Walnut, gorgonzola and cranberry salad - contains dairy (cheese)

Serves +- 2. I don't have fixed quantities for the salad itself (I do for the dressing) so feel free to adjust

1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup cranberries
few slices of gorgonzola, cut into smallish pieces
salad leaves
cucumber slices (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
Use a flat platter so you can lay the toppings out over the leaves. Lay lettuce leaves on platter and layer the cucumber, walnut, gorgonzola and cranberries.

SALAD DRESSING
1tbs white vinegar
1tbs raspberry vinegar/vinaigrette
1tbs olive oil

Mix and pour over salad. Sometimes I place lettuce leaves in bowl and drizzle with dressing, mix it up so leaves are coated and then place leaves on platter. I then make another batch of dressing and pour over the salad.

Even more delicious if the walnut are coated in sugar to make candied walnuts. I do this if we have guests, but not when cooking for myself - still good without all the sugar. To make candied walnuts, put same amount of brown sugar as walnuts in a frying pan and heat to melt sugar. Be very careful they don't burn. Crumble and top salad.

Banana and coconut dessert - quick and easy

Delicious and so simple. Serves 2

3 bananas
1/2 tin coconut milk

Bring coconut milk to boil.
Slice bananas lengthways and then widthways (into 4 pcs)
Add bananas to boiling coconut milk, reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes

I'll try adding honey/almond paste/berries next time to come up with some variations.

Italian 'Ignorant Soup'

This soup is unexpectedly delicious. Makes 2 servings.

1 small carrot chopped
1 small stick celery chopped
1 clove garlic minced or 3/4 tsp garlic powder
handful fresh basil/parsley (optional)
1/2 tsp dried thyme

3 long thin aubergine chopped (we get ones about width of a thumb)
1 tin kidney/haricot beans
1-2 cups chicken stock

INSTRUCTIONS
Fry carrot and celery 2 mins.
Add garlic and thyme and fry 1 min
Add aubergine
Fry few mins
Add beans and chicken stock and simmer for about ten mins

Allow to cool enough to liquidise.

Gluten free Venetian carrot cake (contains eggs)

Ingredients

For the carrot cake

• 3 tbsp pine nuts
• 2 medium carrots (approx. 200-250g/7-9oz)
• 75g/3oz golden sultanas
• 60ml/2¼fl oz rum
• 150g/5oz caster sugar
• 125ml/4½fl oz regular olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 free-range eggs
• 250g/9oz ground almonds
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg, or to taste
• ½ lemon, finely grated zest and juice

For the mascarpone cream (optional)

• 250g/9oz mascarpone
• 2 tsp icing sugar
• 2 tbsp rum

Preparation method

1. For the carrot cake, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line the base of a 23cm/9in round springform cake tin with re-usable non-stick silicone liner or baking parchment and grease the sides with olive oil.
   
2. Toast the pine nuts by browning in a dry frying pan; the oven alone is not enough to scorch out the paleness. Set aside.
   
3. Grate the carrots in a processor (for ease) or with a coarse grater, then sit them on a double layer of kitchen paper and wrap them, to soak up excess liquid. Set aside.
   
4. Put the golden sultanas in a small saucepan with the rum, bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 3 minutes.
   
5. Whisk the sugar and oil until creamily and airily mixed.
   
6. Whisk in the vanilla extract and eggs and, when well whisked, fold in the ground almonds, nutmeg, grated carrots, golden sultanas (with any rum that clings to them) and, finally, the lemon zest and juice.
   
7. Scrape the mixture into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. The batter will be very shallow in the tin.
   
8. Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts over the cake and put it into the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the top is risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out sticky but more or less clean.
   
9. Remove from the oven and let the cake sit in its tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then unspring and leave it on the rack to cool.
   
10. For the mascarpone cream, mix the mascarpone with the icing sugar and rum.
    
11. To serve, transfer the cake to a plate. Put the mascarpone cream in a bowl to spoon alongside the cake, for those who want.
    
    Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/gluten-free_and_11807
    

Crash hot sweet potatoes

Ingredients

• 12 Sweet Potatoes
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• Black Pepper To Taste
• Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.
On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.
With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.
Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)
Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Source: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/crash-hot-potatoes/

Turmeric, Ginger and Lemon Tea

Turmeric, Ginger and Lemon Tea

¼ cup grated fresh turmeric root (or 1 tbsp ground turmeric)
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
4 cups water
1 lemon
¼ cup agave nectar or honey

To prepare the tea, peel and grate the turmeric and the ginger root. Place in a soup pot and add water. Bring to mixture to a boil and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Strain the mixture into a clean glass container. Allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes.

Then, juice the lemon and pour into the turmeric tea along with the agave nectar or honey.

This infusion can also be drunk at room temperature.


Enjoy the liver tonic.

Source: http://divinape.multiply.com/journal/item/85/Turmeric_Ginger_and_Lemon_Tonic_Tea

Gluten/wheat free crumpets

Follow recipe here, but try replace flaxseed oil with coconut oil and peanut butter with almond paste. Don't expect them to look and taste like 'normal' crumpets. Easy and delicious!

http://vegweb.com/recipes/gluten-free-wheat-free-pancakes