How To Combine 3 Simple Ingredients To Make an Easy Peasy Yet Super Healthy and Nutritious Dessert or Tong Sui 糖水

Sweet potatoes flesh are not always in orange colour.  You can find spectacular purple-flesh potato, which is also known as Okinawan potatoes. Like orange sweet potatoes, purple sweet potatoes are low in carbohydrates and fat.  They are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin A, which boost our immunity and help preserve our eyesight. They are also rich in complex carbohydrates and fibre.

Purple Sweet Potatoes are found to improve blood sugar regulation. Eating purple sweet potatoes also help lower blood pressure. But what makes them truly stand apart from their orange counterparts is the fact that purple sweet potatoes have high contents of anthocyanin which may have anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, anthocyanins have been epidemiologically associated with a reduced cancer risk and cardiovascular disease.

Sweet potatoes can be steamed or boiled, or in anyway you like.  I usually use orange or purple sweet potatoes for breads, buns, desserts or just steamed it. They are delicious!!

Red Beans is one of the richest foods in antioxidants. It provides half your daily requirement of fiber, source of iron and thiamine (vitamin B1) which stimulates attention and memory.

Ginger is known for its medicinal properties. Modern scientific research has revealed that ginger possesses numerous therapeutic properties including antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory compounds, and direct anti-inflammatory effects.

Just combine the above 3 ingredients into a delectable and nutritious dessert for your breakfast. I cooked this dessert in a slow cooker. Just switch it on to Auto before you go to bed. The next morning, you will have hot dessert for breakfast!

So, starting your day with a bowl of this simple 3-superfood dessert will definitely cheer you up and get you through the day!! Something different for your family instead of the usual Milo, milk, bread,cake, etc, right?

Sweet Purple Potatoes Dessert with Red Beans and Taiwan Ginger Cube (姜母茶)

Ingredients : 

(Please take note that, the measurement for this simple dessert is quite flexible.  You may adjust it to your taste)

- 2 medium sized purple sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)

- 1/2 cup of red beans (washed)

- 1 cube of Taiwan Brown Sugar Ginger Cube

- 1500ml water 

- 8 tbsp brown sugar

- few blades of pandan leaves (washed and knotted)

Method :

1)  Put everything into the slow cooker except the pandan leaves.

2)  Turn it to Auto before you go to bed. (If you want to have it for breakfast.  Otherwise, you may prepare it anytime you like).

3)  Alternatively, you can cook it over the gas stove.

4)  Add the pandan leaves few minutes before serving.

That day, I had it with a slice of radish cake. In case you are interested, do kiv for this radish cake recipe....

Other similar recipes you might be interested :

Have a great weekend and cheers!

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Hearty Homemade Buns/Bread with Unique Sweet Aromatic and Nutty Flavor

After my first attempt at making Red Bean Paste Rolls, my children have been asking me to make this red bean paste bread again.  Well, I gladly obliged with some modifications.

Click here for the recipe-->Red Bean Paste Rolls

As I have ready stocks of organic pumpkin and sunflower seeds, I decided to add these seeds to the bread. Besides being healthy and nutritious, pumpkin and sunflower seeds enhanced the flavor of the bread even more and give the bread an interesting sweet and nutty taste,.... yeah,.. and slightly chewy texture too!!

In addition, sesame seeds give a very unique sweet aromatic flavor to the bread ....... as well as the kitchen while the bread is baking in the oven!!!

Pumpkin, Sunflower and Sesame Seeds with Red Bean Paste Buns

Recipe adapted from Bread Magic page 37 using Basic Sweet Dough Method

(My modification in red)

Ingredients (A) :
- 330 high protein flour
- 1.5 tbsp milk powder
-1/2 tsp salt
- 60g caster sugar
Ingredient (B) :
- 1 egg (grade B)
Ingredients (C) : Mixed together
- 120ml water
- 10g instant yeast
Ingredient (D) :
- 40g butter

Ingredients for Filling : Mixed together
- 250g black date paste (I used red bean paste)
- some sesame seeds
- some sunflower seeds
Glazing :
-1 egg (beaten)
Topping :
- some sesame seeds
- some pumpkin seeds

Method :
1) Combine ingredients A together in a mixer. Slightly blend it before adding ingredients B and C.

2) Beat approximately 5 minutes to form a dough.

3) Add butter and continue beat until the dough is smooth. To check whether the dough is fully developed, stretch a small piece with your fingers to see if it can be stretched into thin layer without tearing it. If it does not stretch, continue beating again until it passes the stretch.

4) Remove dough and leave it in a big bowl, covered with a piece of damp cloth. Leave bowl in a warm place and proof dough for about 30-40 minutes till doubled in size.

1-4) I used bread machine to knead the dough. Just put the ingredients as per your machine instructions and let it proof. After the 1st proofing, take the dough out from the machine.

5) Scale dough at 60g portions. Shape them into small balls and let them rest for 5 minutes.

6) Flatten and roll each ball of dough and place filling, seal and wrap into a ball.

Oopss.... my camera battery was running low.... but it's still better than nothing, right?

7) Roll flat once more and make several slits as the above pic and place on a greased baking tray or pan. Repeat the above process with the rest of the dough. Cover with a damp cloth and leave them for 45 minutes or more for a second time proofing.

8) Once they are doubled in size, glaze with egg wash and sprinkle top with some pumpkin and sesame seeds.

9) Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 12-15 minutes depending on individual's oven. So, do adjust the temperature and timing accordingly.

10) Remove and cool on wire rack.

