Chickpea muffins

 

Snacking on one of these will keep you energized throughout the day and it's quite easy to grab one if not two on the go. They are vegan... no eggs, no butter, no dairy and are mighty fulfilling with a carroty cake taste.  

Chickpea Muffins

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makes 8 muffins

1 can (540 ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons rolled oats

2 tablespoon shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease with coconut oil, or line the cups of a muffin tin with 8 muffin liners, so the muffins won't stick.

Add all the ingredients into a food processor and blend them all together until relatively smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle rolled oats on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until cooked all the way through. You can check by inserting a toothpick into the centre of each muffin, the toothpick should come out clean without any wet batter sticking to it, the muffins are then done. Remove from the oven and allow to slightly cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!    

Notes: you can add raisins or cranberries to the batter once it is all blended together, if you wish. Store in an airtight container. 

Peanut Butter Oat Cups

 

I have made energy bites before using the same ingredients however wanted to create something more substantial, and these are. What I love about them is, with a few simple ingredients you will have a solid size snack, offering a quick burst of energy and are sufficient enough to keep you content and satisfied. You could use a mini muffin tin for a more smaller bitesized cup, if you prefer, however I like the sheer chunkiness of a regular muffin cup. They are quite moreish, not lasting long in our household and I guarantee not lasting long in yours, as they have become the go to snack.  

Peanut Butter Oat Cups

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makes approximately 12 regular size cups

 

1 1/2 cups of rolled oats

1 tablespoon ground flax seed

1 cup of crunchy peanut butter

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Line a regular size muffin tin with silicone cups or baking papers or lightly oil the cups instead. 

In a large bowl mix together, oats, ground flax seed, peanut butter, maple syrup, and dried cranberries. The dough will be sticky, so you'll want to use a cookie scoop to place dough into each prepared cup. Once all the dough has been used and divided up between the cups, take a piece of parchment paper, place over the dough and using a smooth bottom glass, press the dough down, to pack it tightly into the cup, repeat until all dough has been pressed and formed in each cup. 

Place the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and melt until smooth, checking at 20 second intervals to ensure readiness. Using a spoon, coat the tops of cups with the melted chocolate. Refrigerate for 1 hour, until chocolate and dough has set. 

Ten Acre Popcorn

In our travels we came across another popcorn gem... Ten Acre, Cousin Penelope's Strawberry & Cream Popcorn. Before an inquisitive eye and your nose gets wrinkly from the thought of the flavour it actually is quite good. Not overly fragrant syrupy sweet candy popcorn; just a savoury subtle creamy taste with a natural strawberry flavour. This was absolutely moreish. 

They also have many more delectable flavours like...

Lucia Popperley's Cappuccino, the essence of coffee flavour with a touch of vanilla and a hint of sweetness. Quite enjoyable. 

Ambrose Popperley's Wasabi, spicy, salty and deliciously sweet. Absolutely moreish as well. 

Not surprised that Ten Acre Popcorn are all of the above.  

To find out more about Ten Acre Popcorn click *here*

It's been another one of those weeks... hope everyone is having a good week! -JD 

Leon - Soups, Salads, & Snacks

In 2004 the first Leon restaurant opened in London and from there the founders Henry Dimbleby, John Vincent and Allegra McEvedy have probably never looked back. Creating fresh wholesome food with bold flavours and using simple natural local ingredients, winning awards and creating lovely cookbooks seems to be their speciality. Owning a few of their Little Leon - Naturally Fast Recipe cookbooks is a great idea. They are handy and most of the ingredients one may already have on hand. 

With warmer temperatures my appetite may wain however my enjoyment of all things, soothing, crispy and snacky go up. Which makes Soups, Salads, & Snacks perfect. The recipes are fast and may be prepared in 20 minutes. Recipes are taken from their full-sized Leon cookbooks. The Soup chapter offers recipes ranging from comfort to exotic, the Salad chapter offers quick recipes fit for dinner, and the Snack chapter has plenty of inspiration. The pages on, Things on Potatoes and Things on Toast offer a bit of a refreshment for those culinary staples.

This lovely salad is wheat free and vegetarian.   

Laura's Jewelled Salad

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Serves 4 ~ Prep time: 5 minutes ~ Cooking time: 5 minutes  

1 cup barley coucous

8 oz good quality feta cheese

1 cucumber

a bunch of mixed fresh green herbs, e.g. mint and cilantro

3/4 cup pine nuts

seeds of 1 large pomegranate

2 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1 1/2 lemons

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Prepare the couches following the package instructions. Let cool in a large bowl.

2. Crumble the feta and slice the cucumber into chunks. Add these to the bowl, then roughly tear the herbs and add them, too.

3. Lightly toast the pine nuts in a skillet over low heat. When they turn a light golden colour, scatter them, along with the pomegranate seeds, onto the salad.

