Chocolate chickpea brownies

Makes 30 brownie bites

Ingredients
1.25 cups dark chocolate chips
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 eggs
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder

Instructions
1. Melt the chocolate chips in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Preheat the oven to 160c.
2. Add all the ingredients (except the chocolate) to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and blend until combined.
3. Line an 8"x8" tin with parchment paper. Pour the brownie batter in to the tin and smooth with a knife. 
4. Bake for 28-30 minutes. Allow brownies to cool for a few minutes, then remove from the tin and peel off the parchment paper. 

Adapted from www.theroastedroot.net

Nutritional Info: 87 calories, 3.9 fat, 2.2g saturated fat, 18mg sodium, 47.5g potassium, 14.2g carbohydrate, 1.4g dietary fiber, 9.6g sugars (please note may not be exact)

Toffee Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 12 cupcakes

 Ingredients
For the cake: 
190g plain flour, sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
120g soft brown sugar
pinch of salt
120ml milk
2 eggs
6 tbsp melted butter
2 tsp vanilla extract

For the filling:
125g condensed milk  (to make dulce de leche)

For the frosting:
100g full fat cream cheese
100g unsalted butter
250g icing sugar, sifted
60g condensed milk (to make dulce de leche)

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 170c. In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt and baking powder. Add the sugar and mix well.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, eggs, vanilla and butter. Whisk together until light and fluffy. Add to the flour and mix well until smooth.
3. Spoon in to muffin cases and bake for 20-25 minutes.
4. Make the dulce de leche/caramel - pour the condensed milk in to a bowl over boiling water. Cover with tin foil and boil for 1-2 hours, regularly checking and stirring. Will thicken and darken in colour. (This is my preferred method for making the dulce de leche - it can be bought ready made, or made by alternative methods).
5. Once the cupcakes are cooled, use a cupcake corer to take out the centre of each and fill with a spoonful of dulce de leche filling.

6. Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese until light and creamy. Beat the butter and icing sugar together until fluffy, then add the cream cheese and beat. Add the dulce de leche, beat until combined then place in the fridge to thicken a little.
7. Spoon or pipe the frosting on to the cupcakes and decorate as preferred.

Cake recipe kindly adapted from allrecipes.com
Frosting recipe adapted from The Little Loaf (from Peggy Porschen)
 

Roasted Redcurrant Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary New Potatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients
5 cloves of garlic
small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cranberry or red-currant jelly
grated zest of 1 lemon and 2 tbsp lemon juice
4 skinless chicken breasts
450g new potatoes
4 sprigs rosemary


Instructions 
1. Crush 2 of the cloves of garlic and finely chop the parsley, then add to a large bowl, mixing with 1 tbsp of the olive oil, the cranberry jelly and lemon zest and juice.
2. Score the chicken breasts diagonally 3-4 times (to a depth of about 1cm). Place in a bowl with the marinade, turning each breast in the mixture to ensure it is thoroughly coated. Season well with salt and pepper, then cover the bowl and leave for a minimum of 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 220c. Halve the potatoes and place in a large roasting tin with the remaining olive oil, whole garlic cloves and the sprigs of rosemary. Season well and roast for 20-25 minutes.
4. Remove the potatoes, reduce the temperature to 200c. Place the chicken breasts in the roasting tin on top of the potatoes. Pour over the remaining marinade and return to the oven for 15 minutes. Remove, cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Taken from The Intolerant Gourmet, Pippa Kendrick

Lemon Cupcakes (Hummingbird Bakery)

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
120g plain flour
150g caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp grated lemon zest
40g unsalted butter
120ml milk
1 egg
Splash of lemon juice (not in the original recipe)
For the frosting:
250g icing sugar
80g butter
2 tbsp grated lemon zest
yellow food colouring (as much as for the desired colour)
25ml milk
Splash of lemon juice (not in the original recipe)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 170c. Put flour, sugar, baking powder, zest, and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat on slow speed until a sandy consistency is reached. Gradually pour in the milk and beat until just mixed. Add lemon juice if using.
2. Add the egg and continue beating until just mixed (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl). Continue mixing for a couple of minutes until smooth (do not over-mix).
3. Spoon the mixture in to paper cases, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Leave to cool slightly before turning out of the tin on to a wire cooling rack.
For the frosting:
1. Beat together the icing sugar,  butter, lemon zest and food colouring in a free-standing mixer on medium-slow until well mixed. 
2. Turn the mixer down to slow and add the milk and lemon juice if using. When it is all mixed in, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. 
3. When the cupcakes are cold, pipe or spoon the frosting on top and decorate. 

Notes: I wanted to make these particularly lemony so added lemon juice to both the cakes and the frosting. 
 
Adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

 

Beetroot Dip

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients
2 medium beets, rinsed well
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup greek-style yoghurt
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp roasted cumin seeds, to serve


Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 180c. Place beets on a sheet of foil, brush with olive oil and wrap in the foil. Place on a baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour. Cool, then peel.
2. Chop roughly and place in a food processor. Add 2 tsp olive oil, yoghurt, spices and lemon juice. Process until smooth, seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve in a bowl sprinkled with cumin seeds. 

Note: We used ready cooked beetroot so just missed out step 1.

Adapted from The Gluten-Free Kitchen 

Spicy Sweet Potato Dip

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 1/4 cups peeled and cubed sweet potato
1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp olive oil
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup canned butterbeans, drained and rinsed
zest and juice of 1 lemon or lime (may require more juice)

Instructions
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Preheat oven to 180c. 
2. Combine butter and garlic, brush all over sweet potato and sprinkle with paprika. PLace on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until tender.
3. Heat a small pan over medium heat. Add  olive oil and any remaining garlic butter. Add scallions, ginger and chile and saute until softened. 
4. Transfer sweet potato and scallion mixture to a food processor. Blend until a puree. Add butter beans, zest and juice and continue to puree until smooth.
5. Transfer dip to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika.




Taken from The Gluten-Free Kitchen

Chicken Rogan Josh

Serves 4

Ingredients
6 skinless and boneless chicken thighs
2 red onions
3 cloves of garlic
1 red chilli
2 large tomatoes
3 cardamom pods
2 tbsp groundnut/rapeseed oil
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp soft light brown sugar
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
5 tbsp ground almonds
1 tsp garam masala


Instructions
1. Cut the chicken thighs widthways in to slices about 1cm thick. Halve the onions, slicing in to thin half-moons, crush the garlic and slice the chilli in to fine rounds. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and crush the cardamom pods.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onions and saute gently over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until soft but not browned. Stir in the chilli powder, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, ginger, sugar, crushed cardamom pods and salt.
3. Cook the spices for a minute or two until fragrant, then add the tomato puree, garlic and fresh chilli, and continue to saute for a further 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the chicken and mix in thoroughly so that all the pieces are coated in the spice mixture. Pour over the chopped tomatoes, along with 150ml water, then add the tomato quarters. Cover with a lid, then bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
5. Once the curry is cooked, stir in the ground almonds and garam masala and simmer gently, uncovered for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Finely chop the coriander and sprinkle over the top.

Taken from the Intolerant Gourmet, Pippa Kendrick