TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

Happy Hallowe'en!! It's rainy and dark here in Galway - not much chance of a roaring bonfire, sadly. My Hallowe'en Brack recipe is here for any lastminuters. We had roasted pumpkin and peppers with garlic last night - mmm.

I was looking at the pumpkin seeds as I carved the Jack O' Lantern, thinking, Don't throw away those pumpkin seeds, eat them instead! OK, it turns out it involves a bit of work but it's nice work.

Firstly, pick all the pumpkin flesh from the seeds.

Rinse them in a colander.

Dry them overnight on a baking tray.

Pre-heat oven to 180°C.

Sprinkle with olive oil and salt and place in oven.

Roast for 35 minutes and you have a healthy, yummy snack.

If you don't eat the seeds straight away, store in  an airtight container once they have cooled down.

CATHY'S SPELT LOAF MIX

I love spelt flour to bake with so I was excited when I saw this Irish-made multiseed spelt bread mix in Planet Life in Athlone for €3.99. You just add soya milk or buttermilk and mix to a dough, so it couldn't be simpler.

I can't get the link to Cathy's Spelt for Health site to work but I have found the company on Facebook here. They have lots of great products which I hope to try soon.

Here's how the loaf turned out - it looks and smells yum. We're planning to have it with a lentil soup for dinner.

SPELT HALLOWE'EN BRACK

Juno admiring the brack

Here's a really easy tea brack recipe for Hallowe'en. It's loaf-shaped, not round, and the brandy gives it a lovely rich flavour. You could use whiskey or just use 180ml of tea if you don't want alcohol in the cake.

You can wrap a ring in greaseproof paper and bake it in the centre of the brack. Traditionally, the person who finds the ring in their slice of brack will be the next to marry.

Eat plain or buttered with a cup of tea.

RECIPE

150ml tea
30ml brandy
250g raisins
75g brown sugar
1 beaten egg
25g melted marg
255g wholegrain spelt flour
1tsp bread soda
1 tsp mixed spice

METHOD

- Soak the fruit, sugar, brandy and tea in a bowl - leave for 1 hour
- Preheat the oven to 180C
- Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin (ready-made liners are great and no greasing needed!)
- Add the melted marg to the fruit mix. Stir through.
- Add the beaten egg. Stir through.
- Sieve then fold in the flour, bread soda and spice
- Pour into the lined tin (insert wrapped ring at this point, if using)
- Bake for 55 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean
- Cool in the tin for 10 mins then turn onto a wire rack.