NO-ADDED SUGAR, NO BUTTER FLAPJACKS

GUILT-FREE FLAPJACKS

Want flapjacks without guilt?  Try these, inspired by Waitrose magazine. 

Butter is replaced by sugar-free nut butter which is good for those with heart or cholesterol worries. Honey is replaced by cooked fruit.

For anyone who doesn't have time for a hot breakfast, these flapjacks are a great substitute. They freeze well.  

Cost: £2.50

Serves: 12-15 portions

Ingred:

250 gm rolled oats or no-sugar granola 

100 gms chopped nuts         

300 gm chopped apples or nectarines or both

85 gms orange juice, fresh preferred

100 gms unsugared nut butter

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 c raisins or other dried fruit (apricots, cherries)

large handful of berries (Opt.)

Method:

1. Oven: 180 c/ 350F / Gas 5
2.  Cook chopped fruit in a heavy bottom pan on medium high heat with a teaspoon of oil, with the lid on; stir occasionally until the fruit has broken down and is cooked through. (10-15 min)  Add a tablespoon of water if it is catching.  

2.  Turn heat down slightly, add orange juice, nut butter and cinnamon, stirring well.    

3.  Take mixture off heat and blend with hand blender

4.  Add oatmeal/granola, nuts & dried fruit.  The mixture will be thick.

5.  Scatter fresh berries, if using, an a 9" x 11"pan lined with greaseproof paper.  Add the oatmeal mixture.  Level the mixture with a spatula or back of spoon.  

6.  Bake for 25 mins, checking the edges aren't burning.  Test.  Cook a further 5-15 minutes if you like your flapjacks quite dry.

7.  Cool and slice into squares.

Tip: 

• Most supermarkets now do bags of fruit for about £1
• Take these out of the freezer the night before and they'll be ready for your morning coffee

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

VEGETARIAN PAELLA

LOW-FAT, LOW-SALT, LOW-CHOLESTEROL

This recipe was inspired by a brilliant book, published in 1979, called the Vegetarian Feast by American author Martha Shulman.  If you have the time, chickpeas cooked from dry are far superior to tinned.

For 4-6      

Cost:  £5.00 or more, depending on options

1 large mug brown rice washed

3 cups vegetable stock -- fresh, granules or cubes

1 large onion thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

3 peppers of mixed colours, seeded and sliced into narrow strips

2 tomatoes, halved, seeds removed and cut into small squares

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp saffron threads (the most expensive part of the dish), or try tumeric for a low budget version

1 bay leaf

1 tin chickpeas drained or 1 cup fresh (cooked from dry) 

1 cup frozen or fresh peas

100 gm artichoke, olive and caper salad (from M&S deli -Opt) or 1/2 cup sliced olives (Opt) and 3 ounces artichoke hearts (Opt)

1/4 cup almonds  (Marcona are best - Opt)
 

METHOD:

1. Saute onions, garlic and half the peppers (some in each colour) in olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan until onions are tender,

2. Add raw washed rice and stir until well coated

3. Add water/stock, salt, saffron and bay leaf.  If chickpeas are not tinned, add now.

4. Cook, uncovered and gently bubbling, over med high heat until water is nearly absorbed, (about 15 min.)  The surface of the rice should be pitted with small holes.

5. Add peas, tinned chick peas (if using) and tomato squares, pushing them gently into the rice without stirring too much.

6. Arrange the remaining pepper strips prettily on top.

7. Cover and, over medium-low heat, cook until all the water is absorbed. (up to 10 minutes)

8. Garnish with olives, artichoke hearts and almonds. (opt)

9. Serve with wedges of lemon

More rice dishes on NavBar/Recipes II:  Rice

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

NO-SUGAR HIGH-PROTEIN ULTRA GRANOLA, Easy-peasy, spelt option

"A small bowl of porridge each day could be the key to a long and healthy life, after a major study by Harvard University found that whole grains reduce the risk of dying from heart disease..."   
Daily Telegraph, 5/1/2015

No-sugar, High-Protein Uber Granola                               15/6/16  

                                                                                                                           

This is an absolutely fabulous, gently sweetened, lightly crunchy granola that is extremely good for you!  The combination of sunflower, sesame and pumpkin seeds is said to have the same protein value of steak.

The recipe was inspired by a No-Sugar cookbook from 20 years ago which the Blogger no longer has.  67 has made changes for maximum taste, texture and goodness.  It is extremely economical.  With the money saved, berries to scatter on top become more affordable.                                    

Cost: around £1.50

Serves: many 

Ingred:

1 pound/1/2 kilo oatmeal (not jumbo oats)
2 oz/ 57gm dried, unsweetened coconut

2 oz/ 57 gm sunflower seeds

2 oz/57 gms sesame seeds

2 oz/56 gms pumpkin seeds

2-4 oz/ 57-112 oz nuts of your choice.

2 tablespoons sunflower or other veg oil (not olive)

few drops of vanilla

Method:

1.  Heat oven to 375F/190C/gas mark 5

2.  Mix dry ingredients.  Add sunflower oil and vanilla; stir.

3.  Pour into a 9" x 11"  pan.  Bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring half way through, until browned and smelling lovely.    

4.  Serve as is with raisins or fresh berries and yoghurt, cream or milk and, if preferred, a teaspoon of black or dark brown sugar. 

Uber granola Porridge with cream & black sugar

5. It also makes unbelieveably good porridge.  Measure out 1/4 to 1/3 cup granola per person, stir in 3x the amount of water (the Scots always add more water than we do) bring to a boil, stir clockwise for one minute, then turn heat to low.  Leave 2-5 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Tips: 

• for the frugal, halve the amount of seeds and nuts and store the remainder in an air-tight container for next time
•  many who sampled this granola loved the flavour but missed the sweetness of commercial cereals; if you must, halfway through the cooking time, add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of honey or maple syrup; stir until small clumps are formed; continue baking until browned
• take this, dry, to the office in a container; add 3 x the amount of granola in water or water & milk; cook on top of stove (preferred) OR microwave on med in a very large (!)  bowl, covered, for 3 mins.  
• The same combination of sesame, sunflower & pumpkin seeds is used in the Easy-Peasy Yeast and Wheat Free Light Wholemeal Loaf

These recipes have been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.

Quote of the day

"A small bowl of porridge each day could be the key to a long and healthy life, after a major study by Harvard University found that whole grains reduce the risk of dying from heart disease..."             Daily Telegraph, 5/1/2015

This week's recipes:

• no-sugar, high-protein granola/porridge 
• vegetarian paella with chickpeas 
• no-butter, no-sugar flapjacks