Francis Buckley
Consultant Food Advisor
Instead of buying gluten-free versions of pancakes, muffins and bread, buckwheat flour with the addition of sorghum makes nutritious breakfast muffins and pancakes, gram flour (chickpea flour) is great for bhajis.
Brownies can be made with ground almonds; however almonds can be expensive, try making with blended black beans, this makes them moist, cheaper and also is lower in calories.
For savoury dishes learn to make a basic tomato sauce and a basic white sauce, these can be adapted for lots of dishes with different herbs and spices.
Tinned beans and lentils as well as dried lentils, potatoes and polenta are gluten free (do not buy brand which carry a may contain gluten warning)
If you are buying slice breads, freeze in portions to avoid waste and if you are not fond of the heels or crusts, blitz them in a food processor to make breadcrumbs and pop into the freezer.
Gluten-free oat pancakes (Higher protein/fibre, no added sugar, low fat, gluten free pancakes)
Makes 2 portions (4 pancakes)
Ingredients
- Gluten free porridge oats x75g,
- 1 teaspoon Gluten free baking powder
- 20g Sorghum flour
- Bananas (ripe)x 1
- 300g Cottage cheese
- Egg x1
- Vanilla bean extract ½ teaspoon
- Blueberries 25g
- Sunflower oil (for frying) 15ml
Method
- To prepare the mixture blend all the ingredients, except the blueberries, in a food processer or with a hand blender. Divide in four and pan fry on one side, sprinkle on the blueberries and flip over. Transfer to baking tray and bake at 160◦c for 7 mins.
- This makes 4 pancakes. (2 per portion)
- The pancakes are light in texture yet filling, a good food for breakfast lunch or to eat when in need of extra protein. The oats provide slow-release energy.
- To add more zinc in this recipe you could add 2 tablespoons of gluten free dark chocolate chips to the batter after it is blended.
Buying gluten free labelled pasta or pizza sauces can be expensive, consult your Coeliac society food list for brands which have sauces listed, but may not carry a gluten free label as they are value or own brand products.
It would be even less expensive to make your own, it is not difficult and can be made in a large amount and frozen in smaller amounts.
Basic tomato sauce (to this you can add fresh basil or roasted red peppers, or fresh oregano.)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped.
- 6 cloves garlic cut in half.
- ¼ tsp of dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon of tomato puree
- 2 x 400g tinned chopped tomatoes.
- ¼ tsp sugar, ½ tsp Salt and pepper
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, cook the onions for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the oregano, garlic, and tomato paste, cook while stirring for 3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes, stir in the salt pepper and sugar.
- You can leave as is or blend smooth using a hand blender.
The sauce goes well with chicken, fish, or meat. It works particularly well with the addition of gluten free chorizo. It can be used for pizza or pasta also.
Batch cook and freeze (this practice I find works great with casseroles, sauces and stews)
How does this save money?
When you shop for diced meat, mince or chicken it is often cheaper to buy them per kilo in larger packs, for example a family pack (1kg).
Reduce your meat intake and save money by using beans with meat or chicken or using lentils to bulk out minced beef or lamb, for example if recipe says 600g of mince use 400g of mince plus 200g of lentils.
Diced potatoes or mixed beans or chickpeas work very well in curry’s, they can be used on their own or to bulk out lamb or chicken in a curry. If you have never tried spicy dish without meat, try some of the delicious Indian recipes.
Quick, easy potato and lentil curry
Makes 6 portions.
Prep time 15 minutes. Cooking time 25 minutes.
Ingredients
- 750g Maris piper potatoes
- 200g of dry red lentils
- 1 diced red onion
- Thumb sized piece of ginger peeled and chopped.
- 2 chopped green chillies.
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin.
- 2 teaspoons garam masala.
- ½ teaspoon of chilli powder.
- ½ teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper.
- Juice of 1 lemon.
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- Oil for frying.
- 2 tins of light coconut milk.
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander.
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
Method
- Cut the potatoes into large chunks, and rinse in cold water.
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes, strain.
- Mix the onion with the ginger, green chillies, cumin, masala, chilli powder and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a non-stick pan add the onions and spice mix, cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the red lentils and stir, cook for 5 minutes.
- Add lemon juice, honey and coconut milk. Heat for 10 minutes without stirring, add in chopped coriander and sprinkle on pomegranate seeds.
Serve with brown rice.
Plan your week ahead to cut down food waste and use slow cookers and airfryers to cut down energy costs, as they are smaller spaces than heating a full oven.
When cooking pasta or rice cook extra and cool it completely under cold water. Toss the pasta in a small amount of olive oil cover and keep in the fridge for up 2 days, it costs less to quickly microwave than to boil another saucepan of water.
For the rice drain the cold water off completely, cover and keep in fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat fully when needed, again this saves boiling water again.
