Gluten-Free Coconut and Lemon Tea Cake ~ Recipe here

Gluten-Free, Kirsch Soaked Rhubarb and Blueberry Tart with crunchy Almond Pastry ~ Recipe here

Gluten-Free Mocha, Caramel and Hazelnut Double Tier Cake ~ Recipe here

All images © Katie Quinn Davies 2013

Further to my last post outlining these above gluten-free cakes/desserts, I’ve had a load of fun this week in the kitchen experimenting with all things gluten-free. I love a culinary challenge and this one was really interesting to me, expanding my knowledge on grains and flours I had never used before. It was a knock on from last week’s meat free challenge as a lot of people asked if I could do more GF recipes both recently and in the past. I’ve really enjoyed cooking with the likes of; Buckwheat Flour; Amaranth; Coconut Flour etc etc. and been pretty chuffed with the outcomes. I find GF flours tend to result in slightly drier/quite crumbly cakes and pastry but it’s all about practice makes perfect and I’ll be definitely trying out more GF baking and savoury ideas in the weeks to come.

I hope you can try out some of these dessert recipes over Easter and going forward.

Thanks & a very Happy Easter to everyone!

I’ll be uploading these recipes over the course of this evening and at the very latest tomorrow morning. Due to this I am supplying the ingredients/shopping requirements of all recipes first. 

Caramelised Onion and Goat’s Cheese Tartlets with Balsamic Syrup ~ Recipe here

Meat-Free Lasagne with Polenta, Chargrilled Veggies and Feta ~ (Recipe here).

All images © Katie Quinn Davies 2013

Ok, so meat free week is officially over and rather frustratingly I didn’t get these 3 recipes up when I would have liked to ~ aka over the weekend! Alas I was fully immersed in a full-on weekend of prepping and styling/shooting one of my Delicious Magazine features and that sadly put a halt to me being able to write up the recipes in time.

It’s a bit frustrating for me as so often when I really want to get a post up and I have such great intentions of doing so; test the recipes, make the food, shoot it and then faced with the fact that there are only a miserly 24 hours in each day, somedays I am stopped in my tracks from actually any free time to sit down and type up the recipes and post It’s a pain in the bum at times as I only have my weekends to update the blog. Anyway, as they say ‘better late than never’, here are some last few meat-free recipes (for the moment) for you to try out.

The buckwheat pancakes are fantastic! I’ve actually never cooked with buckwheat flour before, but I loved it. I bought it in my local organic supermarket and it sits in the aisle with all those other ‘boring, healthy flours’ as I have honestly thought in my head at times Gluten-free isn’t really an area of cooking I go into much as I have luckily have no need to eat gluten-free myself, nor does my husband Mike.

Years ago I thought I might have had an issue and I was tested for Coeliac Disease but thankfully I was given the all clear. I do agree with a lot of people who believe gluten is bad in general for most human beings, even if they are not coeliac, but I’ll I am a total bread and carb fan so I think I would have been utterly gutted (no pun intended) if I had been told I couldn’t eat gluten again. A lump of crumbly English cheddar cheese and a gutsy bottle of Italian Amarone wine just don’t pair quite as well without crusty bread or loads of fab crackers.. Mind you there are some incredible gluten-free pastas, breads, crackers etc on the market nowadays and I think, like with opting to eat a little less meat, going for gluten free for at least part of the week, is a good idea too, I think all our bellies and guts will thank us for it.

I know after trying the buckwheat pancakes and remarking how much lighter I felt after eating them, I will most definitely be dabbling a bit more in gluten-free recipes. I think a lot of readers of WKA will be happy to hear that too as I get asked a lot for more gluten-free ideas, so now those ‘weird flours bought only by super-healthy people who do bikram yoga all the time’ notions I had, are verging towards the backdoor and will be getting a decent testing out in the WKA kitchen. It’ll be interesting to see how my own body reacts to the difference.

My photo producer Sophie Penhallow at Network is one of those said incredibly healthy eaters (and does actually do yoga! LOL) and more importantly knows utterly everything about superfoods, grains, pulses, everything and anything healthy to eat, or more importantly, not to eat. Sophie is also a vegetarian so I thought there was no better a woman to ask if she had any ideas for veggie food I could try to muster up? We often get into conversations about foodie ideas on the phone whilst discussing jobs and this time Sophie offered me some gems, I have two here which she gave me the basic notions for so I got busy in the kitchen experimenting late last week. They are the; Buckwheat Pancakes with Spinach, Ricotta and Pine Nuts and the Meat-Free Lasagne with Polenta, Chargrilled Veggies and Feta. The former, the pancakes are really very good, my husband gobbled them down like no tomorrow.

