Chocolate Chunk Cherry Cake

It is a little early to be talking about cherries in the UK… a few months early… but it is exciting to see cherries ready on the trees. We might even get some this year instead of the birds. They have already done an excellent job of eating the cherry and plum tree leaves – I had no idea they were that tasty…

We were given a bag of cherries from a friend who takes the left overs from a market for her chickens and gives us a huge portion of it to feed little piggy and chooks. Some were on the turn, queue cherry baking time.

I’ve got a favourite cherry cake recipe (find it here Cherries) but I was lacking in some ingredients and, to be honest, I wanted chocolate cake 😛

So I trawled the internet to find a chocolate one that had the ingredients we had in the house. I had just enough to make one from https://www.kitchensanctuary.com

It is most definitely not my own creation even though I would love to take credit for it, but it is so delicious that I think the word should be spread. It is a new favourite chocolate cake.

Flourless with ground almonds, fresh cherries, chocolate chunks in a chocolate cake, lovely gooey texture – what is not to like?!

Chocolate Chunk Cherry Cake

(Serves 10)

-225g butter, softened -200g granulated sugar -1tsp vanilla extract -4 eggs -200g ground almonds -50g cocoa powder -1tsp baking powder -100g dark chocolate -100g dark or milk chocolate cut into chunks -200g fresh cherries

1. Preheat oven to 170C. Line a 20cm/9inch deep cake tin with baking parchment.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and the sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Mix in the vanilla extract and the eggs one at a time until well incorporated into the mixture.
4. Stir in the ground almonds, cocoa powder and baking powder, mixing well to combine.
5. Melt 100g of dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over the hob or in a microwave. Mix into the cake mixture followed by the chunks of unmelted chocolate.
6. Scrape the contents of the bowl into the prepared baking tin.
7. Remove the stems from the cherries and cut them open, removing the stones from the centre. Scatter the cherries over the top of the cake’s surface.
8. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin before transferring to the wire rack to cool completely. It is also delicious served warm.
9. When completely cold, store in an airtight container for up to three days.

Recipe: Celeriac Mash

I’ll confess – I was originally making celeriac soup, but it ended up as a sort of mashed potato like variation.

With just the addition of some fried onion, salt and pepper, this versatile dish makes an excellent addition to any dinner with lots of veg sides or as a different replacement for mashed potato.

To learn about Celeriac, click here.

Celeriac Mash

(Serves 6-8) 

-2 large celeriacs -one large onion -olive oil -200-400ml boiled water -dash of salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Peel the celeriacs and cut them into think pieces. Place them on a non-stick roasting tray, dribble olive oil over the top, and roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until just starting to turn crisp. Leave to cool.
2. Slice the onion and fry in olive oil until golden brown.
3. In a food processor, add the celeriac and the fried onion. Blitz.
4. Add a little of the boiling water and blitz again. Continue to add boiling water until you get a mashed potato looking consistency. Add the salt and pepper and blitz again.
5. Tip the contents of the food processor into a non-stick deep based pan and bring to the boil.
6. Serve hot or cold.

Tip: why not add some freshly picked herbs? Thyme, oregano, rosemary, coriander, parsley, sage, lemongrass…

Ps. roasted celeriac sliced thinly can make great chips. 

Mushroom Quinoa Pot

SO… I never did get quite round to growing my quinoa this year.

I’ve finished uni and am now off to the next training course so the veg patch and blog have been neglected this year. But that does not mean that we can’t dream for the future! Fancy growing your own quinoa? Take a look at one of my oldest blog posts here: Quinoa

Despite not growing it this year, how about a little veggie recipe to inspire you?

Mushroom Quinoa Pot

(Serves 2)

-1 large onion, sliced -Olive oil, for frying -450g tomato passata/ sauce -100g quinoa -8 button mushrooms -4 oregano leaves -Sprig of thyme -1tbsp soy sauce -1 1/2tbsp Worcester sauce -Rocket, to serve

1. Slice the onion and place in a non-stick pan with the olive oil. Fry until golden brown and then add the tomato passata or sauce.
2. Add the quinoa and bring to the boil.
3. Cut the mushrooms into fine slices and add, stirring in. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover with a lid. Leave for approximately ten minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the quinoa has cooked and absorbed some of the tomato sauce.
4. Tear up the oregano and thyme and stir in followed by the soy sauce and Worcester sauce. Leave to simmer for another few minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and serve along with fresh rocket.

First salad of 2019 harvested & recipe

Picked our first spinach, rocket and crinkled cress yesterday.

Yummy and fresh.

