Polenta, Capsicum and Sweet-potato Muffins

16th Sep 2011

These healthy muffins make a great daytime snack, and they’re easy to take with you when you’re on the go.

Ingredients
 
1/2 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
1/2 cup self-raising flour
2/3 cup polenta
2 tablespoons fresh chives
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped red capsicum
250 grams sweet potato, peeled and grated
1 egg
1 cup low-fat milk

Method
 
Preheat oven to 200°C. Beat the egg and milk together in a bowl, then set aside. Combine all the other ingredients in a bowl, then mix the egg and milk mixture through the dry ingredients. When everything is combined, spoon the mixture into a greased muffin tray. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.

Source: Your Life's Choice 


My Own Tip: Adjust the seasoning if you feel the taste is not to your liking. The secret is in the tastebuds.

Feather Light Scone

Ingredients for 2

1 egg
2 Tablespoon sugar
30 grams butter
3/4 cup milk
2 cups Self-Raising Flour
pinch of salt

Method:

1. Beat and egg and sugar together until thick in a small bowl
2. Sift together flour and salt in large bowl
3. Melt butter
4. Make well in flour
5. Stir in the egg mixture and butter
6. Add enough milk to make a soft-non-sticky dough
7. Turn onto a lightly floured board
8. Knead lightly to make a smooth dough
9.  Pat out to about 3cm depth
10. Cut using plain scone cutters
11.  Place onto papered tray touching each other
12.  Brush tops with milk
13.  Bake in hot oven for 1-12 minutes at 270 degrees centigrade
14.  Allow to cool.

Source: Lily's School Note

Perfect Roast Potatoes

Ingredients

* 2kg medium desiree potatoes
* 1 / 3 cup vegetable oil
* Salt and pepper, to taste
* Sour cream, to serve

Method

1. Peel and cut in half desiree potatoes. Place in a large saucepan of cold water. Bring to boil. Boil until almost tender. Drain. Return potatoes to hot saucepan. Shake pan, over low heat, to give potatoes a rough surface. Add oil. Shake well to coat.
2. Transfer potatoes to a large, preheated baking dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cook in a very hot oven (240C) for about 40 minutes, turning occasionally, or until potatoes are golden and crisp.
4. Serve potatoes with sour cream.

Serves: 6

Source: Internet

Golden Syrup Dumplings

 

Ingredients
1 cup self raising flour
Pinch salt
1 dessertspoon butter
1 egg
little milk
SYRUP ingredients
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 dessertspoons butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup

Method
Sift flour and salt into basin. Rub in butter.
Beat egg and add to flour to make a dry dough.
Roll dough into small dumplings (size of a small walnut) between your hands.
Place all ingredients for syrup into 4 pint saucepan, and heat until boiling.
Add dumplings all at once.
Cook gently 15-20 minutes (put them on as you serve the first course of your meal).
Serve with vanilla icecream (NOT low fat) and cream.

Source: Your Life Choices

Lutefisk (dried cod treated with lye)

  Another recipe from Norway as found from Life's Choices:

Lutefisk (dried cod treated with lye)
Don’t be put off by this strange sounding delicacy. Although there are many steps to this dish, your efforts will be rewarded.
Lutefisk must surely be the strangest culinary effort credited to the Norwegians, but what a treat when prepared properly. Everyone of course is not a devotee of lutefisk, but those who are defend it vehemently. Others go to the opposite extreme and claim it’s a national disgrace. In years past, the homemaker had to go through the complicated task of treating the dry fish with lye, but now frozen lutefisk is readily available at selected fish markets and at Scandinavian delicatessens.

Cooking lutefisk the old fashioned way:
Do not cook in aluminium vessels as it will darken the pot.
Slice lutefisk into serving sized pieces.
Use three level tablespoons salt to each litre of water. Bring water to boil, add salt and return to boil.
Add fish and again return to boil, then remove from the heat. Skim, and let fish steep for 5 to 10 minutes depending on thickness. Serve at once.

Without adding water:
Slice the lutefisk into serving sized pieces into a pot.
Season each pound of fish with 1/2 tablespoon of salt and place over low heat. This allows the water to be “drawn” out.
Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
Let steep 5 to 10 minutes. Serve at once.

Baking in foil:
Heat oven to 205 degrees C.
Skin side down, arrange lutefisk on a sheet of double aluminium foil and season with salt. Wrap foil tightly around the fish and place on a rack in a large pan and bake 20 minutes. Cut corner from foil and drain out excess water. Serve at once.
Lutefisk with a firm texture can be obtained by first sprinkling with coarse salt and allowing to stand several hours. Rinse well in cold running water, and soak in unsalted water. Then cook or bake as desired.
Lutefisk must be served hot on piping hot plates. Accompaniments vary from bacon or pork drippings, white sauce, mustard sauce, or melted butter which seems to remain a favourite. Boiled and steamed potatoes, stewed whole, dry green peas are a must as a vegetable accompaniment. The only other necessary additions are freshly ground pepper, and flatbread. In some parts of Northern Norway, lutefisk is served with melted goat cheese.

Kj¢ttkaker (meatballs)

A taste of Norway from Life Choices web

Tempt your tastebuds with a highlight of traditional Norwegian food which can be enjoyed whether you have visited this magestic country or not. (This looks delicious!)

