Father's Day is a special day to show dad how much he means to us. And what better way to do that than by preparing a delicious treat together? With this special recipe for wholemeal and dried fig muffins, we're sure you'll surprise him.
All you need are a few simple ingredients, a little family bonding time and you'll have the perfect recipe for a memorable Father's Day. Let's bake!
It all starts with a few ingredients. You'll need:
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup dried figs El Pajarero, finely diced
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda,
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder,
- 1/2 teaspoon salt,
- 1/2 cup milk,
- 1 egg and
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil.
After gathering these ingredients, your family can join in the fun!
Kids will have fun measuring each ingredient while mum, or the older ones in the house, crack the egg into the bowl. Teenagers can learn how to use a mixer to blend all the ingredients into a smooth batter.
And don't forget our secret ingredient: dried figs! Cut them into small cubes and add them to the dough to give it an extra touch of sweetness that everyone will love.
Now let's go through the step-by-step:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- In a large bowl, mix together the wholemeal flour, brown sugar, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt.
- In another bowl, mix the milk, egg and vegetable oil.
- Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and mix until combined.
- Add the dried figs to the batter mixture and mix well.
- Spoon the mixture into muffin shells and fill them 3/4 full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a fork inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
- Allow muffins to cool before serving.
A couple of tips
The brown sugar is optional, as you will add the sweetness with the dried figs, and even more if you add jam :)
Make sure you leave enough room in each muffin tin for the muffins to rise well during baking. Put them in the oven and wait for them to brown (about 20 minutes). Now comes the hard part: let them cool before eating them!
If you wish, you can accompany them with jams, in our blog we have left you the recipe for homemade fig jam, which will combine very well with these delicious muffins.
It will be an experience that none of you will forget. So take advantage of this great opportunity to bond while you all together prepare these special treats for a nice snack, or why not, to surprise him during breakfast.
There is nothing more satisfying than preparing something together with so much love!
Happy Father's Day and enjoy!
Dried figs are a popular dried fruit that have been consumed for thousands of years all over the world. Not only are they delicious, but they are also known for their health benefits. In this article, we'll explore why dried figs are so good for your health and what keeps our half-century-old brand Higos El Pajarero growing.
Nutritional benefits of dried figs
Dried figs are an excellent source of nutrients such as fibre, calcium, iron and potassium. They are also packed with antioxidants, compounds that help protect our bodies against cell damage and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Studies have shown that dried figs can help reduce cholesterol levels and improve cardiovascular health.
Our brand El Pajarero Figs
When buying dried figs, it's important to look for a quality brand you can trust. Higos El Pajarero has been producing top quality dried figs for over 50 years. Our harvesting, drying, processing and packaging process allows all the nutritional benefits of figs to be preserved without compromising on flavour or texture.
We have more and more products on the market with dried figs as the main raw material. All of them created from the demand of the public that consumes them. We are present in more than 20 countries all over the world.
Healthy recipes with dried figs
As well as being healthy snacks in their own right, dried figs can also be used as ingredients in many recipes and desserts. We invite you to take a look at our blog where you will find both sweet and savoury recipes. For example, you can make delicious homemade jams, you can add them to poultry dishes, in light and quick-to-prepare desserts and you can even make your own liqueur?
You can also make healthy smoothies by combining dried figs with fresh fruits and seeds to keep you satiated until dinner time!
Finally, if you fancy something sweet for a snack, why not try making some of the cakes or biscuits in our recipe booklet - they're sure to satisfy any sweet tooth!
Dried figs on their own are the perfect snack to give you energy throughout the day! And they're easy to take with you. But they are also delicious in combination :)
In conclusion, there are many reasons why you can enjoy introducing nuts like figs into your daily diet! From helping to lower cholesterol levels to providing essential vitamins and minerals; from being used in delicious recipes to being produced by a well-established brand like Higos El Pajarero; there's no doubt that adding nuts like figs to your diet will give your overall health a boost!
So why not add something delicious to your life today? We also invite you to try some of our products made with dried figs.
This delicacy of dried figs stuffed with goat's cheese and wrapped in bacon will awaken all your senses.
