jump to navigation

a protein-filled dessert September 8, 2010

Posted by molly in : desserts , 3comments

this recipe has been in my bookmarks for ages and this week i finally made it: chickpea blondies, courtesy of the brilliant blog ‘have cake, will travel’. i couldn’t have ever imagined how these things would taste based on the ingredients, but i’m telling you: throw everything you think you know about chickpeas out the window. this is a sweet, succulent dessert that bears absolutely no resemblance to its main ingredient.

the flavors that really stand out are in the peanut butter and strawberry fruit spread used, making them more like pb&j bars than blondies. another description i heard was “dessert falafels” :) – so i guess they could be called whatever you want.

it’s probably the healthiest dessert i’ve ever made without tasting like it. not only are you getting all of that wonderful protein and fiber from the chickpeas, it’s also completely gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, and there is absolutely no refined sugar. the sweetness comes from the fruit spread and some agave nectar. yum! try making these in a spare half hour – it couldn’t be easier and you could do a lot worse for a midday snack.

chickpea blondies

makes 12-15 individual squares; adapted from a recipe by ‘have cake, will travel’

the particulars:

  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/3 cup agave nectar
  • 1/2 cup organic strawberry fruit spread
  • 1/4 cup organic crunchy peanut butter
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup milled flaxseed
  • 2 tbsp gluten-free plain flour (i used dove’s farm brand)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  1. heat the oven to 350f (gas mark 4). lightly coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
  2. in a food processor, combine all ingredients and blend until perfectly smooth.
  3. pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
  4. cool in the pan completely before slicing.

molly’s muesli September 7, 2010

Posted by molly in : breakfast , 2comments

who’s up for some morning muesli? the photo below displays my usual breakfast of goat’s yogurt, fresh fruit, and muesli, sprinkled with milled flaxseed and maca powder. the muesli used to be jordan’s or dorset cereals brand, but now i make my own. why? because at £3.99 a box, the branded mueslis were getting a little pricey for my everyday consumption. now i can make double the size of those boxes at half the price – plus i can mix and match what i want to go into my muesli with each batch.

one thing i’ve noticed about big cereal brands is their reliance on wheat flakes and oats as a base. instead, i use spelt flakes. they taste and feel exactly the same as wheat flakes. the only issue is that they do contain gluten – far less than wheat flakes, but they wouldn’t be acceptable for someone with celiac disease. so i recently picked up a bag of guaranteed gluten-free oats and will try those in the next batch.

since having this breakfast every day, i have found that i have far more energy in the mornings, and stay full until lunch without needing a snack in between. i know a lot of people say this about their breakfasts, but trust me – i couldn’t live without my mid-morning snack and now i manage without one just fine.

in the summer, it is ideal as it doesn’t weight you down like porridge or oatmeal can. in the winter, you can switch back to a hot cereal, but i’d recommend experimenting with different bases rather than oats. try hot quinoa – either made as normal or try quinoa flakes, which act just like porridge oats. i’ve also seen millet flakes for sale at health food stores, serving the same purpose. the key, though, is to combine these bases with plenty of protein, fresh fruit, and some variety of nuts and seeds for vitamins and minerals.

the flaxseed and maca are added extras to sprinkle on, and aren’t to be included in the muesli as they need to be sealed and refrigerated for freshness. however, these two are absolute powerhouses and provide a plethora of health benefits in just one teaspoon-sized amount.

when ground up, flaxseed is much more easily digested, so try and buy a ready-milled version (or you can grind your own in a coffee grinder or food processor). the biggest contribution flax can make to your diet is omega-3 fatty acids. it also provides a decent amount of fiber. what you will notice most on a day-to-day basis is the way it can balance your blood sugar levels, lessening the severity of diabetes but also allowing you to avoid those terrible energy crashes in between meals.

if you don’t fancy making your own, be sure to look out for muesli that doesn’t contain any added sugar and uses mostly (if not all) organic ingredients. the purer the ingredients, the better!

