all. 

garlic bread, ham, and cheese savoury bread pudding

 

This is not something I could eat because of the wheat and dairy, but my 3 guys loved it.

Take leftover garlic bread and chop it.

In a big bowl beat 8 eggs and 2 cups of milk, parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Butter a baking pan.

Throw in the chopped garlic bread.

Cover it with chopped ham and grated cheese.

Pour over the egg mixture and top with a little more grated cheese.

Bake at 180 C for 30 minutes.