Baked Doughnuts with Peach Honey Glaze

My passion for healthy baking lead to me to do the unthinkable - baking the doughnuts.Thankfully I wasn't the first one to be thinking of doughnuts with a healthier profile.There were quite a few recipes available on searching,Heidi's stood out on the top,I follow her method closely,although the ingredients vary a little.



Among the changes to the original recipe,I mixed in some whole wheat pastry(gotta have the fiber).Then the fat had to be in moderation too ,so combining butter and oil eased the fat calories furthermore.



The fresh fruit and honey glaze makes all the difference,without the glaze these wouldn't be as attractive and appetizing.Choose an intensely fruity glaze to add that essential layer of flavor.



The only downside,these not as moist as deep fried so cannot be stored for weeks,best if consumed the same day,or in a day or two.If that doesn't seem possible ,bake them in smaller batches instead.

Recipe: Baked Donuts with Peach Honey Glaze.
Makes a dozen large donuts
Ingredients
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 cups reduced fat milk(can also use almond or soy milk),divided
1 packet(2 teaspoon) active dry yeast
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon organic butter or virgin pressed coconut oil,melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 organic eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
For the peach honey glaze
4 ripe peaches,cored and chopped
1/2 cup Pure Organic honey
2 tablespoon Organic butter or virgin pressed coconut oil

Method
Warm about a cup of milk in the microwave for 20-25 seconds(warm to touch ,about 100F).Stir in the yeast and sugar,let get frosty,takes 10 minutes.
Beat the eggs in a bowl,whisk in rest of the milk ,butter and olive oil.In a large mixing bowl,combine flour,eggs and yeast mixture,until dough comes together smooth and supple,add more flour if needed.Cover the bowl and set in warm corner,let rise until double in size,about 1-2 hours.

Punch the air out of the dough,transfer on a lightly floured work surface.Divide in to about 4 portions.Roll out each portion about 1/2 inch thick,cut out circles using a 3 inch cookie cutter.To make the hole in the center use a smaller cutter.Make the center hole is big enough or might shut close when proofing.Finish cutting out the doughnuts from the rest of the dough.Lay them on a baking sheet,cover with kitchen towel and let rise(proof) for another 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375F.Bake the doughnuts until bottoms are lightly brown,about 10-12 minutes.Cool on rack before glazing.

Prepare the glaze,by melting the butter or coconut oil in a large saucepan,add the peaches and cook until soft,about 5-6 minutes.Stir in the honey towards the end.Blend in a food processor until smooth.

Dip both sides of the baked douts in the warm glaze.Serve immediately.Could be refrigerated in air tight container for a day or two,but tastes best the same day.


The holey temptation without the guilt - these are half the calories than there deep fried overly sweet counterparts,a reason enough to wholly enjoy them.

The doughnuts are now a part of Yeast Spotting.

Electrolux #Splits :Dark Chocolate Velvet Banana Split

Ovarian Cancer Research Fund(OCRF) was founded with a very straightforward: to fund research to find a method of early detection and ultimately a cure for ovarian cancer. The Board of Directors and dedicated staff of OCRF work diligently to educate women about ovarian cancer.They believe through educating a woman about ovarian cancer can make a difference in the lives of thousands of women who may be at risk.Every new research grant brings one step closer to finding a breakthrough.

To help fund the most promising work that is being done in the area of ovarian cancer by OCRF, Foodbuzz helped Electrolux and Kelly Ripa raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund by sending two Foodbuzz Featured Publishers to New York and giving them an opportunity to make banana splits with their kids.

To further support the worthy cause ,Foodbuzz is sponsoring a posting challenge and Top 9 takeover! In a Top 9 Takeover, Foodbuzz asks all Featured Publishers to construct a post about their ultimate Banana Split, and then for one day only, all Top 9 posts reflect that theme!.And Foodbuzz will donate $50(Up to $5,000) for every Banana Splits post by a Featured Publisher before Friday, July 16th.



For my delicious take on the decadent banana dessert,I use home made velvety dark chocolate ice cream(that has 1/2 the fat of a heavy cream ice cream),the topping of rich chocolate fudge sauce has no cream either,the nutty almonds ,juicy cherries and a crunchy whole grain berry cereal - all make it a healthier dessert, so fun to make and even more delicious to eat.

