Apple and blueberry 'birthday' baked oatmeal (or Mother's Day breakfast!)

I hadn't been planning to post today... My big birthday was going to be a nice chilled out morning followed by a trip out this afternoon. Relaxing...what's that!?!

It ended up being a brief trip to the gym, followed by this amazing breakfast (a last minute idea), a few presents to open, a this blog post write up.... and then my trip out, all because I couldn't contain the excitement of this breakfast and quite a few of you on Facebook saw the picture, got curious and wanted the recipe (I don't blame you!!)  This would make the most amazing Mother' Day brunch for those of you in parts of the world that have Mother's Day this weekend- hence why I wanted to post it for you!!

Saying that I did have an hour or so spent 'pottering' about the house, and my pottering took the form of looking through old photo albums and smiling over childhood photos.  Gosh has 30 years reqally gone by...!

This one in particular tickles me.... already behind the camera!  I also seem to have spent a of of time in my underwear?!  I made a little montage for you. I think actually come across as a lovely 'quiet and calm' child....ha ha that's not quite the story my mum would tell you :-)

The recipe is right below. I'm not going to go on and on describing how to make it, how to tastes, ways to vary it etc etc. Quite simple because it tastes amazing (think breakfast brunch or dessert!), it's ridiculously simple and also because....I wanna go out!  Byeeeeeee

P.s I will have more birthday related foodie things to come...just ran out of time this week with my business launch!!

Recipe: Apple and blueberry 'birthday' baked oatmeal

Serves 2 (or 3)

Ingredients

2/3 cup oats

tiny pinch salt

1 1/4 cup apple juice

1 apple- grated

1 tbs chia/flax seed

1/2 tsp mixed spice or cinnamon

large handful frozen blueberries (I haven't tried with fresh so I am not sure of cooking times)

small handful of pumpkin seeds (or other seeds/nuts as preferred)

Method

Mix everything together reserving most of the blueberries and pumpkin seeds to add on the top last. Spoon into a medium oven dish and add the blueberries pumkin seeds. Sprinkle with exra sugar if you like, but this was seriously sweet enough for me (I would even serve it as desert) just from the fruit and fruit juice.

Bake at 180C for approx. 25 mins until the topping is golden. Serve immediately.  

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Baked apple oatmeal with date sugar

My first date sugar recipe!

For those of you who missed it, I had a little reflection on sweeteners and set myself a lent challenge, date sugar is probably one of the healthiest options out there and so I figured it made sense to make my own. So....lets go date crazy!

I decided to keep it pretty simple for my first attempt. A baked oatmeal recipe that I felt pretty sure would work in principle, since I’ve created so many baked oatmeal dishes before. The date sugar was sprinkled over the top to create a caramelised glaze, whilst extra dates were used throughout to provide additional sweetness. You could use other forms of granulated sugar such as coconut sugar or rapadura (sucanat) but I loved the rich caramelised flavour the dates gave plus its arguably the healthiest option.

In the same theme at the carrot cake baked oatmeal and banana bread oatmeal, I thought I’d incorporate some veggies....you can omit the courgette if you like, thought I dont think you can taste it at all? Just make sure you use a really flavoursome and tart apple so that the oatmeal is not at all bland.

Recipe: Baked apple oatmeal with date sugar 

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 apple cubed- use a tart flavoured apple such as a granny smith or a cooking apple

¼ cup courgette- grated (omit of preferred and use a larger apple)

1 tbs chia/flax seed

1 cup soy milk (or other vegan milk)

1 tsp cinnamon

½ cup oats

2 tbs chopped pecans or walnuts

1/4 cup chopped dates

2 tbs date sugar

Method

Reserve the chopped nuts and 1 tbs date sugar and mix all remaining ingredients together until well coated  and spoon into a greased oven dish approx 20x10cm. Press down and smooth the top before adding the nuts and pressing lightly into the mixture. Sprinkle with the reserved date sugar.

Bake at 180C for approx. 20 mins until the topping is golden. Serve immediately.  This also tastes good cold the next day!

 

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Pancake roundup!

Happy Pancake Day!! Or Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras...whichever title you use I hope you've enjoyed your day!

