Coconut and chocolate brownies

An afternoon of recipe testing resulted in these – passed the husband taste bud test!

20160522_200922Preheat the oven to 190c / Gas 5. Line a 20cm square brownie tin with baking paper

Ingredients:

115 g coconut oil                                                          1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs                                                                   1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

150 g light muscovado sugar                                    60 g coconut flour

40 g buckwheat flour

100 g dark chocolate 85% chopped in to small pieces

Method:

If the coconut oil is not melted, place over a pan of simmering water to melt it.Put all ingredients (except chocolate) in to a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the chocolate and gently stir in. Pour the mixture in to the tin. Bake for 20-25 mins, until risen and firm around the edges. cut when cold – if stored in the fridge the coconut oil will set into a truffle type consistency.

Stem ginger biscuits

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Latest round of recipe testing has resulted in these gluten-free stem ginger biscuits. They passed the work colleagues taste bud test today 🙂

Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 180c  / gas mark 4. Makes about 16 biscuits.

Ingredients:

200 g gluten-free self-raising flour

150 g light muscovado sugar

150 g butter

2 eggs (1 if using non gf fl)

1 tbsp ground ginger

35 g stem ginger chopped in to small pieces

Method:

Put the butter and sugar in to a pan on a low heat until butter melted. Remove from heat and add all remaining ingredients and mix well together. Place heaped desert spoonfuls of mixture evenly spaced on a greased  baking sheet. Press each mound down with the palm of your hand until about 1/2 cm thick. Put in centre of oven for 12-15 minutes or untill golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before transferring to cooling rack.

Perfect served with a cup of tea.

Asparagus, Asparagus, Asparagus

Such a delicious addition / focus of many a dish. I find the quickest and easiest way to cook it is to pan fry it – in coconut oil. Stir occasionally to ensure coated in the oil. It takes 5 – 10 mins on a high heat. 20160326_140310

Here are several different ways we eat it:

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With butter sautéed button mushrooms – sprinkled with parmesan – starter or main.

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Served with quail eggs and sprinkled with parmesan – a delicious combination of flavours. Perfect as a starter – 3 eggs and 5 stems or main dish.

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Served with quail eggs, roasted salmon, tomatoes and a Greek yoghurt and chilli flake dip.

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Cold in a salad – here with sprouted brown chick peas, tomatoes and mozzarella on a bed of watercress.

…and probably my favourite…

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Served on gluten-free muffins with poached free range eggs and serves with a generous dollop of hollandaise sauce.

Quinoa tabbouleh topped with free range eggs

A simple one pan dish

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Ingredients:

1 cup of quinoa well rinsed, cooked and drained

1 red onion – chopped

2 peppers – roughly chopped

Handful of kale

Tamari (soy sauce if not needing gf)

1 – 2 tsp Garam masala

Coconut oil

2 free range eggs per person

Method

In a large frying pan, saute the onions and peppers in coconut oil. Add Garam Masala and the kale. Cook until the veg is the desired crunch. Add the cooked quinoa and generous splash of Tamari. Once heated through, crack the eggs in to small wells and cook until desired consistency.

 

 

Cheese stuffed baked smoked cod

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This is so simple to make and absolutely delicious.

Pre heat oven to Gas mark 5 / 190 c

Ingredients:

1 fillet of smoked cod per person

Gruyère cheese

Fresh dill

Method:

Simply mix some chopped dill with the Gruyère cheese. Spread a layer on to the underside of the cod fillet and roll up. Secure with a stick.

Wrap loosely in tin foil and place on a baking tray. Cook in the centre of the oven for 10 – 15 minutes.

I served this with in season new potatoes, quail eggs from my lovely ladies and pan-fried asparagus topped with parmesan.

 

Pea and feta fritter

Ingredients:

Cup full of frozen peas – cooked and cooled

1 red chilli – deseeded and finely chopped

3 spring onions finely chopped

Juice of half a lemon

100 ml of milk

Gluten free plain flour

3 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

Seasoning – salt, pepper, 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Small block of feta cheese cut in to small chunks

Method:

Put milk, eggs and lemon juice into a jug and mix well. Add onions, chilli, peas and seasoning and baking soda. Add a tbsp at a time of flour and mix well. Continue to add flour until a thick batter consistency achieved.

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Heat and lightly oil (coconut oil or olive oil) a frying pan or griddle and spoon mixture on to the heated surface. Cook for a couple of minutes on each side until golden.

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Serve with home-made dip of cucumber chopped in to small cubes and mixed with Greek yoghurt.

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Salad – quail eggs, fresh figs, mozzarella and tomatoes

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There is something so delicious about fresh figs in a salad. Quail eggs are little powerhouse packets of goodness – I am so lucky to have my own hardworking ladies.

I served this salad on a gluten free wrap  and added shredded cabbage, onion and carrots- once rolled was difficult to eat but well worth the challenge!