Cinnamon Raisin Bran Loaf

 

Need more fibre?... then this is the recipe for you. A crumbly loaf that is moist, substantial and deliciously sweet plus super easy to make, you'll hardly know it's packed with fibre. 

Raisin Bran Loaf

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makes 1 standard loaf

3/4 cup (105g) unbleached all purpose flour

1/3 cup (80g) dark brown sugar

1 1/4 cups (75g) wheat bran

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon chia seeds 

3/4 cup (100g) golden raisins

1 1/4 (310ml) cups buttermilk

1/3 cup (75g) light olive oil

1 egg

extra raisins, to sprinkle on top

sliced almonds, to sprinkle on top

cinnamon sugar,  for sprinkling 

Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Butter and flour a loaf pan and line the bottom with baking parchment.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, wheat bran, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, chia seeds and golden raisins. 

In a large bowl add the buttermilk, olive oil and egg and whisk together to combine.

Add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture and stir until just moistened. 

Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with raisins and sliced almonds and you can even go a bit farther and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Place into the preheated oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the loaf to stand for 10 minutes before removing from the tin, then carefully turn loaf out and place on a wire rack to cool completely.  

Apple Bran Muffins

Adding more fibre daily can have many benefits, it can or may help protect against many diseases such as diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease. There are two types of fibre, insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fibre like, whole-grain breads, cereals, flax seeds, the skins of some fruit and vegetables, help to keep the bowels healthy. Soluble fibre like, fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, oat bran, beans, lentils and peas, may help reduce cholesterol and control blood sugar levels. If you are looking to increase your daily fibre than these apple bran muffins are moreish and you will forget just how fibrously healthy they are with every bite.  - JD  

Bran Muffins

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makes approximately 12 muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 cup oatmeal flour

1 cup bran

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoons nutmeg

1 cup diced apples with skins, washed and cored

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375ºF and line a muffin tin with baking papers. 

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, then add the eggs.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, oat flour, bran, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and the diced apples together. 

Add the flour mixture to the butter, sugar and egg mixture. Add the milk and gently stir until just combined.

Spoon muffin batter into prepared muffin tin and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Black Bean Soup

This is a zesty black bean soup that is very rich and creamy, although no cream has been added. It's a flavourful, healthy and fibre rich meal that can be served with many toppings.  

Black Bean Soup

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Serves 4 to 6 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

2 carrots, chopped small

3 stalks of celery, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 x 19oz (540ml) cans of black beans, rinsed 

1 litre low sodium chicken stock

salt and pepper, to taste

In a large heavy bottomed stock pot, add the olive oil and gently het over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and allow to slightly soften over the medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and a bit of salt and pepper, stirring to incorporate, and cook for another minute or two.

Add the rinsed black beans and stock. Reduce the heat to low, allowing soup to simmer, then cover for 30 to 40 minutes. Stirring every 5 minutes or so, to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom.

Take the soup off the heat and allow to cool a bit. Use a blender to purée the soup in small batches or use a hand blender to do the same. 

Serve with plain greek yoghurt, sour cream, chunks of avocado, salsa, corn, or hot pepper rings.

Another full week ahead. Hope everyone is well and staying safe. - JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Quinoa Vegetable Chilli

Chilli is a great substantial stand by. Add some cooked quinoa and you have one super dish full of protein and fibre.

Make whatever chilli recipe you wish, meat or meatless, your choice. Cook quinoa according to the package directions. Allow to cool slightly then add to the simmering chilli. Serve with arugula leaves, a dollop of sour cream and sliced green onions. 

Bright, sunny and warm here in E-town. Have a great weekend everyone! -JD 

Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies

I always like to try different recipes on a classic and this peanut butter cookie recipe is easy, crunchy and the added fibre isn't bad either. You can certainly add chocolate chips if you wish.   

Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies 

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1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups All Bran Buds Cereal

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC)

Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter, peanut butter, and dark brown sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. 

In a small bowl blend the flour, cereal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour into the butter mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the chopped peanuts.

Form into 1 tablespoon balls and place on the parchment lined baking tray, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Gently press down on each using the tines of a floured fork. 

Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly brown on the bottom. Let cool for 2 minutes, on the baking tray, then remove to wire racks and cool completely. Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days. 

Notes: Rather than add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, I added 1 teaspoon caramel extract and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Baking the cookies for 8 minutes and then letting stand for 2 minutes before placing them on wire racks worked best for me. The cookies were nicely golden on the bottom. 

Hope everyone is having a good week. - JD   

Almond Poppy Seed Loaf

Another loaf recipe to add to your baking repertoire. Delicious with a subtle hint of almond flavour plus the added bonus of a bit of fibre. This is irresistible with a cup of tea!    

