Raw crumble topping

Now that it is so easy to prepare 'stewed' fruit in the Thermomix, I find myself regularly cooking up a batch to keep in the fridge and stir through natural yoghurt in the summer or to enjoy warm when it is cold and dreary outside (like now) . . . and what goes great with warm stewed fruit for a winter treat? . . .  crumble of course! I have been making my healthy version of a traditional crumble topping for years . . it is considerably more wholesome with minimal added sugar and of course no white flour in sight! I used a food processor before my Thermie came along and have changed the formulation slightly over the years. 

I would usually top my stewed fruit with a generous sprinkling of this crumble topping and then pop it in a moderate oven to toast up for a warming dessert (lovely with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream). But, lately I am enjoying this topping raw on stewed or fresh fruit and natural yoghurt for breakfast (see the photo below) . You can of course heat up the fruit for a warm breakfast :)  Eating the crumble raw is naturally a healthier way to enjoy it, so that the fragile healthy fats and nutrients in the nuts and seeds are preserved and not destroyed during the cooking process which effectively roasts them  . . but I'll let you decide which way you prefer your crumble! 

Paula's healthy crumble topping
This crumble recipe makes enough to top one large dish of stewed fruit or six large individual ramekins. It is equally yummy toasted or raw. You can omit the added fat if eating raw.

ingredients
20g flaxseeds 
30g pepitas
50g mixed nuts of your choice ( I love to use hazelnuts, almonds & cashews)
6 dried dates or 1-2 tbsp of sucanat (rapadura)
20g desiccated coconut (or grind your own fresh first)
20g coconut oil
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger

Grind the flaxseeds on speed 9 for 10 seconds. Add all other ingredients to the TM bowl and chop on speed 5 for 5 seconds or longer if you prefer a finer texture.  Sprinkle over your favourite stewed fruit combination and bake in preheated moderate oven for 15-20 mins or until golden (or enjoy raw as discussed above).


Enjoy with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream :) Too easy and so nutritious! Makes a lovely breakfast too, just substitute natural yoghurt for the ice-cream (or not). 

variation ideas
add raw cacao beans or nibs
try blackstrap molasses to sweeten in place of the dates (or sucanat) or omit the sugar if you are sweet enough :)
use any combination of your favourite raw nuts
use sunflower seeds or any seeds of choice in combo with, or in place of pepitas

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Scrumptious spelt date scones!

These sweet, wholesome, high-fibre spelt & date scones are so soft, moist and yummy that they'll disappear within minutes of serving them up . . . this is the case at our place anyway! My family enjoys homemade scones for a lunch treat on a weekend. Sometimes I also make an extra batch to freeze and then send into school with my girls for lunch. These date scones are lovely split in two with a slice of tasty cheese inside . . yum!

Spelt & date scones with flax

ingredients

2 tbsp golden flaxseeds (or white chia)

120g filtered water

220g white spelt flour

220g wholemeal spelt flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tbsp raw caster sugar
40g butter, cubed
100g dates, roughly chopped
160g natural yoghurt
160g milk

method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C and line two oven trays with baking paper.
2. Add golden flaxseed to TM bowl and grind for 20 seconds on speed 9. Decant into a small jug or bowl containing 120ml of water (6 tbsp). Whisk with a fork. The soluble fibre which you have released through grinding will absorb the water and turn the mixture into a gel.  
3. Add the dried dates to TM bowl and pulse 2-3 times until roughly chopped. Put aside.
4. Place the spelt flours, baking powder, sugar and butter into TM bowl and mix for approx 5 seconds on speed 8 until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
5. Add natural yoghurt, milk and the flaxseed gel mixture to the TM bowl and mix for 8 seconds on speed 5, or until the dough almost comes together.
6. Return the chopped dates to the TM bowl. 
7. Set dial to closed position and mix for 20 seconds on interval speed to form a soft, sticky dough. 
8. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press into a disc shape. Divide into two equal portions and shape each piece into a disc of 2-3cm thickness. Slice each disc into six triangle wedges.
9. Carefully lift and place scones on the prepared tray. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until slightly brown on top. Turn onto a wire rack to cool or serve in a large bowl wrapped in a clean tea towel. Best enjoyed fresh with a little butter, lemon butter or served with tasty cheese. 

variations

add a little extra flavour interest with cinnamon and/or mixed spice

add 1 tbsp finely chopped walnuts

use 50g oats in place of 50g of spelt flour

use 280-300g of buttermilk in place of the yoghurt and milk

No Thermomix?
Make the scones following your usual method for making scones. I would always use an electric mixer before I had my Thermomix. Or rub the butter into the dry ingredients using your fingers, then make a well in the flour and pour in your liquid ingredients. Mix until just combined. You should never overwork a scone dough, thats why the Thermomix is perfect. Less is more when it comes to making a successful scone.

