Banana Cake

Been meaning to post this since last week. Sugar free, egg free, dairy free, I have even made it wheat free, using rye flour, could probably work with gluten free flour, too. My Dad just found out he is diabetic, so I'm sending this to him. He's more of a victoria sponge man, but he'll like this because it's really quick and easy to make.

450g/1lb (about 5-6) ripe bananas
50g/2oz nuts- I prefer walnuts (chopped or crushed with rolling pin), but mixed nuts will do, or leave them out
120ml/4fl oz sunflower oil
100g/4oz raisins or chopped dates
75g/3oz rolled oats
125g/5oz wholemeal flour
pinch of salt

Mash bananas and mix in all other ingredients
Bake in 1lb loaf tin for 1 hour at 190C/375F/gas 5
Leave to cool in tin for at least 10 minutes before attempting to cut or it will crumble- it's fine when cooled.

Mr Platski (Brendan, this is your supper) 

Platski

Polish Food
Tried this yesterday:
"Rick rang in to say his Platski, which is a type of potato pancake, always ended up like Hash Brown with the meat all broken up. Eva said he needed to use some shredded raw potato, 2 eggs, flour, mix with black pepper and salt. Fry and serve with sour cream. Rick realised he had forgotten to put in flour using his recipe!"
It went down really well, with veggie sausages and coldslaw of carrots, white cabbage and mayo. Didn't have any beetroot.

BBC - Food - Recipes - Red Borscht

BBC - Food - Recipes - Red Borscht

This was good today

BBC - Food - TV and radio - Veg Talk
... if you like listening to 2 blokes being enthusiastic about vegetables. Polish theme

Stir Fry: tofu and noodles

Desperately seeking inspiration for healthy, quick meals, this came to me this morning; we haven't had it for ages, but used to once every week or so. Well. I enjoyed it, anyway.

Tofu (2 250g packets may be needed for largish family
6+)
Important bit: marinade the tofu: make marinade by frying
1-2 cloves of garlic in a little oil (sunflower and/or sesame), and add tomato ketchup, soy sauce, honey and vinegar.
Dice tofu and dry with kitchen roll or tea towel
leave in marinade for at least 20 mins
fry tofu or roast in hot oven

stir-fry vegetables, eg: cut into strips- leek, carrots,
cabbage, courgette, red and green peppers; baby corn, sugar snap peas, mushrooms; grated ginger, choped garlic.

Prepare noodles- (egg noodles) in boiling water.

Laid back eating

Yesterday was really one of our rare grazing days, as there was still plenty of cheese and oatcakes, crackers and fruit, etc and I was feeling a bit burnt out. But we did have onion soup made out of the inside of the baked onion haggises. I just chopped them roughly, they had already been boiled for 15 mins, tossed them in some butter and added water/ stock and simmered and partially blended. Everyone liked this apart from Fugs, who wont eat soup or onions, so I made him potato cakes. I mixed mashed potato with Ally's soup to make it easier for him to transfer to his mouth with minimal spillage.

Today-another easy meal: falafels- ready-made ones, with pitta breads, couscous salad and tahini. Usually I have Humous, as the children don't like tahini sauce, but didn't have any, or chickpeas- I have been reliably informed that you can make it easily with tinned chickpeas and a hand blender - must try. So had to do some grated cheese, which I hate to do with this meal (cheese with everything!). With falafels we have gherkins and chilli sauce. I usually do a salad of finely sliced lettuce, grated carrot, red peppers and black olives.

O yes, Lunch: cheese and onion tosties, made in toastie maker- One is never enough.

I have good intentions for the new year-now we have had the excess: cut down on dairy, especially me and Ally (he has excema); eat healthy; don't be extravagant (from Jill ;o)); Keep it simple, but not boring; try new things; keep it seasonal; drink plenty of water; enjoy.

haggis (aka stuffed onions)