Almond Poppyseed Loaf

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1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup coconut sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 cup All-Bran cereal

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted

Preheat of to 350ºF (180ºC). 

Butter and flour a loaf pan. Line the loaf pan with baking parchment paper. Set aside.

In a bowl, blend together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, mix together the cereal and milk. Let stand for 5 minutes until the cereal has softened. Stir in the eggs, oil, vanilla, and almond extract. Add the toasted almonds and then add the flour mixture, stirring until just combine.

Spread batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Let cool completely on wire rack. 

Notes: You use caster sugar however the loaf would probably be more sweet. Coconut sugar gave richness with just a hint of sweetness and complimented the toasted almonds. I also thought chopped apple pieces might be a nice addition. 

Getting things done inside and outside of the kitchen. The temperature today is a balmy -29ºC! Stay warm everyone! - JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Red Cabbage

Red cabbage is an easy side dish that has all the right elements... sweet, sour, and crunch. As the cold weather gets more frequent I tend to make this dish more often as it goes with just about anything; and the prep may put some muscle in your arm. There is a fair bit of chopping. With a sprinkle of chia seeds this has a more up to date appeal plus added fibre. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend, we did. It seems like week has been a fast one that has one going in many directions. - JD  

Red Rice

Red rice is gluten free and packed with fibre, vitamins... B vitamins... and minerals. It is a healthier choice and this colourful grain gives another option for a complex carbohydrate. It has a nutty earthy taste however when blended with a sauce it virtually goes undetected. It is definitely worth a try.  

The rice itself is a gorgeous auburn colour and the scent from the package is truly a unique one. Nutty... earthy... flowery. On the package it states that a portion from the sales of every Wild Tusker product will be donated to the Elephant Orphanage in Pinnawala, Sri Lanka. For more information about Wild Tusker click *here*

I made a tangy Mexican chicken and red rice dish which was then placed into ancient grain with chia tortillas with all the trimmings; guacamole, sour cream, cheese, and veggies to make soft tortillas wraps, that were served with a side salad. They were so delicious! There was enough leftover to make a sort of Sloppy Joes on sourdough buns the next night for dinner. 

Hope everyone had a good weekend and is getting on with their week. - JD      

Delicious Oat Bran Flax Muffins

I must start off by saying these muffins are by far the most tasty muffins I have made. Packed with loads of fibre, some fruit and veg to maximize taste and give a simple healthy twist. These would be great to start your day, as a snack or for packed lunches. They do have nuts however if you are unable to enjoy nuts or can not have them at school or work then just omit them and add raisins instead.

Delicious Oat Bran Flax Muffins

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makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

 3/4 cup ground flax seed 

3/4 cup oat bran

1 cup of dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground British mixed spice, optional 

3/4 cup milk (skim or 2%, which ever you prefer)

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups shredded carrots

2 apples, peeled and shredded

1 orange, rind grated 

1 cup chopped nuts (unsalted walnuts, almonds or mixed nuts) 

Pre heat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC)

Grease a muffin tin or line the tin with muffin papers.

Shred... grate the carrots, apples and the orange rind then set aside.  

In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients (flour, ground flax, oat bran, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and mixed spice). Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine all the wet ingredients (milk, eggs, vanilla, oil, carrots, apples and grated orange rind) plus the nuts and give a stir to combine those ingredients. Now add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fill the prepared muffin cups about 2/3 of the way full. Bake in the preheated 350ºF (175ºC) oven for 15 or 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. 

Notes: I thought that the next time I make these I will cut down on the amount of sugar added. I may also add 1 to 2 cups of grated zucchini. You may also want to add about 1/2 cup of raisins or dried cranberries. Replace some of the flour with whole wheat flour.  

Hope everyone had a great weekend! - JD 

Broccoli Slaw

I made this as a side dish to go with the tofu wraps we were having for dinner however the broccoli slaw seemed to be placed more inside the wrap than outside. It was a great way to add more fibre and crunch and worked well with the marinated tofu and freshly cut veggies. With only a few ingredients; this broccoli slaw is quick to make and very simple. 

Broccoli Slaw
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1/2 cup low sodium light Mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1/4 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 package (340g) of Broccoli Slaw


Empty the bag of broccoli slaw into a large bowl and set aside. 

In a medium sized bowl stir all the remaining ingredients together until well combine. 

Once the dressing is all mixed together pour over the broccoli slaw and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Notes: You could add some crushed almonds, cranberries or flax seeds for added crunch and texture.    

Enjoy! - JD