In Fast, Fresh and Easy Food episode 2, Lorraine turns her attention to food you just get a craving to eat and dishes that put a smile on your face. Whether you are eating alone or want a quiet night in with friends, Lorraine’s fresh, easy ideas just hit the spot. On the menu are gingerbread pancakes with parma ham, prawn linguine with chorizo, and a butternut and sweet potato lasagne.
Lorraine’s Fast, Fresh and Easy Food episode 2 recipes:
Gingerbread pancakes
Major brownie points are awarded to those who go the extra mile on a Sunday and rustle up these delicious gingerbread pancakes. If you prefer to have the pancakes plain, then just omit the cinnamon, ground ginger, lemon zest, vanilla and sugar.
Veggie lasagne
A vegetable lasagne with soft butternut squash and a comforting creamy white sauce. This is one of my stalwart recipes that used to only make an appearance when there was a vegetarian over at my house. But then the family began to fall in love with it. This white sauce is a shortcut white sauce, everything just gets put in a bowl and stirred, very, very simple and just as tasty as the traditional white sauce.
Maple, pecan and cranberry granola
Nutty, fruity wholesome goodness is a must for oat lovers. Please feel free to ad lib here, with substitutions such as honey for maple syrup, raisins, apricots or dried apples for the dried cranberries and cashews for the whole almonds.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Line two large roasting trays with parchment paper and set aside.
- Put the maple syrup, sugar, oil and vanilla extract into a large bowl and mix well. Then toss in the oats, mixed seeds, pecans (or walnuts), whole almonds, flaked almonds, coconut and salt and cinnamon (if using). Give it a good stir and then get your hands in, picking it up and letting it fall down to coat and moisten everything really well.
- Pour the mixture onto the roasting trays and spread it out evenly. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, giving it a good stir and swapping them about on their shelves half way through.
- The granola should be golden-brown when cooked. Remove and leave to cool completely before stirring the cranberries through. Store in an airtight container for up to a month.