I believe we are living in an "Oats era" (at least for me & my health conscious friends). Oats being the healthiest food loaded with high fibre ,antioxidants and lots of other nutrients ,we are trying hard to eat oats,drink oats,sleep oats (ok may be little bit I exaggerated).In fine,the truth is we are trying our best to incorporate oats in one way or the other.
I am indeed a fan of oats considering its health benefits but there was a time when I used to literally worship oats.I religiously ate it .Not only because it is healthy but also "Mainly" they were great time savers .Especially while going to work it was a boon to an harried and not-so-morning person like me. The day I came across oats I was the most happiest person on this Earth .For one, it was the damn healthiest thing and the other, it could be cooked within minutes.Well,what more could I've asked for ! I was thanking everyday the person who discovered the oats .
Morning became a snap and happy.Though half-sleepy, I would put my oats and milk in the microwave and by the time I would've completed my brushing,the breakfast would be ready to eat.How convenient-Beautiful days !!:P...When some people opened their eyes in the morning, wishing to see their loved ones or almighty,I opened my eyes to worship OATS !! "Om Oatsaaye Namah"! That's how loyal I was...
However, that was not the case with Honey P, as the days passed by,like a season,something changed...and it was as if my hubby woke up praying hard to almighty to bless me-my lazy,crazy ,busy-for-useless brain with some kind of homely edible enlightenment ...which I got a hunch but pretended to be clueless and still loyal to my oats...Later I did add fruits and nuts to it though...
Eventually ,the oats ninja in me kinda gave up too
...and then started my new saga of having oats not in the regular way but in unique camouflaged ways ..you see I considered oats as the ultimate food,that could banish & vanish any Horlicks,Boost or any chawanprash ..I was not done with it yet. |
| Pick one-For YOU!! & you are welcome ;) |
One such discovery was a Biscotti made with OATS.Biscotti ,if you don't know (As I didn't once),are Italian cookies/biscuits that are "twice baked" made especially with flour,eggs,sugar and nuts .They are dry biscuits that can be stored for a long period of time.Now that's something that caught my attention.Imagine waking up to ready to eat or grab and go breakfast everyday that is pretty and tasty as well! Lovely isn't it and when it is tweaked into a healthy one what can I say other than -"Bring it on"!
So,my healthy Biscotti is made up of oats flour ,is sugar free sans butter and made with the extra goodness of dry Apricots and plums.How healthy is that?Sounds good right?
Then Let's see how to make a healthy Biscotti.
Apricot and plum sugar free oats Biscotti
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Ingredients
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2 cups Oats flour
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour(optional)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 cups Stevia (sugar free powder)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons orange zest/1/2 tsp orange extract
3/4 cup dried apricot,coarsely chopped
1/2-3/4 cup dried plum,coarsely chopped .......................................................................................................................................................................
Method
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- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add 2 cups of oats in a food processor and pulse until they are ground to a powder like consistency for 1 minute or less approx.Put them into a bowl and mix/stir well to ensure they are powdered well.
- To the above bowl of oats flour,add baking powder,salt and whisk them well.
- In another large bowl,mix well oil,stevia,vanilla extract,orange zest/orange extract and then beat in the eggs into it.Gradually add the above flour mixture mixing until everything is well incorporated resulting into a dough that will be stiff.Add the chopped apricots and plums by hand and mix everything well again.
- Divide the dough into half.With floured hands ,form two logs about 12x2 inches.
- Place them on baking sheets that has been lined with parchment papers.Bake them for 35-40 minutes until light golden brown.
- Once baked,(it's ok if the top is slightly cracked) remove from the oven and allow them to cool off for 15 minutes.
- Reduce the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Using a serrated knife ,cut the logs diagonally into 1/2-3/4 inch thick slices carefully otherwise they may break .Place them on the same baking sheets and bake again until light golden,8-12 minutes or until dry.
- Transfer to a rack to cool off.
Eat,Love,Live deliciously,
