Trail-mix Oatcakes


(Trail-Mix Oatcakes)

So last week I decided to give up sugar for a week. Initially my plan was to go sugar-free for two months, but The Boyfriend rolled his eyes and suggested I first try it for a week before launching into any unrealistic, grandiose statements. He was right of course. He knows me too well!

In case you’re wondering how it went, well it’s not easy coming to any healthful conclusions after only being sugar-free for a mere week (the primary instigator for this little experiment was a few articles I read recently about why we should eat less sugar). I have however learned a few things, mostly about myself. Firstly, that I love fruit. Despite expecting cravings for cake and chocolate during my sugar-free week, it was actually fruit that I missed the most. After one week (or six days, if we need to get all technical and judge-y) I panicked at the thought of missing out on the trailing end of what has been a great stone fruit season. The first piece of fruit I bought and ate, albeit a slightly underripe white nectarine, tasted absolutely heavenly.

Secondly, food tastes especially good when it has that balance between all the elements we associate with flavour; a little bit salty, a little bit sweet, or bitter, or sour. Which explains why nuoc cham and teriyaki are some of my favourite sauces. It also explains why I’m unexcited at the thought of continuing this experiment for another week, let alone two months.

Our household already tries to eat as few additives as possible and it’s pretty much standard practice for me to reduce the sugar content in the recipes I use. As Ellen Degeneres once said, “Life is about balance. The good and the bad. The highs and the lows. The pina and the colada.”

Trail-Mix Oatcakes :
Not too long ago, I happened to make these not-very-sweet oatcakes topped with some trail mix. They were the perfect segue into my sugar-free week.

125g plain flour
125g stone-ground oatmeal
pinch of sea salt
pinch of baking soda
40g sugar
60g butter
water

to sprinkle on top : your choice of a mix of dried fruit, toasted nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds

Place all the dry ingredients (except for the trail-mix) in a bowl. Rub in the butter, then add enough water to form a soft dough. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to roughly 5mm thick. Sprinkle the trail-mix over the dough and lightly press to ensure they adhere. Use a pastry cutter (size of cutter is up to you; I used a 5cm diameter one here) to cut round circles of dough. Scraps of dough can be rolled again and cut. Arrange the cut circles on a lined baking tray and bake in a preheated 190’C oven for 10-15 minutes. The oatcakes will be lightly golden and tender.

Tip : You can decrease or omit the sugar in this recipe for a more savoury oatcake to enjoy with cheese or as a platform on which to build a quick snack – maybe sliced avocado with sprouts and herbed yoghurt cheese!

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7 Comments »

  1. Rosa said,

    February 18, 2013 @ 5:45 pm

    A great idea! Those oatcakes look lovely.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  2. Hannah said,

    February 19, 2013 @ 8:13 am

    Trust in Ellen. She will never lead us astray. Sweetness is divine.

  3. The Food Sage said,

    February 19, 2013 @ 11:02 am

    Not sure i could do it … or even want to try. MIght try cutting back … that’s about as far as i’ll go for now!

  4. e / dig in hobart said,

    February 19, 2013 @ 2:37 pm

    you’re brave to go for a week sugar-free. especially at this time of the year – like you, it would be the fruit (and the fruit crumbles and puddings i’ve been making) that i’d miss the most!

  5. Amanda said,

    February 20, 2013 @ 11:40 am

    I’ve tried to quite sugar a few times and I can’t do it. I’m very happy to reduce it, and absolutely see the merits of doing so, but find cutting it out entirely too hard.

  6. Hannah said,

    February 27, 2013 @ 1:45 pm

    I’ve never seen such elegant photos of a naturally homey/rustic recipe. That takes some serious photography talent- Of course, it helps that your rendition looks so delicious to being with!

  7. Eva said,

    March 8, 2013 @ 5:10 pm

    But..but..fruit is the only sugar I eat (haha when I’m trying to cut processed stuff)!
    Oh health journals confuse me like nothing else…

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