Chai Spice Iced Cookie Balls

This is the second version of my Chai Spiced Iced Biscuit recipe. These cookie balls are made without butter, flour, egg or brown sugar. Instead I tried to use alternative ingredients: coconut oil, oat flour, flaxseed and dates. I still used confectioners sugar to decorate the cookies but instead of brewing a chai tea bag, I ripped the bag open and blended the chai spices into the icing sugar, giving the topping a stronger flavour.

The nutritional content of these cookies is similar to traditional cookies that use butter, eggs, flour and sugar. However there's more fibre and protein in these cookie balls, with less sugars, than the original spiced biscuit recipe. This version is also cholesterol free!

Chai Spice Iced Cookie Balls

Makes 19

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients: 

- 7g / 1tbsp flaxseed meal

- 45ml / 3tbsp water

- 80g / 3oz dates, pitted and chopped

- 60ml / 4tbsp coconut oil

- 300g / 11oz oat flour

- 1/2tsp salt

- 1/2tsp baking powder

- 1.5tsp mixed spice

- 1 chai tea bag 

- 80g / 3oz confectioners sugar / icing sugar

Method:

Mix the flaxseed with 3tbsp water and sit for 5 minutes. 

Soak the dates to soften, drain and blend in a food processor. 

Add the coconut oil and flaxseed and blend to combine.

Mix together the oat flour, salt, baking powder and mixed spice.

Stir in the wet ingredients to form a dough.

Form small balls and bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 175C / 350F.

Whilst cooling on a wire rack, blend the chai tea bag in food processor with the icing sugar and a little water.

Spoon icing sugar over the top of each ball. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Chai Spice Iced Biscuits

I rarely make conventional biscuits/cookies that call for butter, sugar, flour and eggs. I like to experiment with substitutions and alternative ingredients. Sometimes it's trial and error! However, after receiving a cookie cutter from my chef friend, I had to bake some traditional cookies. The cookie cutter comes from Ann Clark, Ltd.

Who knew baking cookies was a science, as much as an art form! So many decisions over the amount of flour to use, white or brown sugars, melted or softened butter, baking soda and/or powder. Then there's so many arguments over the amount of time the cookie dough should be chilled in the refrigerator. I chilled the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes but I'm unsure if this made any significant difference. One reason given on the internet as to why cookie dough should be refrigerated is that it gives the gluten time to relax.

I couldn't bring myself to totally follow a traditional recipe so I did try to limit the amount of sugar and butter and reduced the quantities very slightly. I was still able to roll out the dough, cut perfectly uniform cookies and bake over two dozen biscuits, just like a regular recipe. When reviewing various cookie recipes on the internet, I found this useful resource: Cookies - Problems and Solutions

Regular icing sugar can be used to decorate the biscuits but I brewed a chai tea bag and mixed with the icing sugar to give a little extra spice to each biscuit.

Chai Spice Iced Biscuits

Makes 28

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients: 

- 112g / 4oz butter, unsalted

- 195g / 7oz light brown sugar

- 1 egg

- 300g / 11oz flour

- 1/2tsp salt

- 1/2tsp baking powder

- 1.5tsp mixed spice

- 1 chai tea bag 

- 100g / 3.5oz confectioners sugar / icing sugar

Method:

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar using a hand held mixer. Beat in the egg.

Mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and mixed spice.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet to make a dough.

Wrap and chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out and cut into biscuits using a cookie cutter.

Bake in the oven for 13 minutes at 175C / 350F.

Whilst the biscuits are cooling on a wire rack, brew the chai tea in 60ml / 1/4 cup boiling water. 

Mix the chai tea with the icing sugar and decorate each biscuit. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Almond Tomato Pasta

This is another quick and easy pasta recipe. The sauce can be made whilst the pasta is cooking - i.e. less than 10 minutes. A handful of fresh basil can be used instead of dried, and olive oil can be used instead of nonfat Greek yogurt to make the recipe more like a pesto pasta dish. However, the oil will add more calories and fat to the nutritional content.

