Girdle scones (egg, dairy free)

Sunday morning, if I have time, I do like to rustle up some goodies to eat. This week I was experimenting making a vegan version of the classic girdle scone. It went down very easily, especially with a good coating of jam or honey. (If you want the traditional ingredients, just swap dairy free ingredients to butter and milk)

Ingredients
10oz/275g self-raising flour
1-2 oz/ 25g-50g dairy free marg
half tsp salt
soya milk

method

sift flour and salt, rub in marg. Add milk and mix to a soft dough. Place on a floured surface, kneed very lightly and roll out to quarter inch thickness. Cut into triangles and place on a greased and floured moderately hot girdle or heavy based frying pan. When scones are risen slightly and brown, turn them and cook on the other side. Roll on Sunday.

Illustration © Lois Blackburn 2008 www.loisblackburn.co.uk

Porridge of sorts

I love hot porridge, everyone has their own way (my dad’s a proper Scot adding salt!) Its fantastic economical food, really filling and good for you. If you haven’t tried a cold variety, you maybe pleasantly surprised. All you need to do is get yourself organised the night before, then grab the bowl out of the fridge in the morning.. and add toppings of your choice…

Ingredients
Porridge oats
Water or milk, or soya milk or even apple juice (I use plain old tap water)
Raisins or other dried fruit (optional)

Method
Mix in a bowl porridge oats with the liquid of your choice, I make it to a slightly runny porridge consistency. The oats will soak up the liquid overnight, so play around with quantities to suit you… you can always add extra milk/cream in the morning.. I like to add raisins or other dried fruit, such as apricots to the mix, they will plump up during the night, and add extra sweetness to the porridge. Put into the fridge overnight.

In the morning take your bowl out, give it a stir, add more liquid if you like, then whatever topping you fancy. You could add some grated apple, banana, fresh fruit, jam, cream. My favourite quickly dry frying some flaked almonds and adding those, with some soya cream if I have any open in the fridge….

Today’s illustration © Lois Blackburn www.loisblackburn.co.uk