PREP TIME: 30 min COOKING TIME: 45 min DIFFICULTY: Medium
This month is the month to celebrate women around the world! I am very excited even though there isn’t much to do due to the lock down restrictions. Even in the midst of restrictions, we can still have a blast in our kitchens right?
So today, let’s have some quality time baking and cooking with other women around the world. Get your skype or zoom ready and start with this delicious recipe : coconut and pecan nut health bars.
Let’s jump in to the recipe!
Ingredients for Base:
300 g coconut flour
100 g castor sugar
200 g salted butter (melted)
½ tsp salt
Ingredients for filling:
150 g yoghurt white chocolate drops
30 g pecan nuts
30 g hazel nits
100 g coconut flakes
100 g coconut flour
1 can unsweetened condensed milk
1 tbsp vanilla essence
100 g egg whites
30 g castor sugar
Instructions for base:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Line your baking tray with a baking sheet and set aside.
In a bowl, pour melted butter and castor sugar then stir together.
Add in coconut flour and salt, mixing until dough forms.
Press the dough into the bottom of prepared pan in an even layer. Bake 15-20 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes and reduce the oven heat to 150 degrees Celsius.
Instructions for filling:
In a bowl, use an electric mix to beat the egg whites and vanilla essence until fluffy. Gradually add the sugar into the eggs until stiff peak forms. (nothing should fall out when you put the bowl upside down)
Mix coconut flour and condensed milk in another bowl until smooth.
Add the batter into the whisked eggs and use a spatula to fold the ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Pour the filling over cooled crust and sprinkle the coconut flakes.
Place the pecan nuts and hazel nuts on top of the filling then bake for 30 minutes or until coconut is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes.
Slice into bars, drizzle with melted yoghurt chocolate drops and Enjoy!
Can you imagine what this world would be like if there were no women, mothers and grandmothers? I wouldn’t want to be part of such a society or world. Below are some reasons to remind you why we celebrate this lovely day:
Mothers are likely one of the first people we ever know when we enter the world, and they love and care for us as we grow up.
Did you know? A mother is a child’s first friend with whom he or she shares all of their joys, sorrows, emotions and happiness.
Besides, you wouldn’t even exist in this world or get the chance to read this post 😊.
Today is a day that is worth to be celebrated. So, treat your mom to these 3 special recipes and enjoy!
THE BEST MOTHERS DAY BREAKFAST IDEA
BUTTER SCONES
Here, we have these scrumptious Butter Scones glazed with condensed milk and filled with custard pudding. Talk about tasty. These scones will be finished before you know it. I would recommend having scones with warm milk if you are in living in cold weather or cold milk if you are in summer. Actually anything drinkable will do: juice, coffee (especially), lattes and cappuccinos.
This is the perfect breakfast for mothers day. These scones are the opening to your Mothers day gift. Surprise your mom further with the rest of the recipes!
Ingredients for scones:
2 & ½ cup self-raising flour.
2 tbsp vanilla essence
250 grams room temperature unsalted butter
50 grams xylitol sugar
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp baking powder
Ingredients for glaze and custard filling:
50 ml condensed milk
3 tbsp custard powder
500 ml milk
1 heaped tbsp of xylitol sugar for taste.
50 ml milk for mixing powder.
Instructions for scones:
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
In a bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs, butter, vanilla essence and sugar until well mixed.
In another bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder.
Pour the egg mixture into flour. Mix the ingredients until a dough is formed.
Knead the dough
Roll out the dough and cut out round shapes of the dough.
Place the round shaped dough on a baking sheet
Glaze the top of the dough with egg wash for a goldening effect.
Bake the scones for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
Cool the scones for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
Instructions for custard pudding:
Bring the milk to boil on medium heat
In a cup, pour 50ml of milk, 3 tbsp custard powder and 1 tbsp of sugar. Mix the paste well until fully dissolved.
Pour the paste into the boiling milk, bring the heat to low and continuously mix the custard with a whisk until smooth.
Use a piping bag to fill the center of the scone.
Pour condensed milk on top of the scone as a glaze. Enjoy!
VANILLA BUNDT CAKE
The next surprise would be this gorgeous Vanilla Bundt Cake. I chose this recipe because it brings so much of my childhood memories. I remember how my mom used to bake little cakes for us kids as a reward to an accomplishment. If your house was always full of the vanilla scent, then go ahead and makes these delicacies!
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla essence
¼ tsp salt
200 grams unsalted butter
2 cups self-raising flour
200 grams xylitol sugar
¾ cup milk
3 tsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp baking powder
150 ml vegetable oil
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
In a bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar together until mixed well.
Pour the 3 eggs , vegetable oil and vanilla essence to the mixture and beat the ingredients until fully blended.
