Happy St. Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to every one. Although I am in agreement with a lot of people who believe valentine's day has become an overly commercialized and corny holiday, I am also incredibly grateful that there is at least one day of the year set aside to remind people that they love someone, and are loved in return- be it by a significant other, your children, your parents, your siblings or friends. That's the important part I think.

So, while I made some of these treats for my significant other, I also shared them with my friends and with my family in spirit (they are all in different corners of the globe).

They were incredibly easy. Warning - Don't wear dark clothes when making. Wearing dark jeans and a black sweater was a tiny mistake. I came out looking like I'd been run over by a truck of flour. That said, I'm not the cleanest baker. I seem to forget that after I cook I have to clean.

Warning: These are not dairy free. The cookies themselves are both gluten and dairy free but the chocolate is not. However, feel free to use dark chocolate!

Ingredients (makes 2 dozen):
2.5 cups gluten-free flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
170g dairy-free butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 160 c
2. cover flat surface with (alot) of flour and roll out dough - cut into shapes and place on foil/wax covered baking sheet.
3. bake for 10-12 minutes- just until golden.

For chocolate:
1. Place cookies on drying rack on top of tin foil (makes for a much easier clean up)
2. Break chocolate bar of choice into pieces and put in a small pot.
3. Boil water in a larger pot.
4. Place the smaller pot with chocolate over the large pot so that the steam will melt the chocolate without burning it.
5. Pour chocolate over cookies and spread.
6. Let cool until solid.

Lots of love and bon appetit.

Hello Stuffed Aubergine

Today has just been one of those days. I spent 3.5 hours in a hospital this morning for an appointment that could have taken 30 minutes. There was a point in my (endless) waiting when I became convinced that if I were in charge of the NHS I could solve all of its problems of inefficiency. That gives you an idea of the day I've had...

I also had french today which always makes me feel francophilic. These two hours I have every week leave me motivated to become French- the first step being cooking like the French. While stuffed aubergine might not be quite the thing, baguettes and bread are. And nothing says good bread like Bertie the bread maker (YES she has been named)! Soon I will make baguettes. This might just motivate me to make an evening out of it. You can't have fresh french bread without cheese (dairy friendly - goats cheese for me!), and you can't have cheese without wine, and if there's wine there might as well be friends... 

Keep posted. I'm sure there will be pictures. However, after all that wine and bread they may be blurry... 

Now, on with the cooking! When dinner time finally rolled around I was in need of some culinary therapy so, I made this delicious stuffed aubergine (ate both portions and 4 pieces of cake. Don't judge me.). It's easy and hits just the right spot. 

Ingredients (serves four):

500 g ground beef or pork

2 medium-large aubergines 

1 onion- chopped

1 leek- chopped

2 garlic cloves- diced

handful of chopped mushrooms

salt and pepper- to taste

spices- to taste

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 180 c

1. Cut aubergine in half length wise. 

2. Scoop out insides with half an inch left all the way around- place in large bowl.

3. Brown meat with onions. 

4. Mix browned meat, onions, leek, aubergine insides, garlic and spices in large bowl.

5. Scoop mixture into aubergine shells.

6. Top with goat cheese and cook until aubergine is soft. 

7. Serve and enjoy. 

Lots of love and bon appetit. 

Banana Cake

I have come to the conclusion that a large part of university is jumping through hoops, waiting, and jumping through more hoops. While I love what I am studying, endless days of reading and attempting to write essays gets a tiny bit repetitive and lets face it, boring. There are still things to look forward to though- long walks to nowhere in particular are essential! The peace of mind you get from nature is the best solution for...anything really. I've personally taken to baking- another solution to everything.

A friend showed me this recipe a few weeks ago and it has quickly become a favorite. I made it for a dinner party last week and it was an easy crowd pleaser. So quick and delicious and just right for those days when nothing else seems to be going quite right. Make your taste buds happy.