Recipe :Low fat Dark Chocolate Velvet Ice Cream and Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Ice cream yields 2 cups
Makes 4 banana splits
Ingredients
4 Ripe bananas
For Dark Chocolate Velvet Ice Cream
2 cups reduced fat milk
1 cup unsweetened Coconut milk(preservative free,I use Thai Kitchen brand)
1/2 cup bitter sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup brown sugar or 1/2 cup agave nectar
2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin or 1 teaspoon agar agar powder

For Chocolate Fudge Sauce
1/2 cup bitter sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoon reduced fat milk

For toppings
1/2 cup raw almonds,few chopped rest kept whole
1/2 cup low fat whole grain berry cereal
few fresh cherries

Method
Heat about 1/4 cup of water in a small saucepan,add the gelling agent(gelatine or agar-agar).Let simmer for for 4-5 minutes until completely dissolved,turn off the heat and stir in the sugar until completely dissolved.
Heat milk(both coconut and dairy milk) in another saucepan,turn off the heat and add the chocolate chips and the cocoa powder,whisk until mixture is smooth and glossy,stir in the sugar-gelatin mixture,blend in a food processor for a minute.Pour in freezer proof container and chill for 3-4 hours before churning in an ice cream maker as per the manufacturer's instruction.Serve the ice cream or store in freezer proof containers.
To make the fudge sauce
Just before assembling the banana split,combine the chocolate chips and the milk ,set in the microwave for 15 seconds,stir and return for another 15 seconds ,repeat until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

To assemble the banana split,use either tall wine glasses or oval slightly deep plates.Sprinkle the cereal at the bottom of the serving dish,then place whole raw almonds,put halved bananas on the side,a scoop of ice cream between the bananas.Drizzle about a tablespoon of chocolate fudge sauce, some chopped nuts and cherries.And indulge!

Watermelon Spritzer. And the winner of Ice cream challenge.

Who doesn't crave watermelon during the summer? A slice of fresh juicy crisp watermelon can quench the thirst better than any other fruit.Mid-summer has the best melons that are ripe,red and sweet.

Watermelon is loaded with a nutrient called citrulline that helps produce nitric oxide, a powerful blood vessel dilator that's critical to healthy blood flow - Dr. Oz

Much more satisfying than sugary sodas,the fizzy watermelon ice cubes spritzer is an amazing drink to chill off.The melon ice cubes keeps the drink cooler longer,alternately you could also make the drink by blending the melon with few ice cubes.But the ice cubes method yield a more intense melon punch,since the ice cubes are purely melons.

Recipe : Water melon Ice Cubes Spritzer(Non-alcoholic)
Ingredients
5 cups of Water melon chunks(about a quarter of large size melon)
2 tablespoon agave nectar(optional)
6 ounce bottle of lime flavored soda water

Method
Puree the water melon in a blender until smooth.Pour in ice trays and freeze for 4-5 hours.Unmold the ice cubes,put about 5-6 of the frozen water melon cubes in each of the tall glasses and pour a cup of soda water in each.Serve immediately.




Now for the exciting announcement of the winner of the Health Nut Ice cream challenge.It was a very close contest with such brilliant healthy Ice cream recipes.The top recipes which got most votes are :

Recipe , Votes
Kiran's Avocado Coconut Vegan Ice Cream 13
Denny's Almond Carrot Ice Cream 11
Nithu's Mixed Veggie Fruit Nut Oats Ice Cream 9
Rebecca's Almond Berry coconut Ice Dream 8
Curry Leaf's Mango coconut pops 5
Priya's Orange Yogurt Cheese Pops 4
Umm Mymoonah's Cherry Porridge Ice Cream 4


Congrats! Kiran,a copy of Rachel Albert-Matesz's Ice Cream Cook Book will be on your way soon.Thanks again to all the participants,the challenge indeed brought out some unusual yet tasty ideas of home made ice cream.

Peach Tomato Salsa Ranchera

Peach Tomato Salsa Ranchera's instant burst of heat from chili peppers and sweetness of peaches,had me craving for its recipe since I first tasted it at my friends.But the recipe was a mystery since the salsa was store bought.I searched in couple of stores with no luck finding the peach kind.Google came to the rescue,searching the net found this easy video of salsa ranchera.Boosting that recipe on the video with sweet summery peaches,voila! I created my own home made peach tomato salsa that was almost as good as the one I first tasted.


The ranch-style Salsa is traditionally made with tomatoes,spices and hot chili peppers.Baking the tomatoes and hot chili peppers gives a mellow roasted flavor to the salsa ,better than steaming or blanching.One can even use ripe mangoes instead of peaches or both together.Just make sure the peaches are thoroughly washed since its the fruit considered to most laden with pesticides,or buy organic peaches if available.

