Category: Recipes

I think I have found my favourite pancake recipe!

Enjoyed the other day with a chopped and microwaved apple, and some lovely meridian mincemeat.

It goes like this: 35g wholegrain spelt flour, 50g fruit puree (or apple sauce or pumpkin puree- I like the little pots meant for babies because they are small), 1 tsp baking powder and about 50ml soya milk. Add in cinnamon/ orange essence/ other flavours if you fancy them.

Whisk it all up and cook slowly. Very slowly.

Today (made with pumpkin puree which I think does not work quite as well as the apple sauce) topped with dark chocolate dreams and the most massive pink lady apple (chopped and microwaved and cinnamon-ed).

Yum!

I also attempted to make a nut/veggie loaf over the holidays. It is tasty, but did not turn out quite firm enough. I found this recipe, but then I did not have any eggs, and did not like the sound of the cheese in it (I do not like it when cheese gets overcooked and goes all crispy and this has to bake for a long time), so I did not follow it to the letter. In fact, very loosely! Might be why it didn’t quite work.

Mine had a chopped red onion (instead of shallots) and a chopped carrot cooked in a pan, and some drained cooked lentils (I used dried lentils as they were so much cheaper and don’t need pre-soaking so seemed quite easy) which I cooked in water with a little marmite added.

They went in a bowl with 250g mixed toasted and then chopped nuts, a tin of tomatoes, some herbs and some dried cranberries (got to get something festive in there). I added some flax and chia seeds soaked in water (I thought that might replace the binding of the egg).

It all went into a lined loaf tin and then cooked for about an hour and 15 mins.

It was really tasty, but it did not slice very well. I think if I had cooked it for even longer it would have firmed up more, as the ends were firmed more than the middle. Or maybe use tomato puree instead of the chopped tinned tomatoes next time. But I was hungry! Alongside some hummus, cucumber for dipping and rocket it was delicious and really filling. I sliced (well tried to) up the rest and have put them into the freezer (individually wrapped) to enjoy another time. Or maybe what I would do it bake it on a roasting tin- like a brownie almost- spread it out a bit flat as then it might go more solid and cook more evenly.

Also, I was sent a couple of books to review, so please check out my review page and see what you think of them.

Any recipe successes recently? Or misses? What do you love to have on your pancakes?

Hooray! First up, I managed to track down some lovely Meridian mince pie filling- in the end I went to the health food shop in Welwyn and got the last jar!

So today started with mince pie porridge! Hooray! I made it super liquidy with almond milk (I much prefer it runny- when it gets all thick I find it hard to swallow and I think that is why I didn’t like it in hospital- you could have stood up a spoon in it!) and then added a spoonful of the filling after it was cooked. So good 🙂

As an aside I am feeling much better at the moment- not much paracetamol needed at all, and I can strand up straight and walk normally- phew. (Have no idea why, as nothing has physically changed, but I won’t complain).

Then I realised we had guests this afternoon (Andy’s parents and Grandad) so after thinking about it for ages, I decided to make some sort of mincemeat slices.  I based the recipe loosely on CCK’s crumble bars.

For the base mix 1.5 cups flour (I used wholegrain spelt), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon,1 tsp mixed spice, 1/4 cup melted coconut butter and 2 tbs milk (I used almond milk so these are vegan so long as the mincemeat is vegan).

For the filling mix a jar of mincemeat, 2 small peeled and chopped pears (you could use apples) and a sprinkle of dried cranberries.

Spread the base into a lined pan (I used my brownie pan which is about the size of a 6 hole big muffin pan) and press it down. Bake 180C for 10 mins.

Then spread over the filling.

And top with some marzipan stars (roll it out and cut them out with cookie cutters).

Return to the oven and bake for about 35 mins.

Then dust with icing sugar (or sugar mixed with cinnamon on something).

I used normal mincemeat (which turned out to taste very alcoholic when we had a little piece this afternoon!) but if you used the meridian stuff then that would lower the sugar content etc.

Anyway, I am not a fan of mince pies as I don’t really like pastry, so this is ideal as the base in this is lighter than pastry, plus you get more filling to base ratio. And of course anything with marzipan wins in my opinion!

I also had the most amazing hummus at lunch! Yum!

Yesterday I went to Waitrose (because it has free parking and I wanted to visit the health food shop to look for the mince pie filling, but also because Andy wanted one of their pizzas) and I noticed caramelised onion hummus reduced. I had some today with a lot of cucumber, the rest of the roasted tomato hummus and some little ryvita chilli crackers for dipping, and the hummus is amazing. It goes off tomorrow so I might actually have to eat the rest in one day. Pity. It was a delicious lunch anyway, finished off with some red grapes and clementines. Yum.

The other day (they all merge into one, not sure which day!) I started on my gingerbread house. I only wanted to make a small one, so had loads of dough left over which I made into cookies- gingerbread men and hearts. I also made some pebbles for the roof, but in the end I didn’t think they suited it (I will save that post for another day). Anyway, to make them special (and for gifts) I dipped them in chocolate.

I scooped them back out with a fork, and left them to cool/ harden on baking paper.

Then once they are dry/ hard, gently peel them off and bag them up for gifts.

Dark chocolate and gingerbread just go together so well. 🙂

To bring it back to the mincemeat, I was thinking that a dollop would go rather well on top of pancakes? That may be my boxing day brunch 🙂

Mincemeat- yes or no? And if yes, how do you eat yours? (I know I know it’s not Easter time but I just have it in my head now).

Have a lovely Christmas eve! 🙂

Hey all

As I am rather confined to home at the moment I have been passing a lot of the time watching the food network/ good food channel. I keep seeing loads of Christmas specials (although have not seen the comedy gold that is Fanny Craddock yet this year) and have been recreating a few recipes at home to add to our gift hampers. I saw a version of this recipe, but forgot to write it down/ record the programme/ and could not find it on the internet.

Anyway, on with the recipe:

Mix 3 cups raw almonds, 1 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup coconut in a bowl. Preheat the oven to 180C and line a tray with baking paper.

Then in a small pan gently heat 3 tbs butter (I used Pure spread so they are vegan also), 3 tbs light brown soft sugar, 3 tbs dark brown soft sugar and a squirt of maple syrup.

Let it bubble away for a few minutes, then add a drop of vanilla, a drop of orange extract, a tsp cinnamon and a tsp mixed spice.

Pour the mixture over the nuts and dried fruit, and mix mix mix. Mix until they are all coated in the mixture. It gets very sticky!

Pour it onto the baking tray and spread it out.

Bake for 15-20 mins until they have darkened slightly (but not burnt). Some of the sugars will have gone hard when you take it out. Then leave to cool on the tray for a little bit before breaking it up.

Bag it up ready for gifts, and of course keep some for yourself!

Yum! They smell like Christmas 🙂

As well as giving gifts I was lucky enough to receive one this week- a few friends have popped over this week to keep me company, and one of them (who is the most amazing baker/ sweet maker) made me some salted caramels as a get well gift- in the prettiest bag too!

Seriously, how cute is this bag? Apparently it is for cupcakes but I think caramels are a much better filling!

I also ordered some rawr chocolate- they do Christmas chocolate with is flavoured with orange oil, cinnamon and nutmeg. Again- amazing- tastes like Christmas. 🙂

The only smell that tops it is a gingerbread house. I have made the pieces but not yet stuck it all together/ decorated it yet. I love it so much when we have one for decoration because the smell just drifts through the house the entire time. Mmmm.

What smells do you associate with Christmas? What are your favourite edible gifts to give/ receive?