The cheese melts into the figs for a melt-in-your-mouth creaminess. And the bacon gives it an unbeatable crunchy texture.
In addition to being a quick and easy recipe, its sweet and sour flavour allows it to pair perfectly with other dishes.
We suggest that you serve it with a base of lamb's lettuce, some cherry tomatoes, small pieces of avocado and season it with extra virgin olive oil and a dash of Modena vinegar.
If you prefer, you can also add a sauce of your choice.
Ingredients for two person
- 16 El Pajarero dried figs
- 16 pieces of goat cheese
- 16 slices of smoked bacon
- Lamb's lettuce for the base (quantity of your choice)
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 1 diced avocado
- Modena vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Pepper
- Salt
Preparation
- First of all, prepare a baking dish. You can put parchment paper on it, which will serve as a base for our figs. Turn the oven on and set it at a low temperature, for example 170 degrees.
- Once the dish is ready, remove the stalks from the dried figs.
- Make a cross cut in each fig without separating it. The cut must be large enough to allow us to insert the piece of goat's cheese. This piece does not have to be small, it is advisable to leave a part inside the fig and the other part protruding from it.
- Next, wrap each dried fig with a slice of smoked bacon. If you see that it does not hold, you can help yourself with a toothpick to close it.
- Here we would like to make a clarification, because El Pajarero figs are small, it is possible that half a slice of bacon will be enough. However, if you really like bacon, you can use a whole slice for each fig :)
- Arrange each fig on the previously prepared dish.
- Once you have them all ready, bake them in the oven for about 8 minutes (depending on the oven).
- The important thing is that you see that the cheese is melted and the bacon is squeaking :)
While they are baking, if you have decided to pair them with a sauce, this is the moment to prepare it. We recommend a mango, sherry or red berry sauce. If you don't have time to prepare a sauce, and you prefer to use one you already have, an old mustard or Dijon sauce works very well.
Before plating, place a base of lamb's lettuce, the cherry tomatoes, the avocado pieces and the amount of figs you want to eat on top. It's up to you :)
Now it's time to season it with the sauce or simply with olive oil, Modena vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper. And voilà!
We hope you like this tasty recipe. As you can see, it is easy and quick to prepare.
We advise you to always have a bag of El Pajarero Dried Figs on hand, as the possibilities of sweet and savoury dishes you can prepare are incredible. Take a look at our other recipes and let us know :)
Enjoy!
The beginning of a new year is an exciting opportunity to reflect and plan for what lies ahead. As we think about what these past twelve months have been like for each of us, it is a time to look forward with hope!
Let's use this new year as our own personal journey: let's set dreams in motion with excitement and love!
We wish everyone good health and happiness throughout 2023. May every step we take be towards achieving our dreams, taking care not only of ourselves, but also of those around us.
From the family we make up at Higos El Pajarero, we send you health and happiness on your way throughout 2023.
We raise our glasses to all of you.
Happy New Year!
El Pajarero dried figs are a delicious and nutritious snack that offers many health benefits. Because they are dried, they have a longer shelf life than fresh figs and are available year-round.
These are some of the many benefits of eating El Pajarero dried figs
1. Dried figs are a good source of fiber. Dietary fiber is important for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Fiber also helps regulate bowel movements and can reduce the risk of constipation and other digestive disorders.
2. Dried figs are a good source of minerals such as potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium. Potassium is important for maintaining blood pressure and heart function. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Iron helps prevent anemia by transporting oxygen to the body's cells. Magnesium is involved in more than 300 biochemical reactions and is important for muscle function, energy production and nerve function.
3. Dried figs contain flavonoids, which are antioxidants that can protect cells from free radical damage. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause cell damage and contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants such as flavonoids help neutralize free radicals and prevent cell damage.
4. Dried figs contain phenolic compounds, which have anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is a natural response of the body to injury or infection, but chronic inflammation can contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as heart disease, arthritis and diabetes. Phenolic compounds can help reduce inflammation throughout the body.
5. El Pajarero dried figs may improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes. This is because they have a low glycemic index (GI), which means they cause a gradual rise in blood sugar levels after eating them. Low GI foods are beneficial for people with diabetes because they help control blood sugar levels.
