4/27/09

Healthy Choco Logs


Its raining chocolates at "Poornimas For the love of Chocolate "event. One of my favourites, dark chocolate is an excellent source of anti oxidants, combine it with the goodness of dried fruits and nuts and you have a healthy, on the go snack ready in no time .

There are no exact measurements or ingredients for this recipe. Just use your favourite dried fruits, as much or as little you want like dried figs, cranberries, apricots, pineapple, candied ginger, etc.. the list goes on , season it with cinnamon or cardamom and use a syrup like maple or honey to bind it all together. I melted 72% dark chocolate with almonds , the almonds give a nice crunch , and I don't need to go through the process of double dipping. You can totally use plain dark chocolate or any flavoured dark chocolate , try it with even more or less percent of cacao, its totally versatile and very healthy.

Ingredients:



1C dried figs, (I used organic Turkish figs),
1/2 C dried apricots,
1/4 C golden raisins,
1/4 C dried cranberries,
1/4 cup crystallized ginger,
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon,
1 tablespoon honey,
3.5 oz. bar of dark chocolate (I used 72% cacao with almonds), chopped



Directions:

Remove the stems from the figs and discard. Roughly chop all the dried fruits. Put the figs, apricots, raisins, ginger,cranberries, cinnamon and honey in a food processor and process for about 45 seconds, until the ingredients are finely chopped and begin to stick together. Roll the mixture with your hands into logs and keep them aside.

Melt half of the chocolate in a bowl over a double boiler(see below). Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the remaining chocolate. Stir until all the chocolate is melted. Using a fork roll the fruit logs into the melted chocolate 1 or 2 at a time, until they are all covered. Place them back on the waxed parchment paper or silipat and chill in the refrigerator until set, about 15 minutes. Serve at room temperature.



How to use the double boiler:

Place a small bowl over a saucepan, containing barely simmering water, over low heat Make sure the water is at least 2 inches from the bottom of the bowl containing the chocolate.


Also to share is an award passed on to me from dear Srilekha ,"Wylde Woman Award" started by Tammy. Thank You very much Siri , I am so glad to have it.

The Purpose of the Award :

To send love and acknowledgment to men and women, who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy. It's been a blessing and an inspiration to meet all of you through your wonderful blogs.

I further pass it on to all my fellow bloggers.

4/3/09

Hot N Sweet Hummus


When I started with a can of chickpeas, all I knew was , hummus it is ! This one turned out a bit unusual though ....with sun dried tomatoes, honey , cumin , chili powder , cilantro ...well lets just say I got a bit too carried away with the ingredients .....turns out "at times" its a good thing :D

Ingredients:

1 can (16 oz.) Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans
1C sun dried tomatoes
3 tbsp. tahini
2 tbsp. cumin pdr.
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 or 2 tbsp honey
1/4 C cilantro/ coriander leaves
1 tsp chili pdr
juice of 1 lemon
2-3 tbsp chicken stock/veg stock/ water


Method:

Put all the ingredients in the food processor n grind it till desired consistency. Use very little water/stock, if needed. Mix well and store in a glass container tightly covered. Refrigerate overnight (or at least few hrs) to allow the flavors to develop. Serve it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some chili powder(optional) along with some pita chips or toasted bread sticks . It is also a great spread on sandwiches or rolls for a quick n healthy snack.


A tip from me is to use a food processor and not a blender to make hummus. The more its rests the better it tastes and the flavors develop. You can use the dried chickpeas too, just soak them overnight in warm water...for me the canned ones work fine.