You can shape the bread anyway you like

Pumpkin and sunflower seeds enhanced the delicate and nutty flavor to this hearty bread

A hearty delicious bread loaded with delightfully nutty taste

Healthy and Nutritious bread for all my dear readers :)

I am linking this post with Cook-Your-Books #18 @ kitchen flavours

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Red Bean Paste Rolls using Straight Dough Method

As mentioned earlier in my post on Garlic Butter Bread, I have numerous bread recipes which are waiting for their turn to greet you all.

   Click at the link for the recipe : Garlic Butter Bread

Hence, here is another home made bread which we love very much.

I used the leftover red bean paste from my previous Easy Snow Skin Mooncake.

Easy Snow Skin Mooncake

This recipe was adapted from Bread Magic Vol 6 page 37 on Black Date Rolls. Instead of black date, I substituted the fillings with red bean paste. Eh... not bad! My girls love the red bean paste and they gave me all thumbs up for this bread.

Red Bean Paste Rolls
Recipe source : adapted from Bread Magic page 37 with some minor modifications in red
Ingredients (A) :
- 330 high protein flour
- 1.5 tbsp milk powder
-1/2 tsp salt
- 60g caster sugar
Ingredient (B) :
- 1 egg (grade B)
Ingredients (C) : Mixed together
- 120ml water
- 10g instant yeast
Ingredient (D) :
- 40g butter

Ingredients for Filling : Mixed together
- 250g black date paste (I used red bean paste)
- some sesame seeds
Glazing :
-1 egg (beaten)
Topping :
- some sesame seeds

Method :
1) Combine ingredients A together in a mixer. Slightly blend it before adding ingredients B and C.

2) Beat approximately 5 minutes to form a dough.

3) Add butter and continue to beat until the dough is smooth. To check whether the dough is fully developed, stretch a small piece with your fingers to see if it can be stretched into thin layer without tearing it. If it does not stretch, continue beating again until it passes the stretch.

4) Remove dough and leave it in a big bowl, cover with a piece of damp cloth. Leave bowl in a warm place and proof dough for about 30-40 minutes till doubled in size.

1-4) I used bread machine to knead the dough. Just put the ingredients as per your machine instructions and let it proof. After the 1st proofing, take the dough out from the machine.

5) Scale dough at 60g portions. Shape them into small balls and let them rest for 5 minutes.

6) Flatten and roll each ball of dough and place filling, seal and wrap into a ball.

7) Roll flat once more and make several slits. Roll up and place on a greased baking try or pan. Repeat the above process with the rest of the dough. Cover with a damp cloth and leave them for 45 minutes or more for a second time proofing.

8) Once they are doubled in size, glaze with egg wash and sprinkle top with some sesame seeds.

9) Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 12-15 minutes depending on individual's oven. So, do adjust the temperature and timing accordingly.

10) Remove and cool on wire rack.

The bread is soft and fluffy

My girls and hubby complimented that this homemade red bean paste rolls is better than those bakery shops

With the increasing cost of living, isn't it cheaper to make your own bread?

Do enjoy baking your own  home baked bread with your family members!

I am linking this post to Cook-Your-Books #17 @ kitchen flavours

To receive new updates, do LIKE SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL AND HEALTHY LIVING on FACEBOOK. Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving me comments. I really appreciate all your visits and comments! Have a nice day :)

Old-Time Favorite Iced Red Bean Popsicles - The Picnic Game 2014 (3)

The current hazy, hot and humid weather is so unbearable. And isn't it a perfect time for cold and refreshing desserts? So, I decided to make an old-time favorite ice popsicle which mum used to make for us when we were kids. This ice popsicle is extremely simple and easy peasy to prepare.

I am going on a picnic and I am bringing..... 

A - Angel Food Cake

B - Basil Leaves in Caramelized Prawns
C - Chicken Piccata
D - Darned Easy Potato Salad
E - Eccles Cakes filled with Leeks, Spinach and Blue Cheese
F - Fourth of July Picnic S'more Tartlets
G - Gluten-free & Eggless Chocolate Steamed Cake
H - Ham Cheesy Patties
I - Italian Frittata with Vegetables
J - Jelly Roll
K - Kahlua Zucchini Chocolate Chunk Bread
L - Lemon lavender Cupcakes
M - Meringue Roulade with Raspberries
N - Nutella Rice Pudding
O - Old-Time Favorite Iced Red Bean Popsicles
P - Pickles
Q - Quinoa Blueberry Mango Salad
R - Raspberry and Fig Cobbler
S - Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
T - Two-Ingredient Ice Cream Bread
U - Uninvited Smashed Potatoes
V - Vegan Mango Salsa
W - Watermelon Salad
X - X'mas Coconut Wreath Cake
Y - Yellow Squash Crustless Quiche
Z - Zucchini Cake-Double Chocolate

Ingredients :
- 1 cup red beans (washed)
- 10 cups water
- 6 pandan leaves (washed and knotted)
- 5 tbsp sugar (to taste)
- a pinch of salt
- 1 cup coconut milk (to taste)

Method :
1) Combine red beans, pandan leaves and water in a pot and boil until red beans become soft. (I took about 2 hours to really soften the red beans).

2) When the red beans is almost ready, add sugar and salt. Let it cook over low heat until sugar dissolved.

3) Turn off the heat. Add coconut milk. Stir to mix well.

4) Let it cool before transferring the dessert to your preferred containers or moulds.

5) Freeze at least 6 hours before serving.

Freeze it in your favorite moulds

Have a nice day and do enjoy :)

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