Chapter 12

Souping Up Salads and Vegetable Dishes

In This Chapter

Making great soups

Finding a fresh perspective on salads

Cooking new ways with vegetables

S oups, salads and vegetable dishes can be just as important as the main meal. In fact, they can be the meal itself. But many soups are thickened with flour, salads are often dressed up and topped off with gluten-laden goodies and sometimes vegetable dishes are smothered in white sauce or cheesy sauce that make them off-limits to people enjoying a gluten-free lifestyle.

So should you just forget about those bowls of hot, creamy soup and crunchy croutons? Are you stuck with boring salads of just lettuce and tomatoes? And limited to the old gluten-free standbys of rice and potatoes? No way! In this chapter, you find some interesting ideas for soups and salads, as well as fresh ways to serve delicious vegetables.

Some of the recipes in this chapter use chicken stock but are otherwise vegetarian. To make them completely vegetarian, simply use vegetable stock, or chicken-flavoured vegetarian stock cubes (available at most supermarkets).

Souping It Up

Soup has been a versatile and important part of the diet since people invented waterproof containers about 5,000 years ago. Soups can be hot, cold, thick, thin, creamy, chunky, elegant or simple. You can create them from leftover food, cutting costs and helping to clear the fridge. Soups are comforting, satisfying and nutritious.

But commercial soups often contain flour, pasta, barley or other ingredients that make them taboo. Fortunately, great-tasting gluten-free soups are easy to make and even pasta-based soups are a breeze. When you make soups yourself, they’re generally more wholesome and you get to choose what goes in them, so you’re bound to love them even more.

You can make small serves of delicious soup or stock from leftover vegetable peel and scraps. Much of the goodness in vegetables lies just beneath the skin, but all too often we remove and discard this highly nutritious part. When preparing a meal, thoroughly wash your vegetables and save all the peelings and bits and pieces you would normally put into the bin or compost. For example, the skin from pumpkin, sweet potato, well-scrubbed potatoes, pea pods, ends of beans, outer leaves of green vegetables like spinach and cabbage, spinach and broccoli stalks, celery heads (great for flavour), ends of zucchini, capsicum or eggplants etc. Place everything into a plastic container with a lid and store it in the refrigerator. Add more each day for up to four days then place in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and simmer for 1 hour (covered). Use whatever you have on hand for extra flavour. For example, salt, pepper, a little grated ginger, a bunch of mixed herbs, chopped tomatoes, spice or lemon peel. Cool and strain, discarding vegetables. Add seasonings to taste and use as soup or stock, or freeze for later use in casseroles, gravy and sauces.

Beef and Eggplant Soup

Eggplant seems a strange ingredient in soup, but it breaks up during cooking and adds flavour and body to this hearty soup.

Prep time: 30 minutes • Cooking time: 45 minutes • Servings: 6–8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil or salad oil

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 medium onion, chopped

500 g lean beef mince

1 medium eggplant, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

½ cup each chopped carrot and sliced celery

800 g can tomatoes

500 ml (2 cups) beef stock (you can use gluten-free stock cubes or powder)

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon each ground pepper and nutmeg

½ cup uncooked gluten-free pasta

Grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1 Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and gently fry onion until soft.

2 Add meat and break up well with a fork as it browns.

3 Add eggplant, garlic, carrot, celery, tomatoes and their liquid (break up tomatoes with a spoon), stock, salt, sugar, pepper and nutmeg.

4 Bring to the boil; cover and reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

5 Add pasta, cover and simmer until pasta is cooked.

6 Sprinkle parmesan cheese over each serving.

Per serving (serves 7): Kilojoules 1,358; Fat 15 g (Saturated 4.3 g); Sodium 518 mg; Carbohydrate 27.6 g (Dietary Fibre 4.2 g); Protein 18.6 g.

Zucchini Soup

This recipe is another favourite with Margaret’s family and friends. The tarragon makes all the difference to this delicious soup. It also tastes wonderful cold, with sour cream on top.

