The gluten-free recipes you’re not cooking – but should be

Gluten-free cooking can feel like a minefield, but bestselling author Becky Excell hopes to make it as simple as possible. She was inspired to enter the realm of gluten-free food when diagnosed with IBS in 2013, meaning her relationship with food had to change. With her new book Feel Good Gluten Free, Becky is sharing some of her best recipes designed to be satisfying, delicious and, most importantly, easy to make. She has been inspired by the dishes and flavours most people on a such a diet find difficult to track down, and has created recipes that use as few ingredients as possible. Here are some of her favourites. Sizzlin’ sesame beef (Photo: Hannah Hughes) Sizzlin’ sesame beef Serves 2-3 Dairy-free, lactose-free 1½ tbsp gluten-free soy sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 1 tbsp black treacle (molasses) 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated Garlic-infused olive oil in a spray bottle, for greasing 400g thin-cut sirloin steaks, with fat removed and sliced into ribbons 2 red bell peppers, cut into thin strips Large handful of spring onion (scallion) greens, finely sliced In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, black treacle and ginger. Set aside. Lightly spray a large non-stick wok with garlic oil and place over a high heat. Add the beef and stir-fry for one to two minutes until browned – don’t aim for too much brown or it will end up overcooked and tough. Remove to a plate. Dry-fry the red pepper strips for two minutes until bright and just tender. Return the beef (with resting juices) to the pan, add the sauce, and bubble for 30 to 45 seconds until lightly glazed. Sprinkle over the spring onion greens and serve. This can be stored in the fridge for up to three days in airtight containers; reheat in a wok until piping hot. Creamy lemon chicken spaghetti (Photo: Hannah Hughes) Creamy lemon chicken spaghetti Serves 4 Dairy-free: use dairy-free cream cheeseLactose-free: use lactose-free cream cheese Garlic-infused olive oil in a spray bottle 400g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, thinly sliced (or skinless breast fillet, cut into bite-sized chunks) ½ tsp each of fine salt and black pepper Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon, plus juice of ½ lemon 1 tsp dried oregano 300g gluten-free brown rice spaghetti 700ml hot gluten-free chicken stock 150g frozen peas 1 tbsp light cream cheese 60g baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped Shorts Place a large casserole dish over a medium heat and spray well with olive oil. Add the chicken, season with the salt and pepper and fry for seven to eight minutes (thigh) or three minutes (breast) until lightly golden. Stir through the lemon zest, reserving a little of it to serve, and the dried oregano and cook for 30 seconds. Lay the brown rice spaghetti in the pot, pour over the hot stock and lemon juice, bring to the boil, then reduce to a gently bubbling simmer, nudging the spaghetti under the liquid. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to separate the strands and keep them submerged. Add the peas and cream cheese and simmer for five more minutes until the pasta is al dente and the sauce is silky (add a splash of water if you prefer it looser). Fold through the spinach until just wilted. Scatter the reserved lemon zest over each portion to serve. This can be stored in the fridge for up to three days in airtight containers; reheat in the microwave until piping hot. Feel Good Gluten Free by Becky Excell (Photo: Hannah Hughes) Feta and red pepper picnic loaf Makes 10-12 slices Dairy-free: use dairy-free milk and a dairy-free alternative to feta Lactose-free: use lactose-free milk Extra virgin olive oil in a spray bottle, for greasing 180g gluten-free self-raising flour 2 tsp gluten-free baking powder 2 tsp dried mixed herbs or oregano Pinch each of fine salt and black pepper 2 medium eggs 180ml milk 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil 1 tbsp tomato purée (paste) 50g jarred roasted red bell pepper, very finely chopped 100g reduced-fat feta, crumbled Preheat the oven to 180ºC/ 160ºC fan/350ºF/gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 900g loaf tin and line with baking parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, dried herbs, salt and pepper. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil and tomato purée. Pop the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine until just mixed, then fold in the roasted pepper and most of the crumbled feta (save a little for the next step). Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, level the top and sprinkle over the reserved feta. Bake for 50 minutes until golden, risen and a skewer comes out clean. Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully (or eat warm). This can be stored in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. This dish is best enjoyed at room temperature or lightly rewarmed. Recipes extracted from ‘Feel Good Gluten Free’ by Becky Excell (Quadrille, £22)