NO-KNEAD OLIVE FOCCACIA, light wholemeal, Vegan, frugal, dairy & sugar-free

This light, airy focaccia bread is almost as easy to put together as soda breads...

first posted 2018; updated 5/23

Easy-peasy Olive Focaccia and Onion Focaccia.  No kneading!
'Very nice flavour and texture.' 'Like the olive one best.'Taster

updated May 2023

Focaccia Bread - golden crusted and pillowy - is gorgeous, whether eaten in rainy England or on an Italian street corner.  Despite being made with yeast, it has a flat (-ish) shape with a characteristic dimpled crust that's usually strewn with herbs or onions, olives and even grapes.  

Focaccia in England is irresistible despite the price but is not exactly healthy.  It's made entirely of white flour (not great for blood sugar) and often has an excess of olive oil and salt.  

67 created a healthier budget-friendly recipe* for home cooks.  A little wholemeal flour is added for fibre and the amount of oil and salt is controlled.  

If you're new to bread making, don't worry.  Anyone who can mix things with a spoon, and knows how to fold, can handle this. I daresay some older children will try it and master it quickly.  And it really is worth it.

The wholemeal flour alters the texture from ultra-fluffy to something more robust.  But it's still tender soft and light, and it still tastes fantastic, especially when it's not long out of the oven.  Leftovers will make great sandwiches and toast.  

Like popular soda breads, focaccia doesn't require any kneading - focaccia's overnight 'resting' does all the work.

Some planning is required; the dough needs to be refrigerated preferably 24 hours. But during that time you're free to roam until you're ready to take it out of the fridge.  An hour's rest is necessary to come to room temperature before the dough can be shaped.  After that, there's a further hour in front of a warm oven before baking.

The bread freezes well and toasts beautifully.

Cost: £2.00 (May '23)
Makes: 8 decent portions or 12 quarter sandwiches

Ingredients:
   350gm/12.3oz plain white strong bread flour
     50gm/1.7oz wholemeal flour
   1 tbsp fast acting yeast

   1 tsp sea salt

   250ml + 2 tbsp lukewarm water 
   2 tbsp good olive oil

handful or two of olives OR thinly sliced red onions sprayed with olive oil

Method:

1. Place flours & yeast in a large bowl; stir with a hand-held whisk till well combined
2. Place salt on one side of the flour
3. Add water and olive oil; bring together with a wooden spoon (it'll be sticky) 
4. Cover with cling film; refrigerate at least 24 hours; when ready the dough will be double in size and bubbly
5. Take dough out of fridge one hour before shaping it 
6. Generously spray a 9inch/25cm square pan or springform pan with olive oil and line bottom with greaseproof paper; spray again
7. Scrape dough onto the pan, pushing it to the edges
8. Pull a corner of the dough upwards and fold - without pressing down - into the centre (like an envelope); repeat until all four corners are done  
9. Turn the dough over and repeat instruction 8
10. Lightly press down on the dough with fingers to form the characteristic 'dimples';  brush with 1 tbsp olive oil; scatter over a generous 1 teaspoon (min) or 2 tsp (max) sea salt then olives or sliced red onions
11. Cover with cling film that's been lightly brushed with olive oil (to prevent sticking)
12. Turn on oven to 175c/350f/gas4; rest dough a short distance away 30 mins
13. Turn oven up to 220c/425f/gas7; rest another 30mins or until double in size.
14. Bake in centre of oven 30 mins until golden brown, turning tray round half through for even baking; rest in tin 10 mins before transferring to a cooling rack

*adapted from BBC Good Food

Comments:
'Very nice flavour and moist texture. I would never have guessed it was lower-fat and lower salt.  I want to try making it myself.' Semi-retired senior administrator' 
'The bread is moist and full bodied. The olive one is best!' Political Agent

Tips:

• 67 made two focaccia from this recipe: 1 9x3 inch/23x8cm rectangle with olives and 1x7inch/18cm circle with onions 
• for a white focaccia, replace wholemeal flour with white
• try this with spelt flour

               More bread: NavBar Recipes II/Free from Common Wheat  (bottom page)

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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.

TROPICAL CHICKEN SALAD, frugal, healthy packed lunch

A simple salad of cooked chicken, pineapple & nuts to perk up a desk lunch...

Desktop temptation: Tropical Chicken Salad 
with piquant no-added-sugar dressing 

This 67 portable salad gives cooked chicken a new lease of life.  Tropical overtones - sweet pineapple and crunchy nuts - banish that 'leftovers, again?!!' feeling. It's a salad that's piquant and interesting, and the many bits of raw veg make it ultra healthy.  

If the elements are packed individually, the Salad avoids the 'sludginess' of flavour and texture that can follow the morning commute.  Use one sealable sandwich bag for each different item.  Put the dressing in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, lined with a double layer of clingfilm, or in one sealed sandwich bags sealed inside another.  Assemble and dress at the office.

