Creamy Greens

Creamy Miso & Garlic Greens with Butter Beans

A cosy, creamy and super versatile dinner that's packed with greens, butter beans and plenty of flavour from miso, garlic and soy sauce. This is one of those recipes that's perfect for a busy weeknight, meal prepping for the week ahead or keeping in the freezer for those days when you need something easy.

Creamy greens and butter beans!

I love serving this creamy sauce with rice, pasta, rice noodles or crispy potatoes, but you can really make it your own depending on what you have in the kitchen. The butter beans can easily be swapped for chickpeas, tofu or another protein of your choice, and you can switch up the vegetables too — making this a great 'use up what you have' recipe.

The roasted courgette ribbons add a lovely texture and sweetness, while the miso, garlic and coconut milk create a creamy, savoury sauce that's seriously comforting.

Ingredients

• 2 courgettes

• 1–2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp chilli flakes

• 1 tsp garlic granules

• 1 onion, finely diced

• 1 tbsp miso paste

• 1 tsp garlic paste

• 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce or tamari

• 1 x 400ml can of coconut milk

• 1 x 400g can of butter beans, drained and rinsed

• 100g frozen peas

• 100g frozen spinach

  
  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

2. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the courgettes into ribbons and spread them evenly across a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over the chilli flakes and garlic granules. Toss until well coated.

3. Roast the courgettes for 20–22 minutes, until softened and slightly golden.

4. Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat.

Diced onion ready to start making the sauce.

5. Add the diced onion and cook for 5–10 minutes, with the miso paste, garlic paste and gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.

6. Add the drained butter beans and fry for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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7. Pour in the coconut milk and stir everything together. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce has thickened slightly.

8. Stir through the frozen peas, roasted courgette and spinach and cook for a few more minutes, until the peas are heated through and the spinach has completely wilted.

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9. I love to serve this over a bed of rice or pasta, but it's also great alongside crusty bread or as the filling in a jacket potato.

The finished dish with all the greens stirred through

Swaps & Additions

Make it your own: This recipe is really flexible, so don't worry if you don't have exactly the vegetables listed. Try adding broccoli, kale, mushrooms, peppers or whatever needs using up in your fridge.

Change the protein: Swap the butter beans for chickpeas, tofu or another protein of your choice.

Make it extra spicy: Add more chilli flakes or a drizzle of chilli oil when serving.

Keep it gluten-free: Make sure to use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.

Storing & Freezing

This is a great recipe to make ahead. Allow the sauce to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and keeping it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

It can also be frozen in portions, making it perfect for those evenings when you need something quick and comforting. Defrost thoroughly before reheating and heat until piping hot throughout.

If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to follow me over on Instagram @rubysgfkitchen, where I share lots more gluten-free recipes, sweet treats and easy meal ideas! I'm always creating and sharing new recipes over there, so it's the best place to keep up with what I've been making recently.

Happy Cooking,

Ruby x

A gluten-free experience of Cardiff

A Gluten-Free Weekend in Cardiff (With Lewis Capaldi!)

For my birthday, my parents surprised the whole family with tickets to see Lewis Capaldi in Cardiff. After a very long six-month wait (thank you, December birthday), the day finally arrived! Knowing we’d need some good food to fuel all the excitement, I did a lot of pre-show research into the best gluten-free lunch spots in Cardiff, as well as breakfast options for the next morning.

We travelled into Cardiff by train from Barry, where we were staying (big Gavin & Stacey fans over here). On the journey, we debated which gluten-free-friendly spot to visit from my carefully researched list. Cardiff has loads of popular chain restaurants with gluten-free options, including ASK, Côte, Wagamama, Pho, Honest Burgers, and Wahaca. We originally planned to go to Honest Burgers, a family favourite, but decided to swing by Wahaca first to see how busy it was, as it would have been a brand-new place for both me and my sister. Then we spotted a sign advertising free margaritas for anyone seeing Lewis Capaldi that day, and that sealed the deal.

When we arrived at Wahaca, the staff immediately asked if anyone had allergies and brought me over a separate gluten-free menu, which they talked through in detail. There’s a dedicated gluten-free section, as well as another section for those with milder gluten sensitivities where shared fryers are used. The fully gluten-free options included starters like guacamole with tortilla chips, nachos, and confit garlic dip. There was a great variety of tacos and small plates too, including mushroom tacos, grilled broccoli, and pork, beef, or chicken tacos, as well as larger plates such as the grilled sea bass taco board and sunshine bowls with ingredients like quinoa, avocado, and cherry tomatoes, topped with either chicken or halloumi.

I went for the sea bass taco board, which came with a piece of grilled sea bass topped with crispy capers, pineapple salsa, and a sesame and nut dip. The tacos were served separately in a little bag so you could fill them yourself, which I loved.

