Gluten free recipes for BBQs: tasty food to enjoy with friends

Italian-style peppers

Per serving: 229 calories, 15g fat (0.5g saturated), 20g carbohydrate 

Prep time: 20 mins 

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients

6 red peppers, stalks left on, halved and deseeded

150g (5oz) dairy-free pesto

2 small red onions, thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, cut into slivers 12 mixed red and yellow baby plum tomatoes, halved

12 green or black olives, pitted Olive oil, to drizzle

Small handful basil leaves, to garnish

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190C, 170C fan, 375F, gas 5. Place the peppers, cut-side up, in a lightly oiled shallow roasting tin.

2. Spoon a teaspoon of pesto into each half, then add some of the onion, garlic sliver, tomato halves and olives. Place the remaining onion slices all over the tray. 

3. Drizzle the peppers and onion with oil, then bake for about 45 minutes. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, then garnish with basil.

Cook's tip

To make dairy-free pesto, blend a large bunch of basil • 6tbsp olive oil • 75g (3oz) pine nuts and 2 garlic cloves. It keeps 2-3 days in the fridge.

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Vodka chilli prawns

Per serving: 65 calories, 0.5g fat (0.2g saturated), 0.5g carbohydrate 

Prep time: 5 minutes plus marinating

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 red chilli, sliced through 

the middle 

18 large unpeeled raw prawns 

12 cherry tomatoes, chopped 3tbsp vodka

Few sprigs parsley, chopped

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients in a food bag. Leave to marinate for at least 4 hours.

2. Cook over a hot grill for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until cooked through.

Thai cucumber salad

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Per serving: 107 calories, 5.5g fat (1g saturated), 9.5g carbohydrate 

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 cucumbers, peeled

4 spring onions or shallots, thinly sliced 

1tbsp coriander, roughly chopped 

1tbsp mint, roughly chopped 25g (1oz) cashew nuts or peanuts, toasted and roughly chopped 

1tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

For the dressing

3tbsp rice wine vinegar 1tbsp caster sugar

1 garlic clove, finely chopped 2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

Method

1. Halve the cucumber lengthways, scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Slice diagonally into 1cm (½in) slices. Place in a serving bowl with the onions, coriander, mint and cashew nuts.

2. Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and whisk together until the sugar has dissolved. pour over the cucumber, mix well and scatter with sesame seeds.

Cook's tip

This salad can be made a couple of hours in advance as the vinegar helps to keep everything nice and crisp.

Spatchcock chicken with roaster pepper & aubergine salad

Per serving: 474 calories, 23g fat (5g saturated), 13g carbohydrate

Prep time: 20 minutes plus marinating 

Cooking time: 1 Hour

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1.3kg (3lb) free-range spatchcock chicken  

1tbsp harissa paste

2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed 2tbsp tahini 

250g (9oz) soya plain yoghurt Juice ½ lemon

For the salad

Bunch coriander, chopped, extra to serve 2 courgettes, sliced 

1 aubergine, sliced

3 mixed peppers, deseeded and sliced 

3 garlic cloves, crushed

Pinch chilli fakes

2tbsp olive oil

Method

You will need: 2 long skewers

1. Push the skewers diagonally through the chicken. Rub the harissa, 1tbsp oil and the cumin over the skin, and cook the chicken, breast side down and covered on the barbecue, or grill, skin side up, for 1 hour, turning every 10 minutes until the juices run clear. Leave to rest for 20 minutes. 

2. Mix the salad ingredients and add to a roasting tin. Grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning, or thread on skewers and barbecue.

3. Mix the tahini, yoghurt, lemon juice and 1tbsp oil. Serve the chicken on top of the vegetables, scattered with coriander, with the sauce on the side.

Cook's tip

Cooking a whole chicken on the BBQ is a great way to serve an alfresco Sunday lunch. The fragrant rub is delicious on any meat you want to BBQ.

Juicy mackerel with summery salsa

Per serving: 300 calories, 25g fat (7g saturated), 0g carbohydrate 

Prep time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 mackerel fillets

1 large orange, cut into segments Juice of 1 lime

Juice of 1 lemon

1 small red onion, finely sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

Black pepper

To decorate:  

Flat leaf parsley and lime quarters

Method

Peel the orange, getting rid of all the pith. Ease out the segments of the orange, using any spare juice over the mackerel before grilling the fish on the barbecue for around ten minutes. For the salsa, slice the red onion thinly, toss with the orange and the juices of the lime and lemon. Pour over the olive oil and season to taste. To finish, scatter over a handful of parsley.

Gluten free pitta bread

Per serving: 125 calories,  1.5g fat (0g saturated),  25g carbohydrate 

Prep time: 20 minutes

plus time to rise

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

500g gluten free bread flour 1tsp xanthan gum 

1tsp yeast

1tsp salt

1tsp sugar

300ml hot water

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients together to form a smooth dough and keep kneading until the dough becomes elastic in consistency. 

2. Leave the dough to rise for 20 minutes.

3. Divide into 4 pieces and flatten into disc shapes about 1cm thick.

4. Cook in a shallow frying pan for about 4 minutes until slightly browned.

Chicken souvlaki

Per serving: 300 calories,  25g fat (7g saturated),  0.5g carbohydrate 

Prep time: 10 minutes plus marinating

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 boneless chicken breasts 4 tbsp olive oil

juice of one lemon

1 clove minced garlic

2 tbsp. dried oregano

Salt and pepper

Method

1. Place all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix until well combined.

2. Cover and refrigerate for an hour. Thread the chicken onto skewers. Cook on the barbecue (or under the grill) for around 8-10 minute or until the juices run clear.