Lemon, Almond and Polenta Cake

With summer on its way...Hopefully. I start using lemon, in a whole lot more recipes. This is just the start of it, unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look on it. This cake is one of my new favourites,as its so moist and it's really lemony, unlike some recipes which lack flavour, unless accompanied with lemon icing, but this isn't one of them.

I also love almonds, so this cake was right up my street. I have also used polenta in the past in cakes see here, and love the unusual crunchy texture it gives. I also love how this cake is gluten free, so I can eat as much as I like without getting a sore tummy.

Serve at afternoon tea, or as a easy summer dessert. Personally, i would chose the dessert option with greek yogurt, or if your feeling really fancy dollop on creme fraiche, sprinkle on thyme, or lemon thyme if your really trying to impress someone.

Ingredients

200g butter
200g caster sugar
200g almond flour
100g polenta 
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
2 lemons
125g icing sugar

1. preheat the oven to 180 °/ gas 4.
2. beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
3. in a separate bowl mix together the almonds, polenta and baking powder
4. beat in a little of the dry mix into the butter and sugar, followed by one egg
5. add the rest in, alternating between egg and the dry mix, finally beat in the lemon zest
6. place into your prepared tin, and into the oven for 40 mins, or until golden, and coming away from the sides
7. meanwhile, make the syrup: mix together the lemon juice and icing sugar, bring to the boil in a small saucepan (or in the microwave, until the sugar has dissolved.
8. once the cakes done, prick with a cake tester, pour over the syrup whilst the cakes are still hot. leave to cool fully in the tin
9. when cool, serve with greek yogurt and thyme if wished

Chickpea and Carrot Spiced Warm Salad

With the new year in full swing. * looks at calender* its February! Wait. what? When did that happen? It feels like 2015 is flying by. Into February, means I'm almost settled into a healthy-ish routine, just trying to get rid of the last dregs of the Christmas chocolate(I'm a saver if you couldn't guess, not a eat all at once kinda gal). One thing, which i have been particularly enjoying is making salads for lunch, but not your usual lettuce, cucumber and tomato ones.

Its probably fair to say that carrots are my favourite vegetable. I'm like a rabbit sometimes, with a pot of hummus, its just so hard to stop(please tell me I'm not the only one). They're fast becoming a staple in my salads, this recipe here ; is another favourite. I love them roasted, as it brings out their sweetness, and coated in cumin, there just incredible. Luckily, sometimes i can tear myself away, so they can last at least few lunches. 

This recipe is easily adaptable, add feta for a tang and creaminess. I like to add quinoa to it, with a little vinaigrette mixed in to add bulk to it; so it's more filling for lunch, if I have a long day, or want the carrot and chickpea salad to last longer.Serve warm or cold.

Ingredients

5 large carrots

1 tin chickpeas

Small handful coriander 

Cumin powder

1 1/2 harissa paste

Small handful almonds

1. Preheat oven to 180.

2. Chop up carrot into even sized pieces, toss in olive oil and cumin powder,

3. Roast until soft and starting to caramelise.

4. When the carrots are done, add the rinsed chickpeas and harissa paste.Mix.     Roast until warmed through. 

5. Add chopped almonds and coriander( add cooked quinoa if using)

6 . Serve or take to work/school. 

Sweet Spiced Salty Pecans

I will apologise in advance, if left with the whole batch, you may end up eating everything.....guilty face right here, well almost... my dad ate some too: I promise. Serve these at your New Years eve party, or at any party with the other nibbles and canapes. or next year at Christmas(premature? of course not) as a snack when opening presents. These also make a lovely gift. 

I love sweet and salty things and these were no exception, not to mention I'm like a squirrel(and probably a rabbit too, as i can eat multiple carrots in a row, armed with a tub of hummus. obvs.) as I'm always snacking on nuts; so these looked incredible to me, and i had been dying to try them for over a year now. Luckily, they didn't disappoint, although the kitchen filling up with pepper smoke was a very strange experience (i recommend the windows wide open for this one).

I used pecans, as they are just incredible covered in sugar, but i think almonds would be equally as good. I used white pepper, as i didn't have any finely ground black pepper, i also used paprika instead of cayenne pepper (for some reason we don't have any.shocking i know.) both adaptations were fine, so if you don't have something in your cupboard then feel free to compromise.

ingredients

100g caster sugar
2 tsp sea salt flakes
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cinnamon
250g pecan halves

1. mix sugar, salt and spices together
2. lightly toast pecans in dry frying pan over medium high heat, stirring often(1-4 mins)
3. reduce heat, add half mixture and stir until sugar melts and nuts are coated
4. sprinkle in remaining mixture and stir until melted. don't let sugar on the nuts burn
5. tip nuts onto non- stick baking tray. allow to cool
6. enjoy 

Emma xx

and Happy New Year(almost forgot. whoops!)

Cashew butter

I wasn't intending this post to be a Christmas gift idea, but sometimes life is so busy that the blog gets behind schedule. But hey, coursework can just sit in the back corner for a while( for just a few minutes, don't worry mum!) . This is perfect homemade gift for that person who is a complete health freak, but you still want to give them a homemade food gift. 

