Shepherds pie (but with a variation on the mash!)

I am not quite sure when it became folklore that kids like mash. When my daughter gagged at the sight of mash I thought it was unusual but have since spoken to many parents whose children are the same. Even if you like it, sometimes you feel like a less starchy option or just want a change. 

So this recipe is essentially the meat part of shepherds pie and I freeze it like this to give me the option to choose the topping on the day.   My kids like it with rice, My husband likes it with celeriac gratin. Just because we can never agree on anything in our house my favourite is swede or potato mash (heavily buttered and with tons of pepper).  Cauliflower mash would also work well.   If you are going for some sort of mash you could always add this to the dish before freezing so you have less to do on the day you eat it. 

High quality full fat lamb mince is essential. A glass of red wine adds depth but is not essential. The recipe specifies passata but the resulting dish is not overly tomato tasting. However the passata could swapped either partially or fully for lamb stock if you prefer.  

I am not generally a fan on mushed vegetables but in this recipe using a food processor to get a very finely chopped vegetables does work well. It also makes it easy to disguise the vegetables from picky eaters (I am not just talking about kids here, I know if wives who hide vegetables in their husband's dinners too!) You could even add more carrots or other vegetables such as mushroom or red carrot if you need to up the vegetsble quota. 

(I don't bother getting the special grater attachment out for magimix) I just use normal large blade).

I make at least triple the amounts below in one go and fill the freezer.   

Ingredients 

500g lamb mince 

1 large onion

1 large carrot 

2 sticks celery 

2 cloves of garlic 

1/3 bottle of passata (approximately 250ml)

1/2 tsp dried or fresh chopped rosemary 

Ghee or olive oil for cooking 

Method 

-Peel the carrots, garlic and onion and wash the celery 

-Chop the vegetables in half then process until finely chopped. 

-Add enough ghee or olive oil to cover the base of the pan and on a medium heat cook the vegetables for about ten minutes until softened 

-Add in the mince and stir round, till all the meat is browned 

-Add the rosemary, passata and seasoning 

-Turn down and simmer for half an hour (this develops the taste but you can miss this step out if in a rush and it will still be good) 

Luscious liver pate

Let's make one thing clear - I am generally not a fan of liver.  Indeed organs in general are a problem for me, despite lots of people telling me how marvellous they are for me I can't get past the texture or the smell.

However I love this liver pate!  It's smooth, delicious and versatile - working with almond crackers, sourdough or oatcakes.

It's also very easy to make.  I had the fear with this dish for quite a while as my husband had always prepared liver in our house.  Now I quite enjoy making it in the evenings when the children are in bed and I can watch something on Netflix whilst I cook!

Liver is a fantastic source of nutrients such as iron, folate and B vitamins (especially B12).  It is also high in Vitamin A.  In theory our bodies can make vitamin A from plant sources by converting beta carotene but in practice our bodies are often very poor at this (especially if you have any digestive issues) so it's good to eat foods that are a direct source.

This recipe will make enough pate for 1 large or 4 small terrines.  I tend to go for small and then I can freeze three, thus having enough pate for around a month.  Or a standby starter dish if I decide to have some friends round to eat!

I would go for the very best livers you can find.  It cost me around £5 for the organic liver needed to make this recipe so it goes quite a long way.  (I bought mine from Graig Farm)

Ingredients

450-500g organic chicken livers (rinsed and chopped in half)

160g of butter 

1 onion 

1 clove of garlic 

1 medium chilli 

Salt and pepper to taste
Bay leaves and peppercorns to garnish

Method

- Add 2/3 of the butter to a large frying pan and gently fry the onions in the butter until they are translucent 

- Add in the chicken livers, garlic and chilli and fry until cooked through - should take around 10-15 minutes 

- Blend the mixture in a food processor and then spoon into containers leaving at least 1cm clear 

on the top. Press down with the back if the spoon to get a flattish surface 

- In a clean pan melt the remaining butter then pour it over the pate (I find this easiest to do it with a large dessert spoon)
- Garnish (if you care to!) with bay leaves and peppercorns

- Leave to cool and then cover and keep in the fridge

Wibbly wobbly jelly

The hardest part of making this dish is sourcing the gelatine sheets!  I buy mine from The Real Food Company in Crewe.  You can also source it from Amazon and even the baking sections of supermarkets (although I would plump for grass fed or organic gelatine, especially if you are making this regularly). 

Making your own jelly is incredibly simple and means you can create something that is yummy but also nutritious and sugar free!  The benefits of gelatine are numerous - it helps to heal the lining of the stomach and is great for nail and hair health. 

I like to use raspberries but any soft fruit will work. If you wish to use pineapple, kiwi, melon or papaya they will need to be cooked into a purée or the enzymes they contain will break down the gelatine. 

I use organic frozen fruit as it is cheaper but fresh would work also. 

