Strawberry, Coconut, Raspberry Banana Bread

I've looked at different fruit bread recipes and thought they just seemed odd - not a cake and not a loaf but I've changed my mind. Isabella and I had a 'girls' holiday in Melbourne staying with friends. One morning walked to the local cafe for breakfast. The recommendation was the toasted rhubarb bread. I was not expected to be 'wowed', but I was!
We came back and I looked at a range of recipes to try. I wanted something that was not too unhealthy and this one appealed because it had chia seeds and lots of fruit in it.
I used fresh strawberries and frozen raspberries and 3 bananas.
We LOVE it and Isabella and I have had it for breakfast for the last three days - toasted with butter.
I'm going to try to reduce the sugar next time and probably use coconut sugar. The banana and fruit makes it sweet anyway.
This will also be a great breakfast recipe when we have people staying. It lasts well because we had it toasted. YUM
Thanks Lynn and Bec for the recommendation!


Strawberry, Coconut, Raspberry Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup ripe mashed banana (about 2-3 bananas)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt 
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (soy, coconut, or skim also work)
• 3/4 cup diced organic ripe strawberries
• 1/4 cup smashed organic raspberries (or you can use more strawberries)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, plus 3 tablespoons for topping (sweetened is fine, too)
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2-4 strawberries, sliced for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In a seperate large bowl, beat together banana, brown sugar, egg, coconut oil vanilla, yogurt, and almond milk until smooth and creamy. Slowly add dry mixture to wet ingredients, and mix until combined. Gently fold strawberries, raspberries, coconut and chia seeds into the batter.
4. Place batter in prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle top evenly with 3 tablespoons of coconut. Place sliced strawberries over the top of the bread. Bake for 50-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove from pan and return to wire rack to finish cooling. Bread is even better the next day (they always are). Bread will stay fresh for a few days when wrapped tightly.

Chunky Courgette Chutney

We had WAAAAAAYYYYY too many courgettes (and lots of tomatoes in the garden) so decided to try a chutney with them. This is really nice and easy. I made a double recipe and cooked it for about double the time to get it to reduce.

500 g	Tomatoes, diced
500 g	Courgettes
1	Onion, diced
2	Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled and diced
1 Tbsp	Fresh ginger
4	Garlic cloves, diced
1 Tbsp	Yellow mustard seeds
2 tsp	Mixed spice, (ground)
1 tsp	Salt
250 g	Brown sugar
350 ml	White wine vinegar

Directions

1. Place all the ingredients in a large, heavy-based stainless-steel saucepan. 
2. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring often. Simmer for about 45 minutes or until thick. 
3. Pour into hot, sterilised jars and seal.
4. Makes about 5 cups.

Mango Coconut Dessert

This is super easy and without sugar reasonably healthy. Wen enjoyed it and would make again with a few embellishments.
We made it without any sugar or sweetener. It may have been nicer with really sweet ripe mangos.














Mango Coconut Dessert
Base
1 cup chilled coconut milk
1 cup pureed mango

Topping
Whipped chilled coconut milk (I used the rest of the can)
chopped mango or other fruit
Lime zest (optional)


Chill coconut cream for a few hours in fridge
Blend with mango and put into serving glasses.
Leave for a few hours in fridge.

Top with whipped coconut cream, sprinkle with chopped mango and lime zest.

Thai Fish Cakes and Chilli dipping sauce

We get fish delivered once a week. Some weeks it is fish we know, others it is a new type. This week was one I was not familiar with so we decided to try something new.
The fish cakes needed a bit more fish sauce for salt. The dipping sauce was great!

Thai Fish Cakes

• 250g/8oz boneless, skinless white fish fillets

• 1 egg

• finely grated zest of 1 lime

• 2 tbsp chopped coriander/cilantro leaves

• 1 tbsp Red Curry Base or store bought thai red curry paste

• 2 tsp fish sauce

• 1 tsp soft brown sugar

• a little neutral oil, to fry

• microgreens or small salad leaves, to garnish

• 1/2 recipe Vietnamese Dressing (see below)

Vietnamese Dressing

• ½ cup Thai sweet chilli sauce

• ¼ cup rice vinegar

• 2 tbsp fish sauce

• finely grated zest of 1 lime or lemon, no pith

• 2 tbsp lime or lemon juice

• 2 double kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded (optional)

To make Dipping Sauce, place all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Combine fish, egg, lime zest, coriander/cilantro, Red Curry Base or curry paste, fish sauce and sugar in a food processor and pulse 4 or 5 times to a coarse paste. Do not overprocess – you want texture to the fish cakes.

Heat a little oil in a heavy-based frypan and, working in batches, shallow-fry tablespoons of the mixture over a medium heat until springy to the touch and cooked through (about 2 minutes each side). They can be made a few hours in advance, chilled until needed and reheated in an 180°C/350°F oven for 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature garnished with microgreens or small salad leaves and accompanied by Vietnamese Dressing (see below)

Place all ingredients in a small jar and shake to combine.