We regularly publish some great healthy living tips, new recipes and other Prune tidbits on our blog
R337 Prune Rosemary Shortbread
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Quickly combine butter, salt, flour, semolina, icing sugar, prunes, Parmesan, 1 tbsp. rosemary and chilli. Create a smooth dough and form a log (Ø 4 cm). Wrap in cling film and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Next, place log into the freezer for 20 minutes to ensure that it can be cut as easily as possible. Pre-heat the oven to 170 °C (convection oven not recommended). Sprinkle remaining rosemary on the work table and roll dough log in it. Cut log into 1 cm thick slices and position spaced out on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. The shortbread should not brown. Place on a rack and cool completely. Pack into small bags or tins and use as presents.
R338 Spicy Squash Soup with Chorizo
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Peel squash and ginger and dice finely. Dice the onions into large pieces. Heat oil in a pot, add squash, onions, paprika powder and ginger and sauté for 5 minutes. Deglaze with white wine and stock and boil at a medium heat for 15 minutes. Cut chorizo sausage into slices. Cut prunes into large pieces. Toast pumpkin seeds in a dry pan.
- Grind squash in a blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add prunes and keep hot. Fry chorizo slices in a dry pan for 5 minutes on each side at a medium heat. Chop rosemary and sprinkle onto the sausage.
- Pour soup into a bowl. Serve with sausage, sour cream and pumpkin seeds.
Tip: Optionally sprinkle some of the chorizo oil from the pan onto the soup.
R339 Asian Soup with Prunes
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Dice squash and bell peppers. Peel onions and garlic and cut into larger pieces. Finely dice green chilli peppers and cut red chilli peppers into slices. Dice prunes. Wash prawn tails and remove shell up to the tail fin. Cut raw meat in half to the tail fin.
- Heat oil in a pot. Add squash, bell peppers, onions, garlic, chilli peppers and curry paste and sauté for 5 minutes. Deglaze with stock, fish sauce and coconut milk. Boil soup for 15 minutes until squash softens. Add prunes and keep warm.
- Mix grated coconut and starch. Turn the prawns in this mix. Heat oil in a pot (or in a fryer) to approximately 180 °C and fry pawns in batches until golden-brown.
- Season soup with lime juice and salt and pour into a bowl. Serve with green chilli peppers, chopped basil and prawns.
R340 Amaranth Energy Balls
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Slowly roast the sunflower seeds over a moderate heat in a non-stick pan without any fat until golden brown. Leave to cool.
- Finely chop the prunes and place in a mixing bowl. Roughly chop the sunflower seeds. Then mix the grated orange rind, orange juice, salt, cinnamon, 20 g amaranth pops – and, if desired, ginger – with the prunes. Knead everything with clean hands, making sure that any remaining amaranth pops are worked in to form a malleable mixture. Divide this into approximately 28 portions (each 10 g) and shape into balls by hand.
- If desired, immediately coat with amaranth pops, place on a plate and leave overnight at room temperature before storing.
Alternative suggestion: after kneading, shape the mixture into a 1-1.5 cm thick rectangular sheet, and cut into 6 bars (each approximately 50 g).
Storage: in a biscuit tin, layered with greaseproof paper, up to 2 weeks.
Transport: in sandwich bags or airtight containers. If necessary, additionally wrap bars in cling film.
Tip: larger quantities of sunflower seeds can be roasted until they are light brown on a baking tray in an oven pre-heated to 180°C (convection oven 160°C) on the middle shelf for 8-10 minutes. After cooling they can be stored for up to 4 weeks in a screw-top jar.
R341 Oats Powerballs
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Stir 75 g oat flakes, salt and poppy seeds in a heat-resistant bowl with 125 ml hot water. Leave to cool for 10 minutes until lukewarm.
- Finely chop the prunes (but don’t purée). Chop the walnuts. Add the prunes, walnuts, cranberries, grated lemon rind and lemon juice to the oat flakes mixture.
- Knead everything with clean hands, making sure that any remaining oat flakes are worked in to form a malleable mixture. Divide into 12 portions (each approx. 50 g) and shape into balls by hand.
- Coat the balls in poppy seeds.
Storage: keeps fresh in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 4 weeks in the freezer. Defrost frozen balls at room temperature for at least 3 hours before serving.
Transport: in airtight containers.
