Baked Aubergine with Pistachio Yoghurt

Posted on 28th October 2018 by EvaH — 1 Comment ↓

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.

Salted Choco Vanilla Panna Cotta

Posted on 7th December 2017 by EvaH — 1 Comment ↓

This is one of my favourite desserts. I keep coming back to it, making small changes and enjoying it even more than before. You’ve probably seen a few different versions of this already on my blog. Make in advance and have on hand in the fridge.

It’s wonderful dessert to be enjoyed in small servings – the perfect ending to dinner.

Also, it is a great Low Fodmap, dairy free and vegan dessert.

Serves 8-10 (depending on cup size. I use small espresso cups)

300 ml coconut milk
½ teaspoon Agar Agar Powder (or any other gelatin you feel comfortable working with – if using Agar Agar flakes, much more is needed, about 1/2 table spoon instead)
½ vanilla bean, seeds
Dash of salt
150 g vegan dark chocolate
Coarse salt

1. Dissolve the agar agar in a little cold water.
2. Bring the coconut milk to boil. Add the agar agar and let simmer for at least 3 minutes.
3. Add the seeds from the vanilla bean and a dash of salt. Let simmer another minute.
4. Take off heat.
5. Chop the chocolate and add to the milk. Stir until dissolved.
6. Pour into small espresso cups (or similar)
7. Refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving.
8. Serve with some sprinkled coarse salt on top.

Miso Cooked Cauliflower Spinach Salad

Posted on 2nd November 2017 by EvaH — Leave a reply

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.

Plum Pie with Vanilla Sauce

Posted on 15th October 2017 by EvaH — 2 Comments ↓

The Plum Pie may not be one of my most healthy recipes, but, oh so tasty!!!! If you prefer, you can use rhubarbs instead of plums. The vanilla sauce is a wonderful dairy free sauce that can be enjoyed on its own, or, with just plain fresh berries.

Vanilla Sauce:
200 ml cashews, soaked overnight and then rinsed
200 ml almond milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons maple syrup

1. Process in blender until completely (!) smooth (may take a while depending on blender type)
2. Chill in refrigerator

Pie:
300 ml quartered and pitted plums
1 tablespoon oil (for the pie tin)

1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon potato flour (or corn starch)

300 ml gluten free flour
100 ml sugar
½ tsp baking powder
Dash of salt

175 g vegan margarine (can be replaced with cooking oil; coconut, sunflower or rape seed)

1. Oven at 225 C
2. Combine the dry goods
3. Melt the margarine (or oil) and stir into the dry goods
4. Spread with the back of a spoon into a greased pie tin
5. Place the plums on top
6. Mix the sugar with the potato/corn flour and sprinkle on top of the fruit to soak up some of the juices
7. Bake in oven until done (about 20-30 minutes)

Decoration tip:
You can use the drops of plum juice (that you most probably will end up with at the bottom of the bowl of cut up plums) and from a small spoon create little juice droplets in the sauce. “Cut through” the droplets with a sharp knife as to create little hearts. See photo below.
(I had a lot of juice as I used previously frozen, from my fall harvest, cut up plums)

Baked Root Celery. Minted Pea Puree. Corn Gremolata.

Posted on 20th September 2017 by EvaH — Leave a reply

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!

Sweet Potato Plum Pesto Starter

Posted on 28th August 2017 by EvaH — Leave a reply

This starter really has it all; it’s sweet, it’s spicy, it’s sour and it has crunch!!
My garden is overflowing with plums so I try to create as many varying dishes with plums as I can. This is a layered sweet potato dish that can be served with or without a spoonful of Greek yoghurt.

Serves 4

Sweet potato:
1-2 large sweet potato, peeled
Olive oil
Coarse salt

1. Heat oven to 205 C
2. Slice the sweet potato (you need 3 slices per person)
3. Coat with olive oil and sprinkle some salt on top
4. Bake in oven for about 30 minutes

Plum mix:
75 ml cut up (pitted) plums
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• Gently fry the plums in the oil. If you, like me, have sweet plums, add the vinegar. If the plums are really sour, add a few drops of agave instead.