One second ago it was Christmas, now it’s easter (!?), chocolate is obviously on the menu at this time of the year and I have one or two chocolate desserts to post up later this week, luckily I have set aside this week to organise these for you and fingers crossed, get them on the blog before Easter is over!

Until then x

A new recipe up folks for inspiration during Meat Free Week: Quinoa and lentil salad with asparagus, mint and haloumi ~ Recipe here. It’s from my book and one of my faves, I find haloumi is a great meat substitute as it’s got great density and texture in a meal, especially a salad. Enjoy!

BTW, quickly I wanted to link to this super site: se7en + 1, and an amazing, down-to-earth, real review of my book, I was thrilled reading through it and detail, dedication and energy put into this review by this incredible and gorgeous family of 10! A total joy to read. Thank you again se7en + 1!

Ok, I’ll be frank ~ this recipes isn’t exactly going to do you huge favours in the bikini department but it’s not too bad calorie-wise … The flip-side for me too is it’s not the most attractive dish in the world either to shoot from a food photographers point-of-view as it all tends to look a tad ‘beige’ but it tastes great, is nice and ‘beefy’ yet you don’t feel it’s lacking the heartiness of meat. It’s basically a robust mushroom recipes using flavour-packed Swiss Brown and Shiitake mushrooms, creamy goat’s cheese and toasted pecans. Very easy to make too, throw the mushrooms into a food processor if you like along with the herbs ~ I find chopping mushrooms (and herbs) a bit of a nightmare on a flat board as they annoyingly tend to fly absolutely everywhere; worktop, floor, all over the shop (personally it drives me bananas).

It dawned on me today I will be unable to update the blog tomorrow with the pizza recipe I was planning, so I’m going to stick it up tonight too. A double veggo whammy. The pizza is my Roasted Pumpkin, Goat’s Cheese, Rosemary and Toasted Almond Pizza ~ Recipe here.  It’s fab! You’d definitely not miss eating meat with this pizza as the roasted pumpkin give superb meaty-like texture, the goat’s cheese is a slightly-salty-ish creamy addition and the nuts offer lots of crunch and balance to the other ingredients.

Right, now down to the EXTRA exciting news and something which threw me a tad this morning… Today I found out I have been nominated for not one, but two James Beard 2013 finalist nominations! It’s all Wooohoooo here at the WKA household today and that’s been mixed with a good helping of complete shock/disbelief, but all-in-all I’ve had a rather large grin plastered on my face for most of the day Am thrilled and super excited, these occasions don’t come along that much in life, so when they do, you’ve got to grab them with both hands and go along for the ride.

The categories nominated are in the cookbook section:

Best Photography
and
Best General Cooking Cookbook

All the nominations can be found here: http://www.jamesbeard.org/sites/default/files/static/additional/2013-jbf-nominees.pdf. Congrats too to all the people nominated in this year’s finalist list.

Hopefully, all going to plan, even thought it’s early days still, I’ll try and head over to NYC to attend the award ceremony on May 3rd, so I’ll keep you posted on any possibly book signings I can organise. On that note, I would be keen to find out from anyone stateside – esp. in NYC if that many of you would be keen for me to organise something where I can meet up with you all, maybe share a glass of wine and do a book signing? Let me know below if you can, that would be fab.

Cheers Kx

This week sees the start of Meat Free Week in Australia. Clearly from a lot of my recipes, I am a meat-eater but I promote strongly that we all support factory-free farming as I whole-heartedly believe we should only ever buy free-range eggs, poultry, pork and other meats. Whilst I personally am ok with eating meat, I don’t think you should do so unless you are committed to making sure the animals are well treated and you are aware where your meat is coming from. I thought taking on a challenge of eating for a full week without any meat in my diet, interesting and something different too, so that’s exactly what myself and my husband Mick are doing today, and for the next 7 days.

The message from the founders of Meat Free Week is not about suddenly becoming a vegetarian or giving up meat for life. All they are asking is that you give up meat for one week from the 18th to 24th March and ask some buddies (friends, family, work colleagues) to sponsor you for each day you go without. Or if you can and would like to, make a donation on the Meat Free Week website directly to support factory-free farming.

Why are they asking you to do this? Simply because the organisers and supporters of Meat Free Week would love you to think about the amount of meat you eat and most importantly, where that meat comes from.

Today I am uploading two recipes which feature in my current book ~ the superb Jill’s Veggie Roll, a spinach, ricotta and feta pastry dish which I originally sourced from a friend of mine, and also a fool-proof, easy-peasy Eggplant and Roasted Capsicum (red bell pepper) Relish which I make a lot here to pair with cheeses or to use in sandwiches.