R342 Juicy Apple Prune Pancakes
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- For the topping bring 300 ml fruit juice with the cinnamon stick to the boil. Mix the starch and the remaining juice until smooth. Add to the boiling juice and continue stirring for 30 seconds. Cut 100 g prunes into strips and add them to the sauce. Allow to cool. Remove the cinnamon stick.
- To make the batter, mix the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. First stir in the milk and then the eggs. Leave for 10-15 minutes. Chop the remaining prunes into small pieces. Wash the apples, peel them and cut them into quarters, remove the cores and then grate coarsely. Mix the prunes and apples into the batter.
- For 12-16 pancakes, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick frying pan and use a small ladle to put 4 dollops of batter into the oil: repeat this process 3-4 times. Fry the pancakes slowly on both sides for approx. 2 minutes over a moderate to high heat until golden brown.
- Divide the pancakes into portions and serve with the topping.
Tip: maple syrup, honey or agave syrup are also great as a topping.
Gluten-free alternative: instead of spelt whole-meal flour, buckwheat whole-meal flour can be used, and, if necessary, an extra 1-3 tablespoons of milk can be added. For the sauce, use potato or corn starch instead of wheat starch.
R343 Hazelnut-Nougat Spread with Prunes
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Mix the prunes with 4 tablespoons (40 ml) of water in a mixing bowl and leave for 30 minutes before blending finely.
- Thoroughly mix the hazelnuts, cocoa, salt and vanilla. Stir the prune purée into the mixture. If required, for a smoother consistency stir in the margarine and for a sweeter taste stir in maple syrup, honey or agave syrup. Serve immediately as a spread for bread or fill into a screw-top glass jar and store in a cool place.
Tip: when stored in a cool place, the spread will keep for at least 7 days. Before serving, it is recommended to leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes so that it spreads easily.
Alternatively: ground Ceylon cinnamon can be used instead of vanilla.
Serving suggestion: spread on wholemeal toast - a serving size of 10-15 g is enough for 16-20 slices of toast.
R344 Spinach Quinoa Risotto with Sunsweet Prunes
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Rinse the quinoa with hot water in a sieve and leave to drain. Peel the onions and garlic. Finely dice the onions. Bring the vegetable stock to the boil and keep warm.
- Heat 20 g butter in a large (4-5 l) pan. Fry the onions for 3 minutes over a moderate heat until transparent, add the pressed garlic. Sprinkle in the quinoa and fry for 1 minute while stirring. Pour in about 500 ml of the hot vegetable stock, cover and leave to simmer for 15 minutes over a low heat.
- Wash the spinach and leave to drain in a sieve. Cut the prunes into strips and chop the Gorgonzola into small pieces. Add half of the remaining vegetable stock and the prunes to the quinoa, and leave to simmer over a moderate heat for 10 minutes without a lid, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the remaining vegetable stock. Add the spinach (if necessary in 2 portions), stir into the quinoa risotto until the spinach falls apart. If the liquid has not been absorbed, stir over a high heat until the required creamy consistency is achieved.
- Stir in the remaining butter and Gorgonzola and continue stirring until melted. Season with pepper and, if desired, with grated lemon. Divide the spinach quinoa risotto into portions and, if desired, serve with sprinkled walnut.
Tip: spinach quinoa risotto tastes good as a side dish with roast pork or chicken breasts.
R345 Beetroot Carpaccio with Fried Bacon Prunes
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Wash the lamb’s lettuce and drain thoroughly. Cut the beetroot into wafer-thin slices, place on 4 large plates and sprinkle with a little pepper. Arrange the lamb’s lettuce around the beetroot. Crumble the feta over the top.
- Cut the bacon into 2 cm wide pieces. Halve the prunes. Fry the bacon in a non-stick pan over a moderate heat without adding any fat until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the prunes, briefly stir fry. Immediately spread the contents of the pan, including the fat, over the beetroot and lamb’s lettuce. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve immediately.
Tip: ciabatta or wheat bread go well with this.
Additionally, try drizzling Crema di Balsamico balsamic vinegar over the salad as well as, or instead of the lemon juice.R346 Courgette Curry Soup with Prunes
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Peel the onions and garlic. Dice the onions. Wash the courgettes, quarter and cut into 0.5 cm thick pieces. Chop the prunes into small pieces.
- Heat the butter in a pan. Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes over a moderate heat while stirring until they are transparent, and add the pressed garlic. Put in the courgette and fry for 5 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and flour. Pour in 600 ml vegetable stock and the coconut milk and bring to the boil while stirring. Add the prunes, cover and simmer for 5 minutes over a low heat.
