Calling all coeliacs, sweet toothed health junkies and gluten intolerant gourmets, if you're craving a mid week treat, forget greasy, migraine inducing takeaways and mundane home-cooked meals, take a look below! Whether you're inviting friends over for dinner, want a quick pick me up treat, or just a relaxing evening, we have selected a few incredibly delicious, gluten free and guilt free recipes that will make the perfect mid week treat.
Cauliflower Pizza
Don't knock it till you try it - this is seriously so unbelievably tasty. This is not a cop out, this pizza is genuinely as good as the real thing and the fact it's much better for you might even make it better than the real thing!
We chose to top ours with aubergine, peppers, red onion, mozzarella, basil and Parmesan – but you can top with whatever you fancy.
For the base
1 cauliflower
100g ground almonds
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp dried oregano
For the topping
3 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp garlic puree
1/2 large aubergine, thinly sliced
4 small peppers, sliced (we used chiquino peppers)
1 small red onion, sliced
125g mozzarella sliced
25g Parmasan, grated
2 tbsp coconut oil
A few pinches oregano
Handful of fresh basil
Method
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and the stalk, then cut into small chunks. Blitz the cauliflower in a food processor until it resembles couscous/rice. Transfer to a big bowl.
Microwave the cauliflower until softened (make sure to cover the bowl with cling film!). Leave the cauliflower to cool a little then tip onto a clean tea towel and then wrap the towel around the grains. Squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the cauliflower (persevere – there will be a lot!), then place back in the bowl and mix in the almonds, egg, oregano and plenty of seasoning.
Line a baking tray with baking parchment and grease with oil and tip the cauliflower mix onto the centre of the tray, and mould into a large circle. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 mins until golden brown.
Whilst the base cooks, heat coconut oil in a pan, and cook the aubergine for 5-6 mins, turning once, until softened and lightly browned, add more coconut oil, if needs be. Next, heat a little more oil and add the onion and peppers and cook until softened.
Once the cauliflower base is cooked, set aside to cool a little. Once cool, spread both purees over the base, sprinkle over the Parmesan, then arrange the aubergines, peppers, red onion and mozzarella on top.
Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the pizza and return to the oven for 10-12 mins. Before serving, scatter with fresh basil.
Sweet potato brownies
The sweet potato gives these brownies a lovely indulgent texture and of course provides a natural sweetness. It's an ideal recipe for anyone that's health conscious with an insatiable sweet-tooth!
This recipe makes about 8 brownies
Ingredients
1 large sweet potato, cooked
1 large ripe avocado
120g apple sauce
60g Honey
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 large eggs
70g flour (white, whole wheat, spelt, almond) – we used gluten free white flour.
45g organic cacao powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
For the icing
105g protein powder
60g maple syrup
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
60g peanut butter (or hazelnut)
115g plain Greek Yogurt
22g organic cacao powder
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 170. Line and grease a tin.
Remove the skin from the sweet potato and place in a food processor. Add the avocado, apple sauce, honey, vanilla essence and eggs and mix until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, add the flour, cacao powder, baking soda and salt and mix well. Add the dry ingredients into the processor and combine.
Pour the mixture into the baking tin and place in the middle of the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Whilst the brownie is cooking, it’s time for the fudge like icing. Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix on a high speed until everything is incorporated and the mixture is smooth and sticky.
To check the brownie is cooked, place a skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, the baking is complete!
Once cool, pour the fudgey icing over the brownie and leave in the fridge to set.
Decorate the top however you wish, we used some gluten free dark chocolate drops for added taste and texture.
Banana nut pie
Another perfect dessert recipe, to satisfy that craving.
Ingredients
100g Oats
50g Butter
3 tbsp honey
200g dark chocolate
250g peanut butter
3 tbsp Maple syrup
50g Coconut oil
3 bananas
1 tsp Salted caramel flavouring
Method
Heat butter in a pan, add the honey and 100g of the chocolate and mix until melted.
Take off the heat, add the oats and mix well. Once all the oats have been coated press firmly into the base and place in the freezer to set.
Meanwhile, heat half the coconut oil in a pan and add the peanut butter and maple syrup.
In a blender (we used a nutribullet to make it extra smooth) blitz the bananas and remaining coconut oil and then add to the mixture.
Add a few drops of salted caramel flavouring and mix until smooth and well combined. Pour over the base and place in the freezer.
Melt 100g dark chocolate in a bain marie until melted, then trickle over the top of the frozen pie. Place in the fridge until the chocolate has set.
Enjoy!