Pineapple Almond Slice #glutenfree #glutenfreebaking #glutenfreerecipes

This lunch box filler is made using the pineapple jam that we gave the recipe for earlier in a previous post. You can make extra and freeze them to use when you are short of time or you have unexpected visitors.

Pineapple Almond Slice

Ingredients:

120g Butter
1 Egg
2 tablespoons Caster Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1.5 cups gluten-free Plain Flour
1.5-2 cups Pineapple Jam Filling- please check the recipe in our blog.

Topping:

100g Butter, room temperature
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup gluten-free Plain Flour
2/3 cup Ground Almond Meal
Extra Icing Sugar, for dusting

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C  
Line the slice tray with baking paper.
Beat the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla in a bowl. 
Add the egg. 
Mix in the flour until a ball forms.
Press the biscuit dough into the base of the baking tray with your hand. Then prick all over with a fork. 
Bake about 15 minutes in 180C. 
Place all the topping ingredients into a clean bowl.
Rub the butter through the dry ingredients with your hand to make crumble. 
Place aside.
Take out the slice base from the oven. 
Pour the pineapple jam filling over the base and spread with silicone spatula. 
Sprinkle the almond crumble mixture on the top. 
Bake another 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Dust with icing sugar before cutting.
Placed in airtight container, these will keep up to a week.

They can be frozen as well for longer keeping.

Traditional Basil Pesto #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #Glutenfreecooking #basilpesto

Do you grow Italian Basil in your garden? It is easy to grow and thrives! Today, I harvested beautiful leaves from our herb garden. there was enough to make 2 bottles of fresh basil pesto - one for us and one for my friend. You can use it for cooking pasta, in dips, potato mash....

Ingredients:

1.5 cups Italian Basil ( 70% )
1/2 cup Baby Spinach ( 30% )
1.5 cup Olive Oil
3/4 cup Pine Nuts
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and pepper, if necessary 

Method:

Cook the pine nuts in half of the olive oil, on medium heat, until brown.
Place basil, spinach, Parmesan and the other half of olive oil in the food processor.

Ingredients

Blend until fine. Pour hot pine nut and oil into the processor. 
Blend until nuts are fine as you like. 
Add pepper and salt to taste. I only add when I use in cooking.
Place into a clean bottle and refrigerate when cool. 
Cover the pesto with 1cm of oil.






Tips:

• If you use a portion of the pesto in a dish always ensure that the remaining pesto is covered with 1cm of olive oil. This will give the pesto a longer shelf life.

Traditional Basil Pesto

Char-grilled T-bone Steak with Crispy Onion Rings, Roast Vegetables and Red Wine Peppercorn Sauce #glutenfree

Almost everyone loves a good steak. Serve a restaurant standard meal with a recipe that is easy to cook at home. The sauce is the star of this meal! This beautiful red wine sauce does not require hours of preparation but, it not a simple instant gravy. It takes only about 15 minutes to cook this special red wine peppercorn sauce.

Ingredients:

2 T-bone or  steak of your preference
6 cloves Garlic, if necessary
2 Potatoes - peeled and sliced
1 medium Sweet Potato - peeled and sliced
150g Green Beans, cut in half
Salt, Pepper and Olive Oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 210C.
Place potatoes and sweet potatoes in a baking tray with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes. 
Add beans and mix well. 
Bake another 10 minutes or until potatoes are cooked

  Onion Rings

Ingredients:

2 large Brown Onions - peeled

1 cup gluten-free Bread Crumbs
1/2 cup gluten-free Flour
2/3 cup Iced Water
Extra flour

Method:

Cut onion into about 1/2 cm slices. 
Separate each round.
Set the smaller pieces aside for the sauce.
Add flour to the iced water.
Beat until a smooth batter. Coat the onion rings with exrta flour, but do not make too thick.
Soak the rings in the batter. Roll and cover with bread crumbs.
Set to one side. 

