Eat Simply, Eat Well

Healthy recipes & tips to help you live the good life. by Ann Plough

Vegan Coconut Scones

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Do you love baked goods but just kind of wish some of them were a little healthier? These vegan coconut scones are the answer to that.

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I have to admit: I love baking. I love the process of creating the product; love the smell of it baking in the oven; love the moment when the timer dings and I can pull that delicious thing out of the oven to barely cool before digging in. Don’t you?

But nowadays I try to really limit white flour and sugars, many of my old baking favorites need to be reworked in order to fit into my new way of eating. It doesn’t always work out well. Sometimes, using an alternative for the flours or a different kind of sugar or choosing to leave out eggs can make it really difficult to create a successful product. (As a full disclaimer: I do use eggs – often. They are a great source of protein, and a staple in my diet – I just didn’t want to use them here.). The risk is the product won’t hold together and instead, you’ll have a crumbling mess instead of a cookie, muffin or cake. Or, you’ll change out the sugar and you’ll have a puffy product where you wanted a flat one or a chewy product when you’d been hoping for cakey. It’s tricky sometimes, but so worth experimenting with to find out what works.

I was craving scones. I wanted something that could replace both a biscuit and the sweeter scones often served with coffee or tea, but also wanted to experiment with using coconut oil to replace butter and plant-based milk to replace cow’s milk. I wanted something that was delicious all on it’s own, but suitable with everything.

Could I make these vegan? Turns out, yes I could. And since coconut itself has a natural sweetness, I opted to take the (small) risk of leaving out the sugar as well.

The results are really delicious.

These simple, healthy, vegan coconut scones are super versatile: you can take them to the sweet side with a mixed berry chia jam (or any other jam of choice) or work them into a savory meal and serve them with one of your favorite soups. 

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Packed with good fats, all the fiber and nutrients of whole grains, and no added sugar, eggs, or dairy, you’ll find that these suit pretty much any occasion. If you or someone you’ll be serving these to has a gluten sensitivity – no problem! Simply substitute your preferred gluten-free flour mix for the whole wheat flour. If you can, try to get a gluten-free mix that contains a lot of whole grains so that you’ll be getting good nutrients and fiber from the flour. Unfortunately, a lot of commercial gluten-free flour mixes use refined flours, and while gluten-free, are really just another form of junk food.

Note: you’ll be using a chilled can of coconut milk with this, so, pop one in the fridge in the morning of or the night before the day you want to make these. Sorry – but that small hassle is worth it!

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Vegan Coconut Scones

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour 
  • 1/4 cup desiccated coconut
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup cold coconut creme (from chilled can of coconut milk)
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 3/4 cup coconut water (from chilled can of coconut milk)
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil + 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut for the tops of the scones

Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, coconut, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized baking bowl. Add the coconut creme and coconut oil, and use a pastry blender or fork to mix the fats into the flour until the mixture forms lumps about the size of peas. Pour in the coconut water and stir until it begins to clump.

Gather the mixture in your hands and gently press it into a ball. Transfer the ball of dough to the baking sheet and press it into a 1″/2.5 cm high round disk. Cut the disk into 8 even triangles. Separate the triangles and space them out evenly on your baking tray. Brush the top and sides of each scone with coconut oil and sprinkle desiccated coconut over the top of each one. Bake for 10-12 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes 8 scones.

Did you like this recipe? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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Eat Simply, Eat Well,

Ann

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Spicy Mung Beans With Spinach

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It’s the Year of the Pulse according to the World Health Organization. That means these Spicy Mung Beans are right on theme, but that’s not the reason you should make them.

Mung beans have one of the best nutritious profiles of any bean; unlike most other dried beans do not need to be pre-soaked; and absorb a variety of flavors easily, so you can dress them up to add into salads or serve with whole grains for an easy and delicious meal.

According to Indian tradition, mung beans help to detoxify the body, are beneficial for the liver and gall bladder and are good for people with high blood pressure, acidosis or gastro-intestinal ulcers. In addition, mung beans have a wealth of other health benefits including:

  • per 1 cup cooked: 14 g protein, 15 g fiber, 1 g fat, 4 g sugar
  • high levels of manganese, potassium, magnesium, folate, copper, zinc and various B vitamins
  • considered to help defend against lifestyle-related diseases including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity
  • can be used cooked or sprouted
  • according to the Journal of Chemistry Central, “mung beans have biological activities including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, lipid metabolism accommodation, antihypertensive and antitumor effects”

Sources: Healing with Whole Foods and draxe.com

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These little green beans are nutrition power houses, so you’ll benefit from adding them into your diet on a regular basis.

