I love Christmas, and I also love food.
Recently, I've been craving some biscuits for munching on while continuing on my long trek to my final (mechanics) exam.
And since my mom refilled the cheese inventory, I could finally try a hand at baking scones!
2) Place all dry ingredients, shredded cheese, and cranberries in a large bowl.
3) Add in mayonnaise and mustard. Mix until fully combined. The texture should resemble a coarse meal.
4) Add in water little by little until a dough forms.
6) Place scones onto greased baking tray, or one lined with parchment paper. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until the edges start to brown slightly.
- In this recipe, I used part-skim mozzarella cheese and calorie-wise mayonnaise to keep the fat content to a minimum. However, if you prefer a richer taste, feel free to choose the regular (non-reduced fat) option.
- The number of servings depends the size and shape of cookie cutters used, so exact nutrition information will vary. I used large Christmas tree cookie cutters and had a small amount of dough left over, therefore the data below was calculated based on 5.5 servings.
What happens when you're seriously craving something dense, moist, and somewhat chocolatey during exam period but can't afford to indulge in decadent sweet treats in fear of lowering your immune system to a point where test-taking becomes a strenuous activity?
Well my friends, I make brownies. But not just any brownies! Healthy red velvet brownies that contain absolutely no colour additives since they derive a natural red-pink hue from pureed beets..
Lastly, let's not forget that they're also low in calorie count, low in fat, gluten free, and pack in an extra dose of fiber through the use of oat flour. Go ahead. Indulge.
2) If using canned beets, empty the beet juice into a separate container upon opening the tin. Place the beets in a microwaveable bowl, cover, and microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes or until soft. Dice and place in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Alternatively, cook the beets over the stove until soft, let cool, and puree.
3) combine softened cream cheese with beet puree. Mix until smooth.
4) Sift in powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Add in sea salt and melted chocolate. Combine well.
5) Stir in vanilla extract and mix once more.
6) Pour mixture into a greased brownie pan, or one lined with parchment paper.
7) Bake for 16-18 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.
8) Move to a cooling rack and let cool completely before placing in refrigerator. Chill for 30 minutes.
- I opted for canned beets as opposed to fresh since I find them unnecessarily messy to work with, but the choice is entirely up to you.
- In this recipe, I used PC Blue Menu's Light Cream Cheese to keep the fat content of the brownies to a minimum. However, if you prefer a richer taste, feel free to choose the regular (non-reduced fat) option.
- If you do not have sea salt, use a pinch of normal salt instead.