simple cake, take 1 (pineapple & coconut)
I’m a great believer in simplicity and I don’t necessarily think using shortcuts is bad if the result turns out good. So when I found a recipe for a cake that didn’t even require shaking, just baking, of course I had to try it!
The original called for canned pears and lemon cake mix, and it was good, although I found the lemon cake to give a sort of artificial flavor to the cake. My mind immidiately started whirring with possible alternatives and I’m still in the process of trying them out. So far, I’m not sorry to say, they’re all freakin’ delicious!
This, a pineapple/coconut-cake was the first variation I tried.
You’ll need:
1 can of pineapple bits in juice (app 500 – 600 g) including about 1/2 cup of the juice!
1 package of cake mix (plain)
1/2 cup coconut flakes
50 g butter
And here’s how to:
1. Spread the pineapple bits evenly over a pie-form.
2. Mix the cakemix and the coconut flakes. Spread the mix evenly over the pineapple.
3. Pour the juice evenly over the cake.
4. Melt the butter. Spread it evenly over the cake.
5. Bake in the oven for 40 min at 175 °C/350 °F.
Let cool slightly and serve with ice cream. If kept in the fridge, it’ll keep fresh for days thanks to the “stickiness”. Once it’s cold, it’s splendid on its own.
beetroot salad
After a few weeks of Internet-deprivation, I’m now online again. It’s nice, but actually the time off-line hasn’t been all bad either. One of the nicer things was this salad. Enjoyed with a nice glass of cold white wine out on the patio, it was a definite culinary hit!
You’ll need:
1/4 kg beetroot
lettuce (I used marché and rocket/aragula)
200 g goat’s cheese
quinoa enough for two people
roasted pine nuts
And here’s how to:
1. Peel the beets and cut them into wedges. Boil them until soft (app 30 min).
2. Prepare the quinoa according to the instructions on the package.
3. Rinse the lettuce and spread it on a platter.
4. Spoon the slightly cooled quinoa over the lettuce.
5. Place the beets on top.
6. Cut the cheese into pieces and spread it evenly over the beets. It’ll melt slightly, which is exactly the point.
7. Sprinkle with oil and some balsamic vinegar. Add some pepper and salt and finish by spreading some pine nuts over the salad.
