Gluten Free Vegetarian Pasta Bake

There is just something about the old classic, the pasta bake...
It instantly reminds me of my mother and dark, rainy nights snuggled in front of a cosy fire when we lived in the country. Happily eating her pasta bakes covered in crochet blankets!
Warm memories.
I love the way food is such an experience that certain foods are linked for us with events and times of our lives. Food really does tell a story and for me the pasta bake was one of my first comfort foods.

Now I make it for my kids too, but with a healthy twist, now we are also not gluten intolerant but I like to do a large amount of our meals and snacks gluten free as I believe it is more kinder on the bowels!!

This dish can be whipped up in not very long at all, it freezes really well and makes fantastic leftovers and school lunches too or a bring a plate dish for the next BBQ!

If you like pasta bake or macaroni cheese you will love this healthy version.

Gluten Free Vegetarian Pasta Bake

Ingredients

• 1 box of gluten free pasta, cooked according to packet directions.
  (I also find it helps to add a little dash of oil in the boiling water with gluten free pasta to stop it all sticking together.
• 2 tablespoons gluten free flour
• 500ml almond, soy or dairy milk ( I used almond.)
• half a teaspoon nutmeg ground
• 2 teaspoons paprika (look for a really good quality one - it makes a lot of difference!)
• !/2 cup broccoli, very finely chopped.
• 2 carrots peeled and finely grated.
• 4 stalks celery, finely chopped.
• 3 large tomatoes. 2 chopped one sliced.
• 1 zucchini, peeled and grated.
• 1 cup grated cheese.
• Freshly chopped parsley to taste ( I used about a good handful ).
• Fresh and thinly chopped chives to taste. (I used about 9 stalks).
• 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard (or to taste)
• 1 free range egg.
• 1/4 cup of sundried tomatoes (optional)
• pepper
• himalayan salt - to taste
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped.

• Cook gluten free pasta according to directions, rinse very lightly and then drained and set aside.
• Very, (extra very for fussy eating kids) chop the broccoli
• Grate the carrot and zucchini.
• Place the vegetables into a mixing bowl or even straight into the baking dish.

• Place the butter into a saucepan and melt slowly over a low heat.
• Once melted add in the flour, stir constantly for 1 minute.
• Add small amounts of the milk stirring the whole time until they are combined with the flour mix, keep doing this until all the milk has been used and it is a nice consistency. Use a whisk of needed to make sure it is nice and smooth.

• Season with the nutmeg, paprika and a pinch of himalayan salt and add in the mustard. Taste. 
• Add in the cheese and stir through until melted in. Taste again add more mustard or salt and pepper if needed.
• Let the sauce cool a bit and then whisk in the egg.
• Mix everything together except the sliced tomatoes and a small amount of the chopped mixed herbs.
• Pour into a deep baking dish top with the sliced tomato and some of the fresh herbs.

• Bake at 180' fan forced for 20 minutes or until nice and golden on top.
• Serve on its own as a simple dinner or with a nice fresh salad with a zesty dressing and optional garlic bread for a great tasty meal.

Notes

• This dish is great for leftovers and school lunchboxes.
• Make and freeze ahead for those tired nights.
• Add some chili for more punch.
• Add mushrooms at the last step before cooking.
• For VEGANS, leave out the egg, make the white sauce with olive oil in place of butter and leave out the cheese, add another half cup of milk when making the sauce and instead add savoury yeast flakes for a lovely cheesey flavour.

Toddler/Kids Tips

• Kids love the cheesey flavour. You can make it even stronger my adding a strong flavoured cheese that is suitable or more grated cheese.
• Freeze lunch sized amounts in container for easy lunchboxes and pack on the day with a fresh salad or chopped raw crunchy vegetables.

Live Well. Eat Beautiful. Stay Calm. Be Active.

Bek xx

Bek's Beautiful Blueberry, Yoghurt Spelt Muffins with a hint of Coconut!

I love blueberries but I don't even come close to loving them as much as my youngest does. From the moment she took that very first solids mouthful she has been a total foodie and never looked back!
She especially loves raw vegetables and fruit and she just loves blueberries so she is very excited when they are in season and sqqeals when she spots them in the shops in a big display, forget freedo frogs its a punnet of blueberries hands down!
Along with eating them fresh she loves them in salads, in fruit salads, in smoothies and in muffins!