You’ll find a loads of great meat-free recipes on the MFW organisation’s website here and as an official supporter I’ve spent the past few days testing a load of veggie/meat-free recipes for the weeks ‘challenge’ and I will be uploading one per day for the next 7 days on WKA. Tomorrow I’ll have a wonderful Mushroom, White Wine and Creamy Cheesy Spaghetti dinner idea, and Wednesday sees a super Roasted Pumpkin, Goat’s Cheese, Rosemary and Toasted Almond Pizza. There will also be another pasta and wonderful salad ideas towards the end of the week, culminating is a great 3 course entertaining menu for a weekend with friends which I’ll put up on Saturday morning. I veer towards coming up with recipes which are meat-free but where you really don’t notice texturally there is no meat, so I’ve tried to write and test recipes which have a nice hearty feel to them and which have good texture contrasts and layers.

For more info on Meat Free Week and their message and also to read about what really goes on in factory farming, you can check out their site here. Let me know in the comments box below what you think of the recipes each day and if you decided to take the plunge yourself and go meat-free for even a few days.

Thanks! Katie x

Jill’s Veggie Roll ~ Recipe here

Roasted Capsicum and Eggplant Chutney ~ Recipe here

Limoncello and Balsamic Strawberry, Victoria Sponge Teacake ~ Recipe here
Photo © Katie Quinn Davies 2012

Hello all! I have been wanting to get a post up on the blog for some time now, but alas the last week went bananas for me work-wise after I took the week off previous to go to Melbourne. Sadly it seems now when I take time off it equates to the following week going haywire what with trying to catch up on work and mails and a gazillion other bits and pieces… I am going to quickly post this new recipe up now, but I’ll be back later this (now) Thursday afternoon with lots of amazing news regarding the book going on sale finally in the UK and Ireland, and a run-down on my week away in Melbourne and some links and ideas from places we ate ate over the week ~ and boy did we give the restaurants a good nudge down there, I think I came back 10 kilos heavier! Hence why I am running out the door now to go to the gym!

I’ll be back in a bit with some more pics and restaurant links etc.

Until then x

Pork, pumpkin, sage and ricotta cannelloni ~ Recipe here

Spaghetti with almond, mint and basil pesto ~ Recipe here

Rich slow roasted pork and red wine ragu ~ Recipe here

Honey-roasted figs with limoncello creme fraiche ~ Recipe here and here

All photos © Katie Quinn Davies 2013

Happy Valentine’s Day to all the lovey-dovey WKA readers out there all around the globe! *Note I have no clue how to do those love heart symbols which every, single, other, person on the entire planet knows how to type other than me… *_* (Hints on a postcard please? ~ tks!)

I’ll be honest, I rarely celebrate this holiday (it’s just never really appealed to me) but I know a lot do so here are a few pasta recipes just in case you’re thinking to wine and dine your loved one at home ~ or just looking for something nice to muster up over the coming weekend…

Today also sees the on-sale date of my March feature in Delicious mag Aus ~ and as ever it’s on sale at Zinio (link here). Am super chuffed to get a second cover in a row. (!) I particularly loved this one as it’s all things… Italian ~ aka my favourite food on the planet! All recipes are available in this month’s Delicious mag but I’m uploading one here to WKA, which I exceptionally loved cooking for the shoot.

I am off to Melbourne tomorrow for 5 nights to mainly chill out and celebrate my wedding anniversary (ahhh!) and also experience some AMAZING food ~ note I am dining at the iconic Vue du Monde on Tuesday (= excitement overload!) and I am very much looking forward to it as well as some other great bookings I’ve made at places I have wanted to try out for yonks, but have never been organised enough in time to book and get a table…

I hope you all have a very ‘rosemantic’ day, as we say in Dublin’s fair city….

x

Buttermilk Crêpes with Citrus Compote and Rosemary Honey ~ Recipe here

Images © Katie Quinn Davies 2012

Happy Pancake Day!

I just got this recipe is up in time for anyone reading in the northern hemisphere, but alas maybe not for anyone in Oz ~ who are all now probably rolling around their sitting rooms and kitchens reeling from ingesting way too much egg, flour and milk overload!

This is a recipe from my book and features my favourite form of pancake ~ aka the thinner ‘crêpe’ variety. I used to love eating and making these as a kid with simple caster sugar and lemon juice, my mum was an amazing crêpe maker and flipper. This is my recipe for Buttermilk crêpes with citrus compote. Feel free to use plums or peaches instead of citrus fruits if you like.

I’ll be back on Thursday evening with 4-5 great homemade pasta recipes, before I am off to marvellous Melbourne for a week on Friday morning.

Until Thursady…. Happy flipping!

Macadamia, Apricot, Apple and Sage Sausage Rolls ~ Recipe here. (Note, these are SO good!!! I couldn’t stop gobbling them all weekend!).

Slow Roasted Lamb and Rosemary Aussie Pies ~ Recipe here.

BBQ Prawns with Mango, Lime, Soy and Mint Dressing ~ Recipe here.

