Carrot and Banana Cake

1 ¼ cups plain flour
½ cup self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (200g) firmly packed brown sugar
¾ cup (90g) coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups finely grated carrot (about 4 medium carrots)
1 cup mashed banana (about 2 large overripe bananas)
1 cup (250ml) vegetable oil

Preheat oven to moderately slow (160oC). Grease a 24cm springform tin, line base with baking paper.
Sift flours, soda, spices and sugar into large bowl, stir in remaining ingredients; pour cake mixture into prepared tin. Bake in moderately slow oven about 1 ¼ hours. Cool cake in tin.

By Lani

Noodle Salad

100g rice vermicelli noodles
200g snow peas
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
½ cup mint leaves, chopped
¼ cup chopped unsalted peanuts
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Place the noodles in a bowl of bowling water and allow to stand for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cook the snow peas in a saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and cool under running water. Shred the snow peas then combine with the noodles, carrot, mint, peanuts, soy sauce and lemon juice.

By Lani

Red Lentil Pilau

3 tablespoons oil
1 onion, copped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 teaspoons garam masala
1 cup basmati rice
1 cup red lentils
3 cups hot vegetable stock
Spring onions, thinly sliced

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and garam masala. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until soft.

Stir in the rice and lentils and cook for 2 minutes. Add the hot stock and stir well. Slowly bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and all the stock has been absorbed. Gently fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish with spring onion