Gluten Free – Page 4 – Bit of the Good Stuff

Mediterranean Tofu Scramble

Published on June 27, 2018September 24, 2025 by Sharon11 Comments

Tofu scrambles are one of my family’s favourite easy weeknight meals. They take 20 minutes or less to make, use just one pan and can be flavoured myriad ways, which means they never get boring. The scramble recipe I’m sharing in today’s post is filled with beautiful colours and flavours inspired by the Mediterranean ☀️

Fresh, crisp sweet peppers and zucchini, salty black olives and rich sun-dried tomatoes make one tasty combination of flavours and textures. A splash of soy sauce and sprinkling of mushrooms adds an extra hit of ‘umami’ deliciousness.

To enhance the flavour even further, I sprinkle in a couple of my favourite herbs – fresh basil and dried oregano – and spices – smoked paprika and ground cumin. The smoked paprika turns the tofu a beautiful red colour, as well as adding a delicious smoky flavour.

I’ve always loved using dried herbs and spices in my cooking (and have a whole shelf in my pantry dedicated to them!) but I’ve only recently starting learning about their health benefits.

Do you know which food category averages the most antioxidants? Take a guess…

Nope, it’s not fruits.

Nor vegetables.

It’s herbs and spices!!

By sprinkling just a single teaspoon of dried herbs or spices on your food, you can double, triple, quadruple or more its antioxidant content. Incredible!

Here’s what Dr Michael Greger has to say in his epic “nutrition bible” How Not To Die …

Antioxidants, in a Pinch

The food category that averages the most antioxidants is herbs and spices.

Let’s say you prepare a nice healthy bowl of whole-wheat pasta with marinara sauce. Together, they may achieve a score of about 80 units of antioxidant power (approximately 20 units from the pasta and 60 from the sauce). Add a handful of steamed broccoli florets, and you may end up with a delicious 150-unit meal. Not bad. Now sprinkle on a single teaspoonful of dried oregano or marjoram, oregano’s sweeter and milder twin. That alone could double your meal’s antioxidant power, up to more than 300 units.

How about a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast? By adding a teaspoon of cinnamon, you could bring the antioxidant power of your meal from 20 units to 120 units. And if you can stand the punch, adding a pinch of cloves could bring your unassuming breakfast up to an antioxidant score of 160 units.

Plant-based meals tend to be rich in antioxidants on their own, but taking a moment to spice up your life may make you meal even healthier.

p50, How Not to Die

Having read this, I’ll be sprinkling those herbs and spices even more liberally from now on!

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Big shout out to the lovely people at Suma who supplied me with ingredients that I used to create this recipe. The following organic ingredients are available from Suma and can be purchased in the UK from independent health food shops and online:

– Suma Organic Sundried Tomatoes in Olive Oil with Thyme
– Clearspring Organic Tamari Soya Sauce
– Suma Organic Smoked Paprika
– Suma Organic Ground Oregano
– Cauldron Foods Organic Firm Tofu

Do you enjoy using dried herbs and spices? If so, what are your top favourites? It’s hard for me to pick just one, so here are my current top five (in no particular order) ….

✦ Dried Oregano
✦ Fresh Basil
✦ Smoked Paprika
✦ Ground Cumin
✦ Ground Sweet Cinnamon

If you try this Mediterranean tofu scramble recipe, please come back and leave a review. It’s so helpful to me (and other readers) to hear your experiences and ideas for variations. Thank you! ❤️

With love,

Sharon xx

Easy Vegan Home-Made Mayonnaise (Dairy-Free | Egg-Free)

Quick and Easy Vegan Mayonnaise (with Sweet Chilli option)

Published on May 15, 2018September 3, 2025 by Sharon66 Comments

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In today’s post, I’m sharing a recipe for a delicious, quick & easy vegan mayonnaise that uses basic pantry ingredients, is ready in five minutes and costs as little as 34p! I never thought I’d find another mayo as tasty as Vegenaise, but this home-made version is just that. So if you’re on a budget or have difficulty finding great-tasting vegan mayos in your shops, then I definitely recommend giving this one a try.

While I’m a little late to the party (as per usual), the home-made vegan mayo craze kicked off in 2015, following a discovery by French musician Joel Roessel that the water from a can of beans (or left over from cooking beans) could be used as a plant-based alternative to egg whites. Ingenious! This discovery was then further developed by American software engineer Goose Wohlt (who named it ‘aquafaba’) and the Facebook community Aquafaba (Vegan Meringue – Hits and Misses!)