 Red Wine Peppercorn Sauce

Ingredients:

1/3 cup finely chopped Onion
1 cup Red Wine
1/3 cup Thickened Cream
1.5 tablespoon Powdered Beef Stock
1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
1.5 tablespoon Peppercorns in Vinegar
20g herb butter/plain butter
Ground Pepper

Method:

Place 2 tablespoon olive oil in a small saucepan.
Add onion cook until a little brown. 
Pour the red wine into the saucepan and cook for 1 minute at high heat.
Add all other ingredients except the herb butter. 
Cook until reduced to half.
Add butter at the last minute.  If you not have herb butter, you can use some fresh chopped flat parsley. 

Heat the steak pan on high heat. 
Sprinkle some salt and olive oil onto the steaks. 
Grill both sides to your preference.
Rest to one side for 5 minutes.

Heat oil in another pan until 180C. 
Deep fry the onion rings and garlic until golden brown and crispy.
Place on the paper towel and sprinkle with salt.

Plate the steak and onion rings. 
Add roast vegetables and garlic on the steak. 
Pour the sauce on top or at side.

Tips:

• Herb butter, gluten free bread crumbs, even the roast vegetables can all be found in our blog recipes and made days ahead.

• This dish is about the beautiful char-grill steaks and the 'to-die-for' sauce. So you can change the roast vegetables, onion rings to a different side dish if you prefer. Maybe potato mash, boiled green bean/peas... 
• I use powdered beef stock in this recipe, the sauce may need salt added to taste.

Rockmelon Cocktail or Sweet Rockmelon Soup #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #glutenfreelife #rockmelon

This is an easy to prepare summer drink, that is not only refreshing but good for you. It can be served  as a dessert after meals as well. You can substitute honeydew melon for the rockmelon for a different look and taste. This is sure to be a favourite with the children and adults alike.

Can be served as Cocktail

Ingredients: 

1-2 ripe Rockmelon, about 2kg
2/3 cup Seed Tapioca (sago)
1 cup Warm Water
1/2 cup Sugar*
Evaporated Milk

Method:

Add sugar* and warm water together - the amount of sugar required will depend on the sweetness of the melon.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. 
Add sago. 
Cook sago for about 10 minutes or until clear in the middle. 
Drain and wash in cold water.
Peel the melon and remove the seeds. 
Cut into small pieces, add water with sugar dissolved in it and blend in the food processor.
Add sago, stir through and keep in the fridge. 
Pour some evaporated milk or cream on the top before serving.

Tips: 

• If you want to keep overnight, it is better to cook and add the sago just before serving.

• If you want to serve very cold add ice chips just before serving.

Or Sweet Soup

PIneapple Jam #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #glutenfreecooking #jam

I live in Queensland, which is the home of many tropical fruits. Recently, I bought 2 large, juicy pineapples for just $5.00. This was my inspiration to cook pineapple jam (40%) and pineapple filling (60%). These  can be used as the filling to make pineapple slice, cookies and pineapple meringue tart. Oh! So delicious..

Pineapple Jam

Ingredients:

Ripe Pineapples, about 4kg
1.5 cup Caster Sugar
3-4 slices Lemon

Method: 

Pineapple Jam

Simmer till reduced by half

Peel the pineapples and core, cut into pieces. Be sure to remove any remaining eyes.
Blend in the food processor, do not add water.
In a large saucepan, cook half sugar until caramelized but don't allow to burn. 
Add processed pineapple, lemon slices and remaining sugar. 
When boiling turn to low heat.
Simmer for about 2 hours or until it is reduced to approximately half.

Pineapple Filling

Measure 3 tablespoons glutinous rice flour and mix in a little water. 
Pour into the jam mixture and simmer for another half hour.

Tips:

• If you unable find the glutinous rice flour, substitute 1-2 tablespoon gluten-free corn flour. 

• Sugar may need to be added depending on the sweetness of the pineapple. Do not add too much sugar at the beginning. For the best result, taste after last half hour and add as required. 

• Stir several times during cooking.

• Our gluten free pineapple slices, cookies and pineapple meringue tart recipes will come to our blog soon.

