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Fig and Banana Smoothie with Chocolate Tahini

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

FIGS WITH CHOCOLATE TAHINI | A slice of heaven delivered as a healthy elixir 

Turkish figs are lux but what can be even more lux is when it you incorporate it into a breakfast smoothie made with almond milk, frozen banana and a dollop of chocolate tahini.

Turkey is renowned as the world’s largest producer of figs. Figs are rich in Vitamins A, B1 and B2, manganese and potassium, magnesium, copper, iron, and phosphorus.

To get a quick creamy effect for smoothies, use frozen banana chunks like ice cubes every time.

I made my own unadulterated almond milk here by blending a cup of almonds (soaked overnight) with water and then straining it through a cheesecloth. Almonds contain lots of healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium and vitamin E. The health benefits of almonds include lower blood sugar levels, reduced blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels. They can also reduce hunger and promote weight loss.

Fig and Banana Smoothie with Chocolate Tahini

PREP TIME: 10 min | ACTIVE TIME: 5 min | TOTAL TIME: 15 min | YIELDS: 1 serving

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup of icy cold almond milk
  • 1 small frozen banana, cut into chunks
  • 1-2 turkish figs
  • 1 teaspoon of chocolate tahini

METHOD:

  1. Make the almond milk by blending almonds (soaked overnight or for at least 2 hours) with water. Strain through a cheesecloth.
  2. Cut figs into quarters and throw into the blender along with the almond milk, frozen banana and chocolate tahini. Turn blender on high till all ingredients are mixed. 
  3. Serve ice cold in a cup. Garnish with a sliced fig on the side (optional). 
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BreakfastDairy-freeGluten-free

Buckwheat Pancakes with Figs and Chocolate Tahini

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

BUCKWHEAT FIG AND TAHINI PANCAKES | Buckwheat, a protein-rich seed, is a perfect substitute for those on gluten-free diets 

After much thought, I finally put my chocolate tahini I purchased from the Machane Yehuda market in Jerusalem to good use. To spoil your loved ones with a luscious breakfast treat, try making these buckwheat pancakes with fresh figs and finish off with a generous drizzle of chocolate tahini and/or maple syrup (without guilt, I did both!). For that extra ‘crunch’, add some crushed pecans or pistachio.  Further embellish with some dried rose petals and voila, there you have it – a dainty and picturesque breakfast enough to tantalise your senses!

For those who are unfamiliar with buckwheat, let me do a quick introduction. First, buckwheat is neither a grain nor wheat. To distinguish it from grains, it is sometimes called a pseudo cereal. The edible portion is a seed from a plant related to greens like rhubarb and sorrel. Second, buckwheat is high in nutrients. It is rich in many trace minerals, including manganese, magnesium and copper. It is also a good source of the B vitamins: B6, pantothenic acid, niacin, folate, thiamin and choline. Moreover, all versions of buckwheat contain resistant fiber. Resistant fiber is a compound shown to lower blood sugar after meals, help weight loss, reduce food cravings and improve diabetes.

Now onto the buckwheat flour. Grind the whole buckwheat kernel and you get buckwheat flour (and yes, you can make it at home yourself in a high-speed blender). Commonly used in pancakes, buckwheat flour is a high fiber, high protein alternative to white flour so feel free to sub-away in your muffins, cookies and breads. Not to mention, I personally prefer the taste of buckwheat pancakes over their regular, white flour, counterparts.

Buckwheat pancakes with figs and chocolate tahini

PREP TIME: 15 min | ACTIVE TIME: 15 min | TOTAL TIME: 30 min | YIELDS: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup buckwheat flour
  • 2 cups of milk or milk substitute (almond milk, oat milk, etc)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 4 tablespoons of coconut oil (to grease the pan)
  • 2 figs, quartered
  • 2 tablespoons of runny chocolate tahini (or can use plain tahini)
  • 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
  • handful of pecans or pistachios, to garnish
  • handful of dried rose petals, to garnish

METHOD:

  1. Beat egg together with the flour and milk of your choosing in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Prepare a hot griddle or non-stick pan by melting coconut oil on it or spraying it with a cooking spray to prevent pancakes from sticking.
  3. Scoop the pancake batter with a ladle onto the hot griddle. When you see bubbles form on the top of the pancake, it is time to flip it.
  4. After flipping the pancake, let it cook for another minute or two, then stack it onto a plate. *NB: you can cover the pancakes with a tea towel to keep them warm as you continue to cook the rest of the batter.
  5. Adorn the pancakes. Cut the figs into quarters and layer on top of the pancake stack. Finish by drizzling the chocolate tahini and maple syrup on top. 
  6. Last but not least, loosely scatter the pecans and dried rose petals.  Serve whilst warm.
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