Pears with Elderflower

This is such a simple dessert. It's light and refreshing and the delicate flavour of elderflower is the ideal accompaniment to poached pears.

 

Of course, you can always add some extras like the dairyfree macaroons I posted last month and a dollop of soya yogurt, cream or non dairy icecream!

If you haven't tried it before, elderflower cordial makes a lovely drink mixed with sparkling or still water.   

 Ingredients 

4 firm (not over ripe) pears

3 tbsp elderflower cordial

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp golden castor sugar

500ml cold water

Method

Pour the water into a pan and add the elderflower cordial, lemon juice and sugar.  Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.  Slowly bring to the boil and simmer gently for about 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced a little.

Meanwhile, carefully peel the pears and, leaving the stalk intact, cut in half.  Scoop out the core with a teaspoon.  

Place the pear halves in the hot liquid and simmer uncovered for about ten minutes until cooked.

 

Transfer the pears to a serving dish together with the poaching liquid and leave to cool. 

     Chill in the fridge and serve cold.

Dairy Free Macaroons

You don't normally associate the words "low in sugar" and "free from eggs and dairy" with sugary macaroons.  However, these light, crispy biscuits contain no egg white or fat and the quantity of sugar is less than half what you would normally expect to find in a macaroon. They are also incredibly quick and easy to make and look so dainty!

If you can, look out for natural almond extract rather than almond essence which may contain artificial flavours.

The first time I made them, the biscuits stuck like glue to the greased baking tray when baked and I ended up with a pile of crumbs. Maybe it's because there is no fat in the recipe.  To make life easier,  I now line the tray with a teflon non-stick baking liner and they slip off every time!

Ingredients                                        Makes 12 biscuits

50g ground almonds

50g semolina

50g golden castor sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp natural almond extract

5 tbsp cold water

12 flaked almonds

Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/Gas Mark 3.

Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking liner.

In a bowl, mix the ground almonds with the semolina, golden castor sugar and baking powder.

Measure the water into a small jug or cup and add the almond extract.  Pour into the dry ingredients and stir well.

Place teaspoonfuls of the mixture on to the prepared baking tray, spacing them well apart.   Flatten each spoonful into a circular shape, using a fork.

Place a flaked almond in the centre of each one.

Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown.

Transfer to a cooling rack, then store in an airtight container.

The macaroons are lovely served with poached pears or plums for a simple dessert.

Fish Goulash

 

This is a simple dish but definitely one of my favourites.  It's lovely at any time but ideal when you have friends or family coming round and want to rustle up something at short notice.   I usually have peppers and onions in the fridge and some fresh or tinned tomatoes at the ready.  Even though it's probably nicer made with fresh chunky cod fillets, you can use any white fish, fresh or frozen.  I used some inexpensive frozen basa fillets for the first time today which were fine.  Just make sure you thaw out the fish before using.

You can use fresh or tinned tomatoes or a combination of both.    The onions, peppers and tomatoes are cooked in a large wide based pan, then the fish is added to the pan towards the end of the cooking time.  So it's handy to make the first part in advance, then add the fish when your friends arrive.

The natural yogurt is optional but it does make it nice and creamy!

Ingredients                                                                         Serves 2 - 3

About 300g white fish fillets

2 small onions

1 red pepper

1 green pepper
1 clove garlic

about 300g tomatoes, skinned
(or equivalent tinned tomatoes)

1 tsp paprika

2 tbsp olive oil

fresh basil leaves (optional)

1 tbsp natural soya yogurt

Method

Skin the tomatoes by placing in a bowl and covering with boiling water. Leave for about a minute, then remove with a fork, and when cool enough to handle, peel away the skins.

Peel and slice the onions thinly and crush the garlic.   Heat the olive oil in a large wide-based pan.  I use a non-stick saute pan with a glass lid.  

Add the onions and garlic, cover with the lid, and cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Slice the peppers into long strips and add to the pan.

Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften.  Add a teaspoon of paprika and stir for a few moments before adding the tomatoes and some freshly ground salt and pepper.   

Simmer uncovered over a low heat for about 20 minutes until the mixture has reduced and thickened.

Cut the fish into generous chunks and stir into the goulash.

Simmer for a further 10 to 15 minutes over a gentle heat until the fish is cooked.  Stir in a spoonful of natural yogurt and some chopped basil leaves.