For those unfamiliar with the term ‘aquafaba’, it’s basically the Latin for ‘bean water’ (Aqua = water Faba = bean). The Latin name sure does sound more appealing, doesn’t it?

Literally within weeks of the aquafaba discovery, my Facebook newsfeed started filling up with images of meringues, pavlovas, marshmallows, mousses, macarons and mayonnaise that were being made with this liquid that we usually throw down the sink. Basically, all the foods that I loved in my pre-vegan days and never dreamed I would ever get to eat again.

The reason I was slow to join the home-made mayo craze is because the American Follow Your Heart Vegenaise had made its way into my local health food shop. I can honestly say that Vegenaise was the best mayo I’d ever tasted (even better than the traditional egg-based mayo) so I was in no rush to find a replacement.

However, after repeatedly seeing aquafaba mayo videos popping up on social media, the intrigue got the better of me and I decided to give it a try.

And the verdict?

I LOVE IT! Not only does it taste gorgeous, but it’s really fun to make too! Literally within seconds of whizzing the runny ingredients together, they turn into this mass of thick, white, creamy deliciousness.

Quick and Easy Vegan Home-Made Mayonnaise

The great thing about making your own mayonnaise is that you can adjust the flavour to suit your personal preferences. A lot of mayo recipes that I’ve tried are too acidic for my taste buds, so I cut right back on the vinegar in my version.

You can also switch up the flavour of the mayonnaise depending on what you’re planning to serve it with. For my vegan doner kebabs and smashed chickpea sandwich fillings, I love to add a couple of teaspoons of sweet chilli sauce to the mayonnaise for a touch of spiciness.

Another big advantage to making your own mayo is that it is super cheap! Using sunflower oil, it cost just 34p to make 240ml / 1 cup’s worth of mayo. (The equivalent amount of Vegenaise costs £1.77).

Using organic oil, it still only cost 70p (compared to £2.25 for the equivalent amount of organic Vegenaise).

If you’re on a budget or can’t get access to a decent vegan mayo, then home-made is definitely the way to go.

Recipe Card

Quick & Easy Vegan Mayonnaise

This delicious, quick & easy vegan mayonnaise uses basic pantry ingredients, is ready in five minutes and costs as little as 34p! In the Notes section below, you'll also find a Sweet Chilli Mayo option.

5 from 7 votes

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Hands-on Time 5

Total Time 5

Course Salad

Servings 16

Ingredients

▢ 3 TBSP aquafaba I use the water from a can of unsalted chickpeas
▢ 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
▢ 1 tsp maple syrup or agave nectar
▢ 1 tsp Dijon mustard
▢ ½ tsp salt
▢ 200 g / 1 cup neutral-tasting oil e.g. organic rapeseed (canola) oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil
▢ Sweet chilli option [See Note below]

Instructions

Place the aquafaba, vinegar, syrup, mustard and salt in a jug. Using a stick (immersion) blender, whizz the ingredients until fully combined.
Add 2 TBSP oil and pulse the blender until the oil is just combined (this only takes a few seconds). Add another 2 TBSP oil and pulse for a few seconds again until combined. Repeat this process, adding just 2 TBSP oil at a time, until all the oil is incorporated and the mayonnaise has become thick and creamy. (It is important to add the oil slowly so it has a chance to emulsify).
Taste test and add a touch more vinegar, mustard, sweetener or salt, if desired.
Transfer the mayonnaise to a clean glass jar and refrigerate. The mayonnaise should keep for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

For me, the ratio of ingredients in this recipe produces a mayonnaise that is very close in taste to my favourite store-bought mayo (Vegenaise). However, feel free to adapt the quantities of vinegar, sweetener, mustard and salt to suit your own taste buds.

Sweet Chilli Option: Add 2 tsp sweet chilli sauce into the mayonnaise and whizz to combine (I use Lingham’s Chilli Sauce). Taste test and add more sweet chilli, if desired.

Thanks to Hippy Chick for inspiring this recipe!

Keyword Egg-free Mayonnaise, Gluten-Free, Vegan Mayonnaise

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If you make this Quick and Easy Vegan Mayonnaise, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.

With love,

Sharon xx

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Book Review: Hummus Where the Heart Is by Dunja Gulin and Recipe for Pea & Basil Hummus

Published on March 23, 2018September 25, 2025 by Sharon7 Comments

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In today’s post, I’m delighted to share with you a new book that’s dedicated to one of my favourite foods of all time… HUMMUS! This stylish book, humorously title ‘Hummus Where The Heart Is’ is the latest publication by cooking teacher and cookbook author, Dunja Gulin. It features over 50 vegan-friendly recipes, each one accompanied by a stunning photograph taken by London-based food & lifestyle photographer, Mowie Kay.