I have a quick recipe below, but first a little pancake feast roundup for you!

strawberry cream pancakes with chia jam

my favourite super-cute buckwheat blini kebab!

stuffed savoury pancakes

lemon and poppy seed pancakes

PB and jam white spelt pancakes

carrot cake pancakes

I love pancakes, thought I have them all too rarely. That is the thin and crepe like kind with the crispy edges. I often have fat and fluffy American style breakfast pancakes but the traditional English pancakes all to often go overlooked. Not today...today I will revel in all their glory.

Such a simple pancake and today my pancake mix will be no different to previous years, though I have provided it again below for quick reference. Unfortunately I still have not mastered the art of a gluten free pancake of this kind, I have used spelt flour but for gluten free pancakes of other types take your pick from these oaty stacks in either sweet or savoury options and these almost-too-cute-to-eat buckwheat blinis... assemble your own blini buffet to make the perfect for playtime with the kids or as a pancake-turns-Valentines-dessert with your loved one! 

My pancake of choice for today's celebrations are my spelt pancakes, but this time using wholemeal flour all wrapped up with an apple date and cinnamon saucy compote ( also also had banana and maple syrup in one of the pancakes as you can see peeking out). I apologise for the slightly lacking photography...I had to use artificial spot lights which I always struggle with compared with natural light (horrible shadows), plus the fact that I had a telephone appointment scheduled so was pushed for time...oh well :-)

What is your favourite type of pancake...and most importantly your favourite topping?

 

Recipe: English spelt pancakes with apple compote

Makes 3 medium pancakes (serves one for a large portion!)

Ingredients- pancakes

½ cup wholemeal spelt flour (or white for a lighter pancake if that is important to you)

1 tsp ground flax or chia seed

1 tsp agave syrup

1 tsp baking powder

tiny pinch salt

2/3 cup soy milk (reduce to half if you prefer a thicker pancake)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs melted coconut oil/vegetable oil

Ingredients- topping

1 large apple- cubed (peel first if preferred)

2-3 tbs date syrup, handful finely chopped dates, or 1 tbs date sugar (I used finely chopped dates)

½ tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup apple puree
1 tbs lemon juice
a little water to achieve desired consistency

Handful raisins or sultanas- optional

Method

For the topping, cup the apple it smallish 1cm sized cubes, place in a small sauce pan and mix with the date paste/sugar, cinnamon and raisins. Cook on a medium heat on the stove for approx 5 minutes, add the apple puree and water and then simmer for another 5 minutes whilst the pancakes cook until the apple softens and creates a saucy consistency.

For the pancakes, mix dry ingredients and then add wet ingredients. Mix well until you have a smooth batter with no lumps.

Meanwhile heat a medium sized frying pan with very light covering of oil (I used rapeseed oil lightly rubbed over the surface with kitchen roll). Once the pan is hot add a large spoonful of batter to the pan and move the pan in circular motions to spread the batter into a larger circle. Cook for approx. 2 minutes and then carefully flip to cook the reverse for approx. 1 minute until both sides are lightly brown. Run a little more oil over the surface of the pan and then repeat for two more pancakes. 

Serve hot with the apple compote or other toppings of your choice.

* for further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Apple spiced oat cobbler- for one!

Breakfasts and desserts often become one and the same for me...that's because I like to be a little indulgent with my weekend breakfasts (breaking away from the weekday apple-oats) and I like to be healthy with my desserts!

Plus with many of my breakfast recipes you can simply add a little more sweetener if that's your thing without compromising the recipe at all.

I have made a few different versions of this cobbler.  First attempt was closely based on the breakfast cookie formula, and whilst it was ok, it didn't have the crumbly bite I was after, the characteristically crumbly cobbler topping to contrast the juicy fruit below.  I then made a coconut version with coconut flour and coconut flakes that worked really well. Coconut flour is light and can be quite drying but it does give the crumbly texture I was after, so I then took the concept further and merged the two...

...giving you a coconut oat cobbler! 

You can use a berry, apple or pear fruit base, or a mix of all three, just make sure you have a lots of liquid in your fruit mix as the coconut flour will absorb quite a lot of it. You can also add in a few seeds, nuts, chocolate chunks or whatever you fancy to the mix, I kept mine plain and simple for this experiment.