I have always made blueberry muffins and now we make these really tasty spelt flour ones, our favourite flour to use now, balanced with the cream, thick natural yoghurt they have a great texture.

Ingredients

• 1 punnet blueberries
• 100g butter, softened
• 1/2 cup dark coconut sugar (not the refined white one)
• 1 free range egg
• 1 teaspoon organic vanilla paste
• 1 cup natural yoghurt ( I use beautiful Maleny Dairies)
• 1/2 cup milk of choice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 & 1/2 cup organic wholemeal spelt flour
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• extra desiccated coconut and coconut sugar

Method

• Preheat oven to 180ç
• Grease or line with cases muffin tray
• Beat butter and coconut sugar together briefly, add vanilla essence
• Add in the yoghurt, mix well.
• Add in the egg and mix through well.
• Stir in the milk.
• Throw in around 3/4 of the blueberries and then very carefully fold through the flour and baking powder. Be very careful  not to over-mix at this stage or you will get tough muffins.
• Pour into prepared tray.
• In a small bowl mix a little coconut sugar with desiccated coconut.
• Top each muffin with the left over blueberries and a sprinkling of the coconut mixture.
• Bake until lightly golden on top and bounces back when touched approx 10-20 minutes depending on oven and size of muffins.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• Try the same recipe with blackberries, mulberries, raspberries!
• You can use coconut yoghurt and coconut oil or olive oil for a vegan allergy friendly version if required.
• Use stevia in place of coconut sugar if desired and leave the mixture off the top.

Toddler Tips

• Make them toddler hand sized friendly by using a miniature muffin tray
• These freeze well so are great for school lunches!

(c)rebeccamugridge2014

RECIPE - Lentil Tomato Pasta Sauce

You are going to love this one!

Lentil Tomato Pasta Sauce

A nutritious homemade pasta sauce, beautifully served here with gluten free locally made CT Fine Foods Carrot Fettuccine Pasta, and enhanced with the local gorgeous Noosa Chili Jam! I know the Sunshine Coast is awesome!.  

Ingredients

·         1 kilo tomatoes

·         1 cup brown lentils

·         1 litre vegetable stock

·         1 onion, chopped

·         3 cloves Australian garlic, finely chopped

·         ½ cup tomato paste

·         ¼ cup Chili Jam (optional) I used local Noosa Chili Jam

·         1 tsp dried marjoram

·         1 tsp dried thyme

·         Karom Pink Himalyan salt, to taste

·         Cracked black pepper, to taste

·         1 packet pasta, I used here CT Fine Foods, Gluten Free Carrot Fettuccine Pasta

·         1 cup water, if required

Method

·         Cut tomatoes with an x on the bottom.

·         Place tomatoes in a bowl and cover with boiling water for 3 minutes.

·         Drain and allow to cool, skin should remove easily, discard skin.

·         Bring vegetable stock to the boil in a saucepan.

·         Add in lentils and reduce to a simmer.

·         In a frying pan fry onion until lightly translucent add in garlic, thyme and marjoram, stir together over a medium low heat for 2 minutes.

·         Chop up the tomatoes or put through a food processor.

·         Add tomatoes to onion mixture.

·         Stir through tomato paste, and Chilli Jam, season to taste with salt and pepper.

·         Simmer on a low heat for 45 minutes, stirring.

·        When lentils are cooked add them into the tomato mixture, add a little extra water if needed.

·         Simmer all together for 2- 3 minutes on a low heat to allow all flavours to combine.

·         Serve.

Notes

·         This is a fantastic recipe when you have plenty of tomatoes growing in the garden.

·         Tomatoes can also be de-seeded prior to chopping.

·         Make a big batch and freeze it! Great also to use in a lasagne, home-made pies and more.

·         High in protein.

Toddler Tips

·         Break fettuccini into smaller toddler friendly pieces before cooking.

·         Top with a little grated cheese and serve with crusty whole meal bread.

·         Kids love this dish but be prepared for them to get a little messy!

This recipe was a twist on an old family favourite in a recipe creation commercial project for supermarket Maleny Supa IGA and a 52 recipe card series I did.
I am available for commercial, print ready recipe creation work, with or without taste testing events, cooking demonstrations - contact me to find out more.