In a gluten free diet, couscous is not an option, but as tabbouleh is such a tasty salad, we don’t want it to disappear from our menu – quinoa to the rescue! Its nutty flavour really adds to this dish and its texture compliments the other ingredients nicely. The first radishes are up in the garden at the Steading so this is a little homage to the humble radish! Excellent as part of a spring or summer lunch or an interesting accompaniment to a main dish. Fresh, clean and healthy. …
Dinner
Garden Pesto
Everyone loves pesto made with basil and pine nuts in its traditional form, but as pesto literally means ‘pound’ or ‘ground’, you can just chuck the basil version out of the window – especially at this time of year when it is not in season – and blitz up something else that’s green. We make our pesto from just about anything at any time of the year – spinach, sorrel, rocket, coriander, parsley… whatever! You also don’t need pine nuts or parmesan – you can vary the nuts and leave out the cheese altogether. Serve with pasta, spread on toast, with new potatoes, or as a salad dressing… the options are really endless. Here’s what we did this week – a bunch is a small handful!
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Purple sprouting stuffed pancake
A light and easy meal that uses a beautiful spring veg. Purple sprouting is in season right now and we are loving having it in the garden. Steaming for just a minute keeps it super fresh and crunchy – Yum!…
Potato asparagus egg
With asparagus season in full swing we have really been enjoying roasting this veg for a simple but delicious meal. This serves 2 as a lunch so increase the quantities for more people or a more filling meal. It works well as an accompanying side dish, possibly without the egg. 
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Flageolet Bean Salad
Delicate pale green beans continue our green theme for Spring in a tangy simple bean salad. Lovely for lunch or dinner….
Gluten Free Squash Ravioli
Cuddly Carrot are excited about pasta! We have invested in a pasta machine and decided it’s great fun – if a bit of effort! The results are definitely tastier than shop bought gluten free pasta and it’s pretty quick to make once you get the hang of it – but don’t attempt this recipe if you don’t have a pasta machine! Our dairy free recipe is super simple and packs a punch with strong flavours of squash, onion, chilli and a pomegranate balsamic dressing and pesto!…
Spinach Roulade
We’ve been making this recipe for years – it’s perfect for a party or a fancy meal with friends along with lots of tasty salads. This is a dairy free version with toasty almonds and pine nuts on the top which we love! We have lots of fresh spinach in the garden at this time of year so we’re making the most of it. If you don’t quite have 900g of spinach it doesn’t matter as the recipe will work with less of the good green stuff….
Chickpea & Herb Salad
A wholesome, fresh and tasty salad that makes a lovely lunch or accompaniment to a main meal. The herbs, leaves and broccoli bring it to life, and you can use any mixture of greens that you like – it’s fun to mix it up. 
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Quinoa, avocado & mango salad
A colourful salad recipe that compliments main dishes very well or is equally great on its own as a sustaining lunch. Quinoa (which means mother grain) contains protein and is an excellent source fibre, iron, copper, thiamin and vitamin B6. It does unfortunately only grow in Peru, Bolivia and Chile… roll on Quinoa cultivation in Scotland we say!! …
Farinata
Vegan recipe of the year!! Farinata is like a vegan omelette or frittata. Originally from Genoa in Northern Italy, it’s another strand of the French socca, but is a lot thicker, cooked in the oven and benefits from having extra ingredients added to vary the flavour and texture – add in or take out whatever you fancy. It makes an excellent main dish along with salad or you could serve it as an appetiser in smaller slices at room temperature. Remember to prepare the batter in advance as it sits for at least 2 hours before you can start cooking….