Tag: Cardamom

Apple, cardamom & pistachio Mug Crumble

I was browsing in a National Trust bookshop a couple of weeks ago and came across a book dedicated to Mug Crumbles – a crumble in a mug!  I was hooked and have been trying out various recipes ever since. I loved the cake in a mug concept, so this is taking it to a ‘slightly’ healthier level and what better for an indulgent brekkie than a crumble.

This is my first own recipe attempt based heavily on some of the book suggestions – just a fabulous way to enjoy fruit and nuts at brekkie.

Apple, cardamom and pistachio Mug Crumble

apple card and pistas crumble

For the filling

  • 2 apples chopped into pieces (I left the skin on)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon caster sugar (other sugar is fine too)

For the crumble

  • 2 tablespoons plain flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground pistachios
  • 1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
  • 15g butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • pinch of salt

In a large mug, mix together the filling and cover the mug with cling film.  Pierce the cling film a few times.  Microwave for 1.5 – 2 minutes – the fruit should be soft but not really squishy.   The fruit does cook down quite a bit – so there will be room for the crumble on top.

Make the crumble by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl and then rub in the butter with your fingers to make a soft dough like texture (like a soft crumble mixture).

Put this on top of the filling and cook in the microwave for 1 – 1.5 minutes (you don’t need to cover the mug).

Leave to cool a little before you get stuck in.  Very nice with some yoghurt on top as well.

Advertisement

Rhubarb, Ginger & Cardamom Porridge

Yesterday I picked my first stick of rhubarb from the allotment. I have 3 plants and they are all growing really well again this year, so lots of rhubarb ahead for me and lots of experimenting to be done.  This porridge is really simple and made in one pot – no extra stewing or cooking of rhubarb.  You can vary the sugar based on your preference or leave it out completely for a slightly sharper taste.  Personally I love porridge with a bit (sometimes a lot) of demerara.

Rhubarb, ginger & cardamom Porridge (serves one)

rhubarb ginger and cardamom p

 

  • 50g Oats
  • 250ml coconut milk (or other milk)
  • 2 teaspoons demerara sugar
  • 1 stick of rhubarb – diced or cut into small slices.
  • 2 cubes of crystallised ginger – diced finely
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • Handful of blueberries
  • Extra demerara sugar to sprinkle on top

Put all the ingredients (apart from the blueberries) into a saucepan and bring to the boil.  Simmer for 5 or so minutes until the rhubarb has gone soft and starting to mush into the mixture.  Turn off the heat and stir through the blueberries – this ensures they keep their shape and just soften a tiny bit.

Serve with an extra sprinkle of demerara sugar for that added crunch.

Beetroot & red berry granola

Further adventures with beetroot and a lazy bank holiday morning produced this wonderfully colourful granola. It has lovely hints of cardamom and ginger and with no added sugar I can pretend it’s super healthy.  It’s certainly lovely with coconut yoghurt. As usual I’ve been snacking on this all day. Granola is not just for brekkie.Beet granola jar

Beetroot & red berry granola

Makes a medium kilner jar’s worth.

  • 200g rolled oats
  • 50g Pumpkin seeds
  • 50g linseeds
  • 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
  • 1 large raw beetroot – peeled – around 160g – chopped into chunks
  • 1cm cube of fresh ginger
  • 50g coconut oil (before melting – so it’s still solid when you weigh it)
  • 2 tablespoons walnut oil (or other oil of choice)
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 50g dried cranberries
  • 50g goji berries

First make the beetroot coating.  Melt the coconut oil gently in a pan – I find it confusing when a recipe states coconut oil as I never know if that means melted or solid – so I’ve started weighing my solid coconut oil to be clear.

Then put the beetroot, fresh ginger, melted coconut oil and walnut oil in a blender. The texture will look like a very thick smoothie – see the photo below – pre mixing in.

In a large bowl mix together the oats, pumpkin seeds, linseeds and cardamom.Beet granola mix Add the beetroot mix and mix in well – making sure everything is well coated.

Rub some butter on a baking sheet and spread the mix onto the sheet. Bake for 10minutes at 180c/350f/Gas 4

Take it out and shake it up – then add the cranberries, goji berries and ground ginger. Mix it all up again and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes.  Leave it to cool then tuck in.

Beet granola oven done

 

 

 

Beetroot, pear & cardamom quinoa bowl

I’ve just sown some beetroot seeds on the allotment and can’t wait for my abundance of beetroot to play with over the coming months. So in anticipation I bought some to keep me going and have been experimenting with ways to incorporate them into breakfast. I love the combination of beetroot and coconut and the floral flavours of cardamom really bring the dish to life –  it’s a perfect healthy protein rich brekkie bowl.

You could just use quinoa, but I like the slightly different texture that the quinoa flakes bring to the dish.  You may wish to adjust the milk – I do like my bowls a little more on the wet side.

Beetroot, pear & cardamom quinoa bowl (serves one)

Beet pear quinoa2

  • 30g uncooked quinoa – rinsed
  • 20g quinoa flakes
  • 200-300ml coconut milk
  • 1 pear – grated
  • 20g raw fresh beetroot – finely grated
  • 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom (that’s about 6-8 pods)
  • 1 teaspoon coconut palm sugar – or other brown sugar
  • Coconut flakes
  • Pumpkin seeds

Put the uncooked quinoa, the grated beetroot and 200ml of coconut milk in a pan. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the grated pear, cardamom, sugar and quinoa flakes and a further 50ml of coconut milk and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the pan and add  more coconut milk if it’s getting too dry.

Take off the heat and stir through the coconut flakes (I used about a tablespoon) and some pumpkin seeds (I used around a teaspoon).

If you can wait – it’s nice to let mixture sit in the pan for a few minutes to infuse and soak up a little more moisture before you eat it.

Beet pear quinoa1

Put it in a bowl and sprinkle a few bits of coconut and some extra sugar if you fancy.