Red bean chocolate cake - from Australia

• Easy red kidney bean cake from Australia.
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• 420 g canned kidney beans drained
• 1 tbs coffee (liquid)
• 1 tbs vanilla extract
• 70 g cocoa powder unsweetened
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 125 g butter
• 5 egg
• 180 g sugar

Method:

• In a food processor, puree the beans, water/coffee, 1 egg and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
• STEP 2Combine butter and sugar in a food processor or using an electric beater, until pale and fluffy.
• STEP 3Add the remaining eggs one at a time, processing or beating well after each addition.
• STEP 4Add bean mixture and process or beat until combined.
• STEP 5Add sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix well.
• STEP 6Pour batter into a 22 cm greased round or ring pan and bake for approximately 35 minutes at 180C. The cake will spring back when touched and skewer will come out clean when cooked.
• Notes  It does rise quite a bit, but seems to deflate once it's out of the oven. You can use white beans and replace the cocoa with coconut flour (or finely ground coconut). Last time I made it I topped it with a choc butter icing as well. Water can substitute coffee.

Slow cooker creamy chicken, leeks and mushrooms

This is my recipe, but I found a very similar one at magicskillet.com 

Put in slow cooker:

3 large thinly sliced leeks

1 cup cubed potatoes (optional - may leave out if serving with mashed potatoes)

750g chicken pieces: thigh or breast fillets, seasoned with salt and pepper.

Pour over a good half to one cup lemon juice or white wine. 

Cook on High.

After 3 hours, add 100 - 200g thickly sliced mushrooms and 3 large cloves of garlic, crushed.

Cook for another hour, then remove lid. 

Add half to one cup of cream, or to taste.

Cook for a further hour, half covering with lid if it looks as if the liquid is not simmering well.

Total cooking time: 5 hours on high.

More good slow cooker recipes here.

Pumpkin curry

• about 600 g pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into equal size cubes, roasted or microwaved until quite soft

• 1 tsp black mustard or cumin seeds - dry fry for 1 minute
• Fry 1 small red onion, finely chopped in2 tbsp  oil

Add:

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 tsp finely grated ginger OR 1 small piece, grated, plus 2 tsps ground giner
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp hot chilli powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Cook together for a couple of minutes

Add 1 cup coconut milk or cream, or 1 sachet creamed coconut dissolved in 1 cup hot water, adjust liquid as necessary.

Add cooked pumpkin, stir well until combined/coated, season with salt and pepper to taste,

Serve with:

• a handful of coriander chopped
• lime wedges, to serve
• handful of cashews, lightly toasted (to serve)

White chocolate lemon and coconut truffles

Recipe from Make Do and Mend.

• 200g Fairtrade White Chocolate-I get 200g bars from Waitrose-they are fairtrade, and come in just paper and foil packaging, rather than plastic. And it’s pretty good value too.
• 60ml double cream
• 15g butter
• 35g dessicated coconut + extra for coating
• zest of one unwaxed lemon

Method:

• Break the chocolate up into squares and place in a heatproof bowl with the cream
• Place the bowl on top of a saucepan of boiling water, ensuring that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water
• Stir the chocolate and cream to combine as the chocolate melts
• Once the chocolate has melted and is all mixed in with the cream, carefully remove the bowl from the top of the saucepan, and stir the butter into the chocolate mix
• Add the lemon zest and coconut and stir well
• Place in the fridge for about 30mins to set a bit
• Remove from the fridge and scoop out teaspoons of mix. Roll into balls, and then roll the balls in dessicated coconut to coat the outside
• Plop them into a clean empty jam jar, and store in the fridge ready for gifting (or devouring yourself…!)

Gluten free carrot cake from GLUTENFREECUPPATEA

Carrot cake recipe from glutenfreecuppatea:

For the cake

1. * 150ml vegetable oil
2. * 2 eggs
3. * 140g soft light brown sugar
4. * 170g gluten free self raising flour
5. * 2 tsp cinnamon
6. * 2 tsp all spice
7. * 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
8. * 140g carrots, grated
9. * 30g walnuts, chopped
10. * 30g pecans, chopped
11. * 1 orange, zest and a few tbsp of juice

For the icing

1. * 200g dairy free cream cheese (I use Tofutti)
2. * 50g dairy free spread
3. * 90g icing sugar, sifted (I often end up adding a little more but I think this is a good starting point)
4. * pecan and walnuts, crushed (for decoration on top)

Instructions

1. 1) Line a 2lb loaf tin (standard size) with greaseproof/parchment paper.
2. 2) Preheat the oven to about 180C/160C Fan.
3. 3) Whisk together your oil and eggs.
4. 4) Mix together your sugar, gluten free flour, cinnamon, all spice and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl.
5. 5) Add to your bowl the grated carrot, a few tbsp of the juice from your orange (optional) and the orange zest, chopped pecans and walnuts and the egg/oil mixture. Then mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
6. 6) Pour/spoon into your loaf tin and bake in the middle of your preheated oven for around 50 - 55 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin.
7. 7) Whilst your gluten free carrot cake cools, make the icing. Beat together all your icing ingredients in a bowl, ensure your icing sugar is sifted and you might also choose to add some more icing sugar if you want a thicker consistency (I usually make my icing by hand but you can use an electric whisk if you prefer).
8. 8) Spread over the top of your completely cooled gluten free carrot cake and then liberally sprinkle with crushed pecans and walnuts.
9. 
   

Chorizo, lentil and sweet potato soup...

I had chorizo, so wanted to make some sort of soup: I found a recipe here  and adapted it: It all worked in the microwave, too, taking around thirty minutes from start to finish.

Gently fry a good length of chorizo for a couple of minutes in a tablespoon of olive oil and a little butter.
Add 1 chopped onion, fry for another 5 minutes until soft.
Meanwhile, chop 2 large cloves of garlic and half a large red pepper. Add to onion mix with a large handful of red lentils, rinsed, a stock cube and around 300 - 400 ml of water, to cover the mixture quite generously. Cook for five minutes.
Also, meanwhile, chop a large sweet potato (or two large ordinary potatoes) into 1 inch cubes and add to mix with a large tablespoon of paprika and a little salt.
Continue cooking while you cut up a small butternut squash.
Add squash to mix, adjust water as necessary and cook at least another 5 minutes or until the lentils are cooked and the vegetables soft.

It was, apparently, quite delicious. Even The Fussy Husband said it was good. It was just too spicy hot for me: one taste, to adjust seasoning, and my throat was on fire.

Gluten-free cheesecake or avocado lime pie

Base (can double quantities for larger tin - this gives a 1cm thick base in a 20cm tin)

100g dates
60g whole almonds
25g desiccated coconut
25g chopped dark chocolate, optional

Chop all together in food processor. Add 50g coconut oil or butter, melted and cooled

Cheesecake topping

1/2 284ml pot Guernsey thick cream (or whipped double cream)
225g pack cream cheese
1/5 tin condensed milk or to taste
juice and zest of one large lime

Avocado topping:

Whizz 2 ripe avocadoes with juice and zest from 2 limes, a pinch of salt and 75g honey until smooth. Pour over crust, chill for 3 - 4 hours or overnight.