Banana Pancakes

When I make pancakes, I don't make American sugary ones or English pancake day style pancakes. I usually improvise and make them as naturally flavourful and nutritious as possible. These were a delicious success.

Above are the ingredients. It's about a 1/2 tbs to 1 tbsp of all the dry ingredients. Then cinnamon  and flavour to taste. I don't always add flavour and these didn't actually need the caramel. Before making the mix I put a frying pan on a medium high heat with coconut oil. 

Mix em all up! If it's too sticky and dry add some milk, I used almond milk. Then add to pan!

Once in the pan I added blueberries. You could also add chocolate chips, raisins or nuts.

Usually I wait for the top to start bubbling before flipping but these don't do that so I just used my awesomely accurate judgment...

And oh look, another pancake appeared! While the other side cooked I added frozen raspberries to the pan to cook down to a coulis type thing. You should turn the heat right down or even off here, I neglected to do so and my raspberries burnt down to about half the quantity. You can add any berry here, I added some strawberry also.

Then serve!

These aren't nearly as pretty as yesterday's ones... I stacked the pancakes, topped with the hot fruit, crumbled some dark chocolate, added Alpro soy yoghurt, a glob of almond butter (yesterday I spread it between the pancakes which looked nicer), then extra strawberries on the side and a sprinkle of Dorset muesli. Absolutely doesn't need the muesli but I recently discovered it and can't get enough. 

These pancakes are not only great for breakfast but without all the toppings they are delicious also so they would make a great breakfast on the go or even a snack. 

I'm going to go think about how delicious these were now...

A Very Foodie Sunday

I normally start my Sundays with a spin class, followed by a GRIT class. Today I opted out.

I had a long lie in, went to the shop for milk and chocolate and came home to make pancakes.

I made banana pancakes and for now I will leave you with the photos. The recipe will come in another post.

I decided to take a walk into town as it was so sunny. I bought a few supplies and before walking home with my heavy bags I stopped at Maidstone's vegetarian cafe for some fuel. They do good coffee and the best brownies in town!

One of the reasons I went to town was to buy some bread making ingredients. Last week I baked my first focaccia which I will make a post on. This week I decided to make flatbreads. Will talk more about bread making in the next bread post but today's recipe was by Paul Hollywood for Stilton and grape stuffed flatbreads. I however had some blue and smoked goats cheeses to use so did cheese and tomato instead. I halved his recipe but forgot to halve the butter quantity, which actually didn't hinder the dough!

250g strong white bread flour

5g salt

5g yeast

30g soft butter (should have been 15g) 

155ml cool water 

Some cheese

Some cherry tomatoes.

After adding the bread flour, salt and yeast to a bowl, I added the soft butter and 3/4 water and mixed with my fingers. Then continued to add the water and mix until it was dough like. Then I started kneading on my floured counter top. 

Once kneaded I left it to prove in a bowl covered with a Tea towel. Paul says an hour should be enough bt can be left for 3 hours. My dough hadn't changed after an hour so I was resigned to the fact that my excess butter had ruined my dough and ran a bath with a new yummy Lush bubble bar I picked up in town. 

When I got out of the bath however, the dough had risen! Woohoo! I left it for just over 2 hours and then folded out the air and split it into 6 balls. Then Paul's recipe instructed me to poke a hole in the balls and add the fillings, folding the edges of the dough to cover the and then roll them into flat circles. 

Whether or not I have a rolling pin, I'm not entirely sure, but I was too lazy to look and used an empty wine bottle. 

To cook the breads I added coconut oil to a pan. I figured tomatoes would release more moisture than Paul's grapes so before adding them to the dough is liced them and squeezed their innards into my frying pan with the oil, some garlic and some fresh rosemary. I didn't want the juicy tomato flavours to go to waste. 

Then I whisked up a spontaneous dip as I didn't have any. 

Soy yoghurt

A few cherry tomatoes

Cucumber

A little garlic

Smoked paprika

Salt and pepper

It was incredibly refreshing but stole away from the cheese flavours in the bread. But I didn't mind too much :) I ate three, which is very naughty and not the most nutritious dinner. I also had left over dough which I put in the fridge (no idea if it keeps). 

That's my first foodie post.

Until the next meal!

Hello

My name is Cat and I Love Food.

This blog has been a long time coming. I love to eat food. So I taught myself to cook food that I can eat. I frequently post my edibles on Facebook and Instagram and have been urged to create a blog. So, at last, here it is.

I am still learning so this blog is a way of sharing my progress and my creations as I expand my repertoire.

I get a bit carried away so if my blog branches out of the food world that's just the way I am. I like sharing and discussing the things I do and experience.

I hope you enjoy!