Category: courgette

Blueberry muffins

Emmelou Green’s recipe for blueberry muffins looks delicious but I don’t like using butter in recipes since they’re already so calorie dense. So today I experimented by replacing the butter with courgette! Success! Enjoy these moreish and healthy treats.

Ingredients

200g rice or buckwheat flour

50g almond meal

50g raw cane sugar

100g finely grated courgette (mix it in the mixer so you get a mushy mix)

150g yoghurt

2 eggs

1 tsp psyllium

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Zest of 1 lemon

Handful of blueberries

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

Line or oil a muffin tray.

Mix all of the ingredients apart from the blueberries together.

Add the blueberries. I chucked in a piece of chocolate in each muffin.

Divide the mix over the muffin tray and bake in the oven for 30 mins.

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Guilt-free brownies

Gosh, it’s been forever since I’ve posted another recipe. I’ve been baking a lot but without much time to write things down.

I got my son to try out a Sarah Wilson brownie recipe recently, but changed things around a bit to fit our lifestyle. The result is a delicious, moreish snack that satisfies my chocolate craving while not being too sweet or heavy. The main ingredient? Courgette…

Ingredients

200g finely grated courgette (don’t peel it)

175g peanut butter

1 egg

80g rice syrup or maple syrup (add more of you have a particular sweet tooth or if you’re using intensely bitter chocolate)

80g melted dark chocolate

40g roughly chopped pecans

30g buckwheat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp gingerbread spice

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Melt the chocolate with the peanut butter and rice or maple syrup.

Mix all the ingredients and pour the mix into a square brownie or cake tin lined with baking paper.

Bake for 45 minutes.

The mix will still be quite gooey when it comes out of the oven. Leave to cool and then enjoy with some whipped cream…

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Double chocolate & pear cupcakes

Pears and chocolate is one of my favourite autumn combinations. Since my boy needs snacks for school, these cupcakes seemed like a great option. They will keep moist for 5 days in the fridge because of the added pear.

Ingredients

2 eggs

150g raw cane sugar

220g peeled and grated courgette

100g buckwheat or rice flour

60g almond meal

60g raw cacao powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp psyllium (optional)

Pinch of salt

3 pears, peeled and diced

Handful of chocolate buttons

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Beat eggs and sugar together for 4 minutes.

Add all the other ingredients and mix gently until combined. Add the chocolate buttons and diced pear at the end.

Spoon the mix into greased muffin cases.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Delectable lunchbox caramel apple muffins

It’s starting to feel quite autumnal and a change in eating habits is slowly taking place: soup replacing salad, porridge replacing yoghurt with granola… I’ve got so any recipes in my mind with pear, squash, and other autumn goodies, but for now I had apples to use up that I’d bought for juicing which I hadn’t gotten round to. The addition of date caramel lends complexity to these muffins which kid will be taking to school and I to work. Can’t wait!

Ingredients

5 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into small chunks

For the date caramel:

5 medjoul dates, pitted and soaked in water for 15 mins

50ml milk of any kind

Pinch of nutmeg and salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the muffins:

3 eggs

100g raw cane sugar or replacement

200g peeled and finely grated courgette

180g buckwheat flour

160g almond meal

2 tsp baking powder

1tsp psyllium

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Make the date caramel: mix all the ingredients for the caramel in a blender and pour over the apple chunks. Mix thoroughly.

Make the muffins:

Beat the eggs and sugar for 4 minutes.

Add the other muffin ingredients and mix carefully until combined.

Add the apple chunks with date caramel and mix thoroughly.

With an ice cream scoop, scoop spoons of the mixture into oiled muffin cases.

Bake in the oven for 35 mins. Leave to cool completely before removing from the muffin cases.

This mix makes 20 muffins. Enjoy !

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Christmassy pear & minced fruit cake with home-made marzipan

If you read my previous recipe, you’ll know I made my own mincemeat a few days ago, for the first time ever. It’s delicious and I wanted to try using it in a few ways. So yesterday there were traditional mince pies (and people from outside the UK were like – wait, there’s no meat in these?! Bizarre how some cultural things don’t travel.) Today I baked a fancy fluffy christmas cake using up the mincemeat in combination with pear and some very quick marzipan balls which are hidden in the middle of the cake (surprise!). I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Ingredients

For the cake:

3 medium eggs

100 raw cane sugar or honey

200g very finely grated courgette

120g ground almonds

1,5 tsp baking powder

zest of 2 lemons

a pinch of salt

For the filling:

150g mincemeat

1 large pear, diced into fairly hefty chunks

80g almond flour

50g honey

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
  • Beat the eggs and sugar/honey together for five minutes till very fluffy.
  • Add the other cake ingredients and mix well.
  • Add the diced pear and mincemeat.
  • Mix almond flour and honey in a blender until well combined. Then roll out small balls in the palm of your hand.
  • Pour half the cake mix into a 18cm diameter pre-oiled cake tin.
  • Put the marzipan balls on top, spread out over the surface.
  • Pour over the other half of the cake mix and flatten the surface.
  • Bake for 35 mins. Let cool entirely. Enjoy with cinnamon ice cream or something similar.
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Lazy-day rhubarb & courgette cake

Some days I don’t want fancy decorations or perfectly finished cakes. Just give me flavour and texture on a plate. Wasn’t sure what to do with my rhubarb bounty so this simple recipe was born for those lazy afternoons…

Ingredients

3 eggs

100g sugar

80g liquid honey

200g peeled and finely grated courgette

150g buckwheat or rice flour

50g almond meal

2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

About 100 to 150g rhubarb, cut into small chunks.

