Healthy Creamy Strawberry Smoothie

Serves 1 - 2

Ingredients:

1. 3 large frozen strawberries (50g)
2. 3 small dried dates, pitted (20g)

3. 3 blueberries (5g) (optional)

4. 30g (2 TBS) natural Greek yogurt (0.1% fat)

5. 30g (2 TBS) pre-cooked oatmeal porridge (cooked with whole milk and egg) *

6. 1 cup (250 ml) whole fresh milk 3.5% fat

7. 1 walnut (2g) (optional)

8. 1/8 tsp vanilla powder (optional)

Instructions:

1. Layer the Liquids: Add the whole milk, Greek yogurt, and the pre-cooked egg porridge to the base of your high-speed blender.

2. Add the Sweetness & Crunch: Drop in the pitted dates, walnut, and vanilla powder.

3. Top with Fruit: Add the frozen strawberries and optional blueberries on top. (Putting frozen ingredients at the top helps the blender blades pull everything down smoothly).

4. Blend Until Silky: Blend on high for 45–60 seconds until the dates are completely pulverized and the smoothie is perfectly smooth and creamy.

5. Pour & Enjoy: Pour into a tall glass and enjoy immediately!

Nutritional Profile (Per Serving):

Calories: 345 kcal

Protein: 18.2 g

Carbohydrates: 41.9 g

Healthy Fats: 12.7 g

Additional Info:

This is a perfect breakfast that is fast to consume. The fast-acting natural sugars in the dates help you to wake up, while the complex carbs from the oatmeal provide a slow release of energy. The whole milk, Greek yogurt and egg give you a solid 18+ grams of high-quality protein to kickstart the day.

The secret to ultimate creaminess in this recipe is the combination of the Greek yogurt (which adds a rich, velvety texture) and the starches from the cooked porridge (which mimic the smooth thickness of real ice cream).

You can make the oat porridge in advance and store in the fridge ready to be used; or portion it into cubes using a ice-cube tray and store them in the freezer. Cooked oats blend completely seamlessly, giving the smoothie a thick, velvet-like consistency similar to a premium creamy milkshake.

In addition, adding oat porridge also helps your smoothie stay fresh longer by stabilizing the liquid, preventing your smoothie from separating and turning brown. It is the best method for keeping smoothie stable. When oats are cooked, their starches undergo gelatinization—meaning they swell up, absorb water, and form a thick, gel-like network. This structure is highly effective at locking in moisture and preventing the smoothie from separating into ugly layers:

High Viscosity: Oats act as a natural thickener. They absorb liquid and create a heavy, dense body that stops the drink from becoming watery.

Stable Suspension: Fruit in smoothie are tiny particles floating in water. Gravity quickly pulls these solids down and pushes the water up, but the starches and soluble fiber in oats hold everything together in a stable suspension.

Less Oxidation: Because the thick mixture moves slowly and traps air bubbles less easily, it slows down the rapid separation and color changes you see in thin fruit juices. Cooked oat porridge allows your smoothie to stay fresh and perfectly mixed for up to 2 days in the fridge.

Here is how you can optimize your cooked porridge smoothie for the best texture and maximum freshness:

Storage Best Practices:

Use an airtight glass jar: Fill your container all the way to the very top to leave zero headspace for air. Less air inside means drastically less oxidation.

If you like it sour, you can also add a squeeze of lemon, lime or orange juice which provides the Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and acts as a natural antioxidant, keeping the colors bright and preventing your fruits from turning brown. 

References:

https://smoothiedigest.com/articles/prevent-smoothie-separation-browning

https://www.bobsredmill.com/articles/how-to-choose-the-best-oats-for-smoothies

Vanilla powder without sugar from Føtex Supermarket.

Batch-cooked Egg-Enriched Milk Oatmeal Porridge

Add 50g (approx. 3 TBS or 1/4 cup) pre-cooked oatmeal porridge.

Easy Pancakes

  

This recipe makes about 7-8 pancakes of 18cm in diameter.

