Peanut Butter Pancakes and Groundnut Curry with Kale

I am already whimpering at the thought that tomorrow morning when the alarm goes off, I have to return to work (albeit I am still working from home).

The weeks annual leave does not feel enough, that I am contemplating taking another week off in not too long.

I feel like I have hardly done anything worthwhile.  

Then D gently reminded me that I did a lot of learning.  And this is true, I did a lot of reading, I even attended a on-line Cyber School.  We went for a walk and discovered for ourselves the most magnificent tree. I've done some gardening.  I have overslept without feeling guilty.  I have stayed up late and watched some films and documentaries and mostly and more importantly.  I switched off from thinking about work and got to rest and I guess that is what matters. 

Forest Bouquet and Chilli Peanut Carrot Soup

Exercise for me has been by green prescription: being in the garden, weeding, toiling and sowing seeds in the sunshine.  I know i am lucky. 

I have not ventured far from the house or garden though, but yesterday I left the house for 'exercise' reconnecting with nature, but also to collect some 'sticks' to build bean frames for the vegetable plot.

Chocolate Snowflake Peanut Butter Cups

These are peanut butter cups disguised as chocolate snowflakes.  

Very festive don't you think?!

These are my first ever attempt at making peanut butter cups, not that difficult I hear you say - but how about making the Peanut Butter Cups in the shape of intricate Snowflakes - a little fiddly to make, but well worth the effort.  

Lisa's Kitchen No Bake Cocoa and Peanut Butter Fudge (vegan)

I have a number of food bloggers recipes bookmarked, as well as those from cookbooks. I have been making an attempt to cook them, not just drool over them and admire them.

Today's bookmarked recipe comes from Lisa's Kitchen,  I play along to Lisa's No Croutons Required and My Legume Love Affair cooking challenge, by the way I am hosting MLLA this month, so please join in if you can.  

Vegan Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies For Nephews and Nieces

I am very fortunate to have a bunch of nephews and nieces who are genuinely nice to their Aunt and Uncle.  I am really very fond of them all.  Now and again, I like to treat them to something sweet, they have been having their fair share of homemade and shop bought cakes recently, so for a change I decided to make them some cookies.  

Ordinarily they would have some vegetables in them, yes cookies with vegetables such as these Parsnip and Date Cookies, Celery Cookies and Carrot Biscuits or Cookies  - but I didn't want them to think I was a vegetable freak, but nor was I going to spoil them with chocolate chip ones, so I did a sneaky and made them all some super giant Peanut Butter vegan cookies.  So many children these days have nut allergies, I am really pleased to report that none of my nephews and nieces have any allergens.  

By the way, I did keep back a couple of cookies for myself and the big kid that is D.  

The recipe for these comes from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.  If you don't have the book, then here is a link to the recipe.  The only part I skipped was the additional chopped peanut coating.  I think the peanut butter flavour came through strong, so it was not necessary unless of course it was for visual reasons.  And in case your wondering what the dark brown splodges are on the cookies, its just baked brown sugar that I did not blend well. 

Mildred's Vegan Peanut Butter Brownies

So when I won Mildred's Cookbook  a couple of weeks ago, I knew exactly what I wanted to make first - the Lapsang Scented Mushroom Stroganoff and it was made and thoroughly enjoyed.  Next was the Peanut Butter Brownies with Hot Chocolate Sauce, that was bookmarked for a later date.  

Well that day had come.  

I have to say that these are perhaps first vegan Brownies that I have liked.  These are squishy, rich and oh so chocolatey.  I don't think the peanut butter is necessary, but it does certainly add colour.  I also think these are much better a day or two later.  As I found it rich as it was, I decided not to make the accompanying hot chocolate sauce, but you can if you wish.

If you are tempted to try these in your own home, then you will have to get your mitts on Mildreds The Cookbook.  And if you  cannot wait, then here is a link to the full recipe on-line, with the hot chocolate sauce. I  am sharing this recipe with Bookmarked Recipes hosted by Tinned Tomatoes. You may be interested to note that my fellow blogger Lisa over at We Don't Eat Anything With a Face has recently done a review of the book and if your quick you can also enter the give-away to win a copy of Mildred's The Cook book.

Fudge Like Peanut Butter Seed Bites

These Peanut Butter Seed Bites are ridiculously sweet and rather moreish.  

I sliced them originally in flapjack style, but after taking a bite of one.  I decided to cut them in half again, as they are super sweet and a bite or two would be suffice. 

I describe these bites as fudge like, as they are rather fudgy to touch, but when you bite in its full of seeds and dried fruit.  

Green Valley Elvis Smoothie

This Green Valley Elvis Smoothie is so called because it contains two ingredients alleged to be enjoyed by the King of Rock'n'Roll, the one and only Elvis Presley - peanut butter and bananas. 

As smoothies with green leafy vegetables seems to be the rage, I decided to throw in a handful of curly kale from my garden.

