Tuesday 29 October 2013

Haunted Halloween Competition & FREE pretzel treats




Can you feel the spook in the air? The creepiest night of the year is dawning. It's time to get the carving knives out and the face paint on- it's HALLOWEEN.

We've been getting creative and have been decorating Barkat Digestive Biscuits with our scariest icing designs.


You've still got 2 days to send in your pictures to: customerservices@glutenfree-foods.co.uk

You could be one of the 5 winners who will receive a FREE pack of Gingerbread Cookies- they are seriously yummy!


Also don't forget- until the end of the week you will receive a FREE pack of pretzels with every order! Just quote OCT13 in the coupon number when you check out!

So- get your icing pens out, get your kids in the kitchen and get ordering!


No tricks just plenty of treats!

Happy Halloween...

Tuesday 15 October 2013

Italian Gluten Free Style




The Italian cuisine is one of the most popular- and it is easy to see why. There's nothing more comforting than a bowl of pasta, a slice of crunchy garlic bread and a big slice of pizza. Being gluten free no longer means that you will have to miss out on these favourites.

So if you want an Italian Feast, follow our tasty tips:

Garlic Bread:
1 par baked baguette
1 head of garlic
A splash of olive oil
A pinch of sugar
A pinch of salt
Mozzarella (if you want a cheesy topping)


This is seriously simple-

1. Preheat the oven to 200c
2. Smash the head of garlic to release the cloves and place them in a roasting tin, still in their skins. Add a splash of olive oil and a pinch each of salt and sugar and toss together. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and, when cool enough to handle, squeeze the soft, roast garlic out of their skins.
4. Press the garlic cloves into the baguette (add them to taste).
5. Bake the baguettes for 15 minutes. The baked baguettes should be golden-brown and have a slight sheen to them.
6. If you want a cheesy topping: once cooled, preheat the grill to hot. Slice the bread, top with mozzarella and grill until melted and bubbly.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake
This pasta dish is packed with nutrients and is seriously tasty- a real crowd pleaser

Serves 4

400g Buckwheat spirals
1 aubergine
2 peppers (yellow and red make it lovely and colourful)
2 courgettes
1 handful of pine nuts
3 garlic cloves (crushed)
2 shallots
3 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp of pesto
a pinch of salt and pepper
a glug of white wine
1 tbsp of tomato puree
grated mozzarella for a cheesy topping


1. Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil and when hot add the shallots and garlic
2. When soft add the peppers, aubergine, courgettes and leave to cook for 10 minutes mixing every now and then
3. Add a glug of wine and stir, then add the tomato puree, and the pesto and stir.
4. Season with salt and pepper and add the pine nuts. Leave to cook for another ten minutes.
5. Meanwhile cook the pasta for 15 minutes and add salt to taste.
6. Once the pasta is cooked, drain with water and add the pasta to the sauce and mix.
7. Then pour into a casserole dish and cover with the grated cheese
8. Put in the grill for ten minutes until golden and crispy

Serve with the garlic bread and enjoy!

Italian cooking- gluten free style!


Next time: Pizza filling ideas- send us your suggestions!

Sunday 13 October 2013

Melt-in-the-mouth Gluten Free Brownies




As The Great British Bake Off nears the end of the series, all of us at Gluten Free Foods HQ have developed a new found passion for baking.


These gluten free chocolate brownies always go down a treat and are extremely simple to make.

What you need:
100g butter
150g Dark Chocolate
100g Gluten Free Plain Flour (you can get Barkat's flour in the starter pack!)
100g Chopped Hazelnuts
200g Sugar
3 Eggs
1 tsp Barkat Baking Powder

Method:

*Gently melt together the butter and chocolate in a bowl placed over a pan of boiling water.
*In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and sugar.
*Beat in the eggs followed by the melted butter and chocolate mixture.
*Stir in the nuts if used.
*Pour into a greased and lined baking dish.
*Bake in a pre heated ove for 35/40 minutes.
*Cut into slices before serving.


These brownies are a perfect treat with a cup of tea or coffee during the cold evenings! Send us pics of your creations.

Wednesday 9 October 2013

Warm up with a bowl of beet soup




Nothing is more comforting than a big bowl of soup on a cold,wet day.

