Pumpkin Lemongrass Soup

Pumpkin is very healthy and nutritious.  It's very versatile as you can cook it in anyway you like besides turning it into healthy desserts, jam, bakes, etc.  When making it into soup, it's not necessary to add meat as pumpkin itself is already sweet.  All you have to do is wash the skin thoroughly.  Then cut it into your required sizes and put everything in including the seeds and the pulp.  No wastage!!!

More benefits of pumpkin can be found in the above Spicy Fragrant Japanese Pumpkin's post.

Ingredients :

- a quarter of pumpkin together with its seeds and pulp (cut into required size)

- 8 stalks of lemongrass (use the white stems, cut and crushed)

- 2 thumb sized ginger (crushed)

- 2 chicken carcass (blanched)

- water (enough for soup)

- 8 white peppercorns (crushed, optional)

- salt (to taste)

Method :

1)  Put pumpkin, lemongrass and ginger into a pot of water.
2)  Once the water is boiling, add chicken carcass to the boiling water.
3)  Boil at high heat for 15 minutes and add peppercorns.  Turn to low heat and boil for about 1.5 hours.  
4)  Season with salt.
5)  Serve hot.

I love to drink the soup HOT..

This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (Oct 2014 Event: PUMPKIN) organised by Zoe (Bake for Happy Kids) and Mui Mui (My Little Favourite DIY) and hosted by Eileen (Eileen's Diary).

Also submitting this post to "My Treasured Recipes #3 - Taste of Autumn (Oct/Nov 2014)" hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders and co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House.

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Mulberry Yogurt Cake and Health Benefits of Mulberry

We love mulberries, especially homegrown ones.  Fresh mulberries are succulent and delicious. Besides having it fresh, you can also make jam or dessert with these very delicious fruits.  The whole plant of mulberry is edible and it has many health benefits.

My delicious and succulent homegrown mulberries

Facts About Mulberries:
Mulberries are a natural food colorants due to their rich dark potential color and can be used as a natural food dye instead of toxic synthetic artificial dyes that can cause many health problems. Mulberries are considered an important food remedy in Chinese medicine and are a traditional folk remedy in many countries where mulberries have been eaten for hundreds of years. Mulberries are also an ancient fruit of Asia and known in medicinal folklore as a remedy for ringworm, insomnia, arthritis, and tapeworm.

Health Benefits of Mulberries:
1) Great source of Nutrients – Mulberries are an excellent source of vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin K, and iron. They are also a good source of dietary fiber, protein, riboflavin, phosphorus, magnesium, folic acid, and potassium. These vitamins are function as co-factors and help body in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

2) Antioxidant - Mulberries contain antioxidant powers that lessen the damage caused by free radicals. According to the University of Texas Health Science Center – mulberries contain one special antioxidant that has recently been touted for its anti-aging and longevity abilities –“Resveratrol. Resveratrol is an polyphenol flavonoid antioxidant that is also found in red grapes a red wine. The power of the antioxidants in mulberries can also help to prevent cancer and aid in treatment of existing cancer.

3) Anti-Inflammatory - Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have used mulberry as a remedy for inflammation. A recent Romanian study discovered that a curcumin and mulberry leaf combination may be a new lead into natural remedies for inflammation.

4) Lower Your Blood Pressure - According to the March 2008 issue of the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” mulberries health benefits include a positive affect on blood circulation and lower your blood pressure, make you less susceptible to blood clots, strokes, help to prevent heart disease, and lower cholesterol.

5) Weight Loss Benefits - Mulberries can help you lose weight because 1 cup of raw mulberries has only 60 calories, is high in fiber, and has a high water content.

6) Immune System Support – Mulberries are beneficial for the immune system. They contain alkaloids that activate macrophages. Macrophages are white blood cells that stimulate the immune system, putting it on high active alert against health threats.

7) Retina Protection for your Eyes – Mulberries contain Zea-xanthin, an important dietary carotenoid selectively concentrates into the retinal macula lutea, where it thought to provide antioxidant functions and protects the retina from the harmful ultraviolet rays through light-filtering actions.

8) Help Anemia – Because of their high iron content mulberry juice may help those that suffer from anemia.

