Tag Archives: diet

Simnel Cake (gf)

Posted in Aga cooking, cake, eggs, food, food is medicine, fruit, gluten free, home baking, home cooking, Uncategorized by

A deliciously rich fruit cake with the hidden yumminess of 2 layers of marzipan

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Grease and line an 20 cm deep cake tin. Preheat oven to Gas mark 2 / 150 C

Ingredients:

675 g dried fruit – I use a combination of sultanas, raisins, currants, mixed peel and a handful of glace cherries (washed, cut in half and dried.

225 g plain gluten-free flour

160 g butter – softened

150 g muscovado sugar

5 eggs (4 if using non gf flour)

500 g marzipan (if I have time or the inclination I make my own but shop bought works just as well) split in to 4. 3 pieces rolled out to the size of the cake tin diameter and 1 piece divided in to 11 balls

Apricot jam – optional

Method:

Put all the ingredients ( except dried fruit and marzipan) in to a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the fruit and stir until completely mixed.

Put 1/3 of the mixture in to the cake tin and level. Add one of the marzipan circles. Add the second 1//3 of the cake mixture, level and place another marzipan circle on top. Finally add the final 1/3 of the cake mixture. Level and place in the cool oven for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours. When a skewer comes out clean increase the oven temperature to Gas Mark 4 / 180 C and cook for  10 mins to allow the cake to turn a rich brown colour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin.

Once cool, remove and cover the top of the cake with the marzipan circle (some people use an apricot jam glaze as ‘glue’ – I don’t find this necessary). Place the 11 marzipan balls on top. Using a grill or blow torch (much more fun!) heat the marzipan until it bubbles and turns brown on the top.

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Missed opportunity!

Posted in Aga cooking, cake, food, food is medicine, fruit, gluten free, Uncategorized by

Yesterday was Easter Sunday for which the tradition of sharing eggs has been in my family since my earliest memory. As a child, I delighted in the hunting for eggs hidden in the garden and around the house. I then enjoyed eating my way through the Easter egg tower of gifted chocolate. Then as an adult and as a mummy, I relished the continuation of all the traditions with my own family, adding new additions and tweaks.

So…it was with a little bit of shock that I realised (following a conversation with my brother last night about the amount of chocolate he had consumed) that I did not eat a single piece…not one little morsel…of chocolate yesterday!! Not only that, but there isn’t a single bit of chocolate in the house for me to make up for lost time today.

One tradition I did at least adhere to (to the delight of my husband) was the making of a Simnel Cake – there is something truly scrumptious about layers of marzipan hidden within a fruit cake. This simple cake itself brings traditions in my household- my elder daughter only eats the marzipan topping and ‘disciple’, my younger daughter the cake and marzipan topping but not the ‘disciple’ and my husband devours it all!

 

What traditions do you and your families have at Easter?

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All a bit bonkers…

Posted in beating cancer, breast cancer, cancer, cancer treatment, chemotherapy, food, food is medicine, fructose free, functional food, gluten free, healthy eating, positive mind, Uncategorized by

This is going to seem to be a bit bonkers…

I have only just realised; I have had cancer.

People who know me will probably think that I have finally lost the plot. They know I was diagnosed last July. Since then I have existed within a whirlwind of tests, operation, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, weekly and sometimes daily visits to the cancer hospital, visits to my own doctor, visits to district nurses, etc.

Throughout all of this I haven’t really had time to think…or been able to think. It was during my penultimate visit for radiotherapy treatment (18/19 treatments on 9th February) that the reality hit me – like a sledgehammer. I then did what I had vowed I would never do – spent a week wallowing in self pity and ‘woe is me’ mode.

Now it is all about moving forward. Yes, I still have reminders of the treatment – operation scars, nails falling off, aching bones and joints, burned skin – but… my body is recovering and the signs are clear. I have a covering of hair on my head, eyelashes and eyebrows are returning and my energy levels are increasing.

During treatment my diet changed. Partly due to taste buds; partly due to the fact that many of my staple foods were banned (sprouted legumes, kefir, salads) and partly because somedays eating anything was better than eating nothing.

It is time to recalibrate.

Here is to the healthy me 🙂

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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Apricot, mixed seed and oat bars (gf) 

Posted in Aga cooking, cake, dairy free, food, food is medicine, functional food, gluten free, healthy eating, home baking, home cooking, recipe, specialised diet, Uncategorized by

Quick and easy to make and perfect as an energy bar or snack .

Preheat oven to 160c /gas mark 3  Lightly  grease a 20cm square tin.

Ingredients:

125 g butter                          100 g dried apricots – chopped

100 g muscovado sugar    50 g linseed

125 g peanut butter           50 g pumpkin seeds

200 g porridge oats           50 g sesame seeds

25 g honey                            lemon / orange rind

Method:

Put butter, sugar and honey in a large pan and onto  a low heat. Stir until melted.  Remove from the heat and add all the other ingredients. Mix well. Put in to the tin and press down. Cook for about 30 mins. Leave to cool in the tin – when warm to touch cut in to slices in the tin.  Leave until cold before lifting the pieces  out.

Banana, orange and currant gluten free mini bundt cakes 

I do love a bundt cake – makes an ordinary cake look so pretty. i was thrilled when I discovered the mini bundt tins 🙂  Of course these would be just as tasty in cupcake tins.

Preheat oven 180 c / Gas 5   Makes 12

Ingredients:

140 g butter                                    1 banana mashed

120 g muscovado sugar               Rind of an orange

170 g gluten-free self-raising flour       1/2 cup currants

4 eggs (3 if using non gf flour)

Method:

Put all the ingredients in to a bowl and mix thoroughly. Spoon the mixture in to the tins and  bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

 

Food traditions

Posted in Aga cooking, cake, food, home baking, home cooking, recipe, Uncategorized by

I was making the Christmas cake last week (late, I know but circumstances have meant it has taken me longer to get around to it) when a friend came to visit. All the ingredients were in the bowl and the final mixing was taking place. I invited my friend to have a stir and make a wish. This intrigued her. She had never heard of this tradition – something I have done since … well since I can remember. In fact we used to queue up to stir the cake and make a wish at my primary school. Interestingly another friend arrived shortly after and promptly stirred and made a wish – she too followed has followed this tradition.

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This brought the conversation around to other food traditions – such as using the top tier of a wedding cake as the Christening cake. Again, first visitor had not heard of this. I wonder whether this is dying out with the advent of cupcake wedding cakes etc.

I don’t think I have made these up and I don’t think they are traditions peculiar to our family household…unless you tell me otherwise! I know we do have our own traditions – one of my daughters has to have mint jelly with her Christmas dinner and has done so since being very young (now 28).If I was to forget this – well –  I don’t know what would happen.

Just wondering what foodie traditions you have in your household…?

Roasted vegetables, watercress and chicken soup

I always make this type of soup using leftovers. When I make a roast dinner or a dish involving roast vegetables I ensure there are some leftover to make soup the next day. Perfect if the roast was chicken as the scraps can be added to the soup and the carcass can be boiled / simmered to make a nutritious stock.

So, to a few leftover roasted vegetables – including potatoes – I add a bag of watercress and pint of stock. I simmer this for 10 minutes, blitz and then add the chicken scraps. Quick. Easy. Delicious.