Cookies

Posted on September 12, 2015 by TheRobbInn

I usually make a batch of cookies on a Friday morning if I have my grand-kids over;  we all deserve a little treat every-so-often and these delicious cookies really fit the bill.   They can be made with either raisins, sultanas or dark chocolate chips (the darker the better).

Interestingly, recent studies have shown that dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients that can positively affect your health.   Made from the seed of the cocoa tree, it is one of the best sources of antioxidants on the planet.   Studies also show that small amounts of dark chocolate (not the sugary stuff) can be beneficial to us.

INGREDIENTS:

100g oats (I use gluten-free oats)
4 teaspoons coconut oil (solid)
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
50g dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces, raisins or sultanas (I use 90% Cacao Dark Chocolate)
2.5 tablespoons cashew butter

METHOD:

Melt the coconut oil then add to all other ingredients, mixing well.

Chill for at least 15 minutes to allow the mix to stiffen.

Roll teaspoonful amounts into small balls and flatten slightly on oiled baking sheets.

BAKE:  350° for approximately 12 minutes.   Do not overbake.

Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack.

cookies

Cookies with Chocolate Chips

These cookies are also delicious if sprinkled with a small amount of Pink Himalayan salt before cooking.

 

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Sweet Potato Rosti with Fried Egg

Posted on September 11, 2015 by TheRobbInn

It was only yesterday I picked up Sainsbury’s magazine for September 2015.  They often have some very interesting recipes and ideas and this time was no exception much to my husband’s delight when I served it up for his lunch today.

I adjusted the recipe slightly using coconut flour instead of plain flour (my husband is wheat intolerant) and left out the sweetcorn.  I also used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil.

INGREDIENTS:

300g sweet potato, peeled and coarsely grated

1 small red onion, finely sliced

2 large eggs (3 if you want two fried)

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

3 tbsp coconut flour (Buckwheat flour would work just as well)

2 tbsp coconut oil

METHOD:

Mix together the sweet potato and the onion.

Beat one of the eggs with the paprika and some salt and pepper.

Sprinkle the flour over the sweet potato mixture, add the beaten egg and mix together thoroughly with your hands.

Preheat a large frying pan with a little of the coconut oil.

Divide the rosti mixture into 4 and squeeze between your hands to form loose patties.

Put them in the frying pan and flatten slightly.

Fry on a medium heat for 8 – 10 minutes turning carefully once.

When the rostis are cooked, transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm whilst you fry the egg(s) until cooked to your liking.

Serve the rostis and egg(s) with a sprinke of either paprika or black pepper.

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Sainsbury’s magazine recommend serving this dish with an Avocado Salsa which would be very tasty but as we were having avocado with our dinner tonight, I gave that a miss.

Verdict:  Delicious, easy and very quick to make.  My sweet potato was huge so I used two eggs to bind and found that it made six patties.  I have frozen the remainder.

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Coconut and Chia Bircher

Posted on September 10, 2015 by TheRobbInn

When I see a recipe, I often make it the first time just as it says in the book, then tweak it a bit here, a bit there to suit our tastes.  The following recipe originated from the book The Art of Eating Well by Hemsley and Hemsley and was called Buckwheat Groat Bircher Muesli.  They recommended that instead of the groats, one could use coconut and chia which is what I did and the result was awesome !!

This is an overnight dish and I often make a larger quantity as it keeps for a few days in the fridge.

Ingredients:

40g shredded coconut (desiccated)

2 tablespoons chia seeds

2 – 3 tablespoons of your favourite seeds, ie pumpkin, sunflower etc.  (I usually have a supply of a Crunchy Trail Seed Mix in my store cupboard which is perfect for this)

125g full-fat probiotic natural yoghurt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp raw honey

1 large apple, grated with skin on

Method:

Mix the coconut and chia with a few tablespoons of water and then mix in all the other ingredients before you go to bed.  Leave covered in your fridge.

In the morning the chia will have absorbed the liquid and swelled to make a Bircher pudding.

Serve with a handful of your favourite seasonal berries, some toasted desiccated coconut and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.  The choice is yours.

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Coconut and Chia Bircher served with fresh strawberries and a dollop of probiotic natural yoghurt.

Although this is strictly speaking a breakfast dish, my husband will eat a bowlful at any time if he spots it in the fridge.  The last time I made it, instead of strawberries, I stirred in some frozen mixed berries and it was delicious.

