Sunday 21 September 2014

When Life Takes Over | Lemony Coconut & Cranberry Macaroons

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Wow! Its been about a minute since my last post. Hard to believe how times flies, but sometimes it just can't be helped - especially when life takes over. And in the time I have been AWOL, this blog marked its first anniversary.
In my last blog post, in what seems to feel like a lifetime ago - I confessed how the lovely change in season seems to be an undoing of my self-discipline.
Never mind though, my time away wasn't all about lazing about, but also working on some things that will be shared to all in due course. Watch this space ☺.
The fun part of every changing season, for any foodie, is the thrill of playing on the creativity with seasonal ingredients. So I have returned with a recipe for a quick and easy treat - Macaroons.
This is my version which I have fine tuned from different variations, so feel free to also make something else out of this, if you will.

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Ingredients
  • 130g Caster Sugar
  • 2 Eggs (Whites only)
  • 75g Dried Cranberries (roughly chopped)
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
  • 225g Desiccated Coconut
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • Zest of 1 Lemon (finely grated)
Method
  • Preheat oven to 180 degrees C
  • Line baking tray with baking sheet
  • In a large mixing bowl add sugar, egg whites, cranberries, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt, and them mix together
  • Add in desiccated coconut and mix together until well coated
  • Using your finger tips heap a table spoon size of the mixture
  • Mould it into a pointed triangular/pyramid mounds
  • Arrange the mounds on the lined baking tray - leaving enough space between each 
  • Place in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes until the edges are golden brown
  • Remove from oven and transfer on to a cooling rack
Makes 44 macaroons

Tip: Can be stored in air tight container for up to a week

Sunday 6 April 2014

Ramblings in Covent Garden


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Ok. So I haven't been feeling my kitchen lately, and I have a niggling suspicion that it might have to do with the longer daylight hours gradually creeping in. This now brings to fore my love for rambling through markets - particularly food markets.

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Sunday 30 March 2014

Fridge Clearout Recipe | Spicy Prawns Rice Mix

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There were two reasons to how I came about with this recipe:
  1. It was time for my fridge clearout. I sometimes refer to this as a cleanse
  2. I needed something hot and spicy to shift a head cold that suspiciously also feels like hay fever. #Springishere. 

Sunday 23 March 2014

Baking|| Banana Walnut Coconut Chocolate Bread

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Banana Walnut Coconut Chocolate Chip Bread
Well its officially now Spring and yep; you read it right and the title says it all. It's another version of Banana Bread folks. The third I have made by my count, which probably makes me bonkers for Banana Bread. One thing they all have in common though is that they have been well received by my privileged circle of critical tasters.
This version however turned out more moist and stickier in comparison with the previous ones I have made. So I recommend allowing it to stand for about an hour before slicing to avoid crumbling.

Sunday 16 March 2014

Tastes of Nostalgia:: Akara/Kosai (Fried Bean Cake)


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Akara (Fried Bean Cake)
Referred to as "akara" in southwestern and southeastern parts of Nigeria, and "kosai" in the northern parts. No matter what it is called, it is a very popular breakfast meal which is served alongside corn, millet or sorghum porridge called "ogi"

Sunday 9 March 2014

Baking:: Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

Cookies have been a while in coming back on this blog. Simple reason being that, everything just seemed "samey samey" to me. I find that now 6 months into blogging, I have somehow evolved into a form of snack snob - so hard to please!
Now oatmeal cookies have never been a favourite of mine; not sure why, but I think it has always seemed just so boring in flavour.

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Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
Whenever I have come across foods that waver within the precipice of not appealing to me, I always feel left out because I seem to be the only one in the universe who ever owns up to not liking the such foods. I mean there has to be someone else out there who finds oatmeal cookies a tad boring!

Thursday 6 March 2014

Ingredients :: Rooibos Tea (Aspalathus Linearis)

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Rooibos Tea Leaves
Jams have now featured twice on my blog within the last one month; the latest being the Raspberry & Rooibos Tea Jam. One thing both jam recipes did have in common was the mix of the usual jam ingredients with the unusual. As with my first jam recipe of Strawberry & Roselle Jam, whereby I later touched upon the benefits of the Roselle, I am now highlighting the benefits of the Rooibos tea from the Raspberry & Rooibos tea jam I made recently.
Rooibos tea, otherwise known as Redbush tea, is local South Africa - which was precisely where a dear friend sourced the one used for my jam making from. 
Originally frowned upon as "the poor man's tea", the world has now wisened up to the numerous and proven health benefits of the Rooibos tea, with the lack of caffeine increasing the benefits considerably. 