Omelet Fried Rice #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #glutenfreecooking #friedrice

This is a popular home-cooked dish in Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea (they call it Omurice). You can add any ingredients you are prefer. This is a simple dish that is easy to prepare. 

Omelet Fried Rice

Ingredients: 

2 cups Steamed Rice
I Onion, small diced
1/2 Carrot, small diced
1/2 Red Capsicum, small diced
1 Chinese Sausage, small diced
1/2 cup Frozen Peas, defrosted
1/2 cup Spring Onion - chopped
1 tablespoon Sweet Soy Sauce (Kecap Manis)
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon  Garlic Mince
Salt and pepper

3-4 Eggs
Tomato Sauce, to decorate

Method:

Heat a little oil in a wok. 
Place garlic, sausage and all vegetables into the wok, except the spring onion. 
Stir fry until vegetables soft. 
Add rice, seasonings and spring onion.

Stir fry until well mixed. Set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a non-stick pan.
Beat eggs with a little salt and ground pepper. 
Pour half egg mixture in the pan and cook on medium heat until 80% set.
Add a bowl of the fried rice on one side of the omelette. 
Fold the omelet over the fried rice.
Remove from pan and place on plate.
Repeat one more time. 
Serve with tomato sauce.  
Serves 2 people.
 




Tips:

• Use cold rice that is not too wet. Leftover steamed rice or rice cooked a day ahead is ideal. 

• You can replace Chinese Sausage with prawns, chicken, or ham. For a vegetarian fried rice, leave these out of the recipe. 

• To save time, frozen mixed vegetables may be used. 

• For a different look pan fry a thin omelet, place it in a bowl, fill with fried rice, wrap and turn it on the plate.

Fill with fried rice

 

Place omelet in bowl

Coconut Pancakes with Butterscotch Sauce and Berries #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #glutenfreecooking #pancakes

These decadent pancakes, with a hint of coconut, are perfect for a breakfast with a difference. It will be impossible to stop with just one.

Coconut Pancakes with Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients:

1.5 cups gluten-free Self Raising Flour
1/3 cup Caster Sugar
2 Egg whites
1 cup Coconut Cream
3/4 cup Water
20g  Butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Method:

Whip egg whites until firm peaks form.
In another large bowl, mix all ingredients together until smooth.
Add whipped egg white and fold through gently. Refrigerate for approx 1 hour.
Heat a non stick pan with a little butter or oil spray.
Place a scoop of mixture in the pan.
Cook both sides in medium heat until well done.
Repeat until mixture finished.

Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Thickened Cream
30g Butter
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Essence

Method:

Heat the brown sugar in a saucepan until caramelized.. Add cream, butter and vanilla and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Serve pancakes with warm butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream/thicked cream and berries as you like. Diced banana may be substituted for the berries if you prefer.

Orange Cookies #glutenfree #glutenfreebaking #glutenfreerecipes

These cookies are orangy little kisses of sunshine that melt in your mouth. They are perfect for lunch boxes, afternoon tea or just a little something to have with that cup of tea.

Orange Cookies

 Ingredients: 

Ingredients

250g Butter
1/2 cup Caster Sugar
1/3 cup Icing Sugar
1 Egg, lightly beaten
2.5 cups gluten-free Self Raising Flour
1/3 cup gluten-free Corn Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon fine Orange Rind
1/2 cup freshly squeezed Orange Juice

Extra icing sugar for dusting

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C
Beat the butter, salt, caster sugar and icing sugar until smooth.
Add egg, then orange juice and rind - mix well.
Place all dry ingredients into the mixture.
Stir through until dough rolls into a ball.
Use a cookie press or roll mini balls of dough in your hand, then press flat on non stick biscuit tray (or tray lined with baking paper). 
Bake at 180C for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on a rack. 
Dust with icing sugar and keep in airtight container.







Tips:

• I used a cookie press set on this recipe. If you roll by hand or use a rolling pin and cookie cutters, you may need some extra flour to make sure the mixture doesn't stick to your fingers. 

