i try making healthy biscuits

I like making sweet things. However, when it comes to eating them, any ounce of self-discipline I have is forgotten and the goods are polished off in a day or two. In the case of biscuits, at least a quarter of the mixture is already eaten before it even makes it to the oven. I have issues.

Imagine a biscuit where every single ingrediant is good for you. That's what I wanted to make. And, I think I have done it. These biscuits are delicious and, true to form, I ate them very quickly. I have put some info below the recipe on each of the ingredients and why they are good for you. These biscuits even got the tick from the person who tastes all my baked goods, and is never afraid to say what he thinks. Yes, my toughest critic, my younger brother, gave them the nod of approval.

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup wholemeal plain flour

1 cup almond meal (ground almonds)

1/2 cup shredded coconut

pinch salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup agave nectar/syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Sift flour and baking powder into bowl. Add all remaining dry ingredients and combine. In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined.

Roll mixture into small balls and place on baking tray lined with baking paper. Ensure there are several centimeters between each ball. Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon or your fingers. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes. Allow to cool on baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Why It's Good For You

Oats/Wholemeal Flour: Oats are an excellent source of B vitamins and minerals, as well as being higher in protein and essential fatty acids than other, more refined cereals. It is also believed they can help lower cholersterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Almonds: Almonds are a rich source of protein, potassium, manganese, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus. They are little bullets of goodness.

Coconut: Coconut is a good source of protein. It helps with tissue and muscle repair. It is rich in potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. It also aids digestion and improves bowel function.

Dried Apricots: Apricots are loaded with Vitamin A and are also a good source of calcium. They help to normalize blood pressure, body fluids and heart function.
Olive Oil: Research suggests that using olive oil as the main source of fat in your diet can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer. It has antioxidant properties and has been shown to lower blood pressure.
Agave nectar: Agave nectar (aka agave syrup) is a natural sweetner from agave plants. It has a much lower GI than other sweetners and sugars meaning you can avoid massive spikes in blood sugar levels. It's sweetness comes from fructose which is a sugar that naturally occurs in fruits. But, like all sugars, it should be consumed in moderation.

References
Crocker, P. (2007). The Vegetarian Cook's Bible. Toronto: Robert Rose

Oats So Good For You. (2007). Retrieved February 11, 2011, from http://www.scri.ac.uk/news/oats

Eight Facts About Agave Nectar. (2010). Retrieved February 10, 2011, from
http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2010/01/17/eight-facts-about-agave-nectar/

Olive Oil. (2010). Better Health Channel. Retrieved February 9, 2011, from
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/olive_oil?open

i try baking biscotti

Now I'm not a master chef. I probably never will be. But I can certainly try!

I love biscotti. I eat it like chips. Considering it has very basic ingredients and a relatively straightforward method it is quite expensive to buy. In terms of biscuit it is relatively good for you because it has no butter.

I've been known to stray from recipes. Sometimes intentionally (add a little more of that, replace this with that) and sometimes unintentionally (oh, it said 1 teaspoon of baking powder). Here I've adapted a recipe from Super Food Ideas Magazine. And the great thing is you can substitute the apricots for any dried fruit (figs, cranberries, strawberries, raisins, dates, etc) and you can use whatever nut you prefer!

1 cup caster sugar

2 eggs

1 and 2/3 cup wholemeal plain flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder, sifted

3/4 cup almonds, (coarsley chop 1/3)

3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped

Preheat oven to 180 degrees/160 degrees fan-forced. Line two trays with baking paper.

Whisk eggs and sugar together. Add all remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Knead on a lightly floured surface till smooth.

Shape dough into two 30cm logs, flatten slightly. Place on trays and bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Cool on trays for 20 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 140 degrees/120 degrees fan-forced. Using a serrated bread knife slice logs diagonally into 5-10mm thick slices. Ticker or thinner if you prefer. Lay on trays in single layer and bake for 5-10 minutes each side or until crisp.

Cool on wire rack.

Warning: totally addictive!