Just Geens Plantain Pancakes

Ingredients

·         1 and ¼ super ripe plantain, when I say super ripe I mean one that is dark brown/black in colour and squishy
·   1 egg
·         250 ml wheat flour
·         250 ml almond milk
·         1 tea spoon coconut oil
·         1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon (or more)
·         2 tablespoons of honey
·         1 handful of blueberries

Instructions

1.       Mix your pancake ingredients together: eggs, wheat flour, almond milk, coconut oil, cinnamon and 1 plantain (you’ll use the remaining ¼ for your syrup), until you get a smooth thick paste. I used a blender because whisking the plantain would have taken ages.

2.       Now heat up whatever you love to cook your pancakes on. I used a non stick frying pan and added a teaspoon of coconut oil.

3.       Add a small amount of your pancake mix to the hot frying pan and cook until bubbles begin to appear in the batter then flip. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, depending how big you make them.  I find that wheat flour makes the pancakes fluffy and softer than normal pancakes, so it breaks a lot easier. I would suggest making the pancakes small. The smaller you make them, the easier they are to flip and not break apart.

4.       Make all your pancakes.

5.       Dice the left over plantain into small pieces and fry for about 2-3 minutes.

6.       Add 2 tablespoons of honey and a handful of blueberries to the diced plantain and let it simmer for a minute.

7.       Stack your pancakes and pour your syrup on top.

Bon Appétit

G

Baked Stuffed Plantains

Baked Stuffed Plantains

So I had some leftover plantain and mince from my Plantain Lasagna and decided to make some Baked Stuffed Plantains. 

I decided to make both a vegetarian and a meat based version, just to show you how versatile you can be with this recipe. 

To make this amazing dish you will need: 

Vegetarian Ingredients 

-1 Ripe Plantain 

-½ Small Onion Chopped

-1 Green Pepper 

-1 Yellow Pepper

-1 Red Pepper 

-½ tea spoon of mixed herbs

-1 Tablespoon of Coconut Oil 

-Salt and pepper as needed

Instructions

-Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. 

-Line oven tray with foil and coat with coconut oil.

-Slit a shallow line down the long seam of the plantain and remove plantain peel by pulling off the

skin.

-Place the plantain on the tray and bake for about 15 minutes each side or until the plantain is golden brown. 

-While the plantain is baking, add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to a saucepan, followed by the onions and peppers. 

-Let it simmer for about 5-7 minutes, add your  mixed herbs and season to taste.

-Remove the plantain from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. 

-Make a horizontal slit in the plantain and then stuff with the pepper mixture.

Mince Version

Ingredients

-1 ripe plantains

-2 tablespoon coconut oil

-½ pound lean mince

-½ medium onion chopped

-1 teaspoon minced garlic

-1 tin of chopped tomatoes

-Season to taste 

Instructions

-Use the same instructions as above in relation to baking the plantain.

-While the plantain is baking, add 2 tablespoon of oil to a sauce pan, followed by onions, garlic and your chopped tomato. 

-Let it simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently and add about ½ cup of water if needed.

-Add the lean mince to the sauce, seasoning to your taste and continue cooking for about 15 minutes.

-Remove the plantain from the oven and let it cool for a couple of minutes.

-Make a horizontal slit in the plantain and stuff it with the mince mixture. 

And there you have it, Stuffed Baked Plantain.

Happy Eating

G 

Quinoa Jollof

I’ve always been an advocate for African food. When I decided to make 'healthy eating' part of my lifestyle, it was my mission to still eat the foods I enjoyed but just to find healthier alternatives.

Jollof Rice is one of my favourite dishes. Being Ghanaian, its something I grew up eating every week. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Jollof Rice, it is a combination of white rice, tomato, onions, scotch bonnet, seasoning and some form of animal protein (chicken or beef).

I decided to get creative and replaced white rice with Quinoa. 

For this delicious dish, you will need:

Ingredients:

4 tbsp coconut oil

1 large onions, sliced

2 x 400g cans plum tomatoes

1 red pepper, diced

4 tbsp tomato purée

¼ tsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder

1 scotch bonnett

1 tsp curry powder

1 bay leaf

1 tsp thyme

1 stock cube

2 cups of quinoa

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups of water

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

Method

-Heat the oil in your pot and add the onions.

-Blend the peppers, tomatoes,  ginger and 1 cup of water to form a smooth mixture.

-Add the smooth mixture to the pot, along with the seasoning.

-Stir and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

-Once the sauce turns into a thick mixture, add the quinoa, stirring it well on a low heat. Let it cook for about 20 minutes.

-To tell whether it's cooked, you want the sauce to be fully absorbed by the quinoa.

Happy Eating 

G