Dads 50th Birthday cake...

Right so my dad's just made it to the big 'five-oh!'

So to make him feel a little bit better about that fact I thought I would make him an extra special cake to make him feel better about that fact!

So I really wanted to do the numbers, '5' and '0' a task indeed.

Being a little on the creative side I imagine how I would do it and base the recipe on my Chocolate Owl Cake one I did for my mums birthday (as I knew he liked that one!)

So the recipe is basically the same as the owl cake:

You will need:

For the vanilla sponge 

(PER SPONGE YOU WILL NEED 1 BIG ONE  AND 3 SMALLER )

So it may look like a lot but there is a lot of cake to make! 

• 700g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 700g caster sugar
• 12 large eggs, beaten
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 700g plain flour
• 10 tsp baking powder
• 8 tbsp milk, at room temperature

For the chocolate fudge frosting

• 700g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 500g unsalted butter
• 500ml milk
•   2tsp vanilla extract
• 900g icing sugar, sifted

For the decoration

• chocolate buttons, in different sizes
• chocolate vermicelli sprinkles

1. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees or gas mark 4!

2. Mix together the cake mix - cream the butter and sugar to start.

3. Then add the eggs. Followed by flour but make sure this is sifted first.

4. Add the baking powder which will help the cake to rise.

5. Once you have a mixture, butter four cake tins and line with baking paper.

6. Divide the mixture into the four (one big tin and three smaller!) and put into the oven to bake for around half an hour.

7. The cakes will be light and bouncy once cooked.

8. The leave to cool for about ten minutes.

9. While the cake is cooling time to make the frosting!

10. In a bowl melt the butter and chocolate then in a separate bowl mix together the vanilla flavouring, icing sugar and milk.

NOW THIS IS WHERE IT GETS DIFFERENT FROM THE OWL CAKE RECIPE!

11. Cut the larger cake in half and spread over some frosting to one side - then sandwich together this is going to be the '0'...

12. Then take a metal egg ring and pierce through the middle of the cake to make the circle cut out. 

13. Then cover the top of the cake and sides in the frosting! Your '0' is the easy part and this is now complete and ready to decorate!

14. Now comes the tricky part... take two of the three sponges frost the center and sandwich together, now we create a template to cut around with a knife to make the bottom part of the '5' 

15. then cut in half the remaining cake frost center, and sandwich together to make the top shape as shown below.

16. Finally you need to cover the entire cake including the sides with the remaining frosting.

17. Then the fun part - using chocolate sprinkles and buttons (white and milk choc) decorate as you please.

The cake is finished! Happy birthday dad!

Looking good can make you feel good...

I don't know about you... but whenever I get a new dress, a new item of designer jewellery, a pair of new heels, or something that makes me feel beautiful - it changes my whole attitude - once I am wearing it.

It's like make-up - we where it as a mask to hide our true self but when we wear our make up, the change in our confidence is radically transformed.

I am unsure of the reason behind this, but I don't understand why some people think this is wrong to give a little glam to who we really are?  I think it can change the person behind it all - but for the better!

A good example of this is happened last Saturday night. I had to compare and host an event to over 300 people at a Martial Arts demonstration.

My father had asked me to wear my Martial Art clothing (very macho and boyish) - however I expressed in doing so it wouldn't make me feel under confident in myself - my attitude and wont feel the part of 'host' in my head as there was no separation of me and the performers in my head. 

My mother being a woman - backed me all the way and persuaded my dad!

I wore a tailored black skirt suit - killer heels and accessoried with a scarf and bang - my confidence could not be knocked and I gave a great performance.

So I say if you look good you will feel good! Try it!

My goals achieved...

I was looking back through my blog and I found this goal list in red I will mark just what I have achieved in a year...

Things I want to do....

• Start my own business
  I now own my own business 'Apparition Marketing & Design Ltd' which is a creative agency in Suffolk.
• Start my own cake baking business
  It's not there yet but I have designed the brand!
• Visit Italy
  Still on the list!
• Buy my own property
  I haven't bought but I live with my partner James so I have a home and i'm nesting!
• See my blog grow and grow
  It's huge now!
• Get engaged one day to the perfect man and have a family
  I have found the perfect man lets hope the rest follows!
• See my family more
  I am only an hour from home now rather than three so yes I do!
• Earn more than £35,000 a year
  On course!
• Stock my kitchen with funky products and add to my home
  Building we are re-doing the kitchen this year!
• Write my own cook / health book
  Hmm forgot about this one - good plan Duckey!
• Eat in Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant
  YES! James took me to Claridges for my last birthday! Bless him!
• Visit New York
  Not yet but my family have I did Paris does that count?

Overall I think I have done pretty well in a year. Goals are really important to keep a healthy mental state! So keep making yours and reaching them!

Duckey x

Drink Water!

This is why water is good for you. When you can you can also try using a water conditioner. 

This is a compacted electronic water conditioner. It prevents scale from forming.

It will also save you money!

• Keeping properly hydrated during exercise allows you to have a better and more productive workout.
  
• When your workouts are better, you feel and look better too!
  
• The body is 60-70% water and adequate water intake has great benefits!
  
