Banana chia coconut bread

I will say upfront that I didn't expect to share this recipe. I made it on a whim, to use up bananas and some of my recent fig paste. Even by my standards it is very minimally sweetened. I hoped it would be suitable for Mini Bite and edible, but not necessarily exciting, for me. In the end, I loved the bread so much that I hastily scribbled down the recipe so I could post it here.

The star of this bread is not the banana or coconut, and in fact neither are a strong presence in the loaf. Instead, it is the chia seeds that make this wonderful, giving the loaf a fantastic texture and reminding me of poppy seed cakes. I will definitely be baking more chia loaded breads now!

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Cranberry and chocolate chip banana bread

On Sunday we went to a pot luck Christmas event, organised by one of the mother's I met through a local mother/baby group. Mr Bite and I are not the most sociable couple (I think it's safe to say we are both introverts!) but with moving to a new country and then a new town, I have tried to make an effort to build our social networks. Our school and university friends are back in Australia, as our are families, and I don't think it's healthy for us to be completely isolated. The pot luck event was enjoyable and a nice opportunity to socialise with other couples with babies.

I took along some hummus and vegetable sticks, as well as this cranberry and chocolate chip banana bread. I adapted it from a non-vegan cranberry banana bread, but opted to swap out the walnuts used in the original for more decadent chocolate chips. I really loved the bread and am pleased to share the recipe now.

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Grilled hummus and lentils on toast

I've recently been enjoying variations of my grilled hummus on toast. Whilst the original (just hummus and tomato) is still delicious, I can also recommend adding rocket and mushrooms. And, of course, I highly recommend this variation with lentils.

I know not everyone is a fan of bread, but with so many varieties available (whole wheat, seeded, gluten free, sourdough...) I think there is a type for all of us. I have mentioned before that I don't make a lot of sandwiches, but sometimes bread-based lunches appeal more than my usual grain-based salads. If you join me in trying this open sandwich, I think you'll understand why!

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Breakfast bread and berry pudding

If you're like me, your freezer contains bread odds and ends: the last few pieces of a loaf that was about to go stale, or perhaps the last few pieces of multiple loaves that were about to go stale. They manage to accumulate over time, especially if you aren't a big bread eater at lunch time.

This recipe is a simple way to turn frozen or stale bread (or even fresh bread) into something far more exciting than toast. It combines the classic desserts of bread and butter pudding and summer (berry) pudding, but also simplifies the ingredients and makes the outcome suitable for breakfast. Basically, we're talking bread, milk and berries - but fancied up.

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Raspberry and yoghurt loaf, for a birthday

Those of you involved in research may empathise when I say that I spent all of today (or at least a good 8 hours of it) working on a grant application. The good news is that it is now largely done, or at least done as a complete draft. The other good news is that my life has had plenty of distractions from out-of-hours work. It was my birthday last week, and birthdays do make for nice distractions.

Mr Bite excelled at making this one particularly nice. I got sparkly flowers, above, a voucher to unleash myself at Whole Foods or Planet Organic (dangerous!), a dinner promise for 222 Veggie Vegan (exciting!), a new memory card (essential, with the number of photos I take), an amazingly enormous guide to touring Britain, and ticket to the ballet, The Nutcracker. 

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Pear and banana oat bread

I didn't set out to make this oat bread. I thought I could turn some over-ripe pears and banana into raw oat ball snacks. However, somewhere during my ingredient processing, I decided that balls were unlikely to stick together. I turned the mix into a baked loaf instead. It could have gone horribly wrong, but instead turned out surprisingly well.

Consistent with my love of simple recipes, this is a minimalist bread: there are only 4 ingredients, and 2 of them are fruits. There is no rising time, no raising agent, and no kneading. Effectively, the loaf is porridge turned into bread.

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Apple scroll bread

A little while ago, I made raisin bread after being inspired by the bread episode on River Cottage.

My bread making may have hit 'pause' (it's been a month since any bread came out of my oven...), but I did follow the raisin loaf with an apple variety. This isn't particularly surprising when you consider how many of my baking recipes feature apple (10, prior to this loaf). Apple is one of those fruits that I like in almost any form, but there is something quite decadent about it when baked.

In this instance, adding apple made this loaf a cross between a bread and a scroll, at least in terms of the eating experience. The apple pieces are scattered throughout to provide sweet, soft, gems of tastiness that turn bread from 'everyday staple' to 'exciting afternoon treat'.