In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, poppy seeds and baking powder.
Pour the egg mixture into the flour and mix well.
Add milk to the batter and ensure the batter is smooth.
Grease your baking tray. I used a 6 holed Bundt tray.
Pour the batter into the tray and bake for 25-30 minutes.
If you are using a large Bundt tray then bake your cake for 40-45 minutes.
To ensure that your cake is baked completely, insert a skewer in the cake, the skewer should come out clean. Enjoy!
VANILLA & GINGER BISCUITS
Last but not least, we have these lovely snacks: Vanilla Biscuits filled with custard pudding and avocado filling. These biscuits are the best snacks ever. They are very easy to make, takes less time to bake and will also be gone before you notice it. A biscuit plus warm milk would be your ticket to paradise. Perfect for night snack and you will sleep like a baby.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
200 grams xylitol sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
1 tbsp vanilla essence
¾ cup milk
2 cups cake wheat flour
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp ginger powder
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
In a bowl, use an electric mixer to mix the butter, sugar and vanilla essence until fluffy.
In another bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder.
Pour the butter mixture into the flour and mix well
Pour the milk and mix the ingredients until fully blended and a dough is formed.
Cool the dough in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Knead the dough and roll it out using a rolling pin. Cut out whatever shape you want for your biscuits.
Bake the biscuits for 10-15 minutes.
Let the biscuits cool for 10 minutes and (add custard pudding as filling-optional)
I hope you found these recipes helpful. Have a lovely Mothers Day:)
There is a whole lot of things that one can use sorghum flour for. In the previous post, I made some pancakes. Today this cupcake recipe will blow your mind away. Sorghum has never been this good.
If you are intolerant to gluten, then start celebrating.
INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Sorghum Flour
1 Cup self rising flour
1 cup milk
100 ml canola oil
½ cup xylitol sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
50 grams pumpkin seeds
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius
Line the wells of a muffin pan with papers and crease the insides of the papers
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla essence and canola oil
In another bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin seeds
Pour the egg mixture into the flour and mix well until smooth.
Scoop the batter into the muffin papers. Sprinkle the top with pumpkin seeds
Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes.
CARAMEL ICING
Ingredients:
1 cup softened butter
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp caramel essence
50 grams diced pecan nuts
Method:
Beat the softened butter over medium speed with an electric mixture until soft and creamy.
Gradually add the icing sugar to the butter until fully blended.
Once the butter and sugar have mixed well, add the caramel essence and mix it into the mixture.
Decorate your cupcakes with the frosting and sprinkle pecan nuts over the icing. Enjoy!
You don’t need any excellent culinary skills to make donuts, anyone can do it! All you need is plenty of time. With the lock down in place, you have plenty of time. 🙂
Tips for the dough. The very first step in creating donuts is blooming your yeast, dissolve sugar into lukewarm milk, then stir in the yeast. To test if your dough is ready, lightly press your thumb into the dough. In about 5 seconds or so, the dough should bounce almost completely back.
Let the dough rise. Donut dough needs to rise twice. First, the dough itself, then the punched out donuts. While the second rise is happening, begin heating up your oil and making your glaze!
HOME-MADE DONUTS
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
¼ cup xylitol sugar
10 grams active dry yeast
4 cups cake wheat flour
½ tsp salt
6 tbsp melted butter
2 large eggs
½ tsp vanilla essence
½ cup lemon juice
Canola oil for frying
Ingredients for glaze:
1 cup icing sugar
¼ cup milk
½ tsp vanilla essence
3 tbsp cocoa powder
Instructions:
In a bowl, pour milk and microwave for 1 minute. Add 1 tsp of sugar and stir into the milk. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and let it sit for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, yeast mixture, sugar, vanilla essence and butter together.
In a large bowl, pour the flour and salt and add the whisked egg mixture to the flour. Mix well with a spatula until a dough is formed.
Knead the dough for 5 minutes and let the dough sit for 1 hour in a warm spot in your kitchen. Cover the dough with a clean dish towel.
Knead the dough again and roll it out into a rectangular shape. Use a donut cutter to create donut rings and let them rise for 40 minutes.
In a large pot, pour canola oil and bring to medium heat.
Fry the donuts in batches until golden brown on both sides.
Transfer donuts to paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain and cool slightly. Dip the donuts into glaze, then place onto a cooling rack.
Instructions for glaze:
Pour the glaze ingredients in a bowl and mix well until smooth.
Have you ever tried using sorghum flour? There are many perks associated with using this wonderful ingredient. First, it is an affordable ingredient 🙂
If you are intolerant to gluten, then make sorghum your best friend forever. If you’re looking for a nutritious grain to add to your next meal, give sorghum a try. Sorghum is rich in a variety of nutrients such as B vitamins, which play an essential role in metabolism, neural development, and skin and hair health.
