Hello and welcome to this month’s edition of Carol Taylor’s Green Kitchen…where I aim to cook chemical-free food, in season and grown either by myself or purchased locally in season…it is also to minimise waste…

Produce which has just come into its season has far more taste than produce which is forced and grown out of its natural season …I also think it is the anticipation and the taste of the first of the season’s crops…those first root vegetables…are sublime! or those first strawberries there is nothing quite like the first strawberry of the season!

October…October is commonly associated with the season of spring in parts of the Southern Hemisphere, and autumn in parts of the Northern Hemisphere, where it is the seasonal equivalent to April in the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa…here many class the next few months as our winter a time of rains and sunshine the weather is very changeable but I like it as its a tad cooler and more pleasant for my walks and if it rains then the rain is warm…

I always start with a bread recipe today it’s my take on Tarte Tatin however the only part that is the same is the lovely caramel sauce I have swapped apples for bananas and the pastry for banana bread…it worked and was delicious my testers gave it a big thumbs up…I liked it on the day it was cooked I wasn’t a fan the next day but hubby was he finished it off…I will be making it again but will use an 8-inch tin rather than a 9-inch tin plus I will remember to turn it onto the plate before I unclip the springform pan…I lost some of the caramel sauce…but that was Take One…I’m sure a smaller tin for take two will make a better image of the banana it will fit the tin…

Carol’s Banana Bread Tatin…

Ingredients:

3-4 ripe bananas for the base…cut in half.

Caramel Sauce:

• 3 tbsp of water
• 100 gm sugar
• 40 gm butter cubed

Banana Bread:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 egg beater
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups of flour
• A handful of chopped walnuts(optional)

First line an 8-inch springform baking tin and arrange your cut bananas in the bottom of the tin cut side down.

Now to make the caramel…

In a heavy-bottomed pan cook, the sugar and water until the sugar has dissolved and your caramel takes on a nice golden colour…I used raw sugar hence the liquid was already golden soI timed 6 minutes and then added my cubed butter stirring well.

Pour the syrup over the bananas in the lined tin.

To make the banana bread first mash the two ripe bananas then stir in the baking soda and the melted butter.

Stir in all the other ingredients except for the flour then once mixed and combined add the flour and stir to combine well if like mine the mix seems a little stiff I added a little milk I think the egg was slightly smaller than normal.

Put the mixture on top of the bananas and caramel and bake in a preheated oven at  350/175 degrees for 1 hour-1hr 10 mins my oven runs hot so an hour was sufficient plus I used a 9-inch tin so the mix was spread out more…Next time when I use the 8-inch baking tin it may take the 1 hr 10 mins…

My testers loved it as did I although I preferred it the day it was made hubby finished it the next day…the caramel was lovely and the cake was perfect with bananas and caramel…

Because I am concerned about what is in the food and the products I buy to shower and wash our hair, clean our teeth and of course, there is the laundry if I can make a suitable substitute then I do …This simple and effective mouthwash comes from the Zero Waste Chef whose cookbook I have and whom I follow on social media is made from just 3 ingredients…vodka, spices and water…simples…

How to Make Simple and Effective Zero Waste Mouthwash

October also has a number of food days and weeks…I hear some groan and I do too when I see some of them however when it’s a food I love or cook with then I might promote it and some are attached to good causes…today is the final day of Chocolate Lovers week…now whether you are not a fan of all these days etc…I’m sure you like a bit of chocolate…I mean who doesn’t? today I am sharing a recipe for vegan chocolate cake(not I will hasten ) to add because I agree with some of the stupid antics some vegans are in favour off but because I like chocolate cake…and some of my dearest friends are vegan and they don’t try to convert me …they respect my views and I respect theirs…

Vinegar is used in baking cakes and bikkies…who would have thunk…Not me but I am learning…sigh. The two most frequently used in baking are white vinegar and apple cider vinegar. White vinegar has a sharp, even harsh, flavour if tasted alone, but it is a very simple flavour and does not really stand out when used in a complex batter. Cider vinegar, made from apples, has a faintly fruity flavour and is quite sweet compared to other types of vinegar. It’s very mild and works even better in batters because there is virtually no chance of any vinegar flavour tainting the finished product.

Let’s Bake…A cake using no eggs and vinegar…

• 1 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened, non-alkalized cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp white or cider vinegar
• 6 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup of water

I followed this recipe to the T because I have had a few disasters lately where I haven’t and they haven’t turned out as hoped…my fault and probably because I have been cooking for a while and got used to certain ways…This recipe to me sounded wacky and crazy but it works…It is also made in the tin in which it is cooked…

Position the rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan.

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt directly into the baking pan, then add the sugar. With your finger, poke 2 small holes and 1 large one in the dry ingredients. Into one of the small holes pour the vanilla, into the other one the vinegar, and into the larger one the oil.

Pour the water over all the ingredients and stir the ingredients together with a table fork…reaching into the corners, until you can’t see any more flour and the batter looks fairly well mixed.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is springy and a tester inserted in the centre comes out dry. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack, then cut and serve it from the pan.

Today is also the final day of National rice week one of my favourite carbs…Fried rice cooked properly is a wonderful thing and is loved by adults and children alike…I also love green tea the leaves of which I normally put around my plants…I came across this recipe the other week for fried rice with tea leaves…used tea leaves how cool is that…if you haven’t got a use for your used tea leaves then please click the highlighted link below which will take you to the recipe…

https://tanookihomemadecafe.wordpress.com/2022/03/16/genmairoasted-rice-tea-fried-rice/

Thank you for joining me today for my Green Kitchen next time it’s Christmas Puddings its that time of year again…as always I look forward to your comments x