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup (125g) or 2 dl flour

2. 3 eggs

3. 3 dl (300 ml) low-fat fresh milk 0.1% fat

4. 3 TBS vanilla sugar/sugar (45g)

7. 1 tsp cooking oil (for frying)

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a blender.

2. Heat pan with cooking oil until hot (Its temperature is just right when a few drops of cold water dropped on the pan will jump and sizzle. If the pan is not sufficiently hot, the water will lie there and boil. If it is too hot, the water will evaporate instantly).

3. When the pan is hot, add some oil just enough to spread a thin layer on the pan by rubbing it with a piece of kitchen roll when making the first piece of pancake.

4. Turn to medium-low heat (no. 7 on my stove) and pour in a ladle of mixture just enough to spread it to cover the whole circumference of the pan.

5. Cook until the surface of the pancake is filled with bubbles and the underside has turned slightly brown (about 45 secs to 1 min). Raise the edge of the pancake with the wooden spatula to test if it is firm and brown.

6. Flip over and cook the other side for 30 secs more. DO NOT flip again or the pancake will be tough. (Although you may be tempted to do so, don’t use the spatula to press down the pancake or it will be heavy).

Storage:

Cool them completely before freezing. Freeze them in freezer bags between sheets of waxed paper for 3 months. To re-heat, place frozen pancakes single layer on a baking sheet in a 190°C oven for 7-10 mins. or microwave each pancake for 20 secs.

References:

https://www.valdemarsro.dk/pandekager/

Healthier & More Nutritious Danish Cinnamon Rolls (Kanelsnegle)

Makes 16 cinnamon rolls 

Ingredients:

Dough:

1. 340g flour

2. 60g graham flour

3. 20g yeast (or 3g dry yeast)

4. 50g honey or sugar

5. 1/2 tsp salt

6. 150ml lukewarm milk

7. 2 eggs (approx. 100g)

8. 100g soft butter

9. 1 tsp cinnamon powder

10. 1 tsp cardamon powder

11. 1 egg for glazing (optional)

Filling:

1. 100g butter

2. 50g dried date paste, honey or sugar

3. 50g brown sugar

4. 2 TBS cinnamon powder

Directions:

1. In an electric mixer, add 20g yeast, 150ml lukewarm milk and mix well.

2 Add 100g butter and mix well.

3. Add 2 eggs and mix well.

4. Add honey/sugar, vanilla powder, cardamon powder, cinnamon powder and salt and mix well.

5. Add 60g graham flour and mix under low speed for sometime i.e. 5 minutes to get the gluten out.

6. Slowly add in the flour and run the mixer for 15 minutes or until you get a well kneaded dough that doesn't stick to your finger, is elastic and easy to work with, but is not dry. It should be completely smooth and separate easily from the mixing bowl. Make sure the dough is kneaded sufficiently. Best using a mixer as the dough needs to be kneaded for a long time.

7. Cover and let the dough rest for four hours at room temperature.

8. Divide the dough into two.

9. Sprinkle some flour on the table top and roll one dough into a square piece of about 5mm thick using a rolling pin.

10. Spread the filling on it.

11. Roll it up.

12. Cut it into 16 pieces of 2cm thick with a sharp knife or string.

13. Place them on a tray laid with a baking sheet.

14. Cover and let it rise for an hour (optional)

15. Brush with egg (optional)

16. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 175 degree Celsius for 15 minutes or until golden.

Additional Information:

C loves cinnamon rolls and always pesters me to get one for her when we are out. After trying out to make pizza rolls, I decided to try to make the cinnamon rolls as well today. Daddy FECS and C gave the thumbs-up. J was away at Teens Group at church, thus he didn't get to try it. I brought them along to the Chinese Bible Study group and they all liked it :-)

If you are in a hurry and can't wait for the dough to rise slowly for four hours in step 6, you can use 25g of yeast and reduce the dough resting time to one hour instead.

If you don't want to add carrot, you need to add 100ml more liquid (milk or yogurt). It is great for lunchboxes too. 

