Posts tagged ‘raisins’
Jamaican spice bun with a citrus glaze
When I think of the Caribbean, the first thing that comes to my mind is Jamaica. It’s one of the countries that defines the region with its warm people, beautiful locales and delicious food. I haven’t had the chance to visit yet, but hope to do so soon. I’m most excited about trying out the food since it’s not always easy to get a hold of authentic Jamaican cuisine where I live.
Since I can’t always find the food here, I might as well try cooking it! A friend from work gave me a copy of ”The Real Taste of Jamaica” a few months ago. Since then, I’ve been thinking about what to cook, but it’s so hard to choose! I wanted to try something that was easy to make but not the usual such as jerk chicken and patties. I saw a picture of the Jamaican spice bun (Easter bun) and knew I had to try it. Moist fruit bread with a pretty sugar glaze – how can you resist that?
This recipe is my take on the spice bun (loaf) so it has a twist. Think of it as a spiced raisin bread with a zesty citrus glaze on top. Yum….
To make this recipe somewhat healthier, I’ve used some wholewheat flour to add some fibre and nutrients. I chose demerara sugar for this recipe instead of brown sugar simply because I didn’t have any left at home! Feel free to replace with brown sugar – if you do, you’ll need to reduce the amount of milk slightly because brown sugar is quite moist.
Homemade granola with nuts, coconut, raisins and orange zest
I’m all for eating granola in the morning, but have you ever wondered how healthy store-bought granola really is? Depending on the brand, you may not be getting what you expect. Commercial granola can be loaded with unnecessary fat and sugar as well as preservatives. Why not try making it at home? It’s fast, easy and there are hundreds of different combinations you can try.
Perhaps you can make your own signature granola recipe if you want to get really creative! The basic recipe calls for rolled oats, sugar and some fat to make the flakes crispy. The add-ons are where you can get a little adventurous. How about coconut, dried raspberries, goji berries, chocolate covered cocoa nibs or even dried mango? The possibilities are endless…
Creamy rice pudding with raisins and almonds
Rice pudding is a dish that is made all over the world with different variations. In India it’s known as kheer if it’s made with rice grains and phirni if it’s made with ground rice. In some countries in the Middle East, they use rice powder to make a dish called mahalabiya, which has a custard-like consistency. My recipe is inspired by mahalabiya, but with more familiar Western flavours of cinnamon and raisins.
This is a quick and easy recipe which will definitely satisfy that sweet tooth! And to top that, it’s low fat (so feel free to indulge a little more.)