Pesto:
75 ml shelled pistachios
100 ml loosely packed basil leaves
½ tablespoon lemon juice
1,5 tablespoon olive oil
Pinch of salt
1 clove crushed garlic
½ tsp chili flakes

Plus some extra basil leaves for decoration

• Combine all pesto ingredients in a mini prep and run until well combined but still chunky (crunchy).

Plate:
• Start by drizzling some plum mix on the plate, then layer the sweet potato, plum mix and pesto with three layers of each. Decorate the plate with some drops of juice from the plum mix and some basil leaves. Enjoy.

Scrambled Chickpeas, Watermelon Bacon and Pistachio Pesto

Posted on 17th August 2017 by EvaH — Leave a reply

Great breakfast or Sunday brunch!
A good friend pointed out that my dried, salted, watermelon fruit snack both looked and tasted just like bacon. Combined with the spiced chickpea scramble, the water melon provides a lovely hint of sweetness. But please note, if you want to serve this dish together with the watermelon you need to start the preparations one day ahead. In the dehydrator.
It is well worth it!!
The pesto is quick and easy to make. This batch of pest makes more than you really need for this dish but the left-over pesto is nice to store in the fridge and to use with many other meals!

Serves 4

¼ of a watermelon, thinly sliced (keep peel on)
Salt

Pesto:
150 ml pistachios (shelled)
200 ml basil leaves, loosely packed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ tsp salt
(optional: 1 garlic clove, minced)

Chickpea scramble:
50 ml chopped shallots
250 g canned (or soaked) chickpeas plus 4-5 tablespoons chickpea soaking water
¼ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp turmeric
salt and pepper to taste
(Optional: 1/2 tsp chili flakes)
Olive oil to fry in

(Optional: 200 g spinach)

(Optional: Chopped parsley, chopped dried watermelon and black, Hawaiian salt for decoration)

1. Place the watermelon slices in a dehydrator, salt and let dehydrate at 45 C overnight (longer if needed)
2. Place all ingredients for the pesto in a (mini) food processor. Run for 45 seconds.
3. Place all ingredients for the chickpea scramble in a food processor. Pulse to combine. You still want chunks, not a smooth puree.
4. In a warm sauté pan, spread out the chickpea mix and gently fry in olive oil over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes (it takes a while to achieve a texture that you can actually turn over), turn the scramble and fry another 2-3 minutes until you have some colour.
5. Add in the spinach (to the scramble). Turn a few times and then serve hot with pesto and watermelon.

Summery Citrus Salad

Posted on 29th June 2017 by EvaH — Leave a reply

Just a simple salad – but, oh, how lovely! Refreshing, tasty and with a crunch to each bite. Complements anything from the BBQ – how about serving with some grilled halloumi cheese?

100 g mixed lettuce leaves
1 grapefruit, peel and white pith cut out
2 oranges, peel and white pith cut off
1 large avocado, sliced
50 ml toasted sunflower seeds
50 ml toasted pine nuts
50 ml toasted pumpkin seeds
1 red onion, cut in 2 halves and thinly sliced
100 ml olives

Dressing:
1 tablespoon fig balsamic dressing
1 tsp Dijon mustard
50 ml olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Combine the salad in a bowl
2. Shake/whisk the dressing well and toss with the salad.
3. Serve

Balsamic Bean Salad

Posted on 21st June 2017 by EvaH — Leave a reply

A great dish to go with your BBQ dinner, or just on its own for lunch.
So easy – so delicious!

100g cooked kidney beans
100 g cooked white beans
100 g cooked chickpeas
50 g fresh spinach
1 sliced red onion

1 tbsp dijon mustard
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil

1. Rinse the beans under running water.
2. Place in bowl together with the onion and spinach.
3. Mix mustard, oil and vinegar.
4. Pour mixture on beans.
5. Let sit for a few hours in the fridge for extra flavour.

Apricot Pecan Bite

Posted on 14th June 2017 by EvaH — Leave a reply

This week is quite busy, but I managed to make a wonderful apricot cream that I would like to share. Spread it on top of the Pecan Base (Raw Food Pecan Pie) which I posted in May (I am repeating the recipe below). Great afternoon snack or guilt free dessert!

APRICOT CREAM
150 ml pre-soaked (overnight) macadamia nuts
50 ml almond milk
2 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract
Dried apricots, 30 g, chopped

1. Blend everything except the apricot until smooth and creamy. (This is a great cream base for other flavors too).
2. Add dried apricots
3. Blend again, it is OK to leaves small pieces of the apricot.
4. Set aside.

PECAN BASE:
(This recipe I posted already a few weeks ago but it is so yummy it really deserves to be included again.)
100 ml almonds
100 ml pecans
50 ml dried cranberries
50 ml pitted dates (about 5 pieces)
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
Dash of salt

1. Place all, except the oil, in a blender and mix until an even, creamy crumble.
2. Add the oil and blend another few minutes.
3. Spread the Pecan Base into a rectangular mold (using baking parchment or other non-stick sheet in the bottom).
4. Spread an equally thick layer of the apricot cream on top.
5. Refrigerate 1 hour minimum.
6. Cut into small, bite sized squares.
7. Serve chilled.

Red Sauce

Posted on 7th June 2017 by EvaH — Leave a reply

Red Sauce (not a ketchup).
Sometimes, it is good to have some healthy, tasty sauces on hand. I like to make this Kidney Bean sauce which can be used together with so many different things. It’s beautiful pinkish red coloured sauce to plate with (goes especially well with smoked and BBQ dishes). Make ahead and keep in the fridge.
Below you will find three other suggested uses.

The Red Sauce:
250 g Kidney Beans, cooked (about 350 ml)
1 lemon, juice from
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ medium sized red onion
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
A few drops of honey
Pinch of salt
½ tsp chili flakes

1. Run in blender until smooth. Taste. Season some more if needed.
2. If too thick add another spoon of olive oil. Consistency should be like a smooth apple sauce.

SERVE AS A SAUCE WITH GRILLED AUBERGINE/EGGPLANT AND DIJON BALSAMIC DRESSING: (great starter or snack)

– pour the Red Sauce into a squeezy bottle and place in fridge until time of use.

Dijon Balsamic Dressing:
50 ml olive oil
50 ml red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt

1. Whisk or shake to combine. Make sure it blends well.
2. This sauce is rather thin, plate with pipette or drop from tip of spoon.
3. Drizzle on plate.

Roasted Aubergine:
1 large, sliced aubergine
Olive oil
Sea salt

1. Oven on 200 C
2. Place on baking sheet. Drizzle with salt and oil.
3. Roast 35 minutes.

SERVE ON TOP OF AN AVOCADO SANDWICH:
Please see my previously posted Crisp Bread recipe.
SERVE AS A DIP:
– with serve with carrot sticks, celery or sliced apple

Marinated Carrots with Fennel Foam

Posted on 31st May 2017 by EvaH — Leave a reply

A healthy, tasty and colourful starter! Sometimes, I add a few drops of brandy to the foam (a little goes a very long way) which adds a rounder flavour. Possible a drop of vinegar would have the same effect?

2 large carrots, thinly sliced (best to use a mandolin slicer)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt

Some fresh spinach leaves on the plate to serve on.

1. Heat oven on high grill setting
2. Toss the carrot slices with juice, oil and salt. Leave for 30 minutes.
3. Place the carrot slices on an oven sheet
4. Roast under the grill for about 10 minutes, until slightly charred and caramelized

Fennel Foam:
1 fennel bulb, tips and “grassy tops” only
Water
Ice water

A few drops agave syrup
Dash of salt
½ tsp olive oil

½ tsp lecithin

1. Cut off the tops (including the grassy parts) from the fennel bulb. The bulb can be saved for use another time.
2. Bring some water to boil and blanch the tops for 30 seconds.
3. Remove the tops from the boiling water and put in an ice bath (to secure the green colour).
4. When cool, place in blender with a 2 table spoons of water. Add some more water if needed. You want a smooth, thick mix but do not over blend.
5. Add the syrup, salt and oil. Blend briefly to mix.
6. Set aside until you are ready to make the foam (may be prepared and kept in the fridge until the following day)
7. Mix in the lecithin.
8. Pour the mix into a large shallow container. Using a handheld blender, incorporate air into the mix, thus creating a foam. Might take a few minutes! Spoon off the foam into a separate bowl and repeat until you have a bowl of foam.

Serve the carrots with the foam on top.