Serve with rice and a green salad or vegetable.

Healthy Vegan Cupcakes

  

 
These little cupcakes are full of good things, including fresh and dried fruit and even a vegetable too!  The surprise ingredient is pumpkin, handy when they are in the shops at Halloween, but at any other time butternut squash is fine too.

Keeping sugar to a minimum, there's no sweet icing on these fruit cupcakes but I'm sure you won't miss it as they're already scrumptious and much healthier too!

Ingredients                            Makes 12 cupcakes

Zest and juice of an orange

100ml sunflower oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

75g light brown muscovado sugar

200g peeled pumpkin or butternut squash

100g sultanas

200g self-raising flour

1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 level tsp cinnamon



Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas Mark 4.    Place 12 paper cupcake cases in a muffin tray.

Finely grate the zest of an orange.








Coarsely grate the peeled pumpkin or butternut squash.







Pour the sunflower oil into a large bowl and add the grated zest and juice of an orange, the vanilla extract and the sugar.  Whisk the ingredients together and then add the grated pumpkin.

Mix in the other ingredients - the sultanas, flour, bicarbonate of soda and the cinnamon.

The mixture should be moist but not wet.  If it seems too dry, just add a little cold water.
  
Spoon equal quantities of the mixture into the paper cases.   Give the tin a few light taps to settle the cake mixture. 

Bake for 25 minutes until the cupcakes are golden and feel springy in the centre. 

 Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.   Eat fresh or freeze for later.

Raspberry Cheesecake

Here's a fabulous recipe, ideal for spoiling your sweetheart or someone special on Valentine's Day!

This delicious Raspberry Cheesecake looks really impressive and super-indulgent yet it's relatively low in sugar and contains no dairy produce.  The lovely vanilla filling is made using firm silken tofu, readily available in supermarkets and inexpensive too.

Many cheesecake recipes have crushed digestive biscuits as a base which can really add to the sugar content.   It's just as easy to make your own base from scratch and bake it in the oven whilst you make the tofu filling.

I've used raspberries in a vegan raspberry jelly for the topping but you can decorate the top with any fresh fruit such as strawberries or cooked fruit such as blackcurrants.  You can also use arrowroot to thicken the fruit topping instead of jelly - full instructions below!

Ingredients

For the base:

75g dairy free margarine e.g. Pure

50g demerera sugar

75g ground almonds

75g plain flour 
(half white/half wholewheat)

For the filling:

1 x 349g pack firm silken tofu  e.g.Mori-Nu

Juice and zest of a large lemon

1 tbsp vanilla extract

150ml soya milk

2 tbsp arrowroot

75g golden castor sugar

For the topping:

200 - 250g raspberries, fresh or frozen

85g packet of raspberry flavoured vegan jelly crystals 
(available from Holland and Barrett)

Method

Grease a 20cm (8") loose bottomed cake tin.  I use a springform cake tin from Lakeland.

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/Gas Mark 5.

First make the base by creaming the margarine and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy.  

Then add the flour and ground almonds and beat until the mixture comes together to form a soft dough.

Press the mixture into your prepared tin - best to use your fingers for this!

Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

 

When the almond base is golden brown,  remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 180C.

Meanwhile, make the filling.  Open the pack of tofu and, using a sieve,  drain away any surplus liquid.

Grate the zest of the lemon on a fine grater.

Then place the tofu, lemon zest,  vanilla extract,  soya milk,  arrowroot and sugar into a food processor with the juice of the lemon (approx 3 - 4 tbsp)  Blend well until smooth.  

Pour the cheesecake filling evenly over the base and bake for 45 minutes.   

Allow the cheesecake to cool,  before making the topping.

To make the topping,  empty the packet of vegan jelly into a glass measuring jug and add 250ml of boiling water. 
(NB Don't follow the instructions on the packet as we're adding more fruit) 

Stir well until dissolved.  

Then add the fresh or frozen raspberries and, using a hand blender,  blitz the mixture until smooth.    If you want to remove the seeds,  press the raspberries through a large sieve at this point.    

Carefully pour the raspberry mixture over the top of the cheesecake and leave to set.  Chill until required.

If you can't get hold of vegan jelly,  mix 1 tbsp arrowroot with a little cold water in a cup or small bowl to make a runny paste.
  

