BAKE

Paleo Crumble with Maple Roasted Rhubarb

Jenny — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:06:46 +0000

As I have mentioned many times before (like here and here), I am trying to make a conscious effort to eat more healthily this year. Sometimes it’s little things like measuring oil in the pan whilst I’m cooking to limit the amount, and sometimes it feels huge like swapping to brown rice and pasta which I am not fond of.

This is definitely one of my new favourite healthier alternative dishes, the white flour, butter and sugar are replaced by a mixture of nuts, seeds and coconut held together with a splash of maple syrup and olive oil. It’s really quick and simple to make and easily customisable so you can use what have in your cupboards.

Head over to the Daily Quirk for the recipe.

Banana and Blueberry Whole Grain Pancakes

Jenny — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:00:46 +0000

I have no idea where last week went, whenever I sat down to do anything blog related something else came up. I guess that’s why people have back up posts lined up, but I have never been known for being organised.

I’ve got some beautiful and funny photos from the last few weeks that I can’t wait to share, but today I want to set my full attention to these pancakes. They are amazing. I read about them on Monet’s fantastic blog Anecdotes and Applecores and I knew I had to make them at the next possible opportunity.

Monet is one of the sweetest bloggers out there, she has an amazing style of writing that makes you feel like you’re sitting in her kitchen drinking a big cup of tea chatting whilst she works. Her cooking is wholesome and prepared with passion of someone who wants to nourish the people she loves. If you haven’t read her blog before, don’t hesitate, head over now.

These pancakes are thick, rich and full of flavour, I am a big fan of any recipe that uses extra fruit and vegetables as I am trying to have a more wholesome diet. The use of buttermilk gives the pancakes a great depth that can’t be achieved with just milk. I made a few changes to the original recipe, substituting melted butter for olive oil, mashing the bananas instead of chopping them, and adding a cup of blueberries because, well pancakes are always better with blueberries.

I found that the sugars from the mashed banana both burnt easily and slowed the pancakes from cooking through quickly so I would recommend cooking these on a low heat.

Banana and Blueberry Whole Grain Pancakes
adapted from Anecdotes and Applecores
Serves 2 hungry people

1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp honey
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup butter milk
2 eggs
1 banana mashed
1 cup blueberries (I used frozen)

In a stand mixer mix the honey, oil, butter milk and eggs until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes)

Add the banana and give a quick whisk until mixed thoroughly.

In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients until well combined.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, followed by the blueberries.

Heat your frying pan to a medium-low heat, and pour spoonfuls of the batter onto it.

Turn when the bottom of the pancake is a golden brown (lift the edge up to check) and the top is set.

Flip over and cook until golden brown.

Continue with the rest of the batter.

Serve hot with maple syrup.

Mexican Tortas with Deconstructed Guacamole

Jenny — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:02:19 +0000

I think Mexican has to be my favourite cuisine. It’s our first choice of restaurant when we go out, and features heavily in our meal planning at home too (I shared my favourite burrito recipe here).

Whilst I’d like to think that I’m quite adventurous with my choice of dishes, I regularly return to the same few recipe.

When looking into a menu to celebrate Cinco de Mayo I was determined to expand on my rather limited and European take on Mexican food. This sandwich incorporates some of my favourite aspects of Mexican cuisine, rich spicy beans with a hit of citrus and plenty of avocado.

Torta fillings vary as widely as burritos, the only constant being the crusty bread roll used. This would be a perfect dish to serve at a summer party with a buffet of fresh vegetable toppings for people to customise their own sandwiches.

Mexican Tortas with Deconstructed Guacamole
serves 2

2 crusty bread rolls
125g chorizo sausage cut into quarters and then into chunks
1 avocado skinned, pitted and sliced
Lime wedges
Finely chopped red chilli
Finely sliced red onion
Fresh coriander leaves
Slices of cheese (I used chilli infused red Leicester)
Shredded lettuce
Sliced tomato
100g refried beans

Heat the refried beans through until warm.

Fry the chorizo until crispy.

Smother the inside of the roll with refried beans, sprinkle with chorizo and cover in cheese.

Place under the grill until the cheese is melted.

Layer slices of avocado and squeeze lime juice over.

Layer the rest of the fillings and enjoy hot.

Gluten Free Chocolate and Hazelnut ‘Nutella’ Brownies

Jenny — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:25:51 +0000

April seems to have sped past in a blur, how is it that a third of 2013 is already gone?

It has been a good month, welcoming friends back to the UK, the eventual passing of winter into spring, and breaking out my cute city bike again after months of it sitting getting dusty in my flat being but a few highlights.

Like quite a few people, the camera roll on my iPhone serves as a handy memory aid, here are a few of my favourite shots from a speedy April.

When googling a recipe for gluten free nutella brownies my search came up disappointingly short. This recipe is adapted from one found at LondonBakes, this is Kathryn’s gluten free chocolate and macadamia nut brownies, replacing the macadamias with hazelnuts to make a nutella version.

The result is a thick fudge like brownie, which you wouldn’t guess is gluten free. The nut flavour is milder than I would have liked but it does come through.

Gluten Free Chocolate and Hazelnut ‘Nutella’ Brownies
adapted from a recipe featured in The Daily Telegraph by Sally Williams
makes approximately 20

300g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa I used 74%)
200g salted butter
4 eggs
200g caster sugar
30g cocoa powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
60g hazelnuts ground in a food processor.

Preheat your oven to 180C, grease and line a 9 inch square tin.

Slowly melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Take when completely melted and mixed together, take the bowl off the pan of hot water and put to one side to cool.

In a separate bowl whisk together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat until well combined.

Sift in the bicarbonate of soda and cocoa then add the ground nuts.

Fold gently with a wooden spoon until combined.

Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 20-30 minutes.

The top of brownies should have browned and an inserted cocktail stick will come out without raw batter on it (it won’t come out clean like with a cake but the brownies shouldn’t still be gooey)

Allow to cool fully before removing from the tin and cutting.

Spelt and Sage Pasta

Jenny — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:00:14 +0000

One day, after months of grey and clouds the sun shone.

It almost sounds like a fairytale, which is why I blew off my extensive to do list, dusted off my summer wardrobe (which I was beginning to think I would never use again) and spent the whole afternoon soaking up weak golden rays.

After a leisurely stroll along the river to watch the ducks (no fluffy ducklings yet) we ended up at the Goods Shed perched on the steps as it was the only seating in the sun, drinking ales and eating olives in chilli and locally produced cave aged cheese.

The change of weather always makes me excited food, thick stews and plates of hearty roasted meats that sounded so appealing at the beginning of winter are being happily traded for salads.

One food type I can eat at any time of year, rain or shine is pasta. I can’t believe that I’ve never tried to make it before. I’d always imagined it would be really difficult and impossible to make without one of those metal pasta makers.

This recipe takes under an hour to make, rest and cook and produces something unlike any pasta you could buy in a supermarket.

Spelt and Sage Pasta
Serves 4

1 1/2 cups spelt flour
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
3 tbsp water
pinch of salt
tbsp olive oil

Mix the dry ingredients together on a clean surface.

Create a well and add the two eggs and water to it.

Slowly mix the wet and dry ingredients together using a fork until combined.

Using your hands knead into a smooth dough.

Roll into a ball then let sit for 30 minutes.

Dust your work surface then using a rolling pin roll the dough to approximately 2mm thick.

Using a sharp knife cut into strips.

Throw into boiling water with a pinch of salt and a tbsp of olive oil and boil for 2 minutes.