Rhubarb, rosehip & apple bircher muesli

I start this recipe the night before. I soak the oats, nuts and seeds in water in the refrigerator overnight, drain it and swirl it through yoghurt just before serving. I swap the fruit topping as the seasons change.

Rosehip tea is also one of my favourite  go tos for rhubarb. Besides being the same brilliant shade of pink, I find that the tea always brings out the floralness of rhubarb, meaning you don’t have to add too much sugar.

Give me the newspaper, a tea and breakfast has never tasted better. 

 

1 cup natural oats

¼ cup flaked almonds

¼ cup sunflower seeds

1 bunch rhubarb, trimmed and chopped

¼ cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract

½ cup steeped rosehip tea

1 pink lady apple, thinly sliced

Greek style yoghurt, to serve

The night before, place the oats, almonds and seeds in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Refrigerate over night of for 6 hours. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 180C. Place the rhubarb, honey, vanilla, tea on a baking tray lined with nonstick baking paper and toss to combine. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the apple and toss to combine. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until the apples are just soft and the rhubarb is tender. Set aside and cool.

To serve, spoon yoghurt into bowls, top with oats mixture and stir to combine. Top with rhubarb and serve. Serves 4. 

Roasted banana & mixed seed bread

I wanted to make banana bread but my bananas were just too firm. Insert great idea #45; I put them in a hot oven with their skins on and while filling the house with delicious caramelised banana aromas – the result was ever so soft and slightly caramelised bananas.  Mashed up with flour and a whole bunch of seeds (for texture/flavour and a bit of a healthy alternative), olive oil and brown sugar, the result is my favourite banana bread to date.

Ingredients

4 large bananas, skin on

1 ½ cups (225g) plain flour

½ cup (75g) rye flour

¾ brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups mixed seeds (white and black sesame seeds, linseeds, sunflower seeds)

1/3 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil

2 eggs

½ cup Greek style yoghurt

Method

Preheat oven to 180C (fan forced). Place the bananas (in their skins) on a baking tray lined with baking paper and cook for 20-30 minutes or until soft and bubbling. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, place the flours, sugar, baking soda, salt, 1 ¾ cup of the seeds and ¼ cup oats in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Peel the bananas, place in a separate bowl and mash. Add the oil, eggs and yoghurt and mix to combine. Add the banana mixture to the dry mixture and mix to combine. Pour into a lightly greased and lined 24 x10x10cm tin (or equivalent) tin. Sprinkle with remaining seeds and oats and place in the oven. 

Cook for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes our clean when inserted. Set aside to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and set aside to cool completely.

Makes 1 loaf.