Free from...

More and more people are changing their diets- giving up dairy, gluten, alcohol, meat etc, sometimes for a short while, sometimes for good. Some for health reasons, others for environmental concerns.
My family and friends are no exception- and I find myself cooking for 'special' diets more often than not.






So, this month's blog is gluten free, and dairy free (although each of the recipes can be adapted if you eat either of those things.)
I'm starting with a gluten-free Toad-in-the-Hole. This version was crispier and lighter than its wheaty alternative, so I do recommend it. (You can make it dairy-free by using soya milk or almond milk.)
Dessert is an Avocado Chocolate Mousse- so simple and great if you have avocados in the fruit bowl needing using up.
Extra pudding ( because you have to have two!) is a gluten-free Golden Syrup Cake.
Enjoy!

Toad-in-the-Hole

1 cup gluten free flour
1 cup cornflour
1 egg
milk/soya or almond milk to mix
1 tsp each of salt and baking powder
oil
1 dozen chipolata sausages ( Tescos are gluten free)

1. Pour 1 tbsp vegetable oil into a roasting dish and place in a hot oven (190 degrees) to heat up.
1. Mix the flours, salt, baking powder and egg together in a bowl

Mix up your batter

2. Add sufficient milk to make a thin batter ( like pouring cream)
3. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes whilst you brown the chipolatas and allow the oil in the oven to heat up to smoking point
4. Lay the sausages in the hot fat and pour on the batter. It should sizzle.
5. Quickly return to the hot oven and allow to cook until well risen and firm.

The Best Toad-in-the-Hole

6. Serve with onion gravy and veg

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

1 large or two small avocados
1  heaped tbsp golden syrup or honey
1 bar of dark chocolate

1. Melt the syrup and chocolate together (either microwaved in the food processor goblet or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water)

Melt together the syrup and chocolate

2. Blitz together with the avocado until smooth

Add the avocado

Blitz  until smooth

3. Spoon into glasses and serve with fruit as a garnish if you wish.

Avocado Chocolate Mousse with Raspberries

And finally for the Golden Syrup Cake.

You will need:

100g of vegetable margarine

50g caster sugar

50g soft brown sugar

200g golden syrup

150g gluten free self raising flour

50g cornflour

1 egg

150ml milk or soya/almond milk

2 extra tbsp golden syrup

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and grease a 2lb loaf tin

2. Melt the marge, sugars and syrup together in a pan then set aside to cool

3. Beat the milk and egg together

4. Sift the flours together an beat in the egg mixture

5. Add the syrup mixture and pour the batter into the loaf tin

6. Bake for 1 hour until golden on top

7. Leave to cool for 10 minutes then prick all over the top with a skewer

8. Warm the extra golden syrup and then pour over the top

9 Allow to cool completely before serving

Glorious Gluten-Free Golden Syrup Cake

10, For best results wrap in foil and serve the next day when all the syrup has soaked through the cake.

Nobody said anything about these recipes being calorie-free, of course.

But they taste SO good!