Prep time: 20 minutes • Cooking time: 45 minutes • Servings: 6–8

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, peeled and chopped

1 medium potato, peeled and cut into thin slices

6 medium zucchinis, chopped

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons dried tarragon

4 cups chicken stock (or use gluten-free chicken stock cubes or powder)

Directions

1 Heat oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the onion (but don’t allow it to brown or you’ll spoil the lovely green colour of the soup). Add potatoes, zucchini, salt, pepper and tarragon and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring to avoid vegetables sticking or turning brown.

2 Add stock and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Allow to cool.

3 Puree soup in a blender.

4 Reheat when needed and serve with a dollop of sour cream or yoghurt and a sprinkle of parsley if desired.

Per serving (serves 7): Kilojoules 242; Fat 2.9 g (Saturated <1 gg); Sodium 322 mg; Carbohydrate 5.2 g (Dietary Fibre 1.9 g); Protein 1.8 g.

Minted Green Pea Soup

Cold soups make a delicious change in summer. This one is quick, easy and refreshing on a hot night.

Prep time: 10 minutes • Servings: 3–4

Ingredients

500 g bag frozen green peas, slightly thawed

250 ml (1 cup) gluten-free chicken stock

250 ml (1 cup) buttermilk or plain yoghurt

2 to 3 shallots, chopped

¼ cup fresh mint leaves

½ teaspoon salt

Directions

1 Puree all ingredients in a blender. Adjust seasoning and serve with warmed gluten-free bread rolls or toast.

Per serving: Kilojoules 615; Fat 2.8 g (Saturated 1.4 g); Sodium 484 mg; Carbohydrate 15.7 g (Dietary Fibre 7.3 g); Protein 10.5 g.

Favourite Lentil Soup

Lentils have somehow acquired a bad reputation and it’s true that they can be a real turn-off if not cooked with imagination. But lentils are high in protein and fibre and deliciously filling, especially in cold weather. Don’t worry; this soup is also high in taste and really not too serious!

Prep time: 20 minutes • Cooking time: 2–3 hours • Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

875 ml (3½ cups) gluten-free chicken stock

200 g (1 cup) brown lentils, washed thoroughly

1 carrot, chopped

1 stick celery, chopped

225 g (approx.) fresh or canned tomatoes with juice, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1 Place the olive oil and onion in a large saucepan and sauté until the onion is soft.

2 Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to the boil.

3 Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the soup is of desired thickness, up to 2 or 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Per serving: Kilojoules 219; Fat 1.7 g (Saturated <1 g); Sodium 426 mg; Carbohydrate 5.5 g (Dietary Fibre 2.1 g); Protein 2.5 g.

Serving Salads with Style

Many coeliacs have bad feelings about salads. Why? Because they’re utterly fed up with the sad little statement they hear so often in cafés: ‘Sorry, we don’t have anything gluten-free today — but you could have the salad.’ Oh, yes — have the salad. We could enjoy some lovely lettuce and tomato and capsicum, while our companions just have to make do with crusty focaccia loaded with avocado, sun-dried tomatoes and chicken, or a big bowl of steaming soup and a boring old hot, crusty bread roll.

Okay, we know people out there just love a bowl of salad for lunch or dinner (apologies to them for disparaging salads), but we suspect many coeliacs feel bad about the salad word because it too often is just rabbit food — lettuce, tomato and thick chunks of capsicum. Minus the bread roll that adds a bit of substance to the meal for your regular diner. But read on and be encouraged.

It’s not only the celebs who are undergoing complete makeovers on a regular basis. The common salad is right up there too, so there’s no limit to what you can try in a salad these days: Potato, rice, quinoa, pasta, roasted vegetables, cheeses, fruit, a huge variety of leafy green relatives of the traditional iceberg lettuce, as well as basil and other herbs.

We have included a range of salads — some of the old favourites and some interesting new ones — that you will relish. At least you won’t have to endure rabbit food at home, or when visiting your wonderful friends who have purchased their own copy of this book.

