Fiber Rich Muffins

It was a perfect winter's day in Cape Town today. I had a lovely lazy Sunday brunch, overlooking Table Mountain at a friend's house. Apart from the croissants, cheese, preserves, hickory ham and muesli bread, we also enjoyed a glass of bubbly and a refreshing fruit juice concoction from my friend's juice extractor. I did not pay particular interest while she was making it - but I did see half a pineapple, some carrots and apples going into the noisy machine. She also mentioned later that she added a knob of ginger and a few fresh mint leaves.

Our discussion turned from toddler discipline to what we could do with all the pulp left over in the juice extractor, which, by the way, tasted really delicious, but did not look that appetizing.

So, we thought we would try a basic muffin recipe, and just add the pulp. Our first attempt turned out to be disastrous. Firstly, our conversion from Fahrenheit to Celsius was incorrect (maybe because of the bubbly) and we ended up baking the muffins at a far too low temperature. We increased the heat after 20 minutes and baked it another 20 minutes, by which time they looked like little round rusks.

We couldn't get them out of the paper cups, they were rock hard on the outside, and extremely moist, looking almost raw on the inside - in short - unedible! They ended up in the bin. If I could say one good thing - the muffins had a lovely gingery aroma and that made us eager to give it another go.

I left just before sunset armed with some more fiber-stuff to try it again at home.

This time I followed a carrot muffin recipe from one of my favorite books - Die lekkerste lekker - by Kerneels Breytenbach and they turned out beautifully.

When making muffins - remember the golden rule - DO NOT OVER MIX - stop blending while the mixture still looks lumpy.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Sieve together:

150g stone ground flour
1 cup digestive bran

pinch of salt

1 t bicarb
Add 3 T soft brown sugar and
1/2 a cup of pulp (or one grated carrot)

Blend:

1 cup plain low fat yogurt
4 T oil
1 egg
2 T honey

Stir into the dry ingredients until just blended. Fill a greased muffin tray and bake for 15 - 20 minutes. Makes 12.

I'm sure you can leave out the oil to make it almost fat free.

Maybe not my best ever muffins, but my son will love it when he sees it in his lunch box tomorrow!

My new best chicken salad

We have roast chicken at least once a week. One thigh for me, a drumstick for my three year old and the other thigh, drumstick and wings for my husband. The breasts are always saved for tomorrows salad.

I love a healthy lunch. I only have 30 minutes lunch - so I take 10 minutes to prep a salad, 15 minutes to sit and enjoy (never stand and eat!) and 5 minutes for a cappuccino.

Never overdo a salad - six ingredients will do the trick. When I'm really starving, I might add a slice of rye or ciabatta toast.

My new best winter salad, is a avo and pineapple chicken salad - call it a tropical chicken salad if you wish - here goes:

Toss together:
1 avocado pear - cubed
1/3 of a pineapple - sliced
half a red onion - thinly sliced
1/4 of a cucumber - halved and sliced
1 roast chicken breast shredded
1/2 a red pepper - sliced

Add some mixed leaves if you wish, but no need. Drizzle with my best dressing. I got this recipe from a colleague and friend years ago and since then I always have it in my fridge. Do make the full quantity - you will love it:

Salad dressing:
250ml light olive oil or pure sunflower oil
125ml apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons grated onion
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
Blend together. It will seperate on standing - just give it a shake before use.