
Home Made Oyakodon
The oyakodon is a classic Japanese bento dish.served in many Japanese restaurants including here in Malaysia. Check out this recipe and try making your own.
Which came first; the chocolate bunny or the Easter egg? We’ll munch on both while we ponder over that, but the brief story on how the tradition came about dates back to an old Christian tradition of painting eggs bright red during Easter. The egg symbolises the rebirth & resurrection of Jesus Christ, while the colour red signifies the blood shed during crucifixion.
How this ties to chocolate and bunnies is quite interesting – in 17th to 18th century Europe, sweet makers fashioned special egg-shaped toys filled with sweets for children at Easter. Chocolate eggs then began to be crafted in Germany and France, an idea made famous by then UK-based company called J.S. Fry & Sons who created their first chocolate Easter egg in 1873. Soon after, chocolate makers around Europe were preparing their own renditions of the chocolate egg and spread the idea to America and the rest of the world. Today you’ll find not just eggs, but a wide variety of sweet Easter dishes influenced by many different cultures. At B.I.G., we decided to put a healthy spin on our food treats this Easter. Here are three hand-picked recipes for you to enjoy!
Recipe #1: Gluten-Free Mini Pancake Skewers (recipe from garnishwithlemon.com)
https://www.garnishwithlemon.com/gluten-free-mini-pancake-skewers/
A delightful take on brunch finger-food by the lovely ladies of Garnish With Lemon, this pleasantly simple recipe uses gluten-free pancake mix combined with fresh strawberries and chocolate – sounds to us like a perfect snack to get the Easter ball rolling!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup gluten free buttermilk pancake mix
2 teaspoons sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon oil
Sliced strawberries
Chocolate hazelnut spread (or any other chocolate filling you prefer)
Instructions:
1) Combine pancake mix, sugar, egg, milk and oil in a bowl and stir until just combined. Allow to rest for 3-4 minutes.
2) Preheat griddle over medium heat. When the griddle is hot, lightly mist with cooking spray. Drop batter by teaspoonful onto griddle. Cook for 1-2 minutes, flip and continue cooking until golden brown. Remove from griddle and repeat with remaining batter.
3) Thread pancakes onto skewers, alternating with berries and chocolate hazelnut spread. Cover if not serving immediately. Can be made up to 3 hours in advance.
Recipe #2
Healthy Chocolate Granola (source: yummymummykitchen.com)
http://www.yummymummykitchen.com/2013/08/healthy-chocolate-granola-recipe.html
Combine your favourite Easter chocolate with super-healthy raw organic cacao powder, coconut, and chia seeds to make delectable granola! We know-la that having chocolate in a breakfast dish is uncommon, but don’t worry, try first – you’ll thank us later.
Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup raw walnuts (or any other nuts you have on hand)
½ cup chia, flax, or hemp seeds (or a combination)
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup unsweetened cacao or cocoa powder
2/3 cup melted coconut oil
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey (agave or maple syrup if vegan)
1/3 cup coconut sugar (or light brown sugar)
1/4 cup chopped chocolate
Yield: Makes about 6 cups
Prep Time: 10 mins.
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2) In a large bowl, mix the oats, shredded coconut, walnuts, seeds, salt, and cacao together. In a medium bowl, whisk the coconut oil, vanilla, honey, and coconut sugar until smooth.
3) Pour coconut oil mixture over the oat mixture and stir until oats are coated. If you like your granola very clumpy, add more honey.
4) Coat one large or two small rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray or add a little more coconut oil.
5) Press granola into the bottom of the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Stir and bake another 10-15 minutes. Cool completely in the pan without stirring. Granola will crisp up, clump, and harden as it cools.
6) Gently stir in chocolate chunks, if desired. Store in an airtight container. Serve over milk and topped with raspberries or bananas. Yum!
Goji-Coconut Bliss Balls (Source: donnahay.com.au)
https://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/desserts-and-baking/chocolate/goji-coconut-bliss-balls
Specially for dark chocolate lovers, it’s not often you come across a recipe with so much healthy goodness rolled up into little delectable bites. Courtesy of the lovely domestic goddess Donna Hay, have fun making this recipe your own by using different types of dark chocolate. Be it 50% or 70% cacao, satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.
Ingredients
½ Cup (70g) Goji Berries
1 Cup (160g) Almonds
2 Cups (150g) Shredded Coconut
¼ Cup (50g) White Chia Seeds
10 Fresh Dates (150g), Pitted
½ Cup (50g) Raw Cacao Powder
¼ Cup (60ml) Maple Syrup
150g 70% (or simply as per your taste) Dark Chocolate, Melted
¼ Cup (35g) Pistachios, Finely Chopped
Method:
1) Place the goji berries in a small heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water and set aside for 20 minutes to soak. Drain, squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
2) Place the goji berries, almonds, coconut, chia seeds, dates, cacao and maple syrup in a food processor and process, scraping down the sides occasionally, for 4 minutes or until the mixture comes together.
3) Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls. Working one at a time, dip a ball into the chocolate, allowing the excess to drip off. Place on a large tray lined with non-stick baking paper and sprinkle with the pistachio. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set. Serve. Makes 28.
Putting these recipes together has greatly whetted our appetites, so we’ll be off to try them very shortly. You can find more fun-tastic Easter recipes at our website here http://bit.ly/BIGRecipes. Drop by Ben’s Independent Grocer while our B.I.G. Easter Fair is on (14th March – 1st April) and stock up on everything you need. More info on our fair here http://bit.ly/BIGLatest . Happy Easter & happy eating!
The oyakodon is a classic Japanese bento dish.served in many Japanese restaurants including here in Malaysia. Check out this recipe and try making your own.
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