Category Archives: mains

Moussaka (vegan + gf)

Posted in dairy free, eating disorder, food, food is medicine, functional food, gluten free, healthy eating, healthy fats, home cooking, mains, meat free, recipe, recovery, specialised diet, Uncategorized, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian by

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This dish is a complete meal in itself.

Preheat oven 180 C Gas mark 5

Ingredients:

4 medium / large potatoes

1 onion slices

Packet of vege mince 454 g

500 g carton passata

2 aubergines sliced

1 tsp mixed spice

black pepper

chilli flakes

olive oil

Sauce:

50 g vegan butter

3 tbsps flour (gf)

Approx 400 ml non dairy milk

Method:

Boil the potatoes until just tender. When cooled – slice thickly.

Brush the aubergine slices with a little olive oil and pan fry for 2-3 mins on each side.

Fry the onions until soft and add the vege mince, mixed spice, black pepper and passata.

Make the white sauce – thick pouring consistency

Grease the bottom of a large oven proof dish.

Create a layer of aubergine, potato and then mince mix. Continue to create layers until all ingredients used. Top with the sauce. Sprinkle chilli flakes over the surface.

Put in the oven for 20-30 mins until piping hot.

 

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Cauliflower, cashew nut and mushroom curry (vegan)

Posted in dairy free, food, food is medicine, fructose free, functional food, gluten free, healthy eating, healthy fats, home cooking, mains, meat free, recipe, turmeric, Uncategorized, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian by

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This is a really quick, easy and delicious dish served up with rice or quinoa, poppadoms and mango chutney. It involves very little preparation – a winner in my opinion!!

Serves 3-4 Cooking time 40-50 minutes

Ingredients:

300 g white mushrooms – quartered   2 tsp ground cumin

Medium cauliflower cut into small florets   1 tsp chilli powder

Large tin 400 g chopped tomatoes + 1/2 tin of water   1 tsp turmeric

Large tin 400 g chick peas   1 tsp garlic powder

Large cup of cashew nuts   1 tsp cayenne pepper

Method:

Put all the ingredients in to a large pan, cover and simmer (stirring occasionally) until the cauliflower is tender.

Salmon, leek and spinach lasagne.

Posted in Aga cooking, cheese, coeliac, Fish, food, food is medicine, functional food, gluten free, home cooking, mains, meat free, pescatarian, recipe, superfood, Uncategorized, vegetables by

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Serves 6

Heat oven to 180 C / Gas 4

Grease a lasagne dish

Ingredients:

125 g butter

100 g plain flour (gf or non gf)

1 l semi skimmed milk (a bit more may be needed if sauce too thick)

1 leek cut in to thin strips

500 g baby spinach

4 fillet portions of salmon – baked in foil for 15 minutes and flaked

400 g cheddar cheese – grated

2 cloves of garlic – crushed

4 sprigs of dill – chopped

Salt and pepper

10-12 sheets of lasagne – gf / non gf

Method:

Using 125 g of butter, flour and the milk make a bechamel / white sauce.

Melt the remaining butter in a pan and cook the leeks for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the spinach leaves (a handful at a time) and the garlic and cook until the spinach has wilted. Drain off any excess liquid.

Assemble the lasagne – spread 1/4 of sauce over the bottom of the dish. Place lasagne sheets on top. Top with half of the leek / spinach mix and half of the flaked salmon.

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Sprinkle with a third of the cheese. Repeat – 1/4 of sauce, lasagne, greens, salmon and cheese.

Top with 1/4 of sauce , lasagne, remainder of sauce and grated cheese.

Cook for 45 minutes or until golden.

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Sprinkle the dill over the top and serve with garlic flatbreads and a green salad.

Cauliflower and walnut soup

Posted in Aga cooking, drink, food, food is medicine, fructose free, functional food, gluten free, healthy eating, home cooking, magimix, mains, meat free, paprika, superfood, Uncategorized, vegetables, vegetarian by

It’s that time of year… when a bowl of soup is always welcome.  This recipe is a firm favourite in our household. It is one of the easiest soups to make.

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Ingredients:

1 medium cauliflower – separated into florets            2 cups of stock – vegetable / chicken

1 large onion – coarsely chopped                                    2 cups of milk

1 large handful of walnut pieces                                     2 tsps paprika

Black pepper

Method:

Put the cauliflower florets, chopped onion   and stock into a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes until soft. Add the milk, paprika, black pepper and walnuts and

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simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, blend and serve.

I serve with a sprinkling of black pepper and a dash of tabasco.

 

Cheesy leeks / kale

Posted in Aga cooking, cheese, eating disorder, food, food is medicine, fructose free, functional food, gluten free, healthy eating, home cooking, mains, meat free, recipe, specialised diet, starter, Uncategorized, vegetables, vegetarian by

I have two different methods to make this…both incredibly quick and equally tasty. Which method I use depends on what is in my fridge. I use leeks and / or kale.

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Cheesy leeks and kale served on gluten-free toast with sweet piquante peppers

The quantities given serve 2

Recipe 1:

Ingredients:

2 leeks – sliced / 1 leek – sliced and large handful of kale – torn away from the thick stalks / 2 large handfuls of kale

Knob of butter

3-4 tbsp of water

4 tbsp cream cheese

Method:

Melt the butter and toss the prepared vegetables in the hot butter. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add the water, cover and leave on a moderate heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the desired texture. Add the cream cheese and stir until thoroughly dispersed and heated through. Serve.

