Author: Maria Runs

So after my success of making almond milk the other day, I was left with a lot of almond pulp. I scanned google for various recipes, but nothing took my fancy. I saw a few cheesecake recipes, where they used the almond pulp mixed with cashews and other bits for the topping, and I love the base of the raw pecan brownies. So I came up with this;

Makes 12 mini cheesecakes.

Crust;

1 cup pecans

1 cup brazils

12 dates

1/4cup dessicated coconut

1 tsp cinnamon

Topping

1/2 cup soaked cashews

1/2 cup almond pulp

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

3 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla

Directions (super easy!)

Blend up the ingredients for the crust.

Dates, brazils, pecans, coconut and cinnamon.

Spoon into cake cases (or make one big one)

Press it down firmly.

Then blend up the filling- leave it to churn a bit longer.

Cashews, almond pulp, coconut oil, honey, orange juice, vanilla.

Then spoon onto the base.

Leave these to set in the fridge.

And enjoy with some peach tea 🙂

I have put the rest in the freezer to be enjoyed at my leisure. They were very sweet so I think you could easily reduce the amount of honey further (most recipes I saw had more but I thought it sounded a lot!). Or sub with agave/ some other syrup to make them vegan.

Although I still have a lot of almond pulp left over- I have been trawling for recipes but so many need dehydrators (0r 12 hours in the oven- no thanks!) and it seems you can use it as a replacement for flour, so I might just use 1/2 pulp and 1/2 flour next time I make cookies and keep my fingers crossed. Any other ideas?

Hey peeps

Today is a damp and drizzly day- I did brave a walk up to the shops this morning (managed to pick up a couple more Christmas pressies) but it was cold- I wish I had gloves and a scarf as my raincoat is very thin.

I was meant to be going out for lunch, but it got cancelled. So I got on with some baking. I saw on Lucy’s blog a link to some amazing looking caramel apple bars, and there is a competition on the pink whisk for apple recipes, so I decided to make them. I weighed out the ingredients (well, most of them!)as the original recipe is in cups.

First up, line a brownie pan and preheat the oven to 180C, then mix 1/2 apple sauce (I used 1 apple chopped in a food processor) with 1/2 cup pb (80g), 1/4 butter (30g- I used pure spread).

Then add in 2 cups oats (150g), 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup caster sugar (200g sugar in total), 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp vanilla.

Then add in 2 chopped apples (I used one russet from my box and one pink lady, but any you like are fine) and 1 cup white chocolate chips (forgot to weigh, maybe 100g?).

Spread the mixture into the pan.

And bake for 30 mins, remove and leave to cool for 5 mins.

Then make some caramel sauce (or use shop bought stuff)- this was 1tbs pure spread, 2 tbs sugar, 1tsb golden syrup and a splash of milk. I microwaved it for 20 seconds at a time, then stirred it (and near the end, 10 seconds at a time)- it bubbles right up. Put a tiny blob on a cold plate to check that it turns into caramel.

Then pour over the cooling apple cake.

Leave it to cool completely before slicing, and try not to eat them all at once!

Oh WOW is all I can say. They are amazing! Sooooooooo amazing. The apple is sweet, the peanut butter is rich, the caramel sauce is gooey…… need I go on?

Were you a fan of caramel/ toffee apples? I never found them easy to eat- I would rather have some sauce to dip slices into, for example;

Yum- a toffee apple dip from Graze.

Caramel and apples just go together mmmmmmm.

Quinsotto? Risottoa? I think I like quinsotto.

This week I received a lovely package from the super folks at Delamere Dairy.

Lots of goats cheese- yum! They asked me if I would share some of my goats cheese recipes on here, and I was very happy to help!

So on Wednesday this week I made a butternut, beetroot and goats cheese quinsotto (serves 2).

I roasted a peeled butternut squash previously (from my squash box yay), so the pieces were in the fridge. But if you were making it you would need to roast it first- takes about 30 mins, and I like to sprinkle on some rosemary.

Step 1- cook the quinoa. I only had 60g left, but would probably have used 100g if I had any more. Put it in water (about twice the amount of water, but top up if it gets dry) and add a tsp vegetable stock (I used vecon). It takes about 10 mins until the quinoa goes “squiggly).

