5:2 Poached Chicken with Broccoli and Avocado Salad

Howdy people.

Another day another healthy recipe for you! Don't worry cake lovers there's a bit of a 'show stopper' coming for you later this week.

But for now, and on a dreaded 'fast day' of my 5:2 regime I'm going to keep with the healthy vibes.

This is a super nutritious, surprisingly tasty (for only 379 calories) meal.

Ingredients

One skinless boneless chicken breast (150g) - 160 kcal
One bay leaf - n/a
Quarter of an onion (without the skin) - n/a
One smashed garlic clove - n/a
Two sprigs of fresh thyme - n/a
A tsp peppercorns - n/a
Quarter of an avocado - 95 kcal
Juice of one lime - n/a
100g tenderstem broccoli
One tsp olive oil - 40 kcal
50g (when cooked) Green lentils - 54 kcal 

Total calories - 379

The green lentils are optional, if you have a few more calories to play with, they are a good addition as they will leave you feeling more full.

1. Start by rinsing the green lentils with water and place into a pan with a pinch of salt and water. Boil for around 30 minutes (the cooking time can be halved if you soak them before). Once tender drain and place to the side.

2. Next place your chicken breast in a pan, then follow with the bay leaf, thyme, garlic, onion and peppercorns. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Once boiled take down to a simmer and place lid on the pan.

2. After 8 minutes start checking whether the breast is cooked. If it's still looking a little pink in the middle then just put it back into the water and cook for a bit longer. In this time you can start steaming the broccoli and slice and cube the avocado. Place the avocado into a bowl and put the olive oil and lime juice over it.

3. When the broccoli is tender place in with the avocado and mix.

4. Slice the chicken breast and assemble all your ingredients. Enjoy and dream of that chocolate bar you can shove in and around your mouth the next morning!

Sugar Free Blackberry & Blueberry Compote

With the fridge overloaded with blueberries that were slightly past their sell by date (these are the dangers we face from the 'add all favourites to basket' online food shop) I decided to use them to make a jam.

However, after lots of jam research, I was kinda shocked at the sugar content that most of the recipes suggest.

So I decided to replace the suggested refined sugar with agave syrup and fructose sugar in the form of organic apple juice. 

This lovely jam compote is not strictly sugar free, but it is free from those nasty (and DEADLY) refined sugars.

*Disclaimer. I do still consume food that contains refined sugars. I was born with a serious case of the sweet tooth.

**Double disclaimer. I had to call this 'jam' a 'jam compote' not only 'cause it sounds fancy, but also because it's pretty impossible to get a jam to set properly without sugar. 

Disclaimers out of the way. Let's get to it!

Ingredients

1kg Blueberries
Handful of Blackberries
125ml of Agave Syrup
A good glug of Apple Juice (look out for the label - make sure it's 100% apple juice)
1/2 bottle of Pectin (I used Certo, but check the packaging for specific instructions)

1. Mix the blueberries, agave and apple juice together in a pan. Bring to a rolling boil.

2. Keep the jam on this rolling boil for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally.

3. Add the Pectin and stir thoroughly.

4. Allow to cool and place in sterilised jam jars.

5. Enjoy on toast, or with some homemade granola and greek yoghurt.

Cinnamon Honey Granola

I LOVE me some granola. I could eat it any time of the day. However after recently finding out the sugar content in most shop bought granolas I decided to get my baking gloves on and attempt to make it at home.

This recipe is so easy and tastes real good, and once you've tried it yourself you'll think again before buying it.

Ingredients

4tbsp Coconut Oil (or vegetable oil)
4tbsp Honey
2tsp Cinnamon
300g Rolled Oats
25g Sunflower Seeds
25g Pumpkin Seeds
50g Pecans (chopped into relatively small pieces)
50g Raisins
50g Apricots
Zest of an orange

Don't worry too much about the weights of the seeds/nuts/dried fruits. Just go with how much you prefer. You can also mix and match whichever ones are your favourites.