Cancer: 
Experiments conducted on laboratory rats have shown inhibitions in the growth of oesophageal cancer as well as significant reduction of pre-cancerous lesions

Cardiovascular Health:
Tests conducted on humans showed an increase in anti-oxidant levels in subjects' blood who consumed about 400ml/day; which inhibited the angiotensin converting enzyme associated with cardiovascular diseases

Cholesterol:
It's been proven to reduce the level of "bad cholesterol" while increasing the levels of "good cholesterol"

Mental Well-being:
The high mineral content and lack of caffeine helps to reduce anxiety and sleeplessness

Weight Loss:
It reduces the number and size of fat cells as well as lowering the serum cholesterol (fat in the blood)

Intestinal Inflammation:
The antioxidants soothes gut intestinal inflammation such as Colitis (Inflamed Colon)

In addition to the mentioned benefits, researches have also shown promising and exciting results so far in relation to diabetes - although this is more relatable to the Green Rooibos Tea which is unfermented. 

Sources
Komatsu K, Katro K, Mitsuda Y et al. Inhibitory effects of Rooibos Tea, Asphalathus Linearis, on X- ray induced C3H1OT1/2 cell transformation. Cancer Lett. 1994;77:33-8
Bramati L, Aquilano F, Pietta P. Unfermented Rooibos tea: quantitative characterization of flavonoids. J. Agric. Food Chemistry 2003;51:7472-4
Joubet E, Winterton P, Britz T J et al. Anti-oxidant and pro-oxidant activities of aqueous extracts and crude poly phenolic fraction of Rooibos (Aspathalus Linearis. J. Agric. Food Chemistry 2005;53:10260-7

Saturday 1 March 2014

Mini Crab Cakes | Conversation Starter

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Mini Crab Cakes

After the unusual December - February (weather-wise) that we've had in this neck of the wood, March seems to have finally arrived with some very late chill in the air. And at the beginning of last month I decided to take things easy after the hectic start of the year that I had. This included sticking with easy recipes for the blog, which I think worked out alright. I am thinking that March might be following along with that theme, but we'll just have to wait and see what how that intention pans out.

Wednesday 26 February 2014

Predictability of the Food Blogger | Raspberry Rooibos Jam


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Raspberry Rooibos Jam
It recently occurred to me - as a food blogger - how predictable gifts from loved ones have suddenly become. I mean opening up last Christmas presents almost felt like a walk through John Lewis' kitchen department....all foods, gadgets and utensils. I really appreciated them all and still working my way through them. Don't misunderstand what I am trying to say as some form of ingratitude, but just me wondering if this is how it's going to be henceforth. And my answer to myself was "I don't mind at all!!!".

Sunday 23 February 2014

Baking || Banana and Walnut Chocolate Bread

A couple of months back, I posted a recipe of one of my all time favourites - Banana Bread. Since that post, I have made Banana Bread countless times for myself, friends and colleagues. So effortlessly quick and easy to put together, I have worked on several variations trying to add some character to the current package. And I think I finally nailed it with the help of some staple ingredients in my kitchen.

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Banana and Walnut Chocolate Bread
In trying to incorporate the walnuts and chocolate chips into the recipe, I quickly realised that I had to make some slight variations to my original recipe. Of course the bonus of the recipe trials was the discovery of the hit show House of Cards.

Wednesday 19 February 2014

Apple & Avocado Slaw



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Apple & Avocado Slaw
Ever since I came across a recipe on a fellow Google Plusser's (+Shinae Choi Robinson) blog a couple of months ago I haven't stopped waxing lyrical about it. I even made it for Christmas dinner. I have made it several times since then and along the line, I have also made some variations here and there.Which brings me to today's recipe. You see I figured incorporating avocado into the original recipe would make an interesting texture combination. Verdict = It works!!!