Serving salads with green, leafy stuff

Salads make it easy to combine interesting grains, fruits, vegetables and meats in one dish. As a complete meal or an accompaniment, salads are nutritious and delicious, and they’re especially great on a hot, summer day, when they make for a cool, quick dinner.

Most of these salads start with a basic bed of greens or a variety of lettuce types. Prewashed salad mix is quick and easy but, of course, you can use any type of lettuce or salad green you want. Remember that the darker the lettuce, the more nutritious it probably is.

From there, the options are endless. Here are a few of our personal favourites:

• Caesar Salad: See recipe later in this chapter.
• Cool as a Cucumber Salad: In a medium-sized bowl, mix 2 finely chopped cucumbers (peeled and seeded) with ⅓ cup plain yoghurt, ½ teaspoon onion salt or 3 chopped shallots, lemon juice and black pepper to taste. Put it over a bed of greens and top it with diced tomatoes.
• Grilled Garlic Chicken Salad: In a small bowl, mix ¾ cup gluten-free Italian salad dressing with 2 teaspoons crushed garlic and a sprinkle of chilli flakes. Add ½ cup sliced red capsicum and ½ cup sliced mushrooms to the dressing and toss them so they’re well coated. Take the capsicums and mushrooms out of the dressing, setting the remaining dressing aside. Grill the capsicums, mushrooms and 6 chicken thighs or half breasts. Place salad greens on plates and add the grilled vegetables and chicken. Drizzle the remaining dressing on top.
• Thai Beef Salad: Start with a bed of greens and add ¼ cup mint leaves (torn into large pieces), half a cucumber (peeled and sliced), several thinly sliced pieces of grilled rump steak, 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts, and lime wedges (for garnish). Top the salad with an Asian salad dressing like the one later in this section.
• Warm Beet Salad: In a large saucepan, steam or cook approximately 250 grams of green beans until they’re tender (about 8 minutes). Add a small can of baby beets (drained and sliced thickly) and warm them over medium heat until they’re heated through. Drain the beans and the beets. Meanwhile, in a screw-top glass jar, combine about 3 tablespoons orange juice, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons crushed garlic and a dash of white pepper. Shake the dressing well. Lay out some mixed greens, place the beans and beets on top of them and coat with the dressing.

Asian Salad Dressing

Most commercial Asian salad dressings use soy sauce and nearly all of them contain wheat. Asian salad dressing is easy to make yourself. To keep it gluten-free, use gluten-free soy or tamari sauce. This dressing can also double as a marinade for meats or tofu.

Prep time: 5 minutes • Servings: 8

Ingredients

½ cup white vinegar

¼ cup gluten-free soy sauce

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

½ cup canola oil

Directions

1 Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, water, sesame oil and sesame seeds in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake the mixture well.

2 Add the oil and shake again.

Per serving: Kilojoules 393; Fat 10 g (Saturated 1 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 460 mg; Carbohydrate 0 g (Dietary Fibre 0 g); Protein 1 g.

Caesar Salad

Most people love Caesar salad, and you can make it in a number of ways. Cooked chicken is a popular addition. In some places the real chefs prepare it at the table, gently mixing one ingredient at a time.

Prep time: 20 minutes • Servings: 6–8

Ingredients

Caesar Salad Dressing (see the following recipe)

2 cos lettuces

4 rashers bacon

4 thick slices gluten-free bread

Vegetable oil

4 hard-boiled eggs

8 anchovies

Parmesan cheese, very finely sliced for garnish

Directions

1 Remove outer leaves and base of cos lettuces, rinse well and drain on a tea towel.

2 Grill or fry bacon, drain on a paper towel and chop into pieces.

3 Cut the bread into cubes and deep-fry. For a lower-fat version, put cubes on a baking tray and drizzle oil over them. Season with fresh herbs or seasoned salt and bake until lightly brown. Drain on a paper towel.

