FOOD OF SRI LANKA: Nuts and Seeds

Showing posts with label Nuts and Seeds. Show all posts

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Chinese Red Dates and Seeds Power Bars

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

These homemade power bars are absolutely delicious, filling, and they're packed with protein, healthy unsaturated fats, fiber and antioxidant. They take little time to make and you can vary the ingredients to satisfy the personal taste, be creative and enjoy!

Chinese Red Dates and Seeds Power Bars

Inspired by Robyn Cooks

10 g Flaxseed, ground
45 ml Warm water
100 g Old-fashioned rolled oats
30 g Dried Chinese red dates, chopped
150 g Roasted pepitas, or sunflower seeds
30 g Raisins
120 g Sesame paste
3 tbsp Maple syrup
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Ripe banana, mashed

Preheat oven to 175C/350F. Stir together the ground flaxseed and the water in a small bowl and let soak for 10 minutes until it forms a gel.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, dried Chinese red dates, and roasted pepitas.
In a separate medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave the sesame paste, inverted sugar syrup, and vanilla for 30 seconds. Stir together until well mixed. Add the banana and mash with a fork to combine. Stir in the gelatinized flax mixture.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Press the mixture firmly into a lightly greased 20x22-cm baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove and cool in the pan on the counter for 15-20 minutes, then chill in the fridge for about 45 minutes before slicing. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, or individually wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Green Peas Spelt Cookies

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

These crunchy, melt-in-mouth green pea cookies, mainly prepared with spelt flour, ground green peas, peanut oil, and icing sugar, are commonly baked for the Spring Festival celebration, but they are an outright winner any time of year.

Green Peas Spelt Cookies

adapted from No-Frills Recipes

330 g Spelt pastry flour
3/4 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Baking powder
260 g Shelled green peas, finely ground
150 g Powdered sugar
200 ml Peanut or corn oil
1 Egg yolk
1/2 tsp Water
1 tbsp Sesame seeds

Sift the spelt pastry flour, salt, baking powder, finely ground shelled green peas, and powdered sugar into a large bowl. Set aside.
Slowly pour in oil and mix until the mixture forms a soft and pliable dough. Cover with a plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough into inch balls and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets.
Stir the egg yolk and water in a small bowl. Brush the top of each cookie with egg glaze and sprinkle some sesame seeds over. Bake for 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Black-eyed Pea Salad with Prosciutto

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

A black-eyed pea salad with Prosciutto, sundried tomatoes, pepperrocini, red onion, tossed with a simple fresh herb vinaigrette and served on a bed of Belgian endive leaves. You can serve it either as an appetizer or a side dish.

Black-eyed peas are an excellent source of calcium (an important nutrient for the health of our bones and teeth), folate (support red blood cell production and Allow nerves to function properly), and vitamin A (essential for maintaining healthy skin and vision ), among other nutrients. They are thought to bring you luck and prosperity if eaten on New Years, but they are healthy and delicious any time of the year.

Dried black-eyed peas, also known as the cow peas, are easy to use as they requires no soaking and cook quickly. If you are in a hurry, canned variety can be an option.

2 cup Dried black-eyed peas
60 g Prosciutto, diced
5-6 Sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped
3-4 Pepperocini, chopped
1 Small red onion, finely chopped
90 ml Olive oil
120 ml Red wine vinegar
2 tbsp Flat parsley leaves (or thyme), finely chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1-2 head Belgian endives
3 Grape tomatoes, cut into wedges (optional)

Place black-eyed peas in large saucepan of water. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes or until peas are tender but not mushy.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley or thyme, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Drain black-eyed peas. Add to bowl with dressing along with prosciutto, sundried tomatoes, pepperocini, and red onion. Toss well to combine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.
Remove root end from endive and separate the leaves, rinse and pat dry. Arrange the endive leaves on a serving dish. Spoon the peas onto the leaves and arrange the tomato wedges, if used, on top. Serve at room temperature or chilled with a garnish of fresh thyme or parsley, if desired.

