Category Archives: Italian Recipes

The Leaning Tower of Mushroom

Since yesterday’s post on my ‘Funky Fog’, I’ve been trying my damned hardest to get out of the funk and do something to get my mind off things - but that’s easier said than done!

Anyway I thought it’s about time I posted a recipe and today I decided to post my ‘Leaning Tower of Mushroom’ recipe for y’all.

 

Since going on a ‘strict-ish’ no bad carbs at dinner time diet, to shift a few pounds, I’ve been fathoming out interesting ways to have ‘non carbohydrate  food’ for dinner and lately I’ve been a little addicted to mushrooms! I’ve had them with every sitting and lo’ and behold, I needed to find new ways of having them, which is when I came up with the idea of having a ‘leaning tower of mushroom’ with spinach and mozzarella cheese sandwiched in the middle. So if you fancy making yourself your very own gluten free ‘leaning tower of mushroom’ then here’s the recipe!

 

Ingredients:

 

  • 3 Giant Mushrooms [take the stems off. I tried to take the ‘gills’ out but that nearly broke my mushrooms into pieces!]
  • A ‘glug’ of Olive Oil
  • A handful of Spinach
  • Cheese [use any variety, I used mozzarella]
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Add the ‘glug’ of Olive Oil to a non stick frying pan and over a medium flame, add the Mushrooms and season with Salt and Pepper 
  2. After 5 minutes of frying and when the Mushrooms start to turn brown, add the Spinach and cook until the Spinach begins to ‘wilt’ and turn a darker colour 
  3. On a plate, add a fried Mushroom and then add the Spinach with a slice of Cheese. Do this till you create a ‘leaning tower of mushroom’ 

 

 

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A Gluten Free Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!!

 

I wasn’t going to do a valentines inspired blog post [and to be fair I’ve left it a little too late] but since food is the key to everyone’s heart… or is it a man’s heart?… either way, it’s a good excuse to post a wee little val’ day inspired blog post for y’all!

Now, since we’re all pretty much feeling the pinch and money is sparse, many of us will be wining and dining in tonight! Which is a wise move since all restaurants are over booked, over filled and over priced!

So whether you’re cooking for someone for the first time or cooking for your loved one, Auntie Saara is here to help you with your gluten free valentines night!

Ambience: 

 

 

Before we even think about cooking ladies and G’s, we gotta think about the ambience, which is just a posh way of saying ‘atmosphere of a place’. I’m not talking about leaving rose petals on every nook and cranny of your house or lighting candles left, right and centre [which could potentially burn your house down!]. Oh and god forbid red lighting, you don’t want your pad looking like a pimp palace. If you’re lucky enough to use a dimmer, that’ll do or even some fairy/Christmas lights tacked to the wall. Also make sure you clean and tidy your rooms, there’s nothing worse trying to get all romantic when there’s dirty dishes, dirty laundary and general rubbish strewn around the house! 

Music and Films:

 

 

OK, before you rush off to buy some Marvin Gaye or Barry White music, remember that these music legends are a just little too cliché! I mean, you don’t even need any music playing, but if you do decide you want some sweet tunes in the background, try and steer clear of tracks such as Drowning Pool - ‘Let the Bodies Hit the Floor’ or Kelis - ‘Caught Out There’, no matter how much of a tune they are!

Films are also an important feature for a good valentines night, but is also the most important as it has the potential to ruin your valentines night! Imagine, settling down with your date and they pop the film, Knocked Up, into the DVD player. You also don’t want to be forcing your other half to watch soppy, romantic films like P.s I Love You [which is enough to make anyone poke their eyes out!].

Food:

Now for the important part - the food. This could make or break your relationship! Imagine cooking your gluten free lover something and either giving them food poisoning or worse, accidently glutening them! So here is a wee little list of gluten free food that you can whip up to impress your other half. And nothing cries ‘Love’ more than Italian food, since it’s the love and food capital of the world! [… or have I just made that up!]

