Gluten, Wheat and Dairy Free Cookbook: Over 200 allergy-free recipes, from the ‘Sensitive Gourmet’

An almost instantaneous starter at any time of the year. Brilliant for barbecues, hungry teenagers and vegetarians. Use ready-made wafers (chips) (GF/WF/DF) if you are in a real hurry!

Serves 8

Home-made fried potato skin quarters, or 500g/17oz of (GF/DF) ready-made fried potato skins, or 200g/7oz of (WF/GF) ready-made wafers (chips)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

840g/30oz/4 cups of canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

2 tablespoons of light tahini paste

3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

A few drops of (GF) chilli sauce/oil

The juice of 2 large lemons

297g/10½ oz of silken tofu (firm)

At least 3 tablespoons of fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

Cayenne pepper

A little chopped parsley for decoration

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6

Place the potato skins on a non-stick baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven until crispy.

Meanwhile, mix the chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tahini, garlic, chilli sauce/oil, lemon juice, tofu, salt, pepper and coriander (cilantro) leaves together in the food processor until smooth.

Scoop into an attractive bowl. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper and parsley.

Place in the centre of a large oval plate and arrange the potato skins around the dip.

Serve immediately.

Roast Artichoke, Fennel and Onion Salad

Once laborious to peel, Jerusalem artichokes have now been perfected into a less complex shape.

I have now been converted to these underrated vegetables as an alternative to potatoes.

Serves 4

500g/17oz of fresh Jerusalem artichokes (washed, peeled and left in a bowl of cold water and a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice to prevent discolouration)

(GF) chilli oil and olive oil

2 heads of fennel, trimmed and quartered

2 large onions, peeled and quartered

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

Fresh marjoram

The juice of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6

Cook the artichokes in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Sprinkle a large non-stick baking sheet with the oils. Mix the vegetables together and spread over the sheet. Sprinkle with more of the oils, salt and pepper, crushed garlic and the marjoram. Place the tray in the centre of the oven and roast until golden, about ¾ –1 hour.

Carefully spoon the vegetables into a salad bowl and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Serve with warm (GF) bread, or cover and chill until needed.

Prawn and Pepper Terrine

This terrine is bright and colourful, so there is no need to feel gloomy if you have to give a low-fat dinner party! If you entertain a lot, you can substitute other low-fat seafood or fish, and the peppers can be swapped for any suitable and complementary vegetables. You can also use a ring mould instead of a terrine tin and fill the centre with the salad leaves.

Serves 8

2 × 22g/¾oz sachets of (GF) aspic jelly powder

900ml/32fl oz/4 scant cups of boiling water

100ml/3½fl oz/scant ½ cup of dry sherry

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A few drops of (GF) chilli sauce/oil

55–85g/2–3oz/1 cup dwarf French green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds

1 yellow pepper, cored and seeded

A small bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

400g/14oz/2 generous cups of fresh, large peeled prawns (shrimp)

3 ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeded and cut into eighths

Rocket (arugula) and watercress leaves

Fresh lemon juice