APPLE AND RAISIN CHELSEA BUNS

"MAKES 16

PREP 30 minutes + 90 minutes rising

COOK 20-25 minutes + 15 minutes for filling

Ingredients

250g wholemeal flour

200g plain flour

20g caster sugar

7g sachet fast-acting yeast

50ml rapeseed oil (reserve 2 tsp to oil bowl and baking sheet)

1 egg, beaten

200ml milk, warmed to lukewarm (reserve dash to brush buns)

1 tsp honey

For the filling:

2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped

1 tbsp water

2 heaped tsp ground cinnamon

2–3 tsp granulated sweetener

70g raisins

Method

Mix the wholemeal and plain flour with the sugar and yeast. Make a well in the middle.

Add the oil, egg and half the milk. Mix well, gradually adding the rest of the milk until it comes together as a dough.

Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead for five minutes until it becomes elastic. Place into an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 1 hour to double in size.

Meanwhile, make the filling: add the apples to a pan with the water, cover and cook for 10 minutes over a low to medium heat, mashing with a fork occasionally until they are a soft pulp. Remove from the heat and add the cinnamon, sweetener and raisins. Mix well, cover and leave to cool.

‘Knock back’ the dough by shaping to its original size, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a rectangle, ½cm thick (approximately 48x30cm).

Spread the apple/raisin mixture over the dough, leaving a 2–3cm margin along the longest top edge.

Tightly roll the dough into a cylinder with the seam on the bottom, then cut into 16 pieces approximately 3cm thick.

Place the buns onto a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C /gas 4.

Brush the buns with the milk and bake for 20–25 minutes until risen and golden. Remove from the oven, brush with honey and allow to cool.

Chef's tips

You could use sultanas, currants or a mixture of dried fruit.Try adding some grated lemon or orange zest to the filling or use mixed spice in place of cinnamon".

Fonte e imagem: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Recipes/Apple-and-raisin-chelsea-buns/

APPLE CHARLOTTE

"SERVES 4
PREP TIME 10 minutes
COOK TIME 20 minutes

Ingredients

3 unpeeled apples, cored and grated

200ml apple juice

1 tbsp molasses sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

dash sunflower oil

4–5 slices wholemeal bread, crusts removed

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ gas mark 4. Add the apples to a saucepan with 100ml of apple juice and simmer until soft (4-5 minutes). Leaving the juice behind, place the apples in a bowl.

Add the molasses, sugar and cinnamon to the pan with the remaining 100ml of apple juice and gently melt the sugar, adding a little more juice if needed. Allow to cool, you should end up with around 100ml of syrup.

Rub the sunflower oil around a small pudding basin or ovenproof dish. Dip the bread in the apple syrup and use it to line the basin. Make sure there are no gaps.

Stir the egg yolk into the apple, then put the mixture into the bread-lined bowl.

Finally, top with more syrup-soaked bread and spoon on any remaining liquid. Bake for 20 minutes. Check after 15 minutes and if the top is very brown at the edges, place a piece of foil over it for the last 5 minutes.

Allow to stand for a few minutes, loosen the edges with a knife and carefully turn out onto a serving plate.

Chef's tips

Best served straight after cooking.Try serving with a little low-fat yogurt or half-fat crème fraiche."

Fonte e imagem: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Recipes/Apple-Charlotte/

APPLE STRUDEL

"SERVES 6
PREP 15 minutes
COOK 40 minutes

Ingredients

4 medium apples, unpeeled, cored and chopped

2 tbsp water

25g sultanas

25g dried apricots, chopped

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp almond extract

1 tbsp granulated sweetener

grated zest 1 orange

3 sheets filo pastry

7 squirts spray oil

Method

Preheat the oven 180°C/gas mark 4.

Add the apples to a pan with the water, cover, then simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring regularly until just soft.

Add the sultanas, apricot, cinnamon, almond essence and half the sweetener. Mix well and set aside.

Place a layer of pastry on a board and spray with two squirts of oil, then sprinkle with a third of the remaining sweetener. Lay another piece of pastry on top and repeat with two more sprays of oil and another third of the sweetener. Finally, repeat with the last sheet of pastry, oil and remaining sweetener.

Spread the apple mixture over three-quarters of the pastry, leaving the top quarter free, then sprinkle with orange zest.

Fold the top length of pastry over the apple mixture and roll the strudel over to completely cover the filling. Fold in the edges to prevent the filling from leaking out and roll the strudel over again, so the fold is at the bottom. Place on a baking sheet and spray with oil.

Heat in the oven for 20–25 minutes, until the pastry is lightly browned.

Serve with a dollop of yogurt, or non-dairy soya alternative, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Chef's tips

Try using pears in place of apples, or adding a few blueberries or blackberries".

Fonte e imagem: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Recipes/Apple-Strudel/

Blackberry & apple pie

Fotografia: David Loftus

"This is the best apple pie in the world. You can't go wrong with Bramley cooking apples, delicious blackberries and stem ginger. The cooking time can depend on how freshly picked the apples are, so the best thing is to cook them until they're softened first. And I don't know if you've noticed this, but blackberries in shops never seem to taste of anything these days unless they've just been picked from a local grower – so do try to get fresh ones if you can, or pick your own straight from the bush!

Nutritional Information - Amount per serving:

• Calories 668kcal
• Carbs 79.0g
• Sugar 35.5g
• Fat 33.9g
• Saturates 20.2g
• Protein 9.6g

Ingredients

• 1 old-fashioned sweet shortcrust pastry recipe
• 50 g butter, plus extra for greasing
• 100 g golden caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 2 large Bramley apples, cored, peeled and each cut into 16 wedges
• 4 Cox apples, cored, peeled and each cut into 8 wedges
• 1 heaped tablespoon chopped stem ginger in syrup
• 150 g blackberries
• 1 large free-range egg, beaten
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

First, make your pastry dough, wrap it in cling film and rest it in the fridge for at least half an hour. Then preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Put the butter and sugar into a saucepan and, when the butter has melted, add the apples, stem ginger and a tablespoon of the ginger syrup. Slowly cook for 15 minutes with a lid on, then add the blackberries, stir and cook for 5 more minutes with the lid off.

Meanwhile, remove your pastry from the fridge. Dust your work surface with flour, cut the pastry in half and, using a floured rolling pin, roll one of the pieces out until it's just under 1cm thick. (Rolling the dough between two layers of greaseproof paper will also stop it sticking to your rolling pin.) Butter a shallow 26cm pie dish and line with the pastry, trimming off any excess round the edges using a sharp knife.

Tip the cooled apples and blackberries into a sieve, reserving all the juices, then put the fruit into the lined pie dish so you have a mound in the middle. Spoon over half the reserved juices. Brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg. Roll out the second piece of pastry, just as you did the first, and lay it over the top of the pie. Trim the edges as before and crimp them together with your fingers. Brush the top of the pie with the rest of the beaten egg, sprinkle generously with sugar and the cinnamon, and make a couple of slashes in the top of the pastry.

Place the pie on a baking tray and then put it directly on the bottom of the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. To serve, slice the pie into portions and serve with a generous dollop of custard".

Fonte e imagem: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/blackberry-and-apple-pie

Batata Doce Frita

"Happy Herbivore, de Lindsay Nixon
 

Serve quatro pessoas.

Ingredientes: 

• ¾ colheres-de-chá de alecrim seco
• 2 batatas doces médias, descascadas e cortadas em cubos
• 1 maçã, descascada e cortada em cubos
• Sal
• Pimenta preta moída

Instruções: 

Aqueça o formo a 200.º .

Forre uma forma com papel.

Triture o alecrim num almofariz, até obter a textura de sal grosso.

Lave os cubos de batata doce e de maçã. Elimine a água em excesso, deixando-as húmidas.

Polvilhe com o alecrim, o sal e a pimenta; misture com as mãos.

Coloque a mistura no tabuleiro, distribuindo por forma a não sobrepor os cubos.

Asse 15 a 25 minutos, até estarem cozidas e crocantes. Pode ligar o grelhador um a dois minutos, tendo o cuidado de não queimar".

Fonte e imagem: http://www.forksoverknives.com/sweet-potato-home-fries/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Newsletter110612

HOT AND SOUR NOODLES

"Ingredients:
• 425g medium egg noodles
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 Bramley Apples; quartered, cored and sliced
• 1 red chili; chopped
• (290g) tray Chinese style stir fry vegetables
• 150g cooked large king prawns
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil


Directions:
1) Soak the noodles according to packet instructions
2) Drain and set aside.
3) Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok, add the Bramley apple slices and stir fry for 3mins or until browned.
4) Transfer to a plate.
5) Add the chili, stir fry vegetables and prawns to the pan and stir fry for 2 mins.
6) Return the apple slices and noodles to the pan, stir well.
7) Add the soy sauce and sesame oil and toss to mix. Serve in bowls."

