Feeding Myself

Easy, allergy friendly recipes tried and tested by a student with chronic pain who's trying to feed herself. All the food is yummy, vegan and gluten/wheat, peanut, celery & tomato free. Search tags by clicking above e.g. soya free. New recipes are posted every Tuesday and Friday sporadically. Please let me know if you have any questions or tried a recipe. x Photo index of recipes

[feeding-myself]

Pineapple upside down cake, The Vegan Society

A yummy vintage classic from out time-travel New Year's Eve party. (Vegan recipe with Dove's gluten free flour, happily scoffed down by people with normal diets. Particularly good with vanilla icecream.)

[feeding-myself]

Ancho lentils (The PPK), Fajita filling and lime quinoa (Girl Makes Food)

I cooked the lentils in advance (substituting red pepper paste for tomato paste, and thyme for oregano), so this was a quick and very nutritious dinner.

If you don't have ancho powder substitute it with some other chile powder, I used a fajita spice mix for the veg for convenience.

[feeding-myself]

Gram frittata with garlic mushrooms, The Life Ain't Cheap Project

This was easy and cheap and a great source of protein with some home made soup. There were leftovers for the next day's lunch as well.

[feeding-myself]

Spicy black bean soup by Cookie and Kate

Warming and delicious. I left out the celery (allergies), fresh coriander (sad lack of a herb garden), and added some smoked chipotle sauce and flakes. Served with some tortillas and fresh corn on the cob, lovely.

[feeding-myself]

Drop dead coffee brownie by Vegan family recipes

This is a photo of the last piece left as it went down very well with my dance team the night before. Some people were positively shocked that it was vegan and gluten free...

I substituted 3/4 cup of Asda's gluten free plain flour, 3 scoops of instant coffee, and used 100g of chocolate chips and 50g of Ikea dark chocolate to stir in at the end.

[feeding-myself]

Pineapple fried rice with baked tofu

A flavoursome easy meal (just don't forget to substitute tamari for soy sauce to make it gluten free.)

[feeding-myself]

Leek, pea and spinach risotto with roast portobello mushrooms [x,x]

This was just lovely. Risottos take some effort- you have to stand (or sit) over the pot and stir frequently for best results, but this was worth it. This is a really forgiving recipe- use it as a base, make whatever substitutions you need and season to taste. Serves 2-3.

225g risotto rice (about 1 or 1 1/2 cups)

1 cup ginger wine (or white wine, or just veg stock)

5-6 cups vegetable stock (you probably won't need all of it. I used kallo french onion and added the mushroom stems)

Olive oil (I used a mix of plain and garlic infused)

2 leeks

1-2 shallots

~1 cup frozen peas

~1 cup spinach

1 tbsp. margarine

1 lemon or 1-2 tbsp lemon juice

salt, plenty of black pepper (I used both a szechuan grinder and cheap black pepper), chipotle/chilli flakes

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1 portabello mushroom per person

olive oil

plenty of salt and pepper

squeeze of lemon juice

Wash and chop the leeks into rounds.

Slice the shallot quite thinly.

Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large pot. Add the leek and shallot and cook for a few minutes until the leek is soft.

While the leek is cooking cut/tear up the spinach leaves and bring your stock to the boil in a separate pan. If roasting mushrooms coat them in olive oil, slat and pepper, and place them gills up on a baking tray. Heat the oven to ~200 C.

When the leek is soft add the rice to the pot and stir it together for a couple of minutes.

Pour the ginger wine into the rice pot and stir around.

When the rice has absorbed most of the wine pour in a ladleful of stock.

Continue to cook the rice, adding a ladleful of stock when each has been absorbed and stiring frequently.

After 10 minutes flip the mushrooms.

After about 13-14 minutes add the frozen peas.

Then check the mushrooms. If they look done you can leave them in the turned off oven 'till the risotto's finished.

After 16 mins taste the risotto to see if it's cooked (or try this.)

Add salt, plenty of pepper, and some chipotle flakes.

When the risotto is cooked turn off the heat and stir in the spinach, lemon juice and a tablespoon of margarine.

Enjoy!

[feeding-myself]

Vegan Sandra's Creamy lemon and mushroom pasta 

[feeding-myself]

Spiced lentil and spinach walnut loaf, from Anja's Food 4 Thought

[See my recipe index here.]

