Nigella Lawson's Coconut and Cherry Banana bread

Hey people! It's been ages! Lol. I know I sound excited and all but it's a new month and so I get a new budget to spend on food *whoop whoop!

I won't lie, it was harrrrrrrrd sticking to my £30 food budget last month. As the month of February drew to an end, I started counting down and working out what recipes I want to try. The good news is, I did it. Yup! Yup! I stuck to my budget. To be fair, I had a lot of things in my shelf and freezer. Having a budget makes me realise just how much food I have even when I think I need to go shopping and also helps me creatively combine ingredients.

Anyway, I found this recipe by Nigella Lawson and have been aching to try it since forever! Lol. Right now, my bread's in the oven and I won't get to try just how well I did till tomorrow :-P but I am quite impressed with what it looks like so far.

You will need:

125g soft unsalted butter, plus some for greasing

4 small-medium bananas (approx. 500g with the skin on)

150g of caster sugar

2 eggs

175g plain flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

100g of dried cherries

100g of desicated coconut

1 x 900g (2lb) loaf tin

Preheat your oven to  170 C or Gas mark 3. Line your loaf tin with a liner or grease your tin with the extra butter.

Melt your butter, remove from the heat and leave to cool

Peel and mash the bananas 

Beat the sugar into the cooled, melted butter, then beat in the bananas and the eggs. Fold in the flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate soda. Finally, add the cherries and coconut.

 Fold well so everthing is combined, then pour into the lined loaf tin. Bake for 50 mins, but check after 45minutes. When ready, the bread will come away from the sides of the tin and will be bouncy on top. Leave it in the tin for 10 mins before transfering to a wire rack to cool.

I just checked mine and will update this post with the final outcome if I can hold out long enough to take a picture :D

Meanwhile, in other news......I made this before I started with my bread

Sneak Peek........

Lentil, Coconut, Aubergine & Zuchini Curry

My darlings! I think I am doing quite well as per my resolve to eat more. It is therefore with great pleasure and a rotund belly that I scribble this post.

First up! My recipe! Yes! Lol. I measured for you all today. It's not that bad, just wierd. I worked with ingredients I have never used before and to be honest, it was fun. I believe the secret of good cooking is - Let your imagination lead the way........and if everything goes horribly wrong, do what I do - don't tell anyone about it *hehehe

You will need

200g of Lentils

 2 decent sized Zuchinis or Courgettes (Medium to Large)

1 decent sized Aubergine (Medium to Large)

4 large tomatoes or 8 small ones, diced

1 tablespoon of Vegetable oil

3 onions (1 red and 2 white) - sliced, diced or both

2 cloves of fresh garlic

20g of grated ginger if fresh. If frozen, 2 blocks

150g dessicated or grated coconut

2 litres of hot water or stock

2 teaspoons of Soy sauce

Fresh chilli or dried chilli flakes (optional)

Rice to serve (optional)

 This recipe is for 4 portions if eaten alone and 8 if served with rice.

Measure out your lentils, rinse and boil in water till soft. I cooked at high heat for 10 mins and left to simmer for 35mins whilst i got up to other things

 

I can'r get over the beauty of this veg! Lol.

Heat your oil in a pot. I don't have my large pots here so used a pan

Pour in your onions

Add your ginger and garlic. I am using frozen ginger. Leave to fry for 5 mins

Pour in your Lentils

Add your coconut and pour in your stock or hot water. Stir

Leave to boil for 5minutes

Pour in your diced Aubergine. I diced this just before I put it in as they tend to discolour quickly once exposed to air

Stir and leave to boil for 10minutes. At this point, I had to change my pan as my dish outgrew the first. Lol

Add your tomatoes

Add your diced Zuchini (Courgette)

Add your Soy sauce

Sprinkle in your chilli if using

Stir and add salt to taste. Leave to simmer for 10 mins

 served mine with rice although on hindsight, I shouldn't have. Lol. the dish is filling on it's own and I am stuffed!

Serve after plating.......like a boss :-D