Fussy Foodie Emma

Living within your means is something that is as important as ever in the current economy and over the years, I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks to help keep healthy without it putting too much of a strain on your budget.

Freezing Foods

This week, I’m going to focus on freezing food. A few years ago I lived in a teeny-tiny little flat with no room for a freezer apart from the ice-box in the top of our fridge. It was frustrating as I would never have time to eat a whole loaf of free-from bread before it went stale! When we moved into a new flat, the first thing I did was buy a freezer, and I’m sure that I’ll never take them for granted again!

The obvious use for a freezer in a Fussy Foodie household is, as mentioned above, to freeze expensive items such as free-from bread so you can eat it as you need. Given that many loaves taste better when they are warmed through, you can just take it from the freezer and pop it straight into the toaster. This is especially useful in households such as mine where I am the only person who eats free-from products.

I find you can generally freeze most things – often if a label says something isn’t suitable for the freezer, it is often more because the freezing / defrosting affects the texture of that particular food rather than the taste. I think the best thing to do really is experiment. I often throw in things that would otherwise just go in the bin, and I’ve also been known to cut a small bit off something and do a test freeze. Most of the time, it works fine.

Freezing also means you can take advantage of ‘reduced to clear’ prices or special offers at the supermarket. I once got a pile of gluten-free scones on special offer and was eating them for weeks afterwards! You can also freeze leftover meals so you can have something you can pop in the microwave after a long day. Freezing staples such as cooked potatoes and rice mean it is a lot quicker to prepare a Fussy Foodie meal making it less likely you’ll spend money on an expensive convenience-food alternative.

Stuff that I freeze:

• Gluten-free breads / cakes etc
• Soy milk (it turns a bit yellow when frozen, which I think is something to do with the fat in the milk but it seems return to normal and taste ok when defrosted!)
• Nuts – especially ground almonds as I always have some of them kicking around
• Chopped vegetables
• Apples – I often make a big batch of stewed apples in my slow cooker, put them in portion sized pots and defrost the night before use.
• Boiled and baked potatoes
• Cooked rice – frozen rice is great as storing cooked rice can be a bit tricky due to the possible presence of bacteria. You should cool the rice as quickly as possible (I run it under cold water) then freeze immediately.
• Cheese -  I find cheese can turn a bit crumbly when defrosted but if you aren’t too fussed about this, freezing is good way to store it. Cut into portion-sized chucks and wrap well.
• Soup, stock and sauces – if you have any leftover stock / sauces, you can freeze it in ice-cube trays or small portion-sized boxe
• Vegetable scraps – I’ve not tried this but I’ve seen online that some people have a box in their freezer where they freeze unwanted vegetable scraps which they then use to make stock.

The internet has loads of sites that list foods that you can freeze, how long they keep and the best way to defrost them.

What foods do you freeze? Let us know in the comments below, on our Facebook page or via Twitter @FussyFoodie.

This packet mix is so simple to make, within 25 minutes I had eight hot, delicious falafel ready to go. Made simply from…

Ground whole chickpeas, sea salt, cumin,  parsley, garlic powder, coriander, white pepper

..the mixture is great for those following a gluten and / or wheat free diet.

I served my falafel drizzled in lemon juice and stacked on a quinoa cake,with hummus, roast red pepper, wilted spinach and a runny poached egg. AMAZING!

If you’re a fan of eastern Mediterranean food, having a box of this mixture in your cupboard is a must. I will definitely be replacing my box of Gluten and Wheat Free Falafel when I next go shopping.

Polenta is a staple dish in Northern Italy and is also popular in the southern states of the US as maize is a major crop there.

What can you do with it?

Polenta is a great choice for Fussy Foodies as it is Gluten Free, extremely versatile and widely available. I purchased my Biona Organic polenta at my local health food shop where it was £1.89 for 500g. You can find polenta in most supermarkets – both in dry form and in ready-made blocks.

Wet polenta can be served as an alternative to rice, pasta or potatoes as an accompaniment to a main meal.

You can also leave wet polenta to stand in a greased dish. It will set and you can then cut it into slices which can be grilled or fried and served with sauces (my favourite is to top the slices with some tomato salsa and some soy cheese).

Plain polenta can be jazzed up by stirring in ingredients such as dried mushrooms, herbs & spices, chopped peppers and other vegetables or cheese.

Polenta can also be used to make gluten free cakes (often in combination with ground almonds) and cornbread.

Polenta Inspiration

• Make a polenta pizza base by baking thin sheets of polenta and adding toppings (see make a polenta pizza base)
• Add a couple of tablespoons of dry polenta to potatoes to coat them, then few spoons of olive oil before putting in the oven to make super crispy roasties!
• Make quick chicken nuggets – coat strips of chicken breast in gluten-free flour, then egg (or a suitable egg replacement, water or free from milk works), then coat with a mix of polenta and oatcake (made into a crumb). Bake in the oven (180 degrees) for 15 – 20 mins (full recipe in Innocent’s Hungry? cookbook).

