Cardamom Fig cookies

Last week, I found the fresh stock of Iranian dried figs on the dry fruit counter and grabbed a pack. I like to chew the fig with coffee, if there is no chocolates around.

Fig is not only a very high calories (from carbohydrates) fruit. Also, it is enriched with dietary fiber, Vit K and B vitamins. But, my son doesn’t eat because of its smell (by the way, I don't feel any) and its bit hard flesh (as it dried). In order to make him to eat, I need to add the fig into his favorite cookies so that he eats without knowing :-)

Cookies are the most versatile, to try such new experiment. Along with oats and brown sugar, these cookies become “high” calorie cookie, ideal for those who demand high and instant energy.

Ingredient :    ½ cup of dry fig    ;      1 ¼  cup of oats      ;      1/4 cup of all purpose flour    ;          1/2 cup of  light brown sugar       ;     80 gms of butter     ;     ½ sp of baking soda      ;         1egg         ;      3 to 5 Cardamom     ;      pinch of salt 

Procedure :  In mixer grind the dry figs and cardamom together into a paste form  and keep aside. Mix all the dry ingredient, oats, flour, baking soda, salt and keep aside.

In separate bowl beat soft butter with sugar unit it becomes a creamy. Add egg to the mixture and continue to beat for a minute. Slowly add all the dry mixture into the butter mixture and finally the Fig paste. 

Continue the mixer at medium speed until, all blends together and form the cookie batter. Scoop the batter and place it on the backing sheet, prepared baking tray. Make sure the cookies are placed 2 inch apart from each other.

Transfer the baking tray into 180°c per-heated oven and bake for about 25 minute.  I am sure; the chewy and strong flavored cardamom cookies will don’t disappoint your taste buds and please your olfactory (sense of smell)    

Fusion Bread

Time to refill my pantry jars, I have been deferring to do so for the past one week due to various reasons. I wanted to bake fresh bread for weekend breakfast but, very limited supplies………..Hmm…what about fusion bread?

Just, add whatever you left with and bake. Not bad at all……..got a very pretty, soft and tasty loaf.

 

Ingredient   -    1/2 cup of oats       ;      1 cup of all purpose flour       ;    1/2 cup whole wheat flour      ;       1/4 cup of flax seed powder         ;      3/4 cup of crushed weetabrix      ;     1 cup of milk       ;      1 /4 cup of water        ;    1 tbsp of instant yeast        ;       1/4 cup of honey        ;        1 /8 cup of melted butter     ;       1/2 tbsp of salt   

 Procedure : cook the oats and keep aside let it cool.  In a mixing bowl add warm milk, honey and yeast mix well. Add salt, melted butter, oats, flax seed powder, weetabrix, whole wheat flour and mix with hand. Add all purpose flour little by little and knead until it is smooth and elastic dough but, not sticky.

 

Shape it into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl and cover with damp cloth for about 1 1/2 hours or 2 hours or till it become double in volume. Gently deflate the dough and shape the dough into a greased loaf tin and cover the loaf with damp cloth for about an hour or it raise almost at the edges of your loaf tin. Sprinkle the chopped almond & walnuts on the top.(its an option)

Transfer the loaf into 180°C pre-heated oven and bake for about 40 - 50 minutes or till the bread is nice brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped. 

 

Hot loaf with kefir spread in a cold morning………..it’s divine!

No Bake Avocado – Cottage Cheese Cake

 

Avocado Cottage Cheese Cake is the second one on the no bake series. The first one was No Bake Tofu-Cheese Cake.

Like the previous, here the Avocado pulp and cottage cheese mixture in placed on the soft oats cookies base and chilled and served as dessert.  

 Ingredients :  150 gms of cottage cheese     ;       ¾ cup of Cream (Split into 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup)        ;         1 ¼ tsp gelatin (dissolved in the water)     ;        3 tbsp Avocado (mashed with and 1 tbsp of lemon juice to prevent color change)     ;     1 tbsp of water         ;        3 tbsp of sugar    ;          1/2 cup oats biscuit       ;  40 gms butter melted   ;  zest of lemon (option).

