Bites

SNACKS AND TREATS
FOR SUSTAINED ENERGY

By Gabi Steenkamp RD (SA) and Jeske Wellmann RD (SA)

Gabi and Jeske are two highly accomplished dieticians and contributing authors for 'Sustained Energy for Kids'. In 'Snacks and Treats for Sustained Energy' their newest book in the series they have made the ultimate contribution towards easy-to-make foolproof, low GI recipes.

Both women are down to earth, practical and, between them, they have devised recipes which can be enjoyed by those with diabetes, who need to maintain blood glucose levels, those that need to lose weight and maintain an ideal figure and yet yearn to enjoy a little treat with their tea from time to time.

When you have cholesterol and blood pressure issues, enjoying party snacks can be destructive. The same applies to children who suffer from attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity and so often eat junk food that contributes towards these problems. This book answers a need for more nutritious snacks and delicious treats that range from the traditional to the creative.

EASY APPLE STRUDEL

4 stewed apples or one 410 g tin of pie apples
30 ml sugar
30 ml sultanas
45 ml flaked almonds
10 ml lemon rind, grated
5 ml ground cinnamon
4 sheets phyllo pastry (4 double A4 sheets)
60 ml fat free milk
10 ml (2 tsp) oil, macadamia, walnut or sunflower
125 ml (½ cup) whole-wheat Pronutro * Apple bake or original

(Serves 10)

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Lightly grease a large baking tray with non-stick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine the stewed or piece apples, sugar, sultanas, almonds, grated lemon rind and cinnamon and mix well. Set aside.

Brush each sheet of phyllo pastry with milk. Place the sheets on top of each other the lightly greased baking tray. Brush the last sheet with one teaspoon of the oil and then sprinkle the Pronutro in a thick layer evenly over the pastry sheet.

Spoon the apple mixture evenly over the pastry sheet. Roll up the strudel like a Swiss roll, pinching in the ends to make sure the pastry is sealed.

Carefully shape into a crescent, without splitting the pastry. Brush the strudel with the other teaspoon of oil. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove the strudel from the oven and leave it to cool in the baking ray. When cooled, transfer the strudel; to a serving platter, dust with icing sugar and cut into 10 slices.

Apple strudel is traditionally made with hand-made stretched dough. Using phyllo pastry is not only mush easier, it also lowers the fat content of the strudel considerably - as long as the phyllo is brushed with milk and not butter.

Phyllo pastry is delicate and will split easily if the filling is too wet or watery. For this reason, we have added the Pronutro instead of the bread or cake crumbs that are used traditionally.

DIETITIAN'S NOTES

Phyllo pastry has the advantage of being virtually fat free. Remember, though that it has a very high GI and we must add other lower GI ingredients or ingredients with lots of soluble fibre, to lower the GI of the end product. The apples and Pronutro in this recipe help to do this.

Usually many more layers of phyllo pastry are used, but because of the concentrated carbohydrate in the pastry, we have reduced the amount of sheets from the usual 10 to 4.

Interestingly, although the apple strudel contains mostly apple, the amount of fruit per serving is equivalent to only a third of an apple. So remember that even if you choose fruit based cakes over other cakes they are still concentrated sources of carbohydrates.

MEXICAN MEALIE BREAD

250 ml (1 cup) mealie meal
125 ml (½ cup) oat bran
15 ml (3 tsp) baking powder
30 ml (2 tbsp) sugar
2.5 ml (½ tsp) salt
3 extra large eggs
250 ml (1 cup) fat free plain yoghurt
60 ml (4 tbsp) oil, canola or olive
250 ml (1 cup) sweet corn, frozen or canned
125 ml (½ cup) sun-dried tomato, finely chopped
2.5 ml (½ tsp) dried chilli flakes or 1 fresh chilli, finely chopped
2 (1 tsp) cloves fresh garlic, crushed
(Makes one loaf -16 slices)
Preheat the oven to 180ºC and lightly grease a 100×200 mm bread tin with non-stick cooking spray or a paper towel dipped in oil.
Mix the mealie meal, oat bran, baking powder, sugar and salt together. Beat the eggs, yoghurt and oil together. Add the sweet corn, sun-dried tomato, chilli flakes and garlic to the egg-yoghurt mixture. Mix well.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing well. Spoon the mixture into the greased bread tin and bake for 60 minutes or until the bread is baked through and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool before removing from the pan.