now the fun part: would anyone be interested in trying my homemade muesli? please email me (molly at the particular kitchen dot com) and i’d be happy to talk about making you some “molly’s muesli” to try. at the moment, i think i’ll only be able to do this for readers based in the uk (sorry, americans!) – but who knows what the future holds? i’d love to hear what you think!

molly’s muesli

makes a 1 month supply, assuming you have a 1/2 cup every morning

the particulars:

all products used in this mixture are organic and raw.

straight from the tuscan sun September 6, 2010

Posted by molly in : italian, pasta , add a comment

this morning, i was reading the guardian’s word of mouth blog (a favorite) and saw this great post on holiday food and how it translates back at home. it got me thinking about our recent italy trip and how we have been eating some lovely italian meals even since coming home, just to hold onto the holiday feeling!

i love bringing back food items from abroad. after my holiday in greece back in july, i stocked up on halva, olive tapenade, and some of the complimentary turkish delights they had at our hotel before boarding the plane home. in italy, the bits and pieces we brought home were a bit more sophisticated and healthy! i nabbed a small tin of olive oil and an even smaller bottle of truffle oil at the airport, but in castelnuovo (the nearest town to our villa), i picked up a bag of spice mix, found all over tuscany and used for the simplest pasta dish.

we’ve been using this stuff like mad ever since our return. in case you don’t read italian, the ingredients are: parsley, garlic, chili pepper, and salt. that’s it! all nicely chopped and dried and ready to be thrown in some olive oil before tossing with your favorite pasta. we decided to use ours with some prawns – it gives just the right amount of heat and flavor – and served with a pear and goat’s cheese salad.

i thought that you could only find this stuff on italian soil, but it turns out (at least here in london) you can find it in loads of places. try an italian deli – i know of a couple around london. also, i’ve heard there is a stall at borough market which sells it. but hunt it down and keep it in your kitchen for those last-minute meals!

spicy prawn pasta with pear & goat’s cheese salad

serves two

the particulars:

  • 250g of your favorite pasta (we used spelt fusilli)
  • 1 packet of cooked and peeled prawns
  • 2-3 tbsp spice mix (or make your own using dried parsley, dried garlic, sea salt, and chili flakes)
  • several glugs of good olive oil
  • 2 handfuls mixed salad leaves
  • 1 pear, chopped into cubes
  • 1 tbsp soft goat’s cheese, crumbled
  • dressing: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, pepper
  1. cook the pasta according to packet instructions (should not take more than 10 minutes once the water is boiling). in the meantime, heat up a frying pan with some olive oil and the spice mix. once sizzling, add your prawns and toss until nicely browned on either side (careful not to burn the dried herbs).
  2. drain the pasta and toss with the prawn mixture. add more olive oil if necessary.
  3. toss the salad leaves, pear, and goat’s cheese together with the dressing and serve with the hot pasta! grate parmesan on top if you would like.

new grains, old grains September 3, 2010

Posted by molly in : italian, risotto , 3comments

very often, we eat what we’re given – what’s abundant and available. i know this to be very true in the states, but it’s also increasingly the case in england. this is odd, considering the proximity to europe and all of the diverse foods found therein. so it came as a bit of a shock when i had to track down farro in london. farro is to italians what spelt is to us – same thing, different name. it’s an ancient grain which we find most often in flour, bread, or pasta form. i happen to LOVE spelt pasta and flour – it has the exact same consistency as regular wheat flour but is much easier on the digestive system and is far better for your health. let’s take a look at some health benefits of spelt/farro (and other whole grains):*

while on vacation in tuscany, we came across farro salads everywhere – similar to the quinoa salads we love to make at home. once i tracked down a bag of farro back home in london, i thought it would make a nice substitute for rice in a risotto-type dish. and after a bit of googling, it seemed i wasn’t the only one with that idea! farro risotto is everywhere – but the word “risotto” is a bit misleading. it is nothing like the consistency, texture, or flavor of a typical risotto, and it certainly isn’t made in the same way. but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a wonderful dish for dinner. with autumn fast approaching, give it a try (if you can find some farro for yourself!) – but if you can’t find the whole grain, pick up a bag of spelt pasta or spelt flour and try it instead of the regular stuff next time you’re having an italian dinner or baking something delicious. you might love it!