This roast cashew butter is super simple to make, and only requires one ingredient. I kept mine just plain cashew, with a little bit of salt to taste, but feel free to churn up, honey roasted nuts or spiced nuts for an interesting twist. Or add your own flavors e.g. vanilla.

For simple twists, set aside a few cashews to finely chop up later for a crunchy cashew butter. Or if your feeling lazy just blitz up the nuts without roasting them, for a raw cashew butter.

ingredients 

500g of cashew nuts( this makes a nice amount, but feel free to do more or less)


1. Roast the cashews in a dry pan or oven. Just remember to keep an eye on them.

2. Pop into a food processor and start chopping up.

3. Continue blending it will then reach a fine crumb stage.

4. Continue. It will start sticking around the edge, and may seem like it will never create nut butter.

5. Keep blending, and it will start clumping together, at this point you might want to add oil but don't, keep persevering. 

6. Nearly there...

7. When it smooth and like a paste it ready. If you like it thick you can take it out now, if you prefer it thinner feel free to continue. as it will release more oils and making it thinner.

8. Enjoy yourself, or tie with ribbon and give to a friend.

Emma x

Banana Loaf

This, is for those days when you wake up, and want to bake something for breakfast, but want something quick and sweet, instead of a savoury brunch of English muffins or crumpets.

This recipe has been used by my family for a very long time. I find it works best with all black bananas, and have several ready in the freezer and regularly leave bananas to go black on purpose (yeah, i already know I'm crazy, OK.)to top up my stocks again. A speckled banana is fine too, if a black one grosses you out to much!

Serve on a Sunday morning(or whenever you fancy), smothered in butter. If you want to swap it into a round cake, then be my guest. Or make it fancy by topping with whipped cream and sliced bananas. I like my banana cake to be just banana, but if you wanted a change it, dark chocolate chunks would be amazing, specially when its still warm and the chocolate is still melted. Or if your not to fond of chocolate, i think nuts would make a nice addition too, if not a much healthier choice. 

Ingredients 

125 g butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed banana(i just use two)
1 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp hot milk
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder

1. cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
2. add eggs one at a time. beat well after each addition
3. add banana and mix
4. stir soda into hot milk, add to creamed mixture
5. sift flour and baking powder together. fold into the mixture
6. pop in greased and lined tin
7. bake in a preheated oven at 180°c, for 50 mins or until the cake springs back.(if you want to shorten the cooking time split into two tins.)
8. leave to cool and decorate as you fancy or raise your cholesterol by smothering with butter (just remember kids everything in moderation!)
9. enjoy

Emma x

Rocky Road

These things.....oh so beautiful. Delicious. just so......well there are very few words to describe my emotions to these. um mm, so very very good. 

And yes, somehow even though i didn't need it, i convinced myself that, yes, i did need one of the last three, when writing this, because of course it helps me write; who am i kidding. The chocolate is creamy, and the perfect sweetness not too bitter, like all dark chocolate ,and not to sickly sweet as milk chocolate can be when mixed with other incredibly sugary things. Even my mum will eat this, when generally, shes not a rocky road kinda gal, as often it is too sweet.

Feel free to play up the inside things, to whatever takes your fancy. I like to keep the base the same, with 50/50 of each chocolate, mini marshmallows (because who can be bothered to cut up massive ones, it just saves a whole lot of time) and digestives. The rest is up to you. This time i chopped up almonds, and added sour cherries. In the past, for children my sisters age (around 10,) i didn't use nuts and put in cranberries, as they are sweeter for young children,then filled the rest up with more digestives and marshmallows. i also kept the chocolate mix the same as i think its great for all ages, but feel free to switch is up the chocolate, for whoever your are giving it to.

Its super quick, and you probably have all the ingredients already, so is perfect for a last minute, ahhh some one is visiting panic.  Its also super easy to adapt seasonally, such as adding pistachios and cranberries for a Christmassy feel( talking about Christmas is now officially allowed its November now. OK.) or make it your own by adding your favourite chocolate bar ,or totally change the look, by making it a white rocky road,and now i mention it i might try crunchie bar next time. 

Dusted with icing sugar, very apt for this time of year, like a dusting of snow.

Ingredients 

125g butter
150g dark chocolate
150g milk chocolate
3 tbsp golden syrup
100g digestive biscuits
100g of nuts, dried fruit, whatever takes your fancy or fill up with more digestive or marshmallows
100g mini marshmallows

icing sugar, to dust

1. line rectangle tin and grease the paper(i greased the tin this time and i found it was harder to get out, so learn from my mistakes and don't.)
2. melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup until fully combined, and you just want to gulp it down, right then and there. i don't recommend doing this as it could cause a heart attack, not from how good it is but, sadly from the amount of sugar.
3. stir in the last 4 ingredients(not the icing sugar)
4. spoon into the tin(leaving about 2 tbsp, because a bowl with nothing in, is not worth scraping out, and that is the best part to baking, am i not right.) and flatten as best as you possibly can.
5. chill in fridge for about 2 hrs, or until firm
6. dust with icing sugar and cut into squares
7. demolish, as slowly as you can(because lets be honest its not the most healthy treat you could eat). bet you cant last a week.

let me know what you decide to add. Emma x