Oil-Free Granola

Granola is certainly not a low-calorie food, but it is a powerhouse of energy and is ideal for breakfast or snacking. Here in the US, granola comes in almost every flavor you can imagine. However, in the UK it’s not widely available - the closest thing I can describe it as, is bits of crunchy flapjacks. That is, British flapjacks, not American…that’s a different kettle of fish altogether.

It’s similar to crunchy British flapjacks because the base for granola is oats, brown sugar/honey/liquid sweetener, fat and optional add-ins. With the addition of dried fruit, nutritious seeds and nuts, the granola mix can be a densely-nutritious food.

Hot Cross Buns

There's a bun in the oven! Ok, not one bun, but several. And not ANY buns... hot cross buns. You know "hot cross buns, hot cross buns, one-a-penny, two-a-penny, hot cross buns, if you have no daughters, give them to your sons, one-a-penny, two-a-penny, hot cross buns".

Don't worry, I haven't lost my marbles - it was a silly nursery rhyme we were made to learn at school. It was with reference to the small and spicy fruit buns decorated with a cross, traditionally eaten on Good Friday to celebrate the religious significance of the resurrection of Christ.

Quick & Easy Pizza Sauce

I’ve been making my own pizza and pizza sauce for years. The usual way is reduce a load of tomatoes down until lusciously thick with an intense tomato-ey flavor. Because it takes a while to make a batch, I usually make a huge amount and freeze it until needed.

One evening, I had a brainwave – why can’t I make pizza sauce from tomato puree? After all, you normally reduce the tomatoes into a thick paste, why can’t you do it the other way around? I mean, tomato puree is already concentrated, surely you can do the reverse, by thinning it down to the correct consistency.

Candied Mixed Peel

It's become quite a tradition in our household, that I make panforte di Siena every Christmas. I've been doing this for almost 10 years, and it's a wonderful holiday treat for both J and I.

One of the key ingredients in panforte di Siena is candied mixed peel. No matter where I looked, I couldn’t find it in any grocery stores. The ones that I did find were psychedelic in color, and I’m definitely not using them! So the first year in the US, I made our Christmas cake with no candied peel – it just wasn’t the same.

English Beef Stew with Herby Dumplings

Winter is a wonderful time for beef stew. There’s something about this warming comfort food that makes all your troubles melt away…

The beef in this stew is tender and succulent, the vegetables cooked to perfection and the herby dumplings are exquisite - they simply are the icing on the cake. There’s nothing better than dabbing up the remaining gravy with a good ole herby dumpling!

Green Lentil Soup

This soup is delicious, although it doesn’t look it. I would rarely make this soup, because it's just protein. When J had his wisdom teeth pulled, I needed to find a way to get some protein into him. However, I’m not sure that eating soup when the temperature is 31°C/88°F is such a good idea.

This soup tastes identical to the ones we’ve tried in the Mediterranean restaurants we’ve visited. It’s mealy/floury from the lentils and is lightly spiced with a cumin seeds.

About Soy Lecithin

Before I moved to the US, I was somewhat careless or carefree about what I consumed. Although I ate relatively healthily, I didn’t mind eating things that stated that they could have been genetically modified.

When we moved to the US, J & I developed food allergies. This made me look more into what was in foods. I now cook almost everything from scratch. I am extremely careful with anything I eat or cook with, including anything that is genetically modified. I also check ingredients on all-labeled items.

Almond Cookies

This recipe was found in one my Chinese recipe books; however, I know the French also do something very similar. Almond cookies comes in all shapes and sizes, with this simple recipe, you're greeted with a crisp, bite-sized almond cookie, that's almond-infused and lightly sweet. They're delicious with tea or coffee.

Kefthedes - Greek Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Kefthedes is a popular dish served during a meze dinner. They are lamb meatballs, which are lightly spiced with cumin. Here they are served with a thick tomato sauce, and although they don’t look like much, they are bursting with flavor and have an exceptionally tender texture. This dish is wonderful with tabbouleh or a simple cous cous side dish.

Although traditionally made with lamb, you can use minced (ground) beef instead. The kefthedes are good without the tomato sauce, so feel free to try them on their own if you wish.

What is Vanillin?

Vanillin, is one of the constituents that contribute to the distinct flavor and aroma of vanilla.

It's an organic crystal that forms on the outside of the vanilla bean. Although it does occur naturally, a cured vanilla pod only contains about 2% dry weight of vanillin. The extraction of naturally occurring vanillin is not only expensive, but highly inefficient.