Gluten-free recipes from seasoned writer and ambassador for Coeliac UK, Becky Excell

Feel Good Gluten Free, by Becky Excell (Quadrille, RRP $70), is out now. Photos / Supplied

Sizzlin’ Sesame Beef

Tender, seared ribbons of beef with sweet, crunchy red pepper and a sticky soy-sesame sauce never fails to nail proper takeaway vibes in 20 minutes or less. This would have certainly been a star in the fakeaways chapter of this book if it wasn’t for its modest
amount of ingredients. It’s the fast, oil-lean stir-fry you didn’t know you needed and easily answers the difficult question, “what’s for dinner?” when you didn’t have anything planned.

Serves: 2-3 / Takes 15-20 mins

Sizzlin’ Sesame Beef. Photo / Supplied

Ingredients

• 1½ tbsp gluten-free soy sauce

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 tbsp black treacle (molasses)

• 1 tsp peeled and finely grated fresh ginger

• Garlic-infused olive oil in a spray bottle, for greasing

• 400g thin-cut sirloin steaks, any fat removed and sliced into ribbons

• 2 red capsicums, cut into thin strips

• Large handful of spring onion (scallion) greens, finely sliced

Method

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, black treacle and ginger. Set aside.

Lightly spray a large non-stick wok with garlic oil and place over a high heat. Add the beef and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until browned – don’t aim for too much golden brown or it’ll end up overcooked and tough. Remove to a plate.

Dry-fry the capsicum strips for 2 minutes until bright and just tender.

Return the beef (with resting juices) to the pan, add the sauce, and bubble for 30-45 seconds until lightly glazed.

Sprinkle over the spring onion greens and serve immediately, over my egg-fried vegetable brown rice (below) or gluten-free brown rice ramen noodles.

This can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat in a wok until piping hot.

Egg-Fried Vegetable Rice

Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt

• 150g mixed frozen veges (peas, sweetcorn, cubed carrot, finely chopped broccoli, etc.)

• 450g cold cooked brown rice

• 2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce

• 1 tsp rice vinegar

• ¼ tsp white or black pepper

Method

Place a large non-stick wok over a medium-high heat and spray well with oil. Add the eggs and scramble them softly, then slide onto a plate. Respray the pan, stir-fry the frozen mixed veges for 4-5 minutes, add the cold rice and spray the rice generously with oil. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until hot and a little toasty. Splash in the soy sauce and rice vinegar, season with the pepper, then fold the eggs back in, break it up and keep warm over a low heat.

Tip

• To cook the rice for this recipe on the stovetop, add to a saucepan 150g brown rice and 375ml (1½ cups) cold water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes, then rest for 5 minutes, before fluffing up with a fork.

• To cook the rice in a microwave, add the rice and 375ml of boiling water to a lidded, microwave-safe casserole dish. Microwave for 35 minutes at 360W, rest for 5 minutes then fluff up.

Maple Sumac Chicken Fajita Filling

Whenever it’s wrap night in our house, this is my go-to recipe that never seems to miss, no matter how many times we enjoy it. Think tender chicken and caramelised Mediterranean-style veg in a smoky-sweet maple-sumac seasoning. Though there are only two of us at home, I always make this larger quantity and enjoy the leftovers in a salad (with dressing) or sandwich (with mayo) for a quick, flavourful lunch. Alternatively, I’d use the chicken whenever leftover chicken is called for in other recipes.

Maple Sumac Chicken Fajita Filling. Photo / Supplied

Serves: 4 / Takes: 1 hour, 15 mins

For the roasted veg

• 2 large red capsicums, cut into bite-sized chunks

• 2 medium courgettes (zucchini), sliced into 1cm rounds

• 2 medium aubergines (eggplants), sliced into 1.5cm rounds

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• ½ tsp fine salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

For the chicken

• 1kg skinless, boneless chicken thighs or butterflied breast

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 tsp dried mixed herbs

• 1 tbsp sumac

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp fine salt

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 150g leek, cut into 1cm slices

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C. Have ready 3 large baking trays.

In a large bowl, toss the capsicums, courgettes and aubergines with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread across 2 trays in a single layer and roast for 55 minutes, turning them halfway, or until tender and browned at the edges.

Meanwhile, in the now empty bowl, toss the chicken with the oil until well coated, then add the smoked paprika, mixed herbs, sumac, cayenne and salt. Add the maple syrup and toss again to coat evenly. Spread on the third baking tray in a single layer.

Roast for 45-50 minutes for thighs and 25-30 minutes for butterflied breast, until the chicken is cooked through (74°C on a cooking thermometer), turning them halfway and scattering over the leek as you do. Overdoing the thighs is advisable, until they’re crisp on the outside.

Remove from the oven and rest the chicken for 5 minutes, then slice into 1cm strips. Serve the chicken and veg with gluten-free wraps, avocado, shredded lettuce and chutney or incorporate into salad bowls, if you like.

This can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in airtight containers; reheat in the air fryer until piping hot.

Feta and Red Pepper Picnic Loaf

I’m a big fan of savoury muffins (there have been quite a few in my other books over the years) and one day I suddenly thought: I should see if I can make a savoury muffin loaf. And the fact that this recipe exists shows it clearly went well. It’s what I now call a picnic loaf, featuring one of my favourite flavour combos: bright red pepper and flavourful feta.

Makes: 10-12 slices / Takes: 65 mins

Feta and Red Pepper Picnic Loaf. Photo / Supplied

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil in a spray bottle, for greasing

• 180g (11⁄3 cups) gluten-free self-raising flour

• 2 tsp gluten-free baking powder

• 2 tsp dried mixed herbs or oregano

• Pinch each of fine salt and black pepper

• 2 medium eggs

• 180ml (¾ cup) milk

• 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil

• 1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)

• 50g jarred roasted red bell pepper (capsicum), very finely chopped

• 100g reduced-fat feta, crumbled

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C. Lightly grease a 900g loaf tin and line with non-stick baking parchment.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, dried herbs, salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil and tomato purée together.

Pop the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine until just mixed, then fold in the roasted pepper and most of the crumbled feta (save a little).

Spoon into the prepared loaf tin, level the top and sprinkle over the reserved feta.

Bake for 50 minutes until golden, risen and a skewer comes out clean. Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully (or eat warm).

This can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Best enjoyed at room temperature or lightly rewarmed.

Tip

• You can preheat the trays while you prep ‒ hot trays jump-start browning for both veges and chicken. Just bear in mind you might need to shave 5-10 minutes off the cooking time.

An edited extract from Feel Good Gluten Free, by Becky Excell (Quadrille, RRP $70).

SaveShare this article

Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Copy LinkEmailFacebookTwitter/XLinkedInReddit