CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE MINI-BRICKS, no-added sugar Indulgence, child friendly option, dairy-free option

Chocolate truffle mini-bricks are actually just rectangular truffles, with alcohol, and extremely nice they are, too...

updated Feb 2022

Chocolate Truffle Mini-Bricks, with Grand Marnier, coated in Hazelnuts or Cocoa 
'Very rich and luxurious with an expensive, pure dark chocolate taste.' 'Melt in the mouth; just right' 'Like shop bought or Belgian.'  Tasters

Popping a bite-size brick of cool creamy truffle, delicately flavoured with alcohol, into one's mouth is a delight on picnics, outdoors buffets or during the festival season. 

Luckily truffles are incredibly easy and versatile though planning is necessary.  Start the night before they're needed or make them them in advance and freeze then for up to a month.

Truffles are an indulgence; they're heavy on chocolate and cream but there's no added sugar in this recipe.  You can choose not to use butter but depending on your substitute, the truffles might not have that creamy-dreamy texture everyone loves. 

Note: Nowadays there are plenty of vegan dairy products available and a dairy-free option has been added.  Dairy-free chocolate is more difficult to find but 67 understands that carob based chocolate is an option, though 67 hasn't tested it.  If anyone knows of a good dairy-free chocolate please leave a note in the Comments section. 

While you can pay a fortune for shop-made truffles, these are not expensive.  Baking chocolate with higher levels of cocoa butters are selling at M&S (100gm 70% dark chocolate for over a £1 (prices Jan 2022).  Waitrose & Sainsbury also sell own-brand dark baking chocolate; Waitrose also sells white baking chocolate.  Amazon sells Belgian chocolate callets (large drops) in various sized packets. 

The Chocolate Truffle Bricks are a single flavour with nutty or cocoa coating but truly, anything goes.  Roll truffles - whether round or rectangular - in freeze-dried strawberries, dried unsweetened coconut  or icing sugar.  Drop them into cooled melted chocolate, white or dark, for a crisp outer shell.

Stuff them with berries or cherries soaked in liqeuer and drained, or finely chopped sweet ginger. Replace alcohol with ginger syrup.  Drizzle with white or dark chocolate.  

The sky is the limit.

Cost: min £2.50'ish (2022) 
Makes: 24 to 30 truffles

Ingred:
   200gm/7oz dark chocolate  
   200ml double dairy or plant cream
     35gm/1 1/4 oz unsalted dairy or plant butter (67 uses Tomor plant butter)

2 tbsp orange liqeuer or cognac

Garnish: 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped hazelnuts (67 used leftover toasted hazelnut pieces from Waitrose)

Method:

TURKEY LEG WITH CURRY SAUCE, BUDGET FRIENDLY

Turn budget cuts of turkey or turkey leftovers into an exciting treat

updated Jan 2022 

Turkey with an exotic twist

This recipe is perfect for left-over turkey but is also ideal for budget cuts of turkey that often appear in the month following festive occasions like Christmas and Easter.  

Though great for the wallet, they need to be treated with care.  Some give off a great deal of fat and the meat can be tough, not lending itself well to roasting. 

One solution is to thinly slice the raw meat then marinade and stir-fry it. 

Another is to slow-cook the meat in stock, then cool, slice or cube the meat. Heat   through in a delicious gravy or sauce made with the intensely flavoured stock.  Both the meat and sauce can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.     

Turkey with Curry Sauce used a whole turkey leg which provided plenty of meat.  Think in terms of a fiver or under.   It is teamed with a dark curry sauce without too much heat but with fruity lowlights.  The deep spiciness may not appeal to young palates but stirring in a dollop of sugar free plain yoghurt and/or mango chutney or low/no-sugar apricot jam could help.

   
The curry sauce was adapted from an intriguing recipe featuring quite a few root vegetables.  The veg adds thickness, gloss and a nice intriguing undertone.  Exotic as it tastes, nearly all the ingredients will be found in normal kitchens.   

The recipe calls for cooking in low oven; 67 used a slow cooker. The original recipe is from a  cookbook by Lady Carnarvon (of Downton Abbey fame), published in the Daily Mail. 

Leftover meat and sauce can be frozen separately.  
  
Cost: around £5
Feeds: 4-8 including leftovers

Ingred:
   1.6k turkey leg, skin removed
   1 carrot
   1 stick celery
   1 onion
   a few peppercorns
   water or stock to cover

OR 1.6K cooked turkey meat
   
Curry Sauce
   3/4oz/20gm unsalted butter (1)
   2 tbsp good curry powder
   1 tsp tumeric
   2 tbsp sunflower oil

   3/4oz/20gm unsalted butter (2)
   1 large onion, finely diced

   1 tbsp flour
   1 large potato, washed & unpeeled,  thinly sliced
   3 med carrots, washed & unpeeled, thinly sliced
   2 parsnips (or if unavailable 1 med sweet potato, peeled), thinly sliced
   1 apple or pear, cored but unpeeled, in med dice (or a tablespoon mango chutney)

   500ml good stock

   1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
   pepper & salt

Method:

1. Cook the turkey leg with vegetables & stock/water in the slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours or until meat is tender but still sliceable. 
2. Allow to cool; remove gristle and fat from the meat; set aside & refrigerate
3. Cool stock; refrigerate until fat solidifies and can be removed
4. When ready to serve, slice or cube meat, either steam till warmed through and pour on top of heated curry sauce or heat in the curry sauce.