6. Dried figs can improve heart health in several ways. They can help lower cholesterol levels and improve circulation by widening blood vessels. Both of these effects can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
7 Eating dried figs can help prevent and treat anemia. Anemia is a disease characterized by low levels of hemoglobin, which is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Dried figs are a good source of iron, which is necessary for hemoglobin production. Eating iron-rich foods, such as El Pajarero dried figs, can help prevent and treat anemia.
As you can see, there are many reasons to incorporate dried figs into your diet! Not only are they delicious, but they also offer numerous health benefits. If you're looking for a nutritious snack that will give you energy and keep you satiated, grab some dried figs next time - you won't regret it!
A few days ago, in the first part of this article, we told you about the importance of potassium intake for your health. Today we bring you the second and final part.
We all know that potassium is important for our health, but do we know how much we should consume every day? This time, we will focus on the recommended intake and list some of the main foods high in potassium, especially fruits :)
In many cases, most people don't think about this mineral until they are diagnosed with an electrolyte imbalance. As we told you in part one, potassium is essential for maintaining fluid balance, transmitting nerve impulses and contracting muscles. It also helps keep blood pressure under control and may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. As well as being found in many leafy green vegetables, potassium is present in other healthy foods such as figs, oranges, yoghurt, salmon and avocados. Below is a more detailed explanation of how much potassium we need each day and some tips for getting more potassium in our diet.
How much potassium should we consume each day?
What we eat has a direct impact on our overall health. Eating the right foods helps maintain the right level of potassium, which is essential for healthy cell function. By eating a balanced diet, we can help our bodies stay strong and prevent disease.
The amount of potassium needed depends on age and gender. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), part of the US Department of Health and Human Services, the average recommended daily amounts are:
- Children 1 to 3 years old: 2,000 mg.
- Children 4 to 8 years old: 2,300 mg
- Boys 9-13 years: 2,500 mg
- Girls 9-13 years: 2,300 mg
- Adolescents 14-18 years (boys): 3,000 mg
- Adolescents 14-18 years (girls): 2,300 mg
- Adults 19 years and older (men): 3,400 mg
- Adults over 19 (women): 2,600 mg
- Pregnant women: 2,900 mg
- Breast-feeding women: 2.800 mg
It is important for the general population to get their daily dose of potassium. As mentioned at the beginning, potassium is found in many foods. In addition to those mentioned in the first part of this article https, it is also found in green leafy vegetables. Dried fruits such as figs, prunes, apricots, sultanas, walnuts. Also Bananas, oranges. Meat, poultry and fish. Milk, yoghurt. Lentils, soybeans, sweet potatoes, and many others.
Is the banana the fruit that provides us with the most potassium?
For generations, in many cities around the world, the banana has been associated with the fruit that contains the most potassium. Surely if you remember your childhood, the words of your parents or grandparents will resonate when they insisted that you should eat at least one a day. In reality, there are fruits that provide even higher amounts.
Here is a list of the fruits that, according to the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN), have the highest amount of potassium:
Coconut
It is the fruit richest in potassium according to the FEN (Spanish Nutrition Foundation), providing 405g in 100 grams, although it also has the highest amount of saturated fatty acids and its consumption is recommended in small portions. Another advantage of coconut is that it contains selenium and iron.
Avocado
Avocado is a very nutritious fruit that provides a lot of nutrients. A medium avocado contains 400 mg of potassium per 100 grams, which puts it in second place. It also helps us to maintain heart health and provides us with vitamin E.
Custard apple
Third place goes to a fruit that provides 382 mg of potassium and represents 13% of our recommended intake. Compared to other fruits, custard apple has a high amount of carbohydrates (20%) and is a source of vitamin C.
Banana
As you can see, it is not in the first place as it provides us with 350 mg of potassium. Bananas are rich sources of this essential nutrient. It also includes carbohydrates (20%). This fruit also provides 30% of the daily requirement of vitamin B6.
Figs
El Pajarero dried figs provide 200mg of potassium per 100 grams of fruit. In addition to calcium, iron and magnesium. It has all the essential amino acids and a large amount of fibre. It has small amounts of vitamin B6 and thiamine.
