My Pizza dinner

 

News update: Basilico no longer offer the lactofree cheese as an option, unfortunately.

This was my dinner last night, I tried out one of the new pizzas from www.basilico.co.uk , that has put 2 of their pizzas on the menu with the option of ordering it with Lactofree chese.

I decided to try out the Margherita, because I am of the opinion, that if a restaurant can get the simple dishes right, they are an excellent restaurant, and I was defiantly not disappointed. This pizza literally took me back to my childhood, where we had an Italian pizza place nearby, and on special occasions we would get a pizza from there. I would always order the Margherita and the pizza I got from Basilico tasted just like the one I got when I was a young.

Hot Chocolate for autumn weather

So haven’t been blogging for a long time, and the reason is I have been moving. We have moved in to an old house that needs a lot of updating, especially the kitchen needs to be replaced, so there might not be a lot of post in the near future as well.

At the moment we are so busy fixing up the house, that there isn’t a lot of time for us to cook anyway even if we had a new kitchen. So at the moment most of our meals are whatever is easy and quick, but I still try and eat healthy. So if you would like for me to share easy but healthy meals with you let me know in a comment below.

A better for you chocolate chip cookie

I have found that snacks are a necessity to help you though an Olympic fever :-) And in the Olympic spirit of sports and eating healthy, these cookies are just the right snack for any event.
These lovely cookies taste just as good as any cookie, but with no egg, butter or white sugar, but packed with vitamins from the nuts and with slow release of energy, so a great snack after doing sports.....or watching some ;-)

I know I say “they are so easy to make” a lot, but these really are super easy to make, and great to make with kids, as they can help with almost the whole process, from measuring, stirring and shaping.

Small chocolate cake-brownies. Gluten, Dairy, Egg and White Sugar free.

You would never believe that these little cake like brownie are Egg, Gluten, Dairy and white sugar free if you didn’t know it, and none of your guest would know it either, they would simply think that they had just tasted one of the best chocolate cakes ever.
Even good for people who are keeping an eye on their cholesterol.

Naturally sweetened apple sauce

The main reason for me putting this recipe on the blog is because it is good to use in Gluten free, Egg free, White sugar free and Dairy free baking, but this recipe is also delicious to use on you breakfast porridge or as a healthy desert with some roasted nut and maybe a bit of lactofree whip cream.

You can make this on the amount of apples you have, simply just ad up with how many grams of apples you have. 400g apples makes about 300g apple sauce.

Per 100g of peeled and cored apples use:
½ tablespoon agave syrup or sweet freedom (available in most supermarkets)
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Eggs Benedict

With Bacon

A long weekend is just not right without a bit of brunch for you to have enjoyed it to the fullest.

One of mine favourite dishes for brunch is defiantly eggs Benedict. Now it isn’t the easiest or healthiest of dishes, but if any weekend would be perfect for this dish, it would defiantly be the jubilee weekend.

Raspberry cream layered cake



Only made half the recipe, as I was doing a small cake

This cake is made up of only 8 ingredients, and very easy to make.
It is made up of thin cake layers, layered together with a raspberry cream.
And is good to make for special occasions, as the layers are best baked a day or 2 before, and should be put together at least a few hours before served, so that only leaves decorating just before serving and makes it a lot less stressful.

Last minute Easter menu inspiration

Happy Easter everyone.

If you are still in need of some inspiration for some Easter treats for tomorrow? This Easter this is some of my favourites from my blog that I will be doing and might inspire you.

Hot Cross buns

Oat pancakes with fruit syrup for a lovely breakfast

Heart of palm on bread for a starter or canapés.

Shooting Star which is a danish open sandwich and a whole meal in one.

Lemon Mousse for desert

And Chocolate peanut crunch squares for tea and coffee

Lemon and Almond drizzle cake

I have made so many lemon drizzle cakes in the last few years, as it is my boyfriend’s workplaces favourite and they are always asking for it.

Lemon cake aren’t the prettiest of cakes for holidays, but what this lack in looks it certainly makes up for in taste and would be a perfect end to an Easter dinner.

Dairy free chocolate Easter eggs

Still unsure where to get your chocolate Easter egg for Easter, then here are some links for the chocolate eggs I would recommend.

