Wellness week

Even More reasons to eat fruit!

Health Bread

Makes: 1 medium loaf

So many women enjoy and would benefit from a healthier version of bread. So, why not treat the woman in your life to this easy-to-prepare homemade loaf this Women’s Month.

250ml SPAR Quick Cooking Oats
250ml SPAR Bran flakes
125ml digestive bran
1 large Granny Smithy apple, unpeeled and grated
60ml SPAR canola oil
25ml SPAR honey
500ml whole-wheat/high-bran flour
250ml SPAR Soy Milk
Pinch salt
15ml baking powder

1. Pre-heat an oven to 180ºC. Grease a medium loaf pan.
2. Measure the oats, bran flakes, digestive bran, grated apple, oil and honey together into a large mixing bowl.
3. Pour on 250ml boiling water, mix briefly and set aside to stand for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the flour, soy milk, salt and baking powder. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake for up to 1 hour.
5. Cool slightly and turn out onto a cake cooling rack.

Hints and Tips: Up to 125ml additional ingredients may be added, such as mixed omega seeds, seedless raisins or sultanas or wheat germ.

While you have the oven on, it is recommended you economise on electricity and bake two or three loaves at one time, so you have one fresh to enjoy, and two to wrap and freeze whole or sliced for weeks ahead.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Oven time: 1 hour

Recommended accompaniments: Any savoury or sweet filling would be perfect as this is nutty and slightly, but not overly, sweet

SPICED MOCHA-CHOC

Serves: 6

Combine dessert and after-dinner coffee in this deliciously rich hot chocolate, coffee and cinnamon drink.

1 box SPAR Café Express Skinny Cappuccino (6 sachets)
6 x 0.5ml ground cinnamon
6 x 0.5ml ground mixed spice
250ml SPAR fresh cream
4 sachets SPAR Café Express Hot Chocolate
30ml brandy

1. Whip the cream, hot chocolate powder and brandy together until soft peaks just begin to form. Set aside.
2. In each heat-proof glass or mug, combine the contents of one sachet of cappuccino powder with
0.5ml of each spice. Stir to combine. Then pour in boiling water to ¾ fill each mug. Stir well.
3. Gently spoon the chocolate brandy cream onto the hot spiced coffee. Do not stir.
4. Scatter chocolate curls or vermicelli over and serve immediately.

Hints and Tips: Serve a spoon with this, so guests can stir the chocolate brandy cream into their coffee before drinking (it’s not like an Irish Coffee where the coffee is sipped through the cream).
If you prefer a sweeter end-result, substitute the Skinny cappuccino for the regular sweetened Cappuccino option.

Preparation time: 8 minutes

Taste the Rainbow

Fruit and Cheese Board

Consider fruit and cheese as a fine dessert option, any time of the year.
Prepare two or three seasonal fruits, served in neat slices or cubes, enhanced with an appropriate flavour liqueur, to complement a small selection of cheeses.

Finish off with a good coffee and chocolate truffle for each guest, and voila!

GOOD PARTNERS TO MOST TABLE-CHEESE VARIETIES:

FRUIT
Pears
Orange and grapefruit segments soaked in Cointreau (orange) liqueur
Pineapple slices, soaked in icing sugar and Kirsch (cherry) liqueur
Pear, gooseberries and sultanas soaked in brandy
Seedless grapes
Paw-paw soaked in mix of orange juice and Malibu liqueur
Lychee and mandarin mix, soaked in orange juice with preserved ginger slivers
Peach slices or halves, soaked in peach-flavoured sparkling wine
Fig preserve

Easter