Granola Baked Apples: Simple Healthy Dessert

I have a bag of granola which I tired of and has been sitting in my larder. When I came across this recipe in Anita Bean’s The Runner’s Cookbook, I just had to try it: after all, I love apples, cinnamon, and it was a chance to use up some of the granola!

Anita says this dessert is low in sugar and a good source of fibre, Vitamin C and quercetin (a plant compound with potent antioxidants which helps to reduce inflammation and promote muscle repair). If you have plenty of apples to use up, make a bigger batch – reheated leftovers taste wonderful, or just eat them cold!

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Cocoa Energy Bars using Dates

I have never been a huge fan of dates – I find the crackly skin and the cloying sweetness just a little too much. So I hesitated trying Anita Bean’s bar recipes containing this dried fruit. In the spirit of trying new things and given that her first two recipes which I tried were scrumptious (see Nut Bar & Recovery Bar), I ventured to try Cocoa Energy Bars.

An attempt at a Nut Bar

After the success of the Recovery Bar, a recipe from Anita Bean’s The Vegetarian Athlete’s Cookbook, I  had to try another. This one is made of nuts which are a great source of essential fatty acids, protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, all smothered in dark chocolate. What’s not to love?

A Bar for the Road

I occasionally find myself in need of a nutrition bar: when I am a little farther away from home for a workout, or when I have to run errands before I return to breakfast, or when I just simply have to eat something NOW!  I find it difficult to eat early in the morning so I typically don’t before I workout; consequently, I find myself hungry fairly soon after I’m done.

I searched for commercial bars which offered a little higher protein (challenging) and tried quite a few (urghhh!).  Then I found a recipe in Anita Bean’s The Vegetarian Athlete’s Cookbook, which looked simple & delicious, except that it took three attempts too get it right (1st time: too sticky, 2nd time: didn’t bind, 3rd time: success!).  Moral of the story: don’t modify a recipe until you’ve tried it as is at least once as is!

Christmas Baking: Brownies & Blondies

We have spent the past couple of weeks baking tray after tray of Peppermint Brownies, Cranberry & Chocolate Chip Blondies, and Ginger & White Chocolate Chip Blondies.

One of my greatest challenges preparing for the season is gifting: picking out meaningful gifts for our loved ones.  We are typically gift as we go folks through the year, so attempting to focus lots of gifting in a short span of time often proves to be extremely demanding.  So when we found that we enjoyed baking these Christmas brownies and blondies, and our friends & family enjoyed receiving them, we were just thrilled to bits!

A tart Yuzu Cupcake for a Sister’s Birthday

Younger Daughter’s celebration of Older Daughter’s birthday: sisterly love & Yuzu Cupcakes!

Crazy Little Cupcakes

Today is my sister’s birthday.  She inspires me in my favourite things: for my fashion paper dolls, she  buys me lots of pretty paper; in Maths, she helps me to get my homework right; in Baking, she gives me ideas for new cupcakes and sometimes bakes with me.

I have created a Yuzu Cupcake for her because she loves yuzu!  Happy Birthday, Meg!

Love, Jo

We used & adapted BenjaminWong’s recipes for the cupcakes & glaze from “Cupcakes with Attitude”.

Yuzu Cupcake, (makes about 10-12 cupcakes)

Candied yuzu peel (left) and yuzu juice

• 125g unsalted butter
• 125g castor sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 pinch of salt
• 20g candied yuzu peel (cut into small pieces)
• 125g self-rising flour
• 2 Tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade.
2. Line cupcake tray with liners.
3. Cream the softened butter with the sugar until well-mixed.
4. Add eggs and beat till well-blended, light & fluffy.
5. Add salt…

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Fresh Turmeric & Ginger Tea

I love hot drinks.  No matter how sweltering the Singaporean weather is, I love a strong cup of breakfast tea with a splash of milk.

Until now.  It started with coffee several years ago; even decaf made me a light-headed and nauseated. Too much tea also makes me feel unsettled.  It was long overdue for me to find non-caffeinated alternative.

Glazing Fruit

Younger Daughter and I have been experimenting with different cupcake flavours & combinations.  This is quite a novel approach to baking for me as I’ve always opted for the quick & easy; everything in one-pot?  even better!

So, this journey of discovery, which is recorded in part in Crazy Little Cupcakes,  takes me a little away from my comfort zone.  Younger Daughter is quite adventurous and I have to check myself often not to curb her enthusiasm!  So what if she wants to make a curry cupcake! Bring the spice on!

Egg-citing Eggs-periences: Onsen Eggs

I love onsen eggs and when I saw this recipe in Savour (Cold Storage‘s free Food Magazine), I just had to try it.   Younger Daughter thinks of them as Japanese poached eggs, and I guess that’s pretty close.  I think the egg white is silkier and softer in the Japanese version though.

 

Feature photo shows the egg served immediately after cooking, with instant ramen & a variety of blanched vegetables (from Left to Right: broccolini, bean sprouts, cai xin).

This egg was refrigerated overnight, warmed slightly by the steamed zucchini.  Still very good.

Egg-citing Eggs-periences: Lemon Curd (super easy! super yummy)

This is definitely an Eggs-perience to repeat!  I love lemon curd, but it is not easy to get it in Singapore, so we’ve just been doing without.  But Younger Daughter wanted to use it in one of her cupcakes, so I found this wonderful recipe from The Food Charlatan.