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Vegan Lemon Curd Thumbprints

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

I have always had a soft spot for the bright, mildly sweet and lemony thumbprint cookies. This thumbprints recipe uses a vegan lemon curd to fill the cookies made with a mix of spelt, buckwheat, walnuts, walnut oil and maple syrup. Traditional lemon curd recipes call for the use of eggs and butter, but this recipe is a bit healthier, while still sweet, tart and satisfying. You can also fill them with your favorite jelly.

Vegan Lemon Curd Thumbprints

adapted from Dairy Free Cooking

Vegan Lemon Curd	Cookie
150 g Fresh lemon juice 150 g Sugar 1 tbsp Fresh lemon zest 1/4 tsp Salt 1 tbsp Coconut milk 2 tbsp Cornstarch 2 tbsp Cold water 2 tbsp Soya margarine �angiesrecipes	130 g Spelt pastry flour 120 g Buckwheat, toasted and finely ground 100 g Walnuts, finely ground 1/4 tsp Salt 125 ml Walnut oil 200 g Maple syrup Cranberries and poppy seed (optional)

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the lemon juice, sugar, lemon zest and salt, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Combine together the coconut milk, cornstarch, and cold water in a small bowl, stirring well to combine.
Add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, cook until the mixture begins to thicken and the first few bubbles appear on the surface, about 8 minutes. Add soya margarine, and cook until the mixture resembles a thick pudding. Transfer the mixture to a heat proof dish, cover with plastic wrap and let cool completely before placing in the refrigerator to chill. Chill lemon curd for 2 hours before using.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift together the spelt pastry flour, finely ground buckwheat, finely ground walnut and salt until well combined, making a well in the center.
Add in walnut oil and maple syrup to the center, and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it forms a dry dough that just holds together.
Form the dough into 2-inch balls, and place them onto the prepared sheet, pressing a "thumbprint" into the center of each and slightly flattening. (The cookies will not spread, so make them the size that you want!) Add about 1 teaspoonful of lemon curd to each thumbprint and top with a cranberry or some poppy seeds if using. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cookies cool for several minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Buckwheat Wasabi Crackers with Walnuts and Sesame Seeds

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

These gluten-free crackers, a tasty and healthy blend of buckwheat, walnuts, sesame seeds and spiced with wasabi (Japanse mustard), thin, crisp, and have an earthy flavour and an intense and rich sesame taste.

Buckwheat Wasabi Crackers with Walnuts and Sesame Seeds

adapted from All Day I Dream About Food

100 g Buckwheat, ground
100 g Walnuts, ground
40 g Sesame seeds, toasted
1 tsp Baking powder
1/3 tsp Salt
3 tbsp Sesame oil
2 tbsp Wasabi paste
1 Egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 160C/320F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine together ground buckwheat, ground walnuts, toasted sesame seeds, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, wasabi paste and egg. Pour the oil mixture to the flour mixture. Mix until a dough forms.
Place the dough between two sheets of parchment papers and roll out to a rectangle approximately 2mm thick. With a sharp knife, cut into 2-inch squares or cut out with a round cookie cutter and place each one on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes until firm and crisp. Turn off the oven and leave crackers in the oven for 30 minutes before transfering them to the wire racks to cool.

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Monday, January 30, 2012

Stewed White Beans with Tomatoes and Winter Savory

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Warming, filling, and delicious, this herb flavoured white bean stew is delightfully vegan and will definitely bring warmth on a cold winter day. If you don�t have winter savory, sage or rosemary would be the perfect substitute.

