Why exercise on holiday?

When it comes to my holidays I am rather back to front with the whole thing.

Personally on my "time out time" I prefer to actually act more healthy than I am at home. I see it as time to focus on getting my health back in check.

I wonder when people see me head to the gym on a sunny beach location, what they are thinking "is she mad to exercise in this heat?" "why isn't she sunbathing instead?" numerous questions!

In fact, on my last holiday the gym was horrendous and I still made the most of a bad situation. Here's a photo to prove it!

Generally my holiday routine is this: 

* wake up and have breakfast
* head back to the room to get changed
* visit the gym (20 minutes on the cross trainer, 10 minutes of arm weights, 10 minutes of Pilates and 10 minutes of sit ups.)
* dive into the pool for a few lengths
* sun bath until my heart is content with numerous dip ins to cool down and swim
* head up to the room to shower and change for dinner
* have a healthy dinner
* my only sin hit the bar!

I probably go to the gym more and exercise on holiday than I do at home!

Anyway whether I have an obsession or not, it is something that I enjoy, and also something that makes me feel happy, and isn't that what a holiday is all about! I wondered if I was the only one who liked to exercise on holiday? Do let me know your thoughts.

Cinnamon Swirls...

The other day I was a little bored and found a recipe to make some Cinnamon Swirls, whilst they looked ok and tasted ok - they did I have to admit turn out ok and not fantastic so this is something I will have to work on.

My oven at my home is now gas which creates a huge problem for me when baking. The heat does not seem to consistently cook my food. I am hoping it is the oven anyway! With a fan oven I am sure they would be great!

If you would like to give the recipe a try to see how you get on here it is:

You will need: 

280g self raising flour
1tbsp caster sugar
100g butter chilled and cubed
160ml milk
1egg
120g chopped walnuts
60g brown sugar
3tsp cinnamon

To make: 

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees or gas mark 6

2. Mix together the milk and egg whilst whisking then set aside

3. Combine the flour and sugar then use your fingertips to rub in the butter

4. Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry until you have a sticky dough

5. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle (don't forget to sprinkle some flour on your surface before hand!)

6. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts, raisins, sugar and cinnamon with a few cubes of the remaining butter

7. Roll up in to a roulade type shape

8. Then cut into thin slices and place on a pre-greased baking tray

9. Put in the oven for around 20-25 minutes.

The recipe says that these are best served warm however they still tasted pretty good cold!

Royal Wedding Street Party

A few weeks ago I was asked to prepare some food to take along to our streets Royal Wedding Street Party.

I decided a good classic dish to make would be a Caprese Salad along with my Duckeys Carrot Cake to top it off.

The New Duckeys Carrot Cake recipe can be found here ... (I have made a few tweaks!)

The Caprese Salad was very easy to prepare:

You will need: 

3-4 Beef tomatoes
2-3 ball of Mozerella Chesse
1 pack of fresh basil
1tbsp Olive Oil
Black Pepper
 

To make: 

1. Cut up thin slices of the tomato and Mozzarella

2. Arrange alternatively on top of each other on a plat (the display is completely up to you some people layer in a circle some just straight but I prefer to display diagonally.)

3. Top salad with fresh basil and a drop of Olive Oil, finished with some black pepper.

There you go one quick and easy salad.

Our day was wonderful and the amount of great food from our street was fabulous. On an occasion that brought our country together it also took me back to the kitchen!

Sadly, my puppy Archie was not allowed to attend the Street Party, though he certainly attempted to get to the food!

The Updated Version of Duckeys Carrot Cake

Like all good recipes sometimes you realise by making small tweaks along the way the outcome can be more successful, my favourite recipe is for my Duckeys Carrot Cake - here is my perfected version.

RECIPE: Moist succulent carrot cake delicately favoured with cinnamon pineapple and raisins, combined with walnuts topped with a cream cheese topping decorated with walnut pieces.

You will need:

60g unsalted butter
2 eggs (whisked and separating egg whites from the yolks)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2-3 large grated carrots
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
135g caster sugar
135g self raising flour
50g drained, canned, crushed pineapple
50g raisins
50g walnuts chopped

For the icing:

112g low-fat cream cheese softened
200g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

To decorate:

Walnut pieces

To make the cake:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees - Gas mark 4-5

2. Remove the unsalted butter and eggs from the refrigerator to allow them to warm to the room temperature

3. Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy

4. Gradually add the caster sugar and continue to beat until the mixture until it has creamed


5. Then add the egg yolks mixed and whisk the egg white (which should be beaten in a separate bowl - this creates more volume


6. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg and carrots


7. Sift the self raising flour, baking powder and salt in the mixture

8. Fold in half the flour mixture

9. Stir in the pineapple, raisins and walnuts


10. Fold in the rest of the flour mixture … the batter should be smooth, but do not overmix!

11. Coat a 10-inch round cake pan with non-stick spray

12. Pour the batter mixture into the pan


13. Bake until the cake is golden brown and set in the center, about 35 minutes

14. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan


To make the cream cheese icing:

1. In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla together until the mixture is smooth

2. Using a spoon or spatula, spread the icing on top of the cooled cake

3. Store the cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

4. Cut the cake into 12 pieces and allow it to come to room temperature before serving.

This recipe has been modified from the original - I have changed a few of the ingredients and quantities but the Carrot Cake is still pretty healthy.

