EACH WEEK, WE ask a home cook about the dishes they’ve been whipping up of late. The kind of food you don’t need a recipe for, from quick snacks to empty-the-fridge dinners.
This week, in the spirit of Coeliac Awareness Week (May 13-19), Gráinne Brennan (@mycoeliachouse) shares five gluten-free recipes that she makes time and time again.
“At first it was daunting having to adjust to a gluten free diet and becoming conscious of the ingredients in every meal,” says Brennan, who was diagnosed with coeliac disease in 2013.
“However, as the years have passed this has led me to understand food better and become more creative in the kitchen. With a busy career in finance, I tend to lean towards meals that offer great taste and simplicity and that are of course gluten free!”
Here are five of Brennan’s go-tos…
1. The ultimate weekend breakfast: I love a relaxed breakfast at the weekend after a hard week at work. Gluten free oats are a great source of fibre, which helps maintain a healthy gut, so I try to include them in my diet at least twice a week. You can also add them to smoothies and use them when baking. I like my porridge creamy and use either dairy or coconut milk and top it off with frozen or fresh fruit and chia seeds!
2. One-pan brunch: Meals that require minimal washing up and can be enjoyed any time of the day are the best! Having coeliac disease, I think I’d actually be lost without eggs, especially when travelling. They are so versatile, reliable and packed with nutrition. I really enjoy making this fry up in particular. All you need are tomatoes, chorizo, spiralised courgette, spinach, eggs and some seasoning. If you want to make it vegetarian, you could skip the chorizo and add peas or chickpeas.
3. My go-to-lunch: Planning for your next meal goes part and parcel with having coeliac disease. Most days of the week I prepare and bring a packed lunch to work in order to minimise the risk of gluten cross-contamination and also to ensure I’m eating a healthy and nutritious meal.
My lunch preferences during the week are salads, left overs from the previous night’s dinner or a mixture of both. Here I’ve chosen the latter; an assortment of roasted vegetables, mixed leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, cheese, prawns covered in mustard and sprinkles of sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
4. Veggie coconut curry: This is the ideal meal for a rainy day. Lately I have been cutting down on my meat consumption a little. This has led me to create some vegetarian alternatives using sweet potato, chickpeas and beans. I usually look up a few recipes for some guidance on ways to use the main ingredient (in this case it’s sweet potato) but I never worry about sticking to any one recipe. I like to use what I have in the house and ensure minimal food waste.
5. Gluten-free pancakes: Who doesn’t like pancakes?! I enjoy them sweet or savoury. If having them sweet, I usually have them the traditional way with sugar and lemon or perhaps maple syrup and some fruit. If choosing savoury, they are amazing with pesto, ham, spinach and melted brie. I make pancakes using different recipes depending on my mood and what’s in the fridge or kitchen press. If I’m all out of gluten free flour, I use bananas, eggs and gluten free oats and a dash of cinnamon.
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