A kitchen in Fife – a happy family cooking from a kitchen in the Scottish countryside.
Refuelling
There’s a lot to like about January: a long, slow month full of short, dark days but it brings a much-needed sense of time to catch our breath.
Much as I like festive cooking, anyone who has enjoyed the company of a two year old will understand the trials of producing Christmas dinner for multiple relations with small children underfoot. Now the freezer is stocked up on turkey curry, the vacuum is full of pine needles and the decorations are mostly packed away (although I’m still finding them stashed under kids’ beds and other unlikely places). January is a blessed relief from the plate-spinning, list-making, turkey basting, multi-tasked endurance event just completed.
Oaty goodness
Despite futile attempts to ration the chocolate coins, we’ve all been on sugar overload lately. I don’t agree with dieting when it’s sub-zero outside (nor does the concept of a dry January appeal) but we are making an effort to hold back on the leftover selection boxes. So in an effort to wean ourselves off the chocolate a good alternative is my banana and date oaty bars, using natural ingredients and easy to make. Requiring little more than some stirring with a wooden spoon, these are fab for little hands to help with. Blitz two ripe bananas, 100g dates and 30g cashew nuts in a food processor, then stir in 300g porridge oats, 3-4 tbsp honey and 100g melted butter to make a sticky mixture. Stir in a handful of blueberries and raisins, then press firmly into a tin lined with non-stick baking paper and bake at 180C fan for 25-30 minutes. When completely cool cut into bars.
Music to cook to
The Supremes, Where Did Our Love Go – it’s the perfect song for some kitchen boogying on a dreich January day.
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