The Salad is low in fat, sugar and salt but high in protein and fibre. Carbs are optional. 

Costs: under £1, depending on what's in the fridge
Serves: 1 but multiplies easily

Ingredients:
   1 cooked, shredded chicken thigh or leg, free of skin
   2-3 generous handfuls bite-size pieces of iceberg lettuce 
   1 stick celery, peeled, sliced thinly at an angle
   1/6 of a red bell pepper, thinly sliced
   couple of inches of cucumber, thinly sliced
   a couple of slices or handful of chunks of fresh pineapple, burnished on a griddle or frying pan, if you like (pineapple in juice, not syrup, will do)
   1/4 avocado, cubed & doused in lemon juice & seasoned with salt & pepper(opt)
   a few almonds

Dressing:
    4 tbsp light veg oil
    1 tbsp lime juice
    1 tsp Dijon mustard 
    1/2 tsp lime zest

    1 tsp pineapple juice
    1 tbsp finely minced pineapple    
    1/2 tsp finely minced mint leaves
    pepper & salt

VEGETARIAN ORANGE SURPRISE CAKES, egg/butter free, Vegan option

This one's a (relatively) healthy indulgence...

Orange Surprise Mini-Cakes, Vegetarian (No, not eggs on cakes!) 
'Amazing! I could eat lots of these' 'Really airy & fluffy.' 'The bit of fresh orange was lovely.' Tasters

These delicious little Orange Cakes are as light & moist as traditional cake but are vegetarian, free from butter & eggs.  

They were created after the success of the Vegan Irish Coffee Chocolate Sponge for St Patrick's Day.  The Orange Cakes were inspired by Loving it Vegan.

Instead of plant milk full of additives, 67 opted for organic skim milk for the cakes and developed a butter-free frosting.    

But feel free to use plant milk (untested by 67) in the cake and a dairy free margarine in the icing.

Cost: £3.25'ish (4/2024)
Makes: 16 mini-cakes

Equipment:  

silicone mini cupcake tin, holes 3/4inch/2cm deep
med cupcake liners






Ingredients:
   220gm/7oz plain flour
   200gm/7oz sugar
   1 tsp baking soda
   1/2 tsp salt

  220 ml organic semi-skimmed milk (or non-dairy milk)
    2 tbsp orange zest 
    1 tsp orange essence
    1 tsp vanilla 
   80 ml light veg oil
   15ml white vinegar

Icing:
   30gm/1oz strained yoghurt or non-dairy margarine
   200gm/7oz sifted icing sugar
   orange segments


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180c/350
2. Line small cupcake tins with 18 med cupcake liners (they'll stand up over the rim of the mould)
3. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda & salt; stir well
4. In a separate container, mix milk, vanilla, orange essence, oil & vinegar
5. Form a large depression in the dry ingredients; pour in liquid
6. Using a hand-held whisk, draw in the ingredients along the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix thoroughly without overbeating 
7. Fill cupcake liners to just below the top (an ice-cream scoop helps); bake 18-20 mins or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean
8. Cool; prepare icing 
9. Using a small paring knife with sharp tip, cut out a cone-shaped hole 
10. Fill with half an orange segment then cover with icing 

Icing

1. Remove segments from 1 orange (see below); cut each into halves 
2. Beat yoghurt & icing sugar until thick & soft but still holding its shape; add a bit more icing sugar if necessary 
3. Add orange essence, mix
4. Stuff the pointed end of the orange segment into the cone-shaped depression; push down to just below the top 
5. Using a piping bag or spoon, cover with thin layer of icing

Comments:
'I could eat lots of these in a row; they're not too rich and will please those who don't want too much sweetness but also those who love sugar.  It's rare that I wish I had the recipe but I do want to know how to make these.' 14 year old schoolboy
'Airy & fluffy; very more-ish.' Female Council candidate
'The fresh orange hidden in the middle was lovely.' Political Agent
'Absolutely great; really nice and light.' 20-something campaign manager

Tips:

• yoghurt adds tanginess to the icing which is usually offset by the orange essence and the oranges; a bit of maple syrup could make the icing more appealing to the very young
• 67 ran out of white flour and used about 25gms/1oz wholemeal flour which didn't seem to affect taste or texture

To peel oranges, slice off the top and bottom so that the orange sits nicely.  Slide a knife between the peel/pith and the flesh and press downwards, following the curve of the orange. 
Remove any bits of pith 

Slide a sharp knife between the membrane to the left of the segment and the flesh. Turn sharp edge of knife upwards between the flesh and the membrane to the right of the segment.   



   

More on NavBar:Recipes I/Cakes

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

VEGAN LARB (THAI SPICY MINCE), quick cook, low-fat, wallet-friendly, meat option

A splendidly exotic fast & simple meatless main that stuns carnivores... 