- Wash the salmon, pat dry and cut into 0.5 cm wide strips. Add to the soup, cover and simmer for 5 minutes with the heat switched off. If necessary, add a little vegetable stock. Season with salt and lime juice. Serve immediately.
Tip: the recipe is sufficient for 6-8 servings of soup as a starter.
R347 Spicy Gorgonzola Meatballs with Prunes
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Peel the onions and garlic. Finely dice the onions. Finely dice the prunes. Mix the bread crumbs with 50 ml cold water and leave to soak for 5 minutes. Cut the Gorgonzola into 12 cubes.
- Put the minced meat, onions, prunes, bread crumbs, egg and spices into a bowl. Add the pressed garlic. Knead everything well with clean hands. Divide the mixture into 12 portions (each approx. 70 g). Wash your hands and dampen them with a little water before shaping the mixture into balls, while placing a Gorgonzola cube in the middle of each.
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Slowly fry the meatballs on both sides over a moderately high heat for approx. 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Serve the meatballs hot or cold.
Serving suggestion: as a main course, the meatballs go well with prune and red wine sauce, mashed potato and red cabbage (or radicchio) or as a snack simply with mustard.
Meatloaf variation: after kneading the minced meat mixture, shape into an approximately 20-25 cm long and 3 cm thick rectangle. Spread the Gorgonzola cubes evenly over the rectangle leaving 2 cm free around the edges and lightly press into the mixture. Fold the minced meat mixture over lengthwise and shape into a meatloaf, so that the Gorgonzola does not appear on the surface. Dampen your hands with a little water before using them to smooth the surface of the meatloaf. Place the meatloaf in a casserole dish, pour 50 ml of water over it and bake in an oven preheated to 210-220°C (convection oven 190-200°C) for approx. 35-45 minutes. Leave the meatloaf to stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
Tip: “Prune and red wine sauce“: fry 100 g diced onions in butter in a pan. Add 250 ml red wine, and bring to the boil for 1 minute without a lid. Add 60 g prunes and 1 bay leaf, leave to simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Add the juices from the meatballs or meatloaf, and purée until smooth. If necessary, add some extra water or stock. If desired, add Gorgonzola. Season well with spices (in the same way as for the meatloaf).
R348 Savoury Prune Cheese Cookies with Chia Seeds (gluten-free)
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 160°C (convection oven 140°C).
- Cream the margarine and salt with a hand mixer for 3 minutes until creamy. Add the egg and mix well for 1 minute. Mix the flour, chia, paprika powder and baking soda. Chop the prunes finely. Grate the cheese finely. Mix in the prunes and 60 g of the Parmesan.
- Spoon small dollops with 2 teaspoons (each approx. 12 g) onto the baking tray leaving a small space between them and in doing so press them slightly flat. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on the cookies. Bake in the middle of the oven for 17-20 minutes until golden brown. Do not remove the cookies from the greaseproof paper until they have cooled.
Serving tip: the cookies go well with red wine and grapes.
Storage: in biscuit tins in layers between greaseproof or baking paper.R349 Green Smoothie with Pineapple and Prunes
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Wash the spinach and leave to drain in a sieve. Quarter the pineapples, remove the core and cut the fruit from the skin. Chop the pineapple into rough pieces.
- Put the spinach, pineapple and Sunsweet prunes into a blender. Add 300 ml water and purée until smooth. If necessary, add more water until the smoothie has a creamy consistency.
- If desired, put 2 to 3 ice cubes in 4 large glasses. Divide the smoothie into portions. Garnish with lemon balm. Place straws in the glasses and serve.
Variation: mango is a good alternative to pineapple.
Tip: a powerful blender makes the drink particularly creamy. A hand-held blender is not recommended. However, if only a hand-held blender is available, leave out the spinach if necessary.
R350 Spicy Cranberry Prune Mocktail
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Divide the raspberries and crushed ice into 4 portions and put in long drink glasses. Mix the prune juice, cranberry and lime juice, and pour into the glasses. Top up with ginger beer. Put straws in the glasses. If desired, wash the ginger, cut into 4-8 thin diagonal slices and add as decoration. Serve immediately.
Cocktail variation: add 20-40 ml gin.
R351 Frozen Yoghurt Raspberry Prune
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- First place the yoghurt and then the prunes and raspberries into a blender. Purée at slow speed, then at medium speed until smooth, repeatedly pushing the raspberries downwards with the pestle. If the ice cream is not firm enough, divide the mixture into portions in dessert glasses and leave to refreeze for 30 to 60 minutes in the freezer. Otherwise, immediately divide the mixture into portions in dessert glasses or, alternatively, divide into portions in ice-cream cones.
