Carob and its main properties. The calorie content of the product, as well as the benefits that it brings to the human body. Specialist warnings regarding the use of carob powder in food. Original recipes with the addition of a voiced cocoa substitute. Diabetics, children and expectant mothers can safely eat such a product. People with a weak mentality should also replace chocolate with carob. It is best purchased raw, chopped, because it is in this state that it brings the greatest health benefits.
Harm and contraindications to the use of carob
Banning a voiced product is extremely rare. If a person suffers from an allergic reaction, then he should be careful to familiarize himself with carob when drawing up his menu. At the very first skin rashes or breathing problems, it is necessary to urgently refuse to receive the described gift of the Mediterranean nature. Contraindications to carob can also be attributed to those people who previously could not imagine their day without a few cups of coffee or cocoa. Abrupt withdrawal from caffeine, which is absent in the described product, can lead to slowness and distraction in a person. All this is temporary, but such changes should be treated with caution by those people whose field of activity is associated with making quick decisions.
Those people who cannot tolerate large amounts of fructose and love milk should also be careful with the use of carob. With the combination of these two ingredients and lactose intolerance, problems in the form of indigestion are common.
Carob recipes
Sweet lovers can diversify their diet with this delicious powder. Interesting recipes with carob will look like this:
- Invigorating drink … 2 tsp carob with 0.5 tsp honey (it is best to take mustard or linden) are filled with a glass of hot water. The drink should be infused a little, after which 1/4 tsp should be added to it. anise, 0.5 tsp. cinnamon and a small pinch of vanilla.
- Fruit popsicle … Bananas (which can be substituted with melons) are cut in half and then strung on sticks. In this form, the constructed structure should be kept in the refrigerator for 2 hours. At this time, you need to grind pistachios, almonds and peanuts in a blender. 30 g of cocoa butter (for a portion of 4 ice creams) are heated in a water bath, then adding 1 tbsp to the resulting mass. coconut powder, 1 tsp. carob and 1 tsp. honey. The bananas are then covered with cooked icing and sprinkled with nuts.
- Diet dessert … 2 tbsp gelatin is poured into 200 ml of water and left in this form for a while. Using a blender, 4 strawberries are chopped, 4 tbsp. oatmeal, 2 tablespoons flax seeds, 0.5 tbsp. carob, 0.5 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg and 1 pinch of salt. The resulting mixture must be infused for 15 minutes, and then baked in the form for 5-10 minutes at a temperature of 100 degrees. The gelatin filled with water must be heated until it is completely dissolved (3 tablespoons should be reserved for the final touch of cooking) and mixed with 500 g of Ricotta cheese. In its absence, a soft home analogue is quite suitable, which is laid out in a second layer on a baked base. The decoration of the dessert will be strawberries cut into slices, filled with the remaining gelatin. The dish is ready 6 hours after being in a cold place.
- Delicate cupcake … To prepare it, you will need 200 g of melted butter, to which you need to add 1 tbsp. granulated sugar, 4 tbsp. carob, 1 tbsp. fresh milk and 150 ml of thick kefir. To a similar mixture you need to attach 4 tbsp. wheat flour, 1 tbsp. steamed raisins and half a dessert spoon of soda, slaked with vinegar (preferably apple cider). The resulting mass is poured into molds greased with butter and baked for half an hour.
- Fast hand candy … To prepare the glaze, heat 1 tbsp. milk, 4 tablespoons. carob, 10 g butter and 1 tbsp. Sahara. Then 20-25 pieces of dried fruits (dates, prunes, dried apricots) are dipped in a sweet mixture, laid out on a flat plate and placed in the freezer.
- Gingerbread … 100 g of wheat flour is mixed with 100 g of oat flour, 2 tbsp. rye, 0.5 tsp turmeric, 0.25 tsp cloves, 0.5 tsp cinnamon, 0.25 tsp karmadona, 1 tsp. baking powder and 2 tbsp. carob. To a similar mixture is added 120 ml of warm tea, 4 tbsp. honey and 3 tbsp. vegetable oil. The dough mixed from the sounded components is divided into 10 balls and baked for half an hour at 180 degrees. Ready-made gingerbread cookies are coated with honey.
- Soy curd roll … Salt and 10 g of baking powder are added to whites from 3 eggs. In a similar mass, which should be kept for 7 minutes, 1 tsp is sent. carob. After beating the appetizing mixture with a mixer, it is necessary to season it with 30 g of soy flour and 50 ml of hot water. Baking paper is placed on a baking sheet, into which the base for the roll is poured. After 15 minutes of baking at a temperature of 150-160 degrees, the still hot layer is rolled into a tube. For the filling, 300 g of cottage cheese are mixed with 1 tbsp. lemon zest and 2 tsp. honey. The sounded ingredients are ground in a blender and diluted with 50 ml of milk. The surface of the unfolded cake is processed with filling, cranberries and prunes. 2-3 hours of keeping the roll in the refrigerator is quite enough for the layer to be impregnated.
- Vegan Pie … To prepare it, 500 g of peeled pumpkin are cut into pieces and baked in the oven. Parallel 25 pcs. dates are poured with boiling water for 10-15 minutes. 200 mg of oatmeal is ground into crumbs along with 200 mg of nuts. Remove seeds from swollen dates and also process in a blender with half a large banana. The sounded ingredients are mixed and placed in a mold, where the presence of "sides" should be taken into account. 1 tbsp is added to the pumpkin mass. carob, after which it is laid out on the base and sent to the oven for half an hour. The finished dish is garnished with the remaining half of the banana and walnuts.
Interesting facts about carob
People still do not understand the fact that no microorganism harmful to the plant can parasitize in the so-called John's bread. In this, it compares favorably with all of our usual fruit trees, where aphids, leaf rollers and silkworms grow.
The seeds of this plant are striking in that they are always the same size. It is due to this quality that in ancient times they were used to measure the mass of gold, giving birth to the name "carat" (= 200 mg).
Another curious fact that concerns the carob is his involvement in the mission in the wilderness of John the Baptist. He ate it when he was in those parts. It is for this reason that one of the names of the plant is associated with this legendary person. The well-known Prodigal Son, the hero of the biblical parable, also did not ignore the carob.
It is necessary to distinguish between two types of processing of this product, because the taste after both options will differ. The raw material powder is a good substitute for refined sugar, which is not considered by experts to be a harmless product. Roasted carob is not as sweet after processing, so it looks a lot like cocoa beans.
Dried carob pulp is used in the manufacture of sweets, icing, cocktails, compotes, condensed milk, desserts, baking dough and tea.
Watch a video about carob:
The sounded product is not only a storehouse of valuable substances, but also a safe alternative to chocolate for people who are contraindicated in sweets. Subjects who monitor their weight can also safely consume powdered carob.
