Carrot & Walnut Cake

This cake is best when made two days before, it needs time to moisten & the flavours to come out!

Our fave cake in this household is a nice moist carrot cake, so much so that we had that for our wedding cake.
This is not that type of cake, more a midmorning or afternoon snack with coffee rather than a big creamy affair, that comes later :)
This cake still has its place here though, its tasty & for me uses up some of the abundant walnuts that grow on my land. Unfortunately for me the flour I found which was perfect has disappeared of the shelves so this effort did not rise as it should but still was very tasty & moist..

175g Brown sugar
175 ml Sunflower oil
175g Flour
2 tsp baking powder (if using SR flour leave out the BP)
1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
3 Large eggs whisked with a fork
140g Grated carrots
100g Walnuts chopped
Grated zest of Orange
FROSTING
175g Icing sugar
1 - 2 tbls orange juice from fresh orange

Heat oven to 180c or 160c fan oven
Line the base of a cake tin
Put sugar, oil & eggs into a mixing bowl.

Lightly beat with a wooden spoon.
Stir in the carrots, walnuts & orange zest.
Sift flour, baking powder, soda, & spices into the bowl. Do this from above the bowl to get air in.
Lightly combine all ingredients.

Pour into prepared cake tin & bake for 40 - 45 mins.
Cool on rack .

For the topping beat together the icing sugar & juice with a fork till smooth then spread on top of cooled cake.
Another topping is....
448g Cream cheese
115g butter
5ml Vanilla essence
Mix together till creamy then add icing sugar.

Mango-Avocado Gazpacho

I am so in love with this soup, I can hardly stand it.  It's like getting to drink a delicious mango smoothie combined with the fresh herbi-ness of salsa and the creamy mouth feel of guacamole.  I am probably not making a whole lot of sense here -- that's what love does to you.

Two words:  try this. 

Recipe is adapted from The Hot Flash Cookbook by Cathy Luchetti.

MANGO-AVOCADO GAZPACHO
2 cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 large ripe mango, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
4 whole green onions, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c. minced fresh parsley
1 T. minced fresh cilantro
1 large ripe avocado
juice of 2 limes (4 - 6 T.)
1 c. cold water
1/2 - 1 T. salt (to taste)
2 T. olive oil
1 T. sugar

Prepare first six ingredients (cucumbers through cilantro) and place in large bowl.  In separate bowl, smush up the avocado with the lime juice.  

Add avocado to the mango mixture; add rest of ingredients and stir together.  Working in batches, place a cup or two of the mixture in blender and blend away, to desired chunkiness.  Proceed until the whole batch is blended.

(Optional:  You can add 1 T. minced fresh basil, if you have it -- I didn't.)

Cover and refrigerate at least an hour to allow flavors to blend.  Serve cold.  Serves 4 - 6.

Chocolate Crunch Brownies

Golden idea of the week:  Make your favorite brownies.  Once cooled, top with a layer of marshmallow creme (for a 9 x 13-inch pan, you'll use the whole 7-oz. jar; if your yield is a 9 x 9-inch batch, use a little less).  In medium saucepan, melt 1 c. peanut butter and 2 c. chocolate chips over low heat.  (NOTE:  This is for a large panful of brownies; if your brownie batch is smaller, adjust accordingly.)  When smooth and melted, remove from heat and stir in 3 c. Rice Krispies.  Spread over the marshmallow creme.  Can chill brownies and store in refrigerator.

This recipe came from an old issue of Taste of Home magazine.

Citrus Shrimp Salad

There have been so many outstanding food experiments lately here at the castle, it's hard to decide which to share first.  From main dishes to fudgy desserts, veggie offerings to salads -- sometimes the kitchen is just on a hot streak.  And all we can do is eat up with a smile on our faces and napkins in our laps, ready to dab our faces prettily when we're done.
This salad, loaded with shrimp, grapefruit segments, cucumber, and edamame (which you can find in the frozen food section), and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds, works beautifully as a side dish or a light main dish.  A three-cup serving is about 400 calories. 
The recipe comes from an outstanding publication my mother-in-law sends us called Nutrition Action Healthletter.  Though not a recipe magazine, each issue is packed with readable and informative articles on the latest health and nutrition research. 
And sometimes?  There are even some amazing recipes in there.
Go here, all ye shrimp lovers, to the March 2010 issue to find this outstanding Citrus Shrimp Salad recipe.  Scroll down to the third recipe and announce to your tastebuds it's time to enjoy.