[feeding-myself]

Vegetarian tagine/hot pot with millet

This is not a good picture, but it was a delicious dinner so I'm posting it anyway.

[feeding-myself]

Smoked tofu salad with a chilli-lemon dressing

This was a adaptation of this salmon salad. For the baked tofu I used smoked tofu marinated in a little tamari sauce, liquid smoke and garlic olive oil, then baked at about 180 C for about 20-30 minutes.

[feeding-myself]

Iron rich rice dinner

I try not to obsess over nutrition- my diet is so limited I'd never stop worrying. Sometime though I realise I need to pay attention, and recently I've been trying to up my iron intake, so here's what I've done. (Bear in mind I have no nutritional training- if you're anaemic etc. please check with a dietician.)

1/4 -1/3 cup brown rice

3 tbsp lentils (adjust cooking time depending on type)

1/2- 2/3 cup water for cooking + 6-9 tbsp water for lentils

1/3 cup orange juice for cooking

1/2 - 1 cup broccoli

1/4 -1/2 cup spinach

2 tbs seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame)

3 tbs chopped nuts (cashews, almonds)

1/4 - 1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, chopped apricots)

Spices to taste (a mix of cumin, cinnamon, tumeric & curry powder is good)

Rinse the brown rice until the water runs clear.

If using brown or green lentils start them cooking now, for 5-10 mins before adding the rice and continuing. If using red lentils/yellow split peas add them to the rice after about 10 minutes.)

Put rice in a pan with twice as much water. Bring to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 25-35 minutes. You don't need to stir, but do check if you need to add more water.

When the rice has expanded but is still too firm to eat add the broccoli and orange juice. Add the spinach in the last few minutes.

While the rice is cooking chop your nuts and/or dried fruit.

When the rice is cooked mix everything together in a bowl. Enjoy!

To add other good sources of iron try chickpeas, beans, or tofu.

 [Find more recipes in my index.]

[feeding-myself]

Lemony lentil, potato and pea curry with cumin rice and  baked tofu.

This was lovely, quite easy when broken down into several steps, and feeds 4-5.

Lemony lentil, potato and pea curry (adapted from Coconut and Berries)

2 large potatoes (enough for 1 1/2 cups of chunks)

1/2 cup green or brown lentils

1 cup vegetable broth or water

2 carrots

3/4 cup frozen peas

1/2-1 tbsp. oil

2 shallots

2 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp. minced ginger

1/2 tsp. heaped curry powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

black pepper to taste

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. tamari

Peel the potatoes, chop them into 1" chunks and boil them for 15 minutes. Drain them and put them aside.

Rinse the lentils. Put them in a pan with the broth, bring it to the boil and then simmer for 25 minutes.

While the lentils are cooking wash and thinly slice the carrots. Add them to the pot in the last 5 minutes or so.

When the lentils are cooked stir in the frozen peas and leave the pot covered.

Chop the shallots and mince the garlic.

Fry the shallots in the oil until they start to go translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and spices.

Stir in the potatoes and fry.

Add the lentils and veg, stir all together.

Turn off the heat and add pepper, lemon and tamari.

Cumin rice

1 cup basmati rice

2 cups water

1 tbsp. cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander powder

sprinkle of cinnamon

glug of oil

Soak and rinse the rice.

Fry the spices in the oil in a large pot for less than a minute.

Stir in the rice.

Pour in the water.

Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes.

Baked tofu

I pressed a packet of tofu for about 30 minutes. Then cut it into slices, then thirds, and marinated it in Free & Easy tikka curry paste (which is tomato free) for about 45 minutes, before baking it at 200 C for 30-40 minutes.

 [Find more recipes in my index.]

[feeding-myself]

Easy bread pudding [x]

You know how gluten free bread can last forever but also falls to pieces? This was a brilliant way to use up the last of the loaf.

2 cups of bread pieces (about the size you'd feed to ducks)

1 cup dairy free milk (I used hemp)

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4- 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tbs vanilla

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins & sultanas

non-dairy spread to grease the pan

Toast the bread. In a toaster or in the oven at a low heat, until it's slightly crispy but still soft inside.

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F.

