BANK HOLIDAY BAKING WITH kate devine

Well, aren’t we lucky this month…two long weekends and it’s #worldbakingday on Tuesday 17th May! That means indulgence on many levels! Also, don’t you just feel like May is a positive month? It’s beautifully Spring but nearly Summer, there’s lots of lovely sunny days and nights in the garden to look forward to (hopefully – come on British weather, be kind to us this year!), and I feel we all enjoy and appreciate food more.

It’s such a sociable thing food, it brings people together, and that’s exactly what World Baking Day is all about! It’s a time to spend with family and friends; baking delicious food to enjoy together; spread the joy of food and embrace the deliciousness that baking can bring to your day!

So…dig out your spatula and get creative with your kids by making treats for friends and family, neighbours, or the hard-working teachers at your kids school. I mean, who doesn’t love a homemade treat made just for them?

Personally, baking and I don’t mix well (pardon the pun), but I’m just one of those people who’s too impatient to measure and sift ingredients. I get easily distracted and weigh the wrong amount of the wrong thing and inevitably end up with a soggy bottom!

Having said that, I’ve managed to master the old faithful, chocolate brownie, so here’s a healthy and quick version, that even I can do, to get you cracking on World Baking Day! Have fun! Oh, and don’t forget to share your creations on Instagram @broodmagazine & @the.devine.life and #worldbakingday 

Sticky BB Brownies – packed full of polyphenols and prebiotics to help support the gut

Makes 12

Ingredients:

• 125g tinned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 large organic eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 20g organic cocoa powder
• 80g organic rolled oats – Gluten free if necessary
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 8 small prunes – pitted
• 6 Medjool dates – pitted
• 1 large ripe banana
• 120ml milk of your choice – nut/dairy free milks will work just as well
• Pinch of rock salt
• 50g dark chocolate chips – Gluten free if necessary
• 2 tbsp of crunchy peanut butter or 30g walnuts (optional) – you can substitute the nuts for dried cranberries if you prefer

You will need:

• Minimum of 12 cupcake liners
• Bun or muffin tin
• Blender

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees fan/400F/gas mark 6
• Weigh out all the ingredients before starting – believe me, this is the key to successful baking!
• Place all the ingredients, except the chocolate chips and walnuts/cranberries, if using, into a blender and blitz until completely smooth – around 3 mins
• Place the cupcake liners in the muffin tin, then, using a teaspoon, divide the mixture between the cupcakes liners
• Dot in the chocolate chips and nuts/cranberries (if using)
• Place in the oven and bake for around 10-12 minutes, then remove form the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 mins. Enjoy!

You can keep the brownies in an airtight container and consume within a week. Alternatively, you could wrap each one individually and give to someone special.

 *Recipe adapted from ‘Eat Yourself Healthy’ & ‘Hemsley & Hemsley’ cookbooks*

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 This takes me nicely into the May Day bank holiday weekend…

I never really knew why we had an early May bank holiday. I just remember celebrating it as a kid and watching people dancing around the Maypole, but not really understanding what it was all about. Then as an adult, you just see bank holidays as a well needed extra day of the weekend and thank god for the day off! But, I’ve since come to realise that it is a day of unity, togetherness and rebirth, regardless of race and culture, where people come together as one in celebration. Traditionally, people would leave baskets of spring flowers and treats on their neighbours doorsteps. How lovely! International Workers’ Day, also known as ‘Labour Day’ is also traditionally celebrated on this May bank holiday and is a demonstration of the labour movement and its efforts to improve worker rights across the globe.

Why not bake my brownies above and make your own May Day basket with your kids and celebrate it the traditional way?! It’s nice to be kind, you never know just how much a random act of kindness can change someones day.

I wish you all a wonderful May and don’t forget to email me at kate@thedevine.life with any questions you may have regarding nutrition or fitness and I’ll answer on my instagram or in our June edition.

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