Low Fat Fresh Pumpkin Soup

Mmmm lovely on a chilly day, winters evening or as a light lunch. I freeze this to have all year round
Pumpkins are in abundance in my garden in the autumn & last for months kept in the cool. I use them for soup bahnitsa & muffins. Certainly worth cooking with & easy enough to just have baked with your sunday roast.
This is a simple & very tasty soup which can be served as a meal with bread or pumpkin scones or as a light lunch or starter, depending on size of serving. Be careful it is filling!
*******Add an onion to this recipe if you are not intolerant*******

5 cloves Garlic, crushed, chopped & crushed again
1 large Carrot, chopped
Large potato peeled & chopped
Medium Pumpkin, peeled & cut into cubes
Frylight
1 1/2 pints of Water
Fresh ground Blk Pepper
Bay leaves
1 large tsp Bovril chicken stock (or stock cube)
2 tsp Curry or Balti powder
1 tsp Sage (or rosemary)
Half cup of milk, optional

Spray a large stock pan with frylight & saute garlic & onion, if you are using, until it softens & starts to brown. Add carrot, pumpkin, potato & water. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer.
Add chicken stock, curry powder to taste, bay leaf & sage.

Simmer soup for roughly 45 mins, allow to cool slightly then blitz it too get a smooth soup. You can leave some chunky bits if you like.
if you want a creamy soup add the milk season with pepper & serve.
You can freeze this soup but do not put the milk in!
 

Low Fat Spicy Pumpkin & Apple Chutney (No Onion)

This recipe is without onion for those who are intolerant, but you can add 1lb Onions chopped small to the recipe & omit the garlic!
I love this recipe as without onion  it needs something to give it a kick & make that ham sandwich memorable!
I make large batches of this, just add more of the ingredients. Remember though to use a large pan as the chutney will bubble & spit a lot as you are stirring it.
Basic recipe......
3 lb Pumpkin skin removed & chopped
3 lb Apples peeled & chopped
2 heads of Garlic peeled crushed & chopped
1 1/2 pints of apple vinegar
1 lb sugar
2tsp ground Ginger
1 tsp fresh ground Pepper
1tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
Finely chop all the main ingredients & put in a large stock pan. Add the vinegar & spices. Bring to the boil & then simmer till softened, then add the sugar.
Continue cooking till the chutney thickens & you can create a channel when drawing a spoon through it. Press the pumpkin on the sides of the pan with a spoon, as it cooks,  to get a smoother texture chutney.
Spoon the hot chutney into sterilised jars seal & store for 2 - 3 months so the flavours blend together & the vinegar taste sweetens.
Enjoy in sandwiches or with salads & cold meats.


 

Low Fat, Pumpkin Breakfast Muffins

I grow my own Pumpkins from seeds from the previous year, have a huge stock of them now. Some I start in pots others I just throw in the ground & see what happens! I have been making Pumpkin scones for two years but now I have created my own low fat muffin recipe & they are delicious!!!!!!
You must try these, even if only at Halloween as throwing away the Pumpkin flesh is a waste when you can make something this good!!!!!
20 oz Flour
2 1/2 tsp Baking powder
4 oz Sugar
1 tbsp Butter or marg
8 oz cooked Pumpkin mashed (don't over cook the pumpkin)
1 Egg beaten with 50 ml Semi or Skimmed Milk
Pinch of Salt
1/4 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
Butter Frylight
Pre heat oven 200c fan or 220c

Boil pumpkin till just soft.

Drain well, you don't want it to be too soggy

Mash lightly with a fork

Cream together sugar & Butter, add flour, salt, baking powder, spices, pumpkin, egg & milk & combine together with a wooden spoon. Add more milk if needed to combine (little by little). Spray muffin tins with frylight & spoon mixture in them. Bake in middle of oven for 10 minuets.

Cool on a wire rack till warm, if you are eating now or till cold, then you can freeze in an airtight container.
Serve warm with butter. Lovely as a breakfast muffin, or as a snack with coffee/tea.
Enjoy