Clever little idea from Graze!

I have been thoroughly impressed with a little box that was delivered to me yesterday. On Sunday my partner James informed me about this company called "Graze".

They offer delicious, healthy, natural food; delicious nuts, seeds & dried fruits, tasty crackers & olives, freshly baked focaccia, as well as some well deserved flapjacks and natural treats. All put in a box for you - delivered first class to your door.

This has been great because during the week the box has given me a different selection to graze on all week long. Now I am not a huge lunch person so to keep a healthy diet this is just the right solution for me.

I highly recommend giving it a go! Its quite fun too!

Duckeys Duck Cake!

For Christmas, my partners brother and his girlfriend bought me the most amazing present, a Duck Cake Mold!

So of course I couldn't wait to try it out.

I found that because it was non-stick not matter how much the mold was greased it still was a nightmare to get out, so I almost had to surgically piece the Duck back together.

To say the least I just about managed it. But it didn't take long for my other half James to demolish it!

Bye bye Duckey!

Duckeys Chocolate Log!...

It is that time of year again when we see the return of festive recipes. Every year my friend and I have an annual Christmas party (complete with Secret Santa!) and as usual I have been asked to supply the dessert.

So what is more festive and yummy than a traditional chocolate log... but to make this one a little more challenging I want to create a lighter version!

RECIPE: A delicious Christmas Chocolate log... so light it will lift you up to the clouds and back again... so chocolaty you can't say no !

You will need:

FOR THE LOG

    * butter , for greasing
    * 5 eggs
    * 140g light muscovado sugar
    * 100g self-raising flour
    * 25g good quality cocoa powder such as Green & Black's or Oxfam Fairtrade
    * caster sugar , for dusting

FOR THE ICING AND FILLING

    * 285ml/9½fl oz carton double cream
    * 450g fondant chocolate , such as Lindt Lindor
    * icing sugar , for dusting


How to make it... 

1.  First things first you need to pre-heat your oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Then butter and line the base and sides of a 30 x 35cm Swiss roll tin with baking parchment as shown below.

2. The next job is a trick to make this recipe extra light, this way you use less flower and use more air! Separate the eggs, putting them into two large mixing bowls.

In one add the sugar and 2 tbsp water to the egg yolks.

Whisk the sugar and yolks for about 5 mins until the mixture is light in colour and thick enough to leave a trail when the whisk blades are lifted.

 

The mixture should turn golden in colour. 

Sift in the flour and cocoa, then fold in lightly, using the whisk blades or a large metal spoon.

3. Using a clean whisk, beat the egg whites until they are stiff,

Then fold into the cake mixture in three batches, again using the blades to preserve as much air as possible.

4. Pour the mixture evenly over the prepared tin, then carefully spread to the edges. Bake for 10-12 mins, or until the cake feels firm to the touch.

Put a large sheet of baking parchment on the work surface and sprinkle lightly with caster sugar. Turn the cake out onto the parchment and peel off the lining paper. Cover with a clean tea towel, then leave to cool completely.

Trim a little cake from all the edges, then score along the edge of one of the long sides of the cake and roll up from there, using the paper to help you, rolling the paper inside the cake.

5. To make the icing and filling, bring the cream to the boil in a small pan, remove from the heat, then break in 400g of the chocolate. Stir until it is melted and smooth.

Leave to cool, then chill until it is spreadable, about 1 hr. Chop the remaining chocolate, spoon a third of the icing into a bowl, then stir them together to make the filling.

6. Carefully unroll the cake, then spread all the filling over to within 2cm of the edges. Roll up the cake again using the paper to help you, then set on a board.

7. Cut a thick diagonal slice off one end of the cake. Transfer the larger piece of cake to a board or flat serving plate. Spread a little icing over cut side of the small piece of cake and fix it to the large roll to make a stump (as photo).

Spread remaining icing over the cake, then dust with icing sugar to serve.

I also added a decoration of edible holly and displayed the log on a Christmassy board! I used a fork to make some bark marks on the chocolate.