Apricot and mango oat bars

This recipe is:

• Gluten free
• Dairy free
• Egg free

Now we don't usually feature oats in our gluten free recipes, mainly because most oats aren't gluten free! But since proper gluten free oats became available in the UK we have got some for our daughter and these bars looked tasty.

Gluten free oat bars

100g dried apricots, finely chopped
75g dried mango, finely chopped
100g creamed coconut
200g gluten free porridge oats
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Heat your oven to 180C / 350F / Gas 4. Grease a shallow baking tray with gluten free margarine and line with baking paper.

Put the apricots, mango and coconut into a small pan with 500ml water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes until the fruit is soft and the water has absorbed.

Mix the oil into the gluten free oats with your fingertips then mix in the fruit mixture.

Pour into your lined baking tray and press down firmly with the back of a wooden spoon to compact your tasty gluten free oat bars. Leave to cool then cut into bars.

Quick cashew truffles

This recipe is:

• Gluten free
• Dairy free
• Egg free
• Yeast free

Around Christmas time, parties and other excuses, it's always handy to have some gluten free sweeties handy, and these are quick and easy to make. And with the cashew content, they're not little balls of sugar like they might otherwise be.

Oh, and did I mention how quick they are? :)

Gluten free cashew truffles


100g unsalted cashews
8 pitted dates
Desiccated coconut
Water

Put the cashews and dates into a chopper/blender with 25ml of water and blend. Add water if the mix gets too thick. Once smooth(ish), roll into balls in your hands (or the kids) and toss in the coconut. Cool in the fridge.

If the mixture is too sticky to work you can cool it a bit first.

There, gluten free cashew truffles. Told you it was quick.

Breakfast pancake recipe

This recipe is:

• Gluten free
• Egg free
• Yeast free

I don't know about you, but I need a big gluten free breakfast in the morning. And that means something substantial with lots of protein to keep me going until, ooh 10am at least :)

These gluten free breakfast pancakes evolved from a recipe I found on the internet, which involved using blended chickpeas instead of chickpea (gram) flour. They were a bit wet so I switched to using flour and a banana instead of sugar to keep the old GI down a bit.

Gluten free breakfast pancake recipe

(Serves 2)

100g gluten free gram (chickpea) flour
1 ripe banana (smallish)
2 tablespoons peanut butter / almond butter / other nut butter
Handful nuts (optional)
50ml water
Half teaspoon gluten free baking powder
2 small handfuls dried fruit (my faves are blueberries and cranberries)

Put everything except the dried fruit into a blender. I use one of those chopping pots that go onto the handheld blenders. Blitz until smooth (ish) - if you have a few crunchy nuts left no worries. Adjust thickness by adding water until you have a thick pouring consistency.

Stir in the dried fruit.

Pour small pancakes onto a hot dry non-stick pan on a fairly low heat (no need for oil). Your gluten free breakfast pancakes will take about 2 minutes per side depending on thickness.

Now if you have a better gluten free sweet pancake recipe, you'd better let me know, because I reckon this is a winner ;)