This recipe would be great multiplied and served in mini ramekins as a breakfast, snack or dessert at any time of the day.  Plus at only 5 minutes from start to finish and so many possible variations, you can't really go wrong.

Recipe: Apple oat cobbler

Ingredients

½ cup fresh or frozen fruit of choice- chopped into approx. 1 cm sized pieces

1 tsp ground chia plus 2 tbs fruit juice or sugar free jam*

¼ cup ground oats

2 tbs coconut flour

1 tbs desiccated coconut

Scant ½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground chia

1 tbs coconut sugar/rapadura

1-2 tbs coconut oil

Pinch cinnamon

Method

Mix the fruit with the chia/juice or jam and spoon into the bottom of a small oven/microwave proof dish.

Mix remaining ingredients together rubbing the coconut through with fingers to from a crumbed dough that lightly holds together- use 1-3 tbs water as necessary to assist.

Add the dough crumbles to the top of the fruit mixture and sprinkle with cinnamon or vanilla bean if desired.

Microwave for 90 seconds or for a crisp golden top oven bake for up to 15 minutes at 180C.

*Note: Coconut flour is drying which gives a lovely crumbly cobbler topping as long as you make sure the fruit mixture below is very moist to start with as the addition of coconut flour will steal a moisture during cooking. Use jam or juice, the flavour of which will depend upon the nature of the fruit used.

Coconut-oak topping oven baked

Oatmeal topping cooked in the microwave.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Maple glazed brussel sprout salad

I do love brussel sprouts…that is if I get the recipe right, they have a tendency to be a little bitter if not treated sensitively! I think that must be why most people have a ‘love-hate’ relationship with poor old brussels.

I bought a big bag from the supermarket a week or so ago and I've been making various salad and stir fry combos ever since. Some experiments have been tastier than others, but yesterday’s lunch was so good I just had to share it with you.

This ‘warm salad’ or stir fry (whatever you’d prefer to call it) was in large part inspired by Heidi’s recipe over at 101 Cookbooks, I loved the idea of using a little maple sauce as a glaze along with apple for sweetness. I added crushed walnuts instead of pine nuts plus a little ‘fake’ bacon to give a big flavour hit and turn this side dish into a full on meal.

I don’t typically use fake meats as I simply don’t miss having meat in my dishes and so therefore have no desire to sub processed alternatives. However in this instance I had a pack of meat free bacon in the freezer that I’d originally bought to use in a meal for a friend, so I figured today would be a good opportunity to add a little- I used approximately 1 large rasher.  This dish still has so much flavour without, so feel to go without bacon…it will still taste good, or you could follow the principle in Heidi’s recipe and use cubed tofu.

This is a fairly light dish which was perfect for lunch, but you could team it with some quinoa for a more substantial meal.

Recipe: Maple glazed brussel sprout salad

Serves 1 as a main or 2 as a side

Ingredients

1 ½ cups shredded brussel sprouts

1 shallot- sliced thinly (I had none so omitted this but I would have liked to have added one)

1-2 rashers ‘bacon’  sliced (optional)

1 tbs olive oil or coconut oil

1 smallish apple- cubed

2 garlic cloves- minced

Pinch of salt

2 tsp maple syrup

Handful of crushed walnuts

Method

Heat the oil in a frying pan and then add the sprouts, shallot, bacon, apple, garlic and salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add the maple syrup and walnut pieces and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until well glazed and beginning to brown in places.

Serve immediately.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Apple chutney salad

It seems strange now to not be writing ‘DAY ____’ before each post! Vegan Mofo is now all over…oats are gone forever? No, never!  I have just realised that I didn't put together a monthly round-up for October! My head has been all over the place...forgive me!

Halloween has been and gone and we are already in November with the cold winds and crispy leaves. This is a busy month for me, so many friends and family with birthdays in the lead up to Christmas… I have two 30^th birthday’s to attend this weekend alone!

It’s also a month of some contemplation, planning ahead and looking forward to the New Year that will be with us before we know it…a few changes may be on the horizon.

After yesterday’s Halloween lunch (I ate so much pizza) today wanted to be a lighter day!  I ate my usual apple-oats for breakfast but going lighter on the oats and adding lots more fruit for the topping.

