Corinne's delish Carrot Cake muffin

  Corinne's delish 'Carrot Cake' muffins

Hi Bloggers!

We all like to have the occasional treat, so I thought I would share with you my delish carrot cake muffins, this recipe also makes a great birthday cake. The muffins take about 10 minutes to put together, and about one hour to cook.

Ingredients

4 large eggs (eggs are high in protein they also contain vitamin D which helps the body absorb calcium)

200ml Agave (agave is a natural sweetener and has a low Glycaemic index; this means, you won’t get a sugar rush and crash and is great if you’re watching your weight)

200g sultanas (They are great for an energy boost and are high in fibre and low in fat)

200g Spelt flour (this grain is easy to digest and is also high in protein, but be aware that spelt contains gluten – some people may be allergic to gluten)

7 large carrots (this is a wonderful vegetable, a rich source of vitamins, even small amounts of carrot in your diet can reduce your risk of Cardiovascular Disease)

150ml olive oil (cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil contains the highest amount of vitamins)

1 fresh orange or lemon (bursting with vitamins and antioxidants, a great booster for your immune system - what more could you want)

1 teaspoon of Bicarbonate of soda (this has antacid properties, so no more heart burn!)

2 teaspoons of mixed spice and 1 of grated nutmeg also ½ teaspoon of chilli powder.

Now the fun part – putting it all together!

Pre-heat fan oven to 180°C or a gas oven to 160°C

You will need 12 muffin cases and a tray for the muffins, also two bowls to mix the ingredients separately in.

Grate the carrots into one of the bowls then add the chilli powder, Bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice, sultanas and spelt flour and mix well.

In the second bowl, mix your olive oil, egg and agave (I do the mixing in two separate bowls as I have found this method gives the best results).

Add the grated lemon or orange (don't forget to remove the pips) to the olive oil mixture.

Combine the two mixtures together, gently folding air into the mixture.

Place two to three table spoons of the mixture in to each of the muffin cases.

Pop in the oven for approximately 1 hour or until you can pierce the centre of the muffins with a knife and it comes out clean!

Enjoy, luv Corinne x

Corinne's yummy summer delight!

Hi bloggers,

I hope you enjoyed the last recipe.

Today we have a a fruity summer desert that is quick and easy to put together, one of my favourites and a delicious treat for any dinner party or just indulging yourself. 

Preparation time approx. 10 mins

Serves 4

Ingredients.

8 tablespoons of either natural fat free yoghurt or fat free goats milk yoghurt.

300g of mixed fresh seasonal berries.

300g of mixed frozen Berries.

4 teaspoons of honey.

100g Pistachios

Meringue

(I use 2 meringue nests, these are normally available in your local supermarket. This is optional if you are watching your weight)

This is how I put it together-

I like to use a large long stem wine glasses, add a teaspoon of honey to the bottom of each glass.

(Crush the frozen berries, I put them in a plastic bag and gently crush with a rolling pin)

Break the meringues into small pieces.

Then alternatively add generous tablespoons of yoghurt and fruit (2 to 3 to each glass) sprinkling the meringue in between the layers.

Add the mixed fresh berries, then a sprinkle of crushed pistachios.

Serve and enjoy !

You can share one between two if you are very close.

Summer salad with Chicken stir fry

Hi bloggers,Hope you are enjoying the recipes and find the 
information the food interesting.
Salads are a great favourite of mine,full of different flavours,
textures and colours.
Here is one of my summer favourites,with my special salad dressing
and a tasty quick stir fry chicken,makes a great lunch or dinner.

Salad Ingredients

500g Broad beans (this is the weight for fresh broad beans in pods)

50g Soya Beans

50g sugar snap peas

50g Black pitted olives

2 small cucumbers

8 tomatoes

I Romaine lettuce

1 Red pepper

50g of walnuts

50g of pumpkin seeds and almonds, dry fried

1 small raw beetroot

8 radishes

25g Halloumi cheese

230g Asparagus

A handful of mint leaves torn.

Chicken

500g chicken pieces (I like to use the skinned thighs, this is enough for four people.)

Sauce for chicken

1 teaspoon of Peanut butter

2 tsp of dark Balsamic vinegar

2 tsp of Agave

2 tsp of wholegrain mustard

Corinne's salad dressing.

200ml of olive oil.

1½tsp of wholegrain mustard.

50ml agave.

150ml of white balsamic vinegar.

and this is how I put it all together,

500g Broad beans Peel and blanch for a minute or two, drain and leave to cool, then split the bean from its outer skin, you will then have a beautiful crunchy broad bean ready to eat. (Broad beans are high in potassium and fibre.)

50g Soya Beans I use frozen soya beans, just blanch in boiling water for one minute and they are ready to use. (Soya beans are very high source in protein as well containing vitamins, minerals and fibre, a true super food.)

50g sugar snap peas Another great pearl! Sugar snaps peas contain many vitamins including vitamin K. (This little gem of a pea will help keep you feeling fuller for longer)

50g Black pitted olives Chop them if you wish, I like to leave them whole. (They are rich in vitamin E and have a higher mineral content than green olives. I read that eating olives helps to smooth out wrinkles and lines! great)

2 small cucumbers Slice the cucumbers in and half scoop out the pips, save for the salad, then slice length ways. (they have a high water content and are a great source of vitamins, minerals and fibre,)

8 tomatoes Roughly chop (tomatoes are high in antioxidants and full of minerals and vitamins and they are also low in calories.)

I Romaine lettuce Wonderfully rich in nutrients also low in calories.

1 Romano pepper I thinly slice the pepper, they are rich in vitamins and fibre.

50g of walnuts halves Rich in omega 3

50g of pumpkin seeds & almonds Bursting with vitamins and minerals (dry fry the nuts and seeds, leave to cool)

1 small raw beetroot Chop or thinly slice, beetroot is surprisingly low in calories and contain many vitamins, minerals and fibre. (I prefer raw beetroot to the ready prepared beetroot, you can really taste the difference!)

8 radishes Chopped or sliced another gem as they contain vitamin C as well as other vitamins and minerals (also great for weight loss)

Mint leaves roughly chopped or torn (mint is bursting with vitamins and minerals great for the digestion)

25g Halloumi cheese Chop into small pieces (although cheese is high in fats it also contains protein, so eat in moderation and enjoy)

230g Asparagus Either steam in a saucepan or microwave, this should take around 2 minutes. (Asparagus are full of vitamins and minerals as well as being great aid for weight loss.)

The Dressing

200ml of olive oil,

150ml of white balsamic vinegar.

1tsp of wholegrain mustard, 50ml agave.

Place the indigents in a blender and mix.

Place all the salad ingredient in a large dish and gently mix together. Just before serving lightly drizzle over the salad dressing.

To prepare the Chicken

You need a good non stick frying pan

500g chicken This is enough for four portions I use the thighs and cut them into pieces. Chicken is a great source of lean high quality protein, great for weight loss.

Use a high heat so the pan should is very hot, add the chicken pieces and cook until the chicken is lightly browned on both sides and cooked through. Mix the sauce ingredients together and add to the cooking chicken, stir and make sure all the chicken is coated. Cook for a further 3 or 4 minuets or until the sauce starts to brown.

Serve and enjoy, Luv Corinne.