This is a wonderful old fashioned favourite. Great served in slices spread with butter. Round log tins can be used.

1 cup chopped dates
1 cup water
Bring to the boil for 1 or 2 minutess.
Add 1 level teaspoon carb soda.
Let cool and whip smooth with a fork

1 tablespoon butter or marg
½ to ¾ cup sugar
1 egg
1½ cups SR Flour
½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts most popular)

Cream marg and sugar add beaten egg, flour, date mixture and nuts.
Bake ½ to ¾ hour in log tin in moderate oven.

Vegan, gluten free and freezes well
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion finely diced
3 carrots finely diced
5 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
400 grams diced tomatoes
1 cup vegetable stock
400 grams lentils (canned or pre-cooked)
400 grams chickpeas (canned or pre-cooked)
1½ cups coconut milk
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon curry spices
1 tablespoon dried parsley
In a large pot, heat a tablespoon of oil and add diced onions, garlic and carrots. Sauté while stirring regularly, until the vegetables soften.
Set the vegetables to one side of the pot, and in the center add the spices and let them sauté stirring to prevent burning. When the spices have released their aroma mix them with the vegetables.
Make room in the center of the pot again, add the tomato paste and sauté then mix with the vegetables.
Pour over the diced tomatoes and vegetable stock.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer on low for about 20-30 minutes.
When the sauce thickens add lentils, chickpeas, coconut milk and parsley.
Stir to combine and let cook another 5 minutes.

For the Cake
1¾ cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
½ cup of softened butter
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
zest from 1 lemon
4 eggs at room temperature

For the Drizzle
1 cup icing sugar, juice from 1½ lemons

Preheat oven to 180°C.
Grease a 23cm square baking pan and line the bottom with baking paper.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl and mix until they are well combined.
Cream the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy
Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until a smooth, creamy mixture forms.
Fold in the dry ingredients and lemon zest, half at a time, and beat until well incorporated.
Pour the mixture in the pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, combine the sugar and lemon juice in a bowl and mix until they are well incorporated.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool.
Once the cake is cooled, poke several holes in it with a fork.
Pour the lemon drizzle over the top and allow it to soak in.

1 kg zucchini sliced
2 medium onions chopped
2 medium potatoes cubed
2 large carrots diced
50 g butter or use olive oil
4 cups chicken or vegetable Stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste

Melt butter in large pot.
Add all vegetables. Coat vegetables with the butter stirring constantly.
Add salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Add chicken stock. Simmer until vegetables are soft.
Cool slightly. Blend until smooth.
Serve it with a dollop of cream or sour cream for those who like it.

Broccoli heads, cut into small florets, stalk thinly sliced
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400 gm can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
400 gm can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
Combine the broccoli, chilli and garlic in a saucepan.
Fill saucepan with enough water to just barely cover broccoli and cook over high heat until water has evaporated and broccoli is very soft (10-15 minutes).
Add beans and chickpeas and fold to combine.
Season to taste with salt and lemon juice.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.

700g small potatoes
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
50g butter melted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, chives or green onion (optional)

Bring a pot of water to the boil add salt and cook potatoes until soft and very easily pierced by a fork. Small ones should take around 20 to 25 minutes.
While the potatoes cook, preheat the oven to 220°C.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over a large baking tray. Brush the oil so it is evenly distributed. Use two trays if necessary as potatoes need a little breathing room around each one.
Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them dry for 5 minutes.
Place the potatoes on the oiled tray and use a large fork or potato masher to gently smash each potato to a height of about ½ inch keeping them in one piece. Thinner potatoes will be more crispy.
Leave on the tray to steam dry for 5 minutes.
Drizzle each one with melted butter and just a bit of olive oil.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake until the potatoes are nice and golden on the edges, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Sprinkle them with chopped fresh herbs, and serve hot.

Mum cooked every Saturday morning and always made an Orange Cake for my brother Peter

125g butter softened
¼ cup milk
¼ cup orange juice
2 eggs
¾ cup caster sugar
1 ½ cups self raising flour sifted
1 tablespoon orange zest, finely grated
Orange icing
1/3 cup butter softened
1 ½ cups icing sugar sifted
2 tablespoons orange juice or to taste
½ teaspoon orange zest, finely grated

Heat oven to 180°C
Combine all cake ingredients and beat thoroughly for 3 minutes.
Pour mixture into a greased 20cm x 10cm loaf or 20cm ring tin.
Bake in the centre of oven for 30-40 minutes.
Turn onto a wire rack and allow to cool.
Mix orange icing ingredients together in a bowl, then ice cake.

Serve warm or at room temperature 
1 can chickpeas
1 can lentils
1 can black beans
2 medium eggplants diced into 3cm cubes
2½ tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
cherry tomatoes, halved (large quartered)
torn rocket, lettuce leaves, spinach leaves
cucumber diced
crumbled feta cheese
GARLIC LEMON DRESSING
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove minced
1 teaspoon thyme leaves fresh chopped or ½ teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Shake salad dressing ingredients in a jar

Drain and rinse chickpeas, lentils and black beans, then microwave briefly until warmed through. Pour over some of the dressing, stir then leave to marinate for minimum of an hour (overnight fine).

Preheat oven to 240°C.
Line a tray with parchment/baking paper.
Place cubed eggplant in large bowl, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper.
Toss well, spread on tray not touching and roast for 20 minutes. Turn and roast for a further 10 minutes - edges should be caramelised, soft inside but not shriveled up.
Mix salad ingredients and marinated lentil mixture, drizzle over most of the dressing, then toss. Pour onto serving platter.
Top with roasted eggplant and drizzle with remaining dressing.
Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.