Recipe: Peach Tomato Salsa Ranchera
Ingredients
3 ripe peaches,thoroughly rinsed,pitted and diced
3 plum red ripe tomatoes,cored and halved
1/2 cup shallots ,finely chopped or minced
1 clove garlic,finely chopped
1 tablespoons. lemon juice
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 jalapeno peppers or Serrano peppers ,seeded and halved(Use 2 for medium heat)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method
Lay the tomatoes and peppers on a baking sheet,cut side down.Set in the preheated oven at 35F oven and let bake for 15-10 minutes until slightly charred at the top.Transfer in a blender and puree.

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet,add the garlic and shallots,saute for a minute.Add the cumin,peaches and cilantro,cover and cook another 3-4 minutes just until peaches are little soft but not mushy.Stir in blended tomato and pepper mixture,let warm up.Stir in the vinegar,lemon juice,season with salt and pepper.Transfer in a bowl and serve with blue corn tortilla chips.Can be stored in sterilized jar for a month.



Fruity fiery tangy,the best salsa I ever tasted.

Tuna Burger with Pine apple Relish,Plantain Fries and Berry Milkshake

The Ultimate Trio

I abstain from fast food burgers for all good reasons,but making one from scratch at home with better ingredients and flavors is an absolute pleasure of good food.I stumbled through Bobby Flay's Burgers,Fries and Shakes by chance at the library,one look through the book,was tempted enough to take it home and fix up at least a few of the of the tastiest combination of flavors ,that might just change my taste for burgers.
Bobby presents some fantastic twists to classic burgers,uses flavorful relishes and condiments to further enhance the taste of the beloved fast food.In addition the books had some tasty fries and refreshing shakes,to along for a completely satisfying meal.


Among the grilling guru's crafted tastiest recipes,the leaner seafood variety of Salmon and tuna burgers suited my palate perfectly.Although I did not completely stick with the original recipe,a lover of spices,had to add some more of the spicy ingredients and touch of greens to the burger.Also for the fries,shallow frying worked out well.The buns can definitely be store bought,since I never seem to find the right size hearty buns for my burgers,I choose to bake my own,even though it was 94F outside.On brighter side the steamy kitchen did quickened the rise of yeast in dough.The buns baked while the burgers cooked.The fries needed a close eye,the thin cut plantain can burn easily if ignored.

Recipe : Sesame Burger Buns
Make 3 large burger buns
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of Warm water
2 teaspoon of sugar
2 teaspoon active dry yeast or 1 packet(1/4 ounce) of quick rise yeast

Method
Make the Dough
In warm water mix in the dry yeast and sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes,until it gets frothy.
In a bowl combine the flours,oil,seeds(reserve few sesame seeds for topping the buns) ,salt along with the yeast mixture. Knead until the dough is tacky but not sticky and place in a greased bowl and cover. Allow to rise for an hour until double its size.
Shape and proof the buns
Get the dough out of the bowl,sprinkle some all purpose flour on the work surface and knead the dough for few seconds and divide in to about 3 portions. Set on a cookie sheet and finish shaping the remaining buns,place them about 1/2 inch apart from each other,sprinkle some sesame seeds on each of the buns. Cover with wrap and allow to rise for another hour.
Bake the Buns
Preheat Oven to 450F. Bake for about 18-20 minutes until crust turns lightly brown. Let cool on rack,Slice using a serrated knife. Assemble the buns with choicest veggies and greens .


Recipe: Tuna Burger,adapted from Bobby Flay's Burgers,Fries and Shakes
Serves 3
Ingredients
For the burger
1 pound fresh Tuna
2 green onions(green and pale green parts),thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove,finely minced
1/2 inch piece of ginger root,finely minced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot chili powder
1/4 teaspoon each of cumin and coriander powder
few leaves fresh mint,finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 whole grain sesame burger buns(as in the above recipe),split;toasted,if desired.

For the Pineapple Relish
1 cup pineapple,finely chopped
1 dill pickle,finely diced
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

few tender kale leaves and baby kale for topping (or use other leafy green of choice)

Method
To make the relish,combine the pineapple,pickles,onions,lime juice,honey,cilantro and oil in medium bowl and season with salt and pepper.Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving so that the flavors meld.

To make the Burger,cut the tuna in to large pieces and than coarsely chop in a food processor.Do not over process(or you can chop it by hand with a sharp knife)

Whisk together the mustard,dry spices,ginger,garlic and salt in a large mixing bowl.Add the tuna and green onions and gently fold to combine.Divide the tuna mixture in to 3 equal portions(about 5 ounces each).Form each portion loosely in to a 3/4 inch thick burger.Place on a plate,cover and let chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

To cook the burgers,heat the oil in a saute pan or griddle(non-stick or cast iron) until begins to shimmer.Cook the burger until golden brown on the bottom sides,about 3 minutes.

