I love crumbles. There is just something about fruit stewed in sugar and spices that is so comforting. However the problem that I have is that Jack detests fruit in both desserts and cakes. Christmas cake, no. Christmas pudding, no. Apple pie, no. Warm, sugary fruit in a dessert is his idea of hell. To me, this was a devastating fact to come to terms with when we moved in together. There are only so many chocolate desserts you can eat! Determined to come up with something crumble based that he would eat, I began experimenting.
Now, Jack loves bananas. So I thought if I could get them to keep their shape - maybe he'll eat them in a crumble? After all, it was the mushy texture he really didn't enjoy. Alas, my experimenting paid off. Last night, we had a banana crumble with custard and he devoured it! We're also currently eating the leftovers as a porridge topper as i'm typing this. So here is the recipe! I hope you enjoy it as much as us, let me know what you think.
The key to this recipe is to use bananas that are yellow with very little green on their skins. If you use overly ripe bananas, they'll just turn to mush in the oven.
This recipe will serve 2-3 people.
Ingredients
Topping
32g light brown sugar
56g cold unsalted butter
32g plain flour
64g of oats (I like Mornflake Scottish Jumbo Oats)
Filling
28g unsalted butter
64g light brown sugar
1tsp cinnamon
A good squeeze of fresh orange juice
4-6 bananas - add as many or as little as you like, whatever you've got hanging around! Cut them into 1 inch chunks
Pinch of salt
Method
1. Heat the oven to 170c fan.
2. Mix all of the topping ingredients together, use your fingers to rub the cold butter into the mixture. Cover and place in the fridge. Also place your 1 inch chunks of banana into a bowl and place them in the fridge.
3. For the filling, melt the butter in a pan and add in the sugar, cinnamon and salt. When it turns into a brown sludge, add in your orange juice. Adding the juice might make the sauce sizzle and spit but don't worry!
4. Add in the banana chunks, toss to coat. Be careful not to break them up.
5. Spread the banana mixture into an oven safe dish and sprinkle your crumble topping over the top.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the top of the crumble is a golden brown. Serve with custard or vanilla ice cream.
I love crumbles. There is just something about fruit stewed in sugar and spices that is so comforting. However the problem that I have is that Jack detests fruit in both desserts and cakes. Christmas cake, no. Christmas pudding, no. Apple pie, no. Warm, sugary fruit in a dessert is his idea of hell. To me, this was a devastating fact to come to terms with when we moved in together. There are only so many chocolate desserts you can eat! Determined to come up with something crumble based that he would eat, I began experimenting.
Now, Jack loves bananas. So I thought if I could get them to keep their shape - maybe he'll eat them in a crumble? After all, it was the mushy texture he really didn't enjoy. Alas, my experimenting paid off. Last night, we had a banana crumble with custard and he devoured it! We're also currently eating the leftovers as a porridge topper as i'm typing this. So here is the recipe! I hope you enjoy it as much as us, let me know what you think.
The key to this recipe is to use bananas that are yellow with very little green on their skins. If you use overly ripe bananas, they'll just turn to mush in the oven.
This recipe will serve 2-3 people.
Ingredients
Topping
32g light brown sugar
56g cold unsalted butter
32g plain flour
64g of oats (I like Mornflake Scottish Jumbo Oats)
Filling
28g unsalted butter
64g light brown sugar
1tsp cinnamon
A good squeeze of fresh orange juice
4-6 bananas - add as many or as little as you like, whatever you've got hanging around! Cut them into 1 inch chunks
Pinch of salt
Method
1. Heat the oven to 170c fan.
2. Mix all of the topping ingredients together, use your fingers to rub the cold butter into the mixture. Cover and place in the fridge. Also place your 1 inch chunks of banana into a bowl and place them in the fridge.
3. For the filling, melt the butter in a pan and add in the sugar, cinnamon and salt. When it turns into a brown sludge, add in your orange juice. Adding the juice might make the sauce sizzle and spit but don't worry!
4. Add in the banana chunks, toss to coat. Be careful not to break them up.
5. Spread the banana mixture into an oven safe dish and sprinkle your crumble topping over the top.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the top of the crumble is a golden brown. Serve with custard or vanilla ice cream.
When deciding that you wish you pursue a more sustainable lifestyle, you may often feel pressured and totally overwhelmed. I know I did. But actually, it really doesn't have to be that way. Being more sustainable is about doing what's right for you. It's not about rooting through your cupboards and disposing of everything 'non-sustainable' and replacing those items with expensive, 'sustainable' alternatives. It also isn't all about metal straws and bamboo toothbrushes. I tried a bamboo toothbrush once, it didn't last half as long as my normal toothbrush and when it had reached the end of it's life... that was it. I still use a plastic toothbrush but it lasts a relatively long time and then when i'm finished with it, it becomes a cleaning utensil. Toothbrushes are great for getting those awkward nooks and crannies clean - shower door i'm talking to you!