Given that I rarely eat bread in its 'everyday staple' form, for me it elevated it from "too boring to bother with" (give me wrap bread, rice, quinoa or mashed celeriac any day) to "why, hello there!".

Figuratively, you understand. Talking to bread might be a stretch too far, even for me.

Apple scroll bread

More of a bread than a scroll, but delicious whatever you choose to call it.

Makes 2 loaves - you could divide the dough and make two different bread varieties.

Inspired by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage Everyday episode on bread.

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Ingredients

400g strong white baker's flour

300g wholemeal flour

10g salt

1 sachet (7g) instant yeast

450ml warm water

1 tbsp mixed spice or cinnamon

2 tbsp sweetened apple sauce

2 small/medium apples or 1 large apple, peeled and diced

Plain flour, extra, for dusting

Method

Put the flours, salt and yeast into a mixing bowl. Pour in the warm water and mix to a dough. Turn out on to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 - 10 minutes.

Put the dough into a large mixing bowl that has been sprayed with oil spray. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1.5 - 2 hours, until risen to approximately double the original size.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead again, knocking out the air, for about 5 minutes. Divide into two loaves and shape into flat, oval pieces approximately 1 inch thick.

Place 1 tbsp apple sauce, 1/2 tbsp mixed spice (or cinnamon), and half of your diced apple on each dough piece. Place the apple in a line down the centre, leaving at least an inch between the apple and each edge. If you have too much apple, you can keep some and sprinkle it on the top of your loaf later.

Roll the dough up from the short end, to form a rough ball. Top with any spare apple pieces.

Place the loaves on baking trays lined with baking paper, cover, and leave for a further 1 - 1.5 hours, until risen to approximately double their original size.

While the loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 190'C. When risen, bake the loaves for 35 - 40 minutes, until golden and they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Rolled out dough

Rolled up with apple inside

After baking

And ready to eat

This was quite incredible straight out of the oven, but was also enjoyable half a week later (I stored the bread in the fridge after the first few days). I tended to eat it plain, as a snack or as a side to lunch, but it would go with certain spreads too. Honey and almond butter come to mind. I believe cheese is meant to go well with apple, so that may work too, if you are one for cheese.

All in all, quite a satisfying product. On looking back at these photos, I may even be tempted to return to bread making once again!

Interested in the health benefits of apples? Here is a comprehensive round-up!

Do you like baking with apple? Or have you made any bread varieties yourself lately?

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Homemade raisin bread

Over the last few months, we have been working our way through the River Cottage Everyday series. I think this was broadcast on the ABC some time ago, but our TV viewing is done entirely through a digital recorder and is almost always many months behind.

Whenever it was shown, this series has become one of my favourites, with each episode focusing on a meal such as breakfast or lunch, or a food group such as fruit, vegetables or bread. The whole River Cottage philosophy is one that I love, with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall focusing on real, whole foods, grown ethically and sustainably, and served in season. The Everyday series had the aim of drawing people back to everyday foods in an easy but whole-food way.

Last week, we watched the 'bread' episode of the series. I think it is no coincidence that today I spent some time in the kitchen making this.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has some influence.

This is a recipe that requires a bit of advance planning, but the actual preparation time (as opposed to rising / cooking time) isn't huge. It also yields results that are well worth the time put in.

All in all, just perfect for a Sunday with few fixed commitments.

Homemade raisin bread

Makes 2 loaves - I put one straight in the freezer.

Requires some advance planning, but can easily be fit around other things.

Inspired by High Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage Everyday episode on bread.

Print recipe

Ingredients

400g strong white baker's flour

300g wholemeal flour

10g salt

1 sachet (7g) instant yeast

450ml warm water

2 tsp mixed spice

150g (1 generous cup) sultanas (or currants, or raisins)

Optional: 1 - 2 tsp sugar (I didn't do this but it would make the product more like a commercial fruit bread)

Plain flour, extra, for dusting

Method

Put the flours, salt and yeast into a mixing bowl. Pour in the warm water and mix to a dough. Turn out on to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 - 10 minutes.

Put the dough into a large mixing bowl that has been sprayed with oil spray. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1.5 - 2 hours, until risen to approximately double the original size.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead again, knocking out the air, for about 5 minutes. Knead in the sultanas and spice then divide into two loaves.

Place the loaves on baking trays lined with baking paper, cover, and leave for a further 1 - 1.5 hours, until risen to approximately double their original size.