If you want to change the quantities below keep a rough ratio of 125 ml liquid to a sheet of gelatine for a soft jelly (served in glass) or 100ml liquid to a sheet of gelatin for a firm jelly that you can turn out of a mould. 

Ingredients 

3 sheets of gelatine 

300g frozen fruit 

2 tbsp of honey (more if very sweet toothed!) 

Method

- Place the fruit in a pan with enough water to cover the base 

- Heat gently so that the fruit breaks down - you can help the process with a potato masher! 

- Once the fruit had disintegrated sieve the mixture into a bowl or jug (use a fine sieve so the seeds do not fall through). You can use the back if a spoon to push the mixture down and extract more liquid.

- Add the honey and stir thoroughly 

- Add filtered water until you have 400ml of mixture 

- Place the gelatine sheets in a large shallow dish and cover with water.  Ensure the sheets are kept separate so they can soften properly 

(During this time return the fruit liquid to the pan and heat very gently so that it stays warm as the liquid needs to be over 35 degrees for the mixture to set) 

- After 5 minutes remove the sheets, squeeze them to remove any excess water and add to the mixture 

- Stir thoroughly ensuring the sheets have fully dissolved 

- Pour the mixture into serving glasses (I also like to add a few slices of strawberry or blueberries)

-Refrigerate for a couple of hours until set.

Old skool sausage pasta

This is a dish that reminds me of my husband and I's uni days.  Now though the pasta is gluten free, the sausages are better quality and the table is strewn with toys, not overflowing ashtrays and wine bottles! (Well to be fair there is still wine around!) 

This is a winner for us because my daughter who won't eat sausages on their own enjoys them in this sauce. My son, who would eat sausages for every meal is happy to gobble up the sauce, red pepper and all! 

I make up my own Italian mixed herbs by mixing together equal amounts of dried oregano, thyme, basil, sage and rosemary.  

We use free range or organic all meat sausages from Graig Farm, Devon Rose or Roaming Rooster but any good quality plain banger will do (avoid herbs that will fight with the Italian seasoning!) 

I always make at least two family sized portions at once - simply double up the ingredients below. 

We serve this with brown rice or buckwheat pasta and some buttered green beans on the side. It would also work well on its own with a green salad. 

Ingredients 

1 packet of sausages 

1 medium onion, chopped 

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped into small pieces 

2 cloves of garlic, crushed 

1 tsp of Italian seasoning 

Olive oil / ghee / lard or beef dripping for cooking 

1/3-1/2 bottle (approx 300ml) of organic passata 

Glass of red wine (optional) 

Method 

- Heat a tbsp of oil/fat  in a large pan and add the sausages, cooking for a couple of minutes before turning over so they are browned all over. (If you are cooking more than one portion it is best to cook the sausages in batches)  Remove the sausages from the pan and set aside.

- Lower the heat, add more oil if necessary and add in the onion and red pepper, cooking gently for around ten minutes until soft. During this time cut the sausages into small chunks (around 6 per sausage). I find it easiest to do this with scissors 

- Add the garlic to the pan, stirring frequently to prevent it burning and becoming bitter. After a couple of minutes add the sausage pieces back into the pan and increase the heat 

- Add in the passata, wine and herbs. (If you are adding in wine only use 1/3 of a bottle) 

- Season generously with salt and pepper 

- Once it reaches a vigorous simmer reduce the heat so it is simmering gently and cover. 

- Simmer for around 40 minutes or until it reaches the desired consistency, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Blueberry muffins

There was a horrible moment when I first made blueberry muffins as I folded in the fruit and saw the batter turn a murky blue  colour.  I was relieved to see that when cooked they become a beautiful golden colour! 

I love these as quick breakfast or lunch box addition. 

If you are dairy free just omit the small amount of butter - last time I made these I forgot it accidently (it had been left in oven melting) and they turned out fine. 

I like the warmth you get from adding all spice or nutmeg (my all spice is a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove).  This could be left out or exchanged for plain cinnamon. 

I like to use frozen blueberries as they are cheaper, more convenient and normally have more flavour. 

Ingredients 

250g ground almonds 

80g honey 

45g butter 

4 large eggs 

1 tbsp vanilla 

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 

Pinch of salt 

1 tsp mixed spice 

100-125g blueberries 

Method 

- Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/160c fan /180c for muffins or Gas Mark 3/140c for smaller cakes 

- Melt the butter in the oven 

- Sift the almond flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl 

- Mix the eggs in the food processor.  Add the honey, vanilla and melted butter and mix again 

- Add the dry ingredients to the blender and combine 

- Pour the batter into a large bowl and very gently fold or stir in the blueberries 

- Spoon the mixture into the cases and put in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes.  Check to see if toothpick comes out clean, if not give another five minutes and check again 

The 'no it's not soup kids' noodle bowl

We have 'done' soup in our house. After two years of bone broth and soups the kids are rebelling and will only eat tomato soup. The solution to getting the gelatinous goodness of stock into them was either bribery or trickery.  We went for the latter and hey presto 'noodle bowls'. Which definitely in no way resembles any likeness to a concoction of stock, vegetables, chicken and herbs aka soup!