If you are looking for an Easter egg for a kid or someone who is not keen on dark chocolate, for me it has to be the Moofree Easter egg. It doesn’t have a funny aftertaste like some dairy free “dairy” chocolates can have, it is a bit on the sweet site, but beside that is a really really good dairy free chocolate. see an earlier post on Moofree here.
www.moofreechocolates.com

My go to chocolate chip cookies recipe

This recipe has followed me since I was a child and I must have made them hundreds of times.
They are great for any occasion or for a weekend snack.

Facebook

Mia’s lactose free kitchen now has its own facebook page.

I am so excited about this and really feel like I am making my little idea and passion grow.

So if you are on facebook please Like the Page and share it with people you know.

https://www.facebook.com/MiasLactoseFreeKitchen

Thank You
Mia
Xx

Ultimate Brownies

These are great for any occasion and they are my ultimate brownie recipe that never fails to be a hit.

Makes 25

250g dark dairy free chocolate
150g Lactofree butter
3 large eggs
250g sugar
125g flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100g chopped hazelnuts
100g dark chocolate buttons

Preheat oven to 175 degrees

Melt chocolate, butter and ¼ teaspoon salt in a small pan over low heat, once melted set aside to cool a bit.
Whisk together eggs and sugar until thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Once chocolate has cooled, using a spatula turn that and vanilla into the egg/sugar mixture (doesn’t need to be completely incorporated, it will be once flour gets in).
Mix flour and the rest of the salt together, sift it and turn it into the wet ingredients, being careful not to take too much air out of the batter.
Stir in the hazelnuts and chocolate buttons.
Poor into a deep baking pan about 20 x 20cm.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes (but it depends on how bit the pan is), you just want it have risen evenly all over the cake.

If using for desert, try serving while still a bit warm with lactofree ice cream or whip cream.

Banana split with a twist

I just didn’t feel like a normal banana split, so I made this up the other day, inspired from when I sometimes make fried banana with maple syrup for pancakes.

Makes 4

For the flambéed bananas:
2-3 bananas
Lactofree butter or dairy free margarine
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
50ml rum

For assembly:
Lactofree ice cream
Dulce de leche or caramel sauce
Chocolate syrup
Chopped roasted nuts after choice like hazelnuts, walnuts or pecans
Lactofree whipped cream
Cocktail cherries

(click on the names that are grey to get the recipe for it).

Cut the bananas in 4, length wise and in half.
On a hot pan, fry in some butter/margarine until they start to brown a bit.
poor the maple syrup over the bananas, and let them caramelise a bit.
Take the pan off the heat. Heat up the rum (I use a metal ladle over a gas flame), then set fire to it using a match and poor over the bananas, (but PLEASE PLEASE be careful if you have not tried this before, flambéing something can make really big flames, so don’t get hurt and always have cold running while doing this).

Ones flames have died and the bananas has cooled for just a few minutes, arrange them on the plates.
Place 2 scoops of ice cream on top, followed by dulce de leche and chocolate syrup.
Finish off with a big spoon of whipped cream, nuts and a cherry on top.

Enjoy.

Root Beer Float

First time I had a root beer float was in Las Vegas, when an American friend of ours introduced it too us, way before I knew I was lactose intolerant.
I just remember the amazing and fresh and creamy taste, so amazing on a really really hot day.

We buy root beer from time to time here in the uk, and it immediately reminds us of our us trips and it so refreshing super cold on a warm day.

So when I got the Lactofree ice cream, I just had to make a root beer float for me and my boyfriend. It tasted heavenly even though the weather isn’t really for it yet, but I am sure this will be a regular treat during the summer.

It couldn't be easyer to make, just 2-3 scoops of vanilla ice cream, topped off with root beer.

Root beer is available from a lot of shops specialising in American sweets, or get it online at www.americansweets.co.uk or at www.americansoda.co.uk

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Makes 8 big sandwiches

175g plain white flour
½ teaspoon carbonate of soda
½ teaspoon salt
125g Lactofree butter
100g light brown sugar
50g sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 tablespoon lemon juice
200g dark chocolate chips (for more information see here) I only used 100g in the picture above, but could definatly have used more, but I only had 100g that day.

Lactofree vanilla ice cream for filling.

Whisk butter, brown sugar and sugar until smooth and fluffy.

Ad the egg and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined (don’t worry if it splits, they will still turn out good.