CHICKEN FINGERS

5 ml (1 tsp) olive or Carotino
½ clove garlic, crushed
1 small onion, chopped
4 rashers lean bacon, finely chopped
125 ml (½ cup) oat bran
310 ml (1 ½ cup) fat free milk (Makes 30 fingers)
Preheat the oven to 180ºC and lightly grease a 240×345 mm oven proof dish.
Heat the oil and sauté the garlic, onion and bacon in a large heavy-based frying pan. Add the oat bran and milk. Bring to the boil over low heat and stir until it thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the egg yolks. Add the finely chopped cooked chicken, seasoning and parsley to the bacon-onion mixture and mix well.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the chicken mixture. Spoon into the greased ovenproof dish and bake for 20-30 minutes until set. Be careful not to over-bake the chicken.
Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes, the cut into 30 evenly sized chicken fingers.
BOBOTIE BITES

1 medium onion, chopped very finely or grated
10 ml (2 tsp) dried mixed herbs
15 ml (3 tsp) curry powder
5 ml (1 tsp) ground turmeric
2.5 ml (½ tsp) salt
30 ml (2 tbsp) oat bran
15 ml (1 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce
30 ml (2 tbsp) chutney
1 medium apple, peeled and grated finely
3 extra large eggs
500 g extra lean (topside) minced meat
310 ml (1 ½ cup) fat free milk
pinch of ground turmeric
(Makes 24 bites)
Preheat the oven to 200ºC and lightly grease two muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine the onion, seasoning, oat bran, Worcestershire sauce, chutney, grated apple and two of the eggs in a large bowl. Mix well using a wooden spoon. Mix in the minced meat. Spoon rounded tablespoonfuls of the mixture into the muffin pans. Mix the milk and turmeric with the third egg. Spoon a tablespoon of this egg mixture on top of each bobotie bite. Bake for 30 minutes until done.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool and set before removing from the pans, to prevent the bites from breaking up.
SAVORY DIP OR SPREAD

1 small onion
2 small gherkins
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
200 g (1 tub) low fat smooth cottage cheese, flavoured
45 g (3 tbsp) low oil mayonnaise
5 ml (1 tbsp) prepared mustard
2.5ml (½ tsp) salt
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
30 ml (2 tbsp) sweet chilli sauce
Place the onion and gherkins in a food processor or liquidizer and process until finely chopped. Add the salt and freshly ground black pepper and sweet chilli sauce to taste. Spoon into serving dishes and chill.
Serve with vegetable crudités or on low GI crackers or bread fingers.

MUSHROOM PÂTÉ

250 g (1 punnet) mushrooms, chopped
5 ml (1 tsp) olive or Carotino
2.5 ml (½ tsp) fresh thyme, chopped or pinch of dried thyme
1 (½ tsp) clove fresh garlic, crushed
30 ml (2 tbsp) Soya sauce
30 ml (2 tbsp) sherry
1 small onion, finely chopped
200 ml (1 tub) plain low fat smooth cottage cheese
Put all the ingredients, except the cottage cheese, in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture is fairly dry. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Put the mixture into a food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate for half and hour. Then add the cottage cheese and mix well. Spoon into a ramekin and refrigerate overnight.
SAVORY HUMMUS

250 ml (1 cup) cooked chickpeas or one 410 g tin of chickpeas, drained
30 ml (2 tbsp) sesame oil
75 ml (5 tbsp) lemon juice or juice of 2 small lemons
1 (½ tsp) clove fresh garlic, crushed
30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh parsley
5 - 10 Peppadews (depending on taste)
5 ml (1 tsp) sugar
1.25 ml (¼ tsp) salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a liquidizer to food processor and process until smooth. Add more lemon juice if the mixture is too stiff. Serve on fresh lower GI bread or with vegetable crudités. Store in sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

PIQUANT TOMATO TERRINE

5 ml (1 tsp) oil, olive, avocado or Carotino
1 onion, chopped
1 (½ tsp) clove fresh garlic, crushed
½ green or yellow sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
60 ml (4 tsp) water
15 ml (1 tsp) gelatine
80 ml (½ cup) tomato and onion mix, tinned
30 ml (2 tbsp) tomato paste
250 ml (250 g) cooked butterbeans or one 410 g tin ,drained
Few drops Tabasco sauce, optional
200 ml (1 tub) fat free smooth cottage cheese
30 ml fresh coriander leaves, chopped roughly
4 pepperdews for decoration, optional
(Makes 600 ml - 12 portions of 75 ml (5 tbsp each)
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Sauté the chopped onion, garlic and sweet pepper until soft and the onion is transparent. Meanwhile, in a cup, sprinkle the gelatine onto the water to hydrate. Microwave the spongy, hydrates gelatine for 20 seconds to dissolve, or heat over low heat. Set aside.
Add the tomato onion mixture, tomato paste, drained beans and Tabasco sauce to the sautéed onion, and mix well. Spoon into a food processor and process until smooth.
Add the cottage cheese and gelatine and process but do not over-mix. Gently fold in the chopped coriander leaves. Pour the mixture into a serving dishes and chill for at least two hours until set.

Published by Tafelberg Publishers

Editor Danya Rystic

Photographer Neville Lockhart

For more information see
Cook's Corner

[ Home ] [ Up ]