HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH DRESSING: GLUTEN FREE RECIPE CHALLENGE

Sunday, November 30, 2014

I don't often think about gluten.  Everyone under my roof is good with gluten but as a keen entertainer of as many friends as possible, I figure that having a good gluten free recipe to hand would be pretty essential.  So when Hidden Valley challenge a group of food blogger to use their dressings to create some new gluten free recipe ideas, I figured that it was a worth a look!
One thing I dislike is when a recipe for something gets changed beyond recognition to make it gluten free, vegetarian or low fat.  For example a decadent dessert such as Tiramisu should never be low fat so don't try and make it so! So this was my approach to a gluten free recipe.  Simply find something that should be made without gluten.  

All beans are naturally gluten-free. This includes kidney beans and chickpeas, as well as lentils, soy and peas.  What better than my favorite cupboard standby, the chickpea, and what better use for those golden beauties but a falafel.  


Now whilst I have already shared a great foolproof falafel recipe using dried chickpeas, this is more of a last minute version using tinned chickpeas.  Perfect for when those unexpected guests drop by!

EASY STORE CUPBOARD FALAFEL


INGREDIENTS
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 400g can chickpeas, washed and drained
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Handful of chopped coriander or parsley or dried oregano if you don't have fresh herbs to hand.
  • 1 egg, beaten

METHOD
  1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan, then fry the onion and garlic over a low heat for 5 mins until softened but no coloured.  Tip into a large mixing bowl with the chickpeas and spices, then mash together with a fork or potato masher until the chickpeas are totally broken down. Stir in the coriander or parsley and add seasoning to taste. Add the egg, then squish the mixture together with your hands.
  2. Press the mix into 6 balls, then flatten slightly.
  3. Heat the remaining oil in the pan, then fry the falafels on a medium heat for 3 mins on each side, until golden brown and firm. 
  4. Serve hot or cold with a green salad and Hidden Valley Spicy Ranch Dressing. 




Our Original, Light, Spicy and Cheese Hidden Valley® Ranch Dressings are gluten-free, which means holiday food preparation just got a little bit easier for those of us who need to take gluten sensitivities into account in the kitchen.
 #HiddenValleyGFChallenge












I was sent some free samples of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing and invited to submit my Gluten Free Recipes to a Blogger Competition.  Recipes, Recipe Photos, Opinions and spelling mistakes are my own.  

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