4 Cut boiled eggs into halves and drain anchovies.

5 Place lettuce in a large bowl, gently mix in anchovies and egg and drizzle dressing over the top. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve immediately.

Per serving (serves 7): Kilojoules 1,090; Fat 19.2 g (Saturated 6.2 g); Sodium 618 mg; Carbohydrate 9.3 g (Dietary Fibre <1 g); Protein 13.1 g.

Caesar Salad Dressing

Ingredients

1 egg

½ cup lemon juice

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons crushed garlic (about 4 cloves)

¾ cup grated fresh parmesan

2 tablespoons gluten-free Worcestershire sauce

2 anchovies

Ground pepper to taste

Directions

1 Crack the egg into a microwave-proof dish and cover it with paper towel. Heat the egg in the microwave on high for 10 seconds.

2 Combine the egg, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies and pepper in a blender or small food processor and process the dressing until smooth. If it’s too runny, add a little extra parmesan. If it’s too thick, add more lemon juice or olive oil.

Per serving: Kilojoules 778; Fat 17 g (Saturated 4 g); Sodium 450 mg; Carbohydrate 3 g (Dietary Fibre 0 g); Protein 6 g.

Broccoli and Avocado Salad

Try this fresh salad on a hot night with a chicken or fish meal. The broccoli can be replaced with cauliflower florets or chunks of zucchini for variety. If you’re into spicy food, chopped chilli on top adds colour and extra zip.

Prep time: 15 minutes • Cooking time: 15 minutes • Serves: 4

Ingredients

3 cups broccoli florets

1 cup asparagus pieces

1 small lettuce or a bag of mixed lettuce

1 medium-sized avocado

Lemon juice

¼ cup chopped spring onions

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar

¼ teaspoon mustard

Pepper and salt to taste

1 dessertspoon sesame seeds, sunflower seeds or chopped nuts

Directions

1 Steam broccoli until tender but not too soft. Cook asparagus in boiling water for 5 minutes. Refresh broccoli and asparagus under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.

2 Wash lettuce, pat dry and break into pieces if necessary.

3 Peel and halve avocado, chop into pieces and sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning.

4 Place lettuce, avocado, broccoli, asparagus and spring onions in a bowl.

5 Mix oil, vinegar, mustard, pepper and salt together and pour over salad.

6 Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds, sunflower seeds or chopped nuts on top.

Per serving: Kilojoules 803; Fat 13.9 g (Saturated 2.1 g); Sodium 50 mg; Carbohydrate 13.5 g (Dietary Fibre 6.8 g); Protein 5.0g.

Fresh Summer Salsa

It’s not exactly a salad, but this delicious fresh mixture can be used as a topping for grilled meats, vegetables and fish or as a dip with corn chips. Make some for your next barbecue and watch it disappear.

Prep time: 10 minutes • Serves: 6

Ingredients

3 large tomatoes, finely chopped

2 shallots, sliced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 small fresh chilli (optional)

¼ cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice

2 teaspoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

1 In a medium-sized resealable container, combine all the ingredients. Cover and shake gently to mix.

2 Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Per serving (serves 4): Kilojoules 189; Fat 2.5 g (Saturated <1 g); Sodium 163 mg; Carbohydrate 2.9 g (Dietary Fibre 1.9 g); Protein 1.5 g.

Adding oomph to your salads

Toss it in and mix it up. You can add many different things to your salad to create interest and provide more nutrition at the same time:

• Beans and legumes: Try green beans, kidney beans, black beans or chickpeas. They not only add flavour, but also lots of fibre.
• Bok choy: Oh boy — bok choy is crisp and flavoursome.
• Cherry tomatoes: Several varieties of cherry or mini tomatoes are available and they come in different colours and shapes.
• Crumbled bacon: Of course, bacon adds some fat, but it also adds flavour.
• Crumbled cheese: Be creative, using cheeses like fetta, ricotta or freshly grated romano or parmesan. Bocconcini looks great in a salad and adds an interesting texture.
• Diced gluten-free ham or salami: These meats add protein and flavour to a salad.
• Fruit: Grapes, pineapple, rockmelon, kiwifruit, strawberries — a variety of fruits can enliven a salad.
• Greens: Iceberg lettuce forms a good basis but is less nutritious than some other salad greens. Consider cos, kale, baby spinach, basil and other greens to increase the vitamin, mineral and fibre content — not to mention the flavour.
• Mushrooms: These add a lot of minerals and an interesting flavour.
• Nuts: Any kind of nut will do. They add nutrients, crunch and flavour.
• Olives: Try some of the new varieties appearing in supermarkets.
• Onions: Red onions are popular in salads. Shallots are quick and easy and add nutrients, too.
• Radishes: Not only do these add a zip to your salad, but they also have potassium and vitamin C.
• Raisins: Also try similar toppings like dried cranberries.
• Raw broccoli: Broccoli adds flavour and crunch. Broccoli is loaded with cancer-fighting nutrients and calcium.
• Shredded cabbage: In the same family as broccoli, cabbage contains nutrients that are important for cancer prevention.
• Sprouts: Loaded with fibre and nutrients, sprouts are a great addition to any salad. And they’re easy to grow yourself. See the ‘Sprout ’em yourself’ sidebar for tips on growing your own sprout garden.

Move Over, Mashed Potatoes: Trying New Ways with Vegetables

A very old favourite, the humble mashed potato, has recently come back into fashion with the trendy new title of ‘potato mash’ (Yay! says Margaret, who has been a clandestine mashed-potato fan during the dark times when it was oh, so last century). Delicious comfort food it is, but there’s also hot competition to get onto the plate now, with more interesting accompaniments on the scene, like quinoa, millet, polenta, buckwheat, chickpeas and beans.

We’ve tried to incorporate a few recipes using these alternative grains, mixing them with vegetables to provide you with those all-important vitamins.

A new grain on the scene is quinoa (pronounced keen wah). Considered an ancient food because it was one of three staple foods of early South American civilisation, quinoa was then — and still is — known as the Mother Grain. Boasting nearly 20 per cent protein in some varieties, quinoa has more protein than any other grain. And it’s a complete protein, with a good balance of all the essential amino acids. It’s also high in fibre, vitamins and minerals. You can use it as a substitute in recipes for couscous or tabouli, which are made from wheat, or just about any other grain. Refer to Chapter 9 for more on using quinoa.

Lemon Quinoa Crunch

Crunchy, colourful, tangy and nutritious, you can serve this dish at room temperature or cold (we prefer cold). This food makes a great standalone side dish or salad substitute. In fact, because quinoa contains all the amino acids your body can’t produce on its own, this grain can be the main dish. You may want to double the recipe, because the leftovers are fantastic — this dish gets better each day as the flavours infuse the grain.

Prep time: 15 minutes • Cooking time: 15 minutes • Servings: 6

Ingredients

¼ cup lime or lemon juice

¼ teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup sliced marinated jalapeño peppers

¼ teaspoon coarse salt

¼ cup olive oil

1½ cups quinoa

3 cups water

¾ cup peeled, seeded and diced cucumber

¾ cup seeded and diced tomato

1 cup sliced red capsicum — use red and yellow or green for colour

¼ cup chopped spring onions

¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1 Make a vinaigrette by whisking together the juice, white pepper, black pepper, jalapeño, coarse salt and olive oil. Set the mixture aside.

2 Place the quinoa in a fine sieve and wash it under running water, rubbing it with your hands for a few minutes. Drain well.

3 In a large pot, combine the water and quinoa. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is barely tender. Don’t overcook it. Strain the quinoa, drain it thoroughly and let it cool. Don’t rinse it.

4 Mix the quinoa with the other ingredients. Add a little salt and pepper to taste (you don’t need much, because this dish has plenty of flavour). Serve it at room temperature or cold.

