GHOULISH GLUTEN FREE RED VELVET EYE BALL CUPCAKES!

 

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

lets celebrate and eat a frightening cake, made from blood and eye balls and chocolate. yum. 

 

GLUTEN FREE GUILT FREE RED VELVET CUPCAKES!

I cheated a little and used a GF box cake mix and used my diet soda trick for a reduced calorie cupcake sponge. these are light moist and fluffy and taste devilish (even though there not)

calorie info etc here

These are sooooo moist and delicious and so easy to whip up, Its all about going to town with all that scary decoration, I went with an eye ballin' theme,  strawberry laces and rolled icing a top of a orange butter creme frosting. I scared myself a lil starring in to these fiendish cakey sugary eyes, so had to gobble them up quick to restore calm...
Ingredients
cupcakes

•  1 gluten free chocolate cake box mix (or any chocolate cake mix if your not gluten intolerant)
• 1/2 cup fizzy diet cola
• 1 tsp red food colouring

frosting

• 3 tsp margerine
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 3 drops red food colouring 

1.  preheat oven to 180 degree and and place cupcake papers into a tray
2. Follow cake mix instructions but sub wet ingrediants for the fizzy cola pop.
3. bake  for 20 mins or until spongey to touch, remove from oven and cool on rack.
4. once cooled decorate!

NAKD BAR REVIEW + giveaway.

 

A little while a ago I received a range of snack bars to sample, Natural Balance foods supplied me with a vast range of their oatie and nudie bars. 

I had had nibbled and munched on these bars previously and was a fan, but it was great to be able to test the whole Nakd bar family.

 

Ohhh Im in love, These are my new go to snacks. Ill pop a Nakd Nudie bar into one of my millions of handbags before I trot off to work every morning, I look forward to a nibble all morning, and ohhhh they go down a treat with my cuppa tea after a morning teaching. I often keep one in my gym bag for when im ready to eat my fist after a good ol work out. 

Not only are they gluten free, so I can happily chomp away, but There free of any nasties, 100% natural ingredients, no added sugars or syrups, gluten, wheat and dairy & GM free. Just lots and lots of lovely raw nuts and fruit. yum. I love the fact the ingredient list is so simple. 

I found them all to be light and just the right size to keep you ticking over.

The whole range is fantastic, Im definately liking the nudie bars more than the oatie bars, they're a lot more moist, chewy and dense. But if i had to say, My absolute fave flavahs were the sweet and nutty peacan pie, cashew cookie, the gingerbread bar is nicely spice and choco orange tastes like a terrys chocolate orange (always get one for christmas) except  its healthier and doesn't make ya feel so sluggish like the huge ball of milk chocolate does.

A big Bake n Beebz thumbs up to nakd bars.

I will be hosting a giveaway of my favourite Nakd bars very soon!  keep your eyes peeled and stay tuned...

Gluten Free Pumpkin whoopie pies with marshmallow cream filling.

 

 

 That fluff has a mid of its own... reminds me of all that flowing marshmallow stuff in Ghost Busters...

 

( I have always wanted to be the stay puff marshmallow man at halloween... gonna have to get thinking about costumes stat.)

Whooopieeee It's half term holiday! (about bloody time) With my cupboards nicely stocked up pumpkin and With halloween around the corner I thought I'd get baking. Really missed my Bake n Beebz down time in the kitchen lately.

 Ive always wanted to bake whoopie pies, its always been on my baking to do list, but something else always just beats it to the oven and I have just never got around to actually doing it. They always seemed like such a good idea as the top of cupcakes/ muffins aaaand the frosting is ALWAYS the best and my favourite bit.
So armed with some left over  gf cake box mix, canned pumpkin and my spatula I got to work.

 Its pretty obivious now i am pretty mildly obessed with cinnemon spices and pump combo, Instead of making the box mix up with the oil and eggs called for i just spooned in the pumpkin for a low fat whoopie. whoooooopiiieeeeeeee...

