Waste Not Want Not

We always make a big pot of porridge on the day that our interns come to the farm, just in case they want to join us for breakfast. Mostly it all gets eaten, but this Tuesday there was some left over.
So as not to waste it I turned it into banana muffins. 

Here's the recipe I use...

Oat Bran Muffins
11/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarb. soda
2 tablespoons cold pressed oil
1cup water
1/3 cup honey
1 ripe banana

Method
Add water to oats and honey and leave to soak for 10mins. In a separate bowl mix together sifted flour, baking powder and bicarb soda. Add to the soaked oats. Mash banana and add to mixture. Add oil. Fold together gently until mixed. Spoon into muffin pan. Makes a dozen. Bake at 180 degrees c. for 20 - 30 mins.

With the left over porridge I  adjust this recipe to suit. If there's not quite enough oats I just roll some more and add enough liquid for them to soak, and sometimes I use juice instead of water if I have it. Of course the cooked oats don't need to be soaked. If there's more oats than the recipe calls for I just add a little bit more of all other ingredients and make more muffins. It's a simple recipe and very forgiving if the quantities are a little out.

Today I used coconut oil for the cold pressed oil. I've been reading about all the health benefits of coconut oil and as these are a healthy treat I thought it was appropriate, and it does taste good.

Just the thing to have with chamomile tea for afternoon tea.....

P.S. There were sultanas in the leftover porridge. They make a lovely addition to the muffins.

Vego Challenge

Due to an Eco Village meeting happening here tonight, I will be using last nights dinner for the Vego Challenge.

Yesterday was one of those days where we were both on the go all day long, and I found myself wondering what I was going to do for dinner. I've got to tell you that I was very tempted to duck up to the fish and chip shop.
 But good sense prevailed and I remembered some leftover pasta sauce I had made 2 nights ago, using onion, garlic, tomatoes and zucchini from the garden, tomato puree that I'd preserved previously and some tempeh. I just added a few more tomatoes and some more puree, heated it up and put some pasta swirls on to boil.
While they were cooking I made up a crumble mixture using ;

175 gms rolled oats
50 gms parmesan cheese
75gms butter

Combine these 3  ingredients  and rub in the butter.

Place sauce and pasta into oven proof dish and top with crumb mixture.Bake for about 30 mins in pre heated oven 180 C/ 350 F, until golden and heated through.

Very fast, very tasty, used up some leftovers and ready by the time Mark got in from the garden at 8pm.