Per serving: Kilojoules 1,088; Fat 12 g (Saturated 2 g); Sodium 240 mg; Carbohydrate 34 g (Dietary Fibre 4 g); Protein 7 g.

Rice, Fetta and Chickpea Salad

This dish is loaded with flavour. Try using brown rice instead of white.

Prep time: 15 minutes • Resting time: 1 hour • Servings: 6

Ingredients

½ cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons crushed garlic (about 4 cloves)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

3 cups cooked brown rice, cooled to room temperature

410 g can chickpeas, drained

1 cup finely diced fetta cheese

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

4 spring onions, thinly sliced

½ cup roasted capsicum

Directions

1 Make the dressing by whisking together the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

2 In a large serving bowl, combine the rice, chickpeas, fetta cheese, parsley, dill, spring onions and capsicum.

3 Pour the dressing over the rice mixture and mix well. Let it sit at least an hour before serving. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Per serving: Kilojoules 1,516; Fat 17 g (Saturated 5.5 g); Sodium 859 mg; Carbohydrate 41.4 g (Dietary Fibre 5.3 g); Protein 9.8 g.

Barbecued Mushrooms with Goat’s Cheese

These mushrooms make the perfect starter when you’re cooking on the barbecue. A little bit of goat’s cheese goes a long way and it’s perfect with mushrooms. We love an excuse to buy those nice big flat mushrooms.

Prep time: 10 minutes • Cooking time: 5 minutes • Servings: 4

Ingredients

75 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

1 tablespoon chopped chives

1 red chilli, finely chopped

4 (about 500 g) flat mushrooms, stalks removed

½ bunch baby English spinach leaves

75 g goat’s cheese

Directions

1 Preheat a barbecue or chargrill to high.

2 Whisk 60 ml (¼ cup) of the oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, chives and chilli in a small bowl.

3 Brush both sides of mushrooms with remaining oil. Barbecue or grill for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until mushrooms are heated through.

4 Place spinach leaves and mushrooms on serving plates. Top each mushroom with goat’s cheese, drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.

Per serving: Kilojoules 991; Fat 20.6 g (Saturated 4.4 g); Sodium 107 mg; Carbohydrate 2.8 g (Dietary Fibre 4.7 g); Protein 8.2 g.

Bok Choy and Mushroom Stir-fry

This tasty side dish is great with steak, chicken or sausages.

Prep time: 10 minutes • Cooking time: 15 minutes • Servings: 4

Ingredients

35 g (¼ cup) pine nuts

750 g bok choy

1 tablespoon canola oil

125 g mushrooms, sliced

65 ml (¼ cup) rice vinegar

125 g cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions

1 Toast pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.

2 Prepare bok choy by discarding any wilted leaves. Cut stalks from leaves. Slice stalks diagonally into 1-cm pieces. Keeping separate, cut leaves into 1-cm strips. Separately wash leaves and stalks; drain.

3 Place large frying pan or wok over high heat. Add oil and when hot add bok choy stalks, mushrooms and vinegar. Stir-fry until most of the liquid evaporates and vegetables begin to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add bok choy leaves; stir-fry until they are just wilted. Stir in tomatoes and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.

Per serving: Kilojoules 584; Fat 11.2 g (Saturated <1 g); Sodium 24 mg; Carbohydrate 3.4 g (Dietary Fibre 4.2 g); Protein 4.5 g.

Warm Eggplant Salad with Quinoa

A nourishing salad with a bit of body that’s delicious when served piping hot, but equally yummy cold.

Prep time: 30 minutes • Cooking time: 25 minutes • Servings: 4

Ingredients

I medium eggplant (diced into 1-cm pieces)

2 tablespoons olive oil, or olive oil spray

1 small onion, halved and finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 cup quinoa, cooked

1½ cup tomato passata or crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

½ cup olives, pitted

1 tablespoon capers

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons each of fresh chopped basil and parsley

Directions

1 Spread chopped eggplant on grilling tray, spray or drizzle with olive oil and grill until softened and lightly browned. Turn and repeat with the other side. Allow to cool.

