Low FODMAP Country Style Chicken Casserole

I had bought some free range chicken lovely legs (skinless) on the weekend because I was in the mood for a casserole of sorts. The challenge I set for myself was to use ingredients that was already in the pantry, fridge or freezer. My taste buds didn't want a tomato based sauce but rather something a little bit lighter. I pondered all day about how I was going to cook this casserole when my mind reverted back to the days I shared an apartment with a very lovely French woman.
I noticed that the style and flavours of her meals were very much influenced by her native home land and this fascinated me. Lots of clear broths with delicate flavours and the use of herbs in almost all of her dishes. So I took some inspiration from her style of cooking and started using my basic cooking knowledge to prepare my dish.
In the pantry, fridge or freezer I had the staples and later on wished I had some speck, celery and peas to add to my casserole for an extra dimension. However the result was exactly what I wanted - light, aromatic and amazingly tasty. I hope enjoy this casserole as much as me.



Low FODMAP Country Style Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

Makes 3

6 free range chicken lovely legs, skinless

1/2 cup gluten free flour

Olive oil

1 carrot, diced

1 garlic, crushed

1 potato, sliced thinly

6 whole mushrooms

1/2 capsicum, sliced

2 cups salt reduced chicken stock

1 cup of white wine (remove if intolerant)

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp seed mustard

6 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp dried oregano

1 Tbsp rosemary

2 good handful of parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

Method


1. Coat the chicken lovely legs in gluten free flour. Heat a heavy base saucepan and add olive oil, When hot add the chicken lovely legs to the saucepan to seal and cook to a golden brown. This should roughly take about 5 minute on each side. Once completed, remove the chicken lovely legs from the saucepan and place in a bowl.
2. Add a little bit more olive oil into the saucepan then add the carrots and capsicum. Reduce the heat and cook until soften. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer until the wine reduces wine.
3. Add poatoes, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, mustard,  thyme, oregano, bay leaf and rosemary to the saucepan ensuring that the chicken is submerged in the stock. Turn the heat up and bring to boil before reducing it again to low to simmer. Place the lid on and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
4. After 20 minutes, give it a good stir and add the mushrooms. Cook for a further 20 munites with the lid off.
5. Add parsley just before serving, and salt and pepper to your taste. I served my casserole with quinoa.

NOTE: If I had celery and speck I would add it at the same time as the carrots. I would also add the peas around 10 minutes before the complete cooking time.

 



reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Mini Nutella Cookie Cups

I first spotted these little bad boys on Pinterest and ever since I’ve been waiting patiently for a special event so I could make them. My dear friend and work colleague is going onto maternity leave and I jumped at the chance to bake them for her farewell.

The concept is simple; basic cookie (biscuit in Australia) recipe for the case and Nutella for the filling. Heaven! I must admit that I cheated with this recipe because I didn’t have time to make the cookie dough after work so I bought pre-made Aunty Kath’s Choc Chip cookie dough from the supermarket. It worked a treat! TIP: Do not use the M&M’s cookie dough because you will not be able to crush the M&M’s with the shot glass to make a neat little indent for the Nutella. All I did was scoop out the cookie dough mixture and placed them in the mini muffin tins. Bake for 10 minutes on 180C and then followed the rest of the directions to complete these Mini Nutella Cookie Cups.

Be sure to read the TIPS on the linked recipe page because I found them super helpful. I discovered that the original recipe is actually Peanut Butter Nutella Cookie Cups but I didn’t have any peanut butter in the house. I image a small amount of peanut butter at the bottom of the cookie cup then covered with Nutella would be rich but nicely balanced with the savouriness of the peanuts. Otherwise roast some hazel nuts and place a single nut in each cookie cup before spooning in the Nutella.

For Low FODMAP diet, replace cookie recipe with a suitable Low FODMAP version because Nutella is one food we are actually allowed to eat!

Give them a go! They are so easy to make and my friends were very impressed with the presentation – and taste.

Also try the Nutella & Almond Two Bite Brownies (Chocolate Cookie Cups).

Mini Mutella Cookie Cups

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Low FODMAP Chicken Wonton Noodle Soup

I  suffer from the symptoms of irritable bowels syndrome (IBS) which I ignored for most of my adult life.

It was around 18 months ago that I noticed my symptoms escalating to a point where I had to excuse myself from social occasions and head home so I could curl up into a ball due to my extreme nausea, stomach pains and light headiness that had overcome me. Sometimes I would fall asleep because I felt very weak.

I couldn't go on constantly feeling like I was going to be sick nor miss out on social events so I did a bit of research and made an appointment with a dietician.

She was great! She immediately put me on a Low FODMAP diet, which looked miserable for a Foodie like me, but I was determined to give it a good go!

I looked all over the internet and became inspired by Natalie Nott Low FODMAP 2 Minute Noodles recipe. Since I have been tested for Coeliac Disease and the results returned out to be negative, I was able to make chicken wontons to add to Natalie Nott's Low FODMAP 2 Minute Noodles.

   

Low FODMAP chicken wonton noodle soup.
Not suitable for coeliac disease.

 Chicken Wontons

Makes 30
Not suitable for people who have coeliac disease

250 grams chicken mince

1 packet of square wonton sheets (approx. 30)

1/4 cup coriander, chopped (also known as cilantro)

1 tbsp chives, chopped

Thumb size ginger, grated

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

Dash of pepper, fine

1 Tbsp water chestnut, finely chopped

Water to seal wontons wrappers

Method

1. In a bowl mix chicken mince, coriander, chives, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce and pepper until well combined.
2. Place one wonton wrapper (floured side down) on a clean surface. Scoop a teaspoon of chicken mixture and put it in the middle of the wonton wrapper. Warning make sure you don't put too much chicken mixture on the wrapper otherwise it will not close. 
3. Brush all sides of the wonton wrapper with water. Pick up one corner and pull the wrapper over so it meets the opposite corner to form a triangle. Press down on the sides to ensure wonton wrapper is sealed.
4. Wet the two side corners of the triangle, gently pull them together and press firmly.
5. Place them in a bamboo steamer with either an oiled bottom or grease proof paper cut out. Steam for 10 minutes. Freeze the remaining wontons in press seal bags in single layers otherwise they will stick together in a clump.
6. Proceed with Natalie Nott Low FODMAP 2 Minute Noodle Soup and add steamed wontons or have them on their own.

Chicken wontons

TIPS:
For more wonton folding techniques please visit Homemade Chinese Soups website

reade more... Résuméabuiyad