 Curry Sauce

1. Melt butter & oil over med heat; add curry powder & turmeric; fry 5 mins
2. Add second lot of butter plus onions, saute 5 mins till soft but not brown
3. Add flour & stir; stir in veg
4. Gradually add stock then balsamic vinegar; pepper & salt
5. Bring to the boil; turn heat down to gentle bubble
6. Pour into slow cooker & cook on high 2 hours OR cook in low oven 150c 45 mins to an hour
7. When time is up and veg are soft, cool and blend
8. After one hour, refrigerate
9. When ready to serve, slice or cube meat, steam till warmed through and pour on heated curry sauce OR heat in curry sauce

                                                                         More poultry on NavBar: Recipes I: Poultry ...

                                          Please leave a Comment in the box below                                        

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced in any form, without the author's written permission.    

HOW TO...MAKE HEALTHY SMOOTHIES

Part of this material appeared in How to...stay healthy while dieting Jan 2017

HEALTHY SMOOTHIES

No-sugar Blueberry Yoghurt Breakfast Smoothie 

Adding some veg or ginger makes this perfect

Replacing meals with a smoothie can lead to good weight loss without damaging the body but there is an art to healthy smoothies.  Too much fruit just adds sugar to the body which has the opposite effect to the one intended.

Fitness Magazine has published some recipes for vegetable & fruit smoothies and 67 was taken by some of the combinations. 

Beetroot & ginger, spinach avocado & mint, spinach cucumber & apple in particular sounded lovely.   

But many contain exotic (i.e. not cheap) ingredients like coconut milk, kale, protein powders or the latest 'it' foods: chia seeds and matcha.  

67 is currently adapting the recipes and will either leaves out the exotic ingredients, find a cheaper substitute or go 'off-piste'.  It may end up with smoothie very unlike the original.

The blends are being tested now and will be posted in due course.

Do have a gander at Fitness Magazine now if you fancy. The recipes are worth a try but remember:

• for added texture, add a couple of tablespoons of Ultra Granola or oatmeal and nuts 
• coconut is high in saturated fat; replace with 0-fat yoghurt  
• plain silken tofu adds bulk

The ideal healthy smoothie has these elements:

• liquid: water, milk, veggie milks, fruit juice, coconut milk (but not for the cholesterol challenged)
• fruit: berries, apples & pears, bananas, grapes, melons
• vegetables: spinach, carrot, beetroot, tomatoes, avocados, 
• protein: yoghurt, nut butters, tofu

Optional but tasty ingredients include:

• texture: nuts, oatmeal, granola 
• flavour: cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla 

      For more smoothie recipes go to Recipes: Drinks (Nav Bar) 

Like this? Hate it? Comments or questions, pls email b67goingon50@yahoo.co.uk and say if they can be included in the blog

DISCLAIMER: The author accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  Any information not sourced to a second party is the copyright of the blogger.

FAT & SUGAR FREE CLASSIC PANCAKES

CLASSIC SCOTCH PANCAKES: WONDERFULLY FLUFFY, STURDY & VERSATILE

Scotch Pancakes
Plain or with fruit for breakfast, savoury for transporting and sweet for tea

17/8/15

Classic Scotch Pancakes are a boon in busy households; the batter can be made the night before.  They are the most wonderful of pancakes, due one suspects, to Cream of Tartar which replaces baking powder.  It gives a unique texture and taste which will help children at breakfast settle down happily.   

Fresh fruit can be stirred into the batter just before cooking (Blueberry Pancakes), or the pancakes can be topped with a low-sugar nearly-instant fruit compote.  Cupboard staples Maple syrup, jam or honey can also accompany the pancakes.  

The recipe is versatile; it makes plain, sweet or savoury pancakes which can be eaten hot or cold.   

They are also still as frugal as they were when first posted in 2017

Leftovers will keep 2 days in the fridge.  Otherwise freeze flat, bag up and defrost when needed.  

Cost: £1.70'ish (7/23) plus cost of sweeteners

Makes: 16-18 

Ingred:

  
   8 oz/226 gm self-raising flour (plain flour: add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder)
  1-2 tsp sugar (opt)
  275 ml/1 1/4 cup less 2 tbsp whole milk

   2 eggs

   1 tsp cream of tartar

Method:

1. Sift flour, and baking powder if using, into a bowl.  Add sugar, if using; blend
2. In a jug, whisk milk and eggs.
3. Add liquid ingredients to dry; blend
4. Sprinkle over cream of tartar; blend.  Rest batter at least 20 mins.  If resting batter overnight, do not add cream of tartar until batter is at room temperature   
5. Heat dry griddle or pan to medium high; if you like, lightly brush pan with butter.
6. Dollop batter in heaping tablespoons; the first side will take about 3 mins.  Check it is golden brown by lifting up one side of the pancake with a spatula/fish slice.  
7. Flip when ready, squashing the pancake slightly.  The second side will take 2-3 minutes; ensure pancake is not gooey in the centre before serving.  

Tips: 

• the recipe makes great portable pancakes to take to work or on picnics.  Try Savoury Bacon & Corn Pancakes 
• for afternoon tea , add 4 oz/115 gms raisons or currants  soaked overnight in orange juice or tea and drained.  Add 2-4 tbsp sugar to the batter (opt)
• Cold plain pancakes are delicious buttered and slathered with fruit compote
• Cream of Tartar is in the baking powder/soda section (it's also used in making meringues)
• 67 finds wheat best for this recipe 
• the recipe halves nicely OR one recipe can do double-duty making both savoury and sweet pancakes                              

                        More hot breads on Nav Bar: Recipes I 

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.