Alternative to the foam:
If you’d rather make a fennel cream to go with the carrots, you can either mix in a couple of tablespoons of coconut cream or some double cream. No lecithin. By choosing the coconut cream you will have less of the fennel taste and, instead, some coconut flavour which goes wonderfully with the carrots.

(On this photo I have sprinkled some black, Hawaiian salt on top.)

Raw Food Pecan Pie with Raspberry Cream

Posted on 25th May 2017 by EvaH — Leave a reply

This is a great raw food pie. Easy and delicious. The cashews (for the cashew cream) must be soaked for 12 hours so please don’t forget to place them in water a day in advance.
Serve with one of the two creams suggested below and any fresh fruit/berries of your liking! The cashew cream is a favourite with its subtle nutty taste and creamy texture. Please give it a try (a good blender is a must to achieve a smooth cream)! (In this photo I have drizzled dried raspberry on the plate).

Serves 4
Pie base:
100 ml almonds
100 ml pecans
50 ml dried cranberries
50 ml pitted dates (about 5 pieces)
25 ml coconut oil, melted
Dash of salt

1. Place all, except the oil, in a blender and mix until an even, creamy crumble.
2. Add the oil and blend another few minutes.
3. Press thinly into in portions sized pie molds or free hand rounds.
4. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Serve with one of the two creams below and mixed berries:

1) Raspberry Cream:
200 ml cashews (that have been soaked overnight)
50 ml water
25 ml lemon juice
25 ml almond milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Dash of salt

50 ml frozen raspberries (fresh works too but frozen will keep the temperature down in the blender)
Mixed berries (to serve with the pie)
1. Blend all (except the raspberries) until completely smooth.
2. Add the frozen raspberries
3. Blend a bit more until desired consistency.
4. Pipe the cream on top of the portion sized pies.
5. Serve with mixed berries on top.

2) Raspberry Crème Fraiche:
200 ml crème fraiche
50 ml fresh berries
Mixed berries (to serve with the pie)

1) Whisk the crème fraiche fluffy
2) Add the raspberries, whisk to combine and slightly crush the berries
3) Pipe the cream on top of the portion sized pies.
4) Serve with mixed berries on top.

Asparagus Nut Cheese Starter

Posted on 27th April 2017 by EvaH — 1 Comment ↓

A tasty and fresh spring starter. For a smaller/lighter starter, serve just one cheese ball per person.

Serves 4
(3 small balls per person)

Steamed Asparagus:
12 green, young asparagus
2 tablespoon olive oil

Pine Nut Cheese:
200 ml pine nuts, soaked for at least 2 hours
1/2 of small garlic clove
1 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tsp chili flakes

Decorations:
Toasted pine nuts, chili flakes and the tips of the asparagus.

1) Heat an empty pan on the stove. Add the asparagus and 3-4 tablespoons of water. Cook until all water has evaporated. Add the olive oil. Shake to coat, cover with a lid and take off heat.
2) Run all ingredients for the Pine Nut Cheese except the chili flakes in a food processor until smooth. Stir in the chili flakes. Set aside.
3) Cut of the tips of the asparagus. Set aside.
4) Chop the asparagus stalks into small pieces. Fold the small pieces into the nut cheese.
5) With a small ice cream scoop or a melon baller, make balls of the pine nut cheese mix. Place 3 balls on a plate, decorate with asparagus tips, pine nuts and chili flakes.
6) Optional – serve with gluten free crackers.

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Posted on 5th April 2017 by EvaH — Leave a reply

This is a very quick and (almost) healthy recipe for a great chocolate mousse! The creamy avocado provides the thick, fluffy consistency in this mousse. A must try! Also, this recipe is dairy free, vegan and low fodmap (if you eat maximum 1/4 of the whole dessert).

Serves 4 (small servings)

300 ml coconut milk
3 tbsp cacao
1,5 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ ripe avocado
Dash of salt

Decorations:
Blueberries, raspberries, cacao nibs, banana, orange slices…

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and thick.
2. Refrigerate minimum 2 hours before serving.

Variations:
Add some chili flakes to the blender or some crushed licorice candy (gluten free) after the choco mix has been processed.

The Gluten Free Gourmet

Gluten free living with style and taste! Follow on Instagram @theglutenfreegourmet.

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