Healthy Ginger Cake

As it was Ben's birthday at work today, I decided a 'ginger' cake would be fitting - what with him being ginger and all ;D It's a double whammy though, because Ben is ill and ginger is really good for you. Plus eating cake always makes you feel better. It's true.

Anyway he had requested Pete's Ginger cake, but as I'm on health alert this week I decided to do a healthier version. From my fab Veggie Cake Cook Book.

Now I  don't say this lightly, I mean I've eaten a lot of cake in my time and I mean a lot. But I have to say that this cake is by far, the best cake EVER!! I'm not really a huge ginger cake fan either!? It's not sickly sweet and is incredibly moreish. Can't believe I've fallen for a healthy cake!!??!! You'd never of guessed. Have to say very proud that I'm not telling you I fallen for an ice cream cake (mind you haven't ever made or tried one yet...)

Hmmm wish I could have another piece.....


Here is the great recipe for the healthy cake and maybe not so healthy icing....
Enjoy! 

Stem Ginger Syrup cake recipe:
 3 medium eggs
120g demerara sugar
250g peeled & finely grated butternut squash
150g rice flour
100g ground almonds
2 tspn ground ginger
2 tspn stem ginger syrup
100g stem ginger, very finely sliced.


For the icing:
4 tbspn ginger syrup, drained from jar
200g icing sugar, sifted
140g unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 180oc. Line the base of a 23cm diameter loose bottom cake tin with baking parchment, then lightly and the sides of the tin with a little vegetable oil.
2. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl until pale and four times their original volume (roughly 5 mintues on full blast). Whisk in the grated butternut squash until all mixed in. Next add the flour, ground almonds, ground ginger, baking powder and salt, and beat again until well incorporated. 
3. Use a spatula to fold in the ginger syrup and the slices of stem ginger so that they are dotted around the place. pour the mixture into the tin and place in the middle of the oven for 30minutes. 
4. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for 10mins before un,olding on to a wire rack. peel of the parchment from the bottom and flip the cake the riht way up again to avoid making lines on the top. 
5. Make the icing by beating together the icing sugar, butter lemon juice and the ginger syrup and spread all over the cake. Decorate with a few finely sliced stem ginger.

Plate folk cake enjoy

That's a wrap!

So we've done breakfast / brunch, how about a healthy lunch? So back to the cook-book cupboard & I pulled out all the healthy / low fat etc etc sounding cook books. I have to say when you pull out a recipe from one of these books, you never expect an amazing or tasty meal. Because to be fair you think they extract all the best bits!

Well I have been corrected!!! This was amazing and delicious. A big thumbs up even from Mr Williams who doesn't like fish (it's boring supposedly..)

 

Spiced crusted salmon Recipe:

1 Large clove of garlic, peeled and chopped.
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 x150g salmon fillets with skin on
seasoning
a little sunflower oil.
Mango Salsa recipe:
1 small ripe mango, peeled, stoned & finely chopped.
1/2 small cucumber, peeled, deseeded & finely chopped.
1/2-1 whole red chilli, deseeded finely chopped
1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
A handful of roughly chopped coriander
Zest of 1/2 lime
2 tablespoon lime juice (around 1 lime)
seasoning

Method:
First make the salsa. Stir all the salsa ingredients together & season well. Allow the mixture to marinade for at least an hour before serving.
For the salmon, use a pestle and mortar to make a paste from the garlic, sugar, chilli flakes, thyme, fennel seeds & lime juice.
Place the salmon fillets skin side down on a non-stick baking tray. (Or in a tub to marinade for longer if you wish). Brush the salmon with a little oil and season well. Spoon over the paste onto the flesh and leave for to marinade for at least 10 mintues.
Pre-heat the oven 200oc/180oc fan. Bake salmon in the oven for 11-12mins or until cooked through. Leaving the skin on the baking tray serve the salmon in a wholemeal wrap with the mango salsa and a bit of spinach. Wrap it up and take a chunk! yum!!

Ready Steady Health Kick GO

Right so I said I was going healthy, but not crazy! Lettuce and carrot sticks are good but not very exciting are they...
So this weekend I started how I meant to go on. So got up had a go doing a few sit-ups and squats (still in agony) and didn't rush for brekkie. Instead took my time preparing pete & I a tasty brunch.

Florentine Baked Eggs - Got the recipe out of this amazing cook book called "Power food". All healthy recipes which combines certain vitamins and protiens etc together to get you the most out of your food. Really recommend it as 'healthy' cookbook, I've nearly made every recipe in it and have loved each one! Impressive don't you think.

So it's a really easy and quick recipe to do.

florentine Baked eggs - serves 4
225 young leaf spinach, rinsed
freshly grated nutmeg
4 desertspoons of virtually fat-free fromage frais
10g parmesan cheese, freshly grated
sseasoning
8 slices of wholegrain toast

4 ramekins, lightlygreased and small roasting tin.

Put the kettle on boil. Cook the spinach in a covered pan until wilted, stiring once or twice. Drain off any excess liquid and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the spinach between the prepared ramiekins. Make a hollow in the spinach and break an egg with a spoonful of fromage frais and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.


put the ramekins in the roasting tin and pour boiling water around them to come halfway tin and pour boiling around them to come halfway up the sides. Bake in a preheated oven at 180oc for 14-16minutes, depending on how soft you like your yolks. Bear in mind  that the eggs will carry on cooking after they have come out of the oven. Serve immmediately with 2 slices of whoelgrain toast per serving.

Supposedly if you have a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice with this dish you'll maximize the absobtion of iron from the spinach - FACT! 

Enjoy x