• I prefer not to have my baking too sweet but, you can add extra caster sugar if you like.

Dust with Icing Sugar

Strawberry Sponge Cake #glutenfree #glutenfreebaking #glutenfreerecipe

This glorious cake tastes as simply divine as it looks. The light and fluffy sponge simply melts in your mouth in an explosion of strawberries and cream - absolutely divine! 

Strawberry Cream Sponge Cake

 Sponge

Mix strawberries into the whipped cream

Ingredients:

5 Eggs 
3/4 cup Caster Sugar 
1 cup gluten-free Self Raising Flour 
1/2 cup Oil or Melted Butter 
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence 

Filling

Ingredients:

  
1 cup Thickened Cream 
1/4 cup Caster Sugar 
2 tablespoons Strawberry Jam. Melt. 
3/4 cup fresh Strawberries - diced 

Topping 

Spread Strawberry Cream onto top of cake

Ingredients:

2 punnets Strawberries, hull and cut in half.
5g Agar Agar  
3 cups Water 
1/2 cup Sugar 
1 drop Pink Colouring, if necessary  

Method:

Sponge: 

Preheat oven to 180C
Line the cake tin with baking paper on both the bottom and the sides..
Beat eggs and sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form. 
Add oil/ butter and vanilla on low speed for 1 minute. 
Fold the flour in the mixture gently using a plastic spatula, mix well. 
Pour into prepared tin and bake for about 20 mins or until firm. 
Remove the sponge from the tin and cool on rack. 
Cut  into 2 layers.  

Spread Strawberry Cream evenly over top of cake

Topping:

Add water, agar agar and sugar to a saucepan.
Cook on medium heat until agar agar is melting. 
Let cool a little at room temperature.

Filling:
  
Whip cream and sugar until firm. 
Add jam and diced strawberries.
Mix well. 
In a spring form tin, place one sponge in the bottom.
Place the strawberry cream filling on top of the sponge, smooth out. 
Add the next sponge on the top.  
Decorate with fresh strawberries on the the top.
Pour the warm agar agar mixture to cover. 
Keep in the fridge until 2-3 hours until set. 
Take off the spring form tin, you can use cream or ribbon to decorate the sides of  the sponge.

Tips: 

• Jelly crystals or gelatin may be used to replace the agar agar.

Spaghetti Primavera #vegetarian #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #glutenfreecooking

Spaghetti Primavera is another Vegetarian dish that is sure to delight. The textures and flavours of the different vegetables, the rich Napoli Sauce and el dente Spaghetti combine to make this dish one that will become a family favourite.

Spaghetti Primavera

Roast Vegetables:

3 Potatoes - peeled and diced
2 Brown Onions - diced
1 Eggplant - diced
1 Red Capsicum - diced
1-2 Zucchini - diced 
Fresh Herbs chopped or 1 tablespoon dry herbs mix
Salt, Pepper.
Olive Oil

Ingredients

Method:

Preheat oven to 210C.
Place diced potato and onion in an oven tray with some olive oil. 
Cook for about 10 minutes in 210C. 
Take the tray out, add other vegetables and seasoning and mix well. 
Cook until all vegetables are soft. 
Stir well 2-3 times during cooking.

Ingredients:

1 packet gluten-free Spaghetti
1.5 cups Napoli Sauce (Use our homemade recipe from the Blog)
1/2 cup White Wine
1 teaspoon Garlic - chopped finely
3-4 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt. Pepper
Rocket, if necessary 

Method:

Cook the spaghetti in boiling, salted, water until soft as you prefer. 
Drain and add a little olive oil - mix well.
In a big saucepan, heat the olive oil with garlic. 
Add roast vegetables, stir well. 
Add white wine, then Napoli sauce and drained spaghetti. 
Add extra water, if too dry.
Add rocket, Shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Serves 4 people.

Tips:
  

• Make extra roast vegetables. They can be served as a side dish or used to make stir fried chicken / beef with roast vegetables. 

• They can be used as pizza toppers too.

