FAT-FREE EGG SALAD SANDWICH WITH SAVOURY TWIST, high fibre, frugal

Finally, a tasty egg salad sandwich free of mayo...

Honey and mustard add piquancy to a no-fat egg sandwich

Weight Watchers published its annual list of recipes recently and this one caught 67goingon50's eye.

It appealed because it has virtually no fat, its flavours are unexpected and delightful, and the texture is unusual - in a good way.  

And with eggs being an inexpensive source of good protein and most of the ingredients probably already in your fridge & cupboard, it's budget friendly, too. 

Reader, it was delicious - as breakfast, lunch or a snack.

Good wholemeal bread, preferably seeded, is recommended but really any  will do.

Ingreds: 

1 hardboiled egg, coarsely chopped

Dressing

1 tbsp fat-free thick yoghurt

1 tsp wholegrain mustard with honey OR any mustard with a shot of honey or maple syrup

1 tsp white of spring onion, finely chopped

squeeze lemon or lime juice  

2-3 lettuce leaves, washed & dried, whole or finely sliced

1/4 avocado finely sliced and drizzled with lemon juice

finely sliced radishes (opt)

1 large or 2 small slices wholemeal bread, seeded preferred

Cost: depends on cupboard but around 75p?

Feeds: 1 but multiplies easily

Method:

ORANGE LOAF: fat-free, wallet-friendly

Deliciously scented, subtly flavoured cake for Breakfast or Afternoon Tea...

Rustic but light; gorgeous texture despite lack of fat

This lovely loaf cake, adapted from Sky McAlpine, is a cross between one of those fine crumbed, light-as-air tender cakes and one of those unsophisticated rustic jobs which might bounce off the wall if you threw it.  

It's easy to make, high in good fibre and more importantly when sunflower oil is disappearing fast from supermarket shelves, FAT-FREE!

The texture is just right: with enough heft to make it a substantial mouthful and enough air-iness to make it slightly dreamy. 

And the flavour!  The orange is just sublime.  Enhanced by essence of orange along with the fresh fruit, tasters stop and marvel after the first bite.  

It's the kind of thing that guys like and women enjoy because it's so different from the usual.  It's sturdy enough to pack in a tin to slice at will during a long journey OR serve on arrival as the first holiday treat.

But wherever and whenever it's eaten, 67 promises the cake will be unforgettable.  In the best way.  

Cost: £1.50

Makes: 1 good-sized loaf

Ingreds:

3 eggs

120g/4.2 oz sugar

zest & juice of 1 orange

1 tsp orange essence (near the vanilla)

100g/3.6oz self-raising flour (80g white; 20g brown*)

  90g/3.2oz ground almonds

  10g/1/3oz shredded unsweetened coconut 

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cardamum (or ginger)

generous pinch of salt

Decorate with:

generous dusting of icing sugar OR

orange flavoured buttercream with or without finely chopped orange bits

 

Method:

LUXURY DATE & NUT CHEESE CRACKERS, vegetarian indulgence, Vegan opt, fat-free

Something special for a Valentine's Day: fabulous Fruit & Nut Crackers with cheese and wine before dinner, or after dessert....

Gorgeous Cheese Platter: Home-made Date & Nut Crackers with Balsamic Onion Cheddar, Camberzola, fresh dates, grapes, celery & walnuts
'Best I've ever had.' 'Very satisfying crunch; love the combo of dates, nuts & cheese.' 

Nothing pleases more than home-made crackers but these fruit and nut wafers are the stuff of heaven.  

They are a crispy take on fruit and nut breads, the usual posh complement to cheese.  

The crackers are crunchy and delicately earthy; they go beautifully with hard or soft cheeses.  Exquisite as they are, they will require a bit of a financial outlay if you haven't a store of nuts and seeds on hand.  That said, the recipe makes a good 50-70 crackers.  

The original recipe is from Canadian tv baking guru Anna Olsen; 67 has been meaning to test it for ages.  A few changes were made to take account of 67's cupboard stores.

All-told, the crackers are pretty healthy - no fat and lots of fibre.  Half the flour is wholemeal and the sweetener includes mineral-and-vitamin laden molasses.  Stick to maple syrup and plant yoghurt and the crackers become vegan.