4. Peel and finely mince or grate the garlic. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic and pour the dressing onto the salad. Toss gently to coat, season well with salt and pepper, and serve. 

I have seen a carrot dip recipe before and have been intrigued by it's simplicity and vibrancy. Therefore I thought I would share this recipe from the book as well. This dip is gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, and vegetarian, of course! 

Roasted Carrot & Cumin Dip

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Serves 4 to 6 ~ Prep time: 10 minutes ~ Cooking time: 50 minutes

10 - 12 carrots (about 1 1/2 lbs), coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

a pinch of sugar (optional)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 clove of garlic, peeled and coarsely crushed

2 tablespoons water

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 400ºF.

2 Toss the carrots in a roasting pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, a pinch of sugar (if you feel like it), and a good sprinkle of salt and pepper.

3. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 45 - 50 minutes, or until a knife goes through the carrots easily.

4. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

5. Once the carrots have cooled, put them into a food processor or blender and process, adding the cumin, garlic, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the water, until you have a nice creamy consistency. Serve at room temperature. 

Hope everyone is having a great week. - JD 

Trail Mix Squares

Just like rice krispie treats these are easy to make however offer a few more ingredients for a more filling snack. They can be enjoyed anytime or on the go. This recipe also lends for a few ingredients to be altered or changed depending on ones taste. 

Trail Mix Squares

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1/4 cup (50ml) unsalted butter

4 cups (1L) miniature marshmallows

1/2 teaspoon (2ml) vanilla

5 cups (1.25L) Corn Flake cereal

1/2 cup (125ml) roughly chopped almonds or slivered almonds

1/3 cup (75ml) of each - chopped dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, unsalted sunflower seeds, flax seeds, dried coconut flakes sweetened or unsweetened, your choice.

Butter a 8 inch (2L) metal square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl mix the almonds, dried cranberries, dried apricots, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and dried coconut flakes together. Set aside. 

In a large heavy bottom saucepan, melt the butter over medium - low heat. Add the marshmallows, stirring until the marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Alternating, stir in the cornflakes and the dried fruit, seed, and nut mixture into the marshmallow mixture. Stir until everything is well coated. Using a warm wet knife or greased hands, press gently into prepared pan. Chill for 20 minutes or overnight before cutting into squares.

Notes: For more gooey trail mix squares add 5 cups of marshmallows rather than the 4 cups. 

Hope everyone is having a good week so far. - JD 

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Squares

Adding peanut butter instantly revives the traditional rice krispie treats. Adding a drizzle of chocolate on top finishes the accomplished culinary resurrection and brings it to chocolate peanut butter heaven. My mum would make these quite often and they were devoured quickly. Not always with chocolate on top because these are quite enjoyable when plain too. There are plenty of ways one can add different flavours or ingredients to this meek sweet treat. You just have to let your culinary creativity decide.  

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Squares

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1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup smooth no salt natural peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 package (400g) of mini marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispie cereal

Optional: Melted dark or milk chocolate for drizzling on top. 

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Set aside. 

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low to medium heat. Once melted stir in the marshmallows. Stir until melted.

Add the peanut butter and vanilla and stir until combined, remove from heat.

Stir in the rice krispies. When everything is coated nicely press into the prepared pan. Cool completely then cut into squares. Drizzle with melted chocolate, if you like. Allow to set. 

Have a good weekend everyone! - JD 

Roasted Chocolate Coated Chickpeas

A few weeks ago we managed to go to an annual craft fair here in E-town. We usually go to pick up some holiday treats and such. While we were cruising the aisles and multitude of vendors; tucked at the back was a modest Three Farmers booth. If you recall I did a post months ago regarding the Three Farmers Camelina oil. I picked up another one of their oils, roasted garlic and chili, and tried a sample of their chocolate coated chickpeas. They were quite good and I do recommend you try these. A different snack that offers 3 grams of protein and 3 grams of fibre, with 10% iron, and are gluten free!  

To find out more about Three Farmers click *here*

Hope everyone is surviving the Christmas rush. I am finishing the last little bits of baking. - JD

Chickpea Flour Crackers

I guess the chickpea flour was calling out to me from the pantry so I decided to make crackers. Savoury bite sized morsels for snacking or with soup. A bit of blue cheese or stilton on top would do nicely too.  

Chickpea Flour Crackers 

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1 cup flour

1 cup chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds*
1/2 teaspoon paprika*
1/4 cup grated parmesan
2/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup vegetable oil or light olive oil*

* You may want to try other ingredients such as cayenne, sunflower seeds, chives, turmeric, cumin, or curry powder.
* I used Camelina oil instead of vegetable oil or light olive oil. Coconut oil would also be a nice substitution.

Method:    

Pre-heat oven to 400ºF. Get a baking tray and set aside.   