Storage:

You can freeze it down while they are still a little lukewarm. Take them out the night before or a few hours in advance and let them thaw in the fridge or for an hour on the kitchen counter. Spray them with a little water and warm them in a preheated oven at 175 degrees fan for 4-5 minutes or in a toaster.

References:

https://www.valdemarsro.dk/kanelsnegle/

https://madensverden.dk/kanelsnegle/

https://stinna.dk/bagvaerk/kanelsnegle.html

Healthy Nutritious Pancakes - Naturally Sweetened with Dates Version 2

 

Makes 24 pancakes

Ingredients:

1. 125g flour or white whole wheat flour (1 cup)

2. 800 ml skimmed fresh milk

3. 10 eggs

4. A handful of almonds (approx. 20g)

5. A handful of walnuts (approx. 20g)

6. A handful of sunflower seeds (approx. 20g)

7. 1 TBS brewer's yeast (optional)

8. 15 dried dates pitted

9. 1/2 tsp vanilla powder (optional)

10. 2 TBS olive oil (optional)

11. 1 TBS cooking oil or combination of butter and cooking oil for frying

Directions:

1. In a blender, add vanilla powder and dried dates, milk, olive oil, almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds and blend under the lowest setting until mixed.

2. Add flour and blend well.

3. Add eggs and blend for only 1-2 seconds, just enough to mix in the eggs. Don't overbeat the batter. Stop stirring once the mixture is moist or the pancakes will be tough (don’t worry about a few lumps).

4. Let it rest for 30 minutes in the fridge if possible.

5. Heat pan with cooking oil until hot (Its temperature is just right when a few drops of cold water dropped on the pan will jump and sizzle. If the pan is not sufficiently hot, the water will lie there and boil. If it is too hot, the water will evaporate instantly).

6. When the pan is hot, add some oil just enough to spread a thin layer on the pan by rubbing it with a piece of kitchen roll when making the first piece of pancake.

7. Turn to medium-low heat (no. 7 on my stove) and pour in a ladle of mixture just enough to spread it to cover the whole circumference of the pan.

8. Cook until the surface of the pancake is filled with bubbles and the underside has turned slightly brown (about 45 secs to 1 min). Raise the edge of the pancake with the wooden spatula to test if it is firm and brown.

9. Flip over and cook the other side for 30 secs more. DO NOT flip again or the pancake will be tough. (Although you may be tempted to do so, don’t use the spatula to press down the pancake or it will be heavy).

Additional Information:

We tried this version today and it tasted very good. All natural and nutritious ingredients with whole wheat flour, nuts and dates. The nuts and seeds total 50-60g.

Easy Healthy Nutritious Whole-Wheat Pancakes

 

This recipe makes about 7-8 pancakes of 18cm in diameter.

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup flour (125g) consisting of half wholewheat flour (65g) and half plain white flour (60g)

2. 3 dl (300 ml) low-fat fresh milk 0.1% fat

3. 3 eggs

4. 3 TBS honey/sugar (45g)

5. 1 tsp cooking oil (for frying)

Optional:

1. 1/2 tsp vanilla powder or 1 tsp cinnamon powder

2. 1 TBS brewer's yeast

3. 1 tiny pinch salt

4. 1 TBS olive oil in the dough (Can completely leave it out)

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl by hand or by blender/hand mixer. 

2. Heat pan with cooking oil until hot (Its temperature is just right when a few drops of cold water dropped on the pan will jump and sizzle. If the pan is not sufficiently hot, the water will lie there and boil. If it is too hot, the water will evaporate instantly).

3. When the pan is hot, add some oil just enough to spread a thin layer on the pan by rubbing it with a piece of kitchen roll when making the first piece of pancake.

4. Turn to medium-low heat (no. 7 on my stove) and pour in a ladle of mixture just enough to spread it to cover the whole circumference of the pan.

5. Cook until the surface of the pancake is filled with bubbles and the underside has turned slightly brown (about 45 secs to 1 min). Raise the edge of the pancake with the wooden spatula to test if it is firm and brown.

6. Flip over and cook the other side for 30 secs more. DO NOT flip again or the pancake will be tough. (Although you may be tempted to do so, don’t use the spatula to press down the pancake or it will be heavy).