Mix together flour, soda and salt, then turn it into the butter mixture and combine.

Ad the lemon juice, and whisk quickly to combine.

Last but not least, turn in the chocolate chips using a spoon.

Using a table spoon, turn out walnut size blobs of cookie dough on a cooking sheet, making sure the leave plenty of space between them.

Cook for 10-12 minutes or until they get a lovely golden colour.

Transferee to a wire rack and let cool.

When completely cooled, ad a big spoon of lactofree ice cream on the back of a cookie and sandwich together with a second cookie.

Rum-Raisin

One of my favourite ice cream flavours has always been rum raisin, so quite obvious one of the first toppings for the new lactofree icecream I thought off was rum raisin.

It is quite easy to make and actually taste better if you make it the day before.

25g dark brown sugar
25g golden syrup
100ml rum
100g raisins

In a small pan, stir together brown sugar and syrup over medium heat, until melted. Bring to a boil and let it bubble for 1-2 minutes.
Take the pan off the heat and add 50ml of the rum (be careful doing this, the alcohol hitting the sugar will make it bubble up). Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Ad the raisins and set it aside to cool.
Once cooled to room temperature, ad the last 50ml of rum and stir well to incorporate.
Transferee to a container and store in the fridge for minimum 1 hour, but preferably around 24 hours.

Chocolate syrup

Chocolate syrup isn’t as well known in Europe, it is more an American thing and is used in milk for chocolate milk or drizzled on ice creams and deserts.

It is super easy to make, and will keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

½ cup pure cocoa powder
½ cup water
½ cup sugar, agave or sweet freedom (agave and sweet freedom is good to use if you don’t want to much refined sugar)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small pot mix the coco powder, water and salt together and bring to a boil. Whisk until there are no lumps.
Ad the sugar or agave, and boil until it stars to thicken a bit (like syrup).
Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Let it cool for a bit, then transferee to container of choice (I used an empty agave bottle).
Store in the fridge and give it a shake before use.

Lactose free ice cream and toppings

Yeah! Lactofree has come out with a vanilla ice cream, and it is delicious. It has an amazing creamy and fluffy texture, and even contains real vanilla seeds like real vanilla ice cream should have I think.

I am actually really happy that they brought out vanilla ice cream compared to let say chocolate or something else, and not because vanilla actually is my favourite, but because it means you can transform it into any flavour you desire.

I got my hands on a tub for the weekend and invited some friends round for an afternoon ice cream party (could have used some sun and not rain for this, but what can you do).

I had made:
-Dulce de leche see here for recipe
-Honey Comb see here for recipe
-Chocolate syrup see here for recipe
-Rum-Raisin see here for recipe
-Chocolate chip cookies see here for recipe

I served with:
-Lactofree whip cream for more info see here
-Chocolate chips for more info see here
-Mint Thins (I am sure after eight use to be dairy free, but they are not anymore, but luckly Sainsbury’s own are dairy free.) for more info see here
-Oreo’s (I used Americans which are dairy free) see the blog post about the difference between American and European Oreo’s.
-Roasted and chopped nuts (I used hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts).
-Bananas and glazed cherries.

I will be posting some more ice cream recipes during the next few weeks, but please leave a comment on what flavour you have been missing.

BeyondDark healthy chocolate

I accidently saw this sweet little pack of chocolate buttons in Sainsbury’s, on the top shelf and a bit hidden between the other chocolates in the chocolate section. I just loved the packaging, and turning it around, it only had the warning ”may contain traces of milk products”, which means it is normally okay for us lactose intolerant people.

Reading the front it says “rich in natural antioxidants” and on the back it says “up to three times more antioxidants than standard chocolate”, this obviously made me very curious and I went straight home to look at their website.

According to the website, this little pack has the equivalent of 25 oranges, 8 bananas or 5 apples in antioxidants. It is stirred for 72 hours, where most chocolates are stirred for 6 hours, to give it a smooth texture. And it has a long list of health benefits from the flavinol antioxidants found in the chocolate.

Tasting the little chocolate buttons really made me hooked on the product, they melt in your mouth and have a really round taste, and not bitter like some 70% chocolates can be.

I went back the next day and bought 10 more packages, and now carry one in my bag at all time for when I have a chocolate craving.

For more information visit the BeyondDark website.