Almond Tomato Pasta

Makes 2

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:

- 112g / 4oz pasta

- 28g / 1oz almonds

- 1 clove garlic, chopped

- 140g / 5oz / 1 medium tomato, chopped

- 112g / 4oz nonfat Greek yogurt

- 1tsp basil, dried

- 1/2tsp red pepper flakes

- 1tsp vinegar

Method:

Boil the pasta in a pan of water.

Meanwhile, using a food processor grind the almonds.

Add the garlic, tomato, yogurt, basil, red pepper flakes and vinegar and blend to combine all ingredients.

Drain the pasta and heat the sauce in the pan to warm through. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Chocolate Tofu Pie with Cashew Crust

After recently posting about my Chocolate Tofu Mousse recipe, I wanted to create a pie using the cashews. The tofu mouse is delicious simply eaten by itself, but similar to my Chocolate Pudding recipe, nuts can be used to make a natural and healthy pie crust (instead of using store-bought cookies and butter). I love my previous recipe which uses almonds: Chocolate Pie with Almond Crust!

Usually when I use cashews, I simply measure out the required amount - straight from the container - and add them to my recipe. However, on this occasion, I thought I'd try soaking them first as I've read many articles on the internet about soaking nuts - "essential for proper digestion".
Sites include:
Benefits of Soaking Nuts and Seeds
How to Soak Nuts
Is Soaking Nuts Necessary & How To Properly Soak Your Organic Raw Nuts!

There is a lot of information and various instructions regarding why and how to soak and dry all nuts, including cashews. The general consensus is that the harder the nut, the longer it takes for them to soak. The time required is anywhere between 2 to 6 hours. Anything over 6 to 7 hours will turn the cashews bitter. However other sources say you should soak overnight!

It seems common to refresh the water every 3 to 4 hours to get rid of all the enzymes. Some sources say the water should be salted - to help neutralize the enzymes.

When drying nuts, a dehydrator is popular. Drying nuts in the oven can also be done, with the emphasis being on a low temperature (100F) setting. If nuts are stored without fully drying they can go slimy and moldy. I don't own a dehydrator so I set my oven to the lowest temp setting (170F), put the cashews in the oven during the preheat phase, dried for 10 minutes and then turned off the oven but left the cashews inside for another 10 mins until cool.

The cashews never really dried out completely. However, as I was blending these nuts with other ingredients, I wasn't too concerned.

Cashew Pie Crust
Makes 4 pie crusts
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 85g / 3oz cashews
- 80g / 3oz oat flour
- 20g / 1tbsp honey

- 30ml / 2tbsp water

Method:
In a food processor, grind the cashews, then add the oat flour, honey and water.

Blend to combine into a dough, adding another tbsp water if needed.

Spoon into dishes. Flatten and smooth the surface.

Spoon the tofu mousse mixture on top of the cashew crust.

Chill in the fridge. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Cashew pie base NI

Chocolate Tofu Mousse NI

Thai Green Pumpkin Dip

The seasons are changing and pumpkin recipes are becoming popular. The Thai green sauce is made with jalapenos, traditional in Thai cooking to make curries and give dishes spice and 'hotness', together with poblano peppers and green tomatoes.

The dip is low calorie and can be eaten with freshly cut vegetables and baked corn chips. The mixture of hotness and creaminess is a great combination, due to the spicy Thai green sauce and the nonfat Greek yogurt. With only three ingredients, it's quick and easy to make.

There are no beans in this dip, unlike the other dips I've previously made.

Thai Green Pumpkin Dip
Makes 8, 84g/3oz servings

Ingredients:
- 280g/ 10oz pumpkin puree
- 96g / 6tbsp thai green sauce
- 225g / 8oz nonfat Greek yogurt

Method:
In a bowl, mix together all ingredients and spoon into a container.
Serve with corn chips and chopped vegetables. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information: