Sweet potato & pepper soup

Sweet potato & red pepper soup This is everything a soup should be – rich, creamy (while still dairy-free) and thick enough to scoop up with a hunk of fresh bread. It’s also naturally vegan and gluten free! Serve in large bowls or mugs topped…

ALL RECIPES, Mains

April 26, 2020

6 Ways to Cook with Quorn Pieces

6 ways to cook with Quorn pieces Quorn products have been around for a while now, but they often seem to get overlooked when it comes to vegetarian recipes. Despite their unassuming appearance, they are incredibly versatile as a protein source in many of your…

Eating guides, Mains

April 24, 2020

Aromatic green thai chicken curry

Aromatic Green Thai Chicken Curry

Skip the takeaway and make your own zingy, vibrant green curry. It’s surprisingly simple to make and can take a whole host of different veggies and spices. I bet you it’ll be ready in the same amount of time it would’ve taken to order one.

PREP TIME: 10 MINS

COOK TIME: 28 MINS

TOTAL TIME: 38 MINS

Although there are loads of different gluten & dairy free meals you can easily cook at home, finding a restaurant or takeaway that caters to both is substantially more difficult.

Eating out in the UK is a minefield of gluten-filled doughs, pasta, and battered fish. Even seemingly safe ingredients like potatoes will usually get fried in wheat-contaminated oil.

A very good friend of mine has a similar set of food intolerances. And as we both love a good after-work natter over dinner, she suggested that we try out a Thai restaurant down the road from the office.

Previously, I had never really tried Thai food. I’m not that great with spices, and the closest I ever ventured into the curry world when growing up was indulging my love of ready-made chicken kormas.

But now that cream is out of the question, Thai food with its coconut-based curries and bowls of naturally gluten-free rice make a lot of sense. (In fact, the only GF-DF dish at Wagamama is the green curry).

Ingredients

I’m not particularly pedantic with sticking to traditions, so for me the spices and seasonings can be quite customisable. The following is a list of the basic ingredients for this curry, with some different options and substitutions:

Can of full-fat coconut milk – you can easily make your own by mixing 100g solid creamed coconut with 150ml hot water
Chicken breast fillets – if you wanted, you could swap them with chicken thighs, turkey fillets, or Quorn pieces to make this vegetarian
Rice – I used brown rice for its higher nutritional content than plain white. You can liven it up a bit by mixing a stock cube and a couple of bay leaves with the water in the pan before adding the rice to cook, or by mixing the cooked rice with a splash of soy sauce and a small sprinkle of ground pepper and/or other spices (e.g. smoked paprika, turmeric or garam masala)
Thai curry paste or dried spice mix – to keep things simple, this recipe uses pre-mixed ground Thai curry spice. Most curry pastes will work just as well, but be aware that some may contain added gluten, so check the label
Chilli – I’m a complete wimp when it comes to spice, so the kick from the curry mix was definitely enough for me. For those of you who like it hotter, add in a couple of teaspoons of hot curry powder, or chop in a fresh chilli
Soy sauce – nothing beats the saltiness from a splash of (gluten-free) soy sauce, but this could also be substituted for fish sauce or paste
Fresh vegetables – I particularly like the colours and crunchy texture of red pepper slices, green string beans and baby sweetcorn. Other great options are chunks of asparagus, sugar snaps, spring onions, broccoli – pretty much anything you like!
Onion and garlic – an absolute necessity. Finely chopped, these give a delicious flavour kick
Lime – could swap out for lemon if preferred

Storage instructions

Refrigerate any leftovers from this recipe in an airtight container as soon as it has cooled. It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, but I wouldn’t leave it much longer than this if you use chicken. If you’ve swapped the meat for lentils or Quorn, then it will absolutely keep for up to 7 days.

This curry can also be frozen and reheated without any issues. Simply seal in a freezer-proof container as soon as the leftovers have cooled, and eat within 2 months – but only if you’ve originally used fresh chicken, i.e. it hasn’t been frozen before you originally cooked it.

To defrost, place in an ovenproof dish and cook straight from frozen at 170°C or 340°F for 25 minutes, until thawed completely through.