Fonte e imagens:
http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/lifestyle/recipes/174516/hot-and-sour-noodles.html

Best Foods For Your Buck

Notas:
Os ovos deverão ser "Ovos Omega-3", encontrados em muitos supermercados, incluindo o Minipreço/Dia. Ovos de galinhas criadas ao ar livre, ou ovos biológicos, também possuem um índice de Omega-3/Omega-6 equilibrado.
Todos os alimentos abaixo indicados são escolhas saudáveis, para a nossa alimentação e para o ambiente.



"Plan your menus around healthy, nutrient-packed staples that won’t give you sticker shock at the checkout.
Make the most of your grocery budget by stocking up on these versatile natural foods that are good for your health and wallet.

Peanut butter

Why it's a 10 best:This popular pantry item offers protein and heart-healthy unsaturated fats.
 Use it it: Snacks, sandwiches, sauces, and baking goods.

Eggs

Why they're a 10 best: Eggs are a good source of lean protein, and also contain vitamin B12, riboflavin and phosphorus.Use them in: Omelets, frittatas and salads

Oats

Why they're a 20 best: This grain helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Use them in:  Baked goods, breakfast and to stretch ground-meat dishes

Apples

Why they're a 10 best: This fruit is a good source of vitamin C and is full of both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Use them in: Salads and baked goods; as a snack

Spinach

Why it's a 10 best: This leafy green is loaded with vitamins (A, C, K and folic acid) and manganese.
Use it in: Salads, pasta dishes, casseroles, soups and stews

Beans

Why they're a 10 best: This tasty staple provides lean protein that’s full of fiber, calcium, folic acid and iron and other minerals.
Use them in: Salad and stews

Frozen vegetables

Why they're a 10 best: They provide fiber and an array of nutrients, depending on which veggies you buy.
Use them in: Sides and casseroles

Sweet potatoes

Why they're a 10 best: These spuds are very filling (because they contain fiber) and a source of vitamins A and B6.
Use them in: Main and side dishes

Brown rice

Why it's a 10 best: Brown rice is a whole grain and a source of vitamin B6, magnesium, copper, zinc and manganese.
Use it in: Soups, salads and side dishes "

Fonte:
http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/398/10-best-foods-for-your-buck/

Q. Organic—or Not? Is Organic Produce Healthier Than Conventional?

 "A. There are at least two good arguments for eating organic: fewer pesticides and more nutrients. Let’s start with pesticides. Pesticides can be absorbed into fruits and vegetables, and leave trace residues. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, pored over the results of nearly 51,000 USDA and FDA tests for pesticides on 44 popular produce items and identified the types of fruits and vegetables that were most likely to have higher trace amounts. Most people have no problems eating conventionally grown produce but if you feel strongly about pesticide residues, the EWG’s list below should help you shop.
As for nutrients, in 2007 a study out of Newcastle University in the United Kingdom reported that organic produce boasted up to 40 percent higher levels of some nutrients (including vitamin C, zinc and iron) than its conventional counterparts. Additionally, a 2003 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that organically grown berries and corn contained 58 percent more polyphenols—antioxidants that help prevent cardiovascular disease—and up to 52 percent higher levels of vitamin C than those conventionally grown. Recent research by that study’s lead author, Alyson Mitchell, Ph.D., an associate professor of food science and technology at the University of California, Davis, pinpoints a potential mechanism to explain why organic techniques may sometimes yield superior produce.
It’s a difference in soil fertility, says Mitchell: “With organic methods, the nitrogen present in composted soil is released slowly and therefore plants grow at a normal rate, with their nutrients in balance. Vegetables fertilized with conventional fertilizers grow very rapidly and allocate less energy to develop nutrients.” Buying conventional produce from local farmers also has benefits. Nutrient values in produce peak at prime ripeness, just after harvest. As a general rule, the less produce has to travel, the fresher and more nutrient-rich it remains.
A 2008 review by the Organic Center of almost 100 studies on the nutritional quality of organic produce compared the effects conventional and organic farming methods have on specific nutrients. The report’s conclusion: “Yes, organic plant-based foods are, on average, more nutritious.”
Bottom line: “Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables in general is the point,” says Mitchell. If buying all organic isn’t a priority—or a financial reality for you—you might opt to buy organic specifically when you’re selecting foods that are most heavily contaminated with pesticide and insecticide residues.

Preferably Organic —Most Commonly Contaminated*
Peaches Apples Sweet Bell Peppers Celery Nectarines Strawberries Cherries Kale Lettuce Grapes - Imported Carrots Pears
If Budget Allows, Buy Organic Collard Greens Spinach Potatoes Green Beans Summer Squash Peppers Cucumbers Raspberries Grapes - Domestic Plums Oranges Cauliflower Tangerines Mushrooms Bananas Winter Squash Cantaloupe Cranberries Honeydew Melon Grapefruit It’s Your Call —Least Commonly Contaminated Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes Broccoli Watermelon Papaya Eggplant Cabbage Kiwis Sweet Peas - Frozen Asparagus Mangoes Pineapple Sweet Corn - Frozen Avocadoes Onions *Listed in order of pesticide load Source: Environmental Working Group. Go to foodnews.org for updates." Fonte e imagem: http://www.eatingwell.com/food_news_origins/green_sustainable/organic_or_not_is_organic_produce_healthier_than_conventional?utm_source=YahooBlog_Brierley_15OrganicFoodsYouCanSaveOn_030210

What's Fresh: Trying to save money? 15 foods you don’t need to buy organic

By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D.
"Although I enjoy the grocery store (maybe it’s because I’m a dietitian that I love checking out new products and comparing food labels), lately my husband is doing our grocery shopping.
His budget-friendly buys are great for our bank account. But they don’t always align with my interest in eating organically. We don’t buy everything organic, but pesticides can be absorbed into fruits and vegetables, leaving trace residues, and I’d prefer to not eat pesticides. Long-term exposure to them has been associated with cancer, infertility and neurologic conditions, such as Parkinson’s. (Here are 4 ways to reduce your exposure to pesticides.)
Anyway, one day he called me from the produce aisle. Andy wanted to know what on the list he truly needed to buy organic and what he could skimp on and buy conventional. (Does organic produce have more nutrients? Find out here.)
Fortunately, the Environmental Working Group (EWG, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization) has identified 15 fruits and vegetables that are least likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues. I told him to save money and buy those conventional:

1. Asparagus
2. Avocado
3. Broccoli
4. Cabbage
5. Eggplant
6. Kiwi
7. Mango
8. Onions
9. Papaya
10. Pineapple
11. Sweet corn (frozen)
12. Sweet peas (frozen)
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Tomatoes
15. Watermelon

EWG also identified 12 fruits and vegetables that are most likely to have higher trace amounts of pesticides. We buy organic:

1. Apples
2. Carrots
3. Celery
4. Cherries
5. Grapes (imported)
6. Kale
7. Lettuce
8. Nectarines
9. Peaches
10. Pears
11. Sweet bell peppers
12. Strawberries"

Fonte e imagem:
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/whats-fresh-trying-to-save-money-15-foods-you-don-t-need-to-buy-organic-999969/

Basic Pancake Recipe

"Sift 125g plain flour into a bowl. Make a well in the centre, crack in an egg and gradually pour in 300ml skimmed milk. Whisk gently, using a balloon whisk, until you have a lump-free batter. Set aside for 20 minutes. Heat a small, non-stick frying pan and wipe with a little sunflower oil. Pour the batter into a jug and add enough mixture to coat the base of the pan. Cook for around one minute on each side, pile onto a plate and keep warm in a low oven until all the pancakes are cooked.

Makes 12 pancakes.

Nutritional information: 54 calories, 1g fat and 9g carbs (½ Unit) per pancake.

Breakfast

• Roll your pancake up with a banana inside
• Top with chopped fruit and natural yoghurt
• Top the pancake with berries such as blueberries - you can add these to the batter in the pan
• Use up to a half wholemeal flour for a heartier brekkie

Dinner

• Use pancakes instead of lasagne or cannelloni and fill with meat, cheese or vegetables and pasta sauce
• Fill with pieces of chicken or duck (drain off excess fat) and top with sliced cucumber, spring onions and plum sauce for an oriental touch
• Fill with spinach, sundried tomatoes, a little feta cheese and flavour with chopped mint
• Use in place of a tortilla wrap for chilli or fajitas

Dessert

• Top with fruit and fromage frais or Greek yoghurt
• Serve with frozen yoghurt or sorbet

• Drizzle over honey or full fruit jam and lemon juice
• Fill with apple sauce and raisins with a sprinkling of cinnamon"

Fonte:
http://www.guardianeatright.co.uk/news/article.cfm?article_id=1505&code=27101