Arrowroot is a plant that grows in Thailand and Brazil. The root of the arrowroot plant is crushed to form a white powder that resembles cornstarch. Arrowroot, once ground, is considered a starch and you can use it in recipes as a thickening agent. The flavor of arrowroot is very bland and many use it to aid upset stomachs. You can often find arrowroot cookies or bars in health food stores promoting its stomach-soothing properties. Arrowroot does have some nutritional value as well, and you can use it for yummy treats like pies, puddings and homemade ice cream. Arrowroot is healthy as well as a good choice for upset stomachs. Arrowroot contains folate and iron. Folic acid, also known as folate, is a B-complex vitamin. It supports red blood cell production and can help prevent anemia. Folate allows nerves to function properly and assists in preventing osteoporosis-related bone fractures. Folate can also help prevent dementias like Alzheimers disease. Iron enhances oxygen distribution throughout the body, keeps your immune system healthy, and helps the body produce energy. If your diet is too low in iron you may experience fatigue, depression, headaches, and decreased ability to concentrate. Arrowroot is also a source of dietary fiber. Fiber can help you maintain a healthy weight, keeps blood sugar levels in check, and helps maintain normal cholesterol levels. Dietary fiber also helps you digestive system run smoothly. You can use arrowroot in recipes as a thickener. When you add it to a mixture, it will thicken at a lower temperature than when using flour or cornstarch. So, when you are cooking with arrowroot, you will want to mix it with cool liquids first, then add the hot liquids. Also, once you recipe is at the desired consistency, remove it from the heat or else it will begin to thin. If you are substituting arrowroot for cornstarch, two teaspoons of arrowroot are equivalent to one tablespoon of cornstarch. When substituting for flour, one teaspoon of arrowroot equals 1 tablespoon of flour. If you decide to use arrowroot for homemade ice cream, you will have the added benefit of no ice crystals forming. All that being said, now you can start cooking with arrowroot! The following recipes work great with arrowroot and let the other ingredients shine through. Even if you dont have a tummy ache, these sweet snacks are delicious to make and share with everyone.
Melissa McCabe
Arrowroot Butter Cookies Ingredients 1/4 cup salted butter, softened 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup arrowroot 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with butter and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter for about 2 minutes or until creamy and pale yellow. Add the sugar and beat until well combined. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, stir together dry ingredients, and add to the egg mixture. Mix well. Roll dough to 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Cut into 2- inch rounds, and place on baking sheet. Prick each cookie a few times with a fork. Bake until golden, 8-10 minutes, or longer if your cookies are thicker; until they are golden. Enjoy!
Apple Pie Ingredients Pie Dough 1 cup cake flour 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder 1 tablespoon white vinegar added to 6 tablespoons of ice water one stick plus 1/3 stick butter, chilled in advance Filling 10 Apples, peeled and sliced thinly (mix of Granny Smith, Cortland, Macintosh, etc 1/2 cup white sugar 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract lemon juice 2 teaspoons Arrowroot for thickening Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees; reduce to 375 degrees after pie is in the oven. Combine dry ingredients. Mix together shortening in medium bowl. Sprinkle with flour mixture. Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Remove butter from freezer and slice into ½-inch chunks. Add to bowl. Work butter and shortenings together into flour with a pastry blender, until you have chunks the size of walnuts. Do not overwork the mixture. Add the vinegar to ice water and stir quickly into dry ingredients. Mix less than 45 seconds; leave large unincorporated pockets of butterand shortening. If mixture is beginning to melt, refrigerate briefly. Gather mixture together into a flat disc, about 1-inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour. Meanwhile, mix the nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon with the sugar. Sprinkle the sugar with the pure vanilla extract. Work the butter and 2 teaspoons arrowroot into the sugar. Slice the apples into bite-size chunks and place apples into rolled out and fitted pie crust, packing apples in tightly. Pile apples higher in center. Sprinkle the juice of 1/2 lemon juice over the apples, then sprinkle the sugar-spice mixture over the apples evenly. Roll out and set top crust on, fluting edges to seal tightly and creating several vent holes to allow steam to escape. Brush top of crust with a mixture of one egg white and one tablespoon of water. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake about 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
Crepes Ingredients Filling 2 pints Blueberries 1/2 cup red wine 1/2 cup orange juice 1/4 cup red currant or grape jelly 1 tablespoon arrowroot 2 tablespoons cold water 12 dessert crepes 2 tablespoons cold water Confectioners sugar Light whipped cream or light sour cream Crepe Batter 4 eggs 1 cup flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup milk 1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon melted butter, cooled Beat eggs in medium mixing bowl. Gradually add flour and sugar alternately with milk and water, beating until smooth. Beat in melted butter. Refrigerate batter at least one hour before use. Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash blueberries and put into a medium bowl. Combine the wine, orange juice, and jelly; bring to boiling in small saucepan. Dissolve arrowroot in cold water; add to boiling liquid. It will thicken immediately. Remove from heat. Combine sauce with blueberries. Put 3 tablespoons of blueberries in each crepe. Roll crepes; place in buttered dish. Dot with butter. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. When removed from oven, dust crepes heavily with sifted confectioners sugar. Serve with whipped or sour cream. Enjoy!
