Blueberry & Banana Muffins

These are the type of thing I make a batch of at least once a week & always have to hand to fill in as breakfast or snack on the go. They’re super easy to make & you can switch out the blueberries for any other kind of berries when in season or use frozen during the winter months. Freeze your own if you have the freezer space or I like the Irish brand Bunalun as their frozen berries come in small paper boxes which are recyclable so preferable to soft plastic packaging which is not currently recyclable here.

Makes about 10-12 muffins (depending on baking case size)

Ingredients:

• 2 bananas, mashed

• 2 eggs, whisked

• 4 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 200g ground almonds/almond meal

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• Pinch of sea-salt

• 75g blueberries

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180℃/350℃/Gas 4 and line a muffin tray with baking cases

2. Whisk together the bananas, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract.

3. In a separate bowl mix the ground almonds, baking powder, cinnamon and sea-salt. Pour in the wet ingredients and stir to combine.

4. Add the blueberries and fold into the mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking cases, place into the oven and bake for about 25mins or until a skewer comes out of the centre clean.

Fig & Goats Cheese Tartine

Figs are in season at the moment, their season is short so I always try and make the most of them while I can. They always add a touch of class to any dish with their good looks and jewel tones. They also happen to be really good for you so they are winners all round. They are high in potassium and calcium and are a good source of Vitamins A, E and K. They are also a rich prebiotic source, this is a type of plant fibre which although undigested by the body, acts as a fertiliser for the good bacteria already contained in the colon.

I think figs are at their best eaten super fresh and raw. Buy them & eat them as soon as possible as they are delicate things that perish quickly. This recipe is a really quick, easy way to enjoy them as a light meal or even as part of a sharing platter.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 slices rye sourdough bread
• 4 tbsp crumbly goats cheese, such as 'Ryefield' organic
• 4 ripe figs
• local honey, for drizzling

Method:

1. Toast the sourdough bread. Spread the crumbly goats cheese on top. Slice the figs into bite sized pieces and arrange on top of the goats cheese.

2. Drizzle over the honey and serve.

Lemon & Poppy Seed Scones

Some zingy scones for the weekend. They are made with spelt flour which is lower in gluten than wheat & many find easier to digest. They are sweetened with maple syrup instead of the usual white sugar so will keep you blood sugar levels on a more even keel. The poppy seeds provide a pleasing crunchy texture to offset your chosen creamy or sweet fillings. I chose homemade raspberry jam & a thick natural greek yoghurt for mine.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 350 spelt flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bread soda
• 100g butter, cut into cubes
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 175ml almond mik
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 egg, beaten to glaze

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160ºC/325ºF/Gas 3. Line a flat baking tray with a sheet of baking paper.

2. Place the flour, baking powder, bread soda and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and begin to rub it in to the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the lemon zest and poppy seeds stir to distribute evenly.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together the milk and lemon juice and maple syrup. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mix, bring together to form a dough. Shape the dough into a round and roll out on a lightly floured board. Use a round cutter to cut out as many scones as you can, then bring the dough together and roll out again. Repeating the process until you have used all of the dough.

4. Place the cut scones onto your prepared baking tray. Brush the top of the scones with the beaten egg, this will give them a nice golden colour. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 12 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Leave to cool on a wire rack before serving with your favourite toppings such as butter, jam, cream, fruit or yoghurt.

Blood Orange & Banana Popsicles

I made these popsicles a while back when the weather wasn't so great but blood oranges were in abundance in the grocery stores and markets. In anticipation of the Summer ahead you might say. Today is the hottest day of the year so it seemed fitting to finally get these up on the blog to be enjoyed.

 You could happily substitute the blood orange juice for a tangy mix of grapefruit & orange or seasonal berries. Keep the banana base as in the recipe below just switch out the blood orange juice for your chosen fruit, juice or mash it, then add it in. I hope you get to enjoy the hottest day & cool down with a pop or two.

Makes 12 popsicles

Ingredients:

Banana base layer:

• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 bananas
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

Blood orange top layer:

• 6 blood oranges, juiced
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

Method:

1. Place the coconut milk, bananas, vanilla extract and maple syrup into a blender. Pulse until smooth. Pour the banana layer into the popsicle moulds about 3/4 full. Place the popsicle mould into the freezer for 30 minutes.
2. To prepare the blood orange layer place the blood orange juice and the maple syrup into a jug and whisk together. After 30 minutes remove the popsicles mould from the freezer and pour the blood orange layer over & insert the popsicle sticks. Return to the freezer and freeze a further 5 hours or until completely frozen.

Raspberry Banana Muffins

These are tasty little muffins that just so happen to be gluten, dairy and grain-free. I have a few raspberry canes in my garden that are flourishing at the moment so I was looking forward to using their fruit to make something sweet. You could definitely sub in blueberries instead of the raspberries or any other type of nut butter in place of the peanut butter. I use these muffin cases, they are made with unbleached greaseproof paper and are compostable too. 

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp peanut butter
• 4 bananas, mashed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 75g coconut flour
• 1 baking powder
• 1 tsp bread soda
• Pinch of salt
• 125g raspberries

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4.

2. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases. Whisk together the eggs, coconut oil, vanilla extract. Add the peanut butter, banana and cinnamon and stir together.

3. Sift in the coconut flour, baking powder, bread soda and salt, mix well. Fold through the raspberries.

4. Spoon the mix into the 12 cases, transfer to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.