I never throw food away because whatever leftovers I have left is a good opportunity to recycle and try new things. I had quite a lot of kidney beans left over from making lobiani, so I decided to try something new and totally different with the kidney beans.

And here it is, a very unusual, moist chocolate and coffee cake (no butter too!):

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon candied ginger, chopped but not too fine

500g cooked red kidney beans

1 tsp instant coffee

1 tbsps pure vanilla extract

6 tbsps cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

6 tbsps coconut oil

3/4 cup raw brown sugar

5 eggs

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place all the ingredients minus the baking soda, baking powder, and eggs in your blender. Blend until the mixture is too thick to blend. Add in the eggs, baking powder, and baking soda, then mix until a smooth and evenly mixed cake batter is achieved. Grease a loaf tin and pour in your batter. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the inside is firm.

Different, chocolatey but you can still taste the beans!!!!!!

 

I love experimenting. Today, feeling hungry, I decided to bake myself an indulgent (but simple) chocolate cake, but horrors, there’s no butter in the fridge.

This is my simple, butter-less, walnut, banana, double chocolate coffee cake ❤

2 eggs
1/3 cup sunflower oil
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp instant coffee
1½ cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Mixed everything together, pour into a greased loaf tin and bake in a preheated oven (set at 350deg) until firm but still moist on the inside.

 

I absolutely LOVE focaccia and I think I have indoctrinated my children to love them too. Whenever I bake one, it is almost gone before it cools down.

It’s ideal for picnics too.

This is my very, very simple version, that takes a very short time to make:

THE DOUGH

400 g strong white bread flour
100 g fine ground semolina flour
sea salt
1 sachet dried yeast
½ tablespoon golden caster sugar
300 ml water, lukewarm
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350deg.

Mix all the ingredients together and knead until the dough is bouncy (see my post on bread making). Leave to rise in a warm place (cover with a towel) for about an hour until the dough has almost doubled in size.

THE TOPPING

This is my favourite:

Mixed together halved cherry tomatoes, sliced onions, fresh basil leaves and sea salt in a tablespoon of white wine vinegar.

When the dough has risen, flatten it on a baking tray. Pour the topping evenly over the dough and press the tomatoes and sliced onions into the dough.  You may wish to sprinkle some dried oregano on it. I added some fresh moringa leaves for topping…anything goes, that’s how I cook!

Drizzle generously with olive oil and bake in the preheated oven until slightly browned…there is nothing worse than burnt focaccia, so keep a close eye on yours.

Serve dunked in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.