All-butter shortbread is a health food!

[FreedomFromFoundation]

Because of all the media hoo-ha about ultraprocessed food (which does seem to make some sense), I've been looking out for things without loads of ingredients, without oils like rapeseed/palm oil and without anything I don't recognise as a "real food".

Obviously it's best to not have loads of biscuits at all, but I do like to have some around, and don't have much time to bake.

Delighted to find out that all-butter shortbread and cornflakes are minimally processed and don't have much shite in them. Much better than jaffa cakes and Special K, etc.

Anyone else have surprising "discoveries" to share in this quest?

I don’t know but I believe you and I don’t want anyone to come along and burst this bubble 🤣

Basically anything your great granny (or great grannies in other countries) would have recognised is unlikely to be ultra processed. Doesn’t make it low calorie, low sugar or low fat of course, but doesn’t have the modern nasties.

Includes all sorts of delicious stuff! Expensive though as it often means buying the “artisanal” version rather than the mass produced one. Eg hipster bakery sourdough rather than sliced white.

I’m with you on the non-UPF shortbread discovery- I’ve taken to making my own- it takes literally 5 minutes to make and 15 minutes in the oven with 4 store cupboard ingredients and tastes amazing!
Not all shop bought shortbread is equal though- Walkers and Lidl is non-UPF but some others contain rapeseed or palm oil - disgusting..

Also try homemade macaroons (not macarons)- combine ground almonds, sugar, egg white for chewy deliciousness in 5 minutes (plus 10 minutes in oven)

I love Greek yogurt with added microwaved strawberries - non-UPF
(instead of pre-made strawberry yogurt- very UPF)

Shortbread and scones are two of the quickest and easiest things to make that taste incredible so long as you don't overwork the flour.
Made and cooked in 20 minutes if the butter is soft- MUST BE REAL BUTTER though!

Proud to live in a world where all butter shortbread is considered a health food. ✊

I lived off butter shortbread when I was pregnant with dc2 as I had HG and it was literally all I could manage for about 6 months straight.
Glad to hear I can justify it to myself that it is a health food as I do worry about ultra processed foods!😂

Well, in that case, pretty much any home made cake qualifies as a health food. Brilliant news! As long as I use Waitrose Madagascar Vanilla Custard then I'm pretty sure a decent chunk of my favourite home made rhubarb and custard cake counts as one of my 5 a day too. (OK, I could make the custard from scratch too, but let's get real here).

Also home made triple chocolate cookies. Fab!

Ready salted crisps are non-UPF. Just potatoes, oil and salt

@LadyGardenersQuestionTime

Recipe for homemade rhubarb and custard cake please - sounds amazing! 😋

4 ingredients? Please share

I know there is some jest in some of these posts but it’s all got so confusing for people to know what is ‘healthy’ and what isn’t. Surely it’s not really healthy to eat slabs of cake and shortbread? I know I put weight on if I indulge in such things .

I must stop thinking about shortbread
I must stop thinking about shortbread
I must stop thinking about shortbread
I must stop thinking about shortbread

4 ingredients? Please share

Yes, I was going to ask the same thing. Do tell @Downdownunder

I love you, OP. I adore Walkers shortbread.

Here’s the shortbread recipe (old recipe hence the ounces!)

4oz butter (softened)
2oz caster sugar
5oz plain flour
1oz semolina

Cream butter and sugar together.
Stir in flour and semolina.
Work into a ball with your hands (don’t overwork the mixture)
Roll and cut out into biscuits
Bake on tray at 170C for around 10-15 minutes
Leave to cool on tray

Try not to eat them all at once!

@maybekauri https://www.waitrose.com/home/recipes/recipe_directory/r/rhubarb-custard-traybake.html. I like to pretend it's my own recipe but it's absolutely not.

I used to bake. Then I stopped as DH and I trying to lose weight, and DS is a health nut. But this is tempting me again.

@Whu You're right of course, although healthy is a pretty slippery concept nowadays, I think we can be safe in knowing that a diet based on refined carbs, sugar and too much fat and very light in plants is absolutely not healthy, however not-ultra-processed it is.

@Whu Of course, it's not healthy to eat shortbread or cake daily. But since the rest of my diet is super healthy, I can manage a biscuit or two a couple of times a week. I can also eat sourdough bread, though not daily.

Shortbread is the ultimate biscuit.

Must make some this weekend

When my teenage daughter was recovering from anorexia, she used to enjoy small pieces of home made brownies - eggs, sugar, chocolate, flour and butter. I just to leave a tin in the kitchen and not mention a word.

Aw @Whyishewearingasombero. Home made brownies are so comforting, aren't they.

I should never have read this thread. I have made some shortbread. Now I have to resist eating it. What to do? I'm too easily led.

Thread of the week 👏🏼

Definitely making the shortbread tomorrow @Downdownunder thanks!

Anyone got a comforting brownie or tray bake recipe ? I need a cake like hug 🤗