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Low-Fat Savory Scones

Madhuram — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:09:00 +0000

I found this savory scone recipe in a book named Gifts from the Kitchen. I made a couple of changes to the original recipe, like adding Garam Masala/chili powder and cilantro instead of Italian herbs and seasoning. To make it low in fat I have also substituted plain non fat yogurt for the sour cream and omitted the Parmesan cheese. I also replaced 1/4 cup of all purpose flour with chickpea flour. After all these changes the end product tasted like the baked version of the Indian Pakoda/bonda. More about the taste in the Taste section.

Ingredients

Oil 2 teaspoons

Red Bell Pepper, minced 1/3 cup

Green Bell Pepper, minced 1/3 cup

Garam Masala Powder 1/2 teaspoon

Salt 1/8 teaspoon

All Purpose Flour 3/4 cup

Chickepea Flour (besan) 1/4 cup

Whole Wheat Flour 1/4 cup

Baking Powder 1 and 1/2 teaspoons

Baking Soda 1/2 teaspoon

Chili Powder as per taste

Salt as per taste

Gelatin free Yogurt, plain, non fat 1/3 cup (dry measure)

Fat Free Milk 1/3 cup

Green Onions, minced 2 tablespoons

Cilantro, finely chopped 1/4 cup

Yield: 22 scones

Procedure1 Preheat oven to 400F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2 Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, salt and Garam Masala powder; cook until tender. Set aside.

3 In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chili powder. Add the cooked peppers.

4 Then add yogurt, milk green onions and cilantro; stir to from sticky dough.

5 Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Spray tops lightly with non stick cooking spray.

6 Place in oven and reduce heat to 375F immediately. Bake 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Taste

As mentioned in the introduction I made a couple of changes to the original scone recipe to add more Indian flavors. So these scones tasted more like soft pakoras or methu pakodas to be precise because it was not crispy. My husband and I liked it but my son did not savor it. Also it tastes better when served warm.

My Notes1 The scones I prepared were quite bland. I think they would have tasted even better had I added more chili powder. So taste the batter before baking and adjust the seasonings accordingly.

This low fat savory scone recipe goes to:

My Low Fat Eggless Baking Event
Priya’s AFAM-Bell Peppers. AFAM originally started by Maheswari.

Moroccan CousCous

Madhuram — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:05:59 +0000

It’s long time since I cooked couscous, so when I googled to find out the ratio of water to the pasta (yes, it’s a pasta. Check here for more details), I landed on this Moroccan couscous recipe. I had some of the ingredients to prepare the dish, so tweaked it a little bit and was overjoyed when my son devoured it.

Ingredients

Couscous, dry 3/4 cup

Water 3/4 cup

Oil 2 teaspoons

Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon

Onion, big, thinly sliced 1

Yellow, Orange and Green pepper 1/2 each, cut into strips

Soy Chunks, dry 1 and 1/2 cups

Coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon

Garam masala powder 3/4-1 teaspoon

Chili powder 1/4 teaspoon

Salt as per taste

Lemon juice few drops

Cilantro, finely chopped 1/4 to 1/2 cup

Yield: Serves 3 people.

Procedure1 In a medium size sauce pan pour 3/4th cup of water and let it boil.
Once the water is boiling, switch off the stove and remove the pan from the stove and set aside. Now add 2 drops of oil, pinch of salt and the couscous; stir it with a fork and close the pan with a lid.

2 Cook the soy chunks/nuggets as per the package instructions. (In a medium pan add about 4 cups of water and let it boil. Once it boils, switch off the stove, add a teaspoon of salt and the soy chunks and leave it aside for 15 minutes. Then drain the water and squeeze out the excess water from the soy chunks and keep it ready). The soy chunks will be very hot, so pour some cold water and leave it for sometime before squeezing.

3 In a large skillet add the oil. When the oil is hot enough add the cumin seeds and let it crackle.

4 Then add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Fry the onions and then add the cut peppers and the seasonings. Also include the soy chunks and sautee it a couple of times.

5 Now depending on the size of the pan you are using add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water to the vegetable mixture and let it cook. The water should be absorbed and the vegetables should also be cooked.

