Cranberry & lemon amoretti

Published on September 8, 2015 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: DF, N, S, SF, V, WF

Thanks to your calls to action post my supper clubs, fitness events and yoga holidays, this superhero stars again. Almost 2 years after I first shared the recipe, it really is a good one. True Wholesome Seduction: a super tasty snack that’s healthy, low carb and protein packed. These mini morsels are even vegan, dairy, gluten and refined sugar free and still somehow taste of un-compromised indulgence. Ideal for pre / post exercise; a (very buff) friend now keeps them at the ready for his relentless triathlon training hunger. Groan! If iron man fitness doesn’t float your boat, they’re perfect with coffee.

Makes 10 – 12 amoretti.

INGREDIENTS

200g ground almonds, bought or home made (skin off almonds)
zest of one lemon
20g / 1 tbsp dried cranberries, rough chopped
2 medium egg whites
2 dsp maple syrup, raw honey or agave

METHOD

Pre-heat oven to 150C. Mix almonds, lemon zest, almond extract and cranberries and set aside.

Whisk together egg whites, agave and honey until you get soft peaks. Fold in almond mix. You should have a sticky dough.

Break off chunks and roll into pieces slightly smaller than a golf ball. Coat with icing sugar (optional) and place on greaseproof lined baking tray.

Bake for 12 – 14 mins until lightly browned on top. With a knife, unstick the bottom and transfer to a cooling rack.

Cool before eating and store in an airtight container.

Strawberry, almond & mint smoothie

Published on July 23, 2013 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: DF, N, S, SF, V, WF

The lack of spring (entirely forgiven in light of the recent outpouring of unbroken, blistering sunshine) wasn’t all bad. UK cooler conditions caused a slower growth and more time for the plants to develop in the soil, equalling plumper, juicier, sweeter berries. Make the most of the 2013 vintage crop by blitzing and freezing to use in recipes throughout the year. And gorge on beach body smoothies in the meantime. This is a great breakfast option as the almonds and oats are not only good for you, they fill you up for longer. As with this recipe, unearth inspiration and berry buddies with our Gather & Gather friend, Niki Segnit’s indispensable Flavour Thesaurus.

Feeds: 2 as a breakfast or 4 as a dessert

Ingredients

1 tbsp / 12 almonds – I like skins on
3 tbsp oats
1 tsp cinnamon
12 strawberries
2 bananas
1 bunch fresh mint
1 dsp Sweet Freedom / Agave / honey
300ml rice milk (or cows milk)
100ml cold water 2 tbsp yoghurt, optional

Method

In a blender, blitz almonds and oats until they resemble a sawdust like texture. You’ll need to scrape down the sides after about 5 seconds and repeat.

Follow with remaining ingredients and blend till smooth. You can also add yoghurt for a thicker, more filling smoothie. If so, you may want to thin out slightly with some water or milk.

Not wishing to disparage the best of berries, but this recipe’s just as good without the strawberry or mint when your frozen stash runs out: nutty banana cream.

Click on the Seducer links to learn why your insides will love this recipe as much as your taste buds: Almonds and Strawberries.

Orange, almond & chocolate cake

Published on July 12, 2013 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: DF, Featured, S, SF, V, WF

This is one of my all time favourite recipes: uber moist; sophisticatedly sweet and tangy; distinctively almondy. A cake for grown ups. Commonly used in Spanish and Moorish cakes, almonds bring so much more to the party than Bulk Out Flour, and they taste better. They’re filling, good for us, moist in baking and gluten free. The swapping of sugar for Agave is a trick I’m a tiny bit pleased with. Options are also given for sugar and Stevia (saccharine barf) FYI, though my preference on both taste and waistline would be Agave.

You can lose the choc drops for a more traditional recipe which is also sugar and dairy free. This cake is so devoid of bad stuff, in fact, you can even use it as an energy and protein pick me up for fitness training. I’ve baked in tartan cups as a nod to Edinburgh’s Brew Lab inspiration from last week.

Ingredients

3 medium oranges
4 tbsp Agave / 3 tbsp Stevia / 300g tbsp caster sugar
400g ground almonds
4 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp dark choc chips

For the syrup

2 oranges, juice of
2 tbsp Agave / 1 tbsp Stevia / 100g sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 180C / 350F / Gas 4. Grease and line a 25cm springform cake tin with greaseproof paper. Alternatively, you can make 8 – 10 individual cakes with muffin moulds or ANTA ovenproof cups.