To be fair, it is different in that most of the vegetables are left raw which gives the dish a delicious crunch and leaves you with a holier than thou feeling, (although it is also fab served with a very crisp dry white wine!)

You need to have some chicken stock and cooked meat already so it's perfect for leftovers. It's super quick to prepare and therefore great for weekend lunches.  (We have had it in the evenings too but some people don't tolerate lots of raw food late at night).

What's great is how versatile this dish is as you can choose different vegetables for different people and make the adult version more spicy with the additional chilli.  

As the food is served immediately after meat is added to broth I don't heat it through but if you prefer you can heat it up in the stock - ensuring it is piping hot. 

The ingredients below should serve four. If your are grain free you can serve without the noodles or with courgette noodles.

We use tamari instead of soy as its s gluten free traditionally fermented product  - tastes the same but may be stronger so go easy if you are using it for the first time! 

Ingredients 

2 litres of chicken stock

1tsp Chinese 5 spice

A thumbnail of  ginger, chopped

1large clove garlic, chopped

1/2 red chilli seeded & chopped (optional)

1 1/2 sweet peppers, chopped finely

1 bunch of spring onions finely chopped

1 pak choy 

1 carrot, chopped into thin batons 

Chicken or other left over meat, sliced.

3 bunches buckwheat or rice noodles.

Tamari sauce 

Method 

-Bring the stock and five slice to the boil.  (You can separate this into two pans if you wish to have one 'chillified' and one plain) 

-If you are using rice noodles they can now be cooked in the stock, buckwheat noodles are best cooked in a separate pan, rinsed in cold water and then added to serving dish at end 

- When noodles have couple of minutes to go add the pak choi and the garlic. 

- When the noodles are ready ladle them out into the bowls. Layer the meat and vegetables over the top. Then ladle over the remaining stock to fill up the noodle bowl. 

- Add desired amount of tamari sauce upon serving 

Buckwheat crackers

The best thing about these crackers is you would never know they are buckwheat!  That sounds derogatory to the poor buckwheat plant (a relative of the rhubarb family and not an actual wheat) but having made bread with buckwheat there can be a strong earthy taste that is off-putting for some people.

The second best thing is the texture - they have a proper crunch which is often missing from gluten free snacks. 

The third reason is that they are a great alternative to the ubiquitous almond cracker. Almond flour is a lot more expensive than buckwheat flour, can be too sweet and also I don't want to eat almonds, in any form, every day. 

These crackers are delicious either rolled so thin they are almost like crisps or as a traditional thicker cracker for cheese or spreads.   They are perfect for a kid's snack time but equally would be an elegant accompaniment to a cheeseboard for a dinner party. 

Crackers only last a couple of days so initially making your own may seem like a faff.  However just like biscuits you can make the dough in bulk and freeze in portion bags.   Then they just need to be rolled out and baked for ten minutes - it's even just about doable in the morning if I am short of stuff for the packed lunches! 

I used ready milled organic buckwheat flour.  If you were going to replace flour with soaked groats you would need to reduce the water in the recipe to accommodate the liquid the groats will have absorbed. 

The ingredients below will make approximately a dozen crackers depending on preferred thickness. 

Ingredients 

128g buckwheat flour 

57g ghee  (or butter or olive oil) 

1/2 tsp salt 

50ml water 

Black pepper to taste 

Method 

- Preheat the oven to 160c fan / Gas Mark 4 

- Measure out the ghee or butter in an ovenproof dish and put in oven to melt 

- Mix the flour, ghee, salt and pepper in the processor 

- Slowly add the water until you get a dough consistency. You may not need all 50ml.  If your dough is too wet just add more flour until rectified. 

- For square / rectangle crackers: 

Place the dough in the middle of a piece of baking paper the size of a large baking tray 

Put a matching size piece of baking paper over the top and with a rolling pin roll over the paper until the dough underneath is the desired thickness.  

Remove the top layer of paper and with a pizza cutter or knife cut the dough  into shapes. Carefully transfer into a baking tray lined with baking paper 

- For round thicker crackers:

Make small balls with your hands then place on the baking sheet. Either with a flat implement or your hand squash the ball down into a round shape 

- Bake  for approximately ten minutes until going golden in colour. They should be firm to the touch but not too hard as they will continue to crisp up when they come out the oven. 

Variations: 

Add 1/2 tsp caraway seeds for a 'rye' taste 

Add 2 crushed cloves of garlic and 1/3 tsp rosemary for Italian style crackers 

Chicken tagine.