There are many fruits that also contain high doses of potassium such as grapefruit, melons, apricots, kiwis, peaches, among others.
Potassium is an important mineral that our body needs to function properly. There are many foods high in potassium that can help us achieve this goal. Next time you go shopping, be sure to include some of these potassium-rich foods on your shopping list.
By the way, what is your favourite potassium-rich food?
Ours, dried figs :)
Magnesium is an essential micromineral that plays a crucial part in the basic fundamental structural function in human beings. Since it’s present in bones, its balance becomes basic for an adequate function of our organism.
Furthermore, it also regulates our system, we can find magnesium’s implication in many reactions of energy acquisition inside our cells. This micromineral also contributes to the normal functioning of muscle tissue.
In which part of our bodies is magnesium present?
Magnesium is present in our human bodies, basically in muscle and bone tissue. At the same time, although in small quantities, it is present in our bloodstream and red blood cells. That's why it’s important to assure proper levels of magnesium in our diets.
What food should we consume regularly to get adequate levels of magnesium?
To obtain a good level of magnesium, we can find this micromineral in food such as dried figs, avocados, nuts such as almonds, cashews or pistachios, some seeds such as pumpkin, flax or sesame, unsweetened cocoa powder, white corn, snails, oily fish, herbs and spices, fruits such as grapefruit or lemon, dark bitter chocolate and berries, to cite the most obvious examples.
It should be noted that its multifunctionality means that it comes to play a more or less prominent role in more than 300 reactions that occur in our body, although we may not be aware of them. Just to name a few examples, you will find magnesium in:
- Muscle contraction
- Protein synthesis
- Maintenance of healthy teeth, heart and bones
- Supporting protein formation
- Oxygen transport
- Energy metabolism
- Immune functions
- The intervention of the nervous contraction and in the nervous transmission.
It is therefore of vital importance to ingest the foods mentioned previously. Although in most cases, those who are most concerned about maintaining the correct levels of magnesium are athletes, especially runners,we should all be aware of the consumption of food with magnesium.
What are the consequences of magnesium deficiency?
A large enough magnesium deficiency can cause structural damage to muscle cells, so we can get tired earlier and suffer more fatigue, we can encounter metabolic problems when normal energy is being produced or even, without this micromineral, we could lose the electrolyte balance in our body.
Other effects of a lack of magnesium in our body can be irritability, convulsions, decreased appetite or weakened muscles.
On the other hand, it is important to know that the use of magnesium is particularly useful for people who do sports, who have a high rate of sweating or who train under intense hot weather conditions. Our body eliminates excess magnesium by itself.
Consuming natural foods such as dried figs (you can find them almost all year round), some nuts, some citrus fruits, avocados (and others mentioned above) can help you get the magnesium levels your body needs. Consult your doctor to know your needs and maintain them properly.
Dried figs can be enjoyed through the better part of the year, as well as their multiple health benefits. This is due to their exceptionally dense nutritional composition.
Dried figs vs. fresh figs
While fresh figs are very popular for their juicy and delicious texture, they are a delicate fruit and are only available for a short period of time each year. Fresh figs are only good for 1-2 weeks after being harvested, and are best enjoyed when eaten within a few days.
Dried figs, on the other hand, can be savored for much of the year. They have a much longer shelf life than fresh figs. They originate from the Middle East, but are also cultivated in many countries. In fact here in Spain, Extremadura is one of the best areas, and it is precisely where our dried figs El Pajarero come from.
Dried Figs: Nutrition
Dried figs contain an impressive nutritional range, including high levels of protein, carbohydrates, calcium, vitamin K, potassium, iron and magnesium. In terms of dietary fiber, dried figs have a higher content than any other fruit. Half a cup of dried figs contains almost 200 calories and have barely any fat content. These dried fruits also offer several antioxidants and active ingredients to further improve your health. There are also traces of omega-6 fatty acids, glutamic acid and linoleic acid.
