Sunday 17 March 2013

Yummy Healthy Oat / Banana Cakes !

Hi there !  I have been digging through my recipe archives and have found this old winner !


It is a recipe for Oat Cakes - without using any flour !  I have modified it slightly and you can make your own variations on the theme but here is the basic recipe ...

2 cups  rolled oats
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 big banana)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or mixed spice
1/2 cup  desiccated coconut
1/2 cup  rasins or cranberries (I also used Sultanas and finely chopped Dates)
1/4 cup  honey (I used 1/8 cup honey and 1/8 cup molasses)
1/4 cup  olive oil

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4 fan forced (actually I used Gas Mark 6 – but then I do for most things in our Narrowboat oven!).  Line a baking tray with baking paper.  Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. 

Pull out approx 1 tbsp of the mix and roll into into a rough ball, then flatten slightly before putting on the baking tray.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Cool before eating.  Store them in an airtight container and they last about 5 days.

Will make about 12 cakes.

(If you want a gluten free option, just choose gluten free oats !)

Wednesday 6 March 2013

Hedgerow Hawthorn Hearts !

Since we have had a lot of time on our hands lately (been moored in the Marina over winter and this week we are on the hard stand at Stafford Boat Club, painting the bottom of the boat) - I have  been feeling 'crafty' ...

I found a load of twigs under the Hawthorn bushes on one of our recent towpath walks - and had an idea what I could do with them ... et voila !  Hedgerow Hearts ... I am loving making them - it is just that we now have a boat full of Hawthorn Hearts ... so I might be palming a few of them off to folk along the way (whether they like it ot not !!).

Anyway, here they are ... I am going to put some embelishments on them, but it is work in progress at the moment!
 
 
 


Whilst I was making them I had an 'aha' moment !  I was making hearts out of Hawthorn twigs ... Hawthorn (as a herbal tincture) is one of the best remedies for the heart !  Well ... I was excited anyway and thought I would write up a bit in next blog entry all about the mighty Hawthorn ...

Stay tuned !
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