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Roasted Peppers and White Bean Mash served with Lemon Pepper Chicken

Posted on September 9, 2015 by TheRobbInn

I cooked this recipe for the first time a few weeks ago whilst staying on the Isle of Wight (I’m often over on the Island as I love it so much).
The recipe is from The Medicinal Chef cookbook by Dale Pinnock and is absolutely delicious and simple to make.

INGREDIENTS:

4 peppers cut into long, wide strips

2 courgettes, sliced into 2.5cm chunks

2 garlic cloves, crushed

400g tin/carton cannellini beans, drained

400g tin/carton butter beans, drained

small handful of fresh coriander, coarsely chopped

1/2 lemon, juiced

sea salt and black pepper

Olive oil

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 180°.  Put the peppers and courgettes into a roasting tin and drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Add half of the crushed garlic.   Roast in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until soft (I like them just with a little colour to the edges).

Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a pan;  add the remaining garlic and cook gently for 1-2 minutes until it begins to turn fragrant.  Add the drained beans and stir well until heated through.

Mash the beans in the same way as you would mash potato.  Instead of adding milk and butter, add a little extra-virgin olive oil to give it a creamy texture.

Stir in the chopped coriander, the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

I coated my butterflied chicken fillets with a lemon zest/pepper mix and then cooked them in a George Foreman grill for just four minutes so they were really succulent.

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Roasted Peppers and Courgettes on a White Bean Mash served with Lemon Pepper Chicken

This was a definite hit with my husband and the peppers/mash could be served on their own or with a variety of salads or meat.  A very versatile, tasty dish.

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Egg Muffins

Posted on September 8, 2015 by TheRobbInn

Simple, easy and quick to make – Egg Muffins are one of my favourite picnic foods for when my husband and I go Geocaching. If there are any leftovers (rare) they are eaten for breakfast the next day.

No special ingredients are needed and they can be useful for using up any remnants  in the fridge.

Today I used chopped onion, chopped green pepper, a little grated cheddar cheese and freshly chopped chives from the garden together with a dash of salt and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.

Often I will add some ham or chicken, sweetcorn, spinach – absolutely anything together with fresh herbs from the garden.

I prefer using silicone cases as the muffins just drop straight out.  I find they stick to paper cases.  Today I had to use my cupcake cases as I have left my slightly larger muffin cases on the Isle of Wight.

Six large eggs and filling will usually make twelve muffins.

Pop your fillings into the cases;  whisk the eggs with an electric mixer until nice and frothy (add salt and pepper to taste) and pour over the fillings to the top of the case.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at about 170° or until well risen and slightly crispy on top.

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Quick and easy Egg Muffins

 

After a 9km walk collecting an amazing 24 geocaches around Pirbright today, my husband and I sat in the sunshine on the village green with our picnic of Egg Muffins, Banana and Raisin Loaf, fresh bananas and apples and a jug of coffee – it was bliss !!!

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Banana and Raisin Loaf

Posted on September 7, 2015 by TheRobbInn

Sitting in my kitchen at the moment is my first attempt at this Banana and Raisin Loaf courtesy of Deliciously Ella.  As I subscribe to her blog, the email had only dropped into my inbox a couple of days ago and immediately this ‘delicious’ looking loaf caught my eye.

loaf

Banana and Raisin Loaf

This is a delightfully moist bread almost reminiscent of the old-fashioned bread pudding I used to make using “proper” bread (not this imitation steam-baked stuff we can buy nowadays).  I ate the end slice whilst still hot from the oven and immediately developed hiccups (I should have left it to cool down).  It slices perfectly once cold and although absolutely yummy on its own, could be served up with some nut butter or honey.

Ingredients:

300g oats (I use gluten-free)

5 over-ripe bananas (I used six as mine were quite small)

150g raisins

1 small jar apple puree (350g).  (I keep tubs of unsweetened apple puree in the freezer so used one of these)

6 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla powder (I used vanilla extract)

Mash the bananas with a fork or with a mixer and put them in a large bowl.   Grind the oats into a flour in a food processor.  Melt the coconut oil then mix all ingredients together.

Grease a loaf tin with a little coconut oil (the base of my tin was 20cm x 9cm).  Add the mix to the tin and bake for 50 minutes at 180° or until a knife comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the tin for at least 30 minutes to finish setting.

Turn out and try to leave until cool before slicing and eating.

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