Ingredients

5oz/140g dairy-free butter

225 g sugar

170g gluten-free flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

3x ripe bananas

1 teaspoon vanilla
a splash of milk (for those using gluten-free flour moisture helps the texture)

1 oz desiccated coconut (optional) 

handful of walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 165C

2. Mix dry ingredients - sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, coconut

3. Smash bananas in a separate bowl until soft and somewhat smooth.

4. Mix liquid ingredients with dry ones- add butter, bananas, vanilla

5. Pour mixture into greased baking tin

6. Bake for about one hour- until knife put in comes out clean

Lots of love and bon appetit

Ginger Garlic Butter

Today has been all about speed. After a very busy day I needed something easy but nice for dinner before I ran out of the house to do the next thing. I took some fish and spinach out of the freezer (I told you it was easy), popped the fish in the oven with a bit of oil, set the spinach to boil, sauteed some mushrooms and made a nice ginger garlic butter to go on the side. Whether you choose the frozen isle like me or not- the butter is a definite must. It was ridiculously easy. I wish I could say that this weekend will bring relaxation but unfortunately deadlines are looming so, there will be more easy recipes ahead. Sunday I'm seeing Snow Patrol in concert (incredibly excited!!) and will undoubtedly treat myself to dinner somewhere with lovely food which you will have the joy of hearing all about! Now, on to the food.

(Just a side note: 

All the gluten-free/dairy-free substitutes I use are purchased at Tesco (in the UK). 

In the US? - Whole Foods has an amazing gluten-free and dairy-free range! 

In the Czech Republic? - Billa and Tesco have good substitutes and there is a great bio store in Dejvicka)

Ginger garlic butter (for 1-2):

1 heaped tablespoon softened butter

1 garlic clove- diced

1 tablespoon fresh parsley

1 teaspoon ginger (powder or freshly grated)

Directions:

1. put it all in a bowl and mix

2. done! 

lots of love and bon appetit.

Microwave Cup Cake

It was hard to decide on something that I could make in the midst of a busy day of lectures and work. I stumbled across this recipe on pinterest and thought it was perfect! It was incredibly easy, and I must say, while I was skeptical about if it would work, it turned out to be quite delicious. Once I made the cake in a separate cup, I simply plopped it into the one seen below. I got the milk jug and saucer from a local thrift shop so that once the brownie cake was eaten the duo would serve perfectly as a place for holding jewelry. A delicate and unique gift if on a budget (5 pounds).

Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 tablespoons Coco
3 tablespoons Sunflower oil
4 tablespoons Plain Gluten-Free flour
1/2 tablespoon Butter
1 egg
4 tablespoons Sugar
3 tablespoons soy/almond/rice/goats milk
2 tablespoons Chocolate chips (optional)

Feel free to add more butter if you want it to be a bit more moist.

Directions:
1. Grease a large mug
2. In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients - coco, flour, sugar
3. Add the egg, milk oil and chocolate chips (if using) and mix
4. Pour into greased coffee mug
5. Cook in microwave on high for 3 minutes - the cake will fill, or rise above, the mug
6. Use knife to loosen edges
7. Eat plain, with ice cream or icing (recipe below)


For the icing (add more as needed):
1/2 cup icing sugar
dash of milk

Lots of love and bon appetit!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip!

So, February begins and it is full of birthdays (including my own!). Given my small student budget and my love for cooking- my friends will be getting a lot of baked treats!

These deliciously easy cookies were part of a birthday gift for my friend Louise. To complete the gift I went to the local thrift shop and purchased an antique tin box. The idea is that once she has finished the cookies inside the box will be hers for jewelry or keepsakes. Easy and unique.

Ingredients (makes 10 cookies):
8 tablespoons gluten free flour
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1 free range egg yolk
50g dairy free butter- softened
1 tablespoon golden syrup
1 tablespoon chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 180c
2. Put the flour, sugar, peanut butter, egg yolk, butter, golden syrup and chocolate chips (if using) in a large bowl and mix until smooth
3. With floured hands break off evenly sized pieces and roll into walnut shaped balls
4. Place on to a baking sheet lined with baking paper and gently press each ball with the back of a fork to flatten slightly
5. Put in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or just until turning golden-brown
6. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let cool for 10 minutes
7. Optional: dust lightly with cinnamon or powdered sugar for serving

Lots of love and bon appetit.