Gluten-Free Minestrone Soup

Right, ok sorry.  It’s been a busy year so far and I haven’t kept up with my blog. Don’t worry I’ve still had time for great cooking and some new recipes – just not the time to add them here.  I’ll do better, promise. Let’s add another winter recipe, a classic minestrone soup with gluten free stock and pasta of course.

I like my soup so thick you could almost eat it with a fork.

A good hearty soup should be chunky and thick not drippy and watery.

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Winter Beef Stew

A super easy slow cooker beef stew. The amounts below make a mountain of food so you’ll have a few portions to freeze and use on lazy days.

Spicy Thai Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin soup is great in winter, but it can be a bit bland.  Try this Thai variation to spice things up a bit.

2 Tbsp red curry paste

1tbsp olive oil

1 onion -chopped

1 large pumpkin – chopped

2 cups chicken stock

200ml coconut milk

1 teaspoon dried coriander leaves

salt and pepper to taste

Fry the curry paste, olive oil and onions in a pan until the onions are soft.  Transfer into a large soup pot and add, pumpkin and the chicken stock and simmer until the pumpkin is soft.  Blend all ingredients with a stick blender.  Add coconut milk, coriander and salt and pepper and simmer for another 30 minutes.  Serve with gluten-free buttered toast.

Slow-cooker Shredded BBQ Beef

Yep…those winter slow cooker recipes just keep on coming.  This BBQ Beef recipe is not too spicy, it’s easy to cook a large portion so plenty for left overs to fill the freezer.

1.5 kg piece of rump or blade roast

1 onion finely chopped

400g tin tomato

2 x 400g tin kidney beans

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon mustard

1 tablespoon chilli powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Mexican seasoning

salt and pepper

Cut the beef into four pieces. Mix the Mexican seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper and chilli powder and rub onto the beef pieces and place in slow cooker.  Combine tin tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, onion, brown sugar and pour into slow cooker. Cook for 8 hours on low.  An hour before you are ready to eat remove,  beef pieces and shred using two forks.  Replace beef into the slow cooker and add the kidney beans.

Great in tacos, burritos or on nachos.

Hearty Breakfast Ramekins

This is a quick and fun way to enjoy a cooked breakfast, a fancy version of bacon and eggs if you will. Experiment with the fillings and amounts, but the following ingredients serves 2 people.

Fry up one rasher of bacon, about 6 slices of chorizo and half an onion until cooked through.  Divide evenly into your ramekins.  Add about 3 tablespoons of baked beans to each, top with half a tomato and crack an egg on top. Place in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius and remove once the egg is cooked to your liking. Serve with buttered toast – the bacon and chorizo really give a nice flavour to the beans.

Enjoy!

Chorizo with Mixed Beans

This is one of those unglamorous but super-tasty meals everyone has in their repertoire. I made it while staying with family this past winter and always received compliments.  It is so simple it is almost embarrassing to include a recipe, but after a few requests…here it is.

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 chorizos (check packaging for gluten-free options)

1 440g can tinned tomato

1 440g can mixed beans

Place oil and sliced chorizo in saucepan and cook on high heat for about 2 minutes.  Add tinned tomatoes and drained beans and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes.  That’s it! I don’t add any other seasonings – if you have good quality chorizos it will be all the flavour you need.  Serve with mashed potato and some chopped parsley.  A quick tasty meal that is good for a week-night…especially in winter.