Kj¢ttkaker (meatballs)
Don’t be put off by the vast quantities of the ingredients required for these meatballs. These tasty little round balls packed with flavour can be made in a large batch and then frozen to be used at a later date.

Ingredients
2.25kg ground meat (beef, veal, pork; ground three times)
2 medium onions, finely ground (save juice)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup thickening cream
1/2 cup cracker meal or matzo meal
4-5 beef bouillon cubes
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Method
Heat oven to 180’C
Combine all meatball ingredients and knead by hand for five minutes or more to blend spices into meat.
Lightly grease or coat shallow baking pans with non-stick cooking spray.
Form small round meat balls; dipping hands into cold water to shape smooth.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer meatballs from baking tray into a large pot.
Add bouillon cubes, meat drippings from baking pans and water to cover. Stir in Worcestershire Sauce and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for one hour.
Remove meatballs.
Thicken gravy with flour to desired consistency.

Serve meatballs as an entrée or as a main dish with boiled potatoes and Cranberry Sauce.

Amazing Ginger

HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK

Did you know the benefits of Ginger? Ginger is one of the world's seven most potent disease-fighting spices.

Ginger has been used for its health benefits for over 5000 years and is a favorite medicinal as well as culinary herb.

[rhizome by Crystl.]photo

Unlike most spices, the part that has the most medicinal value grows under ground. Often mistakenly called “ginger root” this is actually the rhizome of the plant which is more of a subterranean stem than a root. Although you can use dried ginger and powdered ginger for health benefits, fresh ginger is preferred.

[Roots by Amontillada.]photo

The intake of ginger helps stimulate the secretion of mucus, quieting your cough and soothing any scratchiness in your throat.

Ginger has been proven (in multiple studies) to treat feelings of nausea, particularly in the form of seasickness, morning sickness, motion sickness and as a side effect of chemotherapy.

[Ginger by FotoosVanRobin]photo

In pregnancy is to be extra careful!! Never use any herb, including ginger, without first discussing it with your doctor!! As for those suffering from ulcer, or other very serious gastric problems, they should also consult their doctor.

[Doctor Hand by Truthout.org.]photo

Ginger contains anti viral, anti toxic, and anti fungal properties, and is used for the prevention of and treatment against the common cold.

[Honey Lime Ginger Drink by Nags The Cook.]photo

Ginger acts as an antihistamine and aids in the treatment of allergies.

[Giant Ginger Root by Damian Cugley.]photo

Ginger displays anti inflammatory properties and can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and various other muscular disorders.

[Ginger Study (1) by Ida Christine Kvisgaard.]photo

The chemical components of the root are instrumental in inhibiting the biosynthesis of prostaglandins which are responsible for causing inflammation.


Thus the root has proven to be a highly effective form of treatment, in some cases, even more so than the NSAID's that are traditionally prescribed.


So eating ginger may help to prevent cancer and aging disorders.


Ginger contains special enzymes responsible for catalyzing the proteins in your food, thus aiding in digestion and the prevention of cramps.


Good for those with constipation!

[Ginger Root by cfwhitney.]photo

The ancient Greeks used to eat ginger after a large meal, in order to ease the digestion process.

[P7168420 LR2 Root Ginger, Turmeric & Red Chilli Peppers by arifaqmal.]photo

Ginger has proven to help lower your cholesterol levels and prevent the formation of blood clots.

[Ginger root by diego_carolyn.]photo

As a mood enhancer, ginger's cineole content may help contribute to stress relief.

[ginger roots by detengase.]photo

Also used for migraine headache.

[ginger root by frankfarm.]photo

Ginger can also be used for reducing toothache and the discomfort which arises due to the infection in the upper respiratory tract due to its antibacterial and antifungal nature.

[Ginger, onions and garlic by vieux bandit.]photo

Chewing on fresh ginger, can help freshen the breath.

Being a warming herb, ginger can help knock out a fever. This property also makes it effective in stimulating circulation of the blood.

[Ginger Root by J. Pollack Photography.]photo

It can also help relax muscles around the blood vessels and is said to help prevent blood clots from forming. The warming effects make it a natural decongestant as well as an antihistamine, making it the perfect remedy for colds.

[Lemon and Ginger Drink by Red Snapper9.]photo

Some studies show that it can even help inhibit the replication of the herpes simplex virus.

[a ginger root by left-handed.]photo

Recent studies show that ginger might also have a role in lowering LDL cholesterol because the spice can help reduce the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed.

[Curry with Zucchini by Jernej K.]photo

It has also been shown in animal trials to help slow or even prevent cancerous tumor growth.

To discover the health benefits of ginger for yourself, simply make a tea by steeping about 5 slices of ginger in hot water.

If you prefer it in your food,

[BBQ Salmon & Succotash by NicnBill.'photo

Ginger is excellent in many dishes and is perfect when combined with garlic.

[Ginger & Garlic by light~n~shadow.]photo

Ginger doesn't only spice up your food it can also help to put some extra spice in your intimate life too. It improves blood flow to your sexual organs, and contains Vitamin C, zinc and magnesium.

Hope it will be of benefit to you  others.

Wishing you all a happy healthy life.


"Health is Wealth"