Last night I was asked by my friend to provide my vegetarian shepherds pie for our cell group next wednesday.
Suddenly I realised: I have no idea how I make it! Having found the original bbc food recipe I could remember the fact that I didn't follow it at all, and that I had long ago adapted to the point of no return. I have absolutely no memory of what those adaptations were though.
So I have decided to try to write down some of those recipes that just organically evolve over time.
I shall start with my (as guilty as you want it to be) peanut, chocolate and banana porridge.
I just polished off a bowl and didn't think to take a photo, I'll try to correct that toot sweet.
Every ingredient I'm going to list is entirely optional except the oats. (but if you're going to skip the peanuts, add a pinch of salt instead)
Oats
Extra fine oat bran
Water
Dark brown sugar
Cocoa nibs
Organic smooth peanut butter
Banana
Honey
Salted peanuts
Pumpkins seeds
Grab a bowl and 1 quarter fill it with oats, top with a fine(ish) layer of oat bran. Add a generous sprinkle of cocoa nibs. Not actual chocolate, unless you don't mind brown porridge and are willing to skip out of some of the other sweeteners. Crumble some dark brown sugar over the top; Not much, and it has to be the properly dark sticky stuff to give a hint of caramel flavour, otherwise don't bother you can just add more honey at the end.
Cover with cold water, bringing the level up by at least 1cm. Add a tiny bit of peanut butter, mix through. Pop it in the microwave for 50 seconds.
Stir.
If it looks like it is getting too thick for your liking but it still not hot, add more water. Remember it will start to thicken after mixing. Pop back in the microwave for 50 seconds.
Take out, stir.
Add one sliced banana, a handful of pumpkin seeds, a handful of salted peanuts and honey to taste. If you skip the honey you can claim vegan points!
Mix it up, eat it up, feel guilty then remember: Hey this is porridge!