To me, sustainability is about making conscious decisions that fit into your lifestyle and more importantly, your budget. For example, if you're in the supermarket and there is the option to purchase loose vegetables and fruit - fill your bags! It's often more budget friendly to purchase produce this way. It doesn't mean you're not allowed to buy produce because it's wrapped in plastic packaging. We can't purchase what doesn't exist and it simply isn't sustainable or convenient to trek all over town, just to source plastic free produce. Another thing I like to do, is check what vegetables are in season and see if I can purchase locally sourced produce. Seasonal vegetables taste so much better and i'm happy to know that i'm supporting local farmers.
What i'm trying to say, is that you should focus more on reducing and not completely cutting back. We live in an economy that is constantly changing to suit the needs of consumers and already supermarkets are listening to our need for more sustainable practice. I believe that in a few years time things will look very different.
Earth Day is on Wednesday the 22nd of April and i'd like to use this event as a milestone to encourage you to think about what little things you could do to help the planet and yourself. I've recently discovered a tool called Do Nation which encourages healthier habits for people and the planet. It allows you to make pledges to support this notion and demonstrates how much CO2 your actions will save - it even converts this into bananas to make it a little bit more realistic! Each pledge has an information page which is full of really interesting facts. What I love most is that this organisation doesn't just focus on the planet, it focuses on you as a human being too. It also appreciates the fact that it's simply not possible for us all to live a zero waste, carbon neutral lifestyle. Hallelujah!
I've initiated a 2 month campaign which will conclude at the end of April and I'd really love for you to get on board and make your own pledges. Please also forward the link to your friends and family - it would be great to get as many people as possible involved!
https://www.wearedonation.com/campaigns/march-challenge/
Don't forget to share with your friends and family... and remember, it's the little things that make a big difference.
When deciding that you wish you pursue a more sustainable lifestyle, you may often feel pressured and totally overwhelmed. I know I did. But actually, it really doesn't have to be that way. Being more sustainable is about doing what's right for you. It's not about rooting through your cupboards and disposing of everything 'non-sustainable' and replacing those items with expensive, 'sustainable' alternatives. It also isn't all about metal straws and bamboo toothbrushes. I tried a bamboo toothbrush once, it didn't last half as long as my normal toothbrush and when it had reached the end of it's life... that was it. I still use a plastic toothbrush but it lasts a relatively long time and then when i'm finished with it, it becomes a cleaning utensil. Toothbrushes are great for getting those awkward nooks and crannies clean - shower door i'm talking to you!
To me, sustainability is about making conscious decisions that fit into your lifestyle and more importantly, your budget. For example, if you're in the supermarket and there is the option to purchase loose vegetables and fruit - fill your bags! It's often more budget friendly to purchase produce this way. It doesn't mean you're not allowed to buy produce because it's wrapped in plastic packaging. We can't purchase what doesn't exist and it simply isn't sustainable or convenient to trek all over town, just to source plastic free produce. Another thing I like to do, is check what vegetables are in season and see if I can purchase locally sourced produce. Seasonal vegetables taste so much better and i'm happy to know that i'm supporting local farmers.
What i'm trying to say, is that you should focus more on reducing and not completely cutting back. We live in an economy that is constantly changing to suit the needs of consumers and already supermarkets are listening to our need for more sustainable practice. I believe that in a few years time things will look very different.
Earth Day is on Wednesday the 22nd of April and i'd like to use this event as a milestone to encourage you to think about what little things you could do to help the planet and yourself. I've recently discovered a tool called Do Nation which encourages healthier habits for people and the planet. It allows you to make pledges to support this notion and demonstrates how much CO2 your actions will save - it even converts this into bananas to make it a little bit more realistic! Each pledge has an information page which is full of really interesting facts. What I love most is that this organisation doesn't just focus on the planet, it focuses on you as a human being too. It also appreciates the fact that it's simply not possible for us all to live a zero waste, carbon neutral lifestyle. Hallelujah!
I've initiated a 2 month campaign which will conclude at the end of April and I'd really love for you to get on board and make your own pledges. Please also forward the link to your friends and family - it would be great to get as many people as possible involved!
https://www.wearedonation.com/campaigns/march-challenge/
Don't forget to share with your friends and family... and remember, it's the little things that make a big difference.
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