In a large bowl, combine flour, chickpea flour salt, baking powder, poppy seeds, paprika, and parmesan cheese.

Stir in water and oil, mixing until a smooth dough forms. Divide the dough in two halves.

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a clean flat surface. Take one half of the dough and gently shape it into a square or a nicely compact rectangle. With a well floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a large square as thin as you can get it. Roughly about a 1/4 inch. You will have to keep re-flouring the rolling pin because the dough is soft and a bit sticky or lightly flour the top of the dough as you roll. 

Once the dough is all rolled out cut into small pieces using a knife or a pastry wheel cutter or a small cookie cutter. I used a pastry wheel cutter. Using a fork pierce all over the dough. This prevents the crackers from puffing up too much. Lift the parchment paper with the doughy crackers carefully over to the baking tray and place it on baking tray, parchment paper and all. Easy... no transferring onto the tray or greasing the tray. Repeat with the remaining dough. 

Bake until crackers are dry and golden... for about 10 -13 minutes. You may have to pull the really brown as they bake to prevent them from burning. Cool on wire racks, parchment paper and all, and store in an air tight container. 

What started out as a square became looking more like a geographical land mass. I rolled the dough as best I could. Cut it into squares and they were ready for the oven.  

After 13 minutes they were puffed up and browning nicely. However I found a few extra minutes helped to achieve a more toasted baked look. Easy to pull apart and crisp.

Have a good weekend everyone! - JD 

Camelina Oil & Roasted Chickpeas

The other day while at the butcher's I bought a bottle of Three Farmers - Camelina Oil. I was intrigued because I have never heard of Camelina oil or Three Farmers. It is a Canadian Company. The oil is high in Vitamin E and Omega-3. It has a smoke point of 475º and is Non-GMO. The flavour has subtle hints of asparagus with a bit of nuttiness. Which makes this perfect for salads and cooking. Each bottle has a traceable code on the back so that you may Trace Your Food on their website. I traced mine and found when the bottle I bought was seeded and harvested, growing conditions throughout the year, growing conditions upon harvesting and the farmer! This is a very interesting way to further connect the consumer with the product. Which reiterates the theme: Farm to Fork even more so. 

I made a salad dressing using the Camelina oil and it was absolutely tasty. One of my best salad dressings I have made so far. 

  

Who can resist anything maple, not  me. I bought their roasted chickpeas... in maple frosted. These are a great snack and wonderful to add to a salad. They are high in fibre, protein and magnesium. With a source of iron and Omega-3. They are also nut-free and gluten-free. They too come with a traceable code that provides more information on how the chickpeas are grown. 

For more information on Three Farmers and their products click *here*

- JD 

My Week In Food

This week was a particular busy one and I ended the weekend off or started the week, depends on how you look at it, with a roast beef dinner. Baby potatoes, carrots and mushy peas with lashings of gravy. 

Herb encrusted and done to perfection. Oven roasted at 325ºF for... depends on the size of the roast. The roast I had was just about 4 pounds in weight therefore it cooked for about 3 and 1/2 hours. 

Christmas baking got off to an earlier start. These chai shortbread were aromatically sound and delicious. Even more delicious with a cup of tea or coffee. 

Oh Christmas trees, Oh Christmas trees... my daughter had fun decorating these. 

Snack time! Found some exotic snacks at No Frill's. Masala Chana (Crispy Spicy Chickpea), Chatpata Dal (Hot and Sour treat of Gram) and Spicy Peanuts. Very spicy however very tasty and full of flavour.   

A comforting substantial dinner and a favourite of mine, pasta to keep one going during such a busy week. I made quite a bit so there are leftovers for tonights dinner. 

And at the end of it all... Camp coffee with Chestnut flavouring, steamed milk and a dash of cinnamon sugar. My cup does warmth over. 

Being pulled in many directions can be enlightening! Hope everyone has had a good week. - JW 

My Week in Food

We started off the long weekend with scrambled eggs. Slices of sausages, green peppers, green onion and dashes of cumin and paprika made this a hearty breakfast. A savoury way to start the day. 

Pumpkin Pie. Next to rice pudding and bread pudding this is so comforting and smooth. This is my son's favourite therefore no holiday would be complete without it. 

Hummus with Pita. Snacking and munching. Hummus is a favourite of mine. There are so many things you can add and have with hummus, that is why it is so appealing. Just blitz some chickpeas, tahini paste, crushed garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and a bit of water to make it all spreadable.  

I rarely and I mean rarely cook steak let alone red meat for that matter. And to be perfectly honest I wasn't quite sure on how to prepare and cook it. After much thought I decided to marinate it overnight in the following: ginger syrup, crushed garlic, honey, cumin, pepper and a pinch of salt. There were sweet hints of spiciness. Paired with Fortnum and Mason's Highgrove Spiced Fruit Chutney. Letting the contrasting flavours play with one another. 