Crush the oats cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Add melted butter and process until moist crumbs form. Transfer the mixture into bottom of individual pan or cheese cake mold (about 1/4^th) and press firmly. Transfer the pan into freezer for 10 – 15 minutes to set.

Boil ¼ cup cream in a small sauce pan and add dissolved gelatin into it and stir well. And allow it to cool.

In a food processor, combine avocado, cottage cheese, sugar, 1/2cup cream, zest, and 1 tbsp water until to form a homogeneous mixture and add the gelatin and process further to form creamy and smooth in texture.

Scope the mixture into the prepared cheese cake pan (on top of crumbled oats cookies) and smooth the top. Chill in the freezer for 1 hour and serve directly from the freezer. (Even you can sprinkle a pinch of lemon or orange zest on top to enhance)

Dry Fruit Oats Soft Cookies

Though I frequently make/bake Oats cookies as a pre workout meal for my son, never posted here!

If cookies made with flour and oats the cookies become hard and crisp, (will post that recipe later) by adding seeds and dry fruits the cookie became soft and chewy. This can be even blend with protein shake or even just with milk but, I love when it’s blended with 50-50 milk and cream. Imm……its Divine.

Ingredient :    1 ½ cup of oats     ;      1 /2 cup of all purpose flour    ;     1 tsp of baking powder     ;      1 tsp of baking soda     ;     a pinch of salt       ;      1 cup almonds ( powdered )      ;      1 cup of mixed seeds and nuts (sunflower, pumpkin and walnut powdered)          ;         10 no’s of apricots, dates and Fig  (pasted)    ;        120 gms of butter        ;        1/2 cup  light brown sugar        ;       ½ cup of sugar       ;        1 egg      ;     1 /4 cup of wheat germs (optional)     ;      1tsp of vanilla essence

Soak dates, apricot & fig for some time and grind into fine paste, keep aside.

Mix all dry ingredients (flour, oats, salt, baking powder, seeds and nuts powder, baking soda and keep aside.

In a mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar until to form a creamy texture and add egg, vanilla essence and blend further 2 – 4 min.  

Keep the mixer/blender running at med speed; slowly add the dry mixture and the fruits paste till all well combined. With the help of ice cream scoop, place it on the baking tray.

Transfer the baking tray into a pre heated oven and bake at 180°C for about 20 - 25 min.

Energy Bars

Energy bars are meant to delivery energy to the body quickly. Therefore, athletes prefer to consume before their workout.  Also, energy bars are good snack during the competitions.

Usually, the swimming competitions are 2 -3 days long and the swimmers needs to swim couple of times in a day. Hence, Energy bars are the best alternative for a meal.  My son was taking part in Speedo invitational swim meet at Dubai. So, I prepared these Bars for him.

 Energy bars are not only meant for Athletes, this is good for those who need quick energy but do not have time for proper meal. These bars can be consumed even during a busy office schedule without wasting time.

Our body converts fat, protein and Carb’s into energy. In energy bars, cereals, seeds and nuts are the main ingredients. (Good source of complex carbohydrates, Essential fatty acids and Antioxidant property)

Most of the kids, don’t like to eat dry fruits, seeds and nuts in a raw form. But, they like to eat the energy bar ! where the all the nuts are blend together.

The Ingredients are,  ½ cup of Oats    ;     ½ cup of Sunflower seeds     ;       ½ cup of Wheat bran    ;   ½ cup of chopped Walnuts     ;        ¼ cup of Whole wheat flour    ;     ½ cup of chopped Apricots        ;  ½ cup of chopped Almonds     ;      ½ cup of Gooseberry (dried)     ;     ½ cup of chopped Dates      ;      ½ cup of Milk powder      ;      1/3  cup of Honey     ;     2 no’s of Egg whites. (for Egg substitutes, check my Tips & Tricks page)

Procedure : In a bowl mix all ingredient expect egg white and honey. Now, add honey, egg whites and mix well till combined / fully coated.

Transfer the mixture into a pre greased square pan and spread evenly and press the mixture firmly. Transfer the pan into 150°c preheated oven and bake for 20 - 25 min. Allow it to cool and cut into bar shape. Store it in an air tight container.