Prep 15 min Cook 20 min Serves 4-6
95ml vegetable oil 110g honey 110g dark brown soft sugar 1 tsp table salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground mahlab seeds ½ tsp ground cardamom 160g puffed wheat 85g pecans, halved 40g sunflower seeds 50g pumpkin seeds 30g sesame seeds 85g almonds, very roughly chopped
To serve Yoghurt Fresh fruit
Heat the oven to 190C/375F/gas 5 and line a couple of large flat baking trays with parchment.
Combine the oil, honey and sugar in a medium pan and set on a high heat. Mix well and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally to stop it burning.
Put the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Once the honey syrup is bubbling, carefully pour it over the dry ingredients. Use a large spoon to stir, turning the contents of the bowl over a few times until everything is well coated with the syrup.
Transfer the mixture to the baking trays and flatten it out a little to an even layer of cereal.
Put in the centre of the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then carefully remove one tray at a time, and mix the cereal around to make sure everything is getting roasted and crisp.
Return the trays to the oven for another five to six minutes, then take them out and leave them to cool entirely before breaking the ashura into large clusters.
Serve with yoghurt and fresh fruit – or plain, with milk, if you prefer. Transfer the rest to an airtight container – it will keep for well over two weeks. Honey and Co: The Baking Book by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich (Headline Home)
Soak 8 hr+ Serves 1
60g rolled oats A few drops vanilla extract 1 tbsp chia seeds 175ml unsweetened almond milk 2 tbsp fresh or frozen blueberries
Combine the oats, vanilla extract and chia seeds in a small glass jar, cover with the milk, stir to mix and top with blueberries. You could use any other berries or even dried fruits, which will plump up as the mixture soaks.
Close with a lid and put in the fridge for a few hours – preferably more than eight, or better still, overnight. Green Kitchen Travels by David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl (Hardie Grant)
Prep 10 min Cook 20 min Serves 2
400ml coconut milk 1 cinnamon stick 3 cardamom pods, ground ½ tsp vanilla paste or 1 pinch vanilla powder Salt 1 lime, juice of 1 and zest of ½ Sugar, honey or sweetener (optional) 1 small mango, peeled, stoned and sliced 2 tsp black sesame or poppy seeds 1 tsp flaked or desiccated coconut
Begin by cooking the rice according to the packet instructions. You can also use leftover rice, as long as it has been cooled and stored properly in the fridge.
Combine it with the coconut milk, cinnamon stick, cardamom and vanilla in a large saucepan with a pinch of salt. Slowly bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes, until the coconut milk has reduced and the porridge is creamy. Add a splash of water or milk if you take it too far.
Remove the cinnamon stick, stir through the lime zest and juice and sweeten with your favourite sweetener, if you like.
Divide between two bowls, top with the mango slices and sprinkle over the sesame seeds and coconut. Lagom by Steffi Knowles-Dellner (Quadrille)
Prep 5 min Cook 5 min Serves 2
190g rolled oats 35g almonds, roughly chopped 2 tbsp butter or coconut oil 3 tbsp honey, agave or maple syrup
Dry-toast the oats and almonds together in a large deep frying pan over a high heat for five minutes, stirring often.
Make a hole in the middle of the mixture and add the butter or coconut oil along with the honey (or other sweetener). Continue to heat and stir the mixture for a further five minutes, making sure everything is well coated. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before transferring to a lidded jar for storage – it will keep for up to two weeks. Top With Cinnamon by Izy Hossack (Hardie Grant)
Prep 15 min Cook 40 min Cool 20 min Serves 4
150g rolled oats 60g almonds, halved 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp fine salt 240ml almond milk 60ml maple syrup 1 egg 1½ tsp vanilla extract 1 apple, peeled, cored and cubed 2 bananas, sliced 1 pear, peeled, cored and cubed Yoghurt, to serve (optional)
Heat the oven to 190C/375F/gas 5, and grease a cake tin or casserole dish.
In a bowl, combine the oats, almonds, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, combine the milk, maple syrup, egg, vanilla and chopped apple. Add the dry mix to the wet and thoroughly combine.
Put a layer of half the banana, then a layer of half the pear on the base of the tin or casserole dish, cover with half the oat mixture, then the remaining fruit and the rest of the oat mix. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until set and golden. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then spoon out into bowls and serve immediately, with yoghurt if you like. Healthy Baking by Jourdan Bourke (Orion)
Prep 5 min Soak 8 hr Cook 1½ hr Serves 4
200g pearl barley, rinsed 1 tsp ground cinnamon 80g chopped walnuts, toasted 2 tbsp caster sugar 40g pomegranate seeds
Soak the barley in cold water overnight.
Drain and rinse the barley, put it into a large saucepan with the cinnamon and 600ml water, then bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer the barley for an hour to an hour and a half, or until tender, but still with a little bite. If necessary, top with more boiling watery (it evaporates quickly), stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Be careful not to add too much water, because it can become stodgy.