1. Start by preheating the oven to 150c, then mix the coconut oil, honey and the cinnamon together.

2. Place all the dried ingredients in a bowl and pour over the liquid mix. Mix thoroughly. It should have a slightly sticky texture at this point.

3. Put the mixture onto a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. In this time you should keep an eye on it, mixing occasionally (this prevents burning).

4. Add the fruits and lemon zest and bake for a further 10-15 minutes (again keep an eye on it, no one likes burnt granola!)

5. When the granola seems crispy and toasted take out of the oven and leave to cool on the tray.

Granny's Plum Crumble

After an impromptu trip to Wiltshire to see my granny last week I ended up leaving with a loaded bag of greengages from her garden. So when I got home I headed straight for the kitchen and used them all in this heartwarming crumble.

I obviously used granny's greengages in this recipe but any plum will do. Also worth noting is that I used a rolled Swedish rye oat, as I like that it gives a rustic look and feel to the dish. However, any rolled oat will do.

So let's get to it!

This really is the most simple recipe. The only part that was slightly laborious was de-pitting the plums. But give yourself enough time to do so and all will be well with the world.

Ingredients

200g Plain Flour
100g Butter
150g Caster Sugar
100g Rye Oats
800g Plums (roughly - don't worry too much about being exact with this)
2 teaspoons of Cinnamon 

1. Start by preheating the oven to 180c.

2. Put the butter, flour and 75g of the sugar into a food processor. Whiz together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Then mix in the oats until fully combined.

3. De-pitt the plums and leave in halves. Place them into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle on the rest of the sugar with the cinnamon. Mix together and once the sugar is evenly distributed sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.

4. Even out the top slightly (don't push down) and bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. 

5. Let it cool and serve with a BIG dollop of vanilla custard. 

Healthy Banana Cake

Well you guys know that I love a good banana based treat. Somehow they always end up sitting in the fruit bowl looking sad. However, nowadays I've been trying to veer towards a healthier lifestyle. So I've created a version of my favourite banana bread with less fat and sugar. 

I replaced regular flour with buckwheat. This is a great gluten-free alternative and apparently it's good for digestion - yay! I've also used coconut oil and peanut butter to replace some of the butter and maple syrup to replace the sugar.

Now this cake is not 100% guilt free - there's still a small amount of dark muscavado sugar, and also some Bertolli margarine. But it's definitely better than your standard banana bread.

I sort of made this up as I went along, but it turned out really well and was very happy with the end result. 

The main ingredients you'll need for this cake

Ingredients 

250g Buckwheat Flour

1 Tsp Baking Powder

2 Tbsp Muscavado Sugar

50g Margarine 

50g Coconut Oil (and a little extra to grease the tin)

2 Eggs

30g Peanut Butter

4 Overripe Bananas

4 Tbsp Maple Syrup

50g Almond Flakes (Or whatever nuts you have in the cupboard)

1. Place the buckwheat flour, baking powder and muscavado sugar into a bowl. Give it a quick stir to make sure there aren't any lumps. Then add the margarine and coconut oil. Again give it a mix (only roughly, it won't combine at this point. 

2. Add the peanut butter, mixing again and then the eggs. Give it all a good mix in either a kitchen aid or an electric whisk until it's fully combined.

3. In a separate bowl mash the bananas and the maple syrup together. Then add these to the batter by folding it in. Finally add the almonds (or any other nut alternatives) and dried fruit if you wish, I added some dates here to give that little extra sweetness.

4. Place in a greased tin and bake at 150c for around 45 mins, or until a shard knife comes out almost clean.

5. Wait for it to cool on a wire rack, and then enjoy with a cup of tea. Nomnom!

Boyhood

Hello again... Long time no see. 

So I've had a little break (yes, yes a whole YEAR!) 

