Recipe Recommendation - 3 Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies (#GlutenFree, #Vegan)

Recipe Recommendation

3 Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Gluten Free and Vegan

So Soph (my sister) was recommended this recipe on Youtube after she started looking up overnight oat recipes, but I was the first to try it. I made these yesterday morning and this morning because I had the bananas and the cookies keep well in the fridge or freeze and they disappear fast.

Many of the recipes I have seen for breakfast cookies require loads of honey or some other sugar substitute, but all the sweetness in these comes from the bananas. The riper the bananas the sweeter the cookies and more prevalent the banana flavour - so we can adjust how we like our cookies by how ripe our bananas are. Personally I like them relatively sweet, so my bananas were on the brown side.

Of course the chocolate has sugar in it, but we're not dumping in huge amounts of refined sugar at the cookie level, so it is much better for us.

There is no lie in the title, these cookies literally only have 3 ingredients (I've listed them out with measures to add in the metric measurements as well - the original recipe is in US measurements). 

• 2 large Bananas
• 1.5 cups / 135g Rolled Oats - I picked up gluten free porridge oats
• 1/3 cup Dark Chocolate Chips (I just used a standard 100g packet of Dr Oetker 70% Extra Dark Chocolate Chunks - which is probably loads too much, but it works 😂 - use vegan chocolate chips if required)

I mean we could easily add other things if we wanted too like nuts or raisins or even a little spice, just as long as we don't add too much and loose all structural integrity of the cookies.

Word of warning - do not touch these when they first come out of the over unless you like being covered in chocolate! Leave them to cool completely before attempting to eat. 😂

Waiting, waiting, waiting for them to cool!

This is the original recipe video from the Clean & Delicious Youtube channel - which has just about everything we need to know, but I've put a few tips below it, that I found most important along the way.

1. For those who are metric 350F = ~180C = Gas Mark 4
2. The only sweetness comes from the bananas so the riper they are the better IMHO.
3. A fork is okay for squishing the bananas, but a potato masher is much faster 😂.
4. Mix the oats and banana and then cover them (I bought some silicone stretch lids before Christmas and they are awesome for such things - no more cling film) and let them sit for 20mins or so, so the oats absorb the banana - gives a moister cookie and better structural integrity.
5. I baked mine on the lower end at 15mins and they are moist and chewy.
6. Try not to eat them all at the same time.😂😂😂

These are moist, delicious and filling. Could not recommend them enough. These are perfect for those of us trying to cut down on our chocolate bar consumption, but still find ourselves in need of a chocolate hit - and studies have suggested that dark chocolate is good for us too, so yay!

Recipe: Roasted Veg, Nuts and Rice - #Vegan and #GlutenFree

Roasted Veg, Nuts and Rice

So while we were a Disneyland Paris, there was a distinct lack of vegetables in our diet, so this week, Rob and I have decided to pack in  as many veggies as possible. We're not eating totally vegetarian, but this dish turned out to be vegan and gluten free, as well as filling and delicious. It's is also super easy.

Serves 2 hungry people
Prep: 15 mins, Cooking time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 2 large parsnips (Morrisons Wonky parsnips are great for this)
• 1 medium courgette (zucchini)
• 10 small Chantenay carrots (or a couple of large carrots cut into pieces)
• 1/2 small butternut squash
• 1 medium red onion
• 50g pecans
• 50g unsalted cashews
• Italian seasoning (to taste)
• garlic powder or garlic flakes (if your Italian seasoning does not already have it)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (more for drizzling)
• 150g Jasmine rice

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220C (430F, Gas 7).
2. Peel and cut each parsnip into six (cut in half width ways, split the bottom half into 2 and the top half into 4, for 6 relatively similar sized pieces).
3. Peel the Chantenay carrots (or peel and chop the big carrots into Chantenay sized pieces).
4. Cut the courgette into approx 12 pieces (I do batons, but rounds would be fine too).
5. Peel and chop the butternut squash into chunks of a similar size to the rest of the veg (I tend to buy one that has a longish neck and then use that part because there are no seeds involved :)).
6. Place all the veg in a bowl and drizzle over the oil and the seasoning and garlic, mixing so all are coated (a pair of silicon tongs are great for this).
7. Chop off the top and bottom of the onion and peel it. Then make cuts vertically through it that do not quite go all the way through.
8. Place the onion in the centre of a baking sheet (I cover mine with baking parchment to prevent sticking) and drizzle with a little of the olive oil, and a little of the seasoning.
9. Arrange all the veg around the onion - keep the bowl with it's residue oil.
10. Put the tray in the oven for 15 mins.
11. Turn down the oven to 200C (400F, Gas 6) and turn the veg on the tray. Cook for another 15 mins.
12. Put the nuts in the reserved veg bowl and cover with the residual oil and spices - there will be plenty.
13. Scatter the nuts over the veg and return to the oven for the final 15 mins.
14. Cook the rice as instructed on the packet.
15. Serve the veg and nuts over the rice in a bowl and drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil for flavour and moisture.

