Whole Foods Haul.

 Back from my Valentines Grocery shop in whole foods.I was as excited as a kid in a candy store... only slowed down by a very full pizza pie belly and a low bank balance. I eagerly unpacked and nibbled my way through my haul of gluten free nomz.

In the brown bag:

• Pop cotnerpop chips- in jalepeno cheese. had these last time and were a definate on my list
• dark chocolate dreams
• corn tortillas (i have such trouble finding any kind of gf wrap)
• WHITE CHOCOLATE PRETZELS- OH MA NOMZ
• cokie mix - have wanted to try this american brand out for a while
• turkish delights
• biiiig tin o libby's pumpkin.
• giant tub of PB...Nothing beats the self service nut butter grinding machine. ooop cheekily added a bit of pecan nut butter in my tub too...shhhhh. 

Gonna get stuck in for some serious snackin'

Beanie Brownies!

One of the comments on my Chick Pea Blondie recipe inquired about using a different kinda bean/ legume for the base mix... This got the cogs turning and me thinking about the possible yummy variations ...so I took my Blondie recipe and made it even more decadent and chocolaty by using a tin of black beans and adding 2 tsp of good quality cocoa powder to the mix .... Still healthy, but taste oh so more indulgent! ....aaaand gluten free!

CHOCOLATE BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
1 tin of Black beans
1 banana
1 egg
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup sweetener
2 tbsp peanut butter
chocolate chips
Chopped nuts
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract 

Follow the same directions for the blondies! I also made some chocolate icing to drizzle because my sweet tooth was in overdrive.

 

Nutritional into here!

Gluten free and fat free Strawberry and Date crumble bars.

 

So, after searching quite extensively, there really aren't many gluten free baked goodies/ dessert recipes out there on the big ol wide web. So this afternoon i took it upon my self to do some inventing/experimenting...

And so i bring to you...

STRAWBERRY DATE SHORTCAKE CRUMBLE SQUARES!

yep the name needs working on but it describes my baked treat adequately,

They have a short bread biscuit base, sticky sweet strawberry and date center and a crunchy, nutty crumble topping. I was a bit apprehensive and worried they may be a bit bland but they kinda tasted like a cross between a jammy dodger and one of those fig roll biscuits.

Completely fat free and gluten free and no processed sugar. 

You will be amazed at how good these are. They’re low in everything, except flavour.

88calories per square.

 INGREDIENTS
Makes 12 servings (2''x2'')
crust and crumble topping
1 1/2 Cups of  gluten free plain flour mix (i used doves)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
120g unsweetened apple sauce
2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener)
 (add choice of chopped nuts for topping and or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)

filling
3/4 cup dates

1/2 cup fresh strawberries
1/4 cup water


DIRECTIONS

1.  Pre heat oven to 180 degrees or 350 F.
2. First, chop dates and strawbs and throw them in to a pan with the water and simmer until mixture bubbles and dates have all mushed. 
3. In a bowl, sift flour, salt and baking powder. add puree and honey and rub until mixture is cumbley. 
4. Line a tin win foil and press 3/4 of crumb mixture in to the pan.
5. Pour and smooth over date and strawberry puree.
6. Add nuts to remainder of crumble mix and sprinkle over.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. remove and allow to cool and set completely before cutting up.
8. Boil kettle, make cuppa, put feet up, tv on and enjoy your tea time treat.

 

What I Ate Wednesday.

I photographed everything i ate today, wednesday. Can't wait for my studies to be over so I can post some proper recipes and blog to my hearts content. so here is... W.I.A.W.

 Breakfast.

 

Homemade oaty appley protein bar. recipe to come ;)

 Bobbin assissted in helping me sort out some University work.

 

Then we ate Lunch

A sort of luxurious student's lunch of Smoked Salmon a top of scrambled egg whites and the M&S gluten free bread I purchased yesterday.Bobbin looked longingly on as a chowed down. The bread roll weighed a ton! It was dense and very dry, but toasting it halved, and a good slavering of 'I can't believe its not butter.' sorted it out.

 

Obligitory Diet cola

 On research, The internet reliably informs me that all of the American candy stash i have if GF! Waaaahey... snacks ahoy.
Banana and mini mallow cup consumed...