2 Heat oil in a heavy pan and gently fry onion until it begins to colour. Add garlic and celery and sauté for 1 minute.

3 Stir in the quinoa, passata, tomato paste, olives, capers, honey and balsamic vinegar.

4 Add eggplant and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5 Stir in basil and parsley and season to taste. Place in serving dish and top with shaved parmesan, or serve cold with other salads.

Per serving: Kilojoules 216; Fat 8.6 g (Saturated 1.3 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 363 mg; Carbohydrate 30.8 g (Dietary Fibre 8.2 g); Protein 5.0 g.

Vegetable Pancakes

A great way to get vegetables into your fussy eaters. Try them cold for picnics and in lunch boxes too. You can try adding different herbs for variety.

Prep time: 30 minutes • Cooking time: 30 minutes • Servings: 20 pancakes

Ingredients

1 large raw potato, finely grated

3 medium carrots, finely grated

1 medium zucchini, finely grated

1 large parsnip, finely grated

¾ cup finely sliced spring onions

1 teaspoon salt

150 g (¾ cup) rice flour

3 large or 4 medium eggs, separated

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

1 Rinse and drain grated potato twice with cold water to remove starch. Squeeze dry and put in a large mixing bowl.

2 Add grated carrot, zucchini and parsnip, the spring onions and salt. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes until vegetables release some liquid, but don’t squeeze.

3 Stir rice flour, egg yolks and pepper into vegetable mixture.

4 Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into batter.

5 Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat until hot. Lightly grease with oil. For each pancake, pour ¼-cup batter onto pan and spread into an 8- to 10-cm round. Cook until lightly browned, turn to cook the other side.

Per serving (per pancake): Kilojoules 242; Fat 1.9 g (Saturated <1 g); Sodium 143 mg; Carbohydrate 8.1 g (Dietary Fibre <1 g); Protein 2.2 g.

Microwave Soft Polenta with Parmesan

Polenta, another relatively new grain on the block, is a nutritious, versatile, filling and inexpensive starch food used in place of potatoes and rice in the gluten-free diet. You never get lumps when you use the microwave to cook your polenta.

Prep time: 5–10 minutes • Cooking time: 10 minutes • Servings: 2–3

Ingredients

65 g (½ cup) polenta or cornmeal

250 ml (1 cup) gluten-free chicken stock

250 ml (1 cup) water

Dash of pepper

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1 Whisk polenta, chicken stock, water and pepper in a medium microwave-proof bowl.

2 Microwave on high for 4 minutes; whisk thoroughly.

3 Microwave for 3 minutes more until smooth and thickened; stir in cheese. Serve immediately.

Tip: Soft polenta can be kept, tightly covered with foil, and set over simmering water for up to 4 hours. Stir occasionally and add a bit more liquid if too thick.

Per serving (serves 3): Kilojoules 392; Fat 1.9 g (Saturated 1 g); Sodium 251 mg; Carbohydrate 15.3 g (Dietary Fibre <1 g); Protein 3.6 g.

Polenta Wedges with Ratatouille

Polenta has a soft texture when cooked, but it can be cooled, sliced and fried to make a really interesting addition to your vegetables, whatever they are. This recipe, pairing polenta with an easy ratatouille, is just delicious. With grated or very finely sliced cheese or some crumbled fetta, it makes a tasty lunch dish or a filling accompaniment. For extra nutrition, add a can of drained chickpeas to the ratatouille mixture and cook a little longer until the chickpeas have softened.

Prep time: 30 minutes • Cooking time: 45 minutes • Serves: 4–6

Ingredients

3 cups chicken stock (or use gluten-free stock cubes)

1 cup water

1 cup polenta

⅓ cup parmesan cheese

1 large or 2 small onions

1 eggplant

3 zucchinis

1 red capsicum

½ cup olive oil

400 g can tomatoes (avoid the thickened ones)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons basil pesto

¼ cup (60 ml) tomato paste

¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

Directions

1 Bring stock and water to boil in a large saucepan, add polenta gradually, simmer and stir until the polenta thickens. Stir in the parmesan.