Saturday 15 February 2014

Post Valentine Shake - Blueberry Banana Mix Smoothie Milkshake

All the chocolates and vino from the Valentine's day indulgence are probably still coursing through your veins, hence I thought it'd be a good idea to upload a post about one of my many smoothie shake recipes. I have already posted a few of my plain smoothie recipes which went down a treat with alot of my readers - Thank you so much for your warm feedbacks!!!

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Wednesday 12 February 2014

Roselle (Sorrel) + Strawberry Jam

Jams have always been a hard sell for me, mainly due to my reservations about the preservatives in most of the shop bought varieties and my indecisiveness in settling for a flavour preference with the home made ones I have tried. Hence I have always had it in the back of my mind to find that one flavour that would finally "hit the spot" with me.
Now enter in today's offering; which is a no-brainer really.
This is the third time that roselle has come up on this blog. So I decided to try out using the roselle I had left in my stock to try out this idea.

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Saturday 8 February 2014

Easy Courgette Crisps



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So while now gradually truding further into February, I am beginning to realise that the pace with which I started the year was on full blast. In hindsight, January was such a busy month for me as I had alot going on on my plate at the same time. Thankfully, I am able to now pause, even if for a moment, to appreciate, take stock and slow down a little.
Therefore in the spirit of all things slowed down , my culinary foray has been a translation of my recent laid back approach.

Wednesday 5 February 2014

Ingredients:: Roselle (Hibiscus Sabdariffa)

This is a follow up to my Sorrel Juice post a few months back when I promised to highlight the benefits associated with them.
To be honest, I have been putting off writing this for a while now, just because I am wary of my approach towards food being translated into some kind of health freakishness since my love for food and eating probably makes me the unlikeliest candidate for such a label. I mean health benefits would be the last thing on my mind if I came across a serving of meatloaf that has my name written all over it. Having said that though, the benefits of foods to our health and well-being is something that is now a part of our daily consciousness (and sub conscious) which is alright as long as food and eating is not treated as some form of self medication.

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For the sake of clarification: Sorrel (Rumex Acetosa) is not the same as Roselle (Hibiscus Sabdariffa). So even though the beverage is usually referred to as Sorrel Juice/Tea, it is actually made from the flowery waxy calyces of the Roselle and not the leafy Sorrel plant.The plant is native to a broad demograph of the world tropical regions, which spans across Australia, Nepal, Thailand, Africa, Middle East, Caribbean and even Latin America.

Health Benefits of Sorrel (Roselle) Juice:
While there are just loads and loads of health claims floating about about this amazing plant I am going to be minimalistic and stick with the basic scientifically proven facts.
  1. Antioxidants - It has high levels of flavonoids which controls harmful free radicals in the body. Your heart will thank you for this!
  2. Lowers Cholesterol 
  3. Antihypertensive 
  4. Reduces the symptoms of Cystitis and other Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) - Alot of women already vouch for the potency of cranberry juice to achieve this, but Sorrel Juice has been proven to be more effective
  5. Weight Loss - The production of amylase is inhibited; which is the enzyme that breaks down complex sugars and starches
  6. Mild Diuretic for water retention
  7. Vitamin C boost - It actually contains 3 times more Vitamin C than blackcurrant and 9 times more than other citrus fruits (Citrus Sinensis L)
Sources
McKay D.L., Chen C.Y., Saltzman E., Blumberg J.B. "Hibiscus Sabdariffa L tea lowers blood pressure in prehypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults". Journal of Nutrition, 2010 Feb: 140(2): 298-303.
Hausawadi C., Kawabata J., Kasai T. "Hibiscus acid as an inhibitor of starch digestion in the Caco-2 cell model system". Bioscience Biotechnology Biochemistry, 2001: 65: 2087-2089.
Carvajal-Zarrabal O., Haywood-Jones P.M., Orta-Flores Z., Nolasco-Hipolito C., Barradas-Dermitz D.M., Aguilar-Usang M.G., Pedroza-Hernandez M.F. "Effect of Hibiscus Sabdariffa L dried ethanol extract on fat absorption - excretion, and body weight implication in rats.
Cystitis and Overactive Bladder Foundation.

