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Snacks - Good Vegetarian

Tomato and Basil Pesto

April 20th 2008 13:42
Pesto has to be one of the best things in life - tasty, versatile and easy as pie to make. Try this delightful tomato and basil pesto. It's great to serve with crackers, bread, sundried tomatoes, avocado and your favourite cheeses, or simply mixed with pasta.

O pesto, you're the besto!

Basil Pesto


Pesto Trapanese


What you need:

1 bunch of basil leaves
1 clove garlic, crushed
50g almonds, skinned
1 medium tomato, skinned
150ml olive oil

What to do:

Blend basil, garlic and almonds until minced. Chop tomato and add to blender. Pour in olive oil gradually until pesto has a thick consistency.

You can also add parmesan cheese if you like, or replace almonds with other nuts/seeds (walnuts, pine nuts or sunflower seeds). And while basil is brilliant, parsley also makes a good pesto that's packed with iron.

Image from Flickr.com
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Posted By: Greta Simpson - Category: Snacks
   


Apricot and Coconut Balls

April 19th 2008 08:52
Maybe I have an obsession with sugar, or suuuugggaaar. At any rate, I seem to be suffering from sweet-tooth cravings at the moment and discovered these apricot and coconut balls. Bless 'em, you can also shape the mix into a log and cut into little pieces, which can be kept in a container in the fridge for sweet-afternoon-treats. Or so I've heard.

Apricots will also give you a health boost - with dietary fibre, vitamin A, beta-carotene and antioxidants!

Dried Apricots and Nuts



Apricot and Coconut Balls

What you need:

1 1/2 cups dried apricots
1 cup orange juice
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
1 1/2 cups flaked or dessicated coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts or almonds...)
raw sugar

What to do:

Put apricots and orange juice in a small pot and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and cover, then leave for ten minutes so that apricots absorb the juice. Drain, then place apricots in blender with coconut and nuts. Pulse blend until mixture is fine. Add zest and lemon juice. Remove from blender and shape into balls or log. Roll lightly in sugar and a little dessicated coconut. If mixture seems dry, add more OJ.

Image from Flickr.com
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Posted By: Greta Simpson - Category: Snacks, Baking
   


How to Make Hummus DIY Style

April 18th 2008 12:57
Hands up who buys hummus from the supermarket. I bet if you do, you also have an annoying voice at the back of your mind telling you that it's easy to MAKE YOUR OWN!

The chickpea (or garbanzo) is the primary ingredient in hummus and an excellent food for us veggie-types:

- A good source of protein
- High in fibre
- Fat-free
- Contains folate and magnesium (both excellent for reducing the risk of heart disease)

Homemade Hummus


So, here's how to make hummus:

Hummus

What you need:

¾ cup chickpeas, soaked overnight
2 Tbsp tahini
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper

What to do:

Drain chickpeas, place in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 2 hours until soft. Add a little salt towards end of cooking. Drain, keeping ½ cup of water. Place the chickpeas in a blender with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, oil, cooking liquid, and salt & pepper. Blend.

Couldn't be easier! Hummus is great as a dip or spread. Keep it in the covered in the fridge to use over 3-4 days.

Image from Flickr.com
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Posted By: Greta Simpson - Category: Snacks
   


Healthy Granola Bars

March 25th 2008 04:30
These high protein bars make a great breakfast-on-the-go or afternoon slump snack. And what's more, they're fine for vegans when agave nectar is used instead of honey. Agave nectar is a commercially produced sweetener, made in Mexico and available in some health food stores, gourmet food shops and buy agave sweetener online. Many people wonder...

Are granola bars healthy?
A lot of store-bought energy bars, protein bars, muesli bars and granola bars are full of sugar, additives, colouring and preservatives. These homemade granola bars are a healthier alternative - made with all-natural ingredients and packed with goodness: protein and vitamins from sunflower seeds, almonds and pumpkin seeds, plus slow-release energy and fibre from rolled oats and bran.

Healthy Granola Bars (makes 16)

What you need:

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup wheat germ or oat bran
1/2 cup honey (or agave nectar)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp butter (or dairy-free spread)
2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup dried fruit (choose from apricots, blueberries, prunes, raisins...)

What to do:

Preheat oven to 180C and grease a baking dish. Mix together oats, sunflower seeds, almonds and wheat germ - heat on a baking tray for around 8 minutes, mixing halfway through. While they are cooking, melt butter, brown sugar, vanilla and honey (let it boil for a minute). Remove from the heat and add seed mixture. Combine then transfer to the baking dish, pressing down so that the surface is even. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool, then cut into 16 pieces.
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Posted By: Greta Simpson - Category: Snacks
   




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