Now they may look like they are on top of a pile of goo – and it is a pile of goo – but it is very good goo which is meant to look prettier but I cooked it for too long. It is meant to look like this:

(From Banyan Botanicals Website — thank you)

It is kitchari – a traditional Ayurvedic recipe which is meant to be gentle and nourishing for the digestive system. Kitchari, which literally means mixture, is a blend of rice and usually spilt lentils with spices and an assortment of vegetables of choice. A one-pot dish, kitchari originates from Asia and has references dating back thousands of years. The use of spices and vegetables can produce balancing effects for the three bodily dosas in Ayurvedic medicine. Rice and mung dal together create a balanced food that is a good protein combination and is tridoshic. This complete food is easy to digest and gives strength and vitality and nourishes all the tissues of the body.

There are many different recipes with variations and this is just one recipe that I have tried from Banyan Botanicals. It is surprisingly quick and easy to prepare. It can be frozen if needed but best eaten fresh.

Kitchari 

(Serves 4)

• 1/2cup yellow mung dal
• 1 cup rice
• 2tbsp ghee/ coconut oil
• 1tsp black mustard seeds
• 1tsp cumin seeds
• 1 small pinch of asafoetida (hing) powder
• 1tsp turmeric powder
• 1tsp coriander powder
• 4 thin slices fresh root ginger
• 6 cups of water
• 1-2 cups of vegetables (e.g. sweet potato, courgettes (zucchini), squash, celery, carrot, beetroot etc.) cut into small bite-sized pieces
• Fresh herbs to top, optional

1. Soak the dal overnight in water. Drain.
2. In a non-stick pan, warm the ghee/coconut oil. Add all of the spices an sauté for a minute or two. Add the rice and dal and sauté like a pilau for a couple more minutes. Add 6 cups of water and bring to the boil.
3. Cover and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes until the rice and dal is cooked.
4. Add the vegetables half way through the cooking process, stir and allow to slowly cook for the remaining time.
5. Add more water if needed. From Banyan Botanicals: Typically, kitchari is the consistency of a vegetable stew as opposed to a broth. A thinner consistency is preferable if your digestion is weak. You will notice that kitchari will thicken when it cools and you may need more water than you originally thought.

A good vegetable stew that can us homegrown produce. Enjoy!

https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/diet/how-to-make-kitchari/

https://www.ayurveda.com/recipes/kitchari

 

Blueberry Oats

Some nice little berry biscuit treats. Very simple, only uses three ingredients, vegetarian/gluten/vegan friendly. Cooked blueberries are surprisingly delicious…

Blueberry Oats

-4 medium sized ripe bananas -1-3cups of porridge oats -1 cup of blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a square tray with baking parchment.
2. Mash the bananas in a bowl.
3. Stir in the oats with a fork, a cup at a time, until the oats seem to have absorbed the banana. The mixture should cling together, like a biscuit mixture, and be a little sticky. Be careful not to overdo it with the oats so that it is too dry.
4. Stir in the blueberries.
5. Scrape the contents of the bowl onto the prepared tray. Using the fork, press down onto the mixture, smoothing it out over the surface of the tray. You want it to be thinnish and flat. Think flapjacks.
6. Cut the flattened mixture into squares before placing in the centre of the oven and cooking for about 10-15 minutes, or until the oats are golden brown and the blueberries are cooked.
7. Leave to cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Blueberry Lemon Cake

Come on summer…

Blueberry Lemon Cake

-225g granulated sugar -2tbsp lemon juice -180g plain flour -2tsp baking powder -Pinch of salt – 1/2 cup of milk -1/2tsp vanilla essence -3 large eggs -1tbsp lemon juice -1/2 cup vegetable oil -300g blueberries -1/4tsp plain flour

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a 20cm/9inch deep circular baking tin with baking parchment.
2. Mix the sugar and the lemon juice together. Mix in the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Mix in the milk along with the vanilla essence. Then mix in the eggs, followed by the lemon juice and the vegetable oil.
4. When it has mixed well, add the blueberries with the 1/4tsp of plain flour and gently mix in.
5. Scrape into the baking tin and bake in the centre of the oven for approximately 1hr or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Leave on a wire rack to cool in the tin before turning out the cake onto the wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Mum’s Baked Apples

Happy New year everyone!

Here is a little winter/autumn warming treat to see you through January and February, and a great way of using apples left over in storage from the harvest of 2018.