SORGHUM PANCAKES INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup self-rising flour
2 cup milk
2 large eggs
2 tbsp xylitol sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp baking powder
METHOD:
In a bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and milk until fully blended.
In another bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.
Pour the egg mixture into the flour and mix well until smooth.
Put the butter in a pan under medium-low heat and let the butter melt.
Use a scoop to pour the sorghum batter into the pan.
After every 20 seconds, flip the pancake until it is fully done.
CHICKPEA RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
150 grams chickpeas
1 tomato
1 tbsp minestrone powder
1 garlic clove
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric powder
100 ml vegetable stock
2 heaped tbsp butter
METHOD:
Soak the chickpeas overnight in a bowl.
Rinse the chickpeas and pour them into a pot.
Add 750 ml of water to the chickpeas and bring them to boil for 90 minutes under medium heat.
Add salt to the chickpeas after 30 minutes of boiling.
When the chickpeas are done cooking, add the butter and chopped garlic to the pot then sauté for 1 minute.
Add chopped tomatoes to the chickpeas and sprinkle turmeric powder then simmer for 5 minutes until the tomatoes are fully dissolved.
Mix the minestrone with vegetable stock and pour it to the chickpeas.
Let the chickpeas simmer and add more water for more soup. Enjoy!
Use a food processor to blend the
coconut biscuits into crumbs. Add the melted butter to the crumbs and mix
together until there is a good consistency.
Press the biscuit mixture into a
tart case and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Melt the gelatin in warm water
until its fully dissolved.
Mix the pureed strawberries,
whipped cream, gelatin and vanilla yoghurt in a bowl.
Pour the strawberry mix into the tart base and refrigerate for 2 hours. Enjoy with blueberries and strawberries
I have never imagined that one day I would be able to make my own pizza!
The very thought of making a pizza dreaded me. Perhaps the food programs on TV that I watched as a child: where the chef took the dough and spun it in the air made me dread doing it because I was afraid the dough would fall on the floor or stick to the ceiling of the roof.
But thanks to a wonderful lady, she advised me to make my own pizza from scratch using my favourite ingredients such as broccoli, pumpkin, avocado and spinach.
Below is a comprehensive guide of how you can make your own pizza from scratch. Now you no longer have to order fast food. Why not try to make your own pizza and enjoy every bit of the process.
Moreover, you can make your pizza healthy and put your favourite ingredients. Home Cooking is always the best.
Pizza base recipe ( Makes 2 pizza bases 30 cm) (Prep time 15 minutes) (Cooking time 15 minutes) ( Difficulty – medium)
FOOD LOVERS MARKET
Ingredients
500 grams self-raising flour
400 grams raw pumpkin
1 tspn salt
3 tbsp canola oil
1/3 cup of warm water
Instructions
Boil the pumpkin for 15 minutes until it is well cooked and smooth.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. This will aid in baking the dough base faster.
Blend the pumpkin until smooth.
In a bowl pour the flour and oil into a bowl. Using a wooden stick, mix the flour and pumpkin. Add some warm water and make a dough. Add more flour to make the dough less sticky.
Knead the dough for 2 minutes. Half the dough into two portions. Use a rolling pin to shape the dough however you like.
Bake the dough for 10 – 15 minutes each.
You can store your dough in the refrigerator and add your toppings when you want to make your pizza.
VEGETARIAN PIZZA TOPPING
Difficulty- easy . prep time 7 minutes . cooking time 10 minutes
Ingredients:
½ avocado
4 mushrooms
100 grams tomato paste
100 grams tomato sauce
50 grams mozzarella cheese
100 grams cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
50 grams fresh parsley
1 tspn salt
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Celsius
Mix the tomato paste and tomato sauce. Spread the sauce first on the pumpkin pizza base
Sprinkle the cheese over the pizza base
Top with avocado, tomatoes, parsley and mushrooms.
Bake for 10- 15 minutes until crispy.
Enjoy.
VEGETARIAN PIZZA
CHICKEN & PINEAPPLE PIZZA TOPPING
(prep time- 10 minutes) (difficulty-easy) (cooking time
-10 minutes)
Ingredients:
300 grams shredded chicken
breasts
10 ml soy sauce
1 tsp chillie flakes
1 tsp thyme
100 grams tomato paste
100 grams tomato sauce
200 grams mayonnaise
100 grams pineapple
50 grams mushrooms
50 grams cherry tomatoes
100 grams mozzarella cheese
1 tsp salt
Parsley leaves fresh
Instructions:
Preheat the oven at 250 degrees Celsius
In a sauce pan, stir fry the chicken breast, add salt, soy sauce, thyme and chillie flakes for flavour.