The Green Valley Elvis Smoothie is super smooth.  The curly kale not only gives colour and body to this smoothie, it also impart some of its flavour but this is well balanced by the banana, 'milk' and further enhanced by the sweetener, this time coming from the peanut butter, but you could easily substitute this with maple syrup or honey. I wouldn't describe this Green Smoothie as delicious at all, but it filled a hole in my belly and actually tasted good.  I would be more than happy to make it again.  I even gave D a glass and he was quite happy to drink it too, but he wasn't that impressed by the name I gave it, suggesting maybe calling it #Green Green Grass Of Home', but I am not budging. 

By they way did you know that there has been some speculation that Elvis ancestral roots may be of Welsh origin, such as Elvis Presley's ancestors coming from the Preseli Hills and Mountains in Pembrokeshire, Wales and having links with a nearby parish called St Elvis.  Well whatever the truth, this man is a world wide true legend. 

Butternut Squash and Peanut Butter Curry

Work has been keeping me distracted, so blogging about my vegan eats in the month of Veganuary has been low priority, but I have continued with the challenge and have to say I am doing very well indeed.  

I am very tired when I get home, I think the early morning starts are getting to me now, especially when it is unwelcoming outside.  The weather has been blustery, wet, icy, snowy and windy which is absolutely fine when your in a warm home or wrapped up well before stepping outdoors, but it has been playing havoc with our garden.  The garden pergola has moved a bit more, its looking more like the 'leaning tower of Pisa', but unlike the Tower of Pisa this pergola will be falling down the next time we get a strong gust of gale force winds, we are certain of it.  The greenhouse has lost a window pane.  You lose one and its impacts on the rest of the greenhouse.  We can only hope the weather calms down.

So back to food.  Of course I have been cooking and eating, just not blogging about it.  I have been making large one-pot meals.  The most recent was a Butternut Squash and Peanut Butter Curry.  I apologise in advance that there is no photograph as its just way to dark in the evening to take a photograph that would do the recipe justice.  The recipe for the Butternut Squash Curry is exactly the same as the African Sweet Potato and Groundnut Curry. I just substituted the Sweet Potatoes for Butternut Squash. It was delish!

Peanut butter is a fabulous natural thickener.  I do tend to buy the Meridian brand, but was recently tempted by this Mother Africa Peanut Butter jar as the colourful packaging and name grabbed my attention.  Sometimes I am a sucker for labels, not designer labels though - I have never ever been a follower of fashion or trends, I know its not the case, but I do sometimes think that I must be among a small minority of people living in the U.K, and more specifically Wales who has not done a selfie?! 

African Sweet Potato, Kidney Bean Groundnut Curry

I make this African Sweet Potato, Kidney Bean Groundnut Curry every so often.  The sauce is both sweet and spicy, thickened by the groundnuts. Sometimes I will make this African Curry with butternut squash, or throw in a bag of baby spinach to bulk it up when cooking for other people.   Its very popular with friends and acquaintances, except for one....

The Best Vegan Elvis Bagel

I have posted this recipe on my before.  The reason I am posting it again, is that I made it today for a snack and thought it would be a good opportunity to showcase it to new readers coming via Vegan Mofo.

Its not really a recipe, just a easy snack you can put together in moments providing you have all the ingredients to hand which are bagels, bananas, peanut butter (crunchy or smooth - you choose) and strawberry jam or jell if you want to be more authentic.  

The bagels lightly are toasted.  Then the bottom half of the bagel is spread generously with peanut butter, the top half generously with good strawberry jam.  Before both halves are pressed together, the middle is packed in a domino fashion with sliced banana for height and visual impact.  This is one high octane of a Bagel.  I think Elvis Presley would approve, don't you?!

Peanut Banana Cake

One of my favourite childhood sweets to suck on was salty-sweet peanut sweets that were made at Lovells Sweet Factory  in Newport Gwent.   Shaped like a peanut they were sickly sweet on the outside, and a sherbet salty centre, oh how I enjoyed eating them.

I found similar sweets on my travels to the seaside, but they were not a patch on the original.  Anyway, a little while ago, I decided to make a Peanut Banana Cake.  It was simple and lovely.  

Now your going to ask me for a recipe, well it is this Banana Chocolate Walnut Loaf recipe with the addition of peanut butter and peanuts in place of the walnuts - simple as that. 
Peanut Banana Cake
Serves 6 - 8
Ingredients
2 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed
170g golden brown caster sugar
185g self-raising flour, sifted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons of smooth or crunchy peanut butter
80g unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 8 x 4 loaf tin and line the base with baking paper.
Put the mashed banana and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Add the flour, eggs, oil, milk, peanut butter and gently stir until well combined. Stir in the peanuts.
Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 50 minutes to an hour or until a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack.

The Best Elvis Bagel

Some of you may remember a little while ago when I made a Strawberry, Banana and Peanut Butter cake dubbed by my husband as The Graceland Cake.  At the time I also mentioned making another Elvis Presley creation featuring regularly on the menu - The Elvis Bagel!!!  Well as promised, here it it in all its glory. 

Unlike other bagels that are toasted, this one is baked in the oven for a few minutes.  I think it makes the bagel more doughy and chewy which I like.  Then the bottom half of the bagel is spread generously with smooth peanut butter, the top half generously with good strawberry jam.  Before both can kiss, the middle is packed in a domino fashion with sliced banana for height and visual impact. 