A salad lunch seemed a good option and the sweet apple chutney flavours were a lovely seasonal twist. You could of course use homemade chutney which would be even more delicious, but for speed and because I was having a ‘what do I have in the fridge’ moment I opted for a ready-made version. I appreciate that chutney does have a high sugar content, but for the quantities in this dish and the amount of healthy veggies we have, it was a compromise I was happy to make.  I love the caramelised onions and red cabbage in this salad- my favourite way to eat these veggies.

I am really enjoying salads and would like to experiment with some more seasonal versions…what is your favourite winter salad combination?

Recipe: Apple chutney salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

3-4 handfuls of mixed leaves (I used peashoots, spinach, rocket)

2 leeks chopped into rings

1 cup loosely packed red cabbage

½ cup green beans (I used frozen soy beans)

1/3 cup chunky apple sauce

2 tbs fruit chutney (mine was a mix of apple pear and plum)

2 tbs pumpkin seeds

Method

Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the leek and red cabbage for 5 minutes.

Add the soy beans and pumpkin seeds and continue to cook for another 5 mins.

Add all remaining ingredients and cook for a final 1-2 minutes to heat through.

Serve on the bed of salad leaves.

  

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.
For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

DAY EIGHTEEN: Quick apple spice cake

What do you get if you cross and a cake and a pie?  Answer = a slice of yum!

Or more accurately, this little beauty…

Taking the principle from the trusty breakfast cookie also this cookie-pie I used both grated apple in the batter itself and sliced apple to top the pie. The result is a light and subtle appley dense oaty ‘sponge’ with a lovely browned apple top- double apple action!

As ever, there are loads of variations for the topping or add-ins for the batter. I added nuts to the top, but you could easily mix these through the batter for some added crunch and texture instead.

The batter mix is super simple and so the whole thing comes together within a couple of minutes plus some baking time, I wouldn’t suggest microwaving this one!  I served mine hot with a little soy yoghurt, but I also ate the last couple of slices cold the next day and that was also delicious.

Recipe: Quick apple cake

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

½ cup oats

¼ buckwheat flour (other mild  flours  would probably be fine too)

¼ tsp baking powder

1 tbs ground flax/chia

Ground cinnamon and vanilla extract to taste (approx. 1 scant tsp each)

3 tbs agave or maple syrup
2 tsp oil (coconut, olive, rapeseed)

¼ cup soy yoghurt (or regular yoghurt for non vegan)

1 medium apple- half grated and half sliced

2 tbs chopped nuts or your choice- for topping or mix through

1 tsp rapadura (or other unrefined sugar) for sprinkling on top

  

Method

Mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl and then add the agave and yoghurt. Mix the grated apple and nuts (if using) through the mixture last to achieve a sticky ball or dough.

Flatten the dough into a 2cm thick round on a lined baking sheet. Press the apple sliced into the top and add nuts, sprinkling of sugar and a dusting of cinnamon if desired.

Bake at 180C for approx. 20 mins until the apple slice s and edges of the pie are golden.

What Vegan MOFO means to me.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Apple spiced coconut slice

Last weekend I went out for a friend’s birthday. We were outside for much of the evening and I had to take a coat…a full on winter coat to guard against the chill! The crossover from summer jacket to winter coat is a deal breaker for me, that signifies that winter is truly on its way.

Today at work I also tucked up in a little scarf to keep me cozy until I’d warmed through.  All this winter talk could get me down, particularly when I feel like summer passed us by a bit this year…the odd hot day here and there….hmmm.

But there are two good reasons to be happy with the changing seasons. The first being the fact we have seasons! That may sound odd but the one things I really love about the UK climate is the dramatic seasonal changes with the golden leaves now emerging and the edge of a fresh chill in the air on a sunny day. It’s such a beautiful time of year and a great excuse to cosy in up in scarves and woollies for an evening stroll.

The second reason…oh just the fact that I am off on holiday to Turkey in 3 days time for a bit of longed for sunshine. It certainly helps soften the edge of this chilly weather…it’s always nice to think it’s cold back home for everyone else when you are sunbathing by the pool!

So here is my first autumn themed recipe of the season; a simple apple and cinnamon spiced slice. Since we also have a generous helping of coconut here, this bridges the gap between summer and autumn just perfectly. (P.s I am not promising I’m all done with the summer theme just yet though). I am also looking forward to getting on board the pumpkin train this year since I’m so inspired by my fellow bloggers across the pond. So watch this space.

