On the occasion of the arrival of Easter Sunday, the only sure thing is that we will "throw" our faces in the lamb, the eggs and the flauns. But why not try the lighter version of flavonoids with less fat?
The flauna contains per 90 gr. (a small flauna) 475 calories, 30 gr. carbohydrates, 27 gr. protein and 40 g. fat.
The Easter bun contains per 70 gr. (slightly less than a palm) 286 calories, 44 gr. carbohydrates and 74 mg of cholesterol.
In addition to their high caloric value, flavonoids are also rich in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Thus, their abuse can contribute to the problem of people who have hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes.
Read the recipe for low fat flauns:
Ingredients:
For the dough
- 1 kg of flour (half rustic and half whole grain)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- Mahlepi, mastic, nutmeg (well beaten)
- 1 cup olive oil
- Yeast (in the size of 1 egg)
- Lukewarm water for kneading
For the filling:
- 1000 gr. low fat gruyere (eg Naxos gruyere with 15% fat)
- 1/2 cup semolina
- 1/4 cup flour
- 6 eggs (approximately)
- 6 tablespoons grated flaxseed (which you will have rubbed in a coffee apple or multi) dissolved in 18 tablespoons of water (which we leave until they become jelly)
- 1 piece of yeast (the size of an egg)
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- Mahlepi, mastic, nutmeg, cinnamon, fresh mint, finely chopped
- 200 gr. dried grapes
- 1 beaten egg for spreading
- 1/2 cup Sesame
Implementation:
- The preparation of the dough and the filling should be done from the previous night.
- Grate the cheese 2 days before, to dry.
- Put the cheese in a large bowl and add the semolina, the machete, the nutmeg, the cinnamon and the mastic.
- In another bowl, beat all the eggs and the flaxseed jelly together.
- Make a dent in the bowl with the cheese, add the yeast and rub well with your fingers to dissolve the yeast.
- Then add the eggs with the linseed jelly (a small amount at a time).
- Knead all the ingredients together and add extra eggs or linseed jelly if needed, until the filling is rather firm.
- Cover the filling and let it "stand" for about 3 hours.
- Then add the baking powder, mint and raisins and if necessary 1-2 more eggs.
- Sift the flour in a bowl, add the salt, the baking powder, the machete, the nutmeg and the mastic and mix all the ingredients well.
- Add the oil and 'rosy' the flour with your fingers.
- Then add the yeast and lukewarm water to dissolve the yeast and knead to make a normal dough.
- Leave the dough for 1-2 hours to rise and open thin sheets 1/3 cm thick and cut round pies to the size you want.
- Add a suitable filling and close the flauns in the shape you want.
- Before baking, leave them to rise, spread them with beaten egg and sesame seeds.
- Bake in a preheated oven (180oC) for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Smart tips for low fat version:
- If you are going to make flauns at home, do not prepare a large number.
- Do not fill the house with temptations, such as a delicious bun.
- But if you like them, do not avoid them altogether. A small amount can be part of a healthy diet.
- Eat them wisely (small amount as an afternoon, or flauna as a salad meal).
- Small changes in recipes can turn our traditional dishes into healthy ones.
- Prepare flauns with hard cheese, low in fat (eg Naxos gruyere with 17% fat).
- Replace some eggs with flaxseed jelly (1 egg equals 1 tablespoon of grated flaxseed. Grate them in a coffee apple or multi, dissolve them in 3 tablespoons of water and leave until they become jelly).
- Replace half the flour with wholemeal flour.
- Do not put sugar in the sheet or in the dough.
- Avoid stuffed buns.
- In the buns, use raw sugar that you will find in the big supermarkets and put half the amount that the recipe says.