Category Archives: Main Course Vegetables

Hot and Chilled Melon

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Hot and Chilled Melon-0564

This is a spicy, fruity dish. Can be enjoyed as a starter or side dish (excellent with fish). It is fun to use cookie cutters for creating melon stars, circles etc.

You need some different types of melon (Water melon, Cantaloupe, Honeydew…) cut in thin slices and then cut into shapes. I use cookie cutters for this.

Dressing:
Zest from ½ lime
Juice from 1 lime
4 tablespoons olive oil
10 chopped mint leaves
¼ tsp sumac
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
Dash of salt

1. Whisk the dressing
2. Pour over small pieces of melon.
3. Let marinate 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator

Baked Aubergine with Pistachio Yoghurt

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Baked Aubergine with Pistachio Yoghurt-2028

I haven’t posted anything here for quite some time now. However, my Instagram account is up to date with, at least, weekly postings – @theglutenfreegourmet – so you can always find the latest food ideas there.

Today I’d like to serve you a wonderful “yoghurt”, believe me, you really want to try this. The Pistachio Yoghurt can be served with many vegetables. If you don’t want to do the aubergines, try with oven roasted carrots instead.

Serves 4 as a starter

“Yoghurt”:
200 ml pistachios, shelled and soaked in water over night
150 ml water
½ tablespoon agave
50 ml apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt (or more)

1. Blend together in a high-speed blender until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. Check the texture and add more water if you like.
2. Refrigerate. Should be served cold.

Aubergine:
1 Aubergine, quartered
olive oil
salt
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
½ lemon, zest
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
½ pomegranate, seeds from
1 teaspoon chili flakes
Pinch of pink Himalaya salt

1. Roast the aubergines quarters (skin side down), drizzled with olive oil and salt, in a 175 C oven for 30-40 minutes
2. Chop the parsley, grate the lemon, toast the sesame seeds (in a dry pan)
3. Squeeze a ripe pomegranate until soft, cut in half and squeeze over a bowl the let the seeds fall out.
4. Serve the aubergine with parsley, lemon zest, sesame seed, pomegranate seeds and Himalaya salt on top plus the “yoghurt” with added chili flakes on the side.

Veggie Crumble, Roasted Radishes, Frozen Vinaigrette

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Veggie Pie-0255

A bit of a surprise dish. The crumble looks like an apple pie, radishes are seldom served roasted and the frozen dressing will slowly melt into your salad. They all taste great on their own and go very well together. Just be sure to make the dressing ahead and allow 2-4 hours for it to freeze before serving.
I love making frozen dressings. It makes for such a fun presentation. This technique can be used with any dressing, sauce, dessert sauce that can be served cold.

For the miniature pie tins, either choose ceramic ones that the pies can be served straight out of, or, as I did here, the kind with removable sides.

Makes 2 miniature pies

Vegetable filling:
1 carrot
1 parsnip
½ fennel
4 sundried tomatoes, soaked
½ small celery root/celeriac
1 tablespoon soy yoghurt or crème fraiche

Crumble:
2 tablespoons gluten free oats
2 tablespoons buckwheat flour
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (optional)
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Decorations:
Fennel sprigs
Shredded radish skin

1. Set the oven for 200 C.
2. Chop all the veggies into small pieces. Mix with the yoghurt/crème fraiche).
3. Place in two miniature pie tin.
4. Combine the dry ingredients for the crumble. Add the oil last and keep the crumble “crumbly”. Best done by hand.
5. Spread the crumble on top of the small pies and set in oven for about 15-20 minutes.

Roasted Radish Salad:
6-10 radishes
Olive oil
Coarse salt

1. Set the oven to 220 C.
2. Trim the radishes and cut in half.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and season with the salt.
4. Roast in oven for about 20 minutes, until they start to colour.

Frozen Vinaigrette:
2 teaspoons honey (or maple syrup)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
75 ml olive oil
75 ml white wine vinegar

1. Shake the ingredients together
2. Line a small tray with baking parchment and pour the dressing onto this in a thin layer
3. Freeze for a couple of hours
4. Just before serving, break the frozen sheet of dressing into smaller pieces and stick into salad.
5. Serve immediately.

Greens:
Tender salad leaves

Decorate the pies with shredded radish skins and fennel sprigs

Cone Cabbage with Rhubarb Dressing

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Roasted Cone Cabbage with Rhubarb Dressing-0067

An easy but delicious veggie meal. I like when the cabbage gets almost a little burnt on the edges (although I know this is totally unhealthy). The dressing is both sweet and sour and contrasts nicely with the cabbage. The topping provides a colourful and tasty crunch!

