QUEEN OF HEART TARTS......Diabetic-friendly version.

Another recipe Cooking Club has adapted from  CoolTan Arts' "FOOD FOR MOOD"  cookbook. 
http://www.cooltanarts.org.uk/shop/product/food-for-mood-cookbook
This time for people with diabetes. We have used sugar-free, naturally sweetened fruit spread  obtainable from local health store G.Baldwin & Co.  
www.baldwins.co.uk

and fresh strawberries from East St. Market.

We used ready-made short-crust pastry from the supermarket but we will be learning to make our own later on in the term.

They had a much fresher taste than with traditional jam and enough natural sweetness that they appealed to all tastes and we were able to offer them round to all CoolTan users and staff .

ROSEMARY SHRAGER'S HOT FENNEL AND TOMATO  SOUP, SERVED WITH IRISH SODA BREAD.

We wanted to make a dish from CoolTan Arts own cookbook: "FOOD FOR MOOD". 
http://www.cooltanarts.org.uk/shop/product/food-for-mood-cookbook
One of our volunteers chose a recipe donated to the book by T.V chef Rosemary Shrager: Hot Fennel and Tomato  Soup. The recipe in "Food For Mood", is designed to feed 4 people but we were able to adapt all the amounts so we could make a large amount. We didn't use chicken stock as Cooking Club is strictly vegetarian but substituted with seasalt, black pepper and a tiny sprinkle of dried basil in the initial stages.
There are bowls of fresh tomatoes for a £1 in East St. Market (situated off Walworth Rd.- nice and close to CoolTan Arts) We wanted to "feed the village" so we bought 2 bowls.
Just down the road is the big Turkish supermarket which usually stocks fresh fennel bulbs all year round. We bought 2 large bulbs.
Some of our participants had never tasted fennel before and didn't know how it helps with digestion, has vitamin C to boost the immune system, fibre to keep bowels healthy and contains anethole - which has anti-inflammatory properties.
It has a very distinctive taste, rather like aniseed and is refreshing and cooling.
It blends well with the tomato in this recipe and is a good way to introduce a new flavour to rather conservative palates.
Even our most unadventurous member enjoyed the flavours - especially when combined with another batch of soda bread. (Back by popular demand after last weeks batch)

Rosemary Shragers' Hot Fennel and Tomato Soup:

(Serves 4)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 bulbs fennel

450g fresh ripe tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

275g V8 juice or tomato juice

grated rind of half a lemon

salt and pepper

half a tsp sugar

275g chicken stock

400g tin butterbeans, drained and rinsed

*Wash and chop the fennel, reserve the green feathery fronds.

*Heat the olive oil in a thick pan, add the fennel and cook over a gentle heat for 10 mins until soft but not browned.

*Meanwhile, peel the tomatoes, plunge them first for 1 minute in boiling water (to help the skins loosen) Roughly chop them.

*Crush the garlic into the fennel, stir round and cook for 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, V8 juice, lemon rind, salt, pepper, sugar and stock. bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins. Take off the heat and liquidise the soup.

*Return the soup to a clean pan and stir in the butterbeans. Chop finely the fennel fronds and sprinkle in.

*Bring to the boil, adjusting the seasoning to taste.

*Serve into bowls or a thermos flask and take it on a CoolTan Arts walk!

NEXT WEEK AT COOKING CLASS..........

We will be trying out another dish from CoolTan Art's own recipe book: "Food For Mood".
One of the group has suggested making Rosemary Shrager's Tomato and Fennel Soup.
Only two of our group have ever tasted fennel as a vegetable so it will be a new experience for many.
We will accompany it with some more baking (tbc) .......and perhaps a fresh green salad.

BAKING:
Today at CoolTan Arts Cooking Club we made truly delicious Irish Soda Bread.
Two  batches: one with wheat flour and the other with a gluten-free blend.
When using gluten-free flour, it's important to add some Xanthan Gum to help bind it together and prevent it being too crumbly.

Eggs can also be used to similar effect with gluten-free flour, whether making bread, pastry,cakes or puddings.
We made this Lime and Ginger Drizzle Cake last week to great success.

We are using a lot of lime, ginger and garlic in our recipes at the moment to help  keep away  this seasons' colds and flu's.

Soda Bread Recipe:

*500g plain flour
*4ooml milk
*1 tsp salt
*1 tsp baking soda

*Preheat oven to 200c
*Add flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl and mix together. (Also  2 tsp Xanthan gum if the flour is gluten-free)
*Add milk  slowly stirring together with clean hands.
* Mix into a ball of dough 
*Place on a sheet of greaseproof/parchment  paper on a flat tray. Mark a cross on the top with a knife.
*Place in the oven for 30 mins. 
*Serve warm with butter.



:

                                             WE ARE BACK!
COOLTAN ARTS COOKING CLUB HAS RETURNED AND IS RUNNING  EVERY TUESDAY FROM 10.30am - 2pm. 

We are looking at complete proteins in vegetarian food. 

You can get these from combining pulses and beans with rice, Buckwheat, Quinoa, Hemp and Chia Seeds, Soya, Hummus and Pitta and Peanut Butter sandwiches.

In the last 2  sessions we made:

 Mexican Spicy Bean and Tomato soup with sweet potato and carrot  tortillas, 
Chana Masala, Cauliflower and Coconut curry with boiled rice.