Once the ingredients are on hand, the actual making of the crackers is easy.  There are two stages -  start the recipe a day in advance - but there can be a gap of up to 3 days - or longer - before stage 2.  The crackers can be frozen after the first stage. 

These crackers may not be suitable for children.


Cost:  £8-9ish, depending on what's in the cupboard (12/24)
Makes: 50-70 crackers; dough can be frozen 

Ingreds:
   70gm/2.4oz dried cranberries
   100gm/3.5oz finely chopped fresh or dried dates
   70gm/2.5oz pecans or walnuts
   100gm/3.5oz pumpkin seeds or mixed sunflower & pumpkin seeds

   1/4 cup/60ml maple syrup or runny honey
   2 tbsp molasses/black treacle
   2 cups/500gm buttermilk OR 1.5cups/375gm plant yoghurt mixed with 1/2cup/125gm water or dairy or plant milk

   150gm/5.2oz plain flour 
   150gm/5.2oz wholemeal flour
   1 tsp baking powder
   1 tsp baking soda
   1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
   50gm/1.75oz soft brown sugar
   2 tsp orange zest   
   1 tsp dried cardomom
   1/2 tsp salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180c/350f; grease the inside of a 2 litre loaf pan; arrange a long strip of greaseproof paper along the bottom of the pan, with an overhang at both ends
2. If fruit are dried, place in a bowl and add boiling water; leave 5 mins then drain to remove preservatives
3. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients plus orange zest
4. In a separate container, whisk together buttermilk, molasses & maple syrup; add to dry ingreds and mix well 
5. Stir in fruit, nuts & seeds distributing evenly; the batter will be thick
6. Scrap into the pan; level the top with a spatula
7. Bake 50mins in centre of oven or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean
8. Cool in tin 30 mins; remove tin; place on cooling rack; cool completely 
9. Wrap in clingfilm; refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days OR freeze up to a month.
10. When ready for stage 2, line two baking trays with greaseproof paper or silicone mats; preheat oven to 150c/300f
11. (If defrosting and using the entire loaf, remove from freezer at least a day ahead and leave in the fridge until ready to bake.) 
12. Take the loaf out of the fridge; using a sharp serrated knife, slice the loaf as thinly as possible.
    
     
13. Arrange on baking trays - they can be quite close together
14. Bake 20 mins first side and a further 20 mins on the other side 
15. Cool 

Comments:

• 'Best I've ever had. Really crisp & tasty & look really appetising as well.' Political Agent
• 'I really like these. They have a satisfying crunch but are not dry.  The combination of dates, nuts and cheese is really nice but I would happily eat the crackers by themselves.' Political campaign manager
• 'These are as good as those very expensive artisanal cheese crackers that only come in packets of 6!' 'Delicious'. 'Very nice.'  SSAFA Caseworkers for the military

Tips: 

1. The biscuits will keep a week in an air-tight container but may need to be re-crisped in a moderate oven 10 mins 
2. Raisons rinsed in boiling water to remove preservatives can replace cranberries

Notes:The crackers pictured were a leaving gift for Marcus, a retiring caseworker with a military charity. 

Moranna, Phillip & Marcus
 stalwart caseworkers for a London branch of SSAFA, the veterans' charity

                         Please leave a comment in the box below

FAT-FREE FRUITCAKE, financial indulgence, easy-peasy, prep-ahead

A perfectly pretty very easy fruitcake for bracing winds & pre-Christmas raffles

previous posted 2015; updated 5/23

Incredibly easy fruitcake, fat-free, loaded with fruit and nuts 
Perfect for pre-Christmas raffles

  l

This brilliant fruitcake, adapted from Delia Smith, is fat-free and absolutely stuffed with heart-friendly nuts.  It also includes chunky pieces of moist dried fruit, and only a small amount of raisins.  

The best thing though is that it stands on its own -- there is no wrestling with layers of icing!  Even with the alcohol, it only lasts a month but it's quite an easy cake to put together.  67 has whipped up one or two without sweat in the week before Christmas.

Some planning is required.  The fruit will be steeped in alcohol for a day (or at least 4 hours) - at best overnight.  The finished product should be consumed within a month of baking; if it's needed for Christmas, best not to start until the end of November.

The recipe has been modified for palates accustomed to 'cleaner', healthier eating.    