Vegan Thai Hot & Spicy Mince, perfect for spring
  'Delicious; any meat eater would be very satisfied.' Taster 

A die-hard carnivore and fan of Thai food tested this dish without knowing it was vegan and loved it!  

Thai Larb is one of those speedy, delicious meals for professionals and busy families -- something to look forward to after a hard day. 

Thai food doesn't feature largely in 67's repertoire but this one's so tasty!  The spicing is beautiful...just the bearable side of hot alongside sour and sweet in an exquisite marriage of palate-tickling flavours.  

Traditional larb calls for minced poultry, pork or lamb; either of these can replace tofu but turkey or chicken mince are better for the cholesterol or diet conscious. 

Some diners may prefer a hotter or wetter version of larb; if so, take the higher recommended amount of ingredients. 

In Thailand, larb's usually served with sticky rice and a papaya salad.  In the west, we like it in lettuce cups or piled on rice or noodles. The fast option is to serve it with noodles which are ready in only 5 minutes. 

67 has given alternatives for ingredients that may be out of the reach of some budgets.   

Cost: £3.50, whether veggie or carnivore (2018)
Feeds: 2 

Ingredients:
  small red onion coarsely chopped
  3 spring onions coarsely chopped
  2 dried shitake mushrooms, reconstituted in 1/3 cup boiling water 20 mins (save liquid) stems removed and halved  OR 4-5 large mushrooms, halved or quartered 

  220-250gm/7.7-9oz pressed firm tofu (see method below) - original weight 280gm - that's been frozen & defrosted in advance

 2-3 tbsp peanut or light veg oil   

1/2-1 tsp chilli flakes OR a med fresh chilli, membranes & seeds removed, in fine dice
  1/2 tsp siracha or tabasco (opt but 67 included it)
  1.5-2 tbsp soft brown sugar
  two-third tsp fish sauce (vegan brands for vegans) or light soy sauce with a small chunk of fresh pineapple
  1.5-2 tbsp finely sliced lemongrass OR the zest and juice of a lemon
  large clove garlic, grated
  1 tbsp peeled, grated ginger
  zest & juice of 1.2-2 limes
  1-2 tsp reduced salt soy sauce   

 15 small mint leaves
 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
  
 4-6 tablespoons veg stock, including some of the mushroom water

 garnish: small carrot, peeled & finely shredded 
              3-4 raw green beans or mange tout, finely shredded 
              finely chopped salted peanuts

Method:

1. Using both hands, squeeze excess liquid out of the tofu -- reducing 280gr  to 220gms (it's easy if the tofu has been frozen & defrosted).  
2. Throw 3/4 of it in a blender and process roughly until tofu looks like mince (or rub tofu between hands). Tear the rest of the tofu into bite-sized pieces. Set aside. 
3. Prepare lemongrass: remove the bottom couple of fibrous inches (the bulb), peel off brown leaves, bash with a rolling pin until the fragrance is unmistakeable, slice thinly.
4. Retrieve dried mushrooms from soaking liquid; squeeze out most of liquid; remove stems; set aside
5. Pour mushroom juice through a tea strainer lined with a bit of clean j-cloth (If using fresh mushrooms, measure out 1/3 cup stock or water) 
6. In a small bowl, mix chilli, hot sauce, sugar, fish sauce Or lemon juice & zest, garlic, ginger, lime zest & juice, reduced salt soy sauce and mushroom juice; set aside
7. Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat
8. Coarsely chop onions & mushrooms; add with lemongrass to blender; pulse or roughly process 
9. When pan is smoking, add 1 tbsp peanut or other light veg oil; add onion, lemongrass & mushrooms to pan
10. Stir fry briskly until onions are translucent 1-2 mins;  scrape contents into the bowl with chilli & other seasoning; stir 
11. Return pan to heat; reduce to med high; add rest of oil, tip to coat surface
12. Add tofu mince; leave for a min to brown then briskly move round to prevent sticking 
13. Add bowl of aromatics plus mint & cilantro leaves; stir fry 1 min until heated through
14. Serve over carbs (if using); dust with chopped peanuts, carrot shreds and a few more mint & cilantro leaves

Comments:
'Delicious!  Smells very appetising; the taste is bright & refreshing. I love the busy flavours as I have been eating a lot of winter stews.  I didn't twig at all that the dish was vegan - any meat eater would have been very satisfied!' Political agent 
  
Tips:

• Vegans: remember to organise your protein: freeze tofu in advance; defrost in the morning.  
• supermarkets in Chinatown are now doing large packets of firm tofu which are not organic but give you 3x as much tofu as the cost of 280gms organic firm tofu.  What isn't used in your recipe can be frozen and used as vegan mince
• it's much easier to remove liquid from, and crumble, firm tofu if it is frozen and defrosted  

Please leave a comment

More non-meat dishes on NavBar: Recipes II/Vegetarian...  

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.