9) Regulates Blood Sugar –This amazing fruit helps to regulate the blood sugar levels and prevents diabetes. More formal research is needed, but mulberry is thought to contain compounds that support balanced blood sugar levels. Traditional medicine in China, Trinidad and Tobago have all used mulberry leaves to promote balanced blood sugar levels.

10) Good for Digestion – Because mulberries are high in fiber it acts as a mild laxative.Eating mulberries on an empty stomach with a glass of water helps to treat constipation. Adding mulberries to your regular diet can help to prevent indigestion.

For more info on mulberry, please click -->here  

We used to eat mulberries fresh or make it into juice or dessert, however, this time I choose to make cake with it.  I am glad I give this a try as it turned our very delicious and this recipe is a keeper too!

This recipe is adapted from Lovely Butter Cakes page 20 with some minor modifications in red.

Ingredients :

- 150g margarine (I used butter)

- 130g caster sugar (I used 120g)

- 3 eggs

- 200g self-raising flour

- 50g blackcurrant (I used 60g  mulberries)

- 100g yogurt

Method :

1)  Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

2)  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3)  Fold in self-raising flour in batches and mix well.

4)  Lastly pour in yogurt and mulberries and mix.

5)  Pour batter into 8x3x3 baking mould.

6) Bake at preheated oven at 170c for 40 minutes or till skewer inserted comes out clean.

Great for tea time or breakfast

I am linking this post to "My Treasured Recipes #3 - Taste of Autumn (Oct/Nov 2014)" hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders & co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House

and Cook-Your-Books #17 @ kitchen flavours

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Garlic Butter Bread

Since my first experienced with Basic No-Knead Bread we have stopped buying commercial breads. 

Basic No-Knead Bread

I have also tried different version of breads and getting all thumbs up from my family members!   Honestly speaking, since then, I take great pleasure in bread making and practically have been baking it daily. Baking your own bread gives you a very unique self-satisfaction and it's even so when seeing your loved ones smiling from east to west while eating the bread that you have personally baked!  What's more when the aroma of the freshly oven baked bread filled the entire house.... its so tempting, comforting and warm...

Garlic Butter Bread (which is adapted from Zoe's with some minor modifications) is one of the many breads I have tried and we love them all.  Thanks Zoe for your Garlic Butter Bread recipe.  Very yummy...  There are still quite a number of breads pics sitting in my folder waiting to say hi to you all.  Never mind, they can wait as I am still taking my time to select which are the ones to make their appearance here, hehehe...

Ingredients :
- 250g bread flour
- 50g all-purpose flour
- 25g sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter (soften at room temperature)
- 3/4 tsp instant dry yeast
- 200ml milk (lukewarm)

Roasted garlic butter:
- 1 head garlic, unpeeled
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 50g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp of dried basil
- 1/2 tsp salt

1) Cut the top part of garlic head and place on a piece of aluminum foil; drizzle with olive oil. Fold edges together to seal. Bake at pre-heated oven at 200°c  for 30 mins and allow garlic to cool completely.

2) Squeeze cooked garlic into a medium bowl. Add butter, dried herbs, salt and stir to combine. Set aside.

Egg wash : (Beat roughly until combined)

- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp milk

Method :
1) For kneading, I mixed all dough ingredients into a breadmaker machine and let it prove in the machine. It takes 1.30 hours for the dough to be ready.

2) Divide dough into 6 equal portions and allow it to rest for another 15 minutes.

3) Flatten each portion of dough and spread a thin layer of softened garlic butter. Chill the left-over garlic butter in the freezer for later use.

4) Roll it into oblong shape. Repeat the same method with the rest of the dough.

5) Place them on a greased baking tray or lined with baking paper. Allow them to rise for another 1 hr or until doubled in size.

6) Apply egg wash on the surfaces of the dough. Slit the center of each dough with a sharp knife and place 1/6 of the frozen or semi-softened garlic butter onto the slit of each dough.

7) Bake at pre-heated oven at 180°c for 17 mins or until golden brown. Transfer the breads immediately onto a wire rack to cool. Serve when they are slightly warm or at room temperature.

~This Garlic Butter Bread is so soft and fluffy ~

Serve it warm or at room temperture

Do enjoy and cheers :)

This Post Is Linked To : Treasure Box Tuesday

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