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Oil a 20 inch diameter cake tin.

Beat eggs, honey, and sugar for 5 mins till fluffy.

Add the rest of the ingredients and stir till combined.

Mix the rhubarb into some extra rice flour before you also add it to the mix.

Pour the cake mix into the tin and bake for 45 mins. Put a sheet of baking paper on top so it doesn’t brown too much.

Enjoy!

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Rhubarb and elderflower cake

So. Much. Rhubarb ! I’m totally addicted to rhubarb. Its freshness sings of spring and comfort. Maybe it’s because one of my early childhood memories is of eating rhubarb right after cutting it, by rubbing it with a sugar cube. Ah, growing up in the eighties… This recipe is a bit more sophisticated but also very easy, so a good choice for lazy afternoons.

Ingredients

For the rhubarb cream:

4 stalks of rhubarb, cut into small chunks

100g sugar (I don’t normally use this much but honestly, rhubarb is so tart, it really needs it)

Juice and rind of 1 lemon

2 tbsp elderflower cordial

100g lactose free or vegan cream cheese

For the cake:

125g grated courgette

100g ground almonds

100g buckwheat flour

150g sugar

100g cream cheese

3 eggs

1 tsp psyllium husk

Zest of 1 lemon

2 tbsp elderflower cordial

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

For the rhubarb cream: mix all the ingredients apart from the cream in a bowl, then transfer to an oven dish and cover with baking paper. Bake for 25 mins and then leave to cool.

For the cake: mix all the ingredients. Turn the oven d

Add half of the baked rhubarb to the mix and pour the mix into a well oiled cake tin.

Bake in the oven for 35 mins. Take out and leave to cool.

Mix the remaining rhubarb with the remainng cream. Cut the cake in half, put the cream filling in the middle.

Put the top half back on the cake and decor

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Easiest berry & chocolate afternoon cake

I’ve been looking for ways to use up apple sauce I froze last year and when I came across Oh My Pie’s pink cake, I saw a possibility to experiment. I adapted her recipe and it’s just about the easiest instructions ever. Chuck everything together and leave in the oven for 30 mins. It doesn’t get much easier, and the result is delish.

Ingredients

100g almond meal

100g peeled and finely grated courgette

80g buckwheat or rice flour

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

90g maple syrup

120g apple sauce

1/4 tsp psyllium

2 eggs

100g frozen berries

50g chocolate drops

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 175C.

Mix all the ingredients to a supple dough.

Pour into an oiled cake tin and bake for 30 mins.

Leave in the tin until fairly cool and eat. For afternoon, or breakfast, as my kid does…

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Vegan choc & liesberry cake

I don’t tend to make many vegan cakes as I need those eggs for protein. But I was excited to start experimenting for a birthday cake I was asked to bake, and my attempt to add courgette worked out beautifully. I baked the cake in 2 batches and then cut both cakes in two so I could add raspberries and chocolate mousse for added deliciousness.

Ingredients

130g buckwheat or rice flour

75g almond meal

75g tapioca or corn starch

1/4 tsp psyllium

120g sugar or substitute

75g cocoa powder

2tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

375ml any milk

125g finely grated courgette

300g raspberries

3tbsp cocoa powder

400ml coconut cream (cooled in the fridge)

3tbsp sugar

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Add flour, almond meal, starch, psyllium, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate, salt, milk and courgette in a bowl and mix well.

Pour half of the mix in two 14 inch cake moulds that have been lined and oiled. Set in the oven for 30 minutes, let cool and then put in the fridge.

Crush the raspberries.

For the mousse, add cocoa powder, sugar, and coconut cream (with the water) in the mixer and blend until combined.

Cut both cakes horizontally in half. Put the first bottom half on a plate, then spread half of the raspberries on top. Add the bottom of the second cke on top and then layer with half of the mousse. Add the first top of the cake and add the second half of the raspberries. Layer with the final top half of the second cake. Spread the rest of the mousse on top and around the cake. Decorate as desired. Put in the fridge for 20 minutes. Enjoy!!

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Christmassy cranberry & dark chocolate surprise cupcakes

The surprise is they have lots (!) of courgette in them.😋 I was looking for further lunch box treats, and had some cranberries to use up. Enter these delicious little morsels. They are small but packed with flavour! Ideal for the mid afternoon slump… This recipe makes about 28 little cupcakes or 14 muffins. You can halve the recipe for a smaller batch, but with kids in the house, just be warned: they don’t last long!

Ingredients

4 organic eggs

200g sugar or substitute

400g finely grated courgette

100g rice flour

100g buckwheat flour

200g almond meal

4 tsps baking powder

Pinch of salt

200g washed fresh cranberries

Handful of small dark chocolate buttons

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Beat the eggs with the sugar for 5 minutes until pale.

Add all the other ingredients except the cranberries and chocolate, and fold through gently with a spatula.

Add the cranberries and chocolate and fold through until combined.

With a teaspoon, place a few dollops in either cupcake or muffin cases.

Put in the oven for 20 minutes (muffins between 25 and 30 – don’t let them go brown).

Leave to cool down and then enjoy when the need strikes❤️

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