Chocolate Coconut Dices

... a no-sugar, gluten-free, vegan adaption to the original "Kokos-Schokolade-Würfel" recipe by Betty Bossy ...

INGREDIENTS

Cake

150g Urid powder (also known as Urad dal flour)

100 g Ragi flour

4 Ts of Fruit Sugar

few drops Vanilla Extract

2 TS Cacao Powder

1.5 Ts Backing Powder

1 dash Salt

2 Ts ground Flax Seeds in 6 Ts of water, soaked for a few minutes (= 2 egg replacement)

~1 dl Cashew Milk

~1 dl  Sunflower Oil

Glazing

1 Ts Fruit Sugar

2 Ts hot water

1 TS  cacao powder

1 Ts  sunflower oil

1 Ts Nescafe powder

60 g grinded coconut (dry or fresh)

PREPARATION

Preheat oven at 185 C. Mix all the dry ingredients and the soaked flax seeds. Slowly start adding the milk and then the oil while beating the ingredients with a mixer.
As you might know, flour types might vary so you have to feel the consistency of the though and add a bit more or less of the milk/oil as needed to make a smooth though (not too dry and not too liquid basically). Fill in a medium sized rectangular baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the glazing by mixing all ingredients but the coconut.
Once the cake is baked cut it in squares (dices). Brush the glazing over the top, while the cake is still warm (not hot) and immediately sprinkle the coconut over the top, it will suck up the glazing a bit and stick. Voila - enjoy!

VARIATIONS

Of course cashew milk can be replaced with any other milk-substitute. The same with the oil, you can use e.g. coconut oil instead. I used flax seeds as egg replacement and of course chia seeds are an option, too.An option for another sweetener instead of Fruit Sugar is Jaggery, even though be careful it is considered sugar, it has clearly more values than refined or brown sugar, but for diabetics it has to be avoided as well.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Please click on the individual links I provided for the ingredients to learn more about the nutritional values of each ingredient I selected for this recipe.

CHAI KARAK

... the oh-so-popular drink in Qatar, gaining popularity in the whole GCC area...

INGREDIENTS

2 Ts Black Tea (preferably loose)

4 Cardamon crushed

1/4 cup Milk

2-3 Ts Sugar

PREPARATION

Cook tea and Cardamon in water, add milk until the color turns "chocolate brown". Add sugar and keep simmering for a little until it turns creamy. Cheers... or should I rather say "Saha!".

VARIATIONS

Instead of using milk, Cardamon and sugar buy the condensed Cardamon milk. To give it an even sweeter twist, leave Cardamon and sugar out and add instead a dash of Rosewater syrup. Yummmi... that comes awfully close to the popular UAE drink "Bandung".

BRAIN MIX

... Talal's Anti-Aging Brain Mix ...

1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup dried goji berries
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup dried blueberries

Keep in airtight container that way you will always have healthy brain food!

GROSI'S MAMORKUCHEN

... My favorite Marble Cake recipe ...

1 cup Sugar
3 Eggs
2 stick Butter (at room temperature)
2 ts Vanilla
3 cup Flower
2 ts Backing Power
1/2 cup Milk
2 Ts Cacao

Beat the sugar and the eggs until creamy and add the butter and the vanilla. Add the flower and the backing powder to the mix. Depending on flower quality add more or less milk to create a frothy mix.

Fill half to 2/3 of the mix in the buttered form. Add the cacao powder and a splash of milk to the left over mix, beat and fill as second layer into the form. With a fork mix the two layers in a slight spiral motion to create marble look.

Bake at 375• F for 40-45 min.

OPTIONS:

• Add lemon zest to the light mix
• Add Rum to the chocolate mix
• Add orange zest to the chocolate mix

TEQUILA CHRISTMAS CAKE

... Lena's fun recipe...

1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup water
1 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar
Lemon juice
4 large eggs
Nuts
1 bottle tequila
2 cups dried fruit

Sample the tequila to check quality Take a large bowl; check the tequila again to be sure it is of the highest quality...

Repeat :)

Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
Add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Beat again.

At this point, it is best to make sure the tequila is still OK. Try another cup just in case.

Turn off the mixerer thingy.

Break 2 eegs and add to the bowl and chuck iiiin the cup of dried fruit.
(Pick the fruit up off the floor...)

Mmmmmix on the turner.

If the fried druit getas stuck in the beaterers, just pry it loose with a drewscriver.

Sample the tequila to test for tonsisticity.

Next, sift 2 cups of salt, or something.

Check the tequila. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.

Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find.

Greash the oven.

Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over.

Don't forget to beat off the turner.

Finally, throw the bowl through the window, finish the tequila and wipe the counter with the cat.

Cherry Christmas!!!
:)

CORN BREAD TAMALE PIE

... Maria's California Secret ...

1 lb ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 can Tomato soup
1 cup of water
1/4 Ts pepper
1 Ts salt
1 TS chilli powder
1 can corn
1 chopped green bell peper

Saute onion and beef, add the rest and simmer for 15 min.

3/4 cup corn meal
1 TS flour
1 TS sugar
1/2 Ts salt
1 1/2 Ts baking powder
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup milk
1 TS oil

Mix dry goods and add the egg and the milk and fold in the oil.
Place meat mix in greased casserole and cover with corn bread topping.

Bake at 425• F for 20-25 min.