Then put together on an oval plate and served with salted popcorn, sometimes some pretzels and when in season - fresh strawberries.  Its truly rich and filling.

This is one high octane of a Bagel.

Yes it can only be the Elvis Presley Bagel - A flaming star of a bagel with sliced bananas, strawberry jam and peanut  butter - the 1970s look on a plate.  WARNING: You may need to add coffee to your order!!! 

Now get your gnashers into that bagel! 

Do you have a favourite bagel filling, I'd really like to know?

Do you have a favourite bagel filling, I'd really like to know? 

Graceland Cake 'Strawberry, Banana and Peanut Butter Cake'

One of the cakes I created for the cafe is dubbed by my husband as The Graceland Cake aka Strawberry, Banana and Peanut Butter Cake.  Its obviously a homage to Elvis Presley.  Its proven to be very popular and hardly lasts a day as you can see as I was unable to take a picture of the cake while it was whole, as the slices just kept disappearing. 

Every one who has had a slice of this, has said its both healthy because of the fresh fruits and unhealthy because of the amount of fat in the form of peanut butter.  Of course, its meant to be a treat, a little bit more luxurious - not to be consumed every day.  I've been told by a few customers that I should use the Graceland (Elvis) cake to promote the cafe, for example I should get someone to dress up as Elvis and offer some samples of the cakes on the High Street, this way I would also promote the cafeteria and encourage some people to walk up the hill and try out my food.  I think its a very good idea.  Anyone want to volunteer?!

We also serve another Elvis creation at the cafe - The Elvis Bagel which I promise to share with you in the very near future.  For now, just feast your eyes on this as the strawberry season says farewell until next year.  

For those of you interested in this recipe, its quite simple really.  Its based on my  Banana cake recipe. Instead here, I have split the batter between two 8 inch round baking pans; and then slathered one with smooth peanut butter; the other with homemade strawberry jam and then sandwiched them together with slices of fresh banana.  For its final garnishing it is topped with more strawberry jam and fresh strawberries.  Feel free to serve it with freshly whipped double cream if you want to dine more royally with the King. 

Senegalese Style Peanut Butter Soup

This is the first time I have ever made a peanut soup, albeit it with peanut butter from a jar.  I know tut tut, I should have made the peanut butter from scratch.  I hang my head down in shame as I had no excuse, I even had a large bag of peanuts in a packet.

D was a bit hesitant in trying this soup, saying curry powder and peanut butter sounded like a strange combination.  However, after the first spoonful, he was quite happy to finish it off.  He admitted though that he could not eat too much of it, as this is a rich creamy red soup.

Other than the peanuts - a main crop in Senegal, I don't know exactly what makes this soup Senegalese as this was not explained by the food writer.  I've read somewhere that 'Senghalese' should have read 'Singhalese' (cuisine from Sri Lanka), but I don't know how much truth is in that.

This soup is best eaten within a couple of days.  This is my first submission to Food of The World hosted by Simple Eating and Living et al.  The country is Senegal in West Africa,

Senegalese Style Peanut Butter Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil
1 large onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
25g coriander with stems, minced
½ teaspoon chilli or cayenne powder
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 x 400g can tomatoes, chopped
175g unsweetened peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
Salt to taste
Method
Heat the oil in a saucepan, then add the onion, garlic and coriander stems.  Give a stir, then cook over high heat for a few minutes to warm the onion.  Lower the heat and cook until the onion has softened, about 10 – 12 minutes.  Stir in the cayenne and curry powder.
Add the tomatoes, including all their juice and a pint of water.  Stir well and bring to a boil.  Drop in the peanut butter and simmer until the onions are soft and the peanut butter has dissolved, about 15 minutes.  Season the soup with salt and serve.  Adapted from Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison.

Banana, Peanut Butter and Oat muffins

Well thanks to Icook4fun of Kitchen Snippets I was one of the lucky recipients of her giveaway. I received my copy of Muffins Galore early this week, and what way to enjoy the book, but to bake something from it.

I opted for these Banana, Peanut butter and oat muffins as I had all the ingredients to hand and the bananas were ripe, ripe, ripe. These are definitely what I would call Breakfast muffins. Something about the texture reminded me of sticky toffee pudding too, which I think is only a good thing. If the rest of the muffins in this book are this delicious, I can’t wait to try them.
Anyway, seeing that Elvis would have celebrated his 75th birthday this week, I as wondering what Elvis Presley would have made of these peanut butter and banana muffins?! After all it was reputed that he was a big fan of peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

Banana, Peanut Butter and Oat muffins
Makes 12
Ingredients
1 ½ cup of plain flour
1 cup of rolled oats
¼ cup of light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup crunch peanut butter
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 very ripe banana’s peeled and mashed
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 5. Line a muffin pan with paper cups. Mix the flour and oats in a large bowl, then stir in the brown sugar. Add the baking powder and salt and stir to mix. In another bowl, mix together the peanut butter, milk, maple syrup, egg and mashed bananas until well blended. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Evenly spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle it generously over the tops of the muffins. Bake in oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until risen and golden. From Catherine Atkinson’s Muffins Galore