08/2012

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Black Bean Salad with Avocado and Grape Tomatoes

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

This colourful, healthy and tasty black bean salad makes a great side dish, appetizer, or potluck. It tastes extra fresh and good if you can use freshly cooked black beans, if you don't, just use the canned beans. Make sure to rinse and drain the beans, if you are using canned beans.
Black beans, also known as turtle beans, offer nutritious, low-fat, high-fiber and -protein dietary choices. The combination of fiber and protein in black beans is a key to their outstanding support for blood sugar balance and blood sugar regulation.

Salad	Dressing
180 g Dried black beans 750 ml Water 15 Grape tomatoes, halved 1 Small onion, peeled and diced 1/2 Hass avocado, diced	2 tbsp White wine vinegar 1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice 6 tbsp Olive oil 2-3 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped 2 Garlic cloves, minced 1/3 tsp Dried crushed red pepper Salt and pepper

Cover the dried black beans with enough water in a large bowl and let them sit overnight or at least eight hours. Drain and rinse. Place the soaked beans in a saucepan with 750 ml of water. Bring it to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and let simmer until they are tender, about 1 hour. Drain and they are ready for use.
Combine all dressing ingredients in small bowl and whisk to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine beans, grape tomato halves, diced onions, avocado and the dressing. Toss until evenly coated.

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Raw Energy Bars

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Fruity, nutty, naturally sweet, these raw energy bars made from dried prunes, figs, nuts and cocoa powder are a delicious and healthy snack to keep up your energy between meals, or after a workout.

Raw Energy Bars

adapted from Just As Delish

150 g Dried prunes, roughly chopped
150 g Dried figs
200 g Raw cashew nuts, chopped
150 g Raw almonds
20 g Cocoa powder
35 g Ovaltine chocolate malt powder
A pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp Homemade vanilla extract

Line a 15x25-cm rectangular pan with a plastic film. Place chopped prunes, nuts, cocoa powder, Ovaltine chocolate malt powder and sea salt in a blender or food processor. Pulse a few times until all the ingredients come together.
Add in homemade vanilla extract and pulse until it reaches a dry but moist dough consistency. Scrape the mixture into the lined pan, press evenly with a rubber spatula, and chill for about an hour before cutting into bars.

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Lentil Salad with Mozzarella

Thursday, August 23, 2012

An easy peasy comforting lentil salad tossed with a simple white balsamic vinaigrette served on the thinly sliced Mozzarella. The salad can be served as a side dish or as the main course with some crunchy toasted bread.

150 g Brown lentils
1 Shallot, diced
6 Cherry radishes, diced
250 g Mozzarella, regular or low-fat
4-5 tbsp Vegetable stock
3 tbsp Balsamic bianco
2 tsp Mild mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp Walnut oil
2 tbsp Chives,chopped

Combine lentils with 3-4 cups water. Bring to a boil. Simmer 25-30 minutes, until lentils are tender. When lentils are done cooking, drain then place them in a large mixing bowl.
Peel and dice the shallot. Finely dice the cherry radishes.Drain and cut the Mozzarella into thin slices. Arrange them in two serving plates.
Mix together the vegetable stock,Balsamic bianco, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl. Beat in walnut oil.
Add diced shallot, cherry radishes, and chopped chives to the lentil together with dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the lentils and mound onto the Mozzarella. Garnish with chives.

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Spelt Granola Muffins with Plums

Monday, August 20, 2012

Healthy homemade millet granola gives a crunchy topping and nutritional boost to these tasty spelt muffins. The plums and yogurt help keep them moist longer and they freeze well. Enjoy these muffins for breakfast or anytime you feel like a snack.

125 g Wholegrain spelt flour
125 g Refined spelt flour
70 g Raw sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Baking powder
70 ml Walnut oil
150 g 3.5% Plain yogurt
1 Large egg, lightly beaten
180 g Millet granola
220 g Plums, stoned and diced

Whisk wholegrain spelt flour, refined spelt flour, raw sugar, salt and baking powder together in a mixing bowl.
In another bowl, mix walnut oil, plain yogurt, and egg until combined. Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until barely combined.
Fold in 120 grams of granola and diced plums. Divide the batter into a 12-cup muffin pan and top with the rest of granola. Bake for about 20 minutes until the tops are nicely golden brown and crunchy.

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Pearled Spelt Zucchini Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Enjoy the lively colours of late summer with this tasty salad full of healthy nutrients combining the sweet nutty little pearled spelt (grains of spelt with the outer husk removed), with zucchini, cranberries, then tossed with a tangy sundried tomato vinaigrette. If you can’t find polished spelt, use pearled barley instead.