here’s my first attempt at farro risotto – it’s a definite keeper. the nuttiness of the farro combined with the slight sweetness of the squash and the punch of herby goodness? it all works together really well. even phil loved it and he’s a risotto fanatic.

farro risotto with butternut squash

serves two; recipe adapted from good housekeeping

the particulars:

  • olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup farro (could use brown rice instead – increase stock amount)
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 2/3 cup vegetable stock in boiling water
  • 1/8 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/8 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • optional: 1/8 tsp chili flakes
  1. in a large skillet or wok (which has a lid), add some olive oil, the onion, and salt & pepper. cook until the onion is tender.
  2. add the farro and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly
  3. add the white wine and cook until absorbed
  4. pour in the hot vegetable stock, thyme, and rosemary. cover with a lid and heat to boiling point. then stir in the butternut squash pieces and reduce the heat. cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the farro is just tender (mixture will be soupy). you may need longer depending on the type of farro you have.
  5. uncover and cook 1-2 minutes longer over a very high heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid is absorbed. remove from heat and stir in the parmesan, parsley, and red chili flakes (if using).

* i am not a medical professional, but i am studying to become a nutrition consultant. if you have any questions or would like any more information, please feel free to email me or leave a comment. any nutrition advice i offer on the blog is supplemental to any medication you may be taking for a pre-existing condition.

biscuit gifts September 1, 2010

Posted by molly in : desserts , 3comments

when you’re invited around to someone’s house for dinner for the first time, what do you bring?

flowers? a bottle of wine? or do you make something either to accompany the meal or as a thank you?

last night, phil and i had dinner with a family of 5, the middle child of which will be phil’s newest student this school year. at his school, it is an unspoken tradition to invite the new tutor around for dinner to get to know the parents as well as the child a bit better.

this is my second time being invited along as phil’s date :) and i wanted to make a good impression, so i decided to bake some cookies as a present. we don’t need to talk about how i ate 4 of them during the day because they were slightly burnt. no we don’t.

the cookies were based on a recipe i saw in the most recent issue of delicious magazine, although i put my “particular” spin on them, as usual. they are very crumbly, as they are essentially shortbread cookies with a hefty crunch. if you’d prefer yours to be perfect circles, simply cool the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before rolling out and using a cookie cutter. however, i like things a bit rough around the edges, rustic-looking, so i hand-formed the cookies and pressed them down with the back of a fork. which gives them a nice little flourish… even if they are a little burnt.

hazelnut shortbread cookies

makes approx. 20 cookies

the particulars:

  • 1 cup shelled hazelnuts
  • 3/4 cup goat’s butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups plain gluten-free flour
  • pinch of salt
  1. heat the oven to gas mark 5 / 375F. spread the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for 10 minutes until golden. remove and spread out on a tea towel – wrap up and roll around with the palms of your hands to remove any excess shell/skin. pulse in a food processor until finely chopped.
  2. beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. mix the flour and salt and sift into the butter and sugar. add the hazelnut pieces and stir.
  3. with your hands, bring the dough together. at this point, you can place the dough back in the fridge to cool and roll out. otherwise, start separating the dough into small pieces.
  4. on two cookie sheets lined with greaseproof paper, place the cookies, evenly spaced and pressed down with your palm. with the back of a fork, create an indentation in the center of each cookie (if you want!) – bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until lightly golden. do not leave for too long – they will harden as they cool, do not go by touch to determine their “done-ness”.
  5. cool on the trays, and sprinkle with icing sugar to serve.