Saturday 17 November 2012

Simple Biscuit Recipe to Aid Weight Loss during the Party Season

Hosting party occasions such as birthdays or Christmas gatherings often leaves me with sweet cravings, despite the consumption of party food. How bewildering is it that simple tea and biscuits are craved for after Christmas dinner! Only trouble is, the choice of the standard biscuit leaves me underwhelmed and worrying about overdoing it with calories. Making biscuits healthier than the standard biscuit available is simple with this simple biscuit recipe.

Healthy Biscuits to Satisfy a Sweet Tooth

I am a biscuit addict, and am guilty of raiding the first shop I see to satisfy my sweet cravings. Only trouble is, I am disappointed in the biscuit choice out there. Not only do most supermarket biscuits turn to glue in the mouth, there is virtually no fibre and no nutrients, the staple being white flour and unhealthy fat. The only standard biscuits I will go for is the digestive and the hobnob. Dissatisfied, I decided to come up with my own biscuit recipe that is easy to make and provides the ideal accompaniment to a cup of tea between meals or after a party occasion. This biscuit will also fill you up for longer.

Simple Recipe for Healthy Biscuits

The following recipe is easy to follow and can easily be adapted to individual taste. The quantity will make around 15 – 20 average-sized biscuits. You will need:
  • 125gms (4.5oz) soft butter.
  • 50gms (2oz) castor sugar.
  • 175 gms (6oz) of a blend of white and whole-wheat flour.
  • 100 gms (3.5oz) mixture of porridge oats, ground almonds and wheat germ.
You can adjust the last part to include or substitute whatever you like, such as walnuts, dried fruit, sesame seeds or ground pine nuts. You can also add a pinch of cinnamon, ginger or dried orange peel if the mood takes you. Why not top them with dark chocolate or sesame seed paste?

As can be seen, the ingredients are high in fibre and protein. Wheat germ is high in B vitamins, nuts are high in unsaturated fat, and oats are high in fibre.

High Fibre Biscuits for Healthy Lifestyle

Preheat the oven to 180c (350f) Gas mark 4 (check manufacturer’s instructions for fan ovens, as this may need a lower temperature). Grease a baking tray or use parchment. Lightly dusting the surface with flour will help prevent sticking instead of using grease.

Put the butter into bowl with the dry ingredients. Rub the mixture together until it resembles breadcrumbs then keep going until the mixture starts to stick together. If too crumbly, add a few drops of milk. Sprinkle a little flour onto a clean work surface then roll out dough with rolling pin until 025in (6mm) thick. Cut to required shapes.

Bake the biscuits for 15 minutes. After 10 minutes, check that that the biscuits are not getting overdone.

Leave to cool on wire rack or grill pan (although the biscuits never have a chance to cool down.) Unused mixture can be put in the fridge (or freezer) and rolled out at a later time.

Ideas for Healthy Biscuit Recipes

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These healthy biscuits are perfect with a cup of tea and make a healthier alternative to your usual supermarket biscuit (namely coffee morning, malted-milk and rich tea). Sweet cravings after a party occasion or during the holiday season can be satisfied with biscuits that are high in fibre, protein and possesses some nourishment. But then again, why reserve these biscuits for special occasions if they can be enjoyed all year round?

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