Treats that Nourish Body and Soul

One of my favourite treats is 'salty maple syrup almonds', you can find the recipe here. It was pure serendipity that brought these treats into my world.


I love almonds, but they don't love me. Each time I ate them: raw, roasted, scorched, it didn't matter, I felt worse. I wasn't about to give up though so I did some research and discovered that soaking nuts (and seeds) makes them far more digestible by:

• Neutralising the natural enzyme inhibitors in the nut
• Enabling the body to absorb more vitamins
• Breaking down the gluten so digestion is much easier, and
• Reducing phytic acid, which inhibits the absorption of vital minerals.

I'm a fussy soul though, and I wanted the almonds to be full of flavour. That's how Salty Maple Syrup Almonds were created. And, not only are they very tasty, they're also full of vitamins and minerals. Just make sure you use real maple syrup and preferably Celtic salt as these ingredients are packed with nutrients, too.


They take a little while to roast so I usually have them in the oven while I'm also baking other things. 


Try them, and let me know what you think.

Waste Not, Want Not - Banana Muffins

Like many people whose parents were born during the great depression, I was raised with the adage "waste not, want not..." as a permanent echo. This seems to be a value we've lost. How often have you cleaned out the fridge or pantry and discovered a whole basket load of food that needs to be thrown out because it's either past its 'use by date' or has at the very least, seen better days? Have you ever totalled up the cost?

In the spirit of not wasting anything if I can help it, I do my best to ensure perishable food gets used as it comes through the door rather than going into the fridge (this is easier when you have a kitchen garden) but there are always occasions when I find myself with food that either has to be used today or put in the compost tomorrow.

Bananas are a regular feature on that list. Here's a great idea for using some over-ripe bananas. These muffins are 'Texas' sized in Robert Gordon muffin wrappers.

Banana Muffins sprinkled with rapadura sugar and ready for the oven

Banana muffins straight out of the oven

The recipe for the muffins is a simple one:
Ingredients
1 + 1/2 of plain flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons of melted butter
200 mls whole milk
1 egg
2 mashed bananas

Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Mix milk, egg and melted butter together in a jug.
Using a knife, stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just mixed.
Spoon mixture in muffin pans and bake for 15-20 mins for normal size muffins or 25+ minutes for Texas sized. I usually sprinkle some rapadura sugar on top before baking for some added texture.

What food item regularly features on your throw out list? Why? And, can you find new ways to use the ingredient rather than throw it out?

Asking these questions and then acting on the answers can add another piece to your own patchwork economics. Money you don't throw out is money that can be used constructively to build a resilient financial future for yourself and your family.

Kitchen Frugalista - Baking Powder

If you’re serious about eating well and saving money then making it yourself is the only way to go. The added benefit is that you can also avoid a lot of unnecessary ‘ingredients’ in the process. A perfect example of this is baking powder.

When you’re baking from scratch you have the option of using either self-raising flour or plain flour plus a raising agent such as baking powder.

Generally, I just buy plain flour. It saves confusion and means I don’t have to label the flour jar. I used to buy the commercially prepared baking powder but now I make my own.

The recipe is simple:

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar

1 teaspoon Rice Flour

I usually make up enough for a small jar so I use larger measures but the same ratios.

¼ cup Baking Soda

½ cup Cream of Tartar

¼ cup of rice flour

Push the mixture through a sieve to ensure there are no lumps and that the ingredients are evenly mixed.

Transfer to an air-tight container or jar.

Cheap and easy!

Morning Tea - A Simple Luxury

There's not too much in life that beats taking the time to enjoy a good cup of coffee and home-made cake!

Robert Gordon paper baking cups add a little finesse to simple cup cakes

The cakes were made using a basic butter cake mix:

Ingredients
125 gm butter
125 gm caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten
190 gm self-raising flour
85 ml milk

Method
Set oven at 180 degrees celcius.
Prepare cake pan or paper baking cups.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Gradually add eggs, beating well.
Stir in flour and milk alternatively. Stir gently but thoroughly.
Bake until sides shrink slightly from the sides of the pan and a skewer comes out clean and dry. Cake 35 - 40 minutes. Cup cakes 15 - 20 minutes. Please Note: these times are approximate.
Cool on a rack before icing (optional).

Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa, half a teaspoon of vanilla extract and an extra 40 mls of milk for chocolate flavoured cup cakes. Yummmmm!

Make sure you take some time today to enjoy a simple luxury, too.