Step 2- chop up half the butternut squash, and mash the other half.

Step 3 – Add 2 or 3 chopped beetroots (cooked).

Step 4- Add the choppped and mashed butternut. Leave to cook for about 10 mins so it all heats through. Add some dried rosemary.

Step 5- serve topped with crumbled goats cheese- I used the log with herbs.

This was delicious!

I also made black bean goats cheese wraps earlier in the week- very similar to kidney bean wraps.

In the pan- one chopped red onion, 1 yellow pepper chopped, 1 drained tin black eyed beans, 2 tbs tomato puree, 1 tsp easy chilli, 1 small drained tin of sweetcorn.

Then spoon the mixture onto a wrap, and sprinkle some goats cheese on the top (I used the honey goats cheese).

Either roll up and place on a greased dish and bake for 10 mins.

Or leave the wrap open and place in a smaller dish. I like this option as I get more filling and less wrap! Again bake for 10 mins.

Serve with some salad (and raspberry basil dressing yum). Delicious 🙂

I have lots more recipe ideas which will be appearing over the next few weeks 🙂 What do you love goats cheese with? I think it goes so well with beetroot, squash, caramelised onions, figs…

Hey peeps. Gosh half way through half term already- doesn’t time fly when you are having fun?

Last night (in case you missed it) I went to see Ash play in London. They have always been on of my fave bands, and I have seen them several times- I even did my first crowd surfing at an Ash gig (and we saw them supported by Coldplay who just before playing “Yellow” said “this is going to be a massive hit”- how right they were)! This gig was Free All Angels (one of their albums) so they played the whole album (which was weird as there are some brilliant tracks, but some not so brilliant ones)- they totally funked up Submission which was very cool. Charlotte was back as a special guest (she joined the band when they did A Life Less Ordinary and Nu Clear Sounds and I love her- she is so cool!)which was brilliant as she adds an extra guitar to the mix as well as lovely vocals. Then they had a break (can’t take the pace?) and played a sort of best of (Oh Yeah, Life Less Ordinary, stuff like that, although nothing off their First album – I was hoping for Petrol ), went off and came back on again, for a couple more songs including Kung Fu(which has the coolest single cover ever in my opinion- check out that link if you want!). Anyway it was brilliant, although my ears were ringing so much! I used to go to gigs all the time- think my ears are already damaged from that!

Anyway, it is time for WIAW!

Thanks to Jenn for hosting the party. If you have not joined in, then check out the how to.

I chose Sunday as my day this week. It was a rest day, as on the Saturday I had run 10 miles. I did have a nice walk in the afternoon and the weather was so warm.

Breakfast;

Pumpkin pancakes- these did not turn out well- too squidgy, although they tasted fab. With some apples cooked with a little pumpkin puree and spices. Topped with whole earth caramel chocolate swirl spread. (Red onion squash out ready for later)

Lunch;

Rice pudding (flaked rice cooked in Kara coconut milk) topped with more cooked apples + pumpkin puree mixture. I think (?) I had a slice of toast too, maybe with hummus? And a pear. I think! Yeah let’s change the name to what I think I ate.

Post walk Snack;

One of the almond date fudge bars. So delicious- make them now!

Dinner;

Red onion squash and chickpea stew, topped with goats cheese and served with sweet potato fries. Sooooooo good!

I also had some mint tea and a mini pumpkin pie cheesecake thing.The cases stained the pie mix though- not so good.

So I basically managed pumpkin/ squash for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a late night snack! 🙂

Do you have days when you get obsessed by a particular ingredient? I could happily have apples for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks but I try to get some kind of variety!

Do you love going to see live bands? I used to be obsessed- living close to London meant we could go to see most bands when they toured- I love it when bands change up and rock up the songs live- I saw an amazing Foo Fighters gig where Dave Grohl went and did an awesome drumming solo which went on for about 5 mins and was amazing (he used to be the drummer in Nirvana) and then the most rocking Muse gig at a tent at Reading festival. I just love it when they rock or change stuff up- I would much rather that than just hear exactly what it sounds like on an album- I could just play it loud at home. 🙂