Gluten Free Orange and Lemon Cake

This is one of those dishes that you make every now and again because although it's worth eating even with all the sugar in it, there is a lot of sugar in it. Don't be put off. Maybe I shouldn't have said that but I might as well warn you now. There is a lot of sugar. But, on the plus side, you can eat small slivers over an extended period because this cake is so moist and juicy that it will definitely last in a sealed tin.

Now this is not my recipe. I wish it was my recipe but I have adapted it a bit. First off the recipe came to me on a piece of paper with no author or title. It asked for flour, and I changed it to ground almonds. Secondly I put in more orange and lemon zest than the recipe asked for to give it a real tang.

Citrus fruit are renowned for being a good cleanser. Who hasn't heard that a cup of hot water with a slice of lemon is the best way to start the day? We all know that citrus fruit have good doses of Vit C but did you know that they also have the most activity when it comes to antioxidants which helps boost our immune systems and fights off bad stuff like cancer and diseases.

Cinnamon and Star Anise. My kitchen smells something like a cross between Christmas and far away lands. It was boooootiful. Star Anise can be used to help bring out a cough and all the yucky stuff that gets stuck in your chest. Mixed with some honey and water it's also been known to help with tummy cramps. The shape of these get me every time!

Cinnamon has amazing properties, first I have to talk about how great  it is for regulating blood sugar levels! Yay, another food/spice  to add to our 'helpfull' lists for those of us with Insulin Resistance. Other uses include helping with pain, inflammation and hormone balancing.

RECIPE:

200g castor sugar

145g ground almonds

215m sunflower oil

4 large eggs

finely grated zest of 2 lemons and 2 oranges

1½ tsp baking powder.

Syrup:

juice of 1 lemon and orange

90g castor sugar

3 star anise

1 stick of cinnamon broken up

Oil and line a tine with baking paper. I have used different tins every time I make it (round to flat and square) It won't rise a huge amount but there is a good amount of mix. Combine all the cake ingredients together and give it a good beat. Immediately put into your tin and put it in the oven. Turn oven to 190C and set your timer for 40 mins. A cold oven is what makes this cake work also, the top will look like it's getting brown too quick. Cover with a bit of tin foil.

With about 10 mins to spare, pop all the syrup ingredients into a pan. Slowly bring it to a boil (all the sugar wants to be dissolved before it boils) and simmer it for 15 mins. Warning: Smell in your kitchen will be amazing so be careful.

Check to see if you cake is cooked (skewer into the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean take it out, if there is a mixture on the skewer leave in for another 10 mins)

Once out though pour the syrup over the cake trying to cover all of the surface. This will make your cake so moist and amazing! I found that I had some syrup left over as I had covered the cake 2 with syrup and didn't want to drown it. So I've kept the syrup to make a christmassy cordial.

The simplest dish you can make

I'm being totally, 100% honest. Your blind Uncle who has never cooked in his life could do it. Well maybe not but he could definitely do 80% of this meal. He might need your help with the poached egg but hell, if he doesn't feel like having an egg, he would be the chef!

So, who can tell me what this is? First one to write in will get a special pat on the back! I'm sure that you all know by now. Yep it's little old quinoa. That super grain from Peru. I have talked about it in the past here, but you know. When a girl falls in love, she falls hard! This is one of those times *swoon*. If you're a vegan you should include quinoa in your diet and with it being so versatile there really is no excuse! It's a complete protein and has managed to overcome one of the shortcomings normally associated with grains, it's high in fat. And that is good fat by the way. It's also got a pretty good calcium content so munch away people, munch away.

Aren't these colours amazing?! The minute I saw them in the shop I knew, deep down in my heart that I had to have them. Some people go for shiny pretty clothes, I go for pretty veggies. Bright colours that entice you and hold a wealth of goodness for our bodies. This is ruby and golden chard. Both yummy and without a huge variation in taste. Some people compare it to spinach, I my friends am not that person. I prefer, whole heartedly I might add, chard. I love it when the leaves are young and tender for salads, I love it when it grows tall and proud and it's great to cook with. We all know the benefits of eating a green and leafy diet, yes? Well chard, is one of those exceptional cases. It contains at least 13 different antioxidants, one of which is syringic acid. Now don't get scared by the name. This has actually be getting a heap of attention with researchers concerning the regulation of blood sugar levels…hip hip hooray!

RECIPE:

50g quinoa per person

3 leaves of chard per person

1 egg per person

salt and pepper

oil

Get your quinoa on first of all (in a pan cover the quinoa with water, get it boiling and the grains will start to go translucent. I like mine with a bite so try it and see if it's cooked enough for you). Meanwhile  put a pan of water onto boil for your poached egg and wash and chop the chard. Keep the stalks and leaves separate as the stalks will take longer to cook. Drizzle some oil into a pan and heat. Once hot add the chopped stalks and cook until change colour slightly, add the leaves and season. Drain the quinoa and let stand. Once the chard has cooked add the quinoa. Stir through on a low heat whilst you put your egg into the swirling water to poach. 

Poaching an egg: There is only one technique that works for me! A very fresh egg is needed and that is it. Boil water, stir to make a vortex. Crack egg into a teacup and gently lower egg into the vortex of boiling water. Cook till you are happy with it. 

Serve your quinoa/chard mix with a poached egg on top…enjoy the healthiness!

One last summer salad

With the 1st of Setpember came rain, wind and my mind wandering to sunnier climes. Can I cope in this climate for the next 6months? Will my feet cope with constantly being wet and cold and my body with the shivers?