This is a classic case of the tail wagging the dog.  I bought a tagine on a late night shop to TK Maxx and then had to find something to make in it!  Being a bozo I had forgotten that I now have an induction hob so I was forced to start this recipe off in my large frying pan and then transfer it over into the tagine in the oven. If you have a suitable tagine and hob, or want to make the whole dish in a shallow casserole dish, (you will need one with a lid), then you can avoid this step.

This is not an entry level dish for a fussy kid, but it is easy enough to separate out the different bits of it. For example my eldest had everything including the lemons but I separated the chicken out for my four year old and just hopefully placed a few kalamata olives separately on his plate.  He queried 'the green bits' a.k.a coriander but was happy to accept they were a bit of vegetable and no scraping of chicken was required.  When he first tasted the chicken he said 'this tastes ...(I waited with baited breath, it's now nearly seven o'clock and I have no back up dinner) ..'this tastes different' and proceeded to eat the lot.  And no 1 child had seconds. Hurrah! 

There are lots of fantastic Moroccan side dishes that would go with this but on a week night, cooking on my own, this ain't going to happen.  So I served it with steamed cauliflower and flat green beans.  We don't eat couscous so we had it with organic basmati rice and that soaked up the juices nicely. 

The longer you can marinate the chicken the better but even a couple of hours will work. 

I used a mix of pitted green olives and kalamata olives.  I think the fat purple olives worked the best but are a stronger taste for kids. 

Ingredients: 

4-6 chicken thighs 

1 large or 2 small onions (chopped)

4 cloves of garlic (crushed)

1 preserved lemon (deseeded and chopped finely)

Approx a dozen and half olives

1/2 tsp coriander 

1 level tsp cumin

1 heaped tsp ginger 

Salt and pepper 

2 handfuls of coriander (washed and chopped) 

2 tbsp olive oil 

500 ml of home made chicken stock or hot water 

Method 

- Mix the  oil, cumin, coriander and ginger into a paste 

- Rub the paste all over the chicken thighs and set aside in a covered dish to marinate. 

- When you are ready to cook the rest of the dish remove the chicken from the fridge to allow it to come to room temperature 

- if you are using the oven preheat it to 180c / Gas Mark 6

( If you are using an earthenware tagine put this in the oven immediately so that it can heat up slowly) 

- On a medium heat brown off the chicken (approximately five minutes on each side).   Set aside 

- Cook the onions for a couple of minutes on each side until softened and then add in the garlic and cook for another minute.

- ( Whilst the onion is cooking heat up the chicken stock in the pan allowing it to get to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Or boil a kettle if you are using water) 

 - Add in the chicken, half of the coriander, the lemon, the olives and the hot stock to the dish. Season with salt and pepper 

- Either simmer allow the dish to simmer on the stove for 45-60 minutes or transfer it into your tagine / casserole dish and put in the oven for approximately one hour until the chicken is cooked through and tender - it should be falling away from the bone. 

- Garnish with the rest of the coriander before serving 

Chocolate mousse (ssshh keep quiet about the avocado)

I would love my children to willingly eat avocado but there is not a hope in hell of that 'slimy' texture getting near their lips. However that texture is exactly what makes avocado such a great ingredient in chocolate mousse.

This is a throw it all in the processor kind of recipe.  Over time you will probably come to adjust ingredients to your palate adding more banana or honey for a sweeter palate or more cocoa/cacao for a stronger chocolate taste. 

I like the texture you get from the dates but if you are looking for a smooth texture (and unless your processor can achieve a very smooth date paste) you could leave them out, and add a little more honey if required.  

Raw cacao may be preferable from a nutritional point of view but the recipe works with pure cocoa powder too (I buy organic cocoa powder) 

In theory this should be chilled before frozen but I have eaten it straight from the bowl and if it's a last minute pudding when kids come round to tea I can't see they are going to complain about the temperature! 

Ingredients

6 dates 

6 ripe bananas (medium size) 

3 ripe avocados (medium size) 

2 tbsp honey (ideally raw or unpasteurised) 

1 level tbsp vanilla extract 

4 tbsp raw cacao or cocoa powder 

Method 

-Blend the dates in the food processor 

-Add the bananas and blend again 

-Prepare the avocado - cut in half, remove the stone and spoon out the flesh into the processor, avoiding any black bits 

-Add in the honey, vanilla extract and cocoa and blend to desired consistency 

-Divide into ramikins and cover with cling film (or small plastic pots with kids) and either chill in fridge or freeze for a few hours before serving. 

Looks pretty served with strawberry and mint

Fak'd bars - raw fruit,seed and nut flapjacks

My kids love Nakd bars and as ready made stuff goes I am happier for them to eat these than biscuits full of trans-fats, sugar and other nasties.  However I like the idea of using less sugar (even if it is natural fruit sugar) and more seeds.  Making your own also allows you to use seeds and nuts that have been previously soaked and dehydrated which reduces the phytic acid levels making them more easily digestible.