Today we made Buckwheat Gallette Pancakes filled with savoury combinations of spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms kidney beans, sweetcorn,broccoli and cheese
 Sweet options were blueberries, banana, spiced apples and lemon juice. 
(Pictures to come later).

A Master-class in Eritrean cuisine from Afe

Today, we were all treated to a culinary master-class by Afe -  who is of Eritrean descent and joyfully shares his cultural cuisine.
He brought a tower of Ingera flatbreads, an essential base to all dishes. His sister had prepared them in advance. They are traditionally only made by women and take 12 hours for the batter to ferment. This gives the breads their bubbly texture and an elasticity almost like cloth. The Ingera are laid on each plate and then the other dishes are spooned into small piles on top. The Ingera is then broken off with the hands and used to scoop up the piles of food.

 Afe at the controls......He also treated us to a soundtrack of Eritrean music, some old, some new, and some 1980's  Electro-Pop classics.   Music is becoming an important part of Cooking Club. We use cultural music to create a good mood while we cook as well as a cultural reference.

 The 3 dishes were: ADES (lentils), ALECHA (sauteed vegetables) and savoury rice. All served on top of INGERA flatbreads.

 A  stack of Ingera flatbreads, looking like a Moon-Mushroom!  

 We want to send a big thank you to Afe and his sister  for the absolutely beautiful, delicious meal. Everyone who had a lunch was complimenting the food. Please feel free to come to Cooking Club anytime, you will be very welcome.
There are quite a few of Eritrean or Ethiopean restaurants locally. (Both countries share similar cuisine). Zeret Kitchen is very close to CoolTan Arts, further down the Walworth Rd towards Camberwell.

Zeret Kitchen

Camberwell

216-218 Camberwell Rd Camberwell, UK  SE5 OED

 Adulis Oval

44-46 Brixton Road

London SW9 6BT

United Kingdom

Dahlek

256 - 258  Brixton Road,

London,

SW9 6AQ   

Love Truffle Day

On Valentine's Day 2014, Cooking Club made LOVE TRUFFLES for everyone at CoolTan Arts. They were so popular that the celebration has been renamed as LOVE TRUFFLE DAY.
So...Tuesday group made "Arabian Nights" truffles, exotically flavoured with  natural rose, lemon and cardamon. Thursday group made "Love Action" truffles, a luxurious energy-bomb with pumpkinseeds, cranberries, raw chocolate powder and saffron. 
Both recipes are gluten-free, diabetic-friendly and vegan. Ingredients were chosen for their health benefits as well as harmonious flavours. Both recipes are raw and do not need cooking.
We want to say a massive THANK YOU to our local health food shop G.Baldwin & Co for generously donating the ingredients in our recipes. Find them online at  www.baldwins.co.uk or visit their famous shop at G.Baldwin & Co, 171-173 Walworth Road, London SE17 1RW. 

 "Arabian Nights" Love Truffles
Ingredients:
*3 cups ground organic almonds
*2 tablespoons runny honey
*1 tablespoon rose water
*zest 2 lemons + juice 1 lemon
*2 teaspoons ground cardamon
*1 cup dessicated coconut (as coating)
*a pot of edible glitter (optional decoration)
Method:
*blend all the ingredients - except the dessicated coconut - in a food processor.
*alternatively, mix together well in a bowl with a fork.
*wet your hands to prevent sticking and roll the mixture into small balls. We used a teaspoon to measure the amount of each ball to keep uniformity.
*pour the dessicated coconut into a bowl and roll each ball in it so they are evenly coated.
*place on a plate and sprinkle with edible glitter for extra bling!
*place in a refridgerator for an hour to set. 

Enjoy getting in a real choclatey mess at CoolTan Cooking Club!

A brief summary of health benefits.....Coconut oil for mental health and brain function, Saffron is a natural anti-depressant, Cranberries for female sexual health, Pumpkin seeds for male sexual health, Rose is a natural relaxer and mood- elevator, Almonds contain omega oils for the brain, magnesium and B-Vitamins for a healthy nervous-system, Raw Cacao elevates mood and Lemon takes care of our immune system and has Vitamin C.

"Love Action" truffles
ingredients:
*1  heaped tablespoon raw coconut oil
*1 cup organic pumpkin seeds
*1 cup dried organic cranberries
1 tablespoon Xylitol (natural diabetic sweetener made from Birch bark and found to be beneficial to teeth and gum health
*1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
*a pinch of dried saffron
Method:
*In a Bain-Marie, melt the coconut oil and the saffron together. They will be in a heat-proof bowl inside a larger bowl of boiling water. There will be no need to heat on the hob as the oil will melt into liquid in about 5 minutes
*in a food processor or food mill, blend together  the pumpkin seeds, cranberries, cacao powder and Xylitol until they are finely milled.
*gradually add the liquid coconut oil + saffron and mix well  
*with wet hands, scoop out small balls and either push into little silicon moulds or roll into balls (a teaspoon size) 
*dust the balls in cacao powder and edible glitter and place in a freezer for
Then either.......
*place silicon moulds in the freezer for 10 mins and then push out of the moulds
*place on a plates and prinkle with edible glitter
ENJOY XXXXXX