 Dinner Time!
Curried butternut squash with roasted chick peas and aload of veggies.

Sippin' on hot cocoa and cuddling up this is creature now.

Hummdinger Hummus.

 

I have had a hankering for some good Hummus for a couple of days now, One of my old time favourite go to snacks is carrot sticks dipped in my favourite middle eastern accompliment. Luckily, i happened to come across a tin of chick peas hidden away in the back of my cupboard, calling out to be made in to a tastey dip.

Healthy Hummus recipe

• 1 tin of drained chick peas
• 1tsp lemon juice
• 1tsp olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
• 4 tbsp water
• 1tsp paprika
• 1tsp ground cumin
• salt and pepper to taste

1.  To soften chick peas further boil them in a pan of water for 5 minutes, take off the heat and drain.
2. In a bowl combine all ingreadints and blitz using a hand blender.
3. serve with a sprinkle of paprika and drizzle of olive oil!

It takes seconds to whiz up but is a very easy, lower fat and cheaper version of the supermarket variety.
I would like to try more versions like this one by Nigella using peanut butter  or perhaps play with adding different spices and additions like pesto.

Tummy full of chickpea/pretzel goodness, I'm off to the park to feed and chase the ducks with Bobbin and Mr bake and Beebz!

Tarty Quiche.

Cheese and Spinach Tortilla Tart Recipe
This is my take on a lightened quiche recipe, it was a something I invented in my head last night whilst I was in bed (obviously dreaming of cheese and eggs).

this afternoon my plan went in to action and i rustled up a tortilla based quiche and it worked really well. super stoked. the tortilla wrap base ended up crispy and very pastry like, and the filling was pretty great too. (excuse me whilst i blow my own trumpet)

Ingredients

• 1 tortilla wrap
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup milk (semi or skimmed)
• half a red onion finely chopped
• handful of spinach chopped
• cheese grated for topping.
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• pinch of grated nutmeg
• salt and pepper to season.

Directions

1. Heat a tortilla wrap in the microwave for 20 seconds to soften. this makes it more pliable for shaping.
2. Press into flan tin or cake tin.
3. In a bowl, combine all other ingredients
4. Pour egg mixture into tortilla base and top with some grated cheddar.
5. Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.

So nice out today, the sun is shining and it feels as if spring may have sprung.  Me and bobbin walked to the post office to send off some eBay bits and sunny it maybe but the temperatures are arctic, back in doors to hibernate or a few more weeks i think.

This is how the cookie crumbles!

I've had a pretty good day today. had a leisurely walk with beebz along the sea front into town, did some knitting and a ole lotta baking.

Started off with the cheesey bread then i moved on to...
Phase two of baking saturday... dog biscuits. They are bone shaped this time using this recipe

 Phase three ... Human biscuits...well cookies. these low calories healthy bites are more cakey and crumbley rather than chewy, but non the less very moreish and will nicely satisfy a cookie craving.

 Chocolate chip applesauce cookie.
I adapted this recipe i found by 'tastes better with friends' and cut down the quantities, because i don't need 36 cookies (well i do).

• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of applesauce
• 1 tsp. of baking soda
• 2/3 cup of flour
• 1/2 tsp. of salt
• 1/2 cup of raisins/chopped ginger/choc chips
• vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375F or 180 degrees C
2. Cream sugar and applesauce. add in egg white and vanilla extract and whisk further.
3. Sift flour with baking soda and salt .
4. Add sifted ingredients to applesauce mixture and stir until smooth.
5. Add your combo of mix ins, i added chopped crystalized ginger, chocolate chips and raisins.
6. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet, spacing the cookies 1 to 2 inches apart.
7. Bake about 12 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Makes 11 cookies at 66 calories each.

  NOW EAT! whilst the chocolate is still ooey gooey.

Gonna dip and slurp mine with a glass of milk, whilst looking out at this view!

BALCONY VIEW.

Easy peasy herby and cheesey.