To assemble the burger,burger on the sesame bun with kale leave,top with relish and fresh baby greens.Serve immediately with the plantain fries and milk shake.


Recipe: Plantain Fries,adapted from Bobby Flay's Burgers,Fries and Shakes
Ingredients
2 green plantains
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grate lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot chili powder
2 tablespoon peanut oil

Method
Stir together the salt,lemon zest and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
Heat oil in a medium cast iron pan over medium heat.While the oil heats up,peel the plantains using a sharp knife to cut off the top and bottom ends then peel the green skin off.Cut the plain in to 3,halve each of the three pieces in to thin slices.Now cut each strip lenghtwise in to about 1/8-inch-thick fries.
Shallow fry in batches,turning frequently,until golden brown,about 2-3 minutes.Remove using a slotted spoon on to a plate line with paper towels and season immediately with the salt mixture.Serve hot.

Recipe:Berry Milkshake
Ingredients
2 cups Frozen berries
2 cups skimmed milk
1 cup fat-free frozen yogurt
2 tablespoon Agave nectar

Method
Combine the milk and berry in a blender and blend for 10 seconds.Add the frozen yogurt and blend until smooth,about 30 seconds.Serve immediately,garnish with fresh strawberries,if desired.


My tough take on the ultimate trio from the scratch - warm toasty buns with a juicy burger and sweet tangy relish,crispy fries and an icy fruity shake,was a sure comforting end of a sizzling hot summer day.
I'm submitting the recipe to Yeast Spotting.

Healthy Ice Cream Carnival

Have your Ice Cream and Eat it Too?

Yes! it is possible to have the best of both taste and nutrition.Thanks to the
16 talented Ice screamers who proved it by taking the Health Nut Challenge 6 : I Scream for Ice Cream Challenge.

Get ready to embrace the vibrant carnival of mostly fruity,few nutty and even some veggie healthy ice creams,some of which are definitely different from the usual.While you at it,choose your favorite healthy ice cream and submit using the form towards the end of the post.The Ice cream that gets the most viewer votes will take home the Chef Rachel Albert-Matesz's Ice Dream cookbook,a treasure of vegan healthful Ice cream recipes.

Participant Entries

1.Mona's deliciously dense frozen dessert ,Pomegranate Kulfi,is enriched with antioxidant rich totally natural Pomegranate juice.Traditionally a kulfi is a no-churn ice cream,made by boiling milk until reduced by half, then flavoring with nuts, aromatic spices or saffron,and finally freezing in molds.The reduced milk imparts the creamy attribute to the Kulfi.Mona uses evaporated milk instead of condensed milk to control the amount of sugar in the kulfi.


2.Priya's easy breezy Orange and Yogurt Cheese Pops are made with freshly squeezed orange juice with agave syrup and yogurt cheese.A Yogurt cheese is a creamy white cheese,obtained after straining the yogurt in a muslin cloth.Using low fat or fat free yogurt,is best to avoid all the fat and still retain the source of calcium.


3.Sharada's Egg free and guilt-free Mango Ice Cream,is mangoes at its best.

4.Rebecca's gorgeous Almond-Berry Coconut Ice Dream,is also inspired by Chef Rachel Matesz's Ice creams Minus the Moo,using coconut milk for all it better benefits than the full fat dairy cream.

5.Sayatani's delicacy of hot summers Mango Kulfi,is made from fresh juicy sweet mangoes harvested from her own backyard.

6.Mallika's perfect scoop of Caramelized Peanut Butter Ice Cream,has the heart healthy fats from the roasted peanuts,the caramelized sugar adds so much more to the flavors of nuts besides the sweetness.


7.Soma's luscious red refreshingStrawberry Sorbet with summer's best berries is a sure winner among young and old alike.

8.Curry Leaf's cooling Mango Coconut Pops are dairy free sweetened with heavenly honey.


9.Divya's creamy sweet Kulfi is enhanced with benefits of almonds and pistachio.


10.Umm Maymoonah's Cherry Porridge Ice Cream,besides being sweetened with healthful honey ,flavored with luscious berries has coconut milk and oats porridge as the secret ingredient,which makes this such a unique ice cream.


11.Kiran's Avocado Coconut Vegan Ice Cream is an absolutely sensational way to enjoy the nutritious creamy green fruit.


12.Jagruti's aromatic Mavadaar Rose and Coconut Kulfi has a touch of powdered coconut milk and hearty paneer(Indian cottage cheese).


13.Sukanya Ramkumar's fascinating Plum Swirled Pops,is a fruity frozen concoction of fresh plums and low fat vanilla yogurt.


