Muesli Slices

From Impressions of Food, SPC, 1985.

I don’t often get into thinking about healthy foods; I think that being a vegetarian is well on the way to keeping to healthy eating, especially if you use only fresh, not processed, ingredients. But I saw this recipe for muesli slices and thought I’d make them. I don’t purchase similar items from the shops.

It was an all-in-together recipe. You place all of the ingredients in a bowl, mix them, then pack them down firmly into a prepared (baking paper lined) 20cm square baking tin. The ingredients used were 1¼ cups rolled oats, ¼ cup milk powder, ½ cup apricot conserve, 1 cup chopped mixed dried fruit, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, ½ cup chopped hazelnuts, ¼ cup desiccated coconut and 100g melted butter. 

When the mixture was pressed into the baking tin 1 tablespoon pumpkin seed kernels were sprinkled on top and also pressed into the mixture. It was baked in a 180ºC oven for half an hour. When they were cooked they were let to cool completely before being cut into bars.

Crunchy, honey sweet and moreish—but, then, they’re healthy, aren’t they?

Taste: ✔✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔✔✔     

Aromatic Lentil Curry

From Impressions of Food, SPC, 1985.

Before making this dish I felt it was important to have all the ingredients ready to go. So I measured out a tablespoon curry powder, a teaspoon each of chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. I chopped two garlic cloves and grated a little fresh ginger. These were the ingredients for the first step.

I then prepared the vegetables. I chopped an onion, a parsnip, a carrot, two celery sticks and half a turnip. I separated some cauliflower florets. I peeled, cored and chopped an apple. I measured out a cup of brown lentils. I took the lid off a can of tomatoes.

Now I added two tablespoons olive oil to a large saucepan and when it was hot added the spices, the garlic and the ginger. I stirred these for a little while until the aroma rose strongly. The vegetables went in next and were stirred for a couple of minutes. Now the rest went in together with 2 cups water and some salt and freshly ground black pepper.

They cooked for about 30 minutes and were served with mango chutney and yoghurt and grated cucumber. Just before serving I squeezed in the juice of half a lime and sprinkled a pinch of sugar into the curry.

While not an out-of-the-ordinary dish this was a reasonable meal. The curry flavour came through strongly but not too strongly to prevent the vegetables being tasted. There was sufficient left for another meal so tonight I’ll make some flat bread to have with it.

Taste: ✔✔✔

Ease of cooking: ✔✔✔