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Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line a 20cm x 15cm baking tray with baking paper. Peel core and chop the apples. Chop the dates and nuts. Cream the sugar and butter together. Add the eggs and flour and mix. Fold through the fruit and nuts. Spread mixture into the lined baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes. ​ Serve warm, maybe with yoghurt or custard as a dessert, or leave to cool then cut into bars or squares.

Apple Date and Pecan Slice

Plenty of fibre in this one which is good as a dessert too if served warm. recipe adapted from one in Annabel Karmel's 'Small Helpings'

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Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line a 20cm x 15cm baking tray with baking paper. Peel core and chop the apples. Chop the dates and nuts. Cream the sugar and butter together. Add the eggs and flour and mix. Fold through the fruit and nuts. Spread mixture into the lined baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm, maybe with yoghurt or custard as a dessert, or leave to cool then cut into bars or squares.

Apple Date and Pecan Slice

Recipe adapted from Annabel Karmel's 'Small Helpings'

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1.Preheat the oven to 180 C. 2.In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients. 3. Mash the bananas. 4. Whisk the eggs into the milk, olive oil, vanilla and honey. 5. Add the wet mixture and the bananas to the dry ingredients. 6.Combine well. 7. Line a loaf tin with baking paper, up the sides as well as on   the base. 8. Pour/scrape the mixture in. 9. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Test with a skewer to make sure the   centre is cooked before removing from the oven and cooling in   the tin.

Banana Chia Bread

Chia seeds are high in protein and also anti-inflammatory omega threes. Add to that the olive oil instead of butter, the bananas and the pecan nuts and this is not a bad cake!

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Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line a 20cm x 10cm loaf tin with baking paper. Cook the corn (if fresh), set aside. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, sifting the baking powder and bicarb. soda to avoid salty tasting lumps! Stir in the eggs, melted butter and buttermilk. Pour into the prepared tin. It will seem very wet, but remember polenta absorbs a lot of liquid. Bake for 45 Minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. ​ This is delicious served with Mexican or Cajun dishes, or we ate it with a couple of vegetarian curries. I think it would go well with a cheese platter too.

Chilli Corn Bread

This would be so good with a Mexican bean stew, a tagine or even just with some strong flavoured cheese.

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Preheat the oven to 180 C. Prepare a 22cm diameter round baking tin by oiling the sides and lining the base with baking paper. Whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt - I use an electric mixer- until light and fluffy. Add the other ingredients one at a time, mixing well between additions. Scrape into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes. Cool in the tin. Icing: Mash the avocado really well and  whip in the other ingredients. For smoothest results use a food processor or stick blender. Spread over the cooled cake and leave to set before eating. ​

Chocolate Beetroot Cake

Beetroot in a cake?? Yes, it adds moistness and a deep colour. Well, you eat carrot cake don't you?!

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Preheat the oven to 180 C. Place 9-12 paper muffin cases in a muffin tray. Place all the dry ingredients (including 3/4 of the choc chips) in a bowl. Mix together. In a jug or small bowl beat the egg lightly. Add milk and oil and whisk together briefly. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Combine. Do not overmix or muffins will be tough. Mixture can be barely combined and this is sufficient. Spoon into muffin cases. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup choc chips over the tops. Bake for 25 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Not the healthiest muffins, but by no means the worst either. A little oil replaces butter and by using dark chocolate you benefit from the antioxidant actions of polyphenols. You could try increasing the amount of wholemeal flour that you use too.

Adapted from a Nigella Lawson recipe

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Preheat oven to 170 C Line  a 24cm round cake tine with baking paper and oil/butter the sides to avoid sticking. (Spray oil is handy here). Melt the chocolate in a small pan over a low heat. Beat the egg yolks, sugar, orange juice and zest together in a owl or food mixer until thick and creamy. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture. Whisk the egg whites until fairly stiff but not dry. Fold half the whites through the chocolate mixture, then the other half. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for about 40-45 minutes until firm on top and slightly pulling away from the sides. Cool in the tin before turning out. ​ This is lovely served with a creamy natural yoghurt and some fresh orange segments.

Chocolate Orange Almond Cake

I found this recipe on the back of a packet of almond meal years ago and it's one of favourite chocolate cakes now- light and airy with a hint of orange for something different. If at all possible buy Fair Trade Chocolate.

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Once completely cool, dust the top with cocoa powder and icing sugar combined in a small sieve or tea strainer. Excellent served with coffee Zabaglione.

Coffee Nut Cake

This gluten free cake is light and apparently humble but it is delicious with the coffee zabaglione, making it a sophisticated dessert or morning tea treat.

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In a jug put the yeast, sugar and warm water.It should be warm not hot. Too hot and you'll kill the yeast and then the pizza dough won't rise. Leave in a warn place for 5-10 minutes for the yeast to start growing. Meanwhile in a bowl or electric mixer, combine the flour, salt and pepper. When the yeast has produced some bubbles, pour it into the flour, and add the oil. Mix together to a sticky dough. Knead by hand or with the mixer for 5 minutes. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and leave to prove for 20 minutes or so in a warm place. Once the dough has risen, using a piece of baking paper on a baking tray, push it out - using your hands - into a log shape.  Preheat the oven to 200 C. Make small indentations with your fingers. Sprinkle with olives, rosemary and garlic. Drizzle with a little oil. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes until baked through and golden brown.

Garlic, Rosemary Olive Pizza Bread

I was making pizza with a group of children and had preprepared too much dough, so when I got home I used the remaining pizza dough to make this pizza bread which is great as a side with salads, cheese or anything really!

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