Chocolate chip, honey & Lemon Thyme Wholemeal Hotcakes

Some days are made for pancakes. Today is one of those days. The tax return is done and there's not much else on the list (all chores were completed in procrastination of the tax return)! So as I'd been up since silly o'clock and really it was only just past breakfast time, the half-asleep hazy-but-clear mind magic made these glorious, light, flavourful (and fairly healthy - note the wholemeal flour, oats and lack of refined sugar) hotcakes. The quantities below will make 4 hotcakes, which will feed 1 ravenous person or 2 as a light bite. I hope you like them. Please feel free to let me know :)

Ingredients
1/3 cup of rolled oats
1/3 cup of whole meal flour (I used Spelt)
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of freshly picked Lemon Thyme leaves
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
2 teaspoons of runny honey
1 egg
2 fl oz of Milk
40g of Milk chocolate chips
A Pinch of Salt & black pepper
Knob of butter for frying
Method
Put all ingredients (apart from the butter) in a bowl and mix well.
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat (it needs to be medium so that the chocolate chips don't burn). Add in a knob of butter and wait for it to sizzle. Then you can start frying. 1 hotcake is about 2 tablespoons of the mixture. Add the mixture to the pan and flatten a little with the back of the spoon. Fry until a quick shake of the pan moves the pancake, (about 3 minutes undisturbed), then turn and fry for a further 3 mins on the other side. Serve warm covered in crushed (frozen) raspberries and honey.

Baked Risotto

This is a store cupboard super supper. No fuss and nothing fresh required unless you fancy a little finishing flourish of freshness (rocket leaves and pin nuts pictured). I've adapted this from Donna Hay's recipe for basic baked risotto. And although you're never going to get the glorious gooey-ness that necessitates constant stirring and attention, it is still mighty good and a lot less laborious.

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• Ingredients
• 1 cup Carnolli rice
• 3 ½ cups stock (I used Beef)
• ¼ cup red wine
• 1 clove of Garlic, minced
• A handful of sun blush tomatoes
• 20g of dried mushrooms (i have used a mixture of Shiitake, Oyster & Porcini)
• 50g or so of finely grated Parmesan
• A 20g knob of Butter
• salt and freshly ground pepper
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Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Place the rice, stock, wine, garlic, mushrooms and tomatoes in a 22 x 30cm (8½ x 12 in) 10-cup (80 fl oz) capacity baking dish and stir. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until most of the stock is absorbed and the rice is al dente. Stir through the Parmesan, butter, season to taste and serve immediately. 

Serves 2 hungry so and sos.

Fried Coconut Banana

This is a brilliant brekkie or brunch. Really speedy, simple, actually good for you and delicious.

What you need to feed 1
A Ripe Banana, sliced (about 2cm thick)
A knob of Butter
A teaspoon of dessicated coconut
A teaspoon of sugar (brown if you have a choice)
A few broken walnuts
Greek yoghurt
What to do
Heat the butter in frying pan over a medium high heat. Once melted add in the banana. Allow to fry for 2 minutes undisturbed. Sprinkle with the coconut and sugar over. Fry for a further minute and then turn over (you are hoping for a beautiful golden brown caramelised colour). Add the walnuts to the pan. Fry until the nuts have become fragrant and both sides of the banana are golden. Eat immediately slathered in Greek yoghurt.

Chinese Five Spice Noodles with Beef

In the east noodles are always served with the assumption that the final taste is to be determined by the eater. And because of this the condiments served alongside this type of dish are much more varied than us western folk are accustomed to. Even in the simplest of eateries there are baskets on every table bursting with herbs, fish sauce, soy sauce, chilli sauce, fresh lime segments, sugar and chillies; so that you, the patron, can ultimately tailor your selected sustenance to your own personal taste. So with that in mind, I think this recipe is perfect, but that of course is just me. If you want some heat, punch it with some chilli, more sour for you..then up the Lime, etc etc. To quote Lloyd.. and now David, it's over to you.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon groundnut oil
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of Chinese five spice powder
Leftover rare roast beef, about 100g per person, shredded
250g of Beef stock
2 nests of noodles
1 red pepper, sliced
4 spring onions, finely sliced
Juice of half a lime and use the other quarters as garnish
A handful of Coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Some snippets of cress
A sprinkling of black sesame seeds
Method
Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the garlic, salt, soy sauce, ginger, sugar and five spice, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to bubble gently for a couple of minutes. Add in the stock, and lime juice, stir and bring back to the boil.
Meanwhile cook (or soak) your noodles according to the pack instructions and drain.
Now it's just a matter of assembly. Divide your noodles into 2 bowls. Gently slosh half the five spice liquid over each. Chuck on some beef, pepper, onions, coriander, cress and seeds and garnish with a lime wedge. Consume.

Prep time 5 mins. Cooking time 7 mins. Feeds 2.

Killer Brownies

No I'm not talking deranged homicidal 10 year old girls. I'm talking the most chocolatey fudgey  delightfully dense chocolate (yes, again) brownies you have ever had the good luck to have settle upon your hips. If you're currently dieting, this is the time to look away..This page just isn't for you. But if you're after a little mouthful of heaven, read on. This recipe will make around 16 small brownie chunks.

Ingredients
125g Butter, cut into cubes
125g Dark Chocolate, broken into squares
250g Golden castor sugar
2 eggs
125g Plain flour (I used white Spelt)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (365oF, gas 6).
Melt the butter and sugar in a Pirex bowl in the microwave in 20 second bursts, until it's a smooth and shiny liquid. It should take 3 or 4 bursts. 
Meanwhile put the eggs and sugar into a mixing bowl and whisk. 
Pour in the warm chocolate mixture and combine well. Fold in the flour until just combined. 
Transfer the mixture into a baking paper lined baking tin and bake for 10 mins at 180 and then reduce the oven temperature to 170 degrees C (340oF, Gas 4) for an extra 15 mins, until a thin, dry, crispy crust has formed on the top. 
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 mins in the tin on a wire rack. 
Transfer to the freezer for 1 hour. (These will also keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks). Popping them in the freezer does wonders for the fudgey factor and makes them much easier to cut.
Remove from the freezer and cut into bite-sized chunks. If you put them in an airtight container they'll keep fresh for at least 3 days, if they last that long!