I re-made my savoury muffins this afternoon, but in loaf form. We delved in whilst the bread was still warm, smelling herby and the cheese in the mixture was still gooey.
This bread is very addictive so be warned...
Recipe
Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano
pinch of garlic powder
1/2 cup grated cheese (plus extra for topping the loaf)

fresh outta the oven.

•  In a large bowl, blend together the flour, the baking powder, herbs and the salt. 
• Stir in the grated cheese and blend well.
• In a smaller bowl, blend together the milk and the beaten egg. 
• Add the wet ingredients, all at once, to the dry ingredients and combine just until the dry ingredients are moist. Twelve strokes should be enough. Over mixing will cause your muffins to be flat. (i think i over mixed it a bit too much this time.)
• Spoon your batter quickly into the bread tin and bake for approximately 20 minutes. then top with extra grated cheese and bake for a further 10 minutes. 
• Remove from oven and eat! Serve slightly warm with butter.  

Pretzels pronto

There must be something wrong with me, But tonight I wanted something savoury, something crunchy and salty, which is definalty not like me. I needed a salt hit quick...Pretzels were calling.

I have only ever eaten tiny supermarket outta the bag pretzels, so i was looking forward to this challenge, only problem, no yeast to make my dough, dough. Not having quite the right ingredients doesn't stop me. Searched the internet for a while and found me an alternative recipe for baking soda pretz.
Ingredients

• 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tsp milk/ enough to bind dry ingredients to form dough.
• 1 tsp vinegar
• salt and butter (melted) for topping

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, sift together whole wheat flour and baking soda. Stir in milk and vinegar until dough pulls together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly to form a firm dough.
3. Divide dough into equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long wiggly cylinder approximately 8 inches long. Form into classic pretzel shape. place on lightly greased baking sheets.
4. brush with melted butter and Sprinkle each pretzels with salt, and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. 

I had mine warm with some hummus for dipping.

HAPPY SNACKING.

I'm sure my sweet tooth will be back to cover stuff in chocolate tomorrow.

Wholemeal ravioli and skinny lemon cheesecake

Im reminising about last nights yummy dinner. It was really fun to make, I could really go for it again. but im too lazy and too hungry to make it tonight, my favourite... quick peanut butter oatmeal for me.

but here's the recipe for anyone who wants to have a go...

tuckin' in

pasta dough

• 1 egg
• 100g wholemeal plain flour

  make a well in the flour and add the egg, combine and knead the dough. wrap dough in cling film and place in refrigerator for at least an hour to chill and rest.

cheesy spinach filling

• fresh spinach (or defrosted frozen spinach)
• 100g low fat cottage cheese
• 50g grated mozzarella cheese
• garlic clove
• pinch of nutmeg
• salt and pepper

Fry garlic still soft and ad spinach, once wilted, add cheese and seasoning

Roll out dough with rolling pin, (or if you got one use a fancy pasta making roller contraptions) when the dough is papery and thin, divide and cut out squares. Place spoonfuls of the spinach cheese mix in to the centre of half of the squares. with your finger wet the squares around the sides and place another piece on each. pinch around the edges. Once you get into the swing of it you get a sort of factory line going and its pretty quick to make.

slighty squiffy pasta parcel

Bring a pan of water to a rolling boil and careful submerge each parcel into the water. cook for 5 minutes.

To serve drizzle with oilive oil, balsamic vinegar and top with an extra sprinkle of cheese. we had ours with roasted baby plum tomatoes and a rocket salad.

dinner time.

Skinny lemon cheesecake

This was deliciously light, tangy and fluffy and did not taste like a 'healthied' dessert in the slightest.

serves 2

• 2 egg whites
• 50g non fat cream cheese
• juice and peel of one lemon
• table spoon of icing sugar.
• 3 digestive biscuits
• teaspoon of melted light butter

Using an electric whisk whip up egg whites, whilst peaks are soft add sugar, lemon juice and grated peel, continue to whisk til it reaches stiff peaks. carefully fold in cream cheese.

Crush biscuits and add melted butter. divided crumbs into two dessert bowls. top with creamy lemmon mixture. place int he fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.

It doesnt set quite like the calorific verison but its just as dreamy and guilt free!
175 calories per generous serving.
could make it even lighter with a less calorific biscuit base.