Cabbage:
2 heads of Cone Cabbage, quartered (through the root)
Salt
Olive oil

1. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and place with cut side up on an oven sheet
2. Roast in 215 C oven for about 30 minutes

Rhubarb dressing:
200 ml chopped rhubarbs
50 ml water
50 ml ripe, cut up mango

1. Simmer the rhubarb in the water until soft
2. Let cool a little
3. Combine with the mango and run in a mini blender until smooth
4. Serve warm or cold

Pistachio o red cabbage topping:
Chop the nuts and red cabbage into fine pieces

To assembly:
1. Pour the dressing into a wide bowl. Dip the top of a glass into the dressing and press down on a plate to create a circle. Redo this several times, just moving the place for the circle by a little each time.
2. Place the cabbage on top.
3. Drizzle with the topping.
4. Serve with some extra dressing on the side.

Roasted Beetroot with Frozen Lemon Nut Butter and Ratatouille

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180404 Roasted Beetroot Frozen Nut Butter Ratatouille-9612

Great and quite filling lunch or a good side dish to the BBQ. Remember to chop the veggies in very small cubes as this gives a much better and blended taste to the ratatouille! The Frozen Lemon Nut Butter needs to be made a day ahead (the almonds, thus, must be soaked for at least 12 hours before you start the nut butter recipe). This butter is great with many different dishes.

Serves 6

Frozen Lemon Nut Butter:
50 ml soaked, unpeeled almonds
100 ml water

100 ml olive oil
50 ml of the almond/water mix above
50 ml lemon juice
¼ tsp lemon zest
pinch of salt
Dash of chili flakes or ground black pepper (optional)
¼ teaspoon on lecithin (to better emulsify)

1. Combine the almonds and water in a blender, run until a smooth paste.
2. Combine the olive oil, part of the almond/water mix, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and (if you want it spicier) a dash of chili flakes/ground black pepper and, to better stay blended, a pinch of lecithin. Process in blender until smooth.
3. Pour into small ice cube molds (or praline molds) of silicon. Freeze 12 hours (until solid).
4. Why not make your own flavor frozen nut butter with the remaining almond cream? If so, please post you result in the comment section of this recipe!

Roasted Beetroot:
1 large beetroot, peeled and sliced into 6 slices
Save the small end bits for the beetroot oil.
Olive oil and salt.
1. Roast the slices and end bits with some salt and olive oil in 215 C oven for 30-40 minutes

Beetroot oil:
1. Mix the end pieces with some oil in small blender (or handheld mixer). Strain if necessary.

Ratatouille:
2 aubergines (eggplant)
2 beetroot stalks
2 zucchini
1 small fennel bulb
Salt and pepper and lemon juice
Olive oil to fry in

3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. Chop the aubergines (eggplant), stalks, zucchinis and bulb into small cubes.
2. Fry a few minutes in a pan with olive oil, season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
3. Toast the seeds and add to ratatouille.

Decorate the plate with:
1. Paint the beetroot oil on the plate with a brush, add parsley and a few white and black sesame seeds
2. Make a circle with the ratatouille (large ring molds are very helpful here) and serve the frozen butter on top

Fennel Salad with Pistachio Dressing

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180321 Fennel Salad with Pistachio Dressing-9391

Crunchy all green salad with a wonderful dressing. The pistachio dressing is a must try!!

Pistachio dressing:
3 tablespoons pistachios, toasted
100 ml olive oil
salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1. Run in blender until smooth. If too thick dilute with some water.

Curly fennel:
1 fennel bulb.

1. Cut through the middle and through the root then slice very thin using a mandolin.
2. Place in ice water for 30 minutes so the fennel curls up.

Salad:
Roasted kale (in oven, 100 C, 30 minutes)
Rocket Salad
Broccoli rice (made in many ways, one is to just cut of the very ends with a sharp knife)
Sprigs from fennel
Basil, shredded
Thin lime wegdes

Extra pistachios for decoration

Broccoli Quinoa with Vegetarian Ceviche

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180300 Quinoa Broccoli with Vegetable Ceviche-9286

Mango ceviche can be served on its own as a great starter, or here, as part of a light meal. The pine nuts and cucumber provides some crunch to this fruity/spicy meal.

