Recipe: Potato Mamoosa

Made this recipe for dinner tonight.  Sounds a little odd, but is really very tasty.  And, as far as I can tell, perfectly anti-Candida diet A-OK (you could always leave out the chilli).

Cook-in Sauce

You lucky, lucky people.  Two posts in as many days.  ;)  Anyway, I thought I should blog an outstanding find this lunchtime, Co-op 'truly irresistible' Karahi cook in sauce.  I read the ingredients once.  I read the ingredients twice.  My eyes did not deceive me.  There was no sugar!  Just onion, tomatoes, yoghurt and a host of authentic spices.  Sounds absolutely delicious.  Bought some fancy-pants 'Elmwood' chicken too.  Shall have a lovely curry tonight!

Candida diet friendly sweets

Just taking a quick break from the thesis-writing to link to Joi's recent experiments in sweet (candy) making.  The Lemon Ginger Chews sound lovely.  Does anyone know from where one can purchase erythritol in the UK?  

I'm working - bleurgh

Just a quick post to explain my continued absence.  I'm writing up my thesis at the moment (when I'm not wallowing in the depths of hell wondering why I ever bothered - chapter just got a mauling from my supervisor), which leaves little time for anything else.  I will probably only blog intermittently over the next couple of months, but don't let that stop you from commenting.  I read all my mail.  :)

Lactofree?

A question for you, dear readers.  Have you tried Lactofree products?  Presumably, if the lactose has been removed, they should be Candida diet a-ok, eh?

Recipe: Djinn's AMAZING Instant Whip Fairy Cakes

This evening I've been doing a spot of experimental bakery. (I'd run out of butter and milk!)  I came up with a cake batter that tastes exactly like Chocolate Instant Whip!!!!  

I used this basic recipe as my guide.

These cakes have a very light texture, not too sweet, just chocolatey enough.  Enjoy!

Djinn's AMAZING Instant Whip Fairy Cakes

Makes six small cakes

25g gluten-free self-raising flour

25g cocoa power (I like Cadbury's Bournville)

50g corn oil

50g xylitol

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

2 tsps plain yoghurt

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.  Line a muffin tin with bun cases.  In a mixing bowl beat the oil and  xylitol until pale and fluffy.  Add the beaten egg, a little at a time.  Whisk to incorporate with oil and xylitol mixture.  Beat in vanilla essence.  Sift flour into bowl and fold into mixture.  Add the yoghurt.  Sift in cocoa powder and fold until well combined.  Spoon into bun cases and cook for 12 minutes in the centre of the oven.  Remove and place on a cooling rack for a few mins. Tuck in!

It's been a long time...

...so. to cut a long story short I shall declare just these following missives.

I got through Christmas well.  I allowed myself some treats, but didn't get carried away.

Since then I have come to the conclusion that yeast is not a big problem for me.  I mean eating it. So, I've started to eat slow-risen breads like ciabatta, which have no added sugar (which remains the devil).   

The BBC Good Food website is an enormously useful resource of simple and easy to adapt recipes.

Oh, and I have a few new recipes to write about.

Cold Cures

I have a cold. The second in a month. Conventional, over-the-counter cold cures tend to be packed with sugar and sweeteners. I've been attempting to self-medicate with chillies, garlic and onion and lemon and honey. And, of course, plenty of rest. I've also been trying hot baths and inhaling steam to alleviate the sinus pressure. Apparently raising your temperature helps your body to fight back against the cold virus too. However, I have to attend a day long seminar tomorrow (organised by me, so it's going to be a busy and stressful day), followed by a Christmas 'do.' I am close to caving in and making myself a Lemsip. Before I do, does anyone have any tried and tested candida-friendly cold cures?

Yummy fancy chocolate!

Joi over at Just Saying No!!! has blogged about Vosges Sugar Free Red Fire Bars. They also make a milk chocolate Barcelona bar sweetened with maltitol. I want to try them!!! Does anywhere in Britain stock Vosges products?

Delicious Parsnip and Ginger Soup

Freshly harvested parsnips, by Marj Joly

Feeling chilly in this wintry weather? Then try the Parsnip and Ginger Soup recipe over on the River Nene website. Instead of butter, I substituted half olive oil spread and olive oil, yeast-free stock powder and a splash of soy sauce, instead of Worcester sauce.