Have a good weekend everyone! - JW  

Goats Cheese on Pumpernickel

Those brick like loaves of pumpernickel always fascinated me when I was a little girl. How did they condense all that bread into those thin slices? How does it toasts? Is this bread just for such gatherings where only fine finger food and champagne are served? Or is it more of an afternoon tea bread? I felt very compelled to buy such said loaf when I was browsing the aisles of the German Deli.

I made a round of these tasty morsels to share for lunch. Goats cheese on thin pumpernickel slices, cut in half and then cut in half again to make a square shape. Then I spread some champagne dill mustard on top of the cheese, added a radish, cucumber or tomato and then sprinkled summer savoury over all the prepared slices. I served them with a pot of Earl Grey tea. There are many options for dressing these pumpernickel slices. The possibilities are endless and you can get the kids involved. They will have loads of fun adding their favourite toppings. Enjoy your weekend! - JW  

Caramel Popcorn

I made caramel popcorn for a snack mostly because I was in a mood after a very draining morning this week and needed to create something in the kitchen. I wanted my energy to go elsewhere. The popcorn turned out alright however I feel that the amounts of butter and sugar could be tweaked. It was very sweet. That is why I served the caramel popcorn in small ramekin bowls. All first attempts are trails not failures... - JW

Caramel Popcorn
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1 cup of brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1/4 teaspoon of salt 
10 cups popped popcorn ( equals approximately 1/2 cup of unpopped popcorn kernels)
1 lined baking tray with waxed paper or parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a microwave safe bowl melt the brown sugar, butter, vanilla and salt. Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Then put the bowl back into the microwave for another 2 minutes. Now you could easily melt the brown sugar, butter, vanilla and salt in a pot on top of the stove, over medium heat. Stirring constantly. Making sure that the sugar has dissolved somewhat and nothing burns.  

Put the popped popcorn into a large ceramic bowl. Pour the hot melted mixture over the popped popcorn and stir until the syrup coats the popcorn. You have to work fast because the mixture tends to glob in places but no worries. 

Take the pre-lined baking tray and pour the coated popcorn onto the tray and place in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes. Checking after 5 minutes. When the time is up remove from the oven carefully. The tray will be hot. Then spoon into whatever serving bowl you desire and enjoy! 

You can shake some cinnamon on top before you serve or salt but I tend to steer clear of adding more salt than needed.  

        

Left Over Rice

I can't say this is another one of my new favourite snacks because I have made this, one of my favourite snacks, before. Made... well there isn't much to it really. You need to take some day old left over rice and place some in a dessert or cereal bowl. Pour heated milk over top and add some brown sugar with cinnamon. A sweet, filling comfort snack. Yesterday's late night snack had coconut sugar on top instead. It's like an instant rice pudding. You could possibly heat everything in a sauce pan on the stove but to be honest I have never done it that way. The microwave has been far too convenient. Now you just don't have to save the left over rice for fried rice anymore. - JW 

Seasnax

When I saw these my first thought was... hmmm... okay, how does it taste? Sometimes we try the new fandangled snack only to be left feeling a bit flat. I was intrigued to give them a try. I broke off a piece from the wafer thin sheet and let it melt in my mouth... waiting, pushing my skepticism aside... I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty these actually are. I even got my kidlets to try them and they were a little unsure at first, then quickly came around to them. They have original, chipotle and wasabi flavour. With *no* GMO's, trans fat, cholesterol, MSG and sugar. They have 4.5% vitamin A and 2.8% vitamin C! You can find them at Blush Lane Organic Market here in E-town. I was thinking that you could break the sheets up into pieces and add them to steamed rice for a bit of a flavour burst. -JW  

Wasabi Peas

These mighty nuggets I do like to snack on. You can buy them just about anywhere. The ones I bought in this picture here are organic wasabi peas and they pack a punch. More then tantalizing your taste buds instead stimulating your nose. Even though I do find them a bit on the salty side, once I start eating these I find it hard to stop. The crunchiness can be a bit additive. But eventually I do because the burning sensation takes over. I don't recall if these are roasted or fried. Regardless I still limit this snack.   
You probably know wasabi, the green paste on the side, when you order sushi. Wasabi is extremely hot and comes from the same family as cabbages, horseradish and mustard. It is said to contain powerful antioxidants, potassium and calcium. It is sold in two forms which are: as a root or a tube of paste. - JW  

Rainy Day Treat

This afternoon I was in the mood to make a quick treat. Taking a break from the routinely Rice Krispie squares... I decided to make these Golden Graham cereal treats. Think of a squashed down jumbled s'more. They are very sweet! Too sweet for my liking but I think I know some mouths who will jump for joy when they see these. I followed the recipe to the T and found that letting them set in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, as suggested, wasn't enough. I had to put my pan in the freezer. Regardless I am sure they won't be around for too long to worry about. - jw