In a bowl, mix the tomato paste, tomato sauce and mayonnaise.
Take your pumpkin pizza base and top it with the mixed sauce
Grate your cheese and sprinkle it on top of the sauce.
Nicely top with chicken, pineapple, mushroom, cherry tomatoes and parsley.
Put a smile on the face of your family
with this gorgeous, nutritious and delicious potato curry salad.
Do you have neighbors whom when they
cook you smell something wonderful? It makes you hungry and you wish they invited
you for dinner. Now, imagine opening your oven and being greeted by an aroma of
well grilled thyme and potatoes infused with all sorts of spices that rev up
your appetite! If you have children who lose their appetite during dinner time,
this salad will make them want to eat more. Problem solved.
The best thing about this salad is
that even though it smells appetizing when you eat it ,you get full really
quickly.
The main Star spice of this dish is
the cut chilly spice. Below are a
few benefits.
Weight Loss- According researchers at Harvard University, cut chillies contain capsaicin which is known to promote weight loss by reducing appetite and increase fat burning.
Fights Inflammation- The substance called capsaicin has been studied to be an effective treatment arthritis and diabetes.
Improves Heart Health- Chillies can impact your health by helping to boost circulation and also act as a thinner to help protect against strokes. Therefore, consuming food with chillies every day is all you need to do to enjoy the multiple and important health benefits they have to offer.
INGREDIENTS: Serves 4.
640 grams of potatoes
2 tsp cut chillies
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 garlic cloves
Cherry tomatoes
100 grams mushrooms
Thyme
Red pepper
Green pepper
Spring Onions
Olive oil
1 Lemon
Vinegar
1 tsp salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven at 150 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes
In a pan, sauté the mushrooms until golden
Cut the potatoes into cubes or halves ( do not remove the skin)
Cut the garlic and cherry tomatoes
Mix the spices in a bowl
Pour some olive oil into the spices and rub them onto the cut potatoes
Grease your baking tray and put your potatoes, garlic and cherry tomatoes
Grill the potatoes for 30 minutes
Remove tray from oven and let it cool for 5 min
10. Mix the grilled potatoes, mushrooms and pepper
11. Squeeze some lemon juice and sprinkle your potatoes with vinegar
Do you feel tired in the morning? Do you struggle waking up, especially now that it’s winter? You are not
alone! I feel the same, in fact many people have episodes of laziness during
winter mornings. Imagine it’s six o’clock but it still looks dark, and your
blankets feel warm, but you need to go to work: in that cold piercing air.
No worries!
Start off your day with a delicious
breakfast such as this Banana & Goji berry smoothie. It will keep you awake for the rest of the day
and you will be surprised at how much energy you will have in carrying out your
daily tasks and how much concentration you will have during meetings or school.
BANANAS:
Bananas are packed with carbohydrates that your body can use for instant energy; this explains
the high energy levels you will experience. They are
also full of potassium which acts as an electrolyte and promotes circulatory
health, helps with blood flow, prevents high blood pressure and helps
reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by regulating circulation. Bananas
contain amino acids that prevent mood disorders, such as anxiety
and depression but rather aids in releasing the ‘happy hormone’. So, regularly
consuming bananas can increase your energy, prevent fatigue and enhance your mood
in the morning.
GOJI BERRIES:
Banana & Goji berry detox smoothie
Who doesn’t want to look young and
radiant?
No one wants wrinkles or fine lines.
If you are one of those people who are looking to prevent premature aging,
boost your immune system (if you easily catch a cold) or want to prevent
cancer; then the goji berry must be on your superfoods list!
Why?
Goji berries are an excellent source
of antioxidants that protect you against free radicals
(harmful molecules that can damage your cells).
The antioxidants in goji berries help fight aging by
preventing free radicals from damaging collagen in the skin. Moreover, studies
show that goji berry extract helps in delaying the aging process in cells. They
also contain anti-cancer properties, aid in improved energy and
feelings of overall well-being.
Banana & Goji Berry detox smoothie
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS:
1 Banana
300 grams vanilla yoghurt
10 grams goji berries
10 grams chia seeds
3 ice blocks
200 ml water
Mint leaves
INSTRUCTIONS:
Put the banana, vanilla yoghurt, goji berries, chia
seeds, mint leaves, ice and water into a high-speed blender.
Blend the ingredients
until smooth and creamy: if you want more thickness just add more yoghurt.
Pour the smoothie in a
bowl, jar or cup.
Sprinkle some mint leaves
and goji berries for decoration purposes. You can even add some raspberries for
colour and more flavour.
Add a slice of brown bread
topped with banana and raspberries.