My favorite polenta quick meal

Crispy Salmon Fishcakes – adapted from Sam Stern’s Student Cookbook

This is one of my favourite quick meals which uses polenta. Instead of salmon, you could also use tuna or even some cooked meat and / or finely chopped vegetables.

(Please note that I’ve not tested this recipe with any particular egg replacer as of yet – if you find one that works / really doesn’t work, leave a comment below!)

Ingredients

• 225g potato – peeled, diced and boiled
• 1 can salmon (or around 225g cooked salmon, flaked)
• Lemon juice
• 1 tsp dairy-free spread
• 1 tbsp coriander, dill or parsley
• 1 egg (or suitable egg replacer)

For the coating:

• Gluten free flour
• Remainder of egg / egg replacer + 1 tsp water
• Dry polenta (enough to coat the chicken)
• Oil for frying

1. Mash the cooked potato and place in a bowl with the fish, a squeeze of lemon juice, the dairy-free spread and herbs. Season with salt and pepper as required.
2. Add about half of the beaten egg / egg replacer and stir in. This binds the mixture.
3. Place in the fridge to allow to cool (I left it in for around 20 minutes).
4. Flour your hands with the gluten free flour. Shape the cooled mixture into cakes then dip into the egg mix and then into the polenta.
5. Fry on both sides until nicely browned.

Polenta is a fantastic and versatile ingredient for Fussy Foodies. If you have any recipes you would like to share please contact me or comment in the forms below.

Almond Crusted Lamb Ingredients

Recipe adjusted from Amelia Park

Serves 2

1 x Rack of Lamb
1 x teaspoon Mustard Seeds
1 x teaspoon Fennel Seeds
1 x teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 x Tablespoon Seeded Mustard Replaced this with dairy free spread
2 x Tablespoon Ground Almonds

Preheat oven to 180c.

• Toast the mustard, fennel & cumin seeds in a pan.
• Grind toasted seeds in a mortal & pestle to a fine powder, then mix with the Grounds Almonds.
• In an oven proof dish on the stove top, in a little oil, brown the lamb rack on both sides.
• Season with salt & pepper & put in the hot oven for 8  minutes (for medium rare)
• Remove from oven & spread the dairy free spread on top & press the almond mixture on top, place back in the oven for 2 to 4 minutes until brown.
• Remove from the oven & rest in a warm place for 6 minutes before serving

I served my Almond Crusted Lamb with a few roast potatoes, mixed vegetables and a fruit sauce.

My fruit sauce was made by heating a few frozen blue berries and raspberries, until they were warmed through.

If you fancy something special for your dinner give this Almond Crusted Lamb recipe a try – delicious.

Weather you want your pancakes dairy free, sugar free, wheat free, gluten free and EVEN egg free (vegan) it can all be done.

First step is to pick your flour type

• Plain or brown flour (contains gluten)
• Buckwheat (Gluten Free) – my favorite for savoury pancakes
• Spelt (contains gluten)
• Rice Flour (Gluten Free)
• Chickpea (Gram) Flour (Gluten Free)

Next step to egg or not to egg

Believe it or not you don’t need eggs to make a pancake. If you are egg intolerance or don’t eat eggs then just exclude the eggs from the batter mix.

Next pick the liquid to make the batter

• Milk e.g cows, rice , oat or soy
• Water you can either use still or SPARKLING, which gives the batter a lighter feel, water
• For a sweeter and lighter pancake you can also use Appletiser

Some examples of pancake combos:

• Gluten Free Pancake – egg, buckwheat flour & milk of choice
• Egg and Gluten Free – flour combo of rice and buckwheat & milk of choice
• Gluten, Egg and Dairy Free Pancake – buckwheat & soy milk
• Vegan Pancake – buckwheat and sparkling water

I am dairy, wheat  and no added sugar free so my favorite option for a sweet pancake is egg, rice and chickpea flour combo and rice milk and for a savory pancake is buckwheat and oat milk.

Making Free From Pancakes

4oz 110g grams of flour of choice
2 large eggs (if using)
10fl oz (275ml)  of liquid

In a large bowl add your flour(s) of choice (sifted), if you are using the eggs create a well in the center of the flour and add in the eggs then whisk to combine. Now slowly add the liquid, if not using eggs you may need to add a little more liquid to get the right consistency of the batter. Continue whisking and adding the liquid until a thick batter is achieved.

Extras at this point: salt and pepper, and or herbs and spices for savory pancakes, cinnamon or mixed spice for sweet pancake mixture.

Leave the mixture to rest in the fridge until you are ready to make the pancakes - that’s it free from pancakes batter done.

PBJ – spread some peanut butter and some jam onto rice cakes, homemade biscuits, oatcakes, or even slices of apple. St Dalfour Sugar Free Fruit Spread and Meridian both make great sugar-free jam. You can also experiment with other nut butters such as cashew or hazelnut.

Fruity yogurt – make your own fruity yogurt by stirring some home made easy fruit sauce into some free-from yoghurt. Or add some stewed fruit.

Cereal bars – My favourites include Village Bakery Four Nut, Four Seed and Four Fruit bars. These are made without wheat, dairy, yeast and sucrose. There are loads out there to try, just make sure to check the label to make sure there suit your specific intolerances.

