Whole Foods Haul.

 Back from my Valentines Grocery shop in whole foods.I was as excited as a kid in a candy store... only slowed down by a very full pizza pie belly and a low bank balance. I eagerly unpacked and nibbled my way through my haul of gluten free nomz.

In the brown bag:

• Pop cotnerpop chips- in jalepeno cheese. had these last time and were a definate on my list
• dark chocolate dreams
• corn tortillas (i have such trouble finding any kind of gf wrap)
• WHITE CHOCOLATE PRETZELS- OH MA NOMZ
• cokie mix - have wanted to try this american brand out for a while
• turkish delights
• biiiig tin o libby's pumpkin.
• giant tub of PB...Nothing beats the self service nut butter grinding machine. ooop cheekily added a bit of pecan nut butter in my tub too...shhhhh. 

Gonna get stuck in for some serious snackin'

What I Ate Wednesday.

I photographed everything i ate today, wednesday. Can't wait for my studies to be over so I can post some proper recipes and blog to my hearts content. so here is... W.I.A.W.

 Breakfast.

 

Homemade oaty appley protein bar. recipe to come ;)

 Bobbin assissted in helping me sort out some University work.

 

Then we ate Lunch

A sort of luxurious student's lunch of Smoked Salmon a top of scrambled egg whites and the M&S gluten free bread I purchased yesterday.Bobbin looked longingly on as a chowed down. The bread roll weighed a ton! It was dense and very dry, but toasting it halved, and a good slavering of 'I can't believe its not butter.' sorted it out.

 

Obligitory Diet cola

 On research, The internet reliably informs me that all of the American candy stash i have if GF! Waaaahey... snacks ahoy.
Banana and mini mallow cup consumed...

 Dinner Time!
Curried butternut squash with roasted chick peas and aload of veggies.

Sippin' on hot cocoa and cuddling up this is creature now.

Peanut Butter + Banana Cupcakes.

Combining all my favourite flavours into one mighty baked good...

 Banana and peanut butter cupcakes with a chocolate fondant centre and topped with marshmellow frosting.
the ultimate combo ... peanut butter + bananas + chocolate = win.

PB and banana is one of my favourite sandwiches so why not have it all in a cupcake and be a very happy Miss Bake n' Beebz. I used this recipe and tweeked it a little. I Made mine with yoghurt instead of added butter and half splenda/sugar.

Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar substitute like splenda
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup fat free vanilla yoghurt
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
 1 ripe banana, mashed
To decorate

6 squares chocolate

6 marshmellows 

• Preheat oven to 180 /c or 350F. Line 6 holes of a cupcake tin with large muffin papers.

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

• In a large bowl, cream together sugar and peanut butter until fluffy. Beat in yogurt and vanilla extract. 

• Add in the eggs one at a time, followed by the bananas.

• With a spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture until just combined. Evenly distribute batter into 6 muffin cups and push in the squares of chocolate until they have disappered. bake in the centere of your oven for 15 minutes

• place a marshmellow on the tops of each cupcake and place back into oven to bake for a further 3 minutes 

• Remove cakes from oven and gently push down each marshmellow until they are nicely squished. add a pinch of sprinkles and allow to cool.

Just after I took these pictures, in all my excitement I tripped up, knocked over a table and all the cakes went flying. cupcakes smushed :(  Believe me its very difficult to scrape gooey marshmallow off the carpet but I can inform you the crumbs tasted nice.

Luckily 3 survived and they were very well recieved! all the family very much enjoyed them.
these are probably the best low fat cupcake i have ever made due to the addition of banana and yogurt they were most but the cupcake itself was tender and light, even and very fluffy. A good balance of banana nuttiness and not too sweet. Oh they would be incredible with a peanut butter or chocolate cream frosting... I will have to bake more now just to try out all the icing options!

HAPPY PANCAKE DAY!!

THIS IS MY KINDA NATIONAL DAY. Its also national woman's day but my sweet tooth and fluffy pancakes are more important than my equality rights.

Healthified American style peanut butter and nana pancakes

I don't know why I never make pancakes they tasted unbelievably naughty but have pretty much the same nutritional values as my usual morning bowl of oatmeal. They are a bit more of a faff admittedly.

1/2 cup wholemeal flour
1/4 cup oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt  
1 tsp sweetner
3/4 c. skim milk  
2 egg whites

stackin' em high!

•  pour ingrediants into a big bowl, sieve in flour and baking powder and mix it all up!
• spoon batter in to pan over a lowish medium heat.
• once batter bubble and sides are coked flip em fluffy thangs over and fry the other side.
• Pile em high and serve with your choice of topping!

I had mine with grilled banana and drowned in a peanut butter and honey drizzley syrup. tasted caramelly and nutty!


Peanut butter syrup
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp skimmed milk powder
1 and a bit tbsp of water

• mix up all the above until youve reached a smooth syrupy consistancy and pour over pancakes. eat immediatly!  (I messed around taking photos for too long so they got a bit cold!)

Makes 8 pancakes enough for two grown ups plus an extra small one for a beebz.

bob's P cake.

After all of that sugar, me and beebz headed out into the chilly sunshine.

For the first time it feels as though spring is springing! all the daffodils and flowers were in bloom in the park!

headed for the sea and had a walk/run about on the beach.

Holey Moley: A big ball of wool and a bowl of guacamole.

size comparison against dog.

Spent the majority of this week locked away on my knitting machine making a giant ball of yarn! this wool will be hand knitted into one of my final garments for my final degree, and finally I have used up all my wool and the garment making can begin. But first these biceps need an good rest.

In other news... i recieved the new limited edition MAC Wonder Woman lippy!

WONDER WOMAN!

POW! just look at that packaging! I love the shade, its a very usable everyday nude pinky colour tone.

Tonight im making a mexican feast for a friday fiesta at home.
so i rustled up some home