If you thought hummus was a bit dull and bland-looking, this book will completely change your perception. The pages are filled with a riot of colours, from the vibrant oranges of spicy lentil hummus, fresh greens of pea and basil hummus, through to the rich browns of cacao and rum hummus… yes there is even chocolate hummus in this book!

All the recipes have simple-to-follow instructions (with the ingredients listed in grams and cups). I was pleased to find that all the essential ingredients for the recipes are easily accessible in UK shops and when a recipe calls for a ‘specialist’ ingredient, it’s listed as an optional add-in.

Savoury hummus recipes are divided into three chapters depending on the main ingredient – Chickpeas – Beans and Lentils – Veggies and Nuts. So far, I’ve tried three recipes from these chapters – Pea and Basil Hummus, Cauliflower Hummus and Mediterranean Tomato Hummus. All three were delicious and easy to make.

If you have hummus that’s languishing in the fridge and needs using up (a rarity in our house!) then there’s a helpful chapter on how to use your leftover hummus to make burgers, salad dressings and much more besides.

Hummus Where The Heart Is Open Sandwiches

The final recipe chapter is ‘Sweet Treats’. I’ve never used chickpeas in desserts before and was intrigued to give it a try. The first recipe I made was the Cacao and Rum Hummus Pudding with Chickpea Cream. It may sound odd but it was very tasty indeed! I absolutely loved the flavour of this dessert and will definitely be making it again. I think it would be a great dessert to serve to children too (just don’t tell them what the ‘secret ingredient’ is unless they’re okay about beans featuring in their sweets).

I was kindly given permission to share a recipe from the book and, after some deliberation, I’ve gone for the Pea and Basil Hummus. This recipe is just perfect for this season. It has the most beautiful texture and fresh flavour, as well as that gorgeous, vibrant green colour. The first time I made it for the family, it was devoured within seconds. Always a good sign! This is one recipe that I’ll definitely be making time and again.

Recipe Card

Pea and Basil Hummus

“This thick hummus-like spread made with green peas is so good! The texture always surprises me, since peas might seem light and watery, however, the finished dip has an amazing smooth texture, strong flavour and punchy colour. A simple recipe, but delicious and very lunch-worthy!”

Summary and Recipe from 'Hummus Where the Heart Is' by Dunja Gulin. Reproduced by arrangement with Ryland Peters & Small

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Hands on time 10

Total Time 15

Course Lunch

Servings 3

Ingredients

▢ 720 ml / 3 cups water
▢ 260 g / 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
▢ 10 g / ½ cup basil plus a few leaves to garnish*
▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for drizzling
▢ 2 garlic cloves**
▢ 2 tablespoon sunflower seed butter***
▢ ½ teaspoon cumin seeds dry-roasted and crushed (optional)
▢ ½ teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions

Bring the water to the boil, add the peas and cook, covered, until soft but still green (about 8–10 minutes). Drain, saving the cooking water. Blend in a food processor or blender with all the other ingredients until thick and creamy, adding about 60 ml / 1⁄4 cup of the cooking liquid as necessary. Drizzle with extra olive oil to serve, if you like.

Notes

Notes on my adaptations:

* I used frozen basil

** I used 1 tsp of garlic and ginger paste instead of raw garlic (as I’m not a fan).
The flavours worked perfectly for this recipe.

*** Instead of sunflower butter, I used 1 TBSP tahini

Keyword Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Hummus, Vegan Dips, Vegan Sandwiches

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It’s unusual for me to find more than a couple of recipes in a cookbook that I’m eager to try, but that’s not the case with this one. I’m planning on working my way through the entire book and next on my list are these four beauties…

Spicy Red Lentil Hummus
Greek-style Hummus
Carob Hummus Mousse
Fudge Cookies

And my verdict on Hummus Where The Heart Is? Well if you’re a hummus lover like me, then this book will be perfect for you. I’m really enjoying experimenting with new flavour combinations, as well as trying different pulses and vegetables in my hummus. I’ve also discovered that chickpeas can be blended to make delicious desserts. Who would have thought? This book would also make a lovely gift for hummus-loving friends and family. It’s a beautifully-designed, quality hardcover book filled with creative recipes and stunning photography.

Big thank you to Ryland Peters & Small for supplying me with a copy of this publication and giving me permission to post the photographs and recipe.