Delicious!

10 Things Fungi Have Done for Us

Fungi (and yeast and thrush) gets a bad wrap on this blog. Thought it was time to redress the balance. ;)

BBC NEWS Magazine 10 things fungi have done for us

Recipe: Super quick and easy flat bread

Very flat bread! By Basheem

Perfect for breakfast emergencies!

Serves many, best freshly cooked and serve warm.

Super quick and easy flat bread

3 cups of rye flour

1 - 1 1/2 cups of warm water

salt

vegetable oil

Put flour and a good pinch of salt in mixing bowl. Make a well. Add a small amount of water and mix together. Continue to add the water to the flour until a soft dough forms.

Pull off a small piece of dough, roll into a round. Place on a floured board and press flat until around 1 cm thick.

Add a small amount of vegetable oil to a small frying or griddle pan. Add flat bread to pan and cook either side for a minute or so, until golden brown.

A perfect accompaniment to savoury dishes.

Recipe: Beef Goulash

Hungarian paprika by vi4kin

A delicious and comforting - and, most likely, completely inauthentic - casserole for a chilly autumn day:

Beef Goulash

Serves 2

400g quality stewing steak trimmed and cut into pieces
4 medium tomatoes
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1tbs plain flour
1 tbs tomato puree
1 tbs paprika
1 yellow, red or green pepper
salt and pepper
vegetable oil
atural yogurt (optional)


Heat oil in a large frying pan, or casserole dish. Add pieces of beef, a few at a time, and seal. Remove from pan/casserole. Add onions and garlic. Sweat until translucent. Return beef to pan/dish and fry together for another couple of minutes. Place in a casserole dish if not already.


Meanwhile, skin the tomatoes (place in a bowl and pour on boiling water, leave for a few minutes before removing, skins should slide off easily). Carefully chop the skinned tomatoes, being careful not to lose too much juice. Add to the casserole dish, along with the tomato puree. Stir the beef, onions and tomatoes together. Add seasoning and flour. Stir well. Put lid on casserole and place in the middle of an oven at a medium heat for 1hr-1hr, 30 mins.


Towards the end of the cooking time, prepare and slice the pepper into medium strips. Add to the casserole. Stir everything together. Add a little water if it looks a little dry. Return to the oven for another 30mins-1 hr, until the meat is tender.


Serve from the casserole dish, with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable, or brown basmati rice. As an extra-special finishing touch, add a swirl of natural yogurt and a sprinkling of paprika.

Recipe: Carrot and Potato Rosti

Rude veg by Silversprite

A delicious, quick and easy recipe:

Carrot & Potato Rosti

Makes one large rosti, which will serve two as a side dish, or one as a main course.

3 medium carrots, washed and peeled

3 medium potatoes, washed and peeled

butter or olive oil spread

salt and pepper

grated goats cheese (optional)

Grate the carrots and potatoes. Place in a bowl. Season to taste and mix well with hands.

Heat a knob of butter/olive oil spread in a small non-stick frying pan. Squeeze excess water out of potato/carrot mixture with hands, or in a clean tea-towel.

When the butter/spread is nice and bubbly, add the carrot/potato mixture, pressing it into the pan. Cook on a moderate heat, turning every five mins or so (it helps to turn the rosti out onto a dinner plate, before sliding it back into the pan), until golden-brown and crispy on both sides (around twenty mins).

For an extra treat, add grated cheese to the top of the rosti and allow to melt in the pan.

Recipe: Sesame Beef with Carrot Kinpara

Carrot Love by Chris Campbell

I've just eaten a delicious dinner based upon two recipes recently uploaded by Maki to her excellent Just Bento blog:

Easy Sugarfree Carrot Kinpara (try not to inhale the chilli fumes, like I did!)

Sesame Flavoured Beef (I omitted the mirin and substituted the brown sugar for xylitol)

I served the beef and carrots with boiled broccoli and King Soba (would provide a link, but their website appears to have mysteriously disappeared) brown rice noodles.

Highly recommended!