Recipe 2:

Ingredients:

2 leeks – sliced / 1 leek – sliced and large handful of kale – torn away from the thick stalk / 2 large handfuls of kale

Knob of butter

3-4 tbsp of water

4 tbsp creme fraiche

handful of grated cheese

Method:

Melt the butter and toss the prepared vegetables in the hot butter. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add the water, cover and leave on a moderate heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the desired texture. Add the creme fraiche and grated cheese and stir until thoroughly dispersed and heated through. Serve.

 

 

 

Chick pea and lentil stew

This is a really quick dish to make and is delicious on its own or with crusty bread and a salad or baked potato.

Ingredients:

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Can of chick peas – drained

Small butternut squash peeled and cubed

Onion – finely chopped                 Olive oil

2 cups of red lentils                        1 tsp ginger

Carton of passata                            1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp turmeric                                  500 ml vegetable stock

Method:

Fry the onions until soft. Add the spices and heat for another minute. Add all the other ingredients and simmer until the lentils are soft.

 

Vegetarian /vegan pie – ‘cottage’ pie made with mushrooms

Posted in Aga cooking, casserole, coconut oil, coeliac, eating disorder, food, food is medicine, functional food, gluten free, healthy eating, home cooking, mains, meat free, recipe, specialised diet, superfood, Uncategorized, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian by

Don’t let the title deter you if you are a meat eater. My husband, who thoroughly enjoys eating meat, really likes this dish – always goes back for another helping – and frequently requests it.

Preheat oven to 190C / Gas mark 5

Ingredients:

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1 large onion – coarse chopped

1 large punnet of Chestnut mushrooms – chopped in half

2 cups of red lentils

1 large can of chick peas – drained

5 tbsp red wine vinegar

Small jar of sun-dried tomatoes

5-6 sweet potatoes

Coconut oil for frying

3/4 – 1 pint of vegetable stock

Grated dairy / vegan cheese – optional

Black pepper – optional

Method: 

Peel and chop the sweet potatoes – cover with water and boil until cooked. Drain and mash.

Fry the onions in the coconut oil until soft. Add the mushrooms, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, lentils, vinegar and stock and simmer gently until the lentils are soft adding more stock if required. The mixture should be of a thick consistency.

Put the mixture in to an oven proof dish and top with mashed potato.Sprinkle with grated cheese and black pepper. Place in the oven for 25-30 mins until heated throughout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eggs – quick and hassle free dishes

Posted in Aga cooking, beating cancer, eggs, food, food is medicine, functional food, gluten free, healthy eating, home cooking, mains, recipe, superfood, Uncategorized by

People who know me know that my cooking style is minimum effort but hopefully maximum taste. I am lucky enough to have a small group of my own ladies pecking about in my garden. From them I get a plentiful and daily supply of wonderful power houses of goodness. I adore eggs – scrambled, poached, fried, omelettes, frittatas, Benedict, souffles, Huevos Rancheros, in cakes etc. but I do enjoy trying them in different ways.

Recently I have served all in one breakfast  / dinner dishes – the one pot cooking and washing up dream 🙂  I heartily recommend this approach.

  1. Sausages and fried onion – gf sausages cooked in the tin, add the chopped onion and when all cooked add the egg mixture.
  2. Sausages,Stornaway black pudding, asparagus and tomatoes  – gf sausages and black pudding cooked in the tin. Egg mixture added and then when nearly cooked tomatoes and coconut fried asparagus placed on the top and returned to the oven
  3. Sausage, mushroom and tomato – gf sausages cooked in the tin and mushrooms and tomatoes added. When all cooked add egg mixture.

I have also served up my eggy combinations as breakfast muffins – all ingredients mixed together and baked in muffin tins – bacon rashers cooked first and chopped in to pieces and added to egg mixture, spinach and black pepper.

Serving suggestion – grilled plum tomatoes, avocado and hot buttered toast.

Venison Casserole

Posted in Aga cooking, casserole, food, food is medicine, gluten free, healthy eating, home cooking, mains, meat, Uncategorized, vegetables by

A rich casserole – further enhanced by the addition of dumplings. Perfect for a slow cooker / Aga.

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Ingredients:

500 g venison – diced into bite sized chunks                           Olive oil for frying

1 large onion – coarsely chopped

2 carrots peeled and chopped

2/3 tbsp plain flour (I use gluten-free)

2/3 tbsp redcurrant sauce / jelly (cranberry tastes equally as good)

Red wine – 1 cup full

Water

Method:

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Fry the onions and venison for a couple of minutes to soften the onions and seal the meat

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Add chopped carrots

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Add flour and stir thoroughly

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Add wine, redcurrant jelly / sauce and sufficient water to cover the ingredients

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once all ingredients are in the pan pop the lid on and put in the oven and cook on a low heat for a couple of hours  – the longer the better (I leave it in the bottom oven of the Aga all day). One hour before serving increase the temperature of the oven to Gas Mark 5 / 180 C and then after half an hour remove the lid (and add the dumplings) to allow the gravy to thicken.

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Chilli roasted vegetables 

We eat roasted vegetables at least once a week. It is such a versatile dish and one that involves minimum effort – perfect 🙂

Invariably we have it as a supporting dish but it is worthy of being a main dish.

This dish posted is simply an assortment of vegetables – carrots, parsnips, peppers and sprouts – roasted in a drizzle of coconut oil for about 40 minutes with the occasionally gentle turning.Then I mixed in a tin of chopped tomatoes and a generous tsp of chilli powder and  topped with grated cheese. Back in to the oven to heat through. Serve with crusty bread.