coconuts and date vegan slice

Cor, I really fancied the coconut and date slice Marylin baked while ago. It occupied my head about 3 days after my holiday. So, last week, I decided to bake one. I baked in square tin and guess what. i forgot to buy desiccated coconut. One of the main ingredients are desiccated coconut. How could I forget to buy that? rest of ingredients I had in my cupboard, so I didn't need to get anything for it. But Recipe requires apple concentrated juice or something as sweetener, I suppose. So, I grated 2 small apples, added to the mix. So, how i made the cake without desiccated coconuts? Luckily I had little bit raw coconut shredded, and coconut powder/flour, so I used the instead. Texture wise, It was fine. Quite moooorish and eat lots for my snacks. I also had it with soya yogurt with Greek honey. Mmmmmm, sounds divine.

I personally like the cake, it's healthy and sugar-free, wheat-free and vegan. It's a bit like healthy version of jumbo date slice. And much nicer. Here's recipe.

Serves10

550g ripe bananas with skin

350g dates -soaked in boiling water

225g dessicated coconut

225g millet flakes

175ml sunflower oil

125ml apple juice concentrate

juice of half lemon

1teasp mixed spice

1teasp ground ginger

pre-heat oven to 180c. tin size approx: 25cm x 12cm

Blitz 450g bananas, oil, lemon juice and apple concentrate. mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl, stir in the banana mixture. the separate into 2 equal halves, spread one to the bottom of the pan. Drain the date and blitz with remaining banana until smooth. spread the dates mix on to the coconut mix, then rest of coconut mix on top. sprinkle more coconut on top. bake until browned about 40mins or so. let cool then cut into squares.

Our food in La Gomera 2

In Valle Gran Ray, our little apartment had a kitchen. Very basic accommodation, but not as basic as Costas(in Greece). It had lovely view from our balcony. Almost every night we had our dinner outside. Some evenings were little chilly, we ate inside. Very cozy and I noticed, the land lady seemed to like IKEA. Lots of IKEA things in the apartment. Our apartment was on top of floor. The landlady, Maria and her family lived downstairs. Top 2floors were apartment. 5 rooms in total to let. First two nites we had back room, after our next door, dutch couple left, we had their room. 'cuz, they had the best view from the balcony. They were very pleasant and eazy to talked to. They offered us some wine. Bless. We only drunk water. (and some smoothies and fresh juice) Anyway, both apartment had nice big fridges to keep our vegetables in. Price of veggies weren't cheap. Lots of products were transported from Teneriff. Bananas were reasonable though and very tasty. Smaller in sizes compare to Jamaicans or South Americans. Also, slightly pinky and rough surface. Taste? Sweet. I am now big fan of Canary Bananas. We went there last year, since then, I was dreaming about eating those bananas. I didn't want any waste and didn't wanna buy too many vegetables either. Last year, we spend lots on foods. Couldn't help myself, it was my first visit, as usual, I wanted to try all different things and lovely products. I really enjoyed it anyway. Anyway, I ended up using same vegetables almost all the way to our holiday. But I tried to cook different dishes. First night, we were really tired from travelling, so I cooked quick meal. And had them our little balcony!

Quinoa with smoked tofu and tomato salsa. All food I cooked there in La Gomera were very similar. Two nights we stayed in place called Hemigua. It was situated between vallies and about 1hour from Valle Gran Ray. Very peaceful town. (Please see my other blog for more info) There, we stayed very nice apartment hotel. Breakfast was provided and when requested veggie option, they gave us nice avocado and salad. Bless. They had their restaurant in their main building, 14euro for set meal. I'm sure there were yummy. We still had some vegetables left. and we found a communal cupboard where people left their dry foods, toiletries and anything they didn't want carry for on their way back. We thought it was very good idea to do that. Recycling! So I had some left over lentils from the cupboard and cooked rice and lentil salad with vegetables. We found local green grocers on the bottom of the road(about 5mins by car), this granny had little shop with fresh vegetables in front of the shop. When we got there, 3 other granny were there and all of them were chatting away. It reminded me of long time ago in my days in Fukushima summer holiday. Very peaceful and country!!!!☺☺☺☺

Our food in La Gomera

I went on holiday with Marcus to La Gomera from 18th march to 28th of march. I saw some nice patisseries and bakery. It was tempting to just walk in and order some cakes and stuff myself. Instead, I was very good, I only had some energy bars, corn chips, or corn snacks. We had some lovely smoothies  for breakfast. Fruits juice, fresh fruits and some protein and green powder from UK. Those little snacks were really nice, but I've never seen them in shops here. Yes, I know we can get anything on line, but sometimes, I fancy something snack, pop into health food shops in my local town, then I get disappointed almost every time. I don't fancy eating any of them. It's small town, but we don't have a proper health food shop. I wish I had money to start off one with health cafe attached. That would be lovely. I know our neighbour towns have nice shops in Suffolk. Why can't we have one? I would like to eat nice snacks when I feel peckish. I always end up eating nuts and naked bars. I would like to eat different ones. That's why when I found those in the health food shop in La Gomera, Valle Gran Ray, I was thrilled. Anyway, these were the snacks we had almost every day for our lunch. On the beach, in the mountain, or walks....

These corn snack didn't have naughty things in them, they were yummy and tasty. I sometimes eat baby corn snacks(or veg stick snacks). They are very plain. Free from naughty things though. I love green packet one, which is pumpkin seeds with honey bar. It was so tasty, when I got home I tried to make one. And turned up to be crispy hone and pumpkin seeds snack. I now munch when my blood sugar level drops. I'm naughty I tend to skip breakfast, then what happens? I fancy having cakes and muffins from Starbucks! Make sure that won't happen, I now munch my hone pumpkin seed. yum yum.