6 Now add the cooked couscous to the vegetables and mix it well.

7 Drizzle few drops of lemon juice, cilantro and mix it once again.

My Notes1 I used soy chunks to substitute the beef in the original recipe. Other protein alternatives can be soy nuggets, chickpeas or even tofu.

2 I have used three color bell peppers because I had it, but you can use just one too.

Sending this couscous recipe to

1. Priya’s AFAM-Bell Peppers. AFAM originally started by Maheswari.

2. Lavi’s IAVW-Moroccan. It’s a Vegan World originally started by Vaishali.

Vegetarian Mexicitos for AWED – Mexico

Madhuram — Sat, 10 May 2008 12:10:42 +0000

In Mexico these turnovers are also called Empanaditas. This is a Mexican Appetizer. I found this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens’ “Off the Shelf Baking” book. The original recipe did not have a vegetarian filling. So I decided to use black beans instead. Added benefit, more fiber and protein than the original version. My husband suggested to use soy granules, but what can be more Mexican than black beans? I think I will try his suggestion the next time.

Dough for the outer cover:
Refrigerated Buttermilk biscuits 16.3 oz package(8 biscuits total) – 1

Ingredients for Filling (for 12 turnovers):

Black Beans 15.5 oz can – 1
Tomato Sauce/Crushed Tomatoes – 3 tablespoon
Chili Powder – ¼ teaspoon (I would increase a little bit the next time)
Salt – ¼ teaspoon (next time I would use even less)
Dried Oregano – ½ teaspoon
Garlic Powder – ½ teaspoon
Cilantro/Scallions – little
Oil – 1 tablespoon

Optional:
Milk for brushing
Salsa for dipping

Prepare the filling:
1. Drain the beans from the can in a colander and wash it under running water. Mash the beans with a potato masher or a fork. My little helper was more than happy when I asked him to mash the beans for me.

2. In a skillet add the oil and after it heats add the mashed black beans, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, oregano and garlic powder.

3. Fry it for 2-3 minutes until all the ingredients combine well.

4. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool. Stir in cilantro/scallions. I didn’t have cilantro so I used scallions instead. The filling tasted very good by itself.

Preparing the Empanadas:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a large baking sheet.

2. Remove the biscuits from the pack as the per the instructions and place them either on a floured surface or in the prepared baking sheet so that it doesn’t stick to the surface.

3. The original recipe specifies to cut each biscuit in half horizontally (so you will have 16 circles for a box of 8 biscuits) and roll each piece of biscuit on a lightly floured surface into a 4-inch circle. I did try this method but it was a bit difficult to get even shaped circles while cutting.

4. Instead I cut each biscuit into 2 pieces using a pair of scissors and rolled them into balls.

5. Then rolled it out into circles.

6. I did have a doubt if handling the dough too much may make the end product very hard. I tried with one turnover first to be sure and it baked very well and it had the same texture as the turnover which was cut horizontally. So I followed the same method for the rest of the biscuits. This method was so easy.

7. Place about 1 tablespoon filling onto half of each circle. Brush edges with very little milk. Fold opposite side of circle up and over filling and seal edges with a fork.

8. I also did not cut all the biscuits at once because I did not know if the filling would be sufficient. So I dealt one by one. I got 12 empanadas, for the filling, i.e., I used 6 full biscuits. The remaining 2 biscuits I just baked it as it is.

9. Place filled turnovers 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet, brush with milk.

10. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. The aroma was so appetizing. Immediately remove from baking sheet. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Serving warm is key. The turnovers tasted good later also, but it was best when warm. We had store bought salsa at home and the turnovers tasted even better when dipped in salsa.

Freezing Tips:
These turnovers can be made ahead and frozen for later use. Prepare it as per the above directions. Let it cool completely on wire racks. Place in an airtight freezer container; freeze for up to 3 months. We ate only 6, so I froze the remaining 6 in Ziploc bags. To reheat, transfer frozen turnovers to an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake, uncovered, in a 350F oven for 10-12 minutes or until heated through.

My Notes:
1. Watch the amount of salt because the canned beans also has sodium and so does the refrigerated biscuits. I used 1/4 teaspoon only, even then it was a bit salty. Either I should have increased the chili powder or reduced the salt.
2. I used reduced fat buttermilk biscuits.

I would like to send this recipe to DK’s AWED – Mexico event. Thanks DK for giving us a nudge to experiment different cuisines.