On those premenstrual, bad mood, hormonal days, or just when the mood strikes you, nothing is better than that indulgent chocolate treat to make you smile. With carob, the all natural and even nutritious substitute, now you can satisfy the craving free of guilt and even get healthy benefits!
CAROB RECIPES
The Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua)
The carob tree (or locust bean) is a leguminous, evergreen tree that is native to the eastern Mediterranean where it is cultivated primarily for its sweet and nutritious fruits. Female trees bear numerous, long and flattened, dark brown pods, each of which can contains up to 15 brown seeds embedded in pulp. The pods, seeds and pulp are edible and because they are rich in sucrose have a fairly sweet taste. Humans have been eating carob pods for over 5000 years and livestock in tropical Africa and parts of Asia also eat them. It is interesting to note that although a carob tree does not usually bear fruit for the first 15 years of its life, thereafter a large tree can produce up to a ton of beans each harvest. Thus the average annual yield from a carob tree is considerably higher than that of a cacao tree, which usually produces no more than 1 kg of dried beans. Ripe carob pods can be chewed raw for a sweet snack, but most are processed in some way before being eaten. For example in the Middle East the pods are made into a syrup known as dibs. However, most carob pods are simply coarsely ground to first remove the seeds and are then roasted and ground to produce carob powder. The seeds can also be processed, being used mainly to produce locust bean gum, which is used as a gelling agent, stabiliser or emulsifier in products such as ice cream.
Why Eat Carob?
Carob has several advantages over chocolate. For example, it does not contain oxalic acid, or the stimulants, caffeine and theobromine, which are present in chocolate, nor does it contain the substances that can cause migraines in susceptible people. Also chocolate is high in fat and when purchased in bar form in sugar too. Whereas carob powder is virtually fat free and high in calcium. It is also worth bearing in mind that cacao trees require frequent spraying with toxic chemicals because pests and fungi readily attack them, whereas carob trees do not. It is for these reasons that it is much better to use carob powder instead of chocolate/cocoa powder, in recipes, whenever possible.
Using Carob Powder
Carob powder (carob flour) can be used in confectionery, cakes, hot drinks, soya milk shakes and desserts, in much the same way as cocoa powder. I would especially recommend the brand of carob powder produced by Cotswold Health Products, which is excellent value at around £0.83 for a 250g (recycled) cardboard box. Look out for it in your local health shop. It's also possible to purchase raw, unroasted carob powder, although this is much more expensive and more difficult to find.
If you simply can't resist the taste of chocolate, then carob powder may be just what you need to break your addiction. Do try out some of these delicious, no-added sugar, carob recipes. If you haven't tried carob before, then you are in for a pleasant surprise!
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Carob Brownies #1
Carob is a delicious substitute for cocoa in brownie recipes.
Carob powder is naturally sweeter than cocoa powder and is a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and selenium.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
· 1/2 cup gluten-free all purpose flour(homemade or your favorite brand)
· 6 tablespoons roasted carob powder (see note)
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 1 cup cane sugar
· 1/2 cup unsalted butter
· 2 large eggs
· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
· 1 tablespoon gluten-free powdered sugar to sprinkle on baked brownies (optional)
· NOTE: Chatfield's Carob Powder is manufactured on equipment used to process milk, eggs, soybeans, tree nuts, shellfish, fish oil and peanuts.
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350° F / 176° C for metal pan OR 325° F / 163° C for glass baking dish
Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.
Place dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk to thoroughly combine. Set aside.
In another large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar. Use an electric beater or stand mixer to cream the mixture until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
Add dry ingredients and nuts (optional.) Beat just until wet and dry ingredients are combined. Scrape brownie mixture into prepared baking pan.
Baking in metal pan - forabout 25 minutes at 350° F / 176° C OR for about 35 minutes at 325° F / 163° C (if using a glass pan.)
Watch cooking times carefully. When a toothpick inserted into center of baking dish comes out clean brownies are done. Don't over bake or brownies will be hard!
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Carob Fondue
Ingredients
1 cup unsweetened carob chips
3/4 cup vanilla soymilk
Directions
Prepare a variety of fresh fruit into bite-sized pieces and refrigerate. You can use a combination of any of the following: banana slices; slices of apple or pear; fresh pineapple, papaya or mango cubes; grapes and strawberries. Melt the carob chips in a double-boiler and stir. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the soymilk. Mix until smooth and pour into a chocolate fondue dish. Dip individual fruit pieces and enjoy!
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Carob Sauce
Ingredients
How to make it
Heat the milk and carob powder together til boiling
Remove from heat as soon as it boils
This will thicken (much like cornflour)
Stir well to avoid lumps
Add the maple syrup and stir well
Serve
VARIATION
An adults only version
Substitute ½ cup of soya milk for
½ cup of kahlua OR
½ cup of brandy OR
½ cup of your preferred liqueur
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Hot Carob Sauce
In a small pan, mix together 2 tbsp. of cornflour, 1-2 heaped tbsp. carob powder and 250 ml of cold soya milk until smooth. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly and then simmer the sauce until it has thickened. Serve the sauce hot over stewed apples, or other stewed fruit. Serves 2.