Luckily enough, I managed to escape for a few days, to lands filled with golden sunshine and white beaches and although I feel invigorated I'm now back in the midst of storms, mist and rain.

This salad is a hommage to the last of the summer days. I'm quietly praying for an Indian Summer to come bounding into Ireland but if not, this is my last dish.

Beetroot is one of my favourite veggies of all time. I love how it leaves a reminder that it's been near you with it's purpley pink hue. I never wear gloves. I'm one of those people that love having something put their mark on me. As we all know veggies that are vibrant are better for us. This root veggie is great for improving stamina and contains vitamins such as potassium, magnesium and iron. Research has proven that beetroot can actually lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes due to the amount of nitrates it contains. Nitrates produce a gas called nitric oxide in the blood which widens blood vessels as well as lowering blood pressure.

I use red onions in this salad which compliments the natural sweetness of the beetroot. White onion would be fine, but not perfect!  Onions, particularly red onions are a great source of Chromium which helps control glucose levels which as we all know are related to insulin resistance. There has also been some talk that the outer layers are the most beneficial but there isn't a huge amount of research to prove this.

You can eat the skins of beetroot if you want, for this dish though I've taken them off but, if I was roasting them I would totally leave them on. Parsley is another ingredient and it is so good for your digestion. Please if you have bowl problems eat as much as you can. It will help no end!

RECIPE:

6 small to medium beetroots boiled till a knife slides in and out easily

large handful of parsley, washed and chopped

1 medium red onion, sliced finely

olive oil

salt and pepper

Once your beetroot is cooked peel them carefully and cut into wedges. Slice your onion and add along with the parsley. Cover with a generous glug of good quality olive oil, salt and pepper and serve.

This dish would be great with the beets red hot and a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds!

It's a Dahl of a Sunday

The weather has closed. Summer has gone. Everybody will be white rather than red soon and I want colour, smells and flavour. Dahl is that dish. That dish that can bring back the feel of summer. It's full of goodness, totally vegetarian and vegan and one of those great dishes that you can make a bunch of and freeze. Technically, Dahl is not a dish, it's actually the name Indians use for lentils. Meaning that anything with lentils in is Dahl.  There are so many different types of Dahl and every family will have their very own recipe…this is mine.

It starts like most of my cooking with onion, garlic, ginger, cumin and coriander. Take a minute and picture the smell that is coming off these 5 ingredients once you add a little heat. Just take a minute.

Let's talk about the eye watering onion. Ok, we all know that there are a huge amount of types of onions; red, white, spring, chive, small, large etc etc. But to think that the onion family has 325 members and is one of the oldest vegetables known to man is pretty full on. There are so many legends and old wives tales about this veggie; to strap it to the soles of your feet during a cold will suck it out. Peel it under water to avoid crying (never works for me!). Fell over? Strap some slices over the bruise and overnight it will have gone….have you tried any?

This veggie has so many healing abilities that if you don't include it in your diet you really should. It's known for it's antibiotical, disinfectant, diuretic properties as well as helping with asthma, dissolving blood clots, regulating blood, infection fighting, the list goes on and on. Basically, EAT IT!

Another oldie but goodie. Ginger….that nobly dry-on-the-outside root that is so tasty! The older it is the more fibrous but, you can still use it. Make a lemon and ginger tea or rhubarb and ginger jam. Don't throw it out. A great overall promoter of circulation in the body, ginger has again, been around for years and years. Those oldies knew what they were doing back in the day! Used instead of garlic and onions to spiritually and physically cleanse, Ancient Indians preferred ginger as it produced a sweet smell that didn't offend their Gods.

I've talked about cumin here so let's have a little chat about coriander today. One thing I found when I was researching is that the oil can be used to lower glucose levels and regulate insulin. Great for us Insulin Resitant peeps or those with PCOS. It's been used as a digestive aid for years and has been found in Bronze Age ruins.

Tomatoes! I love tomatoes that grow in summer. You cannot get any sweeter, tastier little mouthfuls than fresh off the vine. And, as Rory O'Connell would say 'eating tomatoes out of season is too horrific to think about'. Ok, I'm paraphrasing but you get the gist. Don't eat veggies out of their season! Tomatoes are over 93% water and when eaten raw are super effective at reducing liver inflammation..munch away while it's the season peeps especially with all those Pimms doing the rounds.

The other vital ingredient is the lentil. I love the red variety in this dish as it gives it that bright sun shinning glow. All varieties are good for you. Scrap that. Great for you. Really really great. Especially for those of us with Insulin Resistance and blood sugar level problems. Their high fiber content helps to slow down the rise of blood sugar levels after eating. They are also a massive source of oestrogen..so for those with hormone troubles, something to research and, yes, there's more. They are great for lowering cholesterol.

RECIPE:

1 large red/white onion 

3+ cloves of garlic (depending on your taste. I use 5)

1-3 chillies depending on heat

2 inches peeled and grated ginger

1tsp tumeric

1tsp whole cumin seeds

1tsp coriander seeds

1tsp curry powder 

1tsp garam masala (optional)

4/5 big tomatoes/10-12 small tomatoes

250g of cooked red lentils

Slice the onion, garlic cloves and chilli finely. Add to some hot olive oil/ghee and cook till soft. Add the spices and cook some more. Slice the tomatoes and add to the pan. Stir and add some water to help cook the tomatoes. Put on a low simmer. Meanwhile cover red lentils in water and put on to cook. Once the tomatoes have broken down and the lentils are cooked add together. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with some mint yoghurt.