As mentioned in the posts, the quality and diversity of food are essential to good mental health. Cutting out ultra-processed foods and introducing fermented foods will improve both body and mind. However, we are all on a mental health continuum and will feel low mood at some point, so food that brings you comfort can help in these situations, as long as you don’t make a habit of it. My comfort food is rooted in my childhood, as a main course of Toad in the Hole and a dessert of Spotted Dick, both UK classics. I have chosen a gluten-free version here because many people are born with Coeliac disease and much of this website talks about those people who are marginalised through no fault of their own. I would serve a diverse selection of freshly cooked vegetables with Toad in the Hole but have left out the ingredients as this depends on taste.

Comfort food of main course Toad in the Hole with gravy and a dessert of Spotted Dick with custard
Toad in the Hole with gravy ………………………………………….. Spotted Dick with custard

Toad in the Hole (Gluten-free version) serves 4

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Roasting Tin 20x30cm

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 6 gluten-free sausages
  • 100g/3½oz cornflour or tapioca starch
  • 3 free-range eggs
  • 150ml/¼ pint milk
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • vegetables to serve

For the Gravy

  • 50g/1¾oz butter
  • 3 tbsp gluten-free plain flour
  • 500ml/18fl oz gluten-free beef or chicken stock
  • ½ tsp gravy browning
  • ½ tsp black pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Pour the oil into a roasting tin. Arrange the sausages in the tin, then roast them in the oven for 10 minutes until the sausages show signs of browning.
  2. Meanwhile, combine the cornflour and eggs in a large mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Whisk together until smooth, add half the milk and whisk again until smooth and lump-free. Whisk in the remaining milk.
  3. Remove the roasting tin from the oven, quickly pour the batter on top of the sausages and immediately return to the oven.
  4. Cook for about 25 minutes until the sausages have browned, and the batter is crispy, golden and risen. Do not open the oven during cooking to check on it, as this will cause it to deflate instantly!
  5. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Add the butter to a small saucepan over low–medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk until it forms a smooth paste. Add the stock, gravy browning, and black pepper and stir well. Bring to the boil and simmer until it thickens. Allow to cool for 5 minutes—the gravy will thicken more as it cools.
  6. Serve the toad in the hole with vegetables and gravy on the side.

Spotted Dick (Gluten-free version) serves 4

Equipment

  • 0.65L pudding basin
  • Mixing bowl
  • Spatula
  • Baking paper
  • Foil/aluminium
  • Kitchen Scales
  • Steamer (you can use a bowl with water in it instead of a steamer)

Ingredients

  • 115 g gluten-free self-raising flour
  • 50 g caster sugar
  • 50 g gluten-free vegetable suet
  • 75 g raisins or currants
  • 25 g candied mixed peel
  • 100 ml milk or dairy-free milk if you prefer
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp oil (I use vegetable or sunflower) to grease pudding basin

Method

  1. The first thing to do is grease your pudding basin. I also add a disk of greaseproof paper to the bottom or press a cupcake case flat and pop that into the basin to aid with the removal of the pudding.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add the gluten-free self-raising flour, the gf suet, dried fruits, sugar and salt and give it a quick mix to combine.
  3. Next, start pouring in the milk. Do this in stages and keep mixing. You’re looking for a sticky but stiff batter.
  4. Scoop the sticky batter into the prepared pudding basin and smooth out any lumps and bumps.
  5. Now, you need to cover it with greaseproof paper and foil. To do this, I created an expansion joint in the layers. (It’s unlikely this pudding will rise above the top of the basin; this is just a precaution.)
  6. Finally, secure the paper and foil either by tucking them under the basin or adding a decent-sized elastic band. (You can also fashion a handle out of string or foil to lift the bowl out of the steamer/bowl after steaming).
  7. Place the basin into your steamer. I use a three-tier hob steamer and remove one of the tiers.
    NOTE: make sure you add enough boiled water to the bottom pan, you don’t want this to boil dry. If you don’t have a steamer, place the covered basin in a large bowl and pour water in so that with expansion, the boiling water will not overflow into the basin. Cover the bowl and heat on the hob.
  8. Steam for 1.5 hours, checking the water levels after 1 hour and topping up if necessary.
  9. After 1.5 hours, carefully remove the paper and foil and insert a wooden skewer to check it comes out clean.
  10. Remove from the steamer and set aside for 5 minutes before freeing the pudding from the sides of the basin with a rounded knife. Finally, invert onto a plate to serve.

Want to make the rolled-up version?

  1. Follow all the steps above, but instead, lay out a layer of foil and add an equal-sized layer of greaseproof paper. Then dust with flour.
  2. Scoop dollops of the batter onto the paper and foil and tease it into a sausage/roly-poly shape.
  3. Wrap the mixture in the paper and foil and squeeze the ends to secure tightly.
  4. Place this in the streamer/bowl as above (but only for 1hr).

For the Custard

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp custard powder
  • 4 tbsp castor sugar
  • 1 litre/4 cups full cream milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

  1. In a saucepan mix the custard powder with the sugar and half a cup of milk. Then add the eggs and whisk. Add the vanilla. Whisk in the remaining milk and cook over a low heat until it almost comes to the boil and thickens.