• Flushes out wastes, transports nutrients, regulates body temperature, maintains acid-alkaline balance and support chemical processes.
• Keeps skin moist, energy levels up and alleviates some headaches
  
• Keeping well hydrated often helps to regulate appetite
• People often mistake thirst and hunger, and eat when their bodies are actually craving fluid.
  
• It adds natural moisture to your skin, giving a fresh glow today and helping the aging process tomorrow.
  
• If you get bored with drinking plain water, try lemon, lime or even cucumber slices in your water (a hot trend).
  
• An easy way to boost your fluid intake is to start the day with a fresh cup or two of water or a cup or two of herbal tea.
  
• You can also mix different types of teas for a new blend of iced teas, the bags steep if you leave in a pitcher of water in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight...
  
• Some foods that are packed with water are of course soups, plus all fruits and vegetables, but especially watermelon, oranges, apples, cucumbers, iceberg lettuce and tomatoes
  
• It is best to drink water on an empty stomach in order to avoid unnecessary dilution of digestive juices, so about a half hour before meals drink a glass of water.
  
• It is preferable to sip water throughout the day rather than to chug it because it will give your body more time to absorb it
  

Try to get into the habit of bringing a water bottle with you when you go out, whether to shop, walk or to an activity, plus water is the cheapest drink we could consume its free!

This post is sponsored by Scalewatcher.

How important is our health?

I have been running this blog for about three years now, exploring health care, exercise, fitness, eating well and mental well being.

To me quite honestly staying healthy is a lot of hard work. With so many unhealthy temptations around like alcohol, sweet things, being lazy - it is like fighting a battle to stay so healthy.

So is it just me who feels this way or are you some one who finds staying healthy a bit of a chore.

Of course we are all allowed the few odd treats and some days of rest, but is it easier to create a healthy routine rather than a health kick?

In maintain a healthy life style I believe you have to intergrate healthy patterns in to your day to day life. 

So here are a few of my stay healthy tips!

* Exercise for 20 minutes a day or every other - exercise videos are a great way to motivate yourself! Or why not try some yoga see my yoga basics?
* Plan heathy meals throughout your day (from Duckeys health corner of course!)
* Walk instead of drive.
* Do more housework - cleans the mind as well as gives you a workout.
* Drink more water - less calories and its good for you.
* Take your vitamins - they give you what you lack.
* Make use of the sun - it puts us in a happy mood (cleaning the car is good)

This post is sponsored by Forest Healthcare.

Duckeys Greek Moussaka

I have recently returned from a holiday in Zante (Greece) and like all countries they have their very own specialist cuisine. I have to confess I adored the food their, and my time their eating it!

Every evening my partner James and I would enjoy the hotels homemade Tsatsiki - which is a dip made from garlic, cucumber and Greek yogurt. I tried to produce the below when we got home - but it wasn't quite as good - perhaps it was the rain outside!

One thing I did notice was that the Greeks cooked a lot with garlic and a lot with yogurt.

As I am not a huge meat eater one of my favourite dishes whilst staying in Zante was the vegetable Moussaka! Which is like a really healthy lasagne (without  pasta & meat.)

So I when I got home I made my Duckey version of Moussaka and heres how to do it!

RECIPE: A traditional Greek Moussaka made with oven roasted vegetables - perfect for summer evenings.

You will need:

• 2 Aubergines
• 2 Onions 
• 2 red peppers
• 2 Courgettes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 300g fresh Greek yogurt
• 400g chopped tomotoes 
• 2 eggs
• Thyme - salt and pepper
• 55g Feta cheese 

For the roasted veg: 

1. In a roasting pan chop up all of the vegetables (use two tins if you need to) and splash on a little bit of olive oil and roast for 35 minutes in the oven - giving it a good stir from time to time.

For the Moussaka: 

2. In the meantime - crack two eggs in to a bowl and whisk with 300g of Greek Yogurt.

3. Once the vegetables have roasted add one layer to a baking dish.

4. The our over the can of 400g chopped tomatoes.

5. Add one more layer of vegetables.

6. Then add the yogurt and egg topping (you can sprinkle over some Feta cheese if you wish at this point followed by Thyme, salt and pepper).

7. Once ready to cook bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

I bet you didn't think it was that easy!

With my Moussaka I served a Greek Salad which included shredded iceberg lettuce - chopped tomatoes - olives and feta cheese. I also made a dressing from olive oil, lemon pepper, garlic and thyme.

It was a delcious dish and great for dinner parties!

My exercise secret

OK, so I really don't want to admit to this but I will share it with you because it has been working for me! When I have a busy schedule with work exercise can be hard to fit it.

It's been a while since I have been a member of a gym for the main reason I overdosed on it when I was!

So I get up in the morning and do my usual yoga routine. Then when I get time in the evenings I really enjoy doing my 'Mel B exercise video.'

I can choose my workout from cardio, bums, tums, legs, arms, along with a warm up and a cool down. My favourite is bums and tums and I have seen  a really big difference in my muscle tone.

The best part is you can do a 20 minute workout in the comfort of your bed room or living room!

Give it a try!

Here's a clip from the video!