Place the raspberries in a pan over a medium heat.  Stir in the arrowroot mixture and cook gently until the raspberry sauce thickens, stirring frequently.   

Allow to cool a little before pouring over the cheesecake.  

TIP:  If your raspberry mixture doesn't thicken as it cools,  repeat the above with a little more arrowroot dissolved in water and reheat until it thickens.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Carrot and Ginger Soup

After the Christmas holidays, I always think it's good to get back to basics and eat something simple!   Here's a warming carrot and ginger soup that's ready in minutes, costs next to nothing and made with ingredients you probably have to hand!

The fresh ginger flavour is quite subtle so, if you like strong flavours, you might want to add more.   Adding soya milk and a blob of natural soya yogurt on top is also optional.  It just makes it creamier!

Ingredients

500g carrots

250g potatoes 

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 stick of celery, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

40g dairyfree margarine

1 piece of fresh ginger (3 - 4 cm long)

1 litre vegetable stock (made with Kallo organic stock cube)

150ml (6fl.oz) unsweetened soya milk (optional)

Method

Heat the oil and margarine in a large pan and gently cook the chopped onion and celery until soft but not brown - about 5 minutes.

Peel and dice the potatoes into pieces about 2cm square.  Scrub the carrots and cut into medium slices. 

Add them to the pan,  stir and cover with a lid. Then, let the vegetables sweat for about 10 minutes over a low heat, stirring occasionally.

Peel and finely grate the fresh ginger.   A tablespoon of grated ginger is about right for a gently spiced soup.

Pour in the stock with the grated ginger,  bring to the boil,  then reduce the heat and simmer the soup for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

 

Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for about 15 minutes.   Using a hand-held blender,  whizz until smooth finally adding the milk (if using) and seasoning.  

Taste to check the flavour, adding more seasoning if necessary, then reheat and serve.   If the soup is too thick, just add a little extra water or milk.

If you like, garnish with a spoonful of Alpro natural soya yogurt and a few chopped herbs such as parsley.

Dairyfree Fruit and Ginger Chocolates

Finding dairyfree chocolate in the shops is relatively easy.  There are plenty of dark chocolate bars around that contain no dairy (just check the ingredients on the wrapper) but finding a box of chocolates is another matter.   Whilst there is more choice available online these days, they can often be expensive so I generally do what I've always done and make my own!

I've made all sorts of homemade chocolates over the years but these are probably the ones I've made most often!  Full of lovely dried fruit and stem ginger that has been steeped in brandy, they are truly luscious and make an extra special gift at Christmas or any time of year.

Any dark chocolate bar will do as long as it's dairyfree and the same goes for the digestives.  This recipe makes a lot so don't be put off by the quantities.  You could easily make three boxes like the one above from this list of ingredients.  

Ingredients

150g ready to eat dried apricots

150g ready to eat prunes

3 large balls of stem ginger

2 tbsp syrup from jar of stem ginger

125ml brandy

175g digestive biscuits (dairyfree)

275g dark chocolate (dairyfree)

110g dairyfree margarine (Pure)

Method

Chop up the apricots and prunes (or snip into pieces with a pair of scissors) and place in a large saucepan.  Chop the stem ginger finely and add to the pan with 2 tbsp of syrup from the jar and the brandy.

Place over a medium heat and slowly bring to the boil, stirring every now and then.  Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave to stand for about 30 minutes to allow the fruit to soak up the brandy syrup.

Line an oblong baking tin (approx 25cm x 18m x 3cm) with cling film.

Place the biscuits in a large plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.

Break up the chocolate into pieces and put in a large bowl with the dairyfree margarine.    Place the bowl over a pan filled with a couple of inches of just boiled water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water.   Stir over a very low heat until the margarine and chocolate have melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy.

Add the biscuit crumbs and soaked fruit to the bowl of melted chocolate and mix well together.    Spoon into the tin, pressing the mixture into the corners and tapping the tin to allow the mixture to settle. 

Level the surface neatly with a knife.   

Leave to cool, then cover with clingfilm and chill for at least six hours or overnight.

Turn the mixture out onto a clean chopping board and remove the clingfilm.  Cut into squares.

  
If you like, place in petit four cases and present them in a small box, covered with cling film.

 

Store in the fridge until needed. They'll keep for several weeks ....  if they last that long!