Swiss Muesli

For 8 servings
200g oats
100g mixed dried fruit (chopped)of your choice
100g nuts of your choice (whole or chopped)
Combine the ingredients in a bowl and place in an airtight container & store in a dry cupboard.
For 1 serving
50g of the above muesli mix
1 apple
1-2 oranges
sugar
natural yoghurt
Put 50g of the muesli into a bowl. Coarsely grate the apple (including the peel)and add to the muesli. Squeeze the juice from the orange/s and pour over the muesli. Stir to blend all the ingredients together and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Sprinkle a little sugar and add a good dollop of yoghurt and serve.

Sour Cherry & Walnut Bread and Butter Pudding and "The Bell" Fruit & Nut Loaf

Many thanks to The Bell at Alderminster, Warwickshire for these two delicious puddings.

Sour Cherry & Walnut Bread and Butter Pudding

Ingredients: (Serves 6)
1/2 brioche loaf
125g chopped walnuts(but any nuts of your choice will do)
125g sour cherries
125g chopped apricots (but any dried fruit will do: dates, sultanas, raisins, figs, etc)
6 eggs
100g sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence or 1 vanilla pod
1 pint UHT whipping cream
1 pint milk
Method:
Mix the chopped nuts and dried fruit in a bowl.
Slice the brioche in triangles and place first layer in the bottom of a deep ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the chopped nuts and dried fruit and add second layer of brioche followed by a sprinkling of the nuts & dried fruits and so on until the dish is 3/4's full.
Beat the eggs, milk & the cream together and pour over the brioche. Leave to soak for a minimum of 4 hours.
Gently compress the mixture and cover with a sheet of baking parchment.
Place on the middle shelf of the oven at 180c or Gas Mk 4 for 1 hour but remove the baking parchment for the last 10 minutes to brown the top of the pudding.

"The Bell" Fruit and Nut Loaf

Ingredients:(Serves 6)
50g chopped apricots
125g chopped dates
75g of either sultanas, raisins or sour cherries
4 fluid oz's of boiling water
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 pieces of stem ginger chopped
125g unsalted butter
50g soft brown sugar
1 large egg
125g self raising flour(sieved)
25g pecan nuts chopped
25g brazil nuts chopped
25g walnuts chopped
Method:
Disolve bicarb of soda in hot water and soak fruit for a minimum of 4 hours.
Cream butter and sugar then add the egg and flour. Combine the rest of the ingredients and place into a greased loaf tin.
Bake for 1 hour at 180c or gas mk 4.
Serve with either a sticky toffee sauce, custard or single cream.

Honey Granola Breakfast

This balanced breakfast is rich in fibre from the oats and fruit, calcium from the yoghurt and monounsaturated fat from the nuts.
Ingredients: (Serves 4)
25g Brazil Nuts, chopped
15g Blanched Almonds, chopped
15g Pecans, chopped
25g Porridge Oats
1 tsp Rice Bran Oil
3/4 tbsp Honey
425 Plums, quartered
100g Dried Apricots, halved
Grated rind and juice of 1 Orange
500g Natural Wholemilk Yoghurt
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F or Gas mark 2.
2. Place the nuts and oats in to a bowl. Mix together the oil, 1/2 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp warm water and stir in to the nut mixture.
3. Spread the mixture on to a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. Leave to cool on the tray.
4. Meanwhile, place the plums and apricots in a pan. Add the remaining honey, orange rind and juice. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Leave to cool.
5. Divide the compote between 4 glasses or bowls, spoon over the yoghurt and crumble the honey granola on top.

Toasted Nuts

This is a very simple recipe for a toasted nut mix that tastes fantastic.
Ingredients:-
500g assorted raw nuts
2 tblsp coursely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp dark muscovado sugar
2 tsp maldon salt
1 tblsp unsalted melted butter

Method:-
Pre-heat oven to 180C or gas mark 4.
Toss nuts together in a bowl then spread out on a baking sheet. Toast until light golden brown (approx 10 mins).
In a bowl, combine rosemary, cayenne pepper, muscovado sugar, salt and melted butter. Place the toasted nuts into the bowl and mix thoroughly with the mixture and serve while still warm.

Stuffed Dates

Ingredients:

250g medjool dates
100g soft cheese
2 to 3 tablespoons yoghurt
Small bunch of chives
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped sage
Grated rind from 1 orange

Method:

Slit one side of each of the dates and carefully remove the stones.
For the stuffing, put the cheese into a bowl, beat in the yoghurt. The consistency should be thick and ceamy.
Finely chop the chives and beat into the cheese mixture with the sage and the grated rind of the orange. Mix well then stuff the mixture into the dates.

Brown Rice Salad with Soy Sauce

This is a really easy salad that looks and tastes great as part of a cold buffet to accompany cold meats, flans, pies, etc.

Ingredients:

8 oz brown rice
1 red pepper chopped
2 oz raisins
2 oz cashews
3 spring onions finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
6 tablespoons soy sauce
salt to season

Cook rice as per instructions on packet, rinse, drain well and leave to cool.
Add ingreients and toss well.

Soy Sauce Dressing:

6 fluid oz olive oil
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove of garlic-crushed
1/2 inch finely chopped root ginger
salt & pepper to taste

Add all the ingredients together and shake well to blend.

Spicy Nuts

Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time 10 to 30 mins

Ingredients
large knob of butter
55g/2oz cashew nuts
55g/2oz almonds
pinch of chilli flakes
pinch of medium curry powder
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of ginger
1-2 tbsp soft brown sugar



Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
2. Melt the butter in a small to medium ovenproof pan and sauté the cashew nuts for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the chilli flakes, curry powder, cayenne pepper, ginger and sugar and heat gently for a further 3-4 minutes.
4. Transfer to the oven and cook for 4-5 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and serve in a serving dish.