Coeliac Awareness Week: Five easy gluten-free recipes to enjoy with your family

For people with coeliac disease, returning to restaurants can be anxious, frustrating and even make them ill. So here’s five easy gluten-free recipes the whole family can enjoy at home. By Hannah Twiggs

(The Groovy Food Company)

Warmer weather and the chance – at last – to get together with our family and friends makes summer look so much brighter. But for people with coeliac disease, it’s not always that simple.

Coeliac disease is a condition where your immune system attacks your own tissues when you eat gluten. This damages your gut so you are unable to eat nutrients. The symptoms can not only cause worry and embarrassment, but also feelings of isolation – the last thing any one needs more of right now.

Coeliac Awareness Week (10-16 May) is shining a light on the disease and bringing people together to make life easier for people who need to live gluten-free.

Gluten-free influencer Becky Saunders says: “Around 1 per cent of the UK’s population is living with coeliac disease and are always searching for gluten-free alternatives to help follow a gluten-free diet.

“I started a gluten-free diet 7 years ago and I am a big advocate of high-quality ingredients such as The Groovy Food Company’s organic coconut flour, as it means I can still create dishes such as bread, cakes, pizza bases and pancakes, but with a gluten-free option.

“Having access to such products, which are available in multiple supermarkets such as Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s means I have access to all of the store cupboard staples, without the gluten, making it significantly easier for individuals like myself to follow a gluten-free diet. And of course, with foods that taste delicious!”

A gluten-free diet is the only treatment for the disease – and no, it’s not a trend or for weight loss. Coeliacs need to cut out gluten to heal their gut and start getting the nutrients they need.

With so many amazing alternative products on the market these days, such as The Groovy Food Company’s organic coconut flour or chocolate sauces, avoiding gluten in your diet shouldn’t be a bugbear. Here’s five recipes to get you started.

Read more:

• Seven days’ worth of meat-free dishes to get you through National Vegetarian Week
• What I learnt from a year of cooking Korean food with my mother
• An easy five-day family meal plan

Crispy BBQ chicken with avocado salsa

(The Groovy Food Company)

Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients

500g chicken breast, cut into strips (or vegan alternative)

60g The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Flour

Harissa (to taste)

½ teaspoon garlic granules

¼ teaspoon chilli flakes

Black pepper

For the BBQ sauce:

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Oil

2 garlic cloves, crushes

6 tablespoons tomato puree

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

4 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons The Groovy Food Company Light Amber and Mild Agave Nectar

1 teaspoon tamari sauce, gluten-free

Sea salt

Black pepper

For the avocado salsa:

3 avocadoes, roughly mashed

2 salad tomatoes, deseeded and chopped

1 handful coriander, finely chopped

1 tablespoon The Groovy Food Company Light Amber and Mild Agave Nectar

Juice of 1 lime

¼ teaspoon chilli flakes

Sea salt

Black pepper

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

2. Pre-line baking tray with parchment paper or baking paper.

3. Make the salasa: roughly mash the avocado with the juice of 1 lime, add the tomato, Agave Nectar, chilli flakes, sea salt, black pepper and mix together. Check for seasoning then add your chopped coriander and lightly combine.

4. Make the chicken: combine the coconut flour with the harissa, garlic granules, chilli flakes and black pepper in a large mixing bowl.

5. Dip the chicken strips into the seasoned coconut flour and place on the pre-lined baking tray.

6. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 14 minutes, turning over half way through.

7. Whilst the chicken strips are in the oven, make the BBQ sauce.

8. Make the BBQ sauce: add the coconut oil to a frying pan with the shallot and sauté over a medium/high heat until soft and translucent.

9. Add the crushed garlic cloves to the shallot, with sea salt, black pepper and tomato puree and mix it in together.

10. Add the vinegar, Dijon mustard and water and continue stirring.

11. Add the agave nectar and tamari sauce and stir for a 2-3 minutes, then take off the heat and set aside to cool.

12. Take the chicken out of the oven and dip each piece into the cooled BBQ sauce. You can leave it to marinate until you need it, or put it on the BBQ straight away, cooking for 3 minutes on each side, to your liking.

13. Serve your chicken on a platter with a bowl of your avocado salsa on the side.

Chocolate coconut banana pancakes

(The Groovy Food Company)

Ingredients

For the pancakes:

3 tablespoons The Groovy Food Company Coconut Flour

1 large banana, mashed

4 large eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons raw cacao powder or cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla pod, deseeded

2 tablespoons The Groovy Food Company Coconut Oil, melted

Pinch of salt

For the garnish:

2 bananas, sliced

2 handfuls raw coconut chips, toasted

50g dark chocolate shavings

The Groovy Food Company Agave Nectar Light Amber and Mild

Method

1. Put all the ingredients except the coconut oil into a bowl and blend together with a hand stick blender.

2. Melt the coconut oil on a gentle heat and put into a separate bowl.

3. Heat your pancake or frying pan over a medium heat and take a square of kitchen roll, dab it into the oil and then wipe your pancake or frying pan with the oil.