Storage:

Cool them completely before freezing. Freeze them in freezer bags between sheets of waxed paper for 3 months. To re-heat, place frozen pancakes single layer on a baking sheet in a 190°C oven for 7-10 mins. or microwave each pancake for 20 secs.

Additional Information:

I use two types of whole-wheat flour: half graham flour and half white whole-wheat flour. These pancakes contains loads from vitamins and fiber from the whole-wheat flour, calcium from the milk, protein  and all the essential vitamin Bs from the eggs. You can sleep well at night without guilt of giving them to your kids 😊 

I usually like to make a double portion. I sometimes add one teaspoon of brewer's yeast into the batter to increase the nutrition content. I sometimes substitute the sugar with 6 pitted dried dates.

References:

https://www.valdemarsro.dk/pandekager/

22 March 2021 (4Y10M6D)

Matcha Green Tea Ice-cream

Makes 4 portions

Ingredients:

1. 2 heap tsp green tea powder
2. 1/2 ripe avocado
3. 6 dried dates pitted
4. 1 cup (250 ml) skimmed fresh milk

Directions:

1. Blend using a blender (I use Magimix blender under smoothie setting).
2. Transfer into ice-cream mold and freeze.

Additional Information:

I love green tea and green tea ice-cream. This gives you potassium from the dates, plus the natural sweetness - and the dietary fiber that you won't even feel since it's all blended. Healthy fats plus the creaminess from the avocado. Protein and calcium from the fresh milk - minus the unhealthy fat, since it's skimmed milk. And of course, antioxidants from the green tea powder. And without all the chemical preservatives from store-bought green tea ice-cream. Enjoy :-)

Chinese Red Bean Soup

Nutritious Adzuki bean dessert - apology for the picture. It doesn't look very good, but it is actually very tasty

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup (200 g) dried adzuki beans
2. 4 cups (1 L) water for cooking the beans

Sweet milk:

3. 1 cup (250 ml) fresh low fat 0.1% milk
4. 3 dried dates pitted

Directions:
1. Rinse the adzuki beans and add 2 cups of water into a pot.
2. Bring to boil, lower hear and simmer under medium heat (no. 4 on my stove) for 45 minutes.
3. Let cool.
4. Blend 1 cup milk with the dried dates for 30 seconds to a minute to make a sweet milk.
5. Ladle separately into 4 bowls and add sweet milk and serve :-)

Additional Information:

I love this dessert. Growing up in Singapore, my mum would make this dessert for us. Translated from Chinese 绿豆汤 [Lǜdòu tāng], it actually means "mung bean soup." My mum would add a bit of sago i.e. small tapioca pearls (which our son likes today). And during the durian season, she would add durian slices into it too - absolutely heavenly. My mum would cook it and add sugar during the cooking and we usually eat with a drizzle of condensed milk. But condensed milk isn't healthy. Thus, I don't wish to pass this down this habit to our kids. I made a sweet milk mixture using fresh milk and dates instead as a healthier option for the condensed milk.

I served this yesterday after Baby FECS got back from the kindergarten and Little FECS too. They loved it. So I am very happy :-) Baby FECS is currently tired of the breakfast I give her (usually oatmeal or smoothie), thus this morning, I served this for her as breakfast. She liked it very much.

I tried to sweeten the mung beans during cooking with dates, but our Little FECS feel that it wasn't as nice as the one I made yesterday - which was simply just cooking the mung bean with water. Thus, I will stop doing that. They love the sweet milk.
This morning, I had a little bit of homemade strawberry milk left. Baby FECS asked for more sweet milk for her mung bean dessert. I poured some strawberry milk in it instead, and she liked it too :-)

Our Little FECS likes the mung beans cooked unsweetened. If you prefer it to be sweeter, you can add coconut sugar or just sugar while cooking the mung beans (but don't add the sugar at the beginning of the cooking before the beans are softened).

References:
https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/mung-bean-soup/

You will need natural dried dates. It cost 25 DKK for a pack of 600 g at Netto or Lidl supermarket at the vegetable section.

