By Nereesha Patel; image from pexels.com
Give the current butter shortage the middle finger with these delicious, healthy recipes.
Good news! Although we’re in the midst of a butter shortage — no thanks to drought, low milk production, and more consumers switching to full-cream milk products – there are ways to enjoy food without using this now-pricey dairy delight. Sweet, savoury and healthy, you can easily make these six dishes without having to spend a hefty amount on butter.
Garlic Bread
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
— 1 country loaf or baguette
— 2 Tbsps olive oil
— 2 Tsps garlic powder
— 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning or a blend or your favourite spices
— Sprinkle of red pepper flakes
– Pinch of salt
— 55g Grated Parmesan cheese
Method:
1/ Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2/ Cut the loaf in half lengthwise. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, garlic powder, seasoning, red pepper flakes and salt together. Brush mixture on the open halves of bread.
3/ Sprinkle halves with Parmesan cheese (you can be as generous with the cheese as you like here).
4/ Bake the halves on the foil-lined baking sheet for about 15 to 20 minutes until they’re browned and crispy around the edges. Slice and serve immediately.
Recipe from Brooklyn Locavore
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Whole-wheat Carrot Cake
(Serves 10-12)
Ingredients:
— 180g whole-wheat flour
— 1Tsp baking soda
— 1½ Tsps baking powder
— ½ Tsp salt
— 150g granulated sugar
— 3 eggs
— 180ml vegetable oil
— 2Tbsps honey
— 1Tsp vanilla extract
— 250g grated carrots
Method:
1/ Preheat oven to 180°C. Line your loaf pan (23cm x 11cm) with parchment paper.
2/ Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder together. Put aside mixture for now.
3/ Whisk the oil, sugar, honey, eggs and vanilla extract together. Then whisk in the flour mixture until they’ve combined. Fold in the carrots using a spatula.
4/ Pour batter into the pan and bake for 45 to 48 minutes. Remove from the oven, let it cool for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
Recipe from Flours and Frostings
Alfredo With Peas
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
— 2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
— 3 garlic cloves (minced)
— 2-4 Tbsps All-purpose flour
— 175ml milk
— 250ml vegetable or chicken stock
— 1 Tbsp basil pesto
— ¼ Tsp each salt and pepper + more for additional seasoning
— 50g grated Parmesan cheese
— 150g green peas
— 1 packet whole wheat pasta (500g)
Method:
1/ Cook pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, you can start making your sauce. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil and garlic, stirring quickly to ensure that it doesn’t burn.
2/ Reduce heat slightly. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk to combine. Cook for about a minute, and then add stock and milk. Use a flat spatula to mash the flour into the liquid.
3/ Add salt, pepper, pesto and cheese. Stir and cook on medium heat until the sauce bubbles, and then reduce heat to low-medium heat and cook until thickened. Taste – if its needs a little more flavour, add salt and pepper.
4/ Once the sauce is ready, add the peas and stir. Add the drained cooked pasta and toss to combine, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately with additional cheese on top.
Recipe from Minimalist Baker
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High-Fibre Cookies
(Makes 4)
Ingredients:
— 120g whole-wheat pastry flour
— 90g rolled oats
— 25g All Bran flakes
— 1 Tsp baking soda
— ¼ Tsp salt
— 110ml vegetable or extra light olive oil
— 100g white sugar
— ¼ cup brown sugar
— 1 egg
— 2 Tsps vanilla extract
— 45g dark chocolate chips
— 3 Tbsps sweetened coconut flakes
— 5 dried figs (chopped)
Method:
1/ Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2/ Combine flour, oats, cereal, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
3/ With an electric mixer, beat oil, sugars, egg and vanilla in a bowl for three minutes at medium-high speed until thick. On low speed, stir in flour mixture, followed by the chocolate chips, coconut and figs, to thicken batter.
4/ Shape the batter into four 5cm balls and place onto baking sheet using a scoop or wet hands. Flatten each one with a wet fork until they’re about 12mm thick.
5/ Bake about 16 minutes until edges are golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before removing.
Recipe from Jenny Can Cook
Butter(less) Chicken
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
— 5ml canola oil
— 1 medium onion (finely diced)
— 2 garlic cloves (crushed, peeled and chopped)
— 2 Tsps grated ginger
— 2 Tsps curry powder
— 1 Tsp ground cumin
— 1 Tsp ground coriander
— 400g boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
— 425g diced tomatoes with juice
— 120ml low fat evaporated milk
— 1 Tsp tomato paste
— 2 Tsp garam masala
— 60ml low fat plain yogurt
— ½ Tsp salt
— 2 Tbsps coriander (chopped)
Method:
1/ Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the finely diced onion and chopped garlic. Cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently until the onion is soft and clear.
2/ Add the ginger, curry powder, cumin and coriander. Keep stirring for about a minute longer.
3/ Add the chicken to the pan. Let it cook and stir occasionally until it has lost its pinkness. Stir in the tomatoes (plus juice), evaporated milk and tomato paste. Allow the mixture to boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
4/ Stir in the remaining ingredients, adding the salt only if needed. Reheat without boiling. Serve over steamed rice.
Recipe from Food.com
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Dark Chocolate Avocado Brownies
(Makes 16)
Ingredients:
For The Brownies:
— 2 large ripe avocados (mashed)
— 225g high-quality dark chocolate (melted)
— 200g granulated sugar
— 2 large eggs
— 1 Tsp vanilla extract
— 90g all-purpose flour
— 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
— ½ Tsp baking powder
— ¼ Tsp salt
— 3 Tbsps avocado oil
— 110g high-quality dark chocolate (chopped)
For The Frosting:
— 1 large ripe avocado
— 300g icing sugar
— ¼ Tsp vanilla extract
Method:
For Brownies:
1/ Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray a square pan (23cm) with non-stick spray.
2/ In a large bowl, whisk mashed avocado and melted chocolate. Whisk in sugar until combined, then add in eggs and vanilla extract, mixing well.
3/ Add in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt, mixing with a large spoon until combined – just be careful not to overmix. Stir in avocado oil until it’s well distributed and batter is somewhat smooth.
4/ Fold in chopped chocolate, then spread batter in pan. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until middle is set. Remove and let it cool completely.
For Frosting:
1/ Add avocado to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until mashed and creamy.
2/ With the mixer on low speed, add in vanilla. Slowly add in icing sugar, scraping down the sides if needed, until a smooth frosting forms.
3/ Frost brownies once cooled and top with grated chocolate.
Recipe from How Sweet It Is
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