He was feeling much better by the second day, courtesy of a pretty tough immune system and also a great example of allowing a fever to do its work. But while he was lounging about like a Roman Emperor and no doubt figuring out how he could possibly eek out another day at home, he noticed some squishy bananas and released his inner chef. Pretty soon he was asking for help to create a recipe incorporating the bananas.

So together we sat down and penned a recipe guided by him. We don’t always see eye to eye with recipes – he’s a bit more exploratory and likes to play with combinations, whereas I play it a bit on the safe side.

We had fun creating the recipe, though, then hung out together in the spring sun in the backyard afterwards (still in our PJ’s) enjoying the fruits of our labour.

The raspberry sauce he had his heart set on making to pour over the cake didn’t quite work, but it didn’t stop him from enjoying his creation.

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They go to great lengths to ensure everything they source is amazing quality, they stock all my favorite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! Oh and the cherry on the cake is they donate profits to improve food security for vulnerable Aussies.

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll need:

Wholemeal spelt flour
White spelt flour
Baking powder
Cinnamon
Bicarbonate of soda
Desiccated coconut
Salt
Rapadura sugar

Print

RUSTIC BANANA, BLUEBERRY AND COCONUT CAKE

Ingredients

• 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
• 1 cup white spelt flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup rapadura sugar
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 3 large mashed bananas
• 125 grams melted butter
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 2 tablespoons natural yogurt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 175 degrees celcius
• Grease a cake tin and line with baking paper
• *Blueberries don’t get added until the end
• Mix all the dry ingredients together
• Beat all the wet ingredients together
• Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined then add the blueberries and gently stir through
• Pour into cake tin and pop in the oven for 4o-5o mins or until skewer does out clean
• Leave to cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto cake rack
• THERMOMIX INSTRUCTIONS
• Mash bananas in mixing bowl 5 sec/speed 6
• Add softened butter (not melted) and sugar and beat 20sec/speed 4
• Add eggs and yoghurt and mix 10sec/speed 4
• Add remaining ingredients and combine 20sec/speed 4
• Pour batter into a bowl and gently fold in blueberries
• Pour into cake tin and bake 40-50 minutes
• Pour into cake tin and pop in the oven for 4o-5o mins or until skewer does out clean
• Leave to cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto cake rack

When my kids devoured this soup served by my sister in a recent visit to the Blue Mountains, I was quick to ask for the recipe.

Last night I made it for the first time, and decided to add some mung dal (for extra protein) that had been in the cupboard debating its purpose in life.

I’m pleased to report it found a happy home in this soup. And despite protests from the kids revolving around the pappadums being the real attraction of the initial dish, they both loved this spice-rich soup packed in their thermos flasks for lunch the next day.

I’m often asked how to keep the food hot until lunchtime.

Well, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. Boil the kettle and then pour the water into the thermoses, be sure to pop the lids on
2. Heat up the food
3. Pour out the hot water  add the warmed up food into the container,  then pop the lid on immediately.

Our fave insulated jars are from Biome which have lasted years:

If you’re looking for more lunch inspiration, take a look at my new recipe ebook,  Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes. It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved!

There’s even a delicious recipe for Kale and Cannelleni Bean Minestrone which my kids love taking to school in their insulated container

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Indian Cauliflower, Potato and Mung Dal Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Author Brenda Janschek

Ingredients

• 1 large brown onion chopped
• 1 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 chilli finely sliced (I took out the seeds and used half a large red chilli)
• 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground tumeric
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 4-6 cups water or bone broth
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 3 potatoes diced
• 1 cup mung dhal
• 700 gms cauliflower chopped into medium florets
• 1/2 cup plain yoghurt for serving, optional
• Chopped coriander

Instructions

• Fry onion in ghee or coconut oil for a few minutes until soft.
• Add garlic, ginger and chilli and lightly saute until soft.
• Stir in the spices for 1 minute or until fragrance is released.
• Add water and coconut cream and bring to the boil.
• Add potato and mung dhal and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add cauliflower and simmer for 10-15 minutes until cooked.
• Process half the mixture then add to remaining soup and serve.

Notes

Serve with yoghurt and chopped coriander and a nice big salad.

If you make any of these recipes please do take photos and send them to me.

If you share them on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek. Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook. I get a total kick out of seeing you bring my recipes to life.

You might also like to check out my favourite soup round up, 7 Soup Recipes to Soothe the Soul.

Bren x