FINYS FABULOUS FOODS AND FINDS

I am not a vegan, however I am avoiding making recipes that have processed sugar in them.  This can be quite difficult at times, as all my favourites do have sugar in them. Unfortunately I have a sweet tooth, so after being diagnosed with high sugar levels, I decided I had to stop eating cakes, biscuits and desserts which I had on most days! I then went down the path of making sweet morsels that had fruit in them.  I realise that the fruit still has sugar in it, however it is not processed and therefore possibly healthier than ordinary sugar. I mostly use coconut sugar or similar in these recipes, however am now making ones that do not require any added sugar as the sweetness comes from the dried fruit.  These are not as sweet as commercial cakes and biscuits, however in time I have got used to having bliss balls, or raw sweets to satisfy my sweet tooth. It is with all this in mind, that I made these raw apricot slices.  I often use either dried apric...

Salads are a favourite of mine, my lovelies!  However I do perhaps say many things are my favourites, as I love to eat. Which reminds me, do you eat to live, or live to eat?  Guess which one I am! Although this is a salad, I will sometimes have just a salad as my main meal as it is healthy and if you eat enough, quite filling. In this instance however, I  have eaten it with leftovers I had from my chicken filled with apricots , and the two meals married very well together. If you want to be really healthy, cut out the chorizo and make it vegetarian! Chorizo is a Spnash type pork sausage, and is not the healthiest of foods, as it is so processed, however once in a while I think Chorizo is fine, and it IS delicious. You could also use bacon instead of the Chorizo - well that is just as unhealthy and also very good.  I always use Short Cut bacon as this cut has little fat on it - so you see, even if you do eat bacon, you can buy one that is healthier! Pr...

This recipe will have everyone coming back for seconds, as it just delectable. My visitors voted this a hit, and gave it an 11 out of 10, and quickly came back for more!  Sadly, there were no left-overs for me for the next day - it is quite rare that visitors ask for another lot of dessert, but this one with it's tart sweet taste is just one of these popular desserts that most people seem to love. I have made several different versions of a lemon dessert, however I think this one is the best. The flavour of the lemon mixed with cream, and the runny texture of the middle of the pudding, will make this dish a "stunner" for any visitors, or family.  Best make it for family, then you might get more yourself! Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time : 45 minutes Makes: 5-6 servings Ingredients 60 g softened unsalted butter, or ordinary butter 1 cup caster sugar 1 tbsp marmalade 3 eggs 60 g self raising flour 350 ml milk Grated zest of 2 lemons 80 ml lem...

These small pumpkin pies are an ideal snack and could be eaten hot or cold.  They are therefore also great for lunch boxes instead of buying, spending money and getting food with chemicals in it. I usually make my own pastry for the same reason, however once again I was in a hurry and decided to use a frozen one.  When I use this type of pastry I always roll it out, as I like pastry to be nice and thin, and not take over the whole meal.  The bought pastries are always way too thick for me to cook with, and although I do not like buying processed ingredients, sometimes, my lovelies, it has to be done! You can cut everything up as large or as small as you like, and it works every time!  Basic beginners: attention - this recipe is also for YOU to impress someone. Team it with many other dishes as an accompaniment, or I generally eat them on their own with a salad, for lunch, or dinner.  They are also good when you just feel like "something" to snack on as th...

This is a recipe that I have made several times and it never fails to impress my friends and visitors. It looks professional yet it is really very simple to make. Strudels are recipes that have been handed down to me by my European mother, and she used to make them quite often. However I deviate from the ones she taught me, as hers were mostly apple strudel which is the traditional Austrian or German strudel that is well known. In this recipe, I have used a bit of ginger this time, however as it is quite an overpowering taste, I did not use a lot.  You can vary this to your individual taste, or even leave it out totally if you do not like ginger. Either way, this strudel is a flavoursome afternoon tea, snack or late night craving food.  Add some cream or ice cream to make it even nicer! Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes Makes: 8 servings Ingredients 4-5 bananas (Lady Fingers work well but are expensive) 60g dark chocolate, chopped 2 sh...

This toasted sandwich is packed with sauteed, slightly sweetened cinnamon apples and peanut butter.  Once again I am using peanut butter in a recipe as well as bacon.  Bacon is one of the most versatile foods as you can cook it with either sweet or savoury, and there is so much you can do with this product. Although this is slightly messy to eat, this toasted sandwich will please both children and adults alike. It is quick to make and could even be eaten as a breakfast or a brunch for the whole family. Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 8 minutes Makes: 2 sandwiches Ingredients 2 small apples 2 tbsp butter 1½ tsp cinnamon 8 pieces short cut bacon 2 tsp brown sugar or coconut sugar ¼ cup water ½ tsp vanilla 4 slices bread -preferably wholemeal 5 tbsp peanut butter Method Brown the bacon in a fry-pan or in the microwave.  I did this in the microwave between sheets of paper towel.  I always like to use "short cut" bacon as this has v...