 PUMPKIN SPICE WHOOPIE PIES WITH MARSHMALLOW CREAM FILLING.
(lower fat/calories version)
Makes 6 large whoops

Ingredients

•  GF cake box mix (I use Mrs Crimbles sponge mix)
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger 
• marshmallow fluff for filling.

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper
3. whisk egg white into to pumpkin mixture. Blending well.
4. Add box mixture.  and Blend well with whisk on high speed.
5. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop dough onto parchment paper/baking sheet with 2 inchest between cookies. Flatten out batter with wet spatula.(for even whoopies)
6. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from parchment paper.
7. Once cool dollop one piece with marshmallow and sandwich together with another pie top.
8. decorate accordingly.

 I opted for spooky pumpkins, pretty frightening huh? Scared myself a little with each bite.

Pumpkin Quest.

This gal and her pup decided to go on a  mission to find tinned pumpkin...

 Its pretty rare, the only supermarket in the UK to really stock it is Waitrose, which is a 2 hour round trip on foot... (really need to pass my driving test ay es ay pee) So me and Beebz threw on our rucksacks and set off for a adventure.

 

a beautiful autumnal evening.

  

We stopped to refuel, picnic style by the river with a diet cola for me and water and kibble for Bobbin.

 

After  bit more trekking, we finally made it! Got the pumpkin, got out, no messin' and headed back home with the supermarket's whole shelf supply of pumpkin. plus a bonus...this cute munchkin pump.. 

 

OHHHHH and found another munchkin pumpkin too...

 (f.y.i first Bake n Beebz video installment! may make it a regular occurrence.) Dunno how happy Bobbin is with me making her play halloween dress up. but it makes me very happy, indeed.

So excited to get baking! there's so many pumpkin recipes I have been dying to try out for so long...

W.I.A.W : when gluten attacks...

 

6.45 am bowl of hot hots with frozen raspberrys half chopped banana and dollop of crunchy PB. after this steaming creamy start, I sneekily crawled back into bed for another 10 minutes, before admitting defeat, and telling myself im a grown up now and need to go to work, Reluctantly changed from my PJ's into my out fit of the day...

Today is a lil different, Im off to the district council office's for a Training day in how to teach spelling and phonics to little people, so I went pretty casual.

Denim Jacket- American apparel

oversized grey sweater- topshop

leggings- Primark

scarf- charity shop/thrift.

purse- urban outfitters

bag- cath kidston

NEW SHOES- Topshop!

I bought two pairs this weekend, white leather loafers and some smart black brogues... I was only going to get one pair, after deliberating on the shop floor for an hour, walking about with one on each foot... Mr Bake n Beebz (who was starting to lose his patients) made the choice and said we should get both! so I did.

Break Time, this was very well received. The coarse was painfully slow and the lady training us was pretty unenthusiastic, monotone with sweat patches. By 10.30am I was loosing the will to live. luckily there was light at the end of the tunnel... a cup of tea and one of my cookies. without chocolate, i don't think I would have made it through today....

 

At 12.30 I was nudged by the colleague next to me and awoken from a nap, to the best news from the lecturer... lunch was on the council, free food! waaahey! 

Ran down to the canteen and elbowed my way to the front of the que... today's hot meal was a roast veggie frittata... and I was assured it was Gluten free. I also grabbed a diet cola and the only GF pudding strawberry JELLLOOOOH.

The slab of frittata was jam packed with roasted sweet potato, mushrooms and bell peppers. so good. So good it almost made me forget that I had to go back... I was so tempted to run, run and never look back. But once again I told myself 'im an a big girl now, I cant bunk lessons if i want to be a teacher'... so, back to class for another siesta ;)

To keep up the morale I picked up some emergency chocolate... ate a few balls... then immediately felt bizarre. I popped the packet back into my bag but progressively I felt queasy and dizzy. It wasn't til i got home and looked at the packet... THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE.... CONTAINS GLUTEN. ergh, im normally so, so careful, its been a long time since i have had gluten and I seriously forgot how it affects me.