All the images contained within the post are © Ryland Peters & Small and cannot be used without express permission. The recipe text is © Dunja Gulin.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas

Published on February 16, 2018March 4, 2026 by Sharon7 Comments

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In today’s post, I’m sharing a recipe for the perfect Winter warmer – Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas 💛 With its delicious, sweet flavour and golden orange hue, this soup is so bright and cheery that it’s bound to put a smile on your face. It also happens to be packed full of immune-boosting nutrients to help keep those pesky Winter bugs at bay.

Butternut squash is a fantastic immunity-booster. Of all the winter squashes, it contains the highest amount of vitamin C. It’s also packed with the vitamin A antioxidants alphacarotene and betacarotene.

I love blending some cashews into this soup to make it thick and creamy. The cashews also provide protein and heart-healthy fats, which help us to feel full and satiated. Simmering the cashews in the soup softens them, making them easy to blend smooth in a high-speed blender.

My family loves to serve this soup as a weekend lunch or weeknight supper. The Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas that I posted last week, make the perfect topping.

Recipe Card

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is cheery, flavourful and packed full of immune-boosting nutrients. The addition of cashews makes it thick, creamy and filling. We love to top it with Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas (recipe link in Notes below). These only take eight minutes to make, so we prepare them while the soup is simmering or cooling.

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Hands on time 15

Total Time 30

Course Light Dinner, Lunch

Servings 4

Ingredients

▢ ½ TBSP olive oil
▢ 1 medium onion finely chopped
▢ 2 tsp minced garlic
▢ 750 ml / 3 cups vegetable stock (broth)
▢ 800 g / 5 cups butternut squash deseeded and chopped into small, bite-size pieces
▢ 1 TBSP tomato puree (paste)
▢ 72 g / ½ cup cashews
▢ salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Gently heat the oil in a large saucepan. Cook the onion until it starts to soften (about 4 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
Add the vegetable stock, squash, tomato puree and cashews to the pan. (This is meant to be a thick soup, so the liquid should just be sufficient to cover the squash). Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes or until the squash is tender.
Leave to cool slightly then transfer to a high speed jug blender (due to the quantity of soup, I recommend blending half at a time). Start blending on low speed, then increase to high speed until silky smooth.
Transfer the soup back to the pan and gently heat through. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.
This soup will keep for five days in the fridge. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m pretty confident it will be freezable too.

Notes

My recipe for Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas can be found here.

Keyword Budget Vegan Meals, Dairy-Free, Easy Vegan Meals, Vegan Soup

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

As you can probably imagine, it’s pretty tricky taking food photos this time of year as the days are so short and the weather’s so changeable! It was certainly a fun challenge taking these soup photos. As I was shooting them, the sky suddenly clouded over, which totally changed the look and feel of the photos. Compare the photo below to the ones above. It looks pretty different, doesn’t it? It’s dark and gloomy, but kind of atmospheric too.

If you make this Creamy Butternut Squash Soup, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.

With love,

Sharon xx

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Quinoa Winter Bowl with Roasted Vegetables, Cranberries and Balsamic Glaze

Published on November 20, 2017September 25, 2025 by Sharon5 Comments

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In today’s post, I’m sharing a recipe for a delicious quinoa bowl that’s just perfect for serving this time of year. It features roasted veggies, dried cranberries and crunchy pumpkin seeds, topped with a sweet balsamic glaze. We’ve been enjoying it as a light evening meal, with leftovers served for lunches later in the week. It can even be served cold, and Lucien’s been taking it to school in his lunchbox.

I must admit that I never used to be a fan of quinoa. I found the texture and flavour of plain quinoa quite strange and not particularly appealing. However, I discovered a couple of key steps that make it much more palatable…

Ensure the quinoa is thoroughly rinsed before cooking to remove the bitter saponin coating.
Flavour the quinoa using seasoning or a dressing.

One of my favourite ways to flavour quinoa is using a combination of toasted sesame oil and sweet white miso. These seasonings not only add a delicious savoury flavour but they also enhance the texture of the grain.

Quinoa has lots of health benefits, so I’m happy that I found a way to really enjoy the grain, rather than just eating it because ‘it’s good for me’!

For this Winter quinoa bowl, I use a combination of roasted sweet potato and brussels sprouts. This dish has been a great way to entice Lucien to eat more sprouts. He won’t touch the boiled or steamed varieties, but he’ll happily eat pan-fried or roasted sprouts. One of his favourite sprout recipes is the Brussels Sprout Hash with Balsamic Red Onions & Pecans but I think this one is a close second. Of course, if you’re not a fan of brussels sprouts in any shape or form, feel free to leave them out or substitute with another roasted vegetable.