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Sunday 2 February 2014

January 2014 | Round Up

Well the "longest" month of the year is finally over. It was a pretty quiet month all round but with a lot of activity in my kitchen.
So as a way of looking over what I got up to, I decided to put it all together as a video montage of sorts. All foods highlighted in it are on the blog, so if you see something that catches your fancy, don't hesitate to go on my blog grab the recipe and have a go for yourself.





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Wednesday 29 January 2014

Review | Recipe | Balsamic Glazed Vegetable Meatloaf


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Balsamic Glazed Vegetable Meatloaf
Apart from working on creating my own recipe development, another favourite thing of mine in the kitchen is trying out other recipes.
So I couldn't believe I pulled this off the first time round. And it was so good, I made another batch the next day.
Meatloaf, for whatever reason has always seemed to be one of those foods that I just had the idea in my head that it was just too complicated to make. That was until I came across a recipe on Google+ by Jeanette Chen - you should should check out her blog for the exact recipe - that was like a revelation!

Saturday 25 January 2014

Tastes of Nostalgia | Chicken Gizzard Kebabs

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Chicken Gizzard Kebabs
Ok. I know the title says it all, but seriously, don't knock it till you've tried it. It's just like chicken feet which is very popular across a surprisingly broad demograph of cultures. You would never think that something that drab could be made to create an incredible fusion on the palate. Well the same principle applies to chicken gizzards - they can be amazing.
Well I thought since it has been a while since I last posted up a Taste of Nostalgia food, I thought I would inject some shock factor by way of return.

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Baking | Quickie | Almond Walnut Brownies

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Almond Walnut Brownies

Its amazing how creative I get when I am peckish. I was in one of my usual carb craving modes without really finding anything that I really wanted to snack on.
So I just dragged out all my baking stash and looked through what I had in stock. And this is what I came up.

Saturday 18 January 2014

Succulent Chicken Breasts



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The first time I came up with this recipe, I wasn't really sure what I was going to end up with, but chicken being one of those ingredients that even though might seem bland in it self is quite versatile to incorporate into other ingredients to give it some life. As it turned out, it was an effort definitely worthwhile and since then, it has become a familiar dish in my kitchen. This is so easy to make. Infact it basically makes itself, with the effort going only into putting the marinade together.
The fullness of the flavours in the chicken makes this dish easy to pair with a variety of accompaniments such as rice, bread, couscous etc. You decide what works best for you.

Wednesday 15 January 2014

Smoothie Run | One Week Diary - Endless Possibilities


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This has been highly requested off the back of my instagram, google+ and twitter postings. I was however a little bit reluctant just because I don't consider myself to be a "health buff "and I love my food too much to treat it like a medication (apologies folks but this is just my opinion). In other words, my palate is just to adventurous to be pigeon-holed. Therefore, my relationship with food just revolves around being sensible and enjoying everything.

Saturday 11 January 2014

Spicy Lamb Tagine | Christmas Present

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Tagine and Basmati Rice
Christmas now almost feels like a distant memory, and being my first one as a food blogger it seemed to make it easier - almost predictably - for family and friends to know what to treat me with by way of presents. One of such presents is what I used to conjure up this recipe - The Tagine. This was gifted to me by my Big Sis! Now I have always loved to indulge in tagines, but have never really been motivated to make it myself, because I just felt it would never turn out an epic fail. Besides it always seems to taste better when I eat out. 

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Ras el Hanout

Tuesday 7 January 2014

Baking:: That White Bread

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Baking my own bread is now somewhat a regular thing, especially this one. Kneading the dough is a perfect tension/stress release. It was a good thing then that I decided to make this batch while binge-watching the series of Mistresses......talk about frustration on overdrive! This bread keeps so well for about a week, and even longer if frozen.

Saturday 4 January 2014

Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Mustard & White Wine Sauce

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And so another year has begun and is now moving along. I am as always thankful for everything, including the weather that might otherwise dampen any mood.....good old January. As always there's food and talking about food to keep me happy.

Wednesday 1 January 2014

Baking:: Strawberry Layered Brownies

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Happy New Year. 2014 is finally here and I am looking forward to discovering what this year has to offer.
Well January is the time when everyone tries to get back on the health wagon after all the festivities, but I think we just have a little room to sneak this one in.
A combination of two of my favourite ingredients - strawberries and chocolate-  this is a dessert worth sharing.