Nutrition tid bit
The addition of flax provides not only a nutrient boost, but also functions as a fat substitute in this recipe, helping to impart a soft and moist texture. In fact, these scones are so moist that I enjoy them as is, without a lashing of butter.

Pancake Sunday

It has become a weekend tradition at our place, that if Daddy is home he cooks the girls and I an egg and bacon breakfast on Sundays . . . yummy bacon & onion scrambled eggs with roasted tomatoes for mummy and fried or boiled eggs with toast soldiers for the girls. If Daddy is away the girls look for mummy to make pancakes or more recently crumpets in the Thermomix. 

Of course these are not your everyday run of the (flour) mill pancakes . . ha ha.  Anyone who knows me would ask . . "So what goodness do you have hiding in these Paula?" Whenever I'm cooking for my girls in particular, I do my very best to maximise the assortment of nutrients I can get into them without compromising taste and texture. There is no point making something healthier and then struggling to get your children to eat it. Making healthy changes to a recipe and satisfying little tummies is no easy feat. Clearly I live for this type of challenge :)

My banana, oat and spelt pancakes are a light and fluffy assortment of nutritious ingredients that leave me feeling very satisfied that I have provided my children a with great start to the day, and of course they have no idea just how good these scrummy pancakes are for them.  

Paula’s Banana, Oat & Spelt Pancakes

These pancakes are low in fat, high in dietary fibre and a source of omega-3 fats.

They are light and fluffy in texture which is an unexpected surprise when you consider that they are made from wholegrain flours. The fluffiness is thanks to the egg and raising agents, but is helped along by the ground flaxseed. One quantity makes enough for breakfast over two days. The left-over mixture should be kept in the fridge. Just add a little extra milk before cooking up the next day.

1 tbsp (10g) golden flaxseeds
140g whole oats
1 large ripe banana, roughly chopped

10g coconut oil (liquefied)

120g wholemeal spelt flour

pinch salt

40g raw caster sugar

½ tsp bicarb

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg

2 MC milk or plant-based milk

2 MC natural yoghurt (or vanilla)

2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

Add flaxseeds and oats to TM bowl and mill for 20 seconds at speed 9 with the MC cup on. Decant into a bowl and put aside.

Place sliced bananas in TM bowl and mash for a few seconds on speed 4. Return the ground flaxseed and oats to the bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Mix for 20 seconds on speed 5 or until smooth. Allow mixture to rest for at least 10-15 minutes.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan on medium heat and grease with a little butter or oil. Pour the mixture onto the hot pan. Cook until bubbled and then turn over and cook the other side. Turn the heat to low as the pan heats up.

Optional: Add a few blueberries or sliced kiwi or strawberries to each pikelet as it is cooking for extra fruity flavour and nutrition. Serve sprinkled with sifted icing sugar or drizzled with a little honey. Also delicious with Mum's lemon butter.

No Thermomix? 

• Freshly grind your flaxseeds (also known as linseeds) in a coffee grinder. 
• Use ready-made oat flour.
• Use a hand blender or food processor to make your pancake mixture.
• An MC cup is equivalent to 100ml of liquid

Nutrition tid bits
In order to access the omega-3 oils in flaxseed, you should grind the seeds before use. It's best to grind your own flaxseeds as ready-ground flax will go rancid quickly. To keep your ground seeds fresh, store them in an airtight container in the fridge (1 month) or freezer. Whole seeds will last longer - up to 2 years (check the use by date). If you suspect your flaxseeds are old, taste a few. If they are off in flavour and not pleasantly nutty, discard them. 

Did you know that ground flax can be used as a substitute for whole eggs in baking? Simply exchange 1 tbsp finely ground flax + 3 tbsp water for 1 egg. Blend together to make a viscous liquid. For more info on flaxseeds and other nutritious seeds see Ingredients.

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