 

I felt so lethargic by 5 pm I ate a little teeney portion of this curry, homemade with spinach and cauliflower. Then crawled into bed where i remained, unable to do much and just flopped for the the rest of the evening.

WAHHHHHH, The moral of this story... I WISH I HAD JUST STAYED IN BED THIS MORNING :)
Which concludes another What I ate Wednesday (but really Tuesday.)

What as the best thing you ate today? definitely my cookie and the chocolate was pretty tight, til it went and made me sad.
Have you ever been on a work training coarse? or team building exercise *shudders*?

Ginger nut & dark chocolate chip cookies (GF + vegan)

My latest obsession is ginger, i have been throwing candid chunks and ground spice in everything, the firery kick seems to suit all that i know and love, like chocolate and dark chocolate and nuts ermmm and chocolate.oh  Im also reeeeally enjoying slavering peanut butter and ginger preserve all over my toast... its a pretty tight combo...
...Im just filling this post with jibber jabber, My minds gone blank, because i'm eating this very cookie as i type, and its too darn good, its turning my noggin into a chocolatey chewy mush and making it tricky to think/write about things right now. so ill post a picture of bobbin to compensate for lack of reading material...

Aaaaaanyway i digress, whilst i pull myself together, here us my recipe for my healthy chocolate chip cookie but with a ginger edition... There too good to be true a chewy, crisp chocolatey cookie with a delightful warming spice hint..oh and 40 calories per cookie... Enjoy! I most certainly am.

Healthy Ginger nut & choc chip cookie!

 makes 10-12 cookies

• 1/2 cup oat flour (ground rolled oats!)
• 1/4 cup chestnut flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp bicarb of soda (not baking powder)
• 1 tsp ground ginger spice
• 2T to 1/3 cup chocolate chips, depending on your preference
• 2 tsp candid ginger pieces
• 2T brown sugar
• 2tsp sweetner or more depending on your sweet tooth.
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1T coconut oil or pre-melted margarine
• 1T plus 2tsp nondairy milk (feel free to switch proportions of milk and oil) (25g)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix your dry ingredients, then add in wet. Form cookies into discs using your palms on a baking sheet, and bake 6-8 minutes. Take out when still underdone–they’ll continue to cook while cooling, taking them out early this way, means they remain chewy!

PEANUT BUTTER NUTTY CUPS.

I remember my first ever encounter with a reeses PB cup. It may have infact the first time I think I had had peanut butter to boot... a big day in history indeed.

It was the summer of 2005, I was still a obsessive skateboarder and spent every single day skating and hanging out in the heat with my best buddies.  It was also in this summer I first layed eyes on Mr Bake n Beebz.  Everytime I bite into a chocolate nutty butter filled treat, im sent zooming back to the funniest, innocent and happiest days of my youth. This one goes out to saggy jean, brace wearing 16 year old Alice.

I may not skate anymore (although Id get the urge every now and then.)  I still, and will always love chocolate and sweets haha!

PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

• 50g peanut butter
• 25g confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 150g chocolate of choice

1. Mix together peanut butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl until smooth and well-combined. Taste and adjust sugar and salt as necessary. Set bowl in fridge to chill. 
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 20-second bursts until smooth and shiny. Drop teaspoonfuls of the melted chocolate evenly into prepared mini cases, reserving half of the remaining chocolate. Place  in fridge until chocolate is firm, up to 30 minutes. 
3. Once chocolate is firm, remove from fridge and remove peanut butter mixture . Top chocolate cups with teaspoonfuls of the peanut butter , pressing mixture down with your finger to smooth out. Top peanut butter with teaspoonfuls of the remaining melted chocolate. Return to fridge and chill until peanut butter cups are set. 

 

These are so easy to make, and all packaged up would be great as a foodie gift.