RECIPE: Sugar-Free Cupcakes

With The Great British Bake Off on the horizon baking is on my mind but with trying to cut out my sugar intake this can sometimes be hard to create that tasty bake! Even Prue Leith has been commenting about the fact they need some healthier recipes on The Great British Bake Off....have there ever been any?! We all need to satisfy that sweet tooth but you do not need to compromise on health or taste.

So for my latest easy recipe I have created some healthy sugar free cupcakes using Splenda new sugar-free recipes. Splenda, the sugar alternative is not only a low calorie alternative to sugar but it’s made from sucralose so everyone can enjoy my sweet bake. 

The recipes from Splenda are super quick, the sugar-free cupcakes only taking 10 mins to prepare, so of course I love them even before I have tasted them!

INGREDIENTS:

·         16g SPLENDA  Sugar Alternative, Granulated

·         125g low fat spread

·         125g self-raising flour

·         ¾ tsp. bicarbonate of soda

·         75g skimmed milk powder

·         2 eggs (separated)

·         4tbsp water

·         150g reduced fat, soft cheese

Topping

·         ½ lemon rind (finally grated)

·         ½ lemon juice

·         1tbsp SPLENDA sugar Alternative, granulated

·         12 edible flowers

METHOD

1.     Cream the SPLENDA Granulated and the low fat spread.

2.     Sift: flour, bicarbonate of soda and milk powder together

3.     Whisk the egg whites until stiff (I got the BF to do this J ) then fold into the mixture

4.     Place into 12 cupcake cases – don’t go overboard they will RISE.

5.     Bake at 180 C until golden

6.     For the topping mix all the ingredients together (except for the flowers) spread on top.

7.     Place your flower

Feel free to save and print the recipe card below.

For more delicious recipes such as Cherry Clafoutis and Apple Lattice Pie, visit: www.splenda.co.uk/recipes

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Recipe: Norwegian Spicy Papaya Salmon

This month, I was challenged to come up with a recipe featuring Norwegian Salmon.

During the colder months, I love foods with a bit of heat, but I also want to be healthy, so today I’m sharing my Thai-Inspired Salmon and Papaya salad.

It’s really quick and simple to make, and packed with vitamins to keep you feeling tip-top as the days get colder. My tasty recipe uses Norwegian Salmon.

Ingredients

• 2 Norwegian Salmon fillets
• 2 green pepper
• 100g tomatoes
• 2 tbspn coriander
• 1 red onion
• 4 tsp teriyaki sauce
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 portions quick cook egg noodles
• 1 lime

1.     To begin make the salsa by chopping the pepper and tomatoes in a bowl.

2.     Add one finely sliced red onion and 2 tablespoons of fresh coriander, roughly chopped.

3.     Finally, squeeze over the juice of 1 lime, and mix with your hands until all the ingredients are combined

4.     Next, make a glaze for the salmon by combining ½ cup olive oil and 2 teaspoons of teriyaki sauce. Spread the glaze over your Norwegian salmon fillets on both sides

5.     Put the salmon into a hot oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees

6.     Just before the salmon finishes cooking, fry 2 portions of egg noodles in a pan for 3 minutes, with 2 teaspoons more of teriyaki sauce

7.     Serve the salmon on top of the noodles, with the salsa spooned generously over the top, with a final squeeze of lime juice.  

This post is a collaboration but my love for easy cooking and Salmon is all me.

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MAXimise your morning routine

MAXimise your morning with Shreddies! I could always do with extra time in the morning…there is always a million different things to do; especially with my recent house move (I have NO furniture!). So I have taken inspiration from the Shreddies MAXimise challenge to get up that little bit earlier and do something you would not normally get to do fueled by Nestlé’s new cereal Shreddies MAX granola!

Finding time to even have breakfast is a struggle. I am guilty of replacing it with a Red Bull or Lucozade, which is the worst thing ever, I hate myself a little every time I buy one before 9am!

So what did I do this week when I set my alarm half an hour earlier and dragged my butt out of bed:

Monday: I hit the snooze button and got some more sleep – my challenge is going well!

Tuesday: I made myself breakfast in my new home with Shreddies MAX, Greek yogurt and fruit! YUM

Wednesday: I read the latest House Beautiful magazine to get some furniture inspiration.

Thursday: I spent more time getting ready so I didn’t need to do my makeup on the train or tie my hair up to hide it.

Friday: It's the day before the weekend so I just lay in bed and chatted to Adam and our cat Dylan!

