Banana and pecan cake

Banana and pecan cake

Banana and pecan cake

I seem to be having alot of overripe bananas at the moment. Perhaps it is due to the miserable weather we have been enduring and the prevalence of sweet nectarines. Annywho, I decided to add pecans to this mix to add fibre and of course taste. 

Ingredients:

200g dairy free margarine
100g light brown sugar
2 eggs
170g self raising gluten free flour
1 tbsp rice milk
80g ground almonds
90g pecan nuts
3 or 4 overripe bananas

Unroasted pecans

Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the pecans in the oven for 10 minutes whilst you prepare the mix. In a large mixing bowl, add the margarine and sugar and mix until you have a light and creamy mixture. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition. Then add the milk, ground almonds and flour and fold in. 

Chopped roasted pecans

Take the pecans from the oven and lightly chop into medium pieces. Add to the mix. Take the bananas and break them into pieces with your fingers, adding to the mix. Combine together gently then pour into a greased 10” loose-bottomed cake tin. 

Next to some bananas

Pop into the oven for 40-45 minutes until browned on top and a knife comes out clean when poked in the middle. 

Lovely and baked

Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool. Enjoy with a nice cup of tea.

Lovely eaten

So, do you prefer walnuts or pecans?

Crispy potato, spinach and pecan salad

Crispy potato, spinach

Crispy potato, spinach and pecan salad

Salads are great for lunch and any left overs can be served with a main. This salad is simple but packed with taste. It involves a couple of cooking techniques which add a crispiness that lifts the taste sensation.

Ingredients:

400g salad potatoes
100g spinach
50g pecan nuts
Drizzle of honey
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
Seasoning

All the goodness of green

Put the grill on to a medium setting. Wash the spinach and leave to dry. 

Crispy potatoes

Boil the potatoes in a saucepan for about 10 minutes. Drain then leave to cool. Put some oil in a frying pan over a high heat and when the oil is hot, pop in the potatoes and fry for a few minutes until starts to brown and leave to one side. 

Honey pecans

Place the pecans on a baking tray and drizzle some honey evenly over the nuts. Pop into the oven under the grill for about 5 minutes until the honey has melted and pop the walnuts in a bowl to cool down. 

Mustard dressing

In a small bowl, add the oil, lemon, mustard and seasoning to taste and mix to combine. In a large bowl, add the spinach, potatoes and pecans, add the dressing and mix to combine. 

The finished article

So, what is your favourite salad ingredients?

Sweet and crunchy beetroot salad

Sweet and crunchy!

Sweet and crunchy beetroot salad

Mrs NMFS loves beetroot so we try to have it at least once during the week. Our favourite is the sweetfire beetroot since it is not too acidic. I made this for a quick lunch and tried to come up with something that was crunchy and sweet to countract the acidity of the main ingredients. 

Ingredients:

75g pecans
1 tsp honey
360g sweetfire beetroot
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp olive oil
2 oranges
2 carrots
1 handful mint

Drizzled pecans

Preheat a medium grill. On a tray arrange the pecan nuts and drizzle the honey all over. Give the pecans a quick stir and then pop into the oven for a few minutes until the nuts start to brown but do not burn. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool. 

Roasted pecans!

Arrange the beetroot on the same tray and half or quarter depending on how large the beetroot is. Sprinkle the cumin seeds on top and season to taste. Pop into the oven for a few minutes to allow the cumin to warm. 

Roasted cumin!

Peel the oranges and cut into mini bite-sizes. 

Juicy oranges

Wash and trim the carrots and grate.

Crunchy carrots

Assemble all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Wash the mint and chop coarsely and add to the mix. Add olive oil to taste and mix to combine. Enjoy with some toasted bread. 

Lovely salad

So, do you think orange and beetroot is a good combination?