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Ice Cream Parlour Sauce
Place 125 ml of water, 2 tbsp. of tahini, 40 g of carob powder and 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract in a blender. Blend well. (If you don't have a blender, then simply use a little less water, making the sauce in small bowl or cup instead and stirring well with a spoon until completely smooth. For the Ice Cream: Peel and slice some bananas, allowing about 1 large or 2 small bananas per person. Freeze the banana slices overnight in a suitable container, removing them from the freezer about 10-20 minutes before serving to allow them to soften slightly. Divide the banana slices between individual serving bowls. Alternatively, they can be processed in a food processor using the S-shaped blade, or run through a champion or other suitable juicer to produce a smoother, more ice cream-like texture. Pour on the sauce and eat immediately. Store any unused sauce in the fridge. Sauce serves 3-4.
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Carob Balls
Mix 95 g of ground almonds, 150 g carob powder, 50 g of desiccated coconut and about 125 ml of water together in a bowl, adding just enough of the water to bind the mixture together properly. Knead well and then divide the dough into 24-30 pieces, rolling each piece into a small ball. Roll a third of the balls in desiccated coconut, a third of the balls in carob powder and decorate the remaining balls with a whole almond, pressed into the dough. Store the balls in an airtight container in the fridge. These yummy sweets make the ideal treat for Christmas or Easter!
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Carob and Apple Cake
Ingredients:
· 2/3 cup sunflower seeds
· 1/3 cup sesame seeds
· 1 cup of carob powder
· 1/2 cup of desiccated coconut
· 1/2 cup of dates, chopped
· 3 apples, pureed
· 1/2 tsp. vanilla
· 1 tsp. allspice (optional)
Method
1. Grind the seeds in a coffee grinder.
2. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix together well, then spoon the mixture into a pie case or flan dish.
3. Smooth the surface with a knife and decorate with fruit. Try strawberries, kiwi slices, banana slices or tangerine segments!
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Carob Mousse
In a small bowl and using a fork, mash the flesh of a ripe avocado until smooth. Add 4 chopped-up dates (or 2 tbsp. sultanas) that have been soaked in a cup of water for a few hours. Stir in one heaped tbsp. of carob powder and 3 tbsp. of ground, organic hempseed. Then add enough of the fruit soaking water to give a creamy mousse-like consistency. Mix well. If desired, decorate with a sprinkling of unground hemp seeds for a nice, crunchy topping (optional). Serves 2 for dessert. Or makes a meal in itself for one, if eaten with several pieces of fruit and a couple of slices of sprouted wheatbread.
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Fruit Carob Smoothie
Ingredients:
· 100g mango chunks
· 100g papaya chunks
· 125ml (1/2 cup) of yoghurt (or soya yoghurt)
· 1-2 tbsp. carob powder
· Juice of 1 large orange (about 100 ml)
· Juice of half a lime (optional)
· Half a frozen banana, sliced
· 30g blackberries, frozen
· 125ml (1/2 cup) milk (or soya)
Method: Blend the above ingredients together in a food processor, using the S-shaped blade. You will find that it blends more easily if the frozen fruits are allowed to thaw for 10 minutes before processing. Serves 2.
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Carob Fudge Sauce
1 heaping tsp. carob
1/4 medium - large avocado
1/2 cup water
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
5 large dates
16 drops vanilla extract
Pit and chop the dates. Place in the water to soak. Either use vanilla extract or substitute 1/2 shaved vanilla bean. Cut the avocado in 1 inch chuncks. You can substitute 2 tsp. flax oil for the avocado.
Blend the liquids and spices and 1/2 of the carob. While blender is on, carefully drop in date pieces and add avocado. scoop into bowl. Stir in remaining carob.
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Carob Shake….Chocolate Monkey Smoothie
Blend together in blender:
filtered water (to top of blades)
1/4-1/2 cup nuts, ground (any kind)
3 heaping Tbsp. carob powder, (raw organic)
4-5 bananas, frozen (break into chunks and add until thick)
vanilla to taste
honey to taste
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Carob Brownies #2
2 cups wheat flour
13 cup carob (powder)
2 tsps baking powder
13 cup honey
12 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup water
14 cup nuts (chopped, optional)
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, carob powder and baking powder. In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix remaining ingredients except nuts. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in nuts if using. Pour batter into a nonstick or lightly oiled 8-inch square baking dish. Bake at 350F for 35 minutes.
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Hot Carob Sauce
Ingredients:
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan.
Stir gentley over a low heat until the mixture is creamy.
Serve immediately, poured over your ice-cream.