But baby I'm back and I thought I would start with a little re-invention. As some of you may know, I have two passions in life. Film and baking. So from now on this blog will no longer be purely baking, but I will add a sprinkle of film reviews with a pinch of lifestyle. So henceforth welcome to Shmonn Bakes, my spruced up baking/ film/ culture/ lifestyle blog. Woop!

So now I've cleared that one up... let get on with the film review.

Flying Solo a-la Carrie in Paris

Yesterday I pulled a Carrie Bradshaw and went to see a film solo. Yeah I know, what a loser, but actually it was such a good experience. It's like reading a book, you know that feeling, like what you're reading is your own personal experience. Well it's the same going to the movies alone. You feel fully immersed in the experience. 

On my first 'lone-wolf' film excursion I went to see Boyhood. I'd seen a trailer for this one a couple of months ago and loved the concept. 

For those of you in the dark, the film follows the growing up of one boy, Mason. From the age of 5 to 18. The key thing is, however, that they use the same actor for each stage of his life. So on screen you see young Mason growing up before your eyes. 

The cast, including Ethan Hawke (who also starred in the director, Richard Linklater's Before series), Patricia Arquette, Lorelei Linklater (Linklater's own daughter) and Ellar Coltrane as Mason, gathered together to shoot the film every year for 12 years.

Ethan Hawke, Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette and Richard Linklater

This is what makes the film so magical. 

In the first part of the story, you make a connection with little Mason, a connection that the viewer doesn't have to re-assign whenever a new actor comes on screen. 

It's little things, like the look he gives his mum when he sees her flirting with a man, or that you see his 'puppy fat' stage only to have disappeared in the next scene. 

Mason going through that 'experimental hair' stage

The story appeals to everyone on different levels, whether you've had kids or not, everyone has grown up, thus making the film truly relatable.

So I would say, if you're flying solo (like me... no no this is not a cry for sympathy) or not, I would totally recommend going to see this heartfelt film, you won't regret it.

Let's Go Bananas

Fresh from the oven!

Ever since Ocado started putting bananas on two for one there have been an abundance of them in the house. Which is a perfect excuse for me to get my bake on and make lots of banana based goodies. 

So far there has been my banana and chocolate cake and an (unsuccessful) upside down banana cake. 

But my latest creation has to be by far the best (according to family and friends that is).

I am a great lover of sticky toffee pudding, and it is without fail my go to pub pudding. So when I read about this banana sticky toffee hybrid cake I couldn't help myself. 

Served warm with vanilla ice cream, or cold with a cup of tea, this sticky banana and maple syrup cake will no doubt go down a storm.

Recipe - 

100g softened butter
200g dark brown sugar 
4 eggs
200g self raising flour
100g ground almonds
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp vanilla extract (not essence!!) 
2 very ripe bananas (mashed)
200g greek yogurt (I used total 0%)
160 ml maple syrup

Step One - Butter and line a square tin (21cm) with baking parchment (it makes it easier to remove the sticky bottom).

Step Two - Cream together the softened butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until combined and any lumps have gone.

Step Three - Add the flour, almonds, bicarbonate of soda and eggs (add one egg at a time to avoid lumps) to the butter and sugar. 

Step Four - When the mixture is fully combined fold in the bananas, extract and yoghurt until its light in texture.

Step Five - Pour half the maple syrup into the bottom of the tin. Keep an eye out for any leaks, I would avoid using a springform tin as maple syrup will go everywhere! Once there is an even layer of maple pour the cake mix into the tin (gently so that some of the syrup remains at the bottom).

Step Six - Bake for approx 1 hour (but check after 45 minutes as ovens can vary) at 140c (fan assisted). 

Step Seven - When the cake springs back to the touch and a skewer comes out clean take out of the oven and leave to cool in the tin for around ten minutes. After this time use a skewer to pierce holes in the cake. Then pour the rest of the maple syrup evenly over the top of the sponge. 

Step Eight - Remove from the tin and tuck in!