Breakfast Eggs with Flaked Ocean Trout, Crispy Potatoes and White Cabbage ~ Recipe here.

Mango, Nectarine and Passionfruit Semifreddo, with fresh berries and Pomegranate Seeds ~ Recipe here.

Julia Taylor’s Lemon Madeleines ~ Recipe here.

Julia Taylor’s Strawberry & Riesling Upside-down Sponge ~ Recipe here.

Mocha Chocolate and Cherry Lamingtons ~ Recipe here.

Honeycomb, Chocolate and Almond Pavlova ~ Recipe here.

Peppered Kangaroo, Chargrilled Black Plum and Hazelnut Salad ~ Recipe here.

All images © Katie Quinn Davies 2012

So this weekend just gone we celebrated Australia Day 2013, meaning we all got a day off too yesterday at the holiday fell on a Saturday ~ Woohoo! In fairness I didn’t get much time off as I was photographing and writing up all the recipes for the above all weekend, but I didn’t mind, it was rotten weather over most of the long weekend with buckets of rain falling from the skies in Sydney so staying at home, cooking and photographing suited me just fine. The rain also gave us a slight reprieve from the searing temps here and awful humidity ~ us pastry white Irish folk literally melt in the latter esp. minus air con! *bleurgh*

I really wanted to get these recipes up before Australia day but alas due to a rather hectic work schedule last week and the week before, it was not meant to be. That being said though, all these recipes are ones which you can make at any time and all ingredients are readily available in both the southern and northern hemisphere at this time of the year.

I have been meaning to rectify my now infamous ‘Katie’s 47˚C pavlova-gate fiasco’ from a few weeks ago and due to writing some pav. recipes recently for an Aussie mag, I thought it would be a good idea to give another one a bash for this round of blog recipes. This isn’t the actual same recipe from the one which imploded so dramatically (still wishing I took a pic) rather this one contains a very Aussie candy/sweet item – honeycomb, and it is mixed with chocolate and almond ~ you could almost call it a ‘Toblerone Pavlova’ but with the addition of cherries which are now coming to the end of their season here in Aus, so I thought it would be to get them while I still can and before the go to a gazillion dollars per kilo.

This post also see the introduction of some recipes from last year’s Australian Masterchef runner up; Julia Taylor. Julia was famed on the show for her passionate pastry chef interest and skills in this realm of cooking. An immensely creative, perfectionist and determined cook, she’s currently completing an internship at famed Aussie patisserie mastermind and pastry God; Adriano Zumbo. I look forward to featuring more of Julia recipes on WKA in the months which lie ahead, she’s going to be a big name I think in years to come in Australia, people with such drive, eye for detail and perfectionist streak rarely fail.

On Friday I’ll be announcing the winner of ~ what is possibly the most popular book giveaway of all my book giveaways on WKA; Claire Lloyd’s My Greek Island Home (link here) so you’ve got 3 more days to get your answers in and I’ll pick a winner on Friday eve my time. The book arrived from Penguin last week, so is sitting here ready to go out in the post.

My next post is a huge one featuring all things pasta. If there’s any particular pasta dish you’d like to see included please let me know by commenting below.

Until then, and a few quick recipes for weekday dinners in-between, I hope you enjoy the above recipes and pics

Cheers Katie x

Happy Friday everyone!

Delighted to announce that the February edition of Delicious Magazine is out on sale now ~ with one of my pics on the cover! It’s a great ‘all things Aussie’ edition, just in time for Australia Day on the 26th. I’ll be doing a post and uploading next week with lots of ideas for what to eat on Saturday week to celebrate everything Aussie. Until then here’s a recipe from my Feb editorial which is all based around food ideas for a Summer picnic either at a location in a park or the beach or alternatively in the comfort of your own back garden. On of the recipes featured is my Apple and Blackberry Bars with Hazelnut Crumble topping ~ for which you can find the recipe here.

For all my other recipes from this month’s edition (which you can read a little more about here) grab a copy of Delicious from your local Aussie newsagent or ~ as usual, for anyone not in OZ, you can get a subscription here. The fish tacos are fab and were a recipe I have wanted to feature on WKA for some time as I adore them and cook them all the time here at home for weekday dinners, healthy and super tasty. On day like today in Sydney (44˚C ~ ouch!) the Fruity Summer Cooler is a super idea to help cool off at the end of the day, along with my Chilli and Lime Aussie King Prawns with Smokey Chipotle Pepper Mayo. There’s also my Lemon Drizzle Friands which, thanks to the Delicious website you can find the recipe for here.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend x

P.S. A little update on the British and Irish expat picnic story, thanks to everyone who has contacted me, I haven’t forgotten about you. I will be in touch, a few commercial jobs have popped up for me and I am having to juggle dates around. I will make an announcement about what the go is with that in the next week. Thanks again.