It is hot and I am back to work tomorrow and had enough carrot and celery sticks with hummus so was searching for some else light and healthy.   Thanks to Gluten Free Scallywag for reminding me about rice paper rolls.   I made mine with prawns and smoked salmon.   Visit Gluten Free Scallywag here for the recipe.

Gluten Free Rice Paper Rolls

I would like to recommend anyone wanting to go gluten free and back to basics to read Cyndi O’Meara’s book “Changing Habits, Changing Lives” and the related cookbook. Check out the link below.

I am going to follow Cyndi’s 21 day plan to start off the new year.  Tried a recipe from the Cyndi O’Meara Thermomix cook book, Mexican Layered Chilli Dip with Refried Beans and Salsa.   Very delicious with layers of bean dip, avocado dip, sour cream and cheese.

Mexican Layered Chilli Dip

For a Christmas Pudding more suited to the Australian climate, like 40 degrees celsius on Christmas Day, I tried this recipe from my latest Enjo newsletter which also happens to be gluten free. It was delicious served with Raspberry Sauce and Grand Marnier Chocolate Sauce bought when down south in Denmark.

GF Christmas Ice Cream Pudding

1 litre Weiss vanilla bean ice cream
1/2 cup toasted almond slivers
1/2 cup chopped red and green glace cherries
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
2 tablespoons Cointreau
2/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Allow ice cream to soften slightly, tip into a large bowl and add remaining ingredients.
Mix well and spoon the mixture into separate silicon moulds.
Cover with cling wrap and freeze overnight. Upturn onto serving plate and drizzle with sauces and serve with fresh fruit e.g. raspberries.

It is Thanksgiving in America today and made Aubrey some Turkey Burgers and Pumpkin Pie. Made the pastry using the recipe from the Everyday cookbook for the Thermomix but used hazelnuts instead of almonds and of course used gluten free flour. Found it was best to roll pastry into a sausage shape and chill in freezer before pressing rather than rolling out into springform pan.

Followed Cyndi O’Meara recipe for Mother Earth Pumpkin Pie for filling.

Mother Earth Pumpkin Pie

2 free range egg yolks
1/3 cup raw organic sugar
1 1/2 cup pumpkin cooked and mashed
1/2 milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon agar
1/4 cup filtered water
2 free range egg whites
1/3 cup raw sugar extra

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
Cook cubed pumpkin in the TM and use the butterfly to mash.
In a saucepan beat egg yolks and sugar until creamy.
Mix in pumpkin, milk, salt, ginger and cinnamon and cook until thick stirring frequently.
Combine agar and water in a small saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute. Immediately add to pumpkin mixture and set aside.
Beat egg whites in TM until soft peaks form (3-5 minutes) and gradually add extra sugar.
Fold into pumpkin mixture and pour into pastry case and bake for 30 minutes.

Serve with King Island double cream – yummy!

Thanks to the fantastic WBC I have also been able to try out the bircher muesli. I have been searching for a good oat free bircher muesli since I went gluten free. I did try some uncontaminated oats imported from USA but still found I had a reaction to the so I am oat free these days. The breakfast I miss the most is bircher.

I make up my own muesli mix with nuts, seeds, cranberries, sultanas etc and add grated apple. This is all soaked in apple juice overnight and then I stir in some gluten free greek yoghurt in the morning and top wit fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries and banana. I am thrilled I can have my own bircher muesli again! Thanks WBC and hope you get a Western Australia distributor soon to make buying the cereal more affordable cause as we all know good quality gluten free food is not cheap.

WBC Bircher

Thanks to Brazen for this recipe I tried from her fantastic blog here. Served them up with fresh strawberries and blueberries with organic maple syrup and greek vanilla yoghurt!

Buttermilk Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes

200g gluten free plain flour (White Wings brand)
100g Buckwheat flour
2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons (15g) sugar (I used TM vanilla sugar)
2 large eggs
600ml (640g) buttermilk
3-4 tablespoons (20g) unsalted butter, melted in the fry pan you’re going to cook the pancakes
1 punnet blueberries

1. Place all ingredients except the blueberries in the thermomix. Mix on speed 6 for 10 seconds. Scrape down sides and mix on speed 6 for another 10-20 seconds. Leave to rest for 20 minutes.

2. Heat your pan on a medium heat and grease as needed. Pour in around 1/4 cup of batter. If you are having blueberries drop some on top.

3. When the pancake has bubbled and looks slightly set it’s time to flip it over gently. It will only take minutes to brown on the bottom.

4. Serve with fruit, yoghurt and maple syrup. Any leftovers are nice cold with TM butter!

GF Buttermilk & Buckwheat Pancakes with Blueberries

Kyle still enthused with Junior Masterchef! He made a fruit salad today and we had it served with vanilla bean ice cream (Weiss is gluten free) and mango and raspberry sorbet whipped up in the Thermomix.

Kyle (9) my Junior Masterchef in Action!

Made Apricot Chicken in TM from the recipe in the Everyday Cookbook. It turned out fantastic, lovely colour as well as taste and texture.

Apricot Chicken

For dessert made a chocolate sorbet from recipe at Quirky Cooking

Chocolate Sorbet

I changed the espresso for Kahlua and it needed a bit more ice as was a bit runny. The next day after being in the freezer was more frozen and did not go too icy, stayed creamy and rich!

I made my own hollandaise sauce today using the amazing Thermomix! Never would have attempted this otherwise. It turned out fantastic, lovely hint of lemon, creamy and almost mousse like. Tasted lovely on eggs benedict with salmon and baby spinach. Used a Bodhi Bread gluten free bun which take the place of a toasted english muffin well.

4 egg yolks
130g unsalted butter
Juice 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to tast

Insert butterfly in TM bowl and place all ingredients into TM bowl.
Cook for 8 minutes at 90 degrees celsius on speed 3.

Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce