Apple Spelt Biscuits

I needed something to act as a conduit for some jam-to-mouth activity. This biscuit served up just fine, caramalized ginger rhubarb jam made it safely into my tum-tum...

Makes 12 small biscuits.

1.5 cups white flour

1.5 cups spelt flour

1/4 cup margarine
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar of choice
2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup yogurt of choice

1 apple, peeled and grated

Put flours, margarine, salt, sugar and baking powder into a food processor. Pulse until margarine breaks up and a crumbly mixture forms. If not using a processor, simply use a large bowl and break up the margarine with a fork. Add in yogurt and apples, and pulse a few more times until a dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the container.

Turn out onto to a floured surface, and gently kneed for a minute. Roll out, cut into shapes. Please on a baking sheet that has been oiled with cooking spray. Bake for 18 mins at 350 degrees.

Per biscuit: 141 cals, 5g fat, 22g carbs, 666mg sodium, 3g fiber, 4g protein. (PRO12.9/9%,CHO83.2/59%,FAT45/32%)

Caramalized Ginger Rhubarb Jam

What started off as an accident turned into a delightful treat. I decided to be a little adventuresome and make a jam with crystalized ginger. I turned my back from the stove while the jam simmered, and started cleaning up a little - completely forgetting to check on the jam. The liquid had evaporated quickly, and the fruit was a little scorched to the bottom of the pan. I gave it a quick stir and taste, to discover it was now caramalized and taaaaaasty, I've never had a jam with a sharp ginger kick. Be careful, never take your eye off the jam like I did, but let this one boil down until it turns golden brown and starts sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Makes 5 x 125ml jars.

1/3 cup crystalized ginger, in small dice
rhubarb, thinly sliced - enough to make 4 cups
1 Tbsp lemon juice, fresh or concentrate

1 cup raw or white sugar

1/3 pouch liquid pectin

Sterilize jars and lids using this method.

Put fruit, ginger and sugar in a large pot, and boil for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep a careful eye on the jam, let it boil down until the fruit starts to scorch on the bottom of the pan. Use a splatter screen if you have one, or put the lid on partway - the mixture spits as it thickens, so be careful! At this point, if there is foam on top you could skim it off, but frankly I didn't bother. Stir in pectin and boil 1 minute more. By this point, your jam will have darkened considerably, into a golden brown.

Remove mixture from heat, ladle into jars and process in hot water bath following these directions for 10 minutes.

Per Tablespoon: 39 cals, 0g fat, 10g carbs, 2mg sodium, 0g fiber, 0g protein. (PRO0.462%,CHO37.7/97%,FAT0.3/1%)

South African Frikadelle

In search of something new to make for dinner, I came across some interesting recipes for African cooking. Below is my veg version of Frikadelle, a sort-of meatball dish based on Boerewors sausage. Here I combine TVP and gluten for texture, and the spices used lend a delicate and unique flavour. Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes...yum!

Makes 16 patties, enough for 4-5 servings.

1 faux beef bouillon cube

1 cup water

1 cup TVP

1/2 cup oats

1/2 Tbsp ground fennel

2 Tbsp coriander seeds

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 medium onion, cut into small chunks

1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp Worcerstershire sauce

2 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten

2 Tbsp of oil

Boil water and bouillon cube in a small pot, stir in TVP and remove from heat. Allow mixture to absorb liquid and cool a bit. Next put the oats and spices in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds, or until oats and coriander sheets are crushed into small pieces. Add the onion, fresh coriander, garlic, balsamic and Worcestershire and process for 1 minute, or until onions are pulverized into small pieces.

Add the TVP to the processor, along with the wheat gluten. Pulse for 30-45 seconds, or until a ball of dough forms. Turn out on to a floured surface, knead for 2 minutes or until mixture is smooth and uniform. Cut into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then flatten into a thick burger.

Heat oil, and fry in batches for 5-10 minutes. Flatten with a spatula as the frikadelle fries, remove when browned and place on a baking sheet that has been oiled with baking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes. 

Per patty: 100 cals, 1g fat, 7g carbs, 43mg sodium, 2g fiber, 17g protein. (PRO66.2/66%,CHO29/29%,FAT4.6/5%)

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

My first time making jam, and I'm so happy with how it turned out! I have a huge rhubarb plant in the backyard, just waiting to be turned into yummy sweet preserves.

I did some reading on how to cut back sugar in jams, and it turns out you can omit it altogether if you want to. Sugar does thicken your jam a bit, and add bulk, but it's technically not neccessary - unless you are using pectin, and then you need to keep your sugar and pectin at the correct proportions or the pectin will have no effect in thickening the jam. So, I ended up keeping the proportions, but simply cut back on both. My jam was just sweet and thick enough, but lower in calories and more fruity-tasting than if I'd added the usual amounts of sugar found in standard recipes. This one comes in at 35 calories per tablespoon...

Makes 7 x 125ml jars.

 strawberries, tops cut off and mashed - enough to make 2 cups
rhubarb, thinly sliced - enough to make 2 cups
1 Tbsp lemon juice, fresh or concentrate

1 cup raw or white sugar

1/3 pk liquid pectin

Sterilize jars and lids using this method.

Put fruit and sugar in a large pot, and boil for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use a splatter screen if you have one, or put the lid on partway - the mixture spits as it thickens, so be careful! At this point, if there is foam on top you could skim it off, but frankly I didn't bother. Stir in pectin and boil 1 minute more. By this point, your jam will have darkened considerably, into a glorious ruby color.

Remove mixture from heat, ladle into jars and process in hot water bath following these directions for 10 minutes.





Per Tablespoon: 35 cals, 0g fat, 0g carbs, 0mg sodium, 0g fiber, 0g protein. (PRO0.4/1%,CHO34.7/98%,FAT0.3/1%)

Steps for Making Jam

Last week I tried my hand at making jam for the first time. It went really well, and I was surprised by how easy it was, and how yummy. My recipes are reduced in sugar, in part because I'm looking to cut back on calories where I can but also because I love the natural taste of fruit, especially in a jam. Here are the basic steps and tools needed...

sterilizing: jars are first washed in sink or dishwasher, ensure all soap residue has been rinsed off. Bring a large pot of water to boil, I actually use my canning pot for this. Put jars in boiling water, ensure there are 3-4 inches of water to cover the tops, and boil for 10 minutes. Leave jars in water until you are ready to fill. Fill jars while jar and jam are hot, and if needed, wipe rims with a paper towel dipped in boiling water. Use the same method for your jar lids and screw bands, tongs and the ladle you'll be using to scoop your jam with.

canner: large deep kettle or pot with a rack or false bottom that keeps jars off the bottom of the pot, used to "process" jars in the "boiling water bath" method 

boiling water bath: fill canner with water, place jars in rack and ensure there is 2-3 inches of water to cover tops. Cover, and bring to boil. Set a timer for the allotted time required to process the jam or food being canned. Lower the heat a little, but ensure a boil is maintained, add more boiling water as needed. Note that some foods cannot be canned in this method, and require a pressure canner. Always consult the recipe carefully for canning instructions. 

tongs: use to lift lids and screw bands from hot water. In the pic here, you'll see a variety of tools for canning, I bought this set for about $13, it was really helpful.

wide mouth funnel: it fits inside the neck of the jar and keeps rims clean while filling with jam.

pectin: natural starchy substance found in fruit that causes jams/jellies to set. Not necessary in all recipes, but I found it helped create a smooth consistency. Available in liquid or crystal form.

  

 METHOD:

- put all jam ingredients into large cooking pot

- start the process of sterilizing your jars/lids/screw bands

- as jars/lids/screw bands are being sterilized, cook your jam

- the jam will be ready about the same time as the jars

   if not, bring it back to boil before filling

- remove a jar from the hot water, using sterilized tongs

- place funnel in mouth of jar, fill with jam, leave 1/4" header

- clean rim of jar as instructed above, if needed

- remove metal lid and screw band from boiling water

- place carefully on jar, tighten the screw band

- put jars in canner

- set timer

- remove jars once done processing

- listen for the lids to "pop", or check the tops of your jars, they should be concave (dip inwards) to show a tight seal has been achieved.

- any jars that have not sealed properly should be put in the fridge and used immediately