Salad	Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette
180 g Organic pearled spelt 700 ml Water 150 g Zucchini, diced 2 tbsp Dried cranberries 3 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp Freshly mulled black pepper	10 Oil-packed sundried tomatoes, drained and diced 70 ml Balsamic vinegar 1 clove Garlic, finely minced 70 ml Olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped

In a saucepan, add in pearled spelt and water. Bring it to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour. Drain.
Whisk together diced tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and minced garlic. Add olive oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped parsley.
Rinse, dry and dice zucchini. Combine drained pearled spelt, diced zucchini, dried cranberries, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Pour the vinaigrette into the salad. Toss well.

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Red Currant Banana Tart

Sunday, August 12, 2012

When I first saw the ‘blueberry banana tart recipe’ on Roxana’s Home Baking, I knew for sure I had to make it. However, I have gently tweaked the recipe to my convenience and to suit my husbands taste.
The bright colour and tart flavour of these delicate red currants are harmoniously balanced by honey, bananas, almonds, and nutty spelt.

150 g Wholegrain spelt flour
100 g Almonds, ground
50 g Brown sugar
1/3 tsp Salt
120 g Butter, cut into small pieces and slightly softened
1 Egg yolk
2 tbsp Cold water
350 g Fresh red currants
2 Bananas
3 tbsp Honey
Blueberries and mint leaves to garnish

Place the flour, ground almonds, brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Make a well and add in butter, egg yolk and cold water. Using your fingertips, mix until it forms a smooth pastry dough. Roll it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.
Grease a 11-inch tart pan with a little butter and sprinkle with a little flour. Roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment paper to a circle, 1/8 inch / 3 mm thick, and use to line the prepared tart pan. Cover with a plastic film and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Fill the crust with red currants, then top with banana slices, and drizzle with honey. Bake for about 30 minutes. Garnish, if desired, with blueberries and mint leaves. Cool slightly before slicing.

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Rolled Spelt Flakes Cheddar Crackers

Thursday, August 09, 2012

These crackers are unique rolled spelt crackers with cheesy and nutty flavours. They go well with a yogurt dip and delicious with soups too. Rolled spelt can be replaced with old-fashioned rolled oats.

Rolled Spelt Flakes Cheddar Crackers

adapted from Food and Wine

Cracker	Egg Wash
45 g Rolled spelt flakes 60 ml Milk 90 g Refined spelt flour 1/4 tsp Baking powder 1/4 tsp Salt 100 g Cheddar, shredded 30 g Cold butter, cut into small pieces 1 Large egg, lightly beaten	1 Egg yolk 1 tbsp Milk

Combine rolled spelt flakes and milk in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes until rolled spelt flakes soften slightly.
Whisk together refined spelt flour, baking powder and salt until blended. With your fingers, rub in cheese and cold butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs
Add the egg into the softened spelt flakes, then add into the cheese mixture. Mix until a dough forms. Scrape the dough onto a large sheet of plastic film and gently knead a few times until thoroughly blended. Pat into a round and wrap it up. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Work with half of dough at a time. On a lightly floured work surface, cover the dough with a plastic film. Roll out to 1/8-inch / 3 mm thick. Quickly cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares or stamp out different shapes. Place them on the prepared baking sheets. Chill until the rounds are firm, about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Whisk the egg yolk and milk together. Lightly brush the crackers with the egg wash. Bake for about 15 minutes until the crackers are golden brown.

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Quark Dip with Chive and Shallot

Sunday, August 05, 2012

The light, tangy flavour of German fresh cheese is complemented by chives, shallot fritters and minced garlic for this healthy and tasty dip. It is perfect with crunchy vegetable sticks, crisp baked potatoes, and grilled meat. It is even nice as a spread on a hearty rye bread.

250 g Low fat Quark (German fresh cheese)
70 ml Milk
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp White wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp Shallot fritters
A handful of chives, chopped

Stir Quark, milk, minced garlic and white wine vinegar in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Add in shallot fritters and chopped chives. Stir until combined. Garnish with more fritters and chives if desired.

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Plum Spelt Crumble Cake

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

In this delicious summer coffee cake, juicy, sweet and tangy plum halves are embedded in a buttery spelt crust and covered with a crunchy crumble topping. If you can’t get spelt, use wheat flour instead.

Plum Spelt Crumble Cake

adapted from essen und trinken

100 g Wholegrain spelt flour
200 g Refined spelt pastry flour
1 tsp Baking powder
2/3 tsp Cinnamon powder
100 g Sugar
Pinch of salt
200 g Butter, diced
1 Egg yolk
800 g Plums
2 tbsp Almonds, toasted and ground

Place spelt flours, baking powder, cinnamon powder, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Add in diced butter and egg yolk. With a hand-held mixer, stir until well combined.
Press 2/3 of the dough onto a 8 to 10-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper. Wrap the pan and the rest of dough separately with plastic film. Chill for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, wash and dry the plums. Cut them into halves and remove the stones. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
Prick dough thoroughly with a fork. Sprinkle the ground almonds over, then place the plum halves, cut side up, onto the pan. Crumble the rest of dough on the top of the plums. Bake in the center of the hot oven for about 40 minutes until golden brown. Serve, dust with powdered sugar or with ice cream.