While the loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 190'C. When risen, bake the loaves for 30 - 35 minutes, until slightly golden and they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

After initial rising

Before second rising

After second rising

This wasn't as sweet as supermarket raisin bread - thus my note about the optional sugar - but it was immeasurably more rewarding to eat. The crust was crustier and the interior 'rougher' (I mean that in a good way), giving a fresh, slightly chewy bread that is studded with bursts of sultana sweetness.

Delicious plain, paired with a cup of tea, or spread with jam.

And as a bonus, there is that second loaf in the freezer for weeks when I can't spare hours for the kitchen.

I know many bloggers out there routinely make their own bread - are you in that category? Do you have a favourite type to bake?

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Vegetable Ratatouille and Sage Soda Bread

At the start of this year, I set a goal of making one new recipe a week, on a Sunday. That plan has really never gone brilliantly. On the weeks I do try something new, a positive outcome is never guaranteed. On the other weeks, I am too disorganised and/or don't feel like trialling new recipes, and I dish up a quick, familiar, and non-exciting meal.

Last weekend, to my delight, I tried two new recipes and both turned out to be edible. And both were easy. Success!

Chunky Ratatouille Stew

Adapted from a cookbook of my Mum's, title not remembered because I copied the recipe with no book-related details (very poor behaviour)

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large red capsicum, chopped (sliced or diced, to preference)
• 1 large eggplant, peeled and chopped
• ~1/2 cup green beans, chopped
• 2 full sticks of celery, chopped
• 4 mushrooms, peeled and chopped
• 1 tin crushed tomatoes, with added herbs if possible
• ~1.5 tsp dried basil or equivalent fresh
• ~200g (1/2 tin) canned cannelloni beans, or equivalent from dry
• ~1 tbsp water
• Oil for cooking, to taste

(Note. The original recipe called for 2 tbsp dry red wine and didn't include cannelloni beans.)

 Directions:

1. Heat a non-stick pan and add a light coating of oil or oil spray.
2. Add onions and capsicum and cook until slightly soft and the onion is golden.
3. Transfer to a saucepan; add eggplant and ~1tbsp water.
4. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
5. Add beans, celery and mushroom; continue to cook on low heat for a further 5 minutes.
6. Add basil and tinned tomato; continue to cook on low heat for a further 5 minutes.
7. Add canneloni beans; continue to cook on low heat for a final 5 minutes.

Other than the vegetable chopping, which can be done in stages given that the vegetables are cooked in batches, this is a super simple and quick meal.

The cooking time is about 25 minutes from start to finish, but the meal could also be made in advance and left to sit or simmer until needed.

My final product looked somewhat like minestrone, which I think was due to my dicing vegetables rather than leaving some in strips, but I found the taste was thicker and more flavoursome than soup.

Sage Soda Bread

Also adapted from a cookbook of my Mum's, title not remembered
Serves 6 - 8 as a side dish

Side note: Soda bread is made with bicarbonate of soda instead of yeast, and also (traditionally at least) involves buttermilk. This combination of ingredients react to give carbon dioxide, which allows the bread to rise without yeast or extended rising time. 


I had half a carton of buttermilk left from my failed Mother's Day carrot cake, which was one of the reasons I elected to make this loaf. Interestingly, buttermilk was so named because it was the milk left behind when butter was churned out of cream, so it's actually lower in fat than standard milk. It's also higher in lactic acid, which is why it works so well when reacting with bicarbonate of soda. 


I'm not sure if non-dairy milks would work, but I guess it could be tried.

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup wholemeal flour
• 1 cup plain white flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ~2 tbsp chopped fresh sage, or equivalent dried

Direcitons:

1. Preheat oven to 220'C.
2. Combine flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda.
3. Add sage and then buttermilk, and combine to make a soft dough. Mix well and knead very slightly.
4. Form dough into a rough ball, cut a cross in the top (I assume for cooking rather than religious purposes...), and place on a greased baking tray.
5. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped (I found this last point quite amusing, but the loaf really does sound hollow when ready!).

Voila...home made bread in under an hour.

The taste and texture were reminiscent of a savoury scone, and quite different to standard bread.

I'm not usually a savoury scone person, but I did enjoy this (perhaps having it straight out of the oven helped!) and it paired well with the ratatouille.

All in all, this dinner was easy to make and a nice change to standard routines. The ratatouille was a great source of varied vegetables, and if you aren't serving lots of people, the recipe makes enough for several batches of work lunch leftovers.


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