Starters:

 

How about many some gluten free dough balls and dough sticks with a selection of dips! There’s nothing more romantic than a couple of balls [if you pardon the expression]. Sharing some nibbles is a pretty romantic and I doubt I’m the only coeliac who misses dough balls!

But if time is of the essence, why not try Dietary Specials Tear and Share Garlic Bread!

Or if gluten free garlic bread and dough balls aren’t your thing! Why not try making your own gluten free tomato brushetta!

Mains:

 

You could impress your date with making your own gluten free pizza or go one step further and make a gluten free stuffed crust one instead using my easy gluten free pizza dough recipe!

Or why not try and make your own gluten free pasta from scratch and relive that Lady and The Tramp moment. But before you protest about not having a pasta machine, I made mine without one. Although it took a lot of rolling it did however, tone up my arms! 

But if you don’t fancy making your own pizza but do still want some, then why not try Dietary Specials Bontà d’Italia Margherita Pizza! It’s one of the nicest pre made gluten free frozen pizza I’ve ever had! What’s more, it tastes just like normal pizza so you share it with those who don’t have to eat gluten free! [For a more in-depth review, click here]

 

Dessert: 

This is probably the most enjoyable part of any three course meal! And nothing says ‘I love you’ than a box of home made gluten free ferrero rocher!

or why not try making your own gluten free Chinese fortune cookies and popping your own fortune inside! 

But if you’re wanting something super quick but deliciously chocolatey, why not try my 5 minute microwave gluten free chocolate cake! Doesn’t sound that appitzing, but for a quick gluten free chocolate cake, it does taste pretty yummy!

 

 

 

 

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Gluten Free Stuffed Crust Pizza

One of the things I missed when I was diagnosed with coeliac disease was god damn pizza, and it looks like I’m not the only one either! Since tweeting about Dominos doing gluten free pizza in other countries but the UK, it was pretty obvious I wasn’t the only one that was missing beloved pizza either!

Although some of us are lucky to have places near by that cater for us fabulous coeliacs when it comes to gluten free pizza [I’ve provided a list here] we’re also lucky that the amazing Dietary Specials do the most amazing frozen gluten free Italian pizza that makes you check around a 100 times to make sure you’ve not accidently picked up a gluten laden pizza instead [mistakes have happend!].

Many moons ago I was doing the usual day dreaming of pizza [like you do], when I realised how much I missed stuffed crust pizza! I used to always order it whenever I went to Pizza Hut and although I am so thankful that I can have some gluten free pizza, sometimes I longed for stuffed crust! So I had a brain wave - I was going to attempt to make my own stuffed crust pizza! *cue fan fare*

Ingredients:

Easy Gluten Free Pizza Base:

  • 225g Gluten Free Flour [I used Glutafin White]
  • 1 teaspoon of Xanthan Gum [If you’re flour doesn’t include it]
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of Caster Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of Yeast
  • 1 Egg
  • 3 tablespoons of Oil
  • 130g Water
  • Mozzarella

Tasty Pizza Sauce: 

  • 1 box/tin/jar of Tomato Passata [which is a posh way of saying ‘sieved tomatoes’]
  • 1 small Onion [finely chopped]
  • 1 cube of Garlic [finely chopped]
  • Salt and Pepper to season
  • 1 teaspoon of Oregano

Method:

 

  1. Pre heat the oven at 200°C
  2. First follow the instructions for my Tasty Pizza Sauce
  3. Then make your pizza dough using my Easy Pizza Dough Recipe
  4. Roll out your dough and prick it the base with a fork [I find this helps to make it crispy] and add your sliced Mozzarella  [use as much as you want, I used it sparingly and when I make it again, I’ll use more] 
  5. Now fold the dough over the pieces of cheese making sure you press the edges down so it doesn’t fold back up when it’s cooking! 
  6. Add the Tasty Pizza Sauce 
  7. Add your cheese and pop in the oven for 10/15 minutes! 
  8. And as if by magic, you have gluten free stuffed crust pizza! 

 

 

 

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