75g (3oz) pumpkin seeds
75g (3oz) sunflower seeds
50g (2oz) golden linseeds
100g (3½oz) desiccated coconut
300g (11oz) mixed dried fruit, such as dates, figs, apricots, raisins or sultanas, the larger fruit chopped
1 Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3.
2 Place the butter, honey and vanilla extract in a small saucepan on a low heat and gently melt together. Mix the oats, nuts, seeds and desiccated coconut together in a large bowl. Pour over the melted butter and honey mixture and stir really well to ensure all the dry ingredients are evenly coated.
3 Divide the mixture between two large baking trays and spread in an even layer. Bake in the oven for 2025 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the trays, stirring every now and then. (If you transfer it into a deep bowl at this stage, while it is still warm, it will go soggy.)
4 Once completely cool, transfer to a large bowl and stir in your choice of dried fruits. Pour into an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to two months.
Fresh fruit salads
EACH RECIPE SERVES 2 · VEGETARIANTheres nothing like a fresh fruit salad to make you feel healthy and invigorated. Eat for breakfast or serve as a starter, simple snack or dessert, either on its own or with natural yoghurt (see page 10 for making your own). First make the fruit juice dressing, then mix with your choice of fruit salad.
Fruit juice dressing
1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp caster sugar or runny honey
2 tbsp finely chopped mint (optional)
Mix the orange juice and lemon juice together in a bowl and stir in the sugar or honey to dissolve. Pour this over your choice of fruit salad below (adding finely chopped mint, if you wish). Stir to combine and serve immediately.
Pink grapefruit and pomegranate
2 pink grapefruit, peeled and segmented Seeds from ½ pomegranateMix the pink grapefruit segments and pomegranate seeds together. Stir in the dressing (see above) and serve.
Grape, melon and grapefruit
110g (4oz) seedless red or green grapes (or a mixture), halved250g (9oz) peeled and deseeded melon, diced
1 grapefruit, peeled and segmented
1 tbsp very finely chopped celery (optional)
Mix the red or green grapes with the melon, grapefruit and celery (if using). Stir in the dressing (see left) and serve.
Tropical fruit mix
1 large orange, peeled and segmented200g (7oz) peeled and stoned mango, roughly chopped
125g (4½oz) peeled and cored pineapple, roughly chopped
110g (4oz) peeled and deseeded papaya, diced
Seeds and pulp from 1 large passion fruit
Mix the orange, mango, pineapple and diced papaya with the passion fruit. Stir in the dressing (see above left) and serve.
American buttermilk pancakes MAKES ABOUT 12 PANCAKES · VEGETARIAN
My children and I love making these thick and spongy pancakes (see picture on page 18). The basic recipe is delicious, but the pancakes also taste great with other ingredients added to the batter to flavour them (see the variations opposite). Once cooked and cooled, the pancakes can be kept in the fridge and then warmed through for a few minutes in a hot oven. Spread with a little butter and jam or apple jelly or try one of the toppings suggested below.150g (5oz) plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
50g (2oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
150ml (5fl oz) buttermilk or soured milk (see tip on page 24)
25g (1oz) butter, melted and cooled
Sunflower oil, for frying
Icing sugar, for dusting
1 Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl, then stir in the sugar. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk or soured milk and melted butter together in another bowl, then pour into the dry ingredients, whisking all the time until you have a smooth batter. The batter is now ready to use or may be stored in the fridge overnight.
2 When you are ready to cook the pancakes, fold your chosen flavouring (if using see opposite) into the batter. Place a large frying pan on a medium heat and oil it very lightly (I usually pour the oil onto a piece of kitchen paper and rub it on). Working in batches, drop large spoonfuls (about 50ml/2fl oz) of the pancake batter into the pan, spacing them apart to allow for spreading while cooking.
3 Cook on one side for 12 minutes until bubbles appear on the upper surface, then flip over
with a fish slice or palette knife and cook on the other side for a further 12 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with any remaining mixture, keeping any cooked pancakes warm in a low oven (cover with foil) as you go.
4 Serve dredged with icing sugar and your choice of toppings from below.
Toppings
* Slices of mango or strawberry, or pomegranate seeds
* Honey or maple or golden syrup
* Chopped nuts, such as pecans, hazelnuts or almonds
* Pumpkin or sunflower seeds
* Top with banana slices and toffee sauce (see page 337)
Variations
Banana pancakes: 1 large or 1½ smallmedium bananas, mashed (giving 150g/5oz mashed weight)
Berry pancakes: 75g (3oz) fresh or frozen (and defrosted) berries of your choice