Veggie Burgers

Serves 3

Ingredients

15g butter
125g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
1 small leek, finely chopped
1 small green chilli, halved, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed
2x 400g cans butter beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper
gluten free plain flour (or gram flour) for coating
4 tbsp olive oil

Instructions
1. Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the mushrooms and leek and cook for 2-3 minutes until farily soft. Add the chilli, sugar and garlic, and stir fry for 2-3 minutes Add the beans an cook, stirring for 1 minute.
2. Remove from the heat, season well and mash with a potato masher until the beans are broken with no large lumps. Shape in to 6 burgers.
3. Sprinkle some flour on to a plate and season with salt and pepper. Coat each side of teh burgers in flour
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the burgers and cook each side 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and heated through 

Notes: I would try this with kidney beans next time. We used 1 can each of butter and cannellini beans. Would also consider using some Indian spices to make them a bit more flavorsome. 

Taken from Mary Berry Complete Cookbook

 

Cheese and Garlic Stuffed Chicken

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breasts
10g butter
½ onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
60g soft cheese
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
½ egg yolk
pinch of grated nutmeg
salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Make the stuffing: melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the onion and garlic, and cook gently for a few minutes until soft but not coloured. Turn into a bowl, and leave to cool slightly.

2. Add the soft cheese to the onion mixture with the tarragon, egg yolk and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.

3. Stuff the chicken breast: spread the cheese mixture over the chicken and then gently press the skin/flap back on top. Put the chicken in an ovenproof dish and brush with melted butter

4. Roast in a preheated oven at 190c for 25-30 minutes until cooked through. Cut each breast into diagonal slices and serve.

Notes: We replaced tarragon with parsley, but it wasn't very flavoursome. In the future, may try fennel seeds in place of the tarragon. 

Taken from Mary Berry Complete Cookbook 

Sticky Honeyed Chicken Drumsticks

Serves 2

Ingredients

6 chicken drumsticks
125g (4oz) plain yoghurt
1 tbsp clear honey
½ tsp ground coriander
salt and black pepper

Instructions
1. Make the marinade: combine all ingredients. Turn the drumsticks in the marinade. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes
2. Place the drumsticks under a hot grill, 10cm from the heat. Grill, turning frequently and basting with the marinade, for 20 minutes until crisp brown and cooked through.

Taken From Mary Berry Complete Cookbook

Notes: Served with roasted parsnips, carrots and polenta 

Crisp Italian Chicken and Polenta

Serves 2

Ingredients
250g pack ready-to-use polenta
25g Parmesan, grated
2 skin-on, boneless chicken breast fillets
100g cherry tomatoes
leaves from a few sprigs rosemary, torn
1 garlic clove, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 220c. Using your fingers, roughly break up the polenta into small chunks and scatter int he bottom of a small roasting tin. Tip in the Parmesan and mix. Sit the chicken breasts, cherry tomatoes, rosemary and garlic on top of the polenta. Drizzle with olive oil, then season to taste.
2. Roast for 25 minutes until the chicken is crisp and golden, and the polenta and cheese are turning crusty around the edges.

Notes: Can use skinless chicken breasts and still very tasty! An alternative is to add tomato pesto and add a few dollops on top of the chicken to keep it moist!

Taken from BBC Good Food (October 2005)

Creamy Fish Curry

Serves 2

Ingredients
250g basmati rice
1 1/2 tbsp mild curry paste
1 onion, thinly sliced
200g reduced-fat coconut milk
1/2 chicken stock cube
70g green beans
200g frozen white fish, defrosted and chopped into chunks
1/4 bunch spring onions, sliced

Instructions
1. Cook the rice. Meanwhile, heat the curry paste with a splash of water in a frying pan with a lid Add the onion and gently cook until soft. Pour in the coconut milk and crumble on the stock cube. Simmer to make a smooth sauce, adding a splash of water if it's too thick.
2. Stir in the beans, then top with the fish. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Drain the rice. Sprinkle the curry with the spring onions and serve with the rice.  

Taken from BBC Good Food (February 2013)

Notes: We used frozen cod loins, and no green beans.  

Peri Peri Chicken with Spicy Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients
4 skin-on chicken thighs and 4 chicken drumsticks
6 tbsp piri piri marinade
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 peppers, any colour
1/2 bunch spring onions, sliced, white and green parts separated
4 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
250g cooked rice, stored in the fridge for a day

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 200c. Slash each piece of chicken 3 times, so the marinade can really flavour the meat. Pour over the sauce and leave in the fridge to marinate. Arrange skin side up in a roasting tin. Cook for 30 minutes, then increase heat to 220c and cook for 15 mins more until the skin is crispy and golden.
2. When the chicken is almost ready, heat the oil in a frying pan. Cook the peppers and white parts of the spring onions for 5 minutes. Add the puree and paprika, stir, then add the rice, breaking up with a wooden spoon so all the grains are coated well. Heat until piping hot. Scatter the green parts of the spring onion on top and serve with the chicken.

Notes: We used Sun-dried Tomato Piri Piri marinade. Cooking the rice in advance means it separates more easily and maintains its texture.