Serves 4

1 small broccoli head (crowns only – save one piece for decorations)

200 ml white quinoa
Vegetable broth to cook the quinoa in
50 grams of parmesan cheese, grated (or a vegan alternative)

½ fresh mango, cut in small pieces
½ fresh red chili, seeds removed and chopped into very small pieces
2 limes, juice
1 lime, zest
Dash of salt
Black pepper
½ cucumber, peeled and seeds removed, cut in small pieces
1 spring onion, finely chopped
75 ml fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Optional – 1 diced avocado, makes for a fuller meal

Little gem salad

Decorations:
100 ml toasted pine nuts
Chili flakes
Lime zest

1. Cook the quinoa in the broth
2. In a food processor, pulse the broccoli crowns until “rice like”
3. When quinoa is done, take off heat and add the broccoli and the cheese, put a lid on and set aside. Add some pine nuts (keep some for the decoration).
4. Combine the ingredients for the “ceviche”. (add the avocado, if using)
5. Serve the ceviche in gem lettuce with the quinoa on the side.
6. Cut some thin strips of the reserved piece of broccoli and, for an interesting effect, place them on top of the quinoa as an up-side-down tree.
7. Decorate with chili flakes, pine nuts and lime zest

Superfood Salad with Walnut Gremolata

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180220 Kale Blueberries Superfood Salad Nutty Gremolata-9166

This is truly a superfood salad. Delicious, healthy and pretty! Inspired by the best vegan chef – Matthew Kenney. Quick to make but some items (kale and bell pepper) must be prepared in advance.

Oh, and the Kale is great to eat just as Kale Crisps. Don’t have to go in the salad.

Ingredients

Salad:
1 large bunch of kale (to be dried into crisps)
1 carrot
1 yellow bell pepper
1 turnip
1 avocado
Tender spinach leaves

Lemon juice
Olive oil and salt

Walnut gremolata:
200 ml walnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Some red pepper flakes
1 red bell pepper (to be dehydrated or roasted first to dry out a bit)
Salt to taste
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
¼ minced garlic clove (optional)

Decorations:
Fresh oregano leaves
Blueberries
Black Hawaiian salt
Sprigs from carrot or fennel

Salad:
1. Wash and dry the kale. Tear into smaller pieces. Massage olive oil and salt into the leaves and either dry in oven on 80-100 C for about 30-40 minutes or dehydrate on 45 C for 12 hours. Until crisp.
2. Spiralize the carrot, and turnip. Soften with olive oil/salt marinade.
3. Cut the yellow bell pepper into fine strips.
4. Halve the avocado, insert a knife in the flesh and cut in a cirkel but do not move the tip of the knife. This will give you small cone shaped pieces.
5. Massage some olive oil and lemon juice into the spinach leaves.

Gremolata:
1. Cut the pepper into large pieces. Roast (200 C for 30-40 minutes) or dehydrate (overnight) to dry the pepper out.You don’t want a too wet gremolata.
2. Cut the walnuts into fine pieces.
3. Pulse all Gremolata ingredients in a food processor into small chunks.

Decorations:
1. Roll the blueberries in some olive oil so they look pretty.
2. Separate the small leaves of oregano.

Assembly:
1. Place the spinach at the bottom. Continue with the other salad ingredients.
2. Pile the gremolata on top
3. Sprinkle with blueberries, sprigs, oregano leaves and black salt.

Baked Potato Cake

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171220 Potato Cake Pie-8590

This cake resembles the Spanish Tortilla. Tasty and quite filling. Can be served hot or cold. Great side dish or at the buffet.

Serves 6

6 medium sized potatoes, finely grated
2 onions, finely grated

3 eggs
3 tablespoons buckwheat flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt

A pinch of nutmeg
Black pepper

1 small red chili, finely chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
Broccoli crowns, small head, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped

3 tablespoons chopped scallions/green onion
200 ml crème fraiche
150 g grated cheese
1 egg

Heat oven to 200C

1. Combine the grated onion and potato
2. Add the combined egg mix
3. Season
4. Add the chili, pepper, broccoli and zucchini
5. Pour into cake tin (spring form)
6. Bake 20 minutes
7. Remove from oven
8. Mix the green onion, crème fraiche, cheese and egg.
9. Spread the spring onion mix on top.
10. Bake another 30 minutes

Serve with a green salad.