This week has inspired me to start utilising that extra half an hour and ensure I keep eating breakfast. The new Shreddies MAX is delicious it’s a new granola with Shreddies pieces and crunchy oats providing lots of protein goodness - great post-workout treat as well! You can get Oat Granola and Cranberry & Oat Granola not only a good source of protein it is also made with whole grain, so high fibre, low in saturated fats and made with no artificial colours or flavours

If you want something a bit more funkier than milk go for my favourite:

Natural Greek yogurt
Blueberries
Raspberries
Chia Seeds
Shreddies MAX Protein

   

This post in in collaboration with Nestle but my thoughts and need for more hours in the day is a real struggle and all me! 

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Easy to make Green Smoothie Bowl

I spotted these Smoothie bowls on Pinterest and they looked soooo pretty that I just had to make my own. Like a crazy person I usually have my smoothies in a in a cup but actually eating it out of a bowl took a lot longer and I believe it made me feel more full for longer.

Ingredients:

•    Coconut oil: 1 Spoonful
•    Spinach: 100g
•    Cucumber: 4 slices
•    Avocado: 1/2
•    Mango: 1 small mango
•    Banana: 1 1/2
•    Honey: Squeeze
•    Almond Milk: 100ml

     To Decorate:

•   Chia seeds: Handful
•   Honey: Squeeze 
•         Blueberries: Handfull
•         Raspberries: Handfull
•         Banana: 1/2

Recipe:

•       Mix the Chia seeds and the honey together and bake in the over at 200 degrees for around 10 mins. Keep turning. Let the chia seed mix cool then brake is off to decorate.
•       Place the almond milk, honey, coconut oil, spinach, cucumber, avocado, mango and banana into the smoothie maker.
•  Decorate how you want..be crazy!

Voila, a good green smoothie bowl!

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RECIPE: One Pot Chinese Style Beef

Along with my easy to make snacks I also try to venture into easy to make recipes like this One Pot Chinese Style Beef, it takes around 15 minutes to prep and between 2 hours, 2 1/2 hours to cook. This is perfect if you are a busy bee or have a large family to feed, it is also easy to prepare in advance or to put in the freezer for another day.

This recipe has been inspired by the new foodie trend of 'one pot cooking' (hence the title of my recipe) it is well and truly back, coined 'Peasant Food'. Peasant food really stands for wholesome beef or lamb dishes that one pot can be left to do all the work for melt in the mouth meat so you can have more time to do other things like spend time with your loved ones or colour in the latest colouring book. This is simple food you can make in advance and the Peasant food trend is great for you wallet as you are cooking the food for so long the cheaper cuts of meat are just as good as the meat is beautifully tender.

When hunting for you chosen beef or lamb always look out for the quality mark of the Red Tractor logo which guarantees the meat you are buying is farm assured, you can find out more details from the Simply Beef and Lamb website. 

Will you be taking the #LivePeasant challenge? for more recipes use the # on social media.

Ingredients for a meal for four:

• 400g of beef
• 250g of Gnocchi
• 30g flour
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 20g sesame seeds
• 1 large onion 
• 2 garlic cloves 
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 350g tomatoes 
• 200ml vegetable stock 
• 2 tbsp fresh basil
• 1tbsp tomato purée 
• 1/2 tsp Chili
• Salt & Pepper

1. Prep your tomatoes: They need to be peeled so boil a pan and have a small bowl of cold water ready. Cut a small X in the bottom of each tomato and put them in the boiling water for 45 seconds until the tomato skin starts to split. Place them with a slotted spoon in the cold water then peel.

2. Mix chili, soy sauce, half of the sesame seeds, flour and salt and pepper in a sealable bag with the beef.

3. Add 1tbsp of oil into a casserole pan. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until soft. (Remove off the heat)

4. Place the coated beef into the pan with 1tbsp of oil and brown on each side.

5. Add the onion and garlic mix, quartered tomatoes, tomato purée, basil, veg stock.

6. When the mixture starts to boil, cover then cook for 2 hours.

7. Add the Gnocchi for 3 minutes.

9. Toast the remaining sesame seeds and use them to garnish the dish.

The post is in collaboration with Simply Beef and Lamb but all thoughts, love for quality food and easy cooking are all mine.

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Recipe: Salmon Pinwheels

This is Mummy Kay's recipe that I stole to bake for my besties Baby Shower, it's pretty delicious so I thought I would share with you lovely lot. Please do take note that I am NOT the best cook in the world but these are super simple and make it look like I am a brilliant cook.