Taken from BBC Good Food February 2013

Vanilla Cream Cupcakes

Serves 24

Ingredients
200g (7oz) plain flour, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
200g (7oz) caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
100g (3 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
150 ml (5 fl oz) milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Icing
200g (7oz) icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g (3 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, softened
sugar sprinkles

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Place the first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Mix together with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla extract together until well blended.
3. Slowly pour the egg mixture in to the dry ingredients, whisking all the time. Whisk until smooth, being careful not to over mix. Too much beating toughens cakes.
4. Pour all the batter into a jug to make it easier to handle. Place the cupcake cases into the holes in the cupcake trays. Carefully pour the cake mixture into the papers, filling each one only half full. 
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until springy to the touch. Test the cakes are done by inserting a skewer in to the centre of one cupcake. Leave for a few minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely. 
6. To make the icing, combine the icing sugar, vanilla extract, and butter in a bowl. Beat with an electric whisk for 5 minutes until very light and fluffy. Check the cakes have cooled completely.
7. If icing by hand, add a teaspoonful of the frosting mix to the top of each cake, and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. To pipe the icing, transfer the icing to a piping bag. Pipe by squeezing out the icing with one hand. Starting from the edge, pipe a spiral of icing that comes to a peak in the centre. Decorate with sprinkles.

Taken from Step-by-Step Baking

Chocolate Cupcakes

Serves 24

Ingredients
200g (7oz) plain flour
2tsp baking powder
4tbsp cocoa powder
200g (7oz) caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt 
100g (3 1/2oz) unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
150ml (5fl oz) milk
1tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp Greek yoghurt

Icing
100g (3 1/2oz) unsalted butter, softened
175g (6oz) icing sugar
25g (scant 1oz) cocoa powder

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Sift the flour, baking powder, and cocoa in to the bowl. Add the sugar, salt and butter. Mix until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla extract, and yoghurt together until well blended.
2. Slowly pour in the egg mixture to combine. Gently whisk until smooth. Place the cupcake cases in to the trays. Carefully spoon the cake mixture in to the cases, filling each one only half full.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly coloured and springy to the touch. Leave for a few minutes, then transfer the cupcakes in their cases to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. For the icing, beat together the butter, icing sugar and cocoa powder until smooth. Ice by hand, using the back of a spoon dipped in hot water to smooth the surface. Or transfer the icing to apiping back and pipe onto the cakes.

Taken from Step-by-Step Baking

Flapjacks (The best I've ever made!)

Makes 16-20

Ingredients
225g (8oz) butter
225g (8oz) light soft brown sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
350g (12 oz) rolled oats

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 150c. Lightly grease the base and sides of a tin (25cm/10in square). 
2. Put the butter, sugar and syrup into a large saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat.
3. Stir in the oats, making sure they are well coated, but don't overwork the mix. Spoon the mixture from the saucepan in to the prepared tin. 
4. Press down firmly with the wooden spoon to make a roughly even layer. Bake for 40 minutes or until evenly golden. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then cut in to squares.

Notes: Melt 50g of plain/milk chocolate. Drizzle over the flapjacks in the tin before slicing.

Taken from Step-by-Step Baking

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free)

Makes 24

Ingredients
170g (6oz) butter
250g (8 1/2 oz) soft light brown sugar
55g (2oz) granulated sugar
300g (10 1/2 oz) plain gluten free flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
185g (6 1/2 oz) chocolate chips

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add in the sugars, stirring until no lumps remain.
3. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt in to a mixing bowl
4. Add the melted butter and sugars, the beaten egg, and vanilla extract and mix to a soft dough.
5. Mix in the chocolate chips
6. With wet hands, shape the dough into 18 or 24 balls. Place well apart on the baking sheets.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden, but still soft. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely

Taken from Allergy Free Cookbook

Notes: Cook for 10 minutes and check - too crispy/crumbly after 20 minutes

Lemon Syrup Polenta Cake

Serves 8-10

Ingredients
140g (5oz) butter
140g (5oz) caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten
140g (5oz) ground almonds
1 tsp vanilla extract
85g (3oz) polenta, or other cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon

for the syrup
4 tbsp lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)
2 tbsp water
115g (4oz) icing sugar 

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Grease a deep 18cm (7in) round cake tin and line it with baking parchment.
2. Beat together the butter and sugar either with an electric whisk or wooden spoon, until soft and fluffy
3. Add in the eggs a little at a time, whisking well after each addition.
4. Add the ground almonds and vanilla extract. Sift the polenta, baking powder and salt Add the lemon zest and juice and fold everything in gently with a metal spoon.
5. Transfer the cake mixture to a prepared tin and level the surface.
6. Bake for 1 hour or until risen, golden and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven.
7. To make the syrup, gently heat together the lemon juice, water and icing sugar in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
8. Stab the cake all over with a wooden cocktail stick, making the holes almost to the base. Spoon the hot syrup over the cake.
9. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin before turning out and removing the parchment paper 

Taken from Allergy Free Cookbook

Notes: Makes a lot of syrup, majority does soak in. On second try of this recipe, I let the syrup dissolve for longer in the saucepan, and it didn't create a layer like in this photo, and the cake was even moister!