It can be left in the oven for longer if necessary, but be careful that it does not burn.

This really is a wonderful way to do veg - the higher temp at the beginning gives the veg some colour and caramelisation, and then the rest of the cooking softens it to a wonderful roasted consistency. And the nuts, oh my the nuts - yum! I could not finish my portion, it was so filling, but Rob polished his off completely, which is why this is for hungry adults. If people have smaller appetites it would easily do 3, just add a bit more rice.

And the best thing about this recipe is you can use whatever veg you like. You might need to blanch things like broccoli first, to stop it being tough, but it will all work. I understand Aubergine (Eggplant) is supposed to be amazing roasted.

~*~

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Recipe: Curried Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds #TipsTuesdays #Vegan #GlutenFree

Curried Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

I  literally just finished making this and it's yummy, so I had to share. Roasting the pumpkin is a bit of a faff, but it helps get rid of some of its water and starts the sugars going, so it is worth the time. From start to end it took me at least 2 hours, but it makes a lot of soup - easily enough for six hungry people, or packed lunches for days and I suspect it would freeze well. I already sent my parents off with a batch because there was no way Rob and I could eat it all :).

This recipe can easily be made vegan and gluten free, just use the right curry powder and the right stock depending on the dietry requirements of the diners.

Ingredients:

• 2 red onions
• 3 tbsp curry powder (check it is gluten free if that is a requirement)
• 1 tbsp garlic puree (I use it from a tube, but you can crush your own)
• 1/2 tsp ground dried garlic (optional to taste - I have it in a grinder)
• salt to taste
• white pepper to taste
• 1 large pumpkin (no idea of weight, but when cut into chunks it almost filled my shallow casserole pan)
• 1 L/4.2 cups stock (chicken or veg - depending on whether you are making the carnivor or vegan version)
• 400ml/13.5oz can coconut milk
• oil for cooking

Equipment:

• 1 large pan (at least 24cm/9.5in x 7cm/3in shallow casserole 3.2L)
• 1 stick blender (a standard blender can also be used, but the soup will have to be blended in batches)
• 1 spatula
• 1 spoon
• 2 large baking trays
• baking parchment/paper
• 1 sharp knife

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F
2. Cut the pumkin in half with the sharp knife.
3. Remove and reserve the seeds (if you run your fingers gently through the inside of the pumkin the seeds will come away easily without any of the icky stuff).
4. Scrape out the stringy insides of the pumpkin with a spoon.
5. Rub the flesh of the pumpkin with oil (I used a spray oil for ease) and place on the baking tray. (Don't worry if it hangs over the edge, mine did, just make sure it goes in the oven :)).
6. Place in the oven and bake until tender - this will be at least 45mins if not longer.
7. Line the other tray with baking parchment/paper and spread the pumpkin seeds on it.
8. Sprinkle with oil and salt and place in the oven as well. Bake for about 45 mins, turning occasionally until the seeds are lightly toasted.
9. When the seeds and pumpkin are done, remove them from the oven and allow to cool. The oven can go off now as well.
10. Chop the onion. (It doesn't have to be too fine, but the smaller it is chopped the faster it will cook, so smaller is better).
11. Put a teaspoon of oil in the casserole, add the onion, the curry powder and the garlic and cook on low until the onion is soft and translucent.
12. Skin and cube the pumpkin (don't worry if it isn't all completely cooked because we're going to cook it some more anyway - the roasting was for flavour).
13. Add the pumpkin, the stock and the salt and pepper to the casserole and stir to mix with the curried onion.
14. Bring to the boil, still stiring.
15. Turn down and simmer until all the pumpkin is soft and juicy.
16. Take off the stove top and roughly blend the pumkin mixture and return to the low heat. Give it another ten minutes to make sure it is completely cooked through. (Best to put a lid on the pan at this point because it's like hot mud and can splooge over the edge as air is forced to the surface).
17. Take off the heat and add the can of coconut milk.
18. Blend until smooth. (This can take a long time - there is a lot of soup - don't give up before it has a silky texture).
19. Return to a gentle heat and taste. Add more seasoning if necessary. (This is where I added the ground garlic to give it a little bit more of a punch, but that may not be to everyone's taste).
20. Serve with the toasted pumkin seeds scattered on top to give it a bit of crunch.

This is a hearty thick soup and can be stored in the fridge and reheated easily. It can be eaten on its own and be very satisfying or it would go well with a dollop of greek style yoghurt/yoghurt substitute or a sprinkling of paprika or both. I also never met a soup that didn't go well with a hunk of crusty bread as long as diners are not gluten intolerant :).

Creme fraiche could easily be substituted for the coconut milk as well if you happen to have that to hand, and you aren't worried about the dish being vegan. That's the joy of this recipe, it's very versatile.