Vegan variation:
Tip: a powerful blender makes the ice cream particularly creamy. A hand-held blender is not recommended. However, if only a hand-held blender is available, first thaw the raspberries, then purée all ingredients together. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker (in accordance with operating instructions) or leave it to freeze in the freezer. To freeze, divide the mixture into
r352 Duck Breast with Flavoured Prunes
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Boil 300 ml water and pour over the tea. Steep for 10 minutes. Add prunes and soak for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 150 °C. Wash duck breasts and blot dry. Cut the skinfat in a grid-like design with a sharp knife. Season from all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large pan over a moderate heat and place the fillets, skin-side down. Let them cook for 3 minutes. Turn the breasts over and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Place in a fireproof casserole dish, skin-side up and grill for 15 minutes.
- Peel onions and cut into strips. Heat butter in a pan and sauté onions. Sprinkle sugar on top and sweat briefly while stirring. Deglaze with balsamic vinegar, prunes and water they were soaked in. Add five spice powder. Heat everything up and boil down on medium heat for 12-15 minutes without the lid. Whisk occasionally. Try not to crush the prunes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
- Remove duck breasts from the oven and allow them to rest for approximately 5 minutes. Divide Pak Choi in individual pieces and wash. Peel and finely chop garlic. Heat oil in a coated pan. Stir fry wet Pak Choi and garlic for 3-5 minutes. Garnish with spiced prunes and vegetables. Serve with basmati rice.
r353 Sauerkraut Soup with Smoked Pork Chop and Prunes
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Peel and dice onion. Cut smoked pork chop into cubes. Wash bell pepper, peel sweet potato and dice. Cut sauerkraut in small pieces.
- Heat oil in a pot. Briefly grill smoked pork chop and onion. Add Ajvar and paprika powder. Sweat briefly. Add sauerkraut, bell pepper, sweet potato, caraway seed, bayleaf and vegetable broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Cut prunes into halves. Add to the soup and heat. Season the soup again if necessary. Wash chives and cut in small pieces. Garnish the soup with sour cream and chives.
r354 Crunchy Prune-Granola Bites
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Line a 12 cup muffin tray with paper cases. Preheat oven to 175 °C (convection: 150 °C). Cut prunes in small pieces. Finely chop walnuts.
- Add all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix while stirring with a spoon. Fill muffin cases with the mixture. Squeeze mixture into the muffin liners with the back of a spoon and smooth the surface.
- Bake granola mixture for 25-30 minutes. Remove muffin tray from the oven and allow granola bites to cool off until they get firm. Remove from the muffin liners and store in an airtight container.
r355 Crunchy Red Cabbage and Prune Salad
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Wash the red cabbage, remove stem and cut into big pieces. Finely cut cabbage into strips or shred. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. salt on top and mix by hand. Peel and shred carrot, add to cabbage. Wash celery and shallots and cut in small slices. Quarter the prunes. Add celery, shallots and prunes to the cabbage.
- Mix vinegar, mustard, sugar, a pinch of salt, pepper and oil. Spread over the red cabbage. Mix thoroughly. Allow the salad to marinate in the fridge for at least two hours.
- Just before serving, roast cashews in a pan grease-free. Remove and allow cooling off. Cut Feta into small cubes. Season salad with salt, pepper and sugar. Add cashews and feta to the salad and mix gently.
r356 Chorizo-Prawn-Prune-Skewers with Sweet Potato Dip
Posted Fri, Aug 27, 21 by Sunsweet
- Peel and cube the sweet potato for the dip. Boil in 100 ml water and a pinch of salt for 10 minutes until soft. Puree the sweet potato pieces in the water it is boiled in. Let puree cool.
- lix sweet potato puree with cream cheese, tahini and 2 tbsp. lemon juice. Season the dip with salt, cayenne and lemon juice if needed. Refrigerate.
- Put the wooden skewers in cold water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning on the grill. Peel prawns except for the tail. Cut lengthways and remove the intestines. Wash prawns, blot dry and coat in olive oil. Cut chorizo into 8 pieces. Thread 2 prawns, chorizo pieces and 3 prunes alternately onto each skewer. Grill on a hot BBQ for 4-6 minutes. Serve with sweet potato dip.