Banana-Nut-Cinnamon Pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 2 bananas
  • 2 heaped tbsp. almond or cashew butter
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • Coconut oil for frying

Method:

  1. Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Combine the bananas with 2 tbsp. of almond or cashew butter, ½ tsp. cinnamon and blend with eggs in the bowl.
  3. Mix well (or blend for a really smooth texture) and use a ladle to spoon some of the mixture on to a pancake pan or small frying pan over medium heat. Wait for bubbles to appear then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  4. Top each pancake with some chopped fresh banana, blueberries, seeds and optional coconut yogurt or cream.

Mexican Steak

Introduction

Choice of steak is important here. The jalapeño and spices require a cut of meat with enough substance to stand up to their pungent flavours. Fillet or sirloin will work, but a flat-‐iron, rump, or hanger (onglet) steak would be best. Also the steak needs to be cooked to no more than medium or it will become tough.

Serves 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes
cooking time: 5 minutes, + 5 minutes resting time

Ingredients

  • 2 x 200g‐300g steaks. Remove the steak from the refrigerator 1-­2 hours before cooking.
  • 2 limes
  • 3 whole preserved (sweet pickled) jalapeños
  • 1 tbsp. preserved capers (pickled, not salted)
  • 1 tbsp. coriander leaf, chopped
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1⁄2 tsp. mild chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

  1. Take the juice of 1 lime, the dried oregano and thyme, chilli powder, salt and pepper, and place in a bowl with the olive oil. Add the steaks to the bowl and coat well. Put to one side for 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, take the juice of the other lime and place it in a bowl along with slices of the jalapeños and chopped capers. Add the coriander leaf, salt and pepper, and mix together.
  3. Heat a heavy bottomed, preferably cast-­‐iron skillet, griddle pan, or frying pan until smoking hot.
  4. Take each steak, wipe off excess marinade, and place in the red-­‐hot pan. Reserve the marinade. Count to 10, and then turn the steak over. Count to 10 again, and turn. Repeat this process 4 or 5 times on each side until the steak has reached somewhere between rare and medium temperature. Remove the steak from the pan and put to one side to rest.
  5. Once rested, pour off the juices that will have been given off by the steaks into a pan, and add the reserved marinade. Heat until bubbling. Remove from the heat, add the jalapeño and caper mixture, and combine thoroughly.
  6. To serve, slice each steak into strips and top with the jalapeño garnish.

Top Tip

Pair this dish with fresh green salad and sweet potato wedges – to make spicy sweet potato wedges toss your potatoes in olive oil and a sprinkle or paprika and cayenne pepper before cooking.