Chocolate Molten Lava Cake #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #glutenfreebaking #clocolatecake

These gorgeous individual chocolate molten lava cakes are a perfect dessert for your next dinner party. Impress your guests with your creativity when you serve these decadent morsels.

Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

 Ingredients:

230g Butter
180g Dark Chocolate
1/3 cup Icing Sugar
1/3 cup gluten-free Plain Flour
2 Egg Whites.
3 Egg Yolks
Extra Butter
Cocoa Powder, for dusting.

Method:

Melt the extra butter and brush 6 tins, then dust bottom and around with cocoa powder.
Preheat oven to 220C.
Melt butter and chocolate in a bowl placed in a saucepan of boiling water.
Mix egg yolk, flour and sugar in a  bowl. Mix till well combined.
Pour the melted butter and chocolate into the mixture and stir well.
In another clean bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. 
Add into the chocolate mixture. Fold in gently using a plastic spatula.
Pour into tins till 90% full. 
Place tins into a large tray half filled with boiling water. 
Bake in 200C for about 13-15 minutes. 
Take out of oven and turn onto a plate when still warm. 
Serve with berry compote and whipped cream/vanilla ice cream.

Tips:

• The baking time may be a little different depending upon baking tin size - extra time may be needed for bigger tins. 

• Keep in the fridge and warm in microwave before serving.

Pan-fried Salmon with Cabbage Rolls and Daikon in Dashi Broth #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipes #glutenfreecooking #japanese

This is a modern Japanese style meal. The dashi broth is cooked with bonito flake (katsuobushi)! It is a clear, healthy broth with a full fish flavour, which is very suitable to combine with any pan fried fish fillets.

Pan-fried Salmon with Cabbage Rolls and Daikon in Dashi Broth

Dashi Broth

Ingredients:

 2 cups Water
1/2 cup Light Soy Sauce
1/3 cup Mirin
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 handful bonito flake or 1.5 tablespoons hon dashi (Japanese dry fish stock)

Method: 

Boil water, soy sauce, mirin and sugar in a saucepan.
Add the bonito flake at the end and remove from the heat. 
Allow to sit for half an hour and drain broth from fish pieces.

Simmer Daikon in Dashi Broth

Ingredients:
  
2 Salmon Fillets
1/2 Wombok (Chinese Cabbage)
Half  a large Carrot, chopped into sticks
1 Daikon (White Radish)
Lotus Root, sliced finely
1 tablespoon Rice
Salt, Pepper

Method:  

Bring water with the rice included to the boil.
Peel the daikon, cut sections of about 1.5 cm. 
Add daikon, wombok and carrot in the boiling water. 
Cook about 5 minutes or until soft. 
Remove the wombok and carrot from the saucepan and soak in ice water. 
Cook daikon for an extra 5 minutes.
In another saucepan, place the cooked daikon into the dashi broth. Cook on medium heat for about 30-45 minutes. 

Cabbage Rolls

Method:  
 
Squeeze excess water from the wombok and carrot with your hand. 
Place the wombok on sushi bamboo sheet or cling wrap. 
Place carrot sticks in the centre. 
Roll and keep firm about half hour.

Heat some oil in saucepan, deep fry lotus root slices on medium heat until golden brown and crispy. 
Sprinkle with salt.

Remove oil from saucepan.
Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the salmon.
Pan fry both sides until the skin is crispy - medium/well done/to your preference..
Place the salmon and cabbage roll and daikon onto the plate.
Place some chopped spring onion and lotus chips on the top.
Pour broth over before serving.

Tips: 

• Is this meal difficult to prepare and cook?!  No!! The dashi broth is very easy and can be made 1-2 days early and kept in the fridge.

• Most of the ingredients can be purchased in the big supermarkets or Asian groceries shops. If you are unable find lotus roots; sweet potato, turnip... chips can be made instead.

• Spinach or another leafy green vegetables may replace the wombok .

• Barramundi or another fish fillets may be used.

• Japanese light soy sauce is prefect for this recipe.