Technically not a bench, but still, a pretty view from a chair!
Port de Larros, Gujan-Mestras. Gironde, France.

It has been such a long time since I have posted anything, let alone some recipes!
Not that I haven’t cooked or baked, but life gets in the way sometimes…
So I will try to get back to regular posts… Starting with a weird looking combination. I got the recipe from the West Australian last week.

3 ripe bananas
400g canned chickpeas, drained
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup brown sugar
4 free-range eggs
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Method:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 170C fan-forced (190C conventional).
   2. Combine 2 of the bananas, chickpeas, sour cream, olive oil, sugar, eggs and cocoa powder in the bowl of a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
   3. Sift in flour, bicarb and spices, then pulse until smooth.
   4. Spoon into 2 medium loaf tins lined with baking paper. Peel remaining banana and slice lengthways into 4 slices. Arrange on top.
   5. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
   6. Eat!

Because the amount of wet liquid was very big, I transferred that into a bowl and then whisked by hand the dry ingredients in.
It’s a very nice cake and you wouldn’t know there are chickpeas in it. And it keeps really well.

The Embarcadero, San Francisco. USA.

The Japanese gardens, San Francisco. USA.

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Pyrénées Atlantiques. France.

East Perth power station. Western Australia.

Optus stadium. Perth, Western Australia.

My giant advent calendar.