200 g Dried white beans
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 can / 400 g Plum tomatoes
2 tsp Winter savory leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste

Put beans into a large saucepan, cover with 5 cups water, and let soak overnight. Bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain beans and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the tomatoes, white beans, and winter savory leaves. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the flavours have mingled, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Friday, January 27, 2012

Soft Whole Wheat Rolls

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Warm, soft, slightly sweet and full of flavor, these poppy (or peanut butter) filled whole wheat buns topped with almonds (or sesame seeds) are perfect for an after-school snack or a morning indulgence with a pot of steaming tea!

25 g Whole wheat flour
125 ml Water
140 g Milk
1 Egg, lightly beaten
35 g Walnut oil
50 g Caster sugar
5 g Salt
250 g Whole wheat, ground
230 g All purpose flour
15 g Fresh yeast, crumbled

1/2 Egg
1 tsp Water
150 g Poppy paste
150 g Crunchy peanut butter
Sesame seeds and almond slices

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Combine together the wholemeal flour and water in a small pot until the mixture is well blended and lump free. Cook the mixture over the medium heat, frequently stirring, until it has turned into a thick paste and the thermometer reads about 65C/150F. It takes about 2-3 minutes. Cool the mixture to the room temperature and cover with a plastic wrap while you prepare other ingredients.
In the pan of your bread machine, pour in prepared starter, milk, egg, walnut oil, caster sugar, salt, flours, and the yeast. Program the bread machine to dough cycle.
Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press it down to flatten. Divide the dough into 10 portions, each about 92 grams.
Roll each portion of dough into an oval. Spread 30 grams of poppy paste or peanut butter at one end, and then slice the other end into 5 strips. Now roll the dough up from �filling� side and seal the edges.
Cover and proof the bread until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Brush the top with egg wash (1/2 egg beaten with 1 tsp water) and sprinkle with sesame seeds or almond slices. Bake in the middle of hot oven for 20-25 minutes until nicely golden brown.

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Wholegrain Spelt Apple and Marzipan Cake

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

A classic German apple cake with marzipan. The marzipan paste, made of sugar and almond, is used in the cake batter to enrich the flavour and texture. If you are an almond lover, feel free to use more marzipan instead of sugar, and adjust accordingly flour quantity. The batter should look like a smooth and thick paste.

I do still use my favourite wholegrain spelt flour, but you can use wheat flour (wholegrain or not) instead if you want. Allergic reaction to eggs? No problem, use 1 cup of applesauce instead of 3 eggs.

After baking, a glaze could be created to brush the apples by warming 2 tablespoons of water and 3 tablespoons of apricot jam together. I chose to leave it. It�s rich and sweet enough for me.

2-3 Sour apples
1 tbsp Lemon juice
100 g Marzipan, grated
150 g Butter, softened
100 g Sugar
1/2 tsp Almond extract
Pinch of salt
3 Eggs
180 g Wholegrain spelt flour
1/2 tbsp Baking powder
1 tbsp Almond slices

Peel apples, cut into quarters lengthwise, and remove cores. Slice deep lines along the length of the apple quarters and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Line a 30x12x9-cm loaf pan with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F.
Roughly grate the marzipan. Place them in a mixing bowl together with butter, sugar, almond extract and salt. Beat until creamy. Add in eggs, one at time, beat until well combined.
Whisk together the wholegrain spelt flour and baking powder. Sift the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Stir until just incorporated. Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Arrange the apple quarters over the top, cut side up, pressing lightly into the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes. Cool the cake on a wire rack to room temperature. Dust the surface with powdered sugar if desired.

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Friday, January 6, 2012

Chocolate Swirl Loaf

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

This is basically a sweet yeast bread swirled with chocolate-flavoured dough and formed into a two-toned braided loaf. It might seem to be difficult to make but it is simply a braided challah with two-toned effect.

