Semolina pudding

1 litre of low fat milk/skim milk
1/2 cup of semolina (starchy part of the wheat grain, also used in making cous cous and pasta)
1/2 cup of sugar
1 egg yolk
100gm of raisins
brown sugar

Mix a little of the milk with semolina to make a paste. Heat the milk, raisins and sugar so it simmers gently not boils. Add the semolina gradually, stirring as it thickens for approximately 10 mins. When it has reached a thick consistency, add the beaten egg yolk through the mixture. Pour into a greased shallow baking tray and cook in a moderate oven for 10 mins. Sprinkle with brown sugar and grill for 5 mins.

Variations: Soak raisins/prunes in 2 tsp of rose water and add pistachios, walnuts and cashews to give the dessert a Middle Eastern flavour.

Dried fruit salad

dried peaches, pears, figs, raisins, apples, prunes, apricots
rosewater
pine nuts, pistachios
cinamon, cloves
orange juice

Soak dried fruit over night in 2 tsp of rosewater and orange juice. You can eat it cold or gently heat it and serve with low fat yoghurt

Baked apple with dates and walnuts

4 medium Granny smith apples
1/2 cup of chopped dates
handful of walnuts
cinamon

Core the apples. Put chopped dates and walnuts with cinamon in the hole of each apple. Place apples in baking dish and cover base with a littl water. Bake at 180 deg  for 1 hour, checking water to see that the pan doesn't dry up. Serve with low fat yoghurt.

Variation: Thinly slice apples and mix with 1 cup of wholemeal breadcrumbs, raisins, walnuts, cinamon, nutmeg and vanilla essence. Use 5 sheets of filo pastry and place apple mixture in centre  and roll up like a log. Brush top of apple strudel with a little oil and bake in the oven till brown.

Umm Ali

200gm of filo pastry
6 tbs of mixed nuts (walnuts, cashews, pistachios, pine nuts) chopped
8 tbs of raisins
1/2 tsp of cloves ground
1/2 tsp of cinamon
1/2 tsp of ground cardamon
1/2 cup of sugar
1 litre of low fat milk

Layer the filo pastry with nuts and raisins in a greased baking dish. Heat the sugar, milk and spices until simmering. Pour over the filo pastry. Bake in a hot oven (200deg) for 20 mins until golden. Add more hot milk as required to keep the pudding moist and creamy. Serve with honey yoghurt.

Moist carrot and ginger cake

1 cup of SR Flour (or spelt flour)
1 tsp of bicarb of soda
½ tsp of ground cinamon
½ tsp of ground cloves
½ cup of brown sugar
1 ½ cups of grated carrot
½ cup of sultanas
½ cup of glace ginger pieces
½ cup of walnut pieces
½ cup of olive oil
2 eggs lightly beaten

Topping:

150gm of Philly low fat soft cheese
1 tbs of melted butter
juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp of lemon rind
icing sugar to taste

Sift flour, soda and spices into bowl. Stir in sugar, carrot, sultanas, ginger and nuts. Stir in combined oil beaten with eggs. Mix with wooden spoon until well combined. Bake for 45 mins to 1 hour in moderate oven. Blend ingredients for topping in a bowl and ice when cold, decorated with walnuts. Recipe from Jan Maddern (from Australian Women's WeeklyCookbook)

Anzac biscuits

1 cup rolled oats
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup of spelt flour
¾ cup of dessicated coconut
¼ cup of butter
2 tbs of boiling water
1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda
1 Tbs of golden syrup

Mix the oats, flour, sugar and coconut. Melt the syrup and butter. Mix the carb of soda with the boiling water and add to the syrup and butter. Mix thoroughly into the dry ingredinets. Place small balls on greased oven tray and cook in moderate oven for 10-15 mins or until golden brown.

Date and walnut cake

100gm of unsalted butter
¾ cup of brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup of pitted and chopped dates
1 egg
1 cup of plain SR flour (or spelt flour with 1 tsp of bicarb of soda)

Melt butter and add sugar until dissolved. Beat in egg and add flour, nuts and dates and mix well. Put mixture into a greased round cake tin and cook in a moderate oven 350 deg for 45 mins. You may need to cover cake with a sheet of foil half way through cooking to prevent burning.

Chewy muesli bars

225gm of dried apricots/prunes/dates
250ml of water
115gm of porridge oats
115gm of spelt flour 1tsp of baking powder
115gm of soft brown sugar
25gm of sunflower seeds
40gm of pumpkin, sunflower and almond ground up together
115gm of softened butter

Preheat oven to 180degC. Grease a 28cm x 18x baking tin

Cook the fruit in water until tender. Puree and leave to cool. Mix oats, flour, sugar, sunflower seeds and ground nut mixture in a bowl. Melt butter in a saucepan and combine it with the dry ingredients. Spoon half the mixture into the baking tin and press down firmly. Spoon the fruit mixture ove rhte top and top with the remaining mixture. Press down lightly.

Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool and cut into squares.

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