Recipe: Apple spiced coconut slice 

Ingredients 

½ cup coconut butter (I use homemade)
¼ cup rapadura or coconut sugar
¼ cup agave
1 chia egg (1tsp chia and 3tbs water
½ banana- mashed
1 cup dessicated coconut
½ cup buckwheat flour (or other mild GF flour)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 medium apples- grated
Large handful of chopped dates

Method

Melt the coconut butter in a medium bowl and stir in the sugar, agave, chia egg and mashed banana. Add the dry ingredients and mix through well. Add the grated apple and chopped dates last and mix through evenly.

Spoon into a 8x8” parchment lined pan and pack down well. Press  some extra coconut flakes and dates onto the top if desired.

Bake at 180C for approx. 20-25 minutes until just golden. Allow to cool before carefully lifting from the tray and slicing.

Store in an airtight container. I have not tried freezing these bars, but I imagine they would freeze well.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Nutty apple and cinnamon bake

I’m running behind!

This post was supposed to be up yesterday…so you’ll have to wait for my Silent Sunday for a bit later in the day!

mmmm...swirls of peanut butter on coconut apple cake

It’s been a chaotic weekend with my first public ‘Pole Performance’ at a ladies night event… it was a great experience as I’ve never performed a routine in front of  crowd before (only my students), it was also a new experience using a microphone…I was aware that I was speaking a little too quickly, I tend to speak quickly anyway so probably more so when nervous… I. really. Should. Learn. To. Slow. Down! In case of interest, this is my new venture: www.polestyle.co.uk …this is how I keep fit! Yes I know I performed at a ladies night so ‘sassiness’ was more the order of the day, but in reality my pole work is very much of the fitness and strength variety, it was simply a good opportunity to get people to throw away their inhibitions and give it a try.

Ok, back to food. So now you know why I’ve been late in the posting, that does not mean however that I have not been experimenting these last few days. Indeed I have lots of batches of foodie photos all waiting to be edited and written up.

Here is one to get you going, this was breakfast yesterday (the spelt version) and last weekend the coconut and buckwheat versions)…not all consumed by me I might add!  I enjoy this lightly sweetened as a breakfast ‘bake’, but you could by all means increase the sweetness and enjoy it as a dessert ‘cake’…. Add some cashew cream or a blob of nut butter for super indulgence (of the healthy kind!) Or even go a little crazy and add some choc chunks- melty choc chunks work everytime! See notes below the recipe re uses of different types of flour.

I’ll leave you with lots of photos…I’m off to the gym to choreograph  a pole routine for my new classes!

the coconut version

the spelt version

Recipe: Nutty apple bake

Serves approx. 3 (1 small loaf sized)

Ingredients

1 cup GF flour mix (I used ½ buckwheat, ¼ tapioca, ¼ ground almonds) or spelt flour

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch salt

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

¼ cup apple sauce

2 tbs coconut oil

3 tbs agave plus ¼ tsp stevia to taste (use more agave or any unrefined granulated sweetener such as coconut sugar for extra dessert type sweetness)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Approx.1/4 cup milk’ to mix (use more for coconut floor- see note)

1 apple cut into small chunks- set aside

½ cup coarsely chopped nuts of choice- set aside

Method

Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and then add wet ingredients. Mix together well.

Spoon the batter into a smallish loaf tin (mine was approx. 8x15cm) layering as you go with the reserved apple and nuts. Follow the formation: layer of batter, layer of apple/nuts, layer of batter, layer of apple/nuts. Press down lightly to pack the layers and secure the apple//nuts in the top layer.

Bake at 180C for approx. 20 mins until cooked through when tested with a toothpick.

Notes: I initially tried this using part coconut flour ( ½ coconut flour, ¼ tapioca, ¼ buckwheat) but it produced a much drier more crumbly cake (thought still good with a dollop of nut butter!) so I avoiding the coconut in my subsequent attempts and stuck with my regular GF mix as noted or for those who are not GF, wholemeal spelt flour is also great. The photos show the coconut and spelt versions*

layering up the coconut flour version- the coconut flour batter is a lot drier than the other batter mixes and is pressed with the fongers instead of being spooned into place.

 
* for further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.