Jenny Hinton

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Home Made Granola, Low Sugar and Cheap to Make

This is the best recipe I’ve tried so far. It appears to be low in sugar for my diabetic husband as this makes a very large container full. I added some LSA, diced dates, prunes and sultanas at the end and left it to cool but you can change it around to add chopped apricots, pumpkin seeds and the wide dried coconut. Always keeping in mind the sugar content.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups raw, whole rolled oats (AKA old fashion oats), preferably organic
½ cup raw nuts, chopped any I used peeled almonds and cashew
¼ cup raw seeds (sunflower or pumpkin seeds are great)
½ cup unsweetened dried fruit, chopped (optional) I put some in with the cooking and some at the end.
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup or raw honey (or a combo of both) check the back of the packet to see what the sugar and carbs are per 100g
2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil or other healthy cooking oil (use the coconut oil)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
1 large pinch fine sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 170-180 C.
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Use your clean hands to mix well and toss to coat; it will be sticky and messy but that’s the fun part. The coconut oil might be solid depending on your climate (it has a melting point of about 75ºF). Your hands will warm it up and melt it into the mixture if it’s solid, just be sure to mix it all through the other ingredients so there aren’t any chunks of oil left.
Spread the mixture in a thin layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes, until very lightly toasted.
Cool before serving or storing.
This granola can be kept in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks. I keep mine in a Jar in the fridge at home or just in a big plastic cereal container.

Notes

P.S. Homemade granola will taste like burnt popcorn if you overcook it; keep it at a low temperature just for a 8-10 minutes to let it come together. Give a bit of a stir occasionally

Again, go easy on the sweetener to keep the sugar content down. Always avoid white, highly processed sugars and artificial sweeteners–read the labels of the maple syrup and honey and make sure the only ingredients in the bottle are maple syrup (no corn syrup) or honey.

Easy Peasy Lasagne

Meat Sauce:

Mince 1kg
Large onion diced
Tin of tomatoes
Garlic
2 beef oxo cubes
Tomato puree
Red wine optional
Or water to cover

Herbs:

Basil
Marjoram
Oregano
Salt & Pepper

Lasagne:
Dried sheets or fresh for 3 layers

Method:

If this recipe is too big just halve it. I often cook the day before so it sets & it’s easy to cut into squares. If you want the fat off the mince to come to the surface & go hard in the fridge it’s easy to remove prior to assembling. Great to eat over a couple of days or freeze for another time

In a large saucepan fry diced onions until translucent in colour, add mince and brown. Add garlic either fresh or pre-crushed up to you how much but in this recipe, I use about 1 dessertspoon. Add a small can of tomatoes either plain or the ones that say garlic or basil and oregano, add tomato paste or puree, about ¼ of a cup. Add salt & pepper & herbs 1 tsp each, more later if you need it. Add enough water to cover or a cup of red wine first then water, look for wet consistency. Bring to boil then simmer for about 30 minutes to infuse flavours.

In a large bowl combine cottage & grated cheeses, sour cream and eggs. Grease or spray a large oven proof dish, layer, starting with lasagne sheets, meat then cheese mixture, repeat once or twice with the top being the cheese mixture and sprinkle with cheese topping. Cook 30-40 minutes at 180°C. Rest and serve.

Dutch Apple Pie

Pastry:

300g SR flour, sifted
150g caster sugar
Pinch of salt
180g butter, chilled is best
Plain flour for rolling

Easy peasy filling:

1 cup of sultanas
3-5 large Granny Smith apples
brown sugar, I use less
½ tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp. icing sugar

Coffee Cream, a must or plain:

½ cup of cream, whisked
½ tbsp. caster sugar
2 Tbsp. Strong coffee or more

Method:

Pastry:

1. Preheat oven to 180C
2. Grease a 20cm spring tin with pop up bottom.
3. If you have an electric mixed attach the dough hook, if not

You will need to beat this for a while.

4. In bowl, combine flour, sugar, vanilla & salt. Cut butter in small cubes & add to mix.
5. Mix at low speed for a while then add beaten egg while mixing.

6. When dough looks ready, remove and knead by hand to a ball, you will need your flour on the board or bench top
7. When ready put ball I plastic wrap for 20mins in fridge. Take 1/3 of pastry, return it to the fridge as this will be for the pastry lattice work on the top
8. Use plenty of flour if required to roll out the remaining pastry, it can be quite thick, it needs to be large enough for the tin and up the sides, I usually do the bottom and the re roll what I can and squidge it up the sides and join it to the bottom pastry.
9. Lay the pastry over a floured rolling pin, then gently lay it in the greased tin, press gently into the tin, it will break while you do this just patch the rips or holes.
10. The 1/3 set aside can be rolled out into strips so you can lattice it but I just sort of roll it into long pieces and lay it on top in any design when you assemble it later. Put it all back in the fridge for a while

Filling:

1. Peel the apples, then cut into thick slices (the original recipe says use raw, however I often do pre-cook them as they stay quite firm and the juice comes out if you don’t
2. Place in large bowl with lemon juice, sultanas, brown sugar & cinnamon. Toss to coat all the apples

Coffee Cream:

1. Whip the cream & Sugar together then fold in the cold coffee until all combined and a nice consistency

Put it all together:

1. Take the tin and pastry strips from the fridge.
2. Place the apple mix inside the base.
3. Lay the strips of pastry over the apple filling in a lattice pattern or any pattern you like. You can also lay pieces of the pastry around the outside of the tart to have a tidy edge but you don’t have to.
4. Brush the pastry lattice with egg white and caster sugar.
5. Bake in the oven for about 50mins checking occasionally.
6. Remove and allow to cool. When cool put the base out and you are ready to go.

Tahora Lamb

Give succulent lamb an extra edge

Serves 4-6

1 leg of lamb or shoulder if you want a cheaper cut but cook the day before to get rid of the fat
1 Tblsp of Smoked garlic salt but garlic salt would do.
1 onion (diced)
Large handful of fresh mint, extra to serve if you like
1 cup of red wine
1 cup of orange juice
1 Tbls brown sugar.
1 Tblsp oil (I use rice bran)
2 whole garlic bulbs (optional)
Steamed Brussels sprouts, to serve but any other veg will do

Rub oil into lamb and smoked garlic salt. Preheat oven to 200C. Mix all the other ingredients together and add to the pan, cover and roast lamb for 30-40 minutes depending on your desired rareness however this is just as good if you slow roast at 150C for 2-3 hours. The last ¼ hour …remove lid to caramelize the skin. (cooking time would depend on the size of the leg and oven). Rest for 5 minutes and serve with reduced sauce from the pan. I add whole garlic to the pan too and then squeeze out the roasted garlic into the gravy. Slice the lamb and serve with steamed Brussels sprouts or other veg you may like.

Roasted Fish on Vegetables with a warm Lemon and Herb Dressing

1 kg Desiree potatoes scrubbed and cut into chunks and par boiled
500 gms pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks
2 red peppers, seeds removed and thinly sliced
4 tbsp olive oil
1 cup black olives, stones removed
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
1.2 kg thick fish fillets, e.g. monk fish, hapuka or cod, olive oil, crushed garlic, salt & black pepper for seasoning fish
Preheat oven200 deg C.
Combine all the vegetable ingredients in a large bow and gently toss to combine. Place on a lined baking tray and roast in the oven until tender, approx. 30 minutes. Turn the vegetables over during cooking. Lay the fish on a lined baking tray and brush both sides with the oil/garlic mixture. After the vegetables have had 20 minutes place the fish in the oven. Cook for about 10 minutes until just cooked through. Remove the fish and vegetables from the oven.

Warm Lemon and Herb Dressing

5 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic crushed
Pinch of sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp capers
3 tbsp shredded basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a bowl combine everything except the lemon juice. Place the juice in a small saucepan and just before serving heat until hot. Pour over the caper mixture.

To serve: Place a serving of vegetables on each plate and top with a fish fillet. Spoon over the dressing and serve.

CHICKEN PARMIGIANA

Serves 2
1 x Egg beaten
¾ jar spaghetti sauce
50g dry bread crumbs
50g shredded mozzarella cheese
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Place breadcrumbs in a separate shallow bowl. Dip chicken into egg, then into the bread crumbs. Place coated chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Pour ½ of the spaghetti sauce into a 150 x 200 cm baking dish. Place chicken over sauce and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses on top and return to the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

BERRY AND DATE SLICE

3 cups Tart Berries
2 ½ cups chopped dates

2 tsp vanilla essence
5 cups flour
5 cups rolled oats
3 ¾ cups brown sugar

1 ¼ tsp baking powder
625 grams melted butter

Combine berries and dates. Cook 10-15 minutes over low heat (may need a little water added). Add vanilla.

Mix dry ingredients, add butter. Pack half of mixture in the bottom of Swiss roll tin. Bake 8 mins. at 180 degrees celsius. Spread berry mixture over and add rest of topping. Pack down gently.
Bake for 20 mins. or until golden. Cool before cutting.