The Green Kitchen Project, recipe no.9

Sometimes words feel inadequate. Like when you really want to thank somebody. Susanna and Mariia have seen so much of the good and the bad and they've been there for me lately when I've really needed them. My way of saying thank you was breakfast.

BAKED CRUNCHY BLUEBERRY OATMEAL

(serves 2-4)

200g blueberries (fresh or thawed if frozen)
240ml oats
1/2tsp baking powder
1/4 ground ginger
a good pinch of salt
1 egg
250ml milk
a pinch of pure powdered vanilla
40g hazel nuts
40g pumpkin seeds
1tbsp coconut oil
30ml maple syrup


Combine oats, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, add milk and whisk well to combine. For the crunchy top layer mix syrup, coconut oil, hazel nuts and pumpkin seeds with your fingers.

Grease a baking dish with coconut oil and spread the blueberries on the bottom. Spoon the oat mixture on the blueberries and then pour the egg mixture over the oats so that everything is evenly soaked. Sprinkle the seed and nut mixture on top and bake in 190 celsius for 25 – 35 minutes (when ready the oatmeal should be set and the nuts and seeds lightly browned and crunchy). Leave to cool slightly before serving.


I quite liked this! I think I'll substitute pumpkin seeds with sunflower seeds next time as their taste is more subtle. And I am tempted to try this version as well.

The Green Kitchen Project, recipe no.1

I am so in love with my newest cookbook, The Green Kitchen. As I wrote earlier I'd like to do what Julie did to Julia Child's cookbook (in the film Julie&Julia) with it. Cook it through and document it here. If I remember right Julie cooked a recipe per day but I'm thinking more like once a week or so and I'm propably not setting a particular day in a week either, at least not yet, to keep it fun and spontaneous.

I actually already kicked off the project when I last had Helena over for breakfast with Banana & Coconut Pancakes. Oh my goodness these are good.

FLOUR-FREE BANANA & COCONUT PANCAKES

(makes about 15)

3 ripe bananas
6 eggs
50g-75g shredded coconut
(150g blueberries)
0,5tsp ground cinnamon
coconut oil for frying


Mash the bananas with a fork. Beat the eggs lightly and add them and the rest of the ingredients. (I use about 75g of shredded coconut; the blog version of this recipe calls for 100g and the book version for 50g. I like using more than 50g because then the batter is thicker and so will the pancakes be.) I have now made these both with and without blueberries in the batter and I prefer having blueberries fresh on the side. Bake 3-4 pancakes at a time in a regular pan on medium heat (these burn easily). The Green Kitchen suggests maple syrup and/or plain yoghurt for serving; I serve these with fresh berries, maple syrup and quark.

I am very excited about this project; I'm sure there are plenty of amazing recipes in the book I would never try out otherwise (because you never really cook your cookbooks through, do you). The Green Kitchen also seems to be a perfect summertime cookbook and will definitely travel up north with me for July.

The Green Kitchen Project, here we go!

(photo by Helena Mackey)

BANANA BLUEBERRY BREAKFAST MUFFINS

(makes about 8)
(adapted from Donal Skehan)


60g light spelt flour
40g oat flour
100g rolled oats
30g muscovado sugar
0,5 tsp salt
1,5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
0,5 tsp cardamom
1 egg yolk
125ml milk
1,5 tbsp oil
1 very large or 2 small ripe bananas mashed
1 egg white
130g blueberries


Mix the dry ingredients. Add egg yolk, milk, oil and mashed banana and mix with a spatula. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Fold the egg white gently in to the batter and last add the frozen berries (mix quickly; the blueberries color the batter easily when they start melting). Divide the batter into 8 paper cases on a muffin tray and bake in 200c for about 20 minutes.

I keep coming back to this recipe, these are my favorite breakfast muffins!