171220 Potato Cake Pie-8611

Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Crunch

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Carrot Parsnip Soup-8273

A warm, filling soup – perfect on a chilly evening with some crusty, gluten free bread (why not try the potato bread recipe? You’ll find it in the search bar).
Roasting the vegetables in the oven before adding to the soup, brings out some wonderful strong flavours. Add the pecans and coconut for some nice crunch.

Serves 4

5 medium sized carrots
4 medium sized parsnips
olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Dash of salt

150-250 ml coconut milk
350-450 ml water

100 ml chopped pecans
50 ml shredded coconut
salt
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Chili flakes

1. Peel and cut the vegetables into halves even sized slices and place in a casserole dish
2. Drizzle with olive oil, vinegar, chili flakes, juice and salt.
3. Roast in oven 200 C about 40 minutes (until caramelized and tender)
4. Deglaze the oven pan with some of the above water (pour the liquid into the hot pan and stir to release the flavours that have stuck to the bottom of the pan).
5. In a saucepan, add most of the milk and water (including the deglazing liquid) with the veggies and let simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Using a handheld mixer, purée until completely smooth. If too thick, add some more liquid.
7. Taste and add more chili or juice, as needed.
8. In a dry pan, toast the pecans and coconut, add some salt.
9. Pour into soup bowls and add the pecans and coconut then drizzle balsamic vinegar, olive oil and/or chili flakes on top

Vegetable Medley with Apple and Fennel

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Vegetable Medley w Quinoa-8496

The fennel, black pepper and apple really makes this dish. Sweet and spicy. Great as a side dish (halloumi makes for a perfect combo) or as a starter.

Serves 4

2 red peppers
2 yellow peppers
1 fennel bulb (keep the sprigs/fronds for decorations)
1 zucchini/courgette
2 apples
Olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Generous amount of black pepper
Dash of salt

200 ml quinoa
400 ml water
Dash of salt

Decoration:
Radish cut into thin strips
Fennel sprigs
Lingonberries

1. Rinse the quinoa and simmer with water until done (10-15 minutes). Season
2. Cut the vegetables and apple into small even pieces
3. Sauté in olive oil until done
4. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice
5. In a mold, place the quinoa on the bottom, then add an equal layer of vegetables on top. Remove the mold.
6. Decorate with sprigs/fronds of fennel, radish sticks and lingonberries.

Miso Cooked Cauliflower Spinach Salad

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Miso Cooked Cauliflower Spinach Salad-7888

A really great side dish which actually uses the cauliflower stalks (most recipes use the florets). Sweet, salty and spicy. Delicious!

Salad:
Fresh spinach leaves
½ head of cauliflower stalks (the florets cut off to be used for cauliflower rice or similar dish)
Radish
Walnuts

Olive oil

Miso Dressing:
½ teaspoon chili flakes
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon miso paste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt

1. Remove the outer cauliflower florets and keep the stalks
2. Chop the cauliflower stalks into smaller, bite size pieces.
3. Fry the stalks in olive oil until slightly browned.
4. Mix the miso dressing and add the pan. Gently simmer for a few minutes.
5. When done, take out the stalks and reserve the dressing in the pan.
6. Toss the spinach leaves with some of the dressing.
7. Cut the walnuts into smaller pieces
8. Slice the radish into thin slices.
9. Add the stalks, walnuts and radishes.
10. Add remaining dressing.

Ratatouille

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ratatouille-7935

A wonderful vegetable side dish or starter, the tiny cubes takes for a lot of chopping but allows for the rich flavours to release and mix, thus creating a delicious dish!!

2 zucchinis/courgettes (1 to be kept for decorations)
1 onion
1 aubergine
3-4 tomatoes
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper
4-5 tablespoons chopped parsley

Some chopped parsley to decorate and black pepper

1. Oven at 175 C
2. Cut one zucchini and one aubergine, first in 5 mm slices then lengthwise and across to create 5 mm cubes.
3. Cut the tomato into wedges, cut out the seeds and discard. Then cut the tomato flesh into fine cubes.
4. Chop the onion finely.
5. Mix the vegetables with the oil, juice and spices.
6. Spread in wide oven proof dish.
7. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring 3-4 times during this time.
8. Slice the remaining zucchini into very thin slices using a vegetable slicer, if you have. Also, a cheese slicer can be used (or a knife, but that is a bit harder) to create a long zucchini ribbon.
9. After the 25 minutes of baking, add the zucchini ribbons on top (see photo) and bake another 10 minutes.
10. To serve: press into ring molds, drizzle with oil and chopped parsley.