Salmon Pinwheel Recipe:

• 200g Cream Cheese

• A pack of Fajita Wraps (I used 4 to make all of these)

• 1/2 Lemon Juice 

• Fresh Black Pepper

• 250g Salmon Sliced

• 100g Rocket (You do not need this much but this is how much is in a bag)

This is a super simple recipe that anyone can do for fancy looking canapés:

Step 1. Mix 200g of cream cheese, juice of half a lemon and a good lashing of freshly ground pepper.

Step 2. Spread evenly across a fajita wrap. 

Step 3. Place rocket across the wrap - you do not need to cover the whole thing just spread evenly, a small handful will be fine.

Step 4. Place the salmon around the wrap, again you don't need to go crazy, there can be gaps I put around six small pieces.

Step 5. Roll it up! Then cut diagonally into 1 or 2 CM slices.

Easy as a piece of pie or a salmon pinwheel!

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Summer cocktails

With the longest day approaching, everyone needs to be taking full advantage of the sun and sitting outside with a cocktail, with a little help from ALDI and Bottle Green we have created some summer inspired cocktails. Each cocktail has one thing in common that they all fruity and refreshing.

Summer Crush 

Ingredients:

• 50ml Tamova Vodka 
• 50ml Bottle Green Pomegranate & Elderflower cordial
• Soda water
• Pomegranate seeds

Serving suggestion: Highball glass

Add the Vodka and Pomegranate & Elderflower cordial to a cocktail shaker and shake it up. Then top with soda water, sprinkle a few pomegranate seeds for decoration and voila a fresh and refreshing summer tipple. 

Pomegranate Punch
Ingredients

• 25ml Tamova Vodka 
• 20ml Lemon juice
• 2.5 tsp Sugar
• Prosecco
• 3 tsp fresh pomegranate seeds

Serving suggestion: Highball glass

 Shake up the vodka, lemon juice, sugar and pomegranate seeds with ice. Before you pour into the highball glass, add ice and then top with your desired sparking wine, the one I am using is Valdobbiadene Prosecco, £7.49 from ALDI. To finalise your masterpiece, add fresh pomegranate seeds to decorate and a lemon zest.

Shooting Star

• 25ml Tamova Vodka
• 25ml raspberry juice from fresh raspberries 
• 2.5 tsp sugar
• Valdobbiadene Prosecco Spumante DOCG

Serving suggestion: Martini glass

There is no shaking for this one! Sprinkle the sugar on the raspberries then squeeze the juice from the raspberries (I used the pulp as well, which in hindsight was not the best idea) and collect in the bottom of your desired glass. Add the vodka and stir to combine. Gently pour the Prosecco into the glass. Decorate with apple slices to perfect a drink suitable for all summer occasions.

Remember drink responsibly 

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The Thinwich

This sandwich is anything but thin but with the Warburtons Thins sandwiching it together are only 100 calories and the entire sandwich is only 250 calories- perfect for lunch with friends and a gossip over those new year resolutions! 

Ingredients

• Warburtons sandwich thins
• Smoked chicken
• Red onion - finely chopped 
• Handful of oak lettuce
• Celeriac
• Salsa Verde (enough for 5 - 6 sandwiches)

Ingredients for the  Salsa Verde:

• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tsp capers
• 1 tsp anchovy fillets
• 40g parsley
• 25g basil
• 20g mint
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 3 tbsp virgin olive oil
• Lemon / sea salt / ground black pepper

The Recipe

1. Make the Salsa Verde

• Take the fresh parsley, basil and mint leaves and blitz in a blender together for 30 seconds. 
• Add capers, garlic and fresh anchovy fillets to the flood processor and mix until they are fully blended.
• Add a squeeze of lemon and the sherry vinegar, before mixing and decanting the entire contents into a bowl. 
• Add the olive oil, mix and then season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Stand for 30-45 minutes before serving. This should keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. 

2. To make your own smoked chicken try out Caboose's at home smoking tips, or simply pick it a hot or cold chicken from the local supermarket

3. Once you have your chicken, pull the meat apart from the bone using a fork and toss with the salsa verde

4. Heat a griddle pan to hot. Lightly brush the thinly sliced celeriac with olive oil and cook on the griddle, turning occasionally, for around 3-4 minuted or until tender. 

5. Lightly toast the Warburtons sandwich thins and then layer up your thin with the oak lettuce, tossed salsa verde chicken, grilled celeriac and finish with a sprinkling do finely chopped red onion.

Get one for £4 from Caboose and head here for more information: www.facebook.com/Warburtons

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