February 3, 2014 – Cut The Mustard

Red Pepper, lentil and rice soup- Serves 4

February 3, 2014Leave a comment

Another warming soup. Adding the rice makes it very filling.

200g red lentils
1tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tsp. chilli flakes
1 tsp. hot smoked paprika
4 red peppers, deseeded and diced.
1 litre of vegetable stock
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp. caster sugar
200g cooked rice
4tbsp. natural yogurt
Horseradish sauce to taste (approx 2 tsp.)

In a sieve, rinse the red lentils and then leave them to soak in a bowl of cold water. Set aside.
In a large pan, heat the oil gently and fry the onion until it is soft.
Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook gently for 2 minutes.
Add the smoked paprika, with a splash of water (to stop it burning) and cook gently for a further minute.
Add the peppers to the pan and pop the lid on.
Cook gently for 10 minutes until they begin to soften, stirring occasionally.
Drain the lentils and add to the pan with the stock.
Cover and bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes until the lentils are soft.
Remove a piece of pepper, cut into slithers, and set aside for garnish.
Leave the soup to cool a little before blending in a food processor (or use a hand blender) until smooth.
Reheat the soup and then add the vinegar and sugar.
Add the cooked rice to the soup and simmer for 5 minutes to make sure that the rice is cooked through thoroughly.
Mix the horseradish into the yogurt.
Divide the soup between four bowls and swirl with the yogurt mixture. Top with slithers of pepper.
Serve with crusty bread.

Peanut Butter Brownies- makes 16 squares

February 3, 2014Leave a comment

These are very delicious and so easy to make. They can we made with wheat flour, in which case, leave out the xanthan gum.

225g crunchy Peanut Butter
200g dark chocolate- broken into pieces
280g soft light brown sugar
3 medium eggs, at room temperature
100g gluten free self-raising flour
1 tsp. xanthan gum

Preheat oven to 160C fan/180C/ gas 4
Line a square baking tin with baking parchment.
Set aside 50g each of the peanut butter and chocolate and gently melt the remaining peanut butter, chocolate and the sugar in a pan, stirring occasionally. This can also be done very gently in the microwave (approx. 30 second bursts).
Continue until the sugar has melted.
Take off the heat and beat in the eggs one at a time.
Stir in the flour and xanthan gum, and then pour into the tin.
Melt reserved peanut butter in the microwave for 45 seconds or in a pan until runny.
Drizzle over the brownie.
Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until it has formed a crust but the middle appears slightly undercooked.
Melt the remaining chocolate, and drizzle over the Brownie. Cool in the tin, before cutting into squares.

Butternut Squash Soup- serves 8

February 3, 2014Leave a comment

People have been making soup, for as long as anyone can remember; combining ingredients in a pot to make a nutritious and filling meal. Soup is a meal enjoyed worldwide, for example America has Chowder, Spain, a chilled soup known as Gazpacho, Italy-Minestrone, China-Won Ton, Russia- Borsht, Greece-Avgolemono and in Britain we have Mulligatawny Soup, a spicy dish inherited from the British Raj of the early 19^th century. The list is endless.
Of course, as well as the ‘traditional’ soups, there are many variations, and what could be better on a cold winters day, than a bowl of warm deliciousness?

2 red onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp. chili flakes (more if you like it really spicy!)
1 butternut squash (around 1.2kg), peeled deseeded and cut into chunks
1 large potato, peeled and cut into chunks
A few rosemary sprigs
1.25 litres gluten free chicken or vegetable stock (either homemade or Knorr do a good one called ‘Stock Pot’)
100g streaky bacon, finely chopped
Natural yogurt to garnish

Put all ingredients, except the bacon, in a large pan.
Bring to the boil.
Simmer for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a splash of oil until it is crisp. Drain on some kitchen paper.
Cool a little and then blend in a food processor until smooth (this can be done with a stick blender, but be careful that it is not too hot as it may splash. You may need to do it in batches).
Reheat.
Ladle into bowls. Swirl in some yogurt and sprinkle with crisp bacon.