toffeewhirl's Carrot and Coconut Muffins

toffeewhirls carrot and coconut muffins
100g s.r flour,sifted
100g light soft brown sugar(i used 50g as i pref not too sweet)
75mls veg oil
175g grated carrot
1tsp ground cinnamon
50g desiccated coconut

preheat oven gas 5/190oc.line muffn tins with cases

beat eggs and sugar til creamy

add oil and beat hard

fold in remaining ingredients until just combined

spoon into tins

15-20mins til golden and springs back to touch

Carrot Muffins for CairnTerrier

10oz Plain Flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg
2-3 fl oz milk or water
2 tbsp honey
4-5 oz fine white granulated sugar or light brown soft sugar
12 oz carrot, finely grated
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 fl oz veg oil or melted butter
2-3 oz chopped walnuts or raisins (optional)

Icing

2 oz cream cheese, softened at room temperature
4 oz icing sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method

Prepare muffin tins. Preheat oven to 375-400F, 190-200C, Gas Mark 5-6.
In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon. (Stir in bran if using)
In a separate bowl, beat egg with fork. Add milk/water, honey, sugar, carrot and vanilla, followed by oil/butter.
Stir well.
Pour liquid mixture into dry.
Stir just until combined adding walnuts/raisins during the final strokes.
Do not over stir.
Spoon into tins.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until tops spring back when pressed gently.

Allow muffins to cool before icing.

Stir icing ingredients together until blended and ice.  Top with a walnut if you are using them.

If using bran, reduce flour to 8oz and add 1 1/4 oz wheat bran or 1 3/4 oz oat bran to the dry ingredients.

Cocoa Courgette Muffins for CairnTerrier

Ingredients

10oz plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg
4 -5 oz light brown soft sugar
2 - 3 fl oz milk or water
2 tsp vanilla essence
12oz courgette, finely grated (leave skin on unless green flecks in the muffins are a problem)
3 fl oz veg oil or melted butter
3 oz raisins or sultanas

Method

Prepare muffin tins.  Preheat the oven to 375/400F, 190/200C, Gas Mark 5-6.
In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon and cocoa powder.
In a medium bowl beat an egg with a fork.  Add sugar, milk/water, courgette, vanilla and oil/butter.
Stir well.
Pour all wet ingredients into dry.
Stir until just combined, adding dried fruit through the final strokes.
Batter will be lumpy but no dry flour should be visible.
Spoon into tins.
Bake for 20 - 25 mins, until tops spring back when pressed firmly.

BlackCat's Leek and Potato Soup

Ingredients

2 carrots - peeled and chopped
2 sticks of celery - washed and chopped
2 medium onions - peeled and chopped
400g potatoes - peeled and chopped
400g leeks ( I just used one leek) washed and chopped
2 cloves garlic (I didn't use this - didn't seem right to me)
Olive oil
Stock cubes - I used marigold bouillion
salt and pepper

Method

Heat oil in a large pan.
Add all veg except potato and cook gently for at least 10 mins.
Add potato and stock (enough to cover).
Allow to simmer until potato soft.

Serve as it is or blend to a smooth puree.

Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

butternut squash and sweet potato soup

serves 4

1 butternut squash,peel,deseed and diced

1 sweet potato,peel and dice

3 carrots,peel and slice

1 fennel bulb,trim and chop

1 onion(or 6 shallots) diced

1 garlic clove,chopped

1 veg stock cube

4tbsp chopped parsley(or 4tsp dried)

lob all but the parsley in a pan.add boiling water to cover and simmer for 20 mins or until veg are tender.add the parsley and blend til smooth,adding exta water or stock to desired consistency

Liveinazoo's Parsnip Cutlets

600g parsnips,peel and chop

200g spuds,peel and chop

1 onion,grated

1 garlic clove,crushed

2tsp ground cumin+1tspp ground coriander

2tbsp chopped fresh mixed herbs

salt and pepper

50g shelled pistachios,ground to crumbs in a processor

1tsp veg stock powder

50g breadcrumbs

cook spuds and parsnips in boiling water til softened.drain well and mash

meanwhile dry fry the onion and garlic gently in a non stick pan til sotened.add the cumin and coriander and cook for 1min.add this mix to the mash along with the herbs,pistachios and stock cube.mix well an season to taste with salt and pepper.divide mix into 4 and shape into cutlets/burgers.press on crumbs.grill for 2-3 mins each side to reheat.serve with green salad ansd tomato salsa

variations

use 50g ground almonds instead of the pistachios and omit coriander,cumin and herbs and add 1tsp dried sage

i like to press dry polenta onto them for a change and oven bake<cos then i dont have to watch them/burn them!

delish with green beans,peas and broad beans(kids love with baked beans)

Carrot's Accidental Alternative Version

600g parsnips, peeled and chopped
8 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
I onion, grated
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 of bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
1 tsp Marigold bouillion powder
50g ground almonds
4 slices of bread, grated into breadcrumbs

Make as above.  Makes about 14 cakes.

Bake in the oven at 200C.

Liveinazoo's Date and Apricot Flapjacks

50g/2oz sunflower margarine

75g/3oz dark muscavado sugar

225g/8oz porridge oats

50g/2oz dates,chopped and destoned if nec

50g/2oz dried apricots,chopped

4tbsp sunflower/rapeseed oil

preheat oven 180oc/350of/gas 4.line 30x20cm/12x8" tin with baking paper

melt marg and sugar in a pan over a low heat

add remaining ingredients and mix well

press into tin and bake 30mins

cool for 10 mins then mark into slices.leave to cool in the tin

ive also made these using 3oz apricots and 1oz chopped chrystalized ginger