Rinse the adzuki beans. Add to a pot with 2 litres of water. Bring to boil, lower heat to medium (no. 4 on my stove) and simmer for an hour, or until beans are soft enough that you can easily mash them with a fork. Watch occasionally and add more water as needed.

How to Make Sweet Milk as a Natural Sweetener

Ingredients:
3. 1 cup (250 ml) fresh low fat 0.1% milk
4. 3 dried dates pitted

Directions:
4. Blend 1 cup milk with the dried dates for 30 seconds to a minute to make a sweet milk.
5. Ladle separately into 4 bowls and add sweet milk and serve :-)

Additional Information:
This is a healthy substitute to condensed milk. I use it on many things - to sweeten oatmeal, as coconut milk substitute for Chinese black glutinous rice dessert, as sweetener or red bean dessert and mung bean dessert.

References:

https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/mung-bean-soup/

As sweet milk for red bean dessert

Danish Christmas Spice "Pepper Nut" Cookies Pebernødder Made from Whole Wheat Flour

Makes one jar of 80-100 pebernødder

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups (approx. 270 g) white whole wheat flour
2. 1/4 cup (approx. 35 g) almond ground
3. 1/2 tsp cinnamon ground
4. 1/2 tsp nutmeg ground
5. 1/2 tsp star anise ground
6. 1/2 tsp clove ground
7. 1/2 tsp black pepper ground
8. 1/2 tsp minced ginger (optional)
9. 1 tsp vanilla powder
10. 1 tsp ginger ground
11. 10 dried dates pitted
12. 100 ml olive oil
13. 1 egg
14. 60 ml honey (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together and blend in a food process until mixed well.
2. Add olive oil, dates/honey and egg and blend them again into a soft dough.
3. Roll dough into finger thick sausage dough.
4. Cut into 1 cm pieces and roll into balls.
5. Place in baking tray laid with baking paper.
6. Bake at 150 degree celsius for 20 minutes or at 200 degree celsius for 10 minutes.
7. Once done, let it cool at room temperature, before storing.

Additional Information:

J asked, "Do you still love me?" I have been kept busy with C, who is 3.5 years old. I could feel that J somehow feels a bit neglected. With a blink of an eye, J is 10 years old now, and more independent now. It's nice that he still treasures and looks forward to spending time together with mommy. I really cherish it to my heart. The day will come, when he may not want to spend time with me anymore. This afternoon, we have our one-to-one date, and he would like to bake Danish pepper nut cookies. I hope to have more one-to-one time with him, not just today.

This is a healthier version substituting white flour with white wheat flour and almonds, and butter with olive oil. In general, for every 250 g, 1/2 tsp of spices each is used. And spices are known to have health benefits too. We made this today.

This is the version for my kids. If I am making for Daddy FECS, I will then add 60 ml of honey, as he has a sweet tooth.

Chinese Translation:

老大问：“妈妈，你还爱我吗？你只有时间和妹妹在一起。“ 感觉到他是忽有点被受冷落的感觉。转眼间，老大已经10岁了，比较独立了。但我也比较忙了。难得他还珍惜能有多一点和妈妈在一起的时间。我必须珍惜这个时光。今天下午，我们有一个one-to-one date，只有我们俩。他建议我和他一起在家烤丹麦圣诞节饼干。之后他就很开心了。:-) 我得尽量经常和他有one-to-one date :-)

References:

https://www.thehealthychef.com/2012/11/gluten-free-gingerbread-men/
https://thehealthychef.com/blogs/recipes/oatmeal-gingerbread-men
https://thehealthychef.com/blogs/recipes/chocolate-gingerbread-men
https://thehealthychef.com/blogs/recipes/healthy-spelt-cinnamon-gingerbread-men
https://www.thehealthychef.com/2014/12/gingerbread-cookies/
http://www.arla.dk/opskrifter/krydrede-pebernodder/
http://www.dk-kogebogen.dk/opskrifter/visopskrift.php?id=23760
http://www.valdemarsro.dk/perfekte-pebernodder/

White whole wheat flour