Cooked alone with just salt, mung beans can be a little bland, so I’ve created a recipe that calls for the mung beans to be tossed in a spicy marinade while still smoking hot so that the soak up all the flavor.

You can make these a few days ahead: they’ll stay good in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to five days. Unlike some other beans, mung beans don’t give you a gassy stomach – so you can use these without the fear of embarrassing yourself or suffering from other discomfort later. Great news, right?

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Spicy Mung Beans

First, cook the beans:

  • 2 1/2 cups / 1.2 liters cold water
  • 1 cup / 2.5 dl dried mung beans

Bring the water to a boil and add the mung beans. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes. You want the mung beans to be tender but with a slight firmness to them. Try not to overcook them – you don’t want them falling apart!

Then make the marinade:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds or aniseed
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
  • 1/8 teaspoon chili flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 yellow onion, minced
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 handfuls of spinach, rinsed and spun dry

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a small pot. Add the fennel seeds or aniseed, mustard seeds and chili flakes. Place a lid on the pot and cook until you hear the mustard seeds begin to pot. Pour the oil and spices into a mixing bowl. Add the cumin, salt, pepper, onion and lemon and stir well.

Final steps:

Place the rinsed spinach leaves into the bowl on top of the marinade. Drain the cooked, hot mung beans and pour the beans into the bowl. Stir well to completely coat the beans in the marinade, then cover the bowl with a large plate for 5 minutes.

Serve warm or cold either as a side dish or on top of a nice green salad.

Makes roughly 2.5 cups / 5 dl

Eat simply, eat well,

Ann

Did you like this recipe? Do you have your own favorite way of cooking mung beans? Let me know in the comments below, and please share the recipe with your friends!

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Zuppa di Ceci

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As my Dad used to say: “it’s been another fun-filled week around here!” Good projects, good people, good food. What more can you ask for?

And now I’m ready to move full-speed into the weekend. It’s pouring down rain here in Helsinki, but I have high hopes for a sunny Saturday so that I can put the new fence around my allotment garden – last year the rabbits had a nightly feast on onions, kale, and anything else edible that reached the soil’s surface. Not this year. I’m saving the produce for myself and my friends. Those bunnies? They’ll have to find sustenance elsewhere.

I’ll plan to plant the cold-tolerant crop seeds during the coming week: parsnips, spinach, mache, carrots, bok choy, potatoes…the veggies I think…hope…can withstand the chilly temperatures of the Finnish April, where the temps still drop to +1 or +2° C every night. BRRRRR! Come on, Spring! We’re ready for you.

As promised last week, here’s a round-up of some of the news links I loved from this past week. I hope you enjoy!

And because no weekend should begin without delicious food being involved, I bring you this beloved recipe from Tuscany: Zuppa di Ceci or Chickpea Soup. 

I enjoyed this in a back-alley restaurant in Rome – a modernized trattoria celebrating Bufala Mozzarella. And the mozzarella was indeed amazing…but it was this soup that stole my heart away. I’ve made it many times already since returning home, and it’s one of the easiest, most delicious & nutritious soups you could ever hope for. Fragrant with rosemary enhanced by just a pinch of chili, this soup and a slice of good sourdough is all you need for a hearty, happy meal anytime.

There are many versions of Zuppa di Ceci out there – this is mine. I hope you love it as much as we do!

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Zuppa di Ceci (Chickpea Soup)

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
  • 4 cups/1 liter cooked chickpeas + chickpea liquid
  • water to cover (see instructions below)
  • salt & pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot, and saute until tender and translucent; about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook one minute more.

Add 3 cups of chickpeas + chickpea liquid to the pot (reserve the rest of the chickpeas for later). Add the tomato paste and chili flakes. Pour enough water into the pot to just cover the top of the chickpeas (the amount will depend on how much chickpea liquid you have already added).

Bring the soup to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Puree the mixture until smooth with an immersion blender. Alternatively, transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth.

Warm the remaining chickpeas in a small pot with a little water, or in the microwave until they are warm to touch. Add the chickpeas to the soup, reserving a few to garnish each bowl. Taste the soup, and adjust the amount of salt and pepper to your liking.

Divide the soup between 4 bowls, garnish with a few chickpeas and a small handful of sprouts, and enjoy.

Serves 4.

Eat simply, eat well,

Ann

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