The sea bass was light and full of flavour, with beautifully charred edges and crispy skin. The pineapple salsa added a fresh zing, while the sesame and nut dip gave great texture and richness. The wraps were served warm and were super soft and flexible, with no tearing or falling apart.

After a couple more cocktails, we headed off to explore the shops and the sale sections before making our way to the concert venue.

As dinner time rolled around, we were a bit nervous about how much gluten-free choice there would be at an outdoor concert. In need of some pre-dancing fuel, we explored the food stalls and I was pleasantly surprised by what we found. While the usual burgers and pizzas were a no-go, there were still plenty of options, including a jacket potato stand with loads of toppings, curry and rice, multiple places offering gluten-free chips, and even a crêpe stand with gluten-free options.

We chose a completely gluten- and dairy-free paella stand, sharing the vegan paella packed with white beans, chickpeas, green beans, and peas. We also grabbed a portion of oregano and paprika fries from a Greek stall, which were hot, crispy, and full of flavour.

The hunt for gluten-free options in Barry was a little trickier, to the point where I almost gave up. That was until some determined Googling led me to Heavenly Vegan Coffee, a fully vegan café in the heart of Barry offering loads of gluten-free options. The menu included unique drinks like smoothies and milkshakes, alongside gluten-free toasties, breakfast sandwiches, avocado toast, mushrooms on toast, and what really caught my eye — pancakes.

They offer gluten-free pancakes in flavours such as blueberry and lemon, tiramisu, and apple crumble, and I went straight for the apple crumble. I felt completely safe ordering, as the chef came out personally to reassure me that all surfaces are thoroughly cleaned before cooking the pancakes. What arrived was a stack of two thick buckwheat pancakes, cooked to golden perfection, topped with soft stewed apples, a crunchy sweet crumble, and a side of thick homemade soy custard. They were honestly heavenly. It’s so rare to find gluten-free pancakes, especially with such fun and unique flavours, and these were easily the best gluten-free pancakes I’ve ever had.

On the takeaway counter, they also had gluten-free Basque cheesecakes in flavours like blueberry crumble and tiramisu, which I’m definitely going to try recreating at home.

If you have any recommendations you think I should try, or if you want to keep up with where I’m eating and what I’m baking, head over to my Instagram @rubysgfkitchen to stay up to date.

Happy exploring,

Ruby x

Exploring Exeter's Gluten Free Options...

A Gluten-Free Weekend in Exeter: Cafés, Bakeries & City Wanders

Having the idea to visit Exeter for the first time became a real possibility when one of my friends moved there for university. After talking about it for ages, we finally made it happen this year. Alongside plenty of shopping and city exploring, we fuelled our tourist time with some seriously good food. Before going, I did a proper hunt for gluten-free spots—and I was pleasantly surprised by how much choice Exeter has to offer.

There were plenty of reliable chains like Bill’s, Bella Italia and Zizzi, all of which cater well for gluten-free diets, but we were keen to find more local gems.

Lunch with a View

For lunch on arrival, we headed to Eat on the Green, which has a gorgeous view of Exeter Cathedral. Their gluten-free options were impressive—classic and vegetarian English breakfasts, omelettes, topped toasts, burgers, and even fish and chips.

I was in a sandwich mood, and they kindly made me a salmon and avocado sandwich on request. The bread really surprised me: soft, light, and not crumbly at all. It was generously filled with smoked salmon and chunky avocado—perfect fuel for an afternoon of exploring.

Mid-Afternoon Matcha & Sweet Treats

We later stumbled into Devon Coffee for a mid-afternoon matcha and were delighted to find a whole selection of gluten-free cookies in loads of flavours. A very dangerous discovery!

A Takeaway Treat

After a long day of walking and shopping, we took full advantage of free delivery on Deliveroo, which meant I could enjoy one of my favourites—Pho.

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I always try to order something new because the menu is so extensive, but this time I couldn’t resist my go-to choices. I ordered the summer rolls with peanut dipping sauce (an absolute must) and the vegetable salad with added tofu—because their tofu is unbeatable. Everything was fresh, vibrant, and full of flavour, making it the perfect end to day one.

A gluten free bakery

On the morning of day two, we had one main goal: visiting Cocorico, a 100% gluten-free bakery I’d found on the Find Me GF app. There was so much choice—brownies, flapjacks, frangipane slices—that it took me a while to decide.

I eventually chose the cherry and almond flapjack, and it did not disappoint. Chewy cherry pieces, a soft but sturdy flapjack base, and crunchy almond flakes—it was absolutely delicious. With so many flavour options, there’s definitely something for everyone. I also loved being able to watch them baking, and at just £2.90, the price was great too.

Final Thoughts

Although it was a short trip, we found some fantastic gluten-free spots and will 100% be back for round two—both to discover more places and to visit my friend again.

Happy exploring,

Ruby x