Well, it has been over a year since I posted on my blog. A lot has happened this year that has made it difficult for me to find the time. I suffered from exceptionally poor health, we struggled with Miss A's health as well, and she had two anaphylactic episodes. We also found that she can go anaphylactic from the smell or touch of nut products, but does have time to use an epipen and get to hospital so that is good. Master H has developed a lactose intolerance as well, so food has been fun.
Good news, I got a Thermomix! Yay! For those that don't know what that is, it is an all in one kitchen machine. It makes cooking so much easier as you can mill your own seeds or grains into flour, crush anything from ice to fruit, knead dough, steam and boil, whip, make ice cream, so much! I use it all the time.
My inspiration for blogging today is the beautiful Australia Day. In true Australian form, we had a BBQ. As the dairy free inclusion in our diet is only 3 days old, I was struggling to come up with an allergy free menu, that would satisfy our guests who eat 'normal' food. What a challenge! For starters, all the sausages I saw in the shop had onion and garlic in them so were not suitable. I eventually found some British Pork sausages which did not have them in, but was thinking we would have to have a BBQ without the snags. Sacrilege!
Here is what I came up with for a menu:
Hamburgers (recipe previously posted)
Coleslaw
Potato and Mustard Salad
Potato chips
Quinoa crumbed chicken
Green salad
Pork sausages (British Pork from Ottoway Pork)
Pork patties (Ottoway Pork)
Oriental Rice Salad
Gluten and dairy free cheesecake
fruit platter
meringue nests (Coles)
assorted hamburger rolls, both normal and wheat free
Orange-ade
The day went by so fast I did not get a chance to take any pics, but will add some at a later date if I make again.
First, the coleslaw. This is a recipe from the Thermomix Community by daniellehcp. Here is the link: www.recipecommunity.com.au/side-dishes-recipes/coleslaw/117912
I made my own mayonnaise, in the Thermie of course! It was super easy and really yummy. The beauty of making my own is that I know exactly what is in it and can cater to our personal tastes. The mayonnaise recipe is out of the Thermomix Basic Cook Book. I just used vegetable oil.
MAYONNAISE
Ingredients
250g Grapeseed or Safflower Oil
1 Egg, room temperature
1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
1-2 tsp prepared mustard (optional)
2 pinches ground black pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
Method
Place a jug onto the mixing bowl lid, weigh oil into jug and set aside.
Place egg, lemon juice or vinegar, mustard (if using), pepper (if using) and salt into mixing bowl. Mix
1 min 30 sec/ Speed 4 while very slowly pouring reserved oil onto upturned measuring cup, letting it drizzle into mixing bowl to emulsify. Transfer mayonnaise into bowl and serve immediately or transfer into an airtight jar and store in refrigerator.
Non Thermomix Method
Place egg, lemon juice or vinegar, mustard (if using), pepper (if using) and salt into a blender or kitchen whiz. Mix slowly, as you drizzle oil through hole in lid to emulsify.
This Mayonnaise is not strong flavoured, so if you want more of a 'kick' you could probably add some lime juice or extra acid, and some spices. If you are adding to salads with other flavours, it is perfect as it is!
Next I made the potato and mustard salad. This is a quick, delicious salad that my cousin made. Thanks Nicole! It is easy, yummy and looks impressive.
POTATO AND MUSTARD SALAD
Ingredients
6 potatoes, peeled
4 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp mayonnaise
Method
Dice potatoes and boil until soft, drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add mustard and mayonnaise while still hot and stir to combine. Cut eggs into quarters, and add to the salad. Mix softly to not break the eggs. Chill or serve while still warm.
As some of the people at the BBQ dislike mayonnaise and mustard, I also cut potatoes into thin slices to BBQ so there was a plain option too.
I will also give you the recipe for the cheesecake. If you don't have a Thermomix, you should still be able to do this by hand. Just use your muscles to mix in the cream cheese nice and smooth, but a kitchen whiz could probably do it as well.
This is a recipe from the Recipe Community, but it is for a normal cheesecake. I will retype the recipe as I made a few changes to it. The original recipe was by shelleyjkemp.
NO BAKE STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE
Ingredients
Base
150g Orgran Shortbread Hearts
50g Gluten Free Weet-Bix
50g Nuttelex
Filling
500g soy cream cheese
400g coconut condensed milk
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp gelatine
1/4 cup boiling water
250g strawberries, chopped
Coconut Condensed Milk
1L Coconut Milk
200g Rice Malt Syrup
Method
Place the Coconut Milk and Rice Malt Syrup into the jug of your Thermomix (or onto the stove, but I do not have times for this). Cook
90 mins/100deg C, Speed 4. Transfer the Condensed Milk to a bowl to chill.
Clean and dry your jug. Add biscuits to your TM bowl and crush for
5 secs, Speed 7. Set aside.
Add Nuttelex to bowl and melt for
3 mins, 60 deg, Speed 1. Add reserved crumbs and mix
3 secs, Speed 4.
Press into a lined 20cm Springform tin.
In a dry clean TM bowl, add the soy cream cheese and beat for
10 secs, Speed 5. Add Condensed Milk and lemon juice and beat for
10 secs, Speed 5. Mix gelatine with boiling water and add with chopped strawberries to TM bowl, mixing for
3-5 secs/Reverse/Speed 4. Pour onto base.
Chill for at least 3 hours.
Serve with whipped cream or coconut yoghurt for dairy free.
Everyone loved the food, which left me with a sense of pride. It took me a week to come up with the menu, with near insurmountable allergies, intolerance and fussiness to deal with, and I came out the other side with success. It helps with all those times I fail, which when you have to change recipes so much does happen, often!
Let me know if you have any successes or failures. It happens to all of us!
