Naoimh's sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free fruit loaf

My friend Naoimh suffers from gluten intolerance and loves eating very healthily. How could I get her to enjoy my desserts? I had to solve this problem when, inviting me to her place, she challenged me to bake a cake with no gluten, no dairy, no sugar. What am I going to do? I wondered. A cake without those ingredients would not be sweet, and surely it wouldn't be nice! Well, I was wrong. Another friend, the Polish author of Magda's Cauldron, found a recipe blog that was perfect for my dilemma, Anja's Food 4 Thought, containing plenty of desserts dedicated to those who suffer from coeliac disease and/or dairy intolerance. After making some small changes, I baked this loaf and offered it to Naoimh, wondering whether something so healthy could also be edible ... and I got a surprise when Naoimh wasn't the only one who liked it . In fact, everyone did! Perfect for breakfast, this loaf is sweetened with fruit and contains no flour. Buon appetito:-)

Requirements:

• a loaf tin
• measuring cups (1 cup = 250ml, 1/2 cup =125ml, 1/3 cup = 80ml, 1/4 cup = 60ml)
• food processor to grate the carrots

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of almond powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp light olive oil (or coconut oil)
• 3 very ripe bananas (2 if they are large), mashed
• 1/2 cup seedless dates, chopped (you can replace these with dried apricots)
• 1/2 cup carrots, coarsely grated
• 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup dried coconut shavings (1/4 if you used coconut oil)
• 1/4 cup of cranberry (or other chopped fruit)

Method:

Pre-heat your oven to 170 °C (fan) or 180 °C (traditional), gas 6.

Butter the loaf tin, then pour on it some almond powder and get rid of the excess. This way, you will stop the cake from sticking to the tin.

In a large bowl, mix almond powder, baking soda and cinnamon.

In another bowl (or in that of a food processor), beat the eggs. Add vanilla essence, oil and mashed bananas, and mix.

Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ones. Still mixing, add dates (or apricots), carrots, coconut shavings, chopped hazelnuts and cranberry (or other fruit). 

Pour into the tin and cook for 35-40 minutes, checking the loaf by inserting a skewer in the centre of it. If it comes back wet, wait another 5 minutes. The banana might remain a little liquid, thus wetting the skewer even though the cake is ready, so make sure you don't overcook it. It should be quite dark on the top, but tender on the inside. 

Let it cool down, and enjoy it with no guilt!

James's Rhubarb Crumble

Oh, but I love Saturday mornings! I get up at ten and watch my favourite cooking programme - 'Saturday Kitchen' on BBC One - while my boyfriend makes chocolate pancakes. I must admit to being a big fan of blue-eyed James Martin, who every week teaches the public to cook something delicious while interviewing famous chefs and guests :-) 

All the recipes mentioned in the programme can be found on the BBC website, and that's where I came across the Rhubarb Crumble. I was looking to use five large rhubarb stalks I had bought, but all the recipes in my cooking books involved the use of double cream or custard, and I wanted something healthier ... so I searched online, and James Martin's version of this classic came up. With some small changes, here it is for you to try. It's easy, quick and full of vitamins - and what better dessert to make now that rhubarb is in season?

Requirements:

• an ovenproof dish

Ingredients:

• 5 large (or 10 small) sticks of rhubarb
• 4 tbsp water
• 8 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp powdered ginger
• 110g softened, unsalted butter
• 110g Demerara sugar
• 200g plain flour
• whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to serve

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180 ºC. Cut the rhubarb sticks into chunks and place them on an oven tray. Sprinkle them with the water and caster sugar and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. 

While you wait, make the crumble topping by rubbing the butter into the flour and demerara sugar with your hands, in large bowl. The result will resemble fine breadcrumbs. 

Remove the rhubarb from the oven, sprinkle the powdered ginger on top of it and mix well.

Put the rhubarb into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle the crumble topping over it. Pat down lightly with your hands to even it out, then bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden-brown and the rhubarb is bubbling.

Remove the dish from the oven, allow it to cool for a few minutes, then serve the crumble with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Keep the remaining crumble in the fridge, and reheat before serving.

When sugar takes away its natural bitterness, rhubarb has a refreshing, zingy taste that is enhanced by the powdered ginger and is perfect on a sunny spring day.