4. Once the oil is hot, take ¾ ladle of the pancake mixture and pour into the pancake pan.

5. Cook until golden brown on the underside (approximately 1 minute), then flip over and cook until golden brown on the other side (about 30 seconds).

6. Once you’ve cooked all 6 pancakes, stack them back on top of each other in a set of 3 to warm through in the hot pan and flip over to warm the other side.

7. Serve warm with a drizzle of agave nectar, sliced bananas, toasted coconut chips and chocolate shavings on top.

Healthy coconut banana bread

(The Groovy Food Company)

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas

5 medium eggs

4 pitted dates, mashed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

60ml The Groovy Food Company Coconut Oil

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baked powder

70g The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Flour

2 tablespoons chia seeds

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C and line a loaf tin with baking paper.

2. Mix all ingredients in a food processor or mixer.

3. Insert mix into loaf tin.

4. Cook for approx. 50-55mins or until skewer comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

Grain-free plantain pizza

(The Groovy Food Company)

Ingredients

For the base:

1 large plantain, very ripe with black skin, peeled and mashed

1 large egg, beaten

30g The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Flour

½ teaspoon garlic granules

Sea salt

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons tomato puree

2 teaspoons sundried tomato paste

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoons The Groovy Food Company Light Amber and Mild Agave Nectar

Sea salt

Black pepper

For the topping:

50g shitake mushroom, take off stalks, slice thinly

75g mozzarella, ripped

Olive oil

Mixed herbs

Sea salt

To garnish:

2 basil sprigs

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

2. Put the plantain in a bowl and mash with the back of a fork until completely smooth.

3. Add the egg and beat in with the plantain, blend until mixed together and then season with sea salt and garlic granules.

4. Add the coconut flour and combine together until a thick paste and shape in to a ball.

5. On a baking tray pre-lined with baking parchment or silicone baking mat, pat your plantain mixture evenly onto the baking mat in a round shape (22cm), ½cm thickness and smooth it out so there are no bumps at the top.

6. Place it in the oven for 14-15 minutes. Depending on your oven, you may need to turn the tray round half way to make sure it’s evenly cooked.

7. Whilst the pizza base is in the oven, make the tomato sauce.

8. In a bowl mix together the tomato puree with water, until a smooth consistency, add the sundried tomato paste, agave nectar, sea salt and black pepper and mix together. Slice the mushrooms and set aside.

9. Once the base is cooked, take it out of the oven and carefully flip it over. Smooth the tomato sauce over the base and top with the mushrooms and ripped mozzarella strands.

Drizzle with a touch of olive oil and season lightly with sea salt and mixed herbs. Place back in the oven for a further 9-10 minutes. Once cooked take out, garnish with basil leaves.

Decadent coconut brownies

(The Groovy Food Company)

Ingredients

For the base:

500g pitted Medjool soft dates, pitted

50g The Groovy Food Company organic coconut flour

30g raw cacao powder or cocoa powder

½ teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste or ½ vanilla pod, deseeded

¼ teaspoon sea salt, crushed

For the filling:

200g desiccated coconut

120ml (8 tablespoons) The Groovy Food Company Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, melted

90ml (6 tablespoons) The Groovy Food Company Organic Agave Nectar Light Amber and Mild

For the topping:

160g The Groovy Food Company Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, melted

120g The Groovy Food Company Organic Agave Nectar Light Amber and Mild

80g raw cacao powder or cocoa powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste or vanilla pod whole, deseeded

Sea salt

Method

1. Line the base and the sides of a loose bottom 8inch/20cm square tin with parchment paper.

2. In a food processor, process the dates until soft (if the dates are too hard add 1 tbsp. of hot water to soften them), then add the coconut flour, cacao powder, vanilla bean paste or deseeded vanilla pod, sea salt and process until thoroughly combined, keep scraping down the sides and breaking up the mixture until a ball is formed.

3. When the mixture has formed into a log or ball shape remove from the food processor and place in your pre-lined tin. Evenly press down the mixture into the prepared square tin until smooth, or you can use the back of a large spoon to press down the mixture.

4. Place in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

5. Make the coconut filling: gently melt the coconut oil in a saucepan, remove from heat, add desiccated coconut and agave nectar and place on top of the base, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon.

6. Place in the freezer for about 10 minutes to allow it to harden.

7. Make the chocolate topping: melt the coconut oil over a gentle heat, then leave to cool.

8. Add the agave nectar. With a small hand whisk, slowly whisk in the cacao powder, sea salt and vanilla bean paste until you have a smooth glossy mixture.

9. Remove the tin from the freezer and pour the chocolate topping over the coconut filling, making sure you spread it evenly.

10. Leave it to set for approx. 10 minutes out of the freezer and then carefully transfer the tin to the freezer on a flat, even surface. Chill for 30 minutes or until the topping is firm enough to slice.

11. Before dividing the brownies, carefully square off the edges for a neater look, then divide by 4 slices down and 5 slices across to make 20 squares. Wipe off the knife after each time you slice into the brownies for a cleaner cut. Store leftovers in the fridge for a chocolate treat anytime! Invite friends round to share!