14.Denny's exotic Carrot Almond Ice cream ,with almond milk and Greek yogurt as the base,sweetened with honey and flavored with carrot juice,nuts,rose water and saffron,is just about how healthy and tasty an ice cream can get.


15.Nithu Bala's fantastic Mixed Fruit Veggie Nut Oats Ice Cream,is so nutritious with wholesome oats,nuts,fresh carrots ,beets,coconut milk,orange juice and with sweetness in moderation,this is perfect choice even for breakfast.



16.Aqua's Green mango Sorbet,is a refreshing thirst quencher,with tangy green mangoes,sweet jaggery and hint of aromatic cardamom.

My Entries


Peanut Butter and Plum Jelly Ice cream,gets the smooth creamy texture from the roasted peanut butter and home made jelly adds the fruity touch.This is a dairy free ice cream inspired Chef Racheal Matesz's Ice Dream recipes

Kumquat Ice Cream,again dairy-free with a citrusy punch of kumquats,the smaller cousins of orange.

Raspberry Tofu Dark Chocolate Ice cream Cake,a frozen layered cake with creamy tofu berry ice cream layer over the hearty dark chocolate bottom.

Tropical fruit Pops,a real summer indulgence,fruit pops with a variety of real fresh fruit puree ,that deliciously add a daily serving of all natural fruits and fiber in your diet,void of artificial colors or excess sugar.

No-churn Almond Banana Chocolate Ice cream with amazingly simple ingredients and easy grind-blend-freeze method ,the ABC ice cream is sumptuous summer treat.

Chunky Cherry Ice Cream,bountiful fruity bits in chilled dairy-free creamy goodness,this frozen treat calms the craving for the cool.

Red White Blue Dessert - Health Nut Turns 2.

Health is as precious as any priced jewelry,needs to guarded with the same sense of responsibility.


What started as a hobby of leisure time has now become an inseparable part of my routine.Food blogging indeed has brought out the best of my culinary skills.I owe it all to the viewers for the encouragement and support that has given me the confidence each time to bring out more of the tried and tested healthy recipes.


For a sweet celebration of blog birthday and the Independence day,I couldn't think of a simpler fruit and cream dessert.
As an immigrant I had little knowledge about American history.That has changed recently with my new found interest in nation's past,partly due to my 7 year old's keen interest in reading the biographies of the founding fathers of the nation.He has this knack of memorizing names and numbers,amazingly he could memorize the list of all the presidents.Picked his favorite as Abraham Lincoln,for the big change he brought with the abolition in slavery.I couldn't be more impressed.And his opinion about this dessert in patriotic colors was simply amazing.
As long as one takes care of two important points,first the gelling agents agar-agar(the vegan replacement for gelatin available in most Asian stores) or gelatin be fully dissolved in the liquid and second giving ample time for one layer to set before building another over it,there is little that can go wrong with this delicate dessert..
Recipe :Red White Blue Dessert
Ingredients
The Red Raspberry-strawberry Sauce
2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries and raspberries
1 tablespoon agave nectar
2 teaspoon white sugar
2 tablespoon water

The White Coconut cream layer
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup water.
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon agar-agar flakes or unflavored gelatin


The Blue blueberry Jelly layer
2 cups blueberries.
1/4 cup water.
1 tablespoon agave nectar
2 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon agar-agar flakes or unflavored gelatin

Method
Start with making the coconut jelly layer,heat the water in a saucepan and add the agar-agar or gelatin,let dissolve completely,about 3-4 minutes.You don't want any lumps in the jelly,so be sure its totally mixed in.Add the coconut milk and simmer for 3-4 minutes.Pour in in individual ramekins or other ceramic bowls(about 3 inches in diameter) until 1/3rd full and let set in fridge for 2-3 hours until completely stabilized.
Now prepare the blueberry jelly layer similarly,heat the water in a saucepan and add the agar-agar or gelatin,let dissolve completely,about 3-4 minutes.Add the blueberries and let cook for 2-3 minutes until soft.Blend the mixture until smooth.Make sure the coconut jelly layer is completely set,now pour the blueberry mixture over.Set in fridge for another hour or two until set.
Prepare the sauce,by cooking the berries with water and sugar,until soft about 3-4 minutes.Mix in the agave towards the end.Blend smooth and cool.

To unmold,use a knife and carefully run around the ramekins to loosen the edges of the dessert and slowly flip in to a serving plate.Enjoy chilled with red raspberry strawberry sauce and more fresh berries.



The dessert is sent to Weekend Herb Blogging #240,hosted this week by Anh from Food Lover's Journey


Happy Independence day!