CARROT AND COCONUT MUFFINS(havuc ve hindistan cevizli muffin)

Muffins are so easy and quick to make when unexpected guests arrive. Also low calorie as far as the cakes go. This is my own recipe that was created mainly to suit my taste. If you find it is not sweet enough or you would prefer to add more oil to it, it should be just fine to do that.

DRY INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp mixed spice or cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup dry coconut

WET INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup grated carrot ( 1 whole medium )
• 2 medium bananas ( mashed )
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 7 tbsp corn oil
• 5 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• Sugar and cinnamon mixture for sprinkling.

1) Preheat oven 200 C, 180 Fan setting. Grease the muffin tin or use paper cases.

2) Sieve the flour with baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix the coconut in.

3) Mix wet ingredients together.

4) Add WET ingredients to DRY and fold it in gently. Do not over mix.

5) Fill the muffin cases 3/4 full. Sprinkle the muffins with sugar and cinnamon. Bake for 25 - 3o minutes.

6) Cool on a wire rack before serving.

PARTY FOOD (RICE WITH CHICKEN,SPICY SAUSAGE& PRAWNS)

This dish is always a favorite when family and friends get together for special occasions. it is very similar to paella but made with basmati rice and Turkish spicy sausage SUCUK.

It is a kind of feel good dish that so nice to make. I serve it as a main mail with salad or one of the hot dishes at a party.

• First I pan fry the CHICKEN TIGHTS (4 or 6 depending on how many people.) Add little water and cook the chicken pieces for 10 minutes, set aside.
• Then chop 1-2 large ONIONS and brown them in oil in a large frying pan or wok.
• Transfer chicken tights into the wok.
• Add 1 or 2 cups of BASMATI RICE and stir with onion for a minute or so. Add pinch of TURMERIC and CHILI PEPPER to taste.
• Add hot WATER or STOCK ( 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice ), some SALT to taste.
• At this point, add some VEGETABLES that you like. ( corn, peas, peppers )
• Bring it to boil, then turn the heat to low to simmer.
• Add SUCUK or SPICY SAUSAGE slices on top. Cover and simmer for 20- 30 minutes until the rice is cooked.
• Add cooked PRAWNS 5 minutes before the cooking time ends.
• Sprinkle with CHIVES or SPRING ONIONS just before serving.

NOT: Chicken tights are best for this dish as they are not so dry.

Use any spicy sausage instead of sucuk.

WALNUT, OLIVE, CHEESE AND POTOTO CIABATTA BREAD

Last week, when it was my baking day, i thought of making ciabatta bread with different flavours in them. I usually bake at least 3-4 to freeze for future use. So I made one loaf with mashed potatoes in, the other with chopped walnuts ( my favorite ), the third Butch was with black olives and the forth one with grated cheese. I used the no knead method that I love and found it so easy to do. Just make four batches of the master recipe of ciabatta bread then mix handful of walnuts, olives, cheese and boiled grated potato in each batch.

MASTER RECIPE FOR CIABATTA BREAD by chef of foodwishes.

• 3 1/2 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup wholemeal flour
• 1/4 tsp yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups of lukwarm water
• chopped walnuts, cooked and grated potatoes,
• chopped black olives, grated cheese.

1) Mix flour, yeast, salt with the water, mix to make a sticky dough. Add the walnuts.Cover with cling film or foil and set aside for 16-18 hours. ( Make 3 more batches of the dough using measurements above to use for olives, potato and cheese ciabatta bread.)

2) After 18 hours punch down the dough with a spatula to take the air out.

3) Lay a cling film on the work top. Sprinkle flour on the cling film, scrape the dough on the cling film and make it long, flat dough with your hand.

4) Grease baking sheet with oil and sprinkle with cornmeal generously.

5) Flip the dough over in the baking tray. Sprinkle some flour on top. Cover with floured tea towel and let it rest for 2 hours.

6) Preheat the oven to 220 c, 200Fan setting. Cook 2 ciabatta together on the same shelf for 35-45 minutes. Cool on wire rack before cutting for serving.