Ratatouille-7948

Baked Root Celery. Minted Pea Puree. Corn Gremolata.

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Baked Root Celery-7796

A gentle vegetarian meal with a hint of sweetness. If you want more of a bite to it, add some chili flakes to the honey for the root celery. This dish has many components. Feel free to experiment with them in other recipes/combinations. The Beet Shards should be made in advance (may be kept in the freezer).

Baked Root Celery:
I slice per person
½ teaspoon honey per person
Olive oil
Salt

1. Cut the celery in 1 cm slices
2. Brush each slice with olive oil and 1/2 tsp of honey. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
3. Bake in 175C oven for 30 minutes.

Cheesy Beet Shards:
150 ml chopped pickled beets
60 gram macademia nuts, soaked overnight
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
½ tsp nutritional yeast
salt and black pepper
2 tsp flax meal (to be added after all the other ingredients are well blended into a smooth puree)
2 tsp black sesame seeds

1. Run all except flax meal and sesame seeds in blender until completely smooth
2. Add the flax meal and sesame seeds and blend just until combined
3. Pour thinly onto sheets and place in dehydrator, 45C, and dry until crisp. Probably overnight.
4. Brake into shards and keep in freezer until use.

Pea Puree with mint:
300 ml frozen peas
Water to boil in
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon vermouth
½ tablespoon of olive oil

1. Simmer the peas in water for 3 minutes
2. Run cooked peas in blender together with chopped mint leaves, vermouth, olive oil and a little (2-4 tablespoons) of the hot water
3. Add more water if needed
4. Push through a sieve (this step may be omitted if the puree is smooth enough)
5. Cool quickly as to not losing that strong, green colour

Corn Gremolata:
100 ml chopped hazelnuts
100 ml parsley
50 ml corn (canned or frozen)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoons lemon zest
salt and pepper

1. Pulse in food processor, do not puree, make sure some chunks remain.

Tomato liquid:
400 ml chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons roughly chopped basil

1. Run all in blender until smooth. Add the basil and briefly pulse.
2. Pour into wide casserole and set in 100C oven for 30 minutes to reduce
3. Strain

Plate with the tomato liquid, a slice of root celery, the pea puree on top, gremolata, pieces of the beet shards and, maybe, some extra corn. There are some beautiful colours to play with!

Fall Garden Quinoa

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170906 Fall Garden Quinoa-7632

Quinoa, Grated Veggies, Plums and Kale

This is a typical fall recipe, using many of the goodies from the garden. I love the multicolored quinoa, both for the look and the texture, but, of course, any quinoa will work in this recipe. The dish is full of colours and taste. Can be served on its own, or, deliciously with some grilled halloumi cheese.

Serves 4

Quinoa:
250 ml quinoa and water according to manufacturer’s instructions
1 leek, thinly sliced
¼ of a head of kale, torn into thumb size pieces
200 ml roughly chopped plums
1 small red chili, seeds removed, finely chopped
Pinch of salt
Olive oil

1. Cook the quinoa as per instructions on package.
2. In a frying pan, heat the oil and fry the kale. Remove.
3. Fry the leek until soft, add the plums, chili and salt.
4. Return the kale to the pan.
5. Combine the vegetables with the cooked quinoa.

Veggies:
2 small grated beet roots
2 grated carrots
½ large red onion
½ stalk lemon grass
50 ml loosely packed coriander leaves (cilantro)
Salt and pepper
Cooking oil of choice

1. Rinse the grated beets in cold water, combine in a bowl with the grated carrots
2. Slice the onion thinly and add to bowl.
3. Remove the outer layers of the lemon grass, crush a bit by hammering the stalk with the back of a large chef knife, chop finely and add to bowl.
4. Chop the cilantro and add
5. Add the spices.
6. Heat a generous amount of oil in a large frying pan and spread the veggie mix in a thin layer.
7. Leave to fry a few minutes over medium heat, turn and fry another few minutes.
8. Empty pan onto a layer of paper towels (to soak up some of the oil).

Coriander/cilantro oil:
100 ml loosely packed coriander leaves
100 ml spinach leaves
50 ml olive oil
Salt

• Run in small food processor/mini prep until smooth.

Kale layer:
¼ head of kale
Oil
Pinch of salt

1. Tear the kale into large pieces.
2. Fry in a pan a few minutes.
3. Season.

Serve the kale, veggie mix and quinoa on a plate and drizzle with coriander oil.