Gluten-Free Brownies

We all know someone who's coeliac or doesn't eat gluten, it's becoming a common phenomenon now.  I came across this recipe years ago when a friend was newly diagnosed and envious of all the cakes and sweet treats that everyone seemed to be enjoying. It's such a good recipe that it's now my go-to brownie recipe, although I rarely use gluten free flour as none of my immediate friends here are coeliac. The only problem is if someone is allergic to nuts as the way the recipe keeps down the flour is by using ground almonds. On the other hand, if you like nuts then add hazelnut butter in place of half the butter (keeping the other half) - it makes it taste of nutella!

Fajitas

I've been struck down by fresher's flu (despite no longer being freshers) so my cooking and blog writing has suffered a bit. I'm now well again and raring to cook some more. So far so good on that front: this week I've made scotch eggs, pasta, 4 batches of brownies, fajitas and tortilla española. In making all of that I have used up two dozen eggs! The meal I'm telling you about today is the only one that doesn't contain any eggs.

I'm not going to say that there's a recipe to make fajitas because there isn't, not really. Just choose the options on the list that you want, cook the chicken/quorn in the fajita seasoning mix and the relevant veg then place everything in bowls on the table. Voilà, one fun meal for everyone to enjoy. The photos were taken by Sarah, who stood on a chair, announcing she felt tall, in order to take some of the pictures.

Fajita "recipe"

Take your pick as which bits you want.

Put the tortillas in the microwave according to the instructions on the pack (normally about 30 seconds for 4).

I tend to serve two tortillas per person, heating the second ones as everyone finishes their last mouthfuls of the first.

Ingredients

Chicken (one small breast per person) or quorn (especially for Grace!) to the same amount as the chicken.

Fajita spice mix (mine's from Barts and I got it at Waitrose)

Shredded lettuce

Hot and/or cold sweetcorn (my sister will only eat it cold, ick!)

Salsa (Tracklemore do nice ones - I found it really difficult to find salsa in the small supermarkets near me and wound up buying mine in a cheese shop in Didsbury)

Chipotle sauce (Changos in Manchester does the best and they now sell it in store)

Grated cheddar cheese

Tortilla wraps

Mushrooms sliced and fried in butter

Melted red peppers and onions (2 of each plus butter)

the peppers and onions beginning to melt down

Method

Cook 2 red peppers and 2 onions, cut into long strips, in about 50-100g of butter over a low heat for 30 minutes, keep the lid on and stir occasionally, adding more butter if needed.

Cook the chicken/quorn in butter and add the seasoning to taste.

Heat/cut the rest of the ingredients as you wish and place in bowls.

Heat the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Remind everyone that there's got to be enough for another round and tuck in!

What do you put in your fajitas?