Clean oranges, cover with water in a saucepan, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 mins. Cut into quarters, removing the seeds.

Transfer to a food processor (retaining the peel!) and blitz with 4 tbsp of the Agave or 300g sugar for about 30 secs. Add almonds, eggs and baking powder and puree for a few seconds before scraping down the sides and blitzing again until smooth – approx. 10 secs.

Fold through the choc chips and transfer into your greased tin. Bake for 50 or so mins. If opting for the muffin-sized cakes, cook for 20 mins. A knife should come out moist. Set your cake aside in the tin or cups for 10 mins.

Bring the syrup ingredients to the boil and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken. Prick the cake/s all over with a skewer and pour over the syrup. Leave to soak up all the juices.

Once cooled, remove and serve on a plate, or directly from your ANTA cups. Dollop with double cream.

The almonds will keep this cake moist for several days. In fact, it will go moldy before it goes stale. As an added bonus, almonds are also a Seducer, check out their charms here.

Cranberry sauce with port & orange

Published on December 14, 2012 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: DF, LF, S, SF, Uncategorized, V, WF

‘Tis the season to be jolly… In honour of the impending festivities, I’ve brought you a seasonaly seductive, spiced sauce to dollop on your bird.

Makes: 300g (10 dessert spoons)

Ingredients

300g cranberries
½ orange, juice and zest
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
2 tbsp maple syrup
½ tbsp agave / 1 tbsp brown sugar, or to taste
3 tbsp port

Method

Put all ingredients, bar the booze, into a heavy based pan and cook, uncovered on a low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
After 15 – 20 mins, or when the cranberries begin to burst, add the port and simmer for a further 5 mins.
Taste – you may want to add more sugar to compensate for the tart cranberries. Or more alcohol…
You should have a mix of crushed and whole cranberries. Don’t worry if there seems to be a lot of juice, this will thicken as it cools.
Transfer to a jar and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Tra la la la la… la la la laaaah….

If you don’t have a zester for the orange, you can also peel thin slices with a sharp knife (taking care to avoid the bitter pith) and finely chop into slivers, or use a grater.

PP: Kcals 19 Pr 2g Carbs 4.1g Ows 3.9g Fat 0.1g Sat Fat 0g Salt trace

comments 0

Roast banana, bacon, maple syrup & sweet corn fritters

Published on October 26, 2012 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: S, WF

Not exactly a recipe, more of a sharing of love, and another way to use my September sweet corn fritter recipe. Sunday brunch comfort, borderline excess, and food Jenga. I’m relying on you having a modicum of kitchen nouse, it really is very easy.

Set bacon to grill – you can also omit the meat, there’s plenty going on without it. Meanwhile roast bananas as per the instructions in the Recipes page and set aside in warm oven. While the fritters are frying, mix creme fraiche or yoghurt with a drop of vanilla extract and maybe some maple syrup, depending on the sweetness of your tooth.

Then layer: fritter, bacon, maple syrup, creme fraiche, banana. I used 3 fritters. Because I’m a glutton. And it looked impressive. 2 is plenty.

comments 5

Maple roast banana

Published on March 26, 2011 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: DF, SF, V, WF

Tired of our tasteless bananas picked while green for export, we decided to take matters into our own hands. The result, we think, is surprisingly reminiscent of those bursting with sweetness we gorge on in India and Sri Lanka. Ours have the added sticky tang magic that comes from heating butter and lemon.

Ingredients

Small knob of butter, approx. 2 tsp
2 bananas, sliced into lengthways – we do strips
1 dsp agave, maple syrup or honey
1/2 lemon, juice of

Method

Set butter to heat in a frying pan on a high heat.
Add banana, lemon juice and agave and fry till soft in the middle and sticky and charred on the outside. Roughly 3 minutes on the first side and 2 on the second.
Keeps for 3 days in the fridge.

Serve with yoghurt or creme fraiche, on top of porridge or even with bacon. Anywhere you’d use bananas basically. They’re also delicious mixed into creme fraiche with a dash of vanilla extract as a banana cream to go with cake.

comments 0