Date and Apple Chutney Microwave

Makes 1 liter

  

3 medium onions, finely chopped

125 ml water

1 kg green apples, peeled, cored and diced (weigh AFTER you’ve peeled and cored the apples)

500 g dates, chopped

100 g almonds, chopped (or walnuts)

5 ml salt

10 ml allspice (mixed spice)

5 - 10 ml ground ginger

500 ml white wine vinegar

200 g brown sugar

 

Place onions and water in a large microwave dish. Microwave without a lid on HIGH for 3 minutes. Add apples and microwave on HIGH for 8 minutes. 

 

Add dates, almonds / walnuts, salt, ginger and 250 ml of the vinegar and microwave on HIGH for 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. 

 

Add the sugar and remaining vinegar and cook for a further 8 minutes on HIGH, stirring every 2 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and allow to cool, then seal. Makes 1 liter. 

Recipe adapted from food24 - Photo:  Alma Pretorius 

 

Gluten free Bean and Date Brownies

1 can (425 g) kidney beans, drained and rinsed very very very very well!!!

1 heaped tbsp ground espresso coffee powder / or instant coffee powder granules

3 large eggs

½ cup (100 g) chocolate slab, cut into chips (or milk discs)

¾ cup date puree* (see bottom for recipe)

½ tsp baking powder

½ cup cocoa powder

2 tsp vanilla essence (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

3 tbsp cherry flavored yoghurt (or any other yoghurt – natural is fine too)

½ cup salted peanuts, chopped coarsely (or any other nuts – or leave out)

 

Date puree:

1 cup pitted dates

½ cup hot water

Blend the dates and hot water till they form a smooth paste.  (this date puree can be used in baked recipes instead of sugar. )

 

Preheat oven to 180 oC.  Line square baking pan with baking paper. In food processor, mix the black beans with metal blade till very smooth.   Add eggs, yoghurt, baking powder, cocoa powder, coffee granules, vanilla & date puree.  Process till nicely blended.  Add the peanuts / nuts and pulse 5 times.  Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips. 

Bake for 25 minutes – test if test skewer comes out clean. Otherwise bake longer.

Keep in tray for 10 minutes, cut and carefully remove.  Place on wire rack and let cool completely before serving. 

Recipe and photo:  Alma Pretorius 

You can easily freeze this.

 

Frozen Fruit and Nut Dessert

½ cup walnuts / pecan nuts, chopped

1 x 410 g tin pear halves, drained, chopped

50 g glace cherries, chopped

125 g pitted dates, chopped

12 marshmallows, chopped

250 g creamed cottage cheese

25 ml castor sugar

250 ml fresh cream, whipped stiff

 

Mix the nuts, pears, cherries, dates & marshmallows.  Cream the cottage cheese and castor sugar. Add the fruit & nuts to the cottage cheese mixture.  Fold the whipped cream into the mixture.  Pour into a greased form and freeze till set.  Only remove at time of serving, otherwise it ‘melts’ too much.

Photo:  Alma Pretorius Recipe:  Anna Eksteen - Anna se Kombuis 

Sticky Toffee Pudding Muffins

MAKES 6 BIG MUFFINS

Double the quantities for 12

 

MAIN MIXTURE:

125 g pitted dates, chopped

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

30 g butter

113 g self-rising flour

2 teaspoons ginger powder (optional)

83 g light or dark brown sugar

1 large egg, beaten

 

SAUCE

30 g butter

38 g brown sugar

1/2 tablespoon syrup or honey

2 teaspoons ginger powder (optional)

63 ml double cream (or double thick yoghurt)

Put everything into a saucepan on stove and heat on low – let simmer till thick. Pour over baked muffins.

 

MAIN MIXTURE:

Put dates in saucepan with 1 cup boiling water on stove – bring to a boil. Add the bicarbonate and butter, heat on stove till it’s dissolved, cool for a bit.

 

Preheat oven to 200 oC. When date mixture is cooled down a bit, mix it with the flour, ginger, sugar and beaten egg. Spoon into prepared muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes (or till test skewer comes out clean.) Remove from oven, prick all over with fork and pour over the sauce.

Recipe and photo: Alma Pretorius

 

OATS, DATE AND GINGER COOKIES

Makes 9 biggish cookies

 

1 cup dried dates

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup raw oats

1/2 cup self-rising flour

1 large egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 teaspoon ginger powder

100 g dried ginger slices, chopped

 

Preheat oven to 170 oC. In small chopper/food processor, chop the dates with the water to a paste. In a mixing bowl, add everything together, form golf-size balls and place on greased baking sheet (with a distance from each other). Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and gently press down on each ball with the bottom of a whisky glass.

Recipe and photo: Alma Pretorius

 

 

Date energy bites

Makes 7, depending on size

 

152 g soft dried dates, chopped fine

2 tablespoons room temperature water

 

In processor with metal blade, blitz the dates together with the water.  Form balls, put on plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Keep in fridge/freezer or in closed container at room temperature.

Recipe and photo:  Alma Pretorius 

 

Fudge - chickpeas, peanut butter and dates

Serve FROZEN

Makes 12 – 24, depending on size

 

1 x tin chickpeas, drain AND RINSE VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY WELL

1/4 cup peanut butter (no added fat, no added sugar)

86 g soft dried dates, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup hot water

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon mixed spices

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Chopped peanuts (optional)

 

In a food processor with the metal blade, blitz together the dates and water.  Add the chickpeas and blitz till smooth.  Add the rest of ingredients.  Spoon into a greased open (or closed) pan / glass dish and freeze for at least 4 hours.  Cut into portions.  Serve frozen – they melt when at room temperature.

Recipe and photo:  Alma Pretorius