The original recipe was quite chunky with whole nuts but kids and older people find the chunkiness quite difficult.  If the cake is intended for family, keep the nuts chunky but not necessarily whole.

Brazil nuts are quite dear; 67 used only 125gm Brazils and made up the rest with other nuts.  The cake is not frugal in any sense of the word but, well, it is for a special occasion.  

Cost: £ probably £10-12  (5/23), not incl decorations but lasts at least a month 

Serves: 8-10

Ingred:

   
    8 oz/225 g whole brazil nuts (OR 125g brazils and the rest hazlenuts and almonds OR mixed nuts, any proportions)

    5 oz/150 g walnuts 

   
    3 oz/75 g candied fruit or, for the frugal, peel OR dried pineapple 

    4 oz/110 g stoned dates

    4 oz/110 g dried apricots

    6 oz/175 g glace cherries

    1.5 oz/42 g raisins 

    1.5 oz/42 g seedless prunes 
    grated rind of 1 lemon & 1 orange 

    
    3-4 tbsp brandy

   

    3 oz/75 g plain flour (OR 2/3 white + 1/3 wholemeal)

         (67 used spelt flours)

    1/2 tsp baking powder

    1/2 tsp cinnamon

    1/4 tsp nutmeg

    1/4 tsp allspice

    

    min 4oz -max 5 oz/min 120g -max 150gm soft brown sugar

    3 med eggs beaten

    1 tsp good vanilla extract

   

    Garnish: speciality glace fruit (opt) 

Method:

1. Grease & line with greaseproof paper an 8 in/20 cm square cake pan or equivalent (or an 8 inch/20cm circle, or a loaf pan 8.5x4.5 inch/21.5 x 11.5 cm with 2.5 pints/1.5 L capacity)
2. Chop brazil nuts into three pieces each (opt)
3. Halve dates, prunes and apricots
4. Place with other dried fruit in a heatproof bowl
5. Pour boiling water over (this removes some of the preservatives & plumps up the fruit); leave 3 minutes
6. Drain fruit; place in a large mixing  bowl with nuts; add grated rinds & 1-2 tbsp brandy; stir, cover tightly with clingfilm; leave 3-4 hours or overnight
7. When ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 300 f, 150c, 130 fan, gas 2
8. Sift or mix flour, baking powder and spices in a large bowl
9. Stir in sugar, breaking up any small lumps; add beaten eggs and vanilla
10. Mix with handheld electric whisk, or vigorously with a wooden spoon, until batter is smooth but not overbeaten 
11. Drain nut & fruit mix, saving juices.  
12. Tip nuts and fruits into batter; stir vigorously till all bits are coated; pour into  the tin; use spatula or back of spoon to level
13. Rest a sheet of greaseproof paper on top; bake ABOUT 2 hours.  Check after 1 1/2 hours.  The cake is done when the centre is springy to the touch; a toothpick inserted in the middle will come out fairly dry (but still a bit damp because of the fruit)
14. Cool in the tin.
15. Mix any juices (from 11) with the rest of the brandy.  Stab the top of the cake with a cocktail stick or skewer and spoon half of the remaining brandy mix over the top.  Rest 1 hour.
16. Gently turn the cake over over and repeat.
17. If not using straight away, wrap in double cling film and foil for up to 3 weeks. If decorating the cake, add another couple of tbsp brandy (opt) 
18. If you wish to decorate the cake with nuts and fruits, first heat some apricot jam until it is runny, brush over the cake, arrange decoration and brush again (avoid re-brushing specially bought candied fruit)
19. For presentation: wrap in a layer of cling film and then with acetone paper; tie with ribbon*. 
20. The cake should be consumed within 5 weeks of baking day  

Comments: 

'This cake sold for £50 at auction in 2016!' Political Agent

'I love this cake; it's got no fat, is lower in added sugar and the ton of nuts is really heart healthy.  Okay, too much dried fruit is not good for you...but in one sensational bite? ' Retired writer

'We could go into business and sell these for a fortune.' Wine Journalist

Tips:

Don't hesitate to replace some dried fruit with others.  67goingon50 replaced candied fruit with soft-dried pineapple and also threw in some candied ginger...the result was more than fine.

*For details of stockist of woven ribbon and acetone paper, go to Christmas presentation cakes

deliaonline.com                                                                                  

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This recipe method and decorating techniques have been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.