Raspberry Mallow Crispies (egg, dairy, gluten, soya and nut free)

These yummy Mallow Crispies make a great allergy friendly party food.

I love this recipe - it is the ultimate in children's party food for those with allergies as you can make it free of the big four and no-one is any the wiser.  I came across it as I was wading through many different recipe books at the beginning of my allergy mum journey, and I fixed on it as simple and easy and fitting our requirements of no egg, dairy or wheat at the time.  I had almost forgotten about it in the experimentation with cakes and biscuits, but I came across some marshmallows at the back of my cupboard yesterday and I suddenly remembered about it.

The recipe comes from Alice Sherwood's Allergy-Free Cookbook, which covers a multitude of allergies but always annoys me in the difficulty of having to swap in different things depending on the allergy, as I have to do at least two and it gets complicated!  However, don't let that put you off, as some of the recipes are great.

If you are making it gluten free, make sure your crispies are free from barley, as Kellogg's are not, and are therefore not gluten free.  Try something like these ones from Kallo.

The recipe is nearly identical to the original recipe you may remember from your childhood for rice krispies treats, but this has a wee added extra of some raspberry jam to pep it up!  If you don't fancy that then omit it and you'll have original flavour ones.

Check the marshmallows - some contain egg!  And if you want to make this vegan use veggy marshmallows, a near impossible feat in the UK without spending a fortune, but it can be done.

I like to decorate mine with a little dairy free chocolate and I love Moo Free, although its not guaranteed nut or soya free, so you may want to give it a pass.

Raspberry Mallow Crispies
Egg free, dairy free, gluten free and nut free

Ingredients

115g    marshmallows
55g      vegan margarine  I use Pure Spread Sunflower
4 tbsp   raspberry jam
140g    puffed rice cereal

Dairy free chocolate for drizzling if you fancy - watch out for nuts and soya in the chocolate though.

Method

Oil your Square Baker or Medium Bar Pan lightly to start with, with a nut free oil. (Or any baking tin about 23x23 cm)

1.  Put the marshmallows, vegan margarine and jam in a large saucepan and heat gently.  Stir constantly with a mix 'n scraper so it doesn't catch on the bottom and burn.

2.  Once everything has melted, bring to the boil for one minute, stirring all the time.

3.  Stir in the crispies and stir quickly until everything is well coated.

4.  Scrape the mix out of the pan and into the square baker, or medium bar pan for a shallower crispie.  Press down firmly with the back of the mix 'n scraper, wetted slightly to stop it sticking if you need to.

5.  Mark out your squares (I get 16 from the square baker and 24 from the medium bar pan).

6.  Leave to cool and place in the fridge for two hours to set.  Drizzle with a little dairy free chocolate if you wish, and cut into the squares with a nice sharp knife such as our Santoku knife.

7.  This stores well for three days in an airtight container.  I'm not sure about any longer as its always all eaten by then!

Sticky Toffee Pudding (Vegan, Egg free and Dairy free)

I love a good sticky toffee pudding.  It is one of the staples of British menus and I quite often will choose it if it is on the menu in a restaurant.  I have had good and bad ones, and some truly awful ones!  For me it should not contain raisins, but should be heavy and toffee-like with the weight of the dates it contains. Although, it should also be light enough to make you want to eat more than two spoonfuls.

I found this recipe while searching for an egg and dairy free alternative for family Christmases, and then of course I had to tweak it! 

Ingredients

200g dates
250ml soya milk
100ml water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
115g vegan margarine (I use Pure Spread)
115g soft brown sugar
200g self raising flour
A few scrapings of fresh nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Toffee Sauce
100g golden syrup
200g soft brown sugar
150g vegan margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100ml soya cream

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C

2. Chop the dates using a santoku knife on a cutting board and put them in a small saucepan.  Cover with the soya milk and water and simmer until the dates are soft.

3. Take the dates off the heat and stir in the bicarbonate of soda, which will froth as you add it to the date mixture. Leave to cool.

4. Beat together the margarine and sugar in a Classic Batter Bowl with a mix n scraper until pale.  Add the date mixture & stir in.

5. Measure the spices using an adjustable measuring spoon, and mix the spices into the flour. Sieve the flour and fold into the wet mixture.

6. Spoon the sponge mixture into a square baker (or a lined 20cm square tin).

7. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.  I usually listen to mine - is its still making little crackling noises give it a few more minutes!

8. To make the sauce, melt the syrup, margarine, sugar and vanilla extract in a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes without stirring. Leave to cool slightly and then stir in the soya cream with a mix n scraper.

9. Pour half the toffee sauce over the pudding. Serve with the rest of the sauce in a jug and add some dairy free ice cream. Fruit ice creams and sorbets work well too.

Based on the recipe from the Vegetarian Cookery School

Chicken, Tomato and Basil Flatbread

Chicken, Tomato and Basil Flatbread in the Medium Bar Pan, direct from the Pampered Chef Test Kitchens!

A recipe straight from The Pampered Chef test kitchens!  This is a fabulous dinner or lunch recipe and is quick and easy.  It uses a ready prepared pizza base mix but if you want to make your own then have a look here.

The mix of the chicken with fresh tomato and basil is lovely and fragrant and very tasty!

Ingredients

2 small vine-ripened tomatoes (about 100 g total weight)
2 tablespoons plus 1⁄2 teaspoon olive oil, divided
1 packet (145 g) pizza base mix
100–125 ml warm (hand hot) water
20 g pecan halves
50 g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided
75 g Provolone Piccante cheese  (if you can't find this use cheddar!)
100 g skinless, boneless cooked chicken breast
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic, pressed
Preheat oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/Gas 7.

Method

1. Slice the tomatoes finely on a cutting board with the santoku knife. Line a plate with kitchen paper, place sliced tomatoes on lined plate and blot tops with kitchen paper; set aside.
2. Brush a Medium Bar Pan with 1⁄2 teaspoon olive oil using Chef’s Silicone Basting Brush and set aside.
3. Place pizza base mix in Stainless 4-Litre Mixing Bowl; add enough warm water to form a soft dough. Knead dough on lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes or until smooth.
4. Place pizza dough onto centre of prepared bar pan and roll the dough out to cover the base of the pan using a Baker’s Roller®. Set aside in warm place for 15 minutes.
5. Bake for 12–14 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Meanwhile, finely chop the pecans on a Cutting Board using the Food Chopper. 7. Grate Parmigiano Reggiano cheese using Microplane® Adjustable Fine Grater, and the Provolone or Cheddar with the Microplane® Adjustable Coarse Grater.
8. Dice the chicken using the santoku knife and chop the basil in the food chopper.
9. Combine pecans, half of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, 50 g of the Provolone cheese, the diced chicken, basil, garlic pressed with Garlic Press and remaining oil in Classic Batter Bowl; mix well using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®.
10. Remove the bar pan from the oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Sprinkle baked base with remaining Parmigiano Reggiano cheese; top evenly with sliced tomatoes, chicken mixture and remaining Provolone cheese to within 5 mm of edge of base.
11. Bake for 6–8 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven. Cut flatbread into portions using Pizza Cutter; let it stand 2 minutes. Transfer to serving plates or napkins using Mini-Serving Spatula; serve warm.

Serves 12 as an appetizer

Nutrients per serving: Energy 769kJ/183kcal; Protein 8.7g; Carbohydrate 19.7g; Sugars 1.5g; Fat 8.3g; Saturated Fat 2.5g; Fibre 0.9g; Salt 0.5g