Stir all the other ingredients together in a bowl.

Soak the bread.

Grease a loaf or cake pan.

Spoon the bread into the pan, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Bake for 20-35 minutes, until the top is a little crispy and a knife comes out clean.

Serve! (Preferably not to ducks.)

[Find more puddings (& some sensible food) here.]

[feeding-myself]

Moroccan inspired tofu and quinoa, with pomegranate and mint. [x,x,x]

This was a lovely saturday afternoon dinner- full of flavour and deceptively easy to put together, with plenty of rest time between the steps. I made quite a few adaptations to the recipes, most significantly using quinoa rather than couscous (I wanted to try millet, but I couldn't find it in my cupboard), and golden syrup rather than honey in the sauce (not the healthiest substitution, but I have to use the tin up somehow!). This should serve 3-4.

Roast carrot and pomegranate quinoa:

3-4 carrots

glug of olive oil

1 tbs cumin seeds

pinch of salt, pepper, cinnamon

~1 cup uncooked quinoa or millet (more if people are hungry)

~2 cups vegetable stock or water (I used kallo french onion)

1 orange or a glug of orange juice

1 pomegranate

a handful of fresh mint leaves

Heat the oven to 200C/Gas mark 6.

Head and tail the carrots, and chop them into quarters.

Cover the carrots in olive oil, cumin seeds, salt, pepper and cinnamon on a baking tray.

Roast for 30-50 minutes (it really depends on your oven & how well done you like them). They should be tender and going brown and crispy whey they're done.

While the carrots are roasting sit and de seed the pomegranate. I did it messily with a tea spoon & sprayed juice everywhere, but there are good instructions here.

The quinoa takes about 20 minutes. Rinse the seeds really well in a sieve/strainer as the (invisible) outer coating is bitter and can give people stomach aches.

Bring the stock to a boil, add the quinoa, cover the pot, turn the heat down to a simmer & cook for 15-20 minutes. The quinoa should have absorbed all of the water, expanded and have visible little tails when it's done. More instructions are here.

Chop the mint leaves finely.

When the quinoa and carrots are cooked stir all of the ingredients together and serve.

Fried tofu: 

1 packet of tofu (400g undrained)

1/4 cup tamari

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp golden syrup

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp Ras el Hanout

sprinkle of garlic powder

1 tsp saffron syrup

1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil

1 shallot

Drain and press the tofu beneath a plate with heavy cans.

Stir together all the ingredients except the shallot to make a marinade.

Cut the tofu into squares. Cover in the marinade and put it in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Chop the shallot into small pieces.

When you're ready to cook it heat a little oil in a frying pan, remove the tofu from the marinade and fry on both sides with the shallot until it's caramelised. You can brush on more marinade as you go to stop the tofu from sticking.

Sweet orange sauce:

3/4 cup golden syrup

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Gently heat the ingredients together in a pan on a low heat or in a bowl over a candle. Stir well and pour over the meal to taste.

[Find more recipes here]

[feeding-myself]

Quinoa pizza bites from Made it Vegan

You know that moment when you're relaxing with friends at someone's house, and they order a pizza and you can't have any? These were made for that moment.

I substituted tvp flakes rehydrated in stock and some marmite for the veggie sausage, have used both mozzarella & cheddar for the cheese, use no-egg rather than chia, add some nutritional yeast and mushrooms, and use dried basil. Cook the quinoa & tvp, mix everything together in a bowl then freeze until needed. These have been especially great for my brother when he doesn't feel up to eating much, 'cos they're bite sized, and for my lactose intolerant friends. Of course, you can add pretty much any pizza topping you like. What's your favourite?

[Want more gluten free vegan recipes?]

[feeding-myself]

Sweet potato, lentil & raisin stew with millet, roasted carrots and broccoli.

The stew is from The Perfect Pantry; I halved the recipe & left out the tomato paste, lemon & parsley because of allergies/poorly stocked kitchen but added a little sumac for the citrus flavour. I made the stew the day before, all in one pot and it was delicious.

For the millet I followed The Kitchn's instructions, cooking just under 1/2 cup for the two of us, dry roasting the millet first & adding salt and pepper. The carrots were roasted with some ground coriander & cumin seeds, because they're yummy.

See what else I've been cooking here.