Chocolate Banana Bread

I made this without the nuts or white chocolate, simply because I didn't have them in the house, but it worked well.

Chocolate banana cake

Veg

Adding chocolate to a classic banana bread recipe will make it a firm family favourite.

Ingredients

• 250g/9oz plain flour
• 25g/1oz cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• pinch salt
• 200g/7oz golden caster sugar
• 2 very ripe bananas, peeled, mashed
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• 125g/4½ butter, melted
• 100g/3½oz good-quality white chocolate, chopped
• 50g/2oz toasted chopped hazelnuts

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line a loaf tin.
2. Sift the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar into a large bowl and mix until well combined.
3. Mash the bananas in a separate bowl, stir in the eggs and melted butter.
4. Fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the chocolate and nuts and spoon the mixture into the loaf tin.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the cake is risen and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the tin. Serve in slices.

Delicious Curry

This is a delicious curry base to have with any vegetable- I have made it with all the left overs just as I would a ratatouille. Presumably it would work with most poultry, meat and fish?

 

Sweet potato curry

 

Veg

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ banana shallot, sliced
• ½ red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp medium curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 200ml/7fl oz hot vegetable stock
• 250g/9oz sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes
• 100g/3½oz broccoli stalk, chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 15g/½oz chopped coriander, to garnish
• 50g/1¾oz Greek yoghurt, to garnish

Preparation method

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and fry until softened.
2. Add the chilli, cumin seeds, curry powder and turmeric powder and fry for a further minute to release the aromas.
3. Add the tomato purée and vegetable stock, stir well and bring to a simmer.
4. Add the sweet potato and broccoli and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sweet potato is cooked through. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. To serve, pour into a warm bowl, sprinkle with the fresh coriander and spoon the yoghurt into the middle.
   
   
   From:http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sweetpotatocurry_83601