Ice cream – I’ve not tried it yet, but Miranda is a fan of Booja Booja ice cream which comes in variety of different flavours and is made from cashews, agave nectar and water.

Chocolate – Being a FussyFoodie doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy chocolate, there’s a huge range of different brands of free-from chocolate. My favourite sugar-free, dairy-free bar the moment is Plamil’s milk chocolate alternative. They produce an extensive range of dairy-free chocolate and chocolate spreads (and their egg-free mayo is also great!). If you are feeling a bit decadent, you can’t go far wrong with a Booja Booja truffle or two.

Raw chocolate is also a great choice. Raw chocolate is full of antioxidants, enzymes and vitamins. Again, there’s loads of different brands to try. I really enjoy Rawr chocolate’s ‘zest’ bar, which is has a lovely smooth orange-y taste and their ‘passion’ bar which is packed with goji berries and vanilla.

Carob is another good alternative to ‘normal’ chocolate and you can usually find a range of flavours in your local health food shop. You can also get carob powder to use in your baking.

If you don’t have any of these in the house, you can make a great chocolate milkshake with storecupboard ingredients. Pour some soy milk (or other free from milk) in a jar with a lid. Add a spoon of cocoa powder and a squidge of agave nectar, put on the lid and shake well.  You’llend up with little lumps of cocoa powder suspended in the milk but if you put it in the fridge for 10 minutes or so, it’ll all blend together. Give a final little shake and enjoy!

Hopefully the list above has given you some inspiration for what to grab if fancy something sweet that’s dairy free and not packed with added sugar! What other things do you reach for when your sweet-tooth strikes? Let us know in the comments section below!

Almond Flour Officially Rocks!

Fig Roll Ingredients

(With UK equivalent measurements)

2 Cups Almond Flour (160g)
2 Cups Potato Starch Flour (360g)
4 TBS Dairy Free Spread (or equivalent)
1/2 Cup Raw Agave Nectar (Or Honey) – (10 heaped tsps or to taste)
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt

Preheat Oven to 325 Degrees which is 160 oc

Steps for recipe and rolling on Real Sustenance website.

When mixing all ingredients in a food processor until they come together to a smooth dough, I added a little bit of water to mine to help the mix bind.

For the filling I used this Sugar Free Fruit Spread.

With no heating in my kitchen and minus 5 outside, my rolling was a little messy with such cold hands. So try this rolling technique as suggested by Real Sustenance.

That’s it lovely Dairy, Gluten, Egg Free and No added sugar Fig Roll DONE – Hope you liked them as much as I did! Thanks to Real Sustenance for a fantastic Fussy Foodie friendly recipe.

One of my absolute favorite healthy cereals at the moment is the Food Doctor’s Cacoa and Tangerine Granola.

This lovely cereal is made with oat flakes (so not gluten-free unfortunately), seeds and agave nectar with lots of cocoa nibs and freeze-dried tangerine pieces thrown in. It’s hard to believe that something so yummy contains no cane sugar. It has also won the Great Taste Gold Award for 2011.

The Food Doctor’s Cacao and Tangerine Granola retails at £2.99 for a 425g box and is available on the Food Doctor website and in supermarkets (I picked it up from my local Tesco).

Gluten Free Balti Sauce Ingredients

The ingredients in Cofresh gluten free balti sauce are: water, onion, tomatoes, peppers, rapeseed oil, ground spice mix, tomato puree concentrate, garlic puree, ginger puree, sugar, salt, lemon juice concentrate, cumin seeds, dried coriander leaf, acidity regulator.

Cofresh balti cooking sauce is gluten and dairy free, though it does have a small amount of added sugar. Usually I would try to avoid sauces with added sugar, but the quantity is so minimal and the rest of the ingredients are so friendly, I am happy to overlook the sugar on this one.

I love having a jar of Cofresh balti cooking sauce in my cupboard for one of those evenings where we want to eat something quick and delicious using minimal effort. I buy my jar from the World Foods section at Sainsburys costing £1.3o where there is also a selection of other great Cofresh products available including sauces, dips, savoury snacks and nuts.

Lots of the soups you see in Supermarkets are loaded with dairy (cream normally), wheat and often high in salt and sugar, so a big thumbs up to this soup.

Follow link for more: Free From Soups (recipes and product reviews)

Dairy Free Carrot Soup Ingredients

Vegetable Stock (Water, Vegetables (Onion, Carrot, Leek, Celery, Garlic), Sugar, Salt, Cornflour, Sunflower Oil, Spice Oil), Carrot (26%), Coconut Cream (8%) (Coconut, Water), Potato, Butternut Squash, Onion, Sweet Potato, Ginger Purée, Vegetable Oil, Coriander, Cornflour, Fish Sauce (0.5%), Red Chilli (0.4%), Sugar, Salt, Lime Leaves, Lemongrass (0.2%), Garlic Purée, Turmeric.

I got my Glorious dairy free carrot soup from Sainsbury’s but you can also buy from ASDA and Morrisons.