LOW SUGAR, LOW CALORIE MERINGUES

Today I have been experimenting and making meringue nests using splende, low calorie sweetener. I used the normal recipe for pavlova and used 1 cup of splende instead of caster sugar. Although it is not the same texture as normal nests,( these were a lot lighter in texture) I am pleased with the result and it is delicious mixed with low fat yogurt and fruit puree or light jam mixed with water and poured over the top. I find the meringues little bit too sweet so I sprinkle them with cinnamon which was a nice change from plain version. These meringue nests will be very low in calories when you consider 2 calories per teaspoon splender compared to 20 calories in a teaspoon of normal sugar.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 egg whites at room temperature
• 1 cup Splenda low calorie sweetener( 10 tbsp )
• 1 level tsp cornflour
• 1/2 tsp vinegar
• 10 walnut halves, roughly chopped
• Cinnamon for sprinkling

1) Grease and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven at 150C.

2) Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until it forms soft peaks. If you turn the bowl upside down and it is not sliding down then it is ready to add the sugar.

3) Add the sugar spoonful at a time, whisking after each addition.

4) When all the sweetener is in, whisk in the cornflour and the vinegar.

5) Fold in the chopped walnuts.

6) Spoon meringue on the the baking tray and turn the heat to 140C. Bake the meringues for 35-40 minutes and leave them in the oven to cool after you turn the oven off. I baked these on 125 C fan setting for 40 minutes.

7) Sprinkle with cinnamon when they all cooled and store in a jar.

NOTE: I used the egg yolks as HAIR MASK. Just mix 3 egg yolks with 3 tsp or more of olive oil( depending on your hair type) and apply to your hair. It is great as a conditioner. Wash it off thoroughly after 20-30 minutes.

FONDUE WITH DUTCH CHEESES

INGREDIENTS

• 450 g Edam or Gouda cheese, grated
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp sherry
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• pinch of paprika
• pinch of chili pepper
• French bread cubes for serving.

1) Place wine, garlic, parsley and lemon juice in the fondue pot or a small saucepan, stir and add the grated cheese.

2) Place the pot or saucepan on the hob at a LOW heat and cook until the cheese melts, stirring occasionally.

3) Mix cornflour with sherry to make a smooth paste in a small bowl. Add paprika and chili pepper.

4) Stir in the cornflour mixture into the pot with the cheese.Stir and take off the heat when it begins to bubble.

5) Serve immediately with cubes of french bread.

NOT: Slow cooking gives the best result in fondue making. If it is on high heat the fondue will be spoiled.

Some other cheeses which are good for melting and making fondue are: Emmental, Gruyere, Parmesan, Cheddar, blue cheeses and Camembert.

PIZZA WITH SELECTION OF TOPPINGS

I like making this pizza because everyone can have what topping they want on their slice, either vegetarian, meat or fish. Today i used prawns, mushrooms and peppers and spicy sausage for this pizza.

First make a dough with 200 g flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp yeast, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp olive oil and 150 ml warm water. Mix yeast, sugar, olive oil with water and let it stand for 10 minutes or so.

Sift the flour and salt in a bowl. Make a hollow in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture.Mix and knead for 10 minutes until you have a smooth dough. Cover the dough and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour or 1 and half hours.

Roll out the dough and prick with a fork. Spread thinly with tomato puree and sprinkle with grated cheese. Then top each triangle with the topping you desire. Sprinkle extra bit of cheese on top and bake in hot oven 240 C for 10-15 minutes.

LOW CAL SNACK

Hi all, if you are a snacker like me, rice cakes are great to keep you going till the meal time. They are only 29 cals per cake and quite filling. I found tahini paste and drizzle of maple syrup or honey on top makes it a tasty snack.

For 122 calories : you have 2 rice cakes with 2 tsp of tahini paste and 1 tsp of honey on top.

Although rice cakes are High GI but served with the sesame paste ( tahini ) makes it low GI and the honey satisfying for those with sweet tooth.

Seseame seeds sprinkling is optional.