Our little blossom used to be such an adventurous eater. Now, as an over opinionated nearly-7 year old, she has all sorts of ideas about what she likes and what she doesn't. Every weekend I ask the family what biscuit or slice they might like for lunch boxes for the coming week, and ever weekend she says 'Chocolate chip biscuits'. Boredom and wanting to improve the overall nutritional value has led me on an adventure of reinvention of this humble biscuit. This week's incarnation is a nut and seed version that's dairy and egg free. If you are looking for a biscuit more like your Granny might make this is not the one, and you might like to try the more traditional version.
Oat, Nut and Seed Chocolate Chip Biscuits
125g coconut oil
200g honey
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons warm water
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup coconut flour
1 cup wholemeal flour
half a cup walnuts
half a cup sunflower seeds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 180 deg. C. Bake setting.
Place the coconut oil and honey into a small saucepan and melt together. Don't overheat; it it only just needs to melt. Set aside to cool.
In a food processor, blend the oats until they form a fine meal.
Add the walnuts and sunflower seeds and briefly process again until they are chopped, but still retail some chunks. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl, and add the coconut and wholemeal flours, and the cinnamon.
Dissolve the soda in the warm water and stir it into the cooled honey and coconut oil.
Add the liquid ingredients into the oat and flour mixture and stir to combine.
Lastly stir in the chocolate chips. It is essential that the oil and honey are cool, or else they will start to cook the flours and melt the chocolate chips once they are added.
Using a soup spoon, take teaspoon lots and place them on a lined baking tray.
Flatter the biscuits a little, then bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
These biscuits keep well and are a perfect brain food snack for school and work.
Happy baking!
In an effort to make more of the everyday things I bake more nutritious I've been substituting in wholemeal ingredients along with added nuts and seeds where I can. Wholemeal flour adds a new dimension to baked goods with its nutty flavour and added bite. One of my other favourite additions is chia seeds. Chia is versatile, tasty and easily added to so many recipes for an instant protein, texture and flavour boost. Here's my new take on the Chocolate Chip Biscuit. The children will hardly even notice they are healthier. This recipe makes a good double tray of biscuits, so there will be plenty to share around.
Wholemeal and Chia Chocolate Chip Biscuits
200g butter
150g brown sugar
300g wholemeal flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips
3 tablespoons chis seeds
Preheat the oven to 175deg. C and line a large baking tray.
Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy.
Add the wholemeal flour, baking powder, chocolate chips and chia seeds and stir to combine.
The mixture will appear crumbly, but should hold together when pressed.
Press and roll tablespoon lots into balls and arrange on the lined tray.
Flatten each ball, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Allow to cool on the tray as the biscuits will be very soft straight from the oven.
Having well and truly indulged over the Christmas and New Year break, I felt it was time to focus on some healthy salad options. Here is a super simple, tasty and nutritious Silverbeet, Capsicum, Carrot and Wholemeal Pasta salad with radish sprouts. I've used my old favourite Green Dressing.
For the last couple of weeks I've been experimenting with growing sprouts; it was last trendy during the '80s and I remember my mother sprouting mung beans when we were children. It's actually very simple and takes no time at all. Just rinse and drain them twice a day and in a few days you have a great salad addition.
I got the mesh lid and the seeds from Oderings Garden Centre. Obviously the seeds need to be intended for consumption - not heat or chemical treated. I got the Mrs Fothergills sprouting seeds. When they say only put one tablespoons in at a time, they mean it as once those babies start to sprout they quadruple in size!
Silverbeet, Capsicum, Carrot and Wholemeal Pasta Salad with Radish Sprouts
300g wholemeal penne pasta
2 good handfuls of baby silverbeet leaves - or any other green like spinach or kale.
1 red capsicum
1 yellow capsicum
2 medium carrots
1 cup radish sprouts
1 recipe of Green dressing with half a teaspoon each of ground cumin and ground coriander added.
Cook the pasta in a large pot with plenty of boiling salted water until it is firm to the bite. Once cooked drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside while preparing the vegetables.
Slice the capsicums into neat sticks. Wash and peel the carrots, then use a peeler to slice them into ribbons. Thoroughly wash and dry the silverbeet leaves, roll them together and slice thinly. Rinse the sprouts.
Combine all the vegetables and the pasta in a large bowl or dish. Pour in as much dressing as you would like: start with a small amount and add more if required. Toss the salad to combine and serve with whatever protein you might like, we had ours with left over roasted pork!
Happy, and healthy, cooking everyone xx