This first version went down well but the kids (ever honest) did point out that the commercial bars have cocoa and raisins. I have therefore agreed they may have been slightly misled under the trade description act and will try a cocoa version tomorrow! 

 I used the nut butter for added stickiness and almond flour for extra bulk but both these could be omitted if need be - stick in a handful more dates instead. 

Keep in the fridge so they maintain their shape.  Any crumbly bits would taste fab sprinkled over some natural yoghurt 

Ingredients 

200g pitted dates 

50g almond flour 

3 tbsp coconut oil 

1 tbsp honey 

2 tbsp nut butter (I used crunchy almond butter)

100g sunflower seeds

100g pumpkin seeds 

Method 

Mix the coconut oil, honey, dates and nut butter in the food processor until it makes a sticky paste 

For a chunky bar with whole seeds remove this mixture from the processor and in a bowl, mix in the seeds and flour by hand 

For a more blended taste add the seeds to the blender and mix until clumping into a ball / desired size of pieces 

Spoon the mixture into a baking tray lined with grease proof paper

Lay another piece of greaseproof paper on the top and press down by hand or with a rolling pin 

Put the covered tray into the fridge to chill for at least one hour then cut into pieces 

Beef casserole

This is a simple dish for the stress rich and time poor.  Undoubtedly there are more sophisticated dishes out there but this recipe proves how easy it is to make a delicious dinner when you are using proper stock and good quality ingredients like organic vegetables and grass fed beef.  Once you realise just how easy, you will never buy a stock cube again! 

If you are paleo / low starch this works well with roasted butternut squash or even just a generous portion of greens. In our house half go for this option and the other half for heavily (goats) buttered mash. Add some sauerkraut or pickles for fermented goodness!  

The ingredients below would make enough for a family of four but I would always double these as you then have another meal for another night. As with all casseroles it tastes even better made one day in advance. If I am organised enough I make this just before I have family or friends visiting for the weekend as its a good 'banker' to have prepared. 

If you want to give this dish a deeper flavour add in half a dozen chopped anchovies in at the same time as the vegetables.   The kids will never tell I promise! 

The method below involved browning the meat and sweating vegetables which does improve the flavour but all of these ingredients could just get bunged into a slow cooker if pushed for time (however I would then ensure the wine and stock have been heated in a pan till simmering to ensure there is enough heat to start the cooking process) 

Ingredients 

500-600g of shin of beef cut into inch size chunks 

1 large carrot (cut into batons) 

1 medium onion (cut in half and then sliced) 

1 stick of celery (finely chopped) 

Approx 1/4 bottle of red wine

500ml home made stock (beef is ideal, chicken will work) 

2 -3 bay leaves 

1 - 2 tbsp of organic or grass fed beef dripping (or ghee) 

Salt and pepper for seasoning 

Method 

Preheat the oven to 80C or the slow cook setting 

Chop the vegetables and set aside 

In an ovenproof casserole pot heat a tbsp of oil on a medium-hot hob and add in the beef.  Cook for a couple of minutes ensuring you stir it so the meat browns all over which will seal in the flavour. 

Remove the meat and add the vegetables to the pan, adding more oil if necessary 

Cook the vegetables for at least five minutes so they have softened then add the meat back in and stir

Add in the wine, stock, bay leaves and seasoning and bring back to heat until you get a vigorous simmer 

Cover the pot and put in the oven to cook for at least 6 hours. The meat will become more tender if left for eight. 

Guacamole

This is a world away from bland mushy shop bought guacamole.  It has a bit of a kick - it can easily be made more or less spicy by changing the amount of chilli used.

You could mash the avocado to create a very smooth texture but it also works well with a coarser finish with some small chunks of avocado. 

Ingredients 

2 ripe avocados 

1/4 of a medium onion   

Approx 1 inch of a green chilli (deseeded) 

1/2 tsp cider vinegar 

1tsp olive oil 

Small clove of garlic 

Salt 

Method

Roughly mash the avocado 

Crush the garlic 

Very finally chop the onion and chilli 

Combine all ingredients and add salt to taste 

Spaghetti bolognese (with added veg)

Most people can get together a spaghetti bolognese so the reason for including this recipe is because it includes lots of hidden vegetables that work well with the traditional recipe.  I quadruple the ingredients below and make a huge amount in a stock pot and then have 3/4 portions to freeze as well as that night's dinner.

I can't always afford or find organic meat but I would always buy organic mince from a supermarket or at least grass fed from a butcher as it is not a stupid price. It's important to get full fat mince - it tastes much better and fat is good for you! 

I make my own Italian mixed herbs by mixing together equal amounts of dried oregano, thyme, basil, sage and rosemary.  

I chop the vegetables quite finely because I don't want to draw too much attention to the mushroomsand courgettes with my four year old!  I don't grate or blend the vegetables as I still like the interesting texture of the vegetables and the meat but this is an option if you have children (or partners!) who baulk at any noticeable vegetable pieces or require a smooth texture. 