2 Press polenta into an oiled 22-cm round cake tin, cover and refrigerate until set (about 30 minutes).

3 While polenta is cooling, chop onions, eggplant, zucchinis and capsicum into small cubes, about 2 cm in size.

4 Heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a heavy pot and cook cubed vegetables until the onions are slightly browned, adding more oil if the vegetables are sticking.

5 Add tomatoes (undrained), salt, sugar and pesto and simmer until the mixture thickens but the vegetables are still firm, about 15 minutes. Add tomato paste and parsley.

6 Turn the polenta out on to a board and slice into wedges. Heat the remainder of the olive oil in a frying pan and fry wedges until browned on both sides. Drain on paper towel.

7 Serve ratatouille hot with the polenta wedges.

Tip: You can vary the ratatouille to suit the vegetables you have on hand. Garlic adds flavour and green beans, broccoli pieces, pitted olives, fresh asparagus, chopped celery or different herbs all work well.

Per serving (serves 6): Kilojoules 1,248; Fat 19.9 g (Saturated 2.7 g); Sodium 805 mg; Carbohydrate 23.8 g (Dietary Fibre 4.3 g); Protein 4.6 g.

Sweet Potato and Pumpkin

If you never use your microwave for anything except defrosting peas and heating cups of tea that have gone cold, here is a simple, tasty dish to try. This recipe is perfect for lunch with a green salad, or as a side dish with something plain like a grilled chop and green vegetables.

Prep time: 25 minutes • Cooking time: 20 minutes • Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 rashers bacon

500 g sweet potato

500 g butternut pumpkin

3 spring onions

250 g light sour cream

60 ml (¼ cup) milk

1 egg

½ cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions

1 Remove rind and fat from bacon. Place bacon between paper towels. Cook on high/100 per cent in the microwave for 2 minutes or until crisp, and then dice.

2 Peel and thinly slice sweet potato and pumpkin. Slice spring onions.

3 Place potato and pumpkin in layers in a 25-cm microwave-proof flan dish. Cover and cook on high/100 per cent for 8 to 10 minutes or just until tender.

4 Combine light sour cream, milk and egg. Pour over potato and pumpkin. Sprinkle with bacon, spring onions and cheese. Cook on medium/50 per cent for 6 to 8 minutes. Brown under a grill if desired.

Tip: If you’re conscious about the saturated fat content in this recipe, try using low-fat milk.

Per serving: Kilojoules 167.8; Fat 14.3 g (Saturated 8.9g); Sodium 216 mg; Carbohydrate 3.0 g (Dietary Fibre 0.15 g); Protein 6.9 g.

Mexican Roasted Potatoes

Why not play around with this traditional recipe by using sweet potato, or a mix of potato and sweet potato to lower the GI in this dish? (For a reminder about GI, refer to Chapter 6.)

Prep time: 15 minutes • Cooking time: 40 minutes • Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 kg all-purpose potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ¼ teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons chopped spring onions

¾ teaspoon ground cumin

¾ teaspoon Mexican-style chilli powder

¼ teaspoon chilli flakes, optional

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves

Low fat yoghurt or sour cream for serving

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 220°C.

2 Toss potato pieces with olive oil in a large baking dish and stir in salt, spring onions, ground cumin, chilli powder and chilli flakes if using.

3 Roast for 35 minutes, stirring once.

4 Prior to serving stir in chopped coriander. Serve topped with a dollop of low fat yoghurt or sour cream.

Per serving: Kilojoules 1,234; Fat 7.0 g (Saturated 1.0 g); Sodium 760 mg; Carbohydrate 53.5 g (Dietary Fibre 5.8 g); Protein 6.5 g.