Print Pin

Green thai chicken curry

A warming coconut-based green curry with peppers, green beans and a side of spiced rice

Course Main Course

Cuisine Oriental, Thai

Keyword curry, dairy free, gluten free, thai

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 28 minutes

Total Time 38 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 582kcal

Equipment

Large wok
Saucepan
Chopping board

Ingredients

200 g (2 ¼ cups) brown rice (uncooked)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red onion, finely chopped
4 tsp green thai mixed dried spice or green curry paste
400 g (14 oz) boneless chicken breast fillets
400ml can (1 ¾ cups) coconut milk, full fat
1 tsp chilli powder or 1 small chilli, finely chopped (optional)
1 red pepper, sliced
100 g (⅔ cup) green beans, top & tailed
80 g (1 cup) baby corn, sliced into fine strips
2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 handful chives, chopped

Instructions

Boil 400ml water in a medium-sized saucepan and add the rice. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and leave to cook for 20-25 minutes, giving an occasional stir once every 10 minutes or so
In a large wok, fry the chopped garlic, onion and spice mix together with the olive oil on a medium heat for 3 minutes. Chop the chicken breast into large chunks and add into the wok, stirring regularly until sealed (i.e until the outsides of the chicken pieces have turned white)
Next, pour in the tin of coconut milk and stir well. Put a lid over the wok and leave to simmer for 10 minutes
Then add the sliced peppers, beans, baby corn, chilli (if using), soy sauce and lime zest and juice, giving the curry another stir. Put the lid back on and leave to cook for a further 15 minutes
Give the rice a final stir and drain any excess water. Season with a small splash of soy sauce and ground pepper if desired, before serving in a small bowl. Sprinkle the fresh chives on top of the rice and serve together with the curry

More gluten-free, dairy-free lunch & dinner inspiration:

3-bean chilli stuffed peppers

Creamy sweet potato pepper soup

6 Quorn recipe ideas

ALL RECIPES, Mains

April 21, 2020

Keto friendly coconut porridge

Keto Friendly Coconut Porridge A thick warming oatmeal with a creamy coconut flavour. This easy breakfast is low in carbs, making it a great alternative to regular porridge. Top with nuts and mixed berries to keep it keto-friendly. PREP TIME: 1 MIN COOK TIME: 4…

ALL RECIPES, Breakfast

February 17, 2020

Sweet Potato Fritata

Sweet Potato Fritata This is a quick and colourful dish, packed with healthy fats and protein from the eggs and slow-release carbohydrate and vitamins from the sweet potato – plus an antioxidant hit from all the baby tomatoes. PREP TIME: 10 MINS COOK TIME: 20…

ALL RECIPES, Breakfast

February 7, 2020

Vegetarian Protein Omelette with Avocado

Vegetarian protein omelette with avocado

A super low-carb, high-protein recipe that you can throw together in 20 minutes. Versatile as a brunch, post-training meal or quick dinner, this dish is a handy one to know.

PREP TIME 5 MINS

COOK TIME 15 MINS

TOTAL TIME 20 MINS

My style of cooking is generally along the lines of ‘what random ingredients can I throw together to make something edible in the quickest time possible’…

True to form, this is one such recipe, and is so versatile that you could have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

These last few weeks I’ve really been trying to eat cleaner and get in as much protein while not going too crazy with the carbs alongside my weight training.

With two different types of protein, this recipe is really great if you have similar macro goals.

If you wanted, you could substitute the Quorn pieces for something else – I’ve made similar meals before with smoked salmon or leftover bits of roast chicken, which are both reasonably lean protein sources.

I was also pretty generous with the turmeric and black pepper, as the two work in combination to give your metabolism and immune system a boost (and it also makes a pretty yellow colour, which I’m definitely all for).

Print Pin

Vegetarian Protein Omelette with Avocado

A super low-carb, high-protein recipe that you can throw together in 20 minutes. Versatile as a brunch, post-training meal or quick dinner, this dish is a handy one to know

Course Main Course

Cuisine World

Keyword dairy free, egg, gluten free, vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 1

Calories 280kcal

Equipment

Frying pan

Ingredients

100 g Quorn Pieces (GF)
1 tbsp gluten free soy sauce e.g. Yutaka
50 g (1 medium-small) new potato, boiled
2 medium eggs, beaten
45g
avocado

Seasonings

1 tsp turmeric
Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Using a non-stick frying pan, cook the Quorn pieces for 5 minutes on a high heat, stirring regularly.
(I prefer to dry fry to avoid too much extra fat, but you can use oil if preferred).
Turn down the heat slightly and add the soy sauce and potato slices, then cook for a further 10 minutes, adding a little water if necessary
Add the black pepper and turmeric to the bowl of beaten egg
Tip the eggs into the pan and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until scrambled
Serve with the avocado, adding salt to taste