This bowl is super easy to prepare. While the veggies are roasting, I cook the quinoa and prepare the Balsamic glaze (if using a home-made one rather than shop-bought). Once everything is cooked through, it’s simply a case of mixing the quinoa, veggies, cranberries and pumpkin seeds together.

I recently discovered that pumpkin seeds can vary enormously in flavour, size and colour. For this recipe, I used Suma’s organic pumpkin seeds which are smaller, lighter in colour and far tastier than the ones I’d previously bought from a big supermarket. I didn’t need to toast the Suma seeds to improve the flavour as they were tasty raw.

Just before serving, the bowl is dressed with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, which adds a beautifully rich, sweet and tangy flavour. Balsamic glaze is widely available in UK food shops, however if you can’t get your hands on some, it’s easy to make your own. Check out the tips in the recipe below to see how I do it.

This bowl is not only tasty, but it’s packed full of nutrient-rich ingredients, which help to keep us in good health. In particular, this dish is a good source of…
– Protein, Complex Carbohydrates and Fibre
– Vitamins A, B, C & K
– Minerals Zinc, Magnesium, Copper, Manganese, Potassium and Iron
– Antioxidant Phytonutrients, including Glucosinolates, which help boost the immune system and protect against disease

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This recipe is being shared with the Suma Blogger’s Network. Big thank you to Suma for supplying the following products used in this recipe…

– Suma Organic Quinoa
– Suma Organic Pumpkin Seeds
– Clearspring Sweet White Miso
– Meridian Organic Toasted Sesame Oil
– Aspall Organic Balsamic Vinegar

If you make this Quinoa Winter Bowl, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.

With love,

Sharon xx

Wagamama-Inspired Yasai Cha Han Donburi (Brown Rice Bowl with Stir-Fried Veggies and Tofu)

Published on August 14, 2017September 26, 2025 by Sharon4 Comments

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In early Summer, my family were eagerly anticipating a trip to Wagamamas. On the way there, we psyched each other up, talking about how much we were looking forward to tucking into our favourite Wagamama dish – the Yasai Cha Han Donburi. Upon arrival, the waiter showed us to our seats and handed us the menu. Our eyes immediately moved to the spot where the dish is usually listed, but it wasn’t there. We scanned both sides of the menu but it was nowhere to be seen. We called over the waiter and he explained that they had a new summer menu. Sadly, the Yasai Cha Han Donburi hadn’t made the cut.

Has that ever happened to you? Where you’re looking forward to tucking into your favourite dish at a restaurant, or you specifically go to that restaurant because you’re craving a dish… only to find that it’s been taken off the menu. It’s happened to my family a few times and it’s always such a bummer.

Well this time, I decided to look on the bright side. I’d been meaning to try my hand at making the Yasai Cha Han Donburi at home for a while, and now was the perfect opportunity. I could still remember what the bowl tasted like and its main components, so I set to work re-creating it.

One of my favourite parts of the bowl is the flavouring added to the rice, so I really wanted to nail this part. I chose to use two of my favourite pantry staples as the basis of the dressing – Clearspring Organic Tamari Sauce and Meridian Organic Toasted Sesame Oil. The tamari provides the ‘umami’ flavour, while the toasted sesame oil add a touch of smokiness. I then added a tablespoon each of maple syrup and rice vinegar for some ‘sweet ’n’ sour’ flavour, and finished it off with a sprinkling of garlic granules. I was extremely happy with the way the dressing turned out. For me, it’s the perfect compliment to a Japanese-inspired rice bowl.

For this dish, I prefer to use original tofu, which I press for 30 minutes then pan-fry. If you’ve not cooked tofu from scratch before, rest assured that it’s not difficult at all. I’ve given some tips in the recipe below of how I do it.

I absolutely adore this rice bowl, and it’s been a huge hit with the rest of the family too. I’ve made it multiple times these past couple of months and we never tire of it. The flavour is as good (if not better, in my humble opinion hehe) than the Wagamama version. It’s far cheaper too!

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Big thank you to Suma for supplying me with the gorgeous ingredients for this bowl. It’s hugely appreciated!

Much love,

Sharon xx

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Mediterranean Tofu Scramble

Ingredients

Optional extras (for a nutrient boost)

Instructions

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Quick & Easy Vegan Mayonnaise

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Pea and Basil Hummus

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Quinoa Winter Bowl with Roasted Vegetables, Cranberries and Balsamic Glaze

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Recipe Card

Wagamama-Inspired Yasai Cha Han Donburi (Brown Rice Bowl with Stir-Fried Veggies and Tofu)

Ingredients

Dressing

Instructions

Notes

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