Nutritional Information
The following nutritional information corresponds to 100 grams of raw dried figs
Nutritional value
Water [g] 30.05
Energy [kcal] 249.00
Protein [g] 3.30
Total lipids (fat) [g] 0.93
Carbohydrates, by difference [g] 63.87
Fiber, total diet [g] 9.80
Sugars, total [g] 47.92
Calcium, Ca [mg] 162.00
Iron, Fe [mg] 2.03
Magnesium, Mg [mg] 68.00
Phosphorus, P [mg] 67.00
Potassium, K [mg] 680.00
Sodium, Na [mg] 10.00
Zinc, Zn [mg] 0.55
Vitamin C, ascorbic acid, total [mg] 1.20
Thiamine [mg] 0.09
Riboflavin [mg] 0.08
Niacin [mg] 0.62
Vitamin B-6 [mg] 0.11
Folate, DFE [µg] 9.00
Vitamin B-12 [µg] 0,00
Vitamin A, RAE [µg] 0,00
Vitamin A, IU [IU] 10.00
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) [mg] 0.35
Vitamin D (D2 + D3) [µg] 0.00
Vitamin D [IU] 0.00
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) [µg] 15.60
Fatty acids, total saturated [g] 0.14
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated [g] 0,16
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated [g] 0.35
Cholesterol [mg] 0.00
Caffeine [mg] 0.00
Source: USDA
If you want to know the benefits of dried figs, click here.
At Higos El Pajarero we want to share with you one of the secrets of a healthy diet that allows you to be in optimal shape: the consumption of dried figs. These little delicacies are full of properties, vitamins, minerals and other substances with which you will get a perfect health, so get ready to know them a little more.
Properties
The first thing you need to know is the amount of properties that dried figs El Pajarero have. For starters, they are rich in some of the most important minerals for your body. Without going any further, these fruits, when dried, contain large amounts of iron, although this is not their only advantage. On the contrary, calcium and magnesium are also very abundant in figs presented in this way, so they are most suitable to help alleviate many deficiencies in the body.
However, this food also contains a good amount of vitamins that you should not lose sight of. For example, various types of vitamin B are found in high concentrations in this dried fruit, which is ideal for your body health.
Healthy eating
Taking into account these characteristics, it is easy to guess that dried figs are ideal to be able to eliminate certain pathologies. For example, cases of anemia have in this fruit a powerful all-natural medicine due to the presence of iron and vitamin B.
Digestive disorders, especially those with symptoms such as constipation and even heartburn, can also find a solution in the consumption of figs El Pajarero. The reason is none other than the abundant amount of fiber that a regular consumption of this fruit provides, a completely necessary element to enjoy life in a healthy way.
Figs are usually a perfect accompaniment to cheeses, so today we would like to suggest four ways of combining them: blue cheese, fresh cheese, goat cheese and aged cheese. In some of these combinations, some other ingredients are added, but the main ingredients are dried figs and cheese. Let's get started!
Figs with goat cheese
A winner combination. If you want to surprise your guests with a quick and delicious recipe, we suggest two alternatives, either hot or cold.
The combination of figs with warm goat cheese consists in opening some dried figs and introducing a teaspoon of goat cheese in each one. The amount will depend on the size of the fig, but it must be enough to be able to close it. Once closed, place the figs with goat cheese in the oven at 180º for approximately 10 minutes. You can serve it on freshly made toast.
If you prefer eating it cold, just open the dried figs in half, put some goat cheese and, if desired, add a drop of balsamic vinegar (it will go great). You can add pistachio nuts and besides giving it a new texture, it enhances the flavor.
Figs with blue cheese
Specifically, Niki Segnit in The Encyclopedia of Flavors recommends combining figs with stilton cheese and a glass of oporto. She also recommends combining figs with blue cheese in a salad with hearty leaves, also drizzled with a vinaigrette of oporto, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Figs with fresh cheese
Between July and August, in fig harvesting season, figs are usually eaten for breakfast accompanied by fresh cheese and some nuts. When fresh figs are not in season, dried figs are very pleasurable when eaten with fresh cheese and honey regardless. If you like sweet and sour, you will love this combination.
Figs with aged cheese
Are you daring enough to combine dried figs with a good Manchego? The association responsible for the famous Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese recommends pairing young Parmesan cheese with dried figs and hazelnuts. And if you add to this combination a good Serrano ham, the combination becomes otherworldly
What's your favorite combination?