Mum’s Baked Apples

Serves 6

-6 large baking apples -3/4 cup dark brown sugar -1/2 cup raisins -1/2tsp ground cinnamon -1/4tsp grated nutmeg -1tbsp butter

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Wash and core apples, then remove a 1-inch strip of peel around the middle of each. Arrange the apples in a baking dish, 2-quart shallow.
3. Combine the brown sugar, raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Carefully fill the center of each apple and dot with 1/2tsp of butter.
4. Add just enough water to the baking dish to cover the bottom. Bake, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes, or until the apples are tender (larger ones will take longer). Baste the apples with the juices occasionally.
5. Serve the apples warm. Left-overs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Pumpkin, Cheese and Garlic Bake [Vegetarian Christmas dish]

Christmas dinner can be a little tricky if you are vegetarian. Sure, you’ve got all the veg, bread sauce, Yorkshire puds and vegetarian stuffing if you like it, but unless you are splashing out on a nut roast, there isn’t a lot to make up a ‘main meal’. As a vegetarian – not just a vegetarian, but a fussy vegetarian who needs a balanced meal with all the groups for health reasons – Christmas dinner can be a pain when it comes to protein. I don’t like bread sauce, Yorkshire puds, stuffing or nut roast, so I’m basically doomed. This year, as I was catering for two vegetarians, I thought it was time to try a new recipe. I still had three pumpkins from the veg patch and I thought it was perfect for xmas dinner – I know they are traditionally linked with Thanksgiving, but in the UK we didn’t have it a month earlier so we could afford to use the pumpkin again!

I needed something quick and simple, with some protein in. I opted for cheese. As pumpkin is, well, bland, I also decided to throw some garlic in there too.

It is really basic and can be made in advance of the big day so it doesn’t take up space in the kitchen. Of course, you could make this any time of the year too 😉

Pumpkin, Cheese and Garlic Bake

(Serves 6)

-1 large pumpkin -Olive oil, for drizzling -260g cheddar cheese -20g Swiss gruye -2 garlic cloves

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Cut the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Cut the pumpkin into large slices and place on baking trays. Drizzle with olive oil and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until golden and cooked. Allow to cool completely.
3. Cut the pumpkin up into small cubes and place in an oven-proof dish.
4. Grate the cheese and dice the garlic up into small pieces. Mix together and then sprinkle it over the top of the pumpkin.
5. Preheat the grill to high and heat the bake until the cheese has melted at the top is golden – it should only take a minute or two so keep an eye on it. Or, preheat the oven to 200C and bake for approximately 10-20 minutes, or until the top is golden and the cheese has melted.
6. Serve. Store in the fridge when cold.

Recipe: Kidney beans and fried onion

Such an easy, simple dish but tastes so good. 

Homegrown potato, runner beans and onion, fried with kidney beans in olive oil, and mashed with butter

Kidney Beans and Fried Onion

(Serves 4)

-Dash of olive oil, for frying -450g kidney beans (drained if canned, soaked and cooked if dried) -1 large onion, sliced 

1. Warm the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and fry until just starting to turn golden.
2. Add the kidney beans and turn the heat down to medium and heat for a couple of minutes. 
3. Remove from the heat and serve with a baked potato mashed with butter, a side salad or some veggies. 

Apple and Cinnamon Ice-Cream

Sorry this is so late – I promised it ages ago when the apples were in high season, but uni essays had to take priority!

So, apple and cinnamon – a good mix.

This is a little autumnal treat. Eat it on its own or serve with a nice hot pudding. What about a winter crumble with apple and cinnamon ice cream on the side?

Enjoy!

Apple and Cinnamon Ice Cream 

(1L ice cream container)

-1 cup whole milk -3/4 cup granulated sugar -2 cups double cream -6 egg yolks -2tsp ground cinnamon

-2tbsp butter -2 large apples, cored and diced into chunks -1/4 cup dark brown sugar -1tsp ground cinnamon -1/4tsp ground nutmeg

1. To make the ice cream base: in a large pan, add the milk, 1/4 of the sugar and the cream. Bring just to the boil.
2. In a large bowl, mix the rest of the sugar and the egg yolks together. Carefully pour in the heated milk mixture and start to whisk it in.
3. Once combined, mix in the ground cinnamon thoroughly.
4. To make the apple compote: melt the butter in a non-stick pan. In a bowl, toss the apple with the brown sugar and spices. Tip into the pan and heat, stirring often, until the apple is tender and the sugar has melted. This should take a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
5. If using an ice cream machine, follow the manufacturers instructions. If making it by hand, pour the ice cream base into a large ice cream container. Scrape in the cooled apple mixture and stir in, using figure of eight movements. Seal and place in the freezer. Every half an hour, remove and repeat the same figure of eight swirls. Continue until the ice cream has set. Serve.