Showing posts from: February 2012
Monday, 27 February 2012

Some like it hot………..

Kumara (sweet potato) and lentil curry
Hmmmm, so it doesn’tlook  too pretty does it. Brown, yellow and green does not a great photo make, butpromise me you will try this recipe! The combination of flavours in this curryare gorgeous, and of course you can vary the heat in it by adjusting the spices depending on preference.I am a medium curry kind of girl myself. I can’t see the point in something so hot and spicyyou can’t actually taste the flavours!
Kumara and Lentil curry.
To make this dishyou will need
4 cups of kumarachopped into small cubes
1.5 cups of brown lentils.(mine are from a can, I am all about speed)
1 brown onion finelychopped
3 tsp minced garlic
4 cups vegetable stock
Olive Oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp garam masala
1.5 tsp curry powder
Salt and pepper totaste
1 bay leaf
2 handfuls of choppedfresh spinach
 Instructions
  • In a large saucepan heat oil, and sauté your onion
  • Add garlic, ginger, garam masala and curry powder and stir for approx one minute
  • Pour in vegetable stock, and add kumara, lentils and bay leaf.
  • Bring mixture to the boil and simmer for approximately 25 mins
  • Add in chopped spinach and salt and pepper.
  • Continue to simmer mixture again until the Kumara and lentils are cooked.
  • Serve with chopped coriander on top.
Et Voila! One super simple, fragrant and remarkably delicious curry.
Just in case you wanted a tiny bit more persuasion to get cooking – this is really healthy.
The Kumara is full of vitamin C, iron, potassium and calcium and the coloured skin and fleshof kumara is full of phytonutrients. The lentils of course are full offibre, protein, folate and vitamin B1, and the green leafy spinach is chockfull of calcium, folic acid, vitamin K and ironscombined with and fibre. Convinced yet?
Go on …..do it. Then let me know how you go.
Question – A completely random one today! If you had to give up twitter or facebook which one would it be?
Monday, 20 February 2012

Applesauce Muffins

“I am going to bake some muffins” I announced last night. There was a stunned silence followed by a delighted and slightly incredulous “Really? That’s fantastic” from my husband. “Yep and they are going to be gluten and dairy free” I replied. “Excellent, sounds delicious” he muttered through gritted teeth with much less excitement.

But I showed him!

These little beauties really are delicious, and so quick to make. Muffins have always been something I avoided baking, especially fruit muffins as catering to dairy free diets and now gluten free as well seemed a bit tricky. Add to that the fact that the only person in the family who doesn’t have a food allergy has a hatred of cooked fruit, and it all seemed to hard.
However yesteday as I was cleaning out my desperately in need of a throw out fridge I found a jar of applesauce. Eureka!

With a bit of trepidation in spite of my bravado I started concocting. And here is the result – really tasty gluten free, dairy free and chunky cooked fruit free muffins. Enjoy.

You will need
2 cups gluten free flour
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup soy or almond milk. (I used soy)
1/2 cup Applesauce
1/3 cup Maple syrup
1/4 cup golden syrup
1 egg. ( I made this for my children who are not vegan. You could of course use an egg replacer to veganise)

Directions
1. Mix your dry ingredients into a bowl
2. Mix your wet ingredients into a seperate bowl
3. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. I like to leave the batter a tiny bit lumpy.
4.Grease a muffin tray. (I used vegan spread )
5. Dollop (my favourite word) your mixture into the muffin tray
Bake at 170 degrees celcius for 20 mins
6. Gloat because your muffins are dairy free, gluten free and really tasty.

Question: What is your favourite gluten and dairy free baking recipe. Do send a link if you have one.

cheers
Ali