Chocolate Swirl Loaf

inspired by Away of Mind

120 ml Milk, lukewarm
60 ml Water, lukewarm
60 g Butter, room temperature
1 Egg, room temperature
1 tsp Salt
50 g White sugar
360 g All purpose flour
7 g Instant active dry yeast
2 tbsp Dark chocolate spread
1 tbsp Flaxseed, ground

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the ingredients in the order given except the dark chocolate cream and ground flaxseed. Using a dough hook, mix everything together until a soft dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly-oiled surface. Combine the dark chocolate cream with 1/3 of dough. Knead each portion for a few minutes to form two smooth and elastic balls of dough.
Place two dough balls separately on two lightly greased bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size.
After dough balls have risen, roll and stretch each dough into approximately a 10 x 6-inch / 25 x 15-cm rectangle. Place the chocolate dough on top of plain dough, then roll it out to a 12 x 8-inch / 30 x 20-cm rectangle. Cut the rectangle into half, so you have two 6 x 8-inch / 15 x 20-cm rectangles. Now stack one rectangle on top of the other and roll it out again to a 12 x 8-inch / 30 x 20-cm rectangle. Repeat the above steps twice more.
Slice the rectangle into 4-6 strands, leaving one end intact, and braid the strands to form a loaf. Place it in a loaf pan lined with baking paper. Cover with the plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes or until it doubles in size. Preheat the oven to 175C/350F. Spray the top of the loaf with water and sprinkle the ground flaxseed over. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown.

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic, Honey, and Walnuts

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Roasting is an easy cooking method that enhances the flavour of this hearty winter vegetables. Browned and crisp, those Brussels sprouts are roasted with a mixture of balsamic vinegar, olive oil and honey, then tossed with chopped walnuts and pomegranate pearls. While this humble and versatile side dish easy enough for weeknight meals, it's also good for the dinner parties.

700 g Brussels sprouts, trimmed
1 Shallots, sliced
2 tbsp Olive oil
2-3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1/2 tbsp Honey
2-3 sprig Thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp Walnuts, roasted and chopped
1 tbsp Pomegranate pearls

Preheat oven to 200C400F. Remove the outer leaves from Brussels sprouts and trim the stems. Cut the sprouts in half. Slice the shallots and place them in a roasting pan together with Brussels sprout halves.
Combine olive oil, Balsamic vinegar and honey in a small bowl. Toss the Brussels with Balsamic mixture and thyme sprigs. Season with salt and black pepper.
Roast, tossing twice during cooking, until the Brussels sprouts are tender and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Add in chopped roasted walnuts and pomegranate pearls. Serve immediately.

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Whole Grain Bulgur Salad with Mango and Walnut

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Bulgur, or Bhulghur, is made by soaking and cooking the whole wheat kernel, drying it and then removing part of the bran and cracking into small pieces, which are sorted into different grain sizes: fine, medium and coarse. Whole grain coarse bulgur has the coarse bulgur size while it is darker in colour and has twice more fiber compared to regular bulgur. Bulgur will absorb twice its volume in water and can be used as a substitute for almost any rice dish. Bulgur is sometimes confused with cracked wheat, which is crushed wheat grain that has not been parboiled.

Bulgur has a mildly nutty and roasted flavour and can be used in baked goods, casseroles, stuffing, soups, salads. It is a good source of protein, iron, magnesium, and B vitamins. It is packed with fiber and contains very little fat. This is a very simple and delicious bulgur salad that's quick to put together and consists primarily of whole grain bulgur, mangoes and walnuts.

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

130 g Whole grain coarse bulgur
500 ml Water
1 tbsp Onion, finely chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 tbsp Spring onions, finely sliced
250 g Mango, diced
1 handful Walnuts, roasted and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp Avocado oil
Salt Sea salt & freshly mulled black pepper to taste

Rinse the bulgur. Bring water to a boil, add in bulgur. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes until soft, but not mushy.
Drain and transfer the bulgur into a large bowl. Stir in the chopped onion, minced garlic, spring onion slices, diced mango, chopped walnuts and avocado oil. Toss well. Season with salt and freshly mulled black pepper. Serve warm and chilled.

http://schneiderchen.de | � 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com