Seeing as beetroot is in season, we thought we'd share our favourite soup recipe which tastes great with a thick slice of Barkat's gluten free country loaf and a slice of mature cheddar!


We love the vibrant colour of the soup and to get a fiery kick, we add a teaspoon of horseradish- delish!

Ingredients:

* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 1 onion, sliced
* 500g potatoes, peeled and chopped
* 750g beetroot, peeled and chopped
* 600ml chicken or vegetable stock
* 100ml soured cream
* 4-5 tbsp horseradish
* Barkat's Country bread loaf
* small handful dill (to make it look professional!)

* Heat half the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onion and on a medium heat, cook for 5 minutes, until softened.

* Add the potatoes and beetroot and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring all the while. Pour in the chicken or vegetable stock and 500ml of water.

* Bring to the boil, then simmer, partially covered, for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

* Pour into a blender, along with half the soured cream, and whizz until smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the horseradish, to taste.

* To make it look ultra professional, serve with a teaspoon of soured cream and a sprinkling of chopped dill.


Then all you need to do is bake the crunchy loaf and slice up your favourite cheddar.

This is a definite winter warmer!

October recipes- Homemade granola



It's getting colder and so a comforting breakfast is ultra important! We need something to get us out of the bed in the morning.

This homemade gluten free granola is seriously simple- it is ready to enjoy in just 10 mins and tastes delicious with a handful of berries and a big serving of greek yoghurt or a dairy free equivalent like COYO.


Makes 5 servings (to last you through the week)

Ingredients
* 2 1/2 cups Barkat's porridge flakes
* 2 handfuls of almond flakes
* 1 cup of desiccated coconut
* 1 handful of chopped pecans
* 3 tbsp maple syrup/ agave nectar
* 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds

*Preheat the oven to 180c

* Mix the ingredients together and then pour onto a greaseproof baking tray

*Place in the over for 10 mins, turning half way.

*Remove from the oven when the granola looks lovely and golden!

*Leave to cool and then serve with a serving of yoghurt and a drizzle of orange blossom honey!

An easy yet super satisfying start to the day.


Enjoy!



Monday 7 October 2013

WInter Warmer- Baked fruits with porridge





The sun was shining this weekend but it seems that we have now descended into the start of the winter months.

Breakfast is all about firing you up for the day and there is no better way to do that than with a delicious bowl of warm porridge- the ultimate winter warmer.

We love to have our porridge piled high with baked fruits and a drizzle of golden syrup.

* All you need to do is pick your favourite seasonal fruits: Ours are pears, prunes and blackberries.
* Wash them and slice them (if you need to) and then spread them onto a baking tray.
*Add a tablespoon of water, a tablespoon of brown sugar and a glug of apple juice.
*Place the tray in the oven at 180c for 25 mins.
*The fruit will be soft and gooey.

Then all you need is Barkat's porridge flakes (we make the porridge with almond milk to get a really nutty taste). Then spoon on the fruit and drizzle with golden syrup.

A delicious winter warmer!

Tuesday 1 October 2013

Pinch Punch First of the Month!- October recipe planner



Pumpkins hog the limelight in October- we love the autumn; from hearty vegetables to heart warming roasts and comforting desserts.


Throughout October we will be posting our top seasonal, gluten free recipes that are all gluten free- of course!

What's on the October Menu:

Breakfast ideas:

*Baked fruits with porridge and golden syrup (using Barkat's organic Porridge flakes)

*Poached eggs and smoked salmon on a slice of toasted Barkat's country loaf

*Homemade granola with greek yoghurt and a drizzle of orange blossom honey


Lunchtime:

*Beetroot soup with a oven baked baguette (perfect for soaking in the soup)

*Basil and chicken pasta bake with a sprinkling of pine nuts (we love buckwheat pasta spirals as the health benefits make this grain a superfood!)

*Warm roasted vegetable salad with a balsamic glaze served with some crunchy crispreads


Dinner:

* Roast chicken with a lentil and beetroot salad (we use Barkat's simple gravy mix to add flavour to our roasts)

*Kale and garlic pasta dish (using any gluten free spaghetti)

*Squash stir fry with buckwheat ramen and Canton Chef's Black bean and garlic sauce.


These recipes will feature on our blog throughout the month.

Stock up on the gluten free essentials that we have noted here and get ready to cook up some autumnal dishes with us over the coming weeks!