I cook this with olive oil as I keep everything at a fairly low temperature but if you don't wish to cook with olive oil you could use good quality beef dripping. 

Ideally the final meat sauce should be left simmering for at least half an hour to develop the taste but if you are in a rush to serve dinner it tastes fine after a ten minutes or so. 

We don't eat gluten so we use rice or buckwheat pasta but this would obviously work well with any pasta or as a filling for a lasagne. 

We serve with buttered green beans and or a salad and grated Parmesan. 

Ingredients 

500g beef 

1 large onion

1 red pepper 

1 courgette (optional) 

Approx 1/2 dozen mushrooms (double if small mushrooms) 

2 cloves of garlic 

1 tsp of Italian mixed herbs 

1 glass of red wine (optional) 

1/2 jar or 340g passata 

Seasoning to taste 

1 tbsp of tomato purée. 

Grated Parmesan (optional) 

Method

- Finely  chop up the vegetables 

- Heat up a couple of tbsp of olive oil or beef dripping in a large pan and gently cook the vegetables for approximately ten minutes until the onion has softened

- Add the garlic (crushed) and cook for two minutes, stirring continuously so garlic does not burn and become bitter 

- Add the meat, break up with the back of a wooden spoon and cook until meat browned.

- Add the passata, tomato puree, herbs, seasoning and wine 

Stir thoroughly and allow to simmer until it reaches your desired consistency.  This will also improve taste.   For us and this size portion this will be around half an hour. 

Chocolate birthday cake

So this was the first grain free chocolate cake I attempted and I left it until 8pm the night before my son's birthday so I was very relieved to find out it is delicious. (And firm enough to be cut into the requested batman shape!)

Before we were gluten free I used to make a Jamie Oliver chocolate cake which was reminiscent of chocolate orange and delicious so this cake has a lot to live up to!

I have researched recipes in the web and amalgamated two - always a risky manoeuvre. Most recipes seemed to favour coconut flour over almond flour so I have gone with that even though I generally prefer the texture of sponge from nut flours.

The second time I made this I doubled the portions for a bigger cake (but I only used 1.5 times bicarbonate of soda and 1/2 tsp salt).   My cake needed 55 minutes - best to cook for 50 and then check

Here goes!

Recipe

113g butter / ghee. (Could probably use olive oil or coconut oil as well)
6 large eggs
255 g honey
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp vanilla
90g cocoa
56g coconut flour
Zest of 2 oranges

Method

- Preheat the oven at 140c (fan) / Gm 3
- Sift the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl
- In a separate bowl beat the eggs until frothy
- On a low heat, melt the butter, vanilla and honey together. Add in the cocoa powder and stir.
- Put aside one third of the cocoa mixture in a bowl to make the topping later.
- Add the eggs into the flour and mix well until there are no lumps (coconut flour is harder work than normal flour!)
- Stir in the orange zest
- Add in 2/3 of the cocoa mixture you set aside earlier
- Pour into a 9 inch tin. Ensure the tin is well lined / greased as coconut flour can stick to the sides.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 40 mins or until a skewer comes out clean
- Allow to cool
- Spoon the remaining cocoa mixture over the top. If it is too thick it can be thinned out using some natural yoghurt

Bread - the best of the bunch (almond flour)

Bread is a very tricky subject if you are gluten free / grain free.   It is one of the few things my children said they missed (more than chocolate or sweets) and we spent a fortune trying different commercial breads that just didn't hit the mark.

As we are currently grain free we have no option but to make our own.  I have tried coconut flour, almond flour, GAPs bread, paleo bread etc.  I have ended up coming back to the one of the first recipes I found by Lois Lang, beautifully titled 'Lois Lang Luscious bread'.  I avoided the recipe initially because it required me to drain homemade yoghurt to make dry curd which just seemed like another faff in a long week of domestic faffery (soaking beans, making yoghurt etc).  However it really is worth it because this bread is the nearest I have found to normal bread - even my dad, will eat it!  The sourness of the yoghurt is a good contrast to the sweetness you get with almond flour which is what puts me off a lot of other nut 'bread' recipes.

However let's have some honesty here.  There are so many people raving about non-grain bread online but in reality they are still different and slightly more cake like in structure. For this reason I prefer this bread toasted and slathered in butter.  Then it is the perfect accompaniment to a soft boiled egg or some liver pate.  My son is very happy to have it fresh as a sandwich.  My husband likes cheese on toast.  My daughter likes it with jam.  Which kind of proves the point about family cooking - even the simplest meal requires variation to suit everyone's taste!!!

What is great about this recipe is it is easy to double up and freeze one.  You can also make one bread mixture but split in two, adding different herbs into both.  So for example I often use two 11b loaf tins and make one plain bread, and one with caraway which makes a yummy 'rye' bread which I find much more palatable untoasted.

I have reprinted the recipe here because although it is available online it is the American version and they (lucky buggers) can buy dry curd.  Also,  in the original recipe the 'dough' is quite firm where as with drained homemade yoghurt the mixture is a lot runnier.  I spent ages trying to sort this out until I realised it baked fine.

The measurements for making dry curd are approximate because it depends on how watery your homemade yoghurt is - I would always err on the side of using more as there is nothing worse than dripping something for 8 hours and not having enough!

'Rye' bread with caraway

To make the drained yoghurt or 'dry curd':

• Line a colander with a piece of muslim, a clean napkin or a teatowel.
• Place the colander in a bowl so that there is enough space between the colander and the bottom of the bowl for liquid to drip through
• Pour approximately 350ml of homemade yoghurt into the cloth. Cover with a plate or cloth
• Leave for 8 hours for the whey to drip through the cloth. (Do not need to refrigerate) You are left with a thick creamy 'dry curd

To make the bread 


Ingredients

250g almond flour
70g of melted butter (or ghee)
245g drained homemade yoghurt
1 tsp of baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 medium eggs

Method 

• Preheat oven to 350c / Gas Mark 4
• Put the eggs, yoghurt, baking soda, salt and melted butter in a food processor and blend till smooth.  
• Add in the almond flour and mix well
• Pour into one lined 21b loaf tin and bake for 1 hour in the middle of the oven.  Alternatively separate into two 1 1b loaf tins and cook for 45 mins.
• Check that a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
• When cooked take out of the tin and leave to cool on a rack 
• 
  

Variations:
Based on one  21b loaf  - adjust accordingly for smaller / double loaves

• 1 tbsp of caraway seeds to create a 'rye' bread
• 2 tbsp of linseed or flax seed 
• 75 grams of dried fruit (with an optional 2 tbsp of honey) to create a tea bread 

Chicken soup

Here is a basic chicken soup recipe with some carbs which can be severely lacking on GAPS or SCD if you are not careful!

This is great if you have had a tummy bug or just feel your digestion needs a rest.  I have suggested an amount of stock but basically you fill the pan to what you feel depending on whether you like a thick or thin soup.  I like to have it chunky but the kids prefer it blended.

I poach a chicken and then use the stock and meat from this to make double portions of this.  It's a handy lunch for my husband and I to have on school days when the kids take a packed lunch.  You could throw in some chillies or other ingredients as desired.

Ingredients

1-1.5 litres of chicken stock (homemade ideally)
Cooked chicken chopped into small pieces including chicken skin (approximately a handful per person, more if you want a thicker soup)
1/2 butternut squash
1 large onion
3 medium carrots
1/2 broccoli (optional)  Stalk removed
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Cut up the carrots and squash into small chunks.
• Break the cauliflower into small florets
• Chop the onion finely
• Put all the vegetables in a pan and add the chicken stock 
• Bring to a boil then simmer for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are just tender
• Add the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes
• Ensure chicken is piping hot before serving 

Fairy cakes / basic cake recipe

This recipe is my go to recipe for plain sponge cakes.  They can be frozen and put in lunch boxes or jazzed up for parties.  You can add dried fruit, lemon, blueberries, chopped nuts to taste.

I also like to use lemon which lifts the taste of the sponge which is heavier than a traditional sponge by virtue of the nut flour. (This can be missed out) 

They are totally edible with 3 eggs but the 4th egg makes for a lighter cake. 

Sponge is quite tricky with nut flour, it is common for cakes to not rise well or to burnt on the top and still wet inside but this is (fingers crossed) a failsafe.

Ingredients

250g almond flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
3 or 4 large eggs
45 grams melted butter 
80ml honey 
1 tbsp vanilla extract 
Zest of one lemon (optional) 
2 tbsp of lemon juice (optional) 


Instructions

• Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3 / 170C  (put butter in heat proof bowl in oven to melt)
• Mix the eggs in the food processor
• Add the butter, honey, vanilla and lemon and mix again.
• Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large mixing bowl
• Slowly add the dry ingredients into the processor.  The mixture will look very wet
• Fill muffin cases to about half way
• Put in the middle or lower part of the oven for approximately 20 minutes until they are golden brown and springy on top (or a cocktail stick inserted into the cake comes out clean) 

Spicy fried 'rice' (aka cauliflower but don't tell the kids)

When I originally wrote this post we were grain free - we now have rice again but still enjoy cauliflower rice as a lighter alternative.

Rice was always one of our favourites and fried rice was a weekly staple.  When I saw you could make mock rice with cauliflower I never believed this would fool my kids. However due to the addition of peas and spices they have never guessed it is vegetable based, let alone the dreaded cauliflower. Although it is called spicy rice it simply has flavour - there is no off putting hotness.  However if you are all hardened curry fans you could up the curry powder or add in some chillies.

It does require a bit of faffing about getting the water out of the cauliflower but honestly, its worth it when the kids eat it all and ask for more!

I have specified when to add curry powder, peas etc but have often forgot the order when trying to cook and do homework with kids and it still works fine.  The most important thing is to ensure the onions are soft before adding the cauliflower and not being shy with the oil. (It's a very healthy oil and a good way to get the right kind of calories into kids)

What I love about this dish is you can very easily serve the kids and then reheat later for adults, throwing in some additional chillies or serving with a chilli sauce for more adult palates.  It goes well with roast chicken, chops, even oily fish like mackerel and salmon.

We make it using coconut oil.  If you are not following GAPS  you could use olive oil (be careful with the heat)

We use a ready made curry powder because we can buy it from a local store where we trust it has no hidden ingredients.

Ingredients

1 cauliflower
1 onion, chopped (can use red or white but my kids object to red)
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp of medium curry powder
Peas (enough for a decent portion per person)
Salt and pepper to taste
Coconut oil for frying

Recipe
1.  Wash and dry the cauliflower.  Whizz it up in food processor
2.  Using kitchen paper or a clean tea towel pat the cauliflower to remove some water
3.  Heat at least 2 tbsp of coconut oil in a wok. Once hot reduce to a low to medium heat
4.  Fry the onion for a few minutes until it is starting to go translucent.  Add the garlic and the curry powder and add for a few minutes.
5.  When the onions are soft add in the cauliflower.  You may need to add more oil. Cook for 5 minutes.  In another pan bring some peas to the boil and then drain.
6 Add the peas to the cauliflower and season.
7. Cook for another few minutes until the cauliflower tastes soft and cooked (I have found this can vary from cauliflower to cauliflower and heat used etc so it  is always best to go with what tastes right rather than rely on an exact timing)

Fabulous fish bites

I applaud parents who can get their children to eat plain fish.  Mine both did as babies but now will only eat fish fingers or smoked salmon. This can be tricky if you are gluten or grain free!  So I was delighted when we discovered that home-made fish fingers made with almond flour were delicious - both kids asked for seconds.  If you don't eat potatoes these could be served with celeriac chips but my kids are also happy just to have a big portion of vegetables.  (If you are trying to get soup or bone broth into your kids this dish also goes well with a mug of homemade tomato soup)

You could use plain flour if you tolerate gluten but almond flour is slightly sweeter than standard flour and works well - the resultant crumb has a similar taste to the ones you can buy in the supermarket which is handy for fussy kids.

We use cod or haddock. I also like coley but the kids find the taste too strong. Salmon would probably work too.

We fry them in grass fed beef dripping - you could use olive oil if you are happy to use that for high temperature cooking.  If we have veggie friends over we use ghee.

When we buy fish from fishmongers that has expertly boned we find we can make almost perfectly shaped fingers. Or we buy cod cheeks from our local fishmonger Out of the Blue.  They are succulent and really good value because a lot of people don't want such small pieces of fish.  They are also very easy as there is no chopping involved! If it's a fish my dad has caught that I have to prep we end up with very odd shaped bites but they still taste great!

Ingredients

Approx 100g almond flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg (can manage without if cupboard is bare!)
1 fillet of fish per person cut roughly into chunks or 150-200g of cod cheeks per person
Beef dripping (ideally organic or grass fed)


Instructions

• Either put the flour and seasoning in a bag and add in the fish pieces giving them a good shake until they are coated in flour, or dip fish in egg then into a plate with the flour and seasoning
• Add to a hot frying pan with plenty of beef dripping
• Cook for a couple of minutes on each side until the fish is cooked and outside crispy

Buckwheat Soda Bread

Buckwheat Soda Bread 

Buckwheat flour (not related to wheat and gluten free) has been a godsend for me as I love bread and since stopping gluten have got heartily sick of oatcakes every lunchtime.  I have tried making bread with nut flour and it has not gone down well.

This is fantastic with goats cheese or hummus or with jam.  Buckwheat does have a distinctive aftertaste and has an unusual tinge  (my daughter wont try it because of the colour) so maybe best not to bulk buy the flour until you have tried it! However I think it would go down really well at a dinner party as it looks like a posh artisan bread and has a nice consistency.

Click here for the recipe from the Dove's Farm website

We use water instead of milk as we were advised this would make it lighter.  This also makes it dairy free.

To be truly gluten free it is best to check your baking powder is gluten free.  As we are trying to move closer to the SCD Diet which prohibits commercial baking powder we make our own from cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda.  You use 2 parts cream of tartar to one part bicarbonate of soda.

Buckwheat flour by Dove's Farm and widely available.  However Dove's Farm say this flour, although itself gluten free, cannot be guaranteed gluten free as it may be grown next to wheat.  If you are concerned about this you can buy guaranteed gluten free buckwheat flour online (including at http://www.healthysupplies.co.uk/buckwheat-flour.html)