Valentine's Day Apple Roses

Ingredients:

1 Pastry Sheet 

3 Apples 

5 Tbsp Sugar

2 tsp Cinnamon

1 pinch Nutmeg

1 tsp Lemon Zest

4 cups Water

3 Tbsp  sugar

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Powdered Sugar for dusting (optional)

parchment paper

Steps :

1. Wash and core the apples. Slice in very thin slices, slightly smaller than 1/8 inch.  Place the sliced apples in a saucepan along with the 4 cups water, 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 2 minutes, or until the apple slices soften and can easily bend. 

2.Strain the apples and let cool in the colander.  Line a plate with paper towels and nicely arrange the apple slices so that they can dry and cool completely. 

3. While the apples are cooling, mix the 5 tablespoons of sugar with the cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest.  Prepare you work surface by lightly sprinkling it with some flour (or just use a silicone mat) and roll out the pastry sheet.  Using a pastry (or pizza) cutter, cut long strips approximately 1/2 inch wide.  Spread the cinnamon mixture over the dough and slightly press it down. 

4. By this time your apples should be cool and almost dry.  Take a few slices and place them on the first strip of pastry dough, overlapping them so they do not fall out and will create a rose-like design (petals) once completed.  Now start rolling, making sure it is fairly tightly rolled.  Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

5. Repeat until you have create all of the Apple Roses.

6. Bake at 425˚F for 25 minutes, or until nicely golden.

Red Velvet Pancakes

It's Valentine's day! I was up early because i was so excited to make this. Few days ago I stumbled across chocolatecoveredkatie's and blogilates's blog and both of them posted about Secretly Healthy Red Velvet Cupcake and Healthy Red Velvet Cupcakes and Pancakes for Valentine's day recipe. I was inspired by both of this recipe and created my version of Red Velvet Pancakes. I shared it with my family members and everyone was pleased with the gorgeous velvet red colour and of course the taste!

In case you didn't realize today is also the valentine's day from the Chinese! It's called 'Chap Goh Mei'. It means the last day of the Chinese New Year. Awesome!

*It's a single serving recipe*

*vegan*

Ingredients :

4 Tbsp  flour

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp of vanilla extract

pinch of both cinnamon and nutmeg (optional )

1/4 cup of milk

1 steamed beetroot (small)

Steps:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Blitz the steamed beet, vanilla and milk until smooth.

3. Add the beetroot mixture to the dry.

4. Mix well just until moistened. Do not over mix.

5. Heat up your skillet and cook the pancakes.

6. Flip it when it forms bubbles on top and the edges are starting to cook.

7. Top it with yogurt or cream and serve with a touch of honey or chocolate with your loved ones. 

*or eat them up all by yourself! ;D*

Good Luck!

Healthier Carrot Cake (super moist )

You can enjoy this without that much of guilt. At least i shaved about 1,000  calories and 89 grams of total fat. Yet, it's delicious: Creamy butter and smooth buttermilk create a perfectly moist, tender texture. Earthy brown sugar brings out the warm cinnamon spices.

OLD WAY
1,460 calories per slice
99 grams total fat
28 grams saturated fat
24 tablespoons of oil for moisture
Frosted with one stick of butter and a pound of cream cheese
Pecan extravaganza

MY WAY

250 calories per slice
7.0 grams total fat
3.0 grams saturated fat
6 tablespoons butter and a rich splash of buttermilk(or yogurt)
Frosted with  greek yogurt and honey
A perfectly toasted sprinkle walnut

Some time back, carrot cake became the poster child for a healthy-sounding food that is actually a fat and calorie disaster.

Ingredients

Cake:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated carrot 
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened 
3 large eggs 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup low-fat greek or normal yogurt

Frosting:
1 1/2 cup greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup chopped walnut or pecan , toasted 


Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. To prepare cake, combine flour,  baking powder, ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add grated carrot, tossing to combine.
3. Place brown sugar, and 6 tablespoons butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add flour mixture and yogurt alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spread batter into a lined metal baking pan.  Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely on a wire rack.

4. To prepare frosting, mix the Greek yogurt and honey until well combined. 
    Frost the cake and sprinkle with toasted walnut or pecan and you're done!

couldn't resist!

moist and fluffy! thanks to the yogurt which make it so moist :)

Easy Healthy Granola (food gift)

It was inspired by SortedFood holiday food gift and bananasundae from sorted food too.

I used a old jam jar and some strings to decorate this. 

I did modify the recipe by adding in apricots, raisins, nuts and even cooked quinoa!

You can even left the nuts and seeds whole or just chop up a little. I prefer whole anyway ;)

Since Christmas is coming, i added a heaping teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg to make it more festive!

 

The main ingredients are :

1 cup of combination Rolled oats and porridge oats ( or just one type of oats ) 

1/4-1/3 cup of honey ( just until everything is combined and sticks together forming lumps )

optional (you name it ) :

walnuts

almonds

cashews

pistachio 

mixed peel

raisins

apricots

coconut flakes

etc...

steps :

preheat your oven at 150'c. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

1.  combine everything in a large bowl can mix until just moistened and crumbly except for dried fruits.

2.  pour on a lined baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes and toss them periodically to avoid burning. Honey does get burn easily.

3.  let cool and toss with diced dried fruits. Serve!

Specially made for my best friend ;)

Very Merry

Moist Fluffy Banana Bread

hey guys! It's been a while since my last post..

We're back!

Final is over! Time for baking!

I stumbled across here and I found this! 

Fortunately I happened to have a bunch of ripe bananas on hand so I decided to make this.

I did modified the recipe to make it more decade and delicious. 

Bon appetit!

You'll need :

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup rolled oats ( optional )

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup room temperature butter

1/4 cup plain yogurt ( Greek the best )

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup mashed banana

Optional you can add :

1/2 cup chopped walnut

1/4 cup chopped cashew

1/4 cup chopped almond

1/4 cup chopped pistachio

1/4 cup raisin

1/4 cup mixed peel

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped apricot

Steps :

Preheat the oven at 180°c

1. Line your desired loaf pan with parchment paper or buttered and floured it, set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in yogurt, and eggs one after another. Mix well.

3. Fold in all the dry ingredients and your desired nuts and dried fruits of choice until moistened.

4. Add in more yogurt if the batter is too dry.

5. Pour the batter into your lined loaf pan. 

6. Bake at 180°c for 40 minutes. Or until cooked. It will rise and crack in the middle, baking time may vary depends on your cake pan.

7. Let cool, and serve! Best both serve chilled or warm.

ingredients

mashed banana

dried ingredients

optional walnuts

cinnamon and brown sugar

nuts and dried fruits

done!

close up

yummy :)

moist and fluffy!

Tips : once cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and left it overnight, taste much more better!

under super fast shot :)

ready to bake!

Sugar Free Pink Gelato

It's guilt free dessert again! 

Absolutely no artificial additives!

All made by purely 100% natural whole food. 

It tastes so creamy and flavorful at the same time. You won't even know it's totally sugar free and guilt free! 

You'll need : 

(Serve 4-5)

3 cups of Greek yogurt

2 medium Beetroot ( cubed )

1 cup of dates ( soaked and soften. Seed removed) or honey( to taste)

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

1/3 cup almond flour ( for the best creamy flavor, or you can sub with soaked cashew nuts , or omit )

Handful if toasted nuts for topping( I use almond )

Steps:

Cook the Beetroot covered with plastic wrap in a microwave oven for 5 minutes or until just cooked. Let cool and freeze. 

1. In a blender, blitz everything into smooth thick smoothie consistency except the nuts. 

2. Pour out and freeze for 30 minutes or serve immediately .

3. Top with your Favourite toppings and serve!

Sticky Crunchy Natural Bars

I crave for bars all the time right after my workouts. Unfortunately those store bought bars are packed with refined sugars and chemicals  which are bad for health. 

Try these all natural 100% no refined sugar added and it's much more cheaper than the store bought! 

And it's vegan, too!

You'll need :

25-30 medjool dates ( no added sugar )

1 medium size banana

2 cups of oats

1 cup Rice Krispies ( you can sub with one more cup of oats )

1/3 cup of Goji berries ( or any dried berries of your choice )

1/2 cup raw almond ( chopped )

1/2 cup chocolate chips ( omit or sub with more berries or nuts of your choice )

1 tsp cinnamon 

1 scoop of milk powder ( Anlenne or protein powder ) ( or omit )

**you can add some protein powder for protein boost ! 

** can be no bake 

Steps : 

1. Soak the dates in hot water for 5 minutes to soften.

2. Drain the liquid and save some for blending. Remove the seeds from the dates and blend with  banana.

3. Mix all the dry ingredients together and set aside. 

4. Stir in the date paste and mix very well.

*ignore my feet * ><

5. Line 9x9 baking tin with parchment paper, press the mixture FIRMLY AND HARDinto the tin, and bake in a preheated 180°c oven for 20 minutes.

  ** no bake version- lined, PRESS HARD and refrigerate 

6. Let cool to room temperature, and cut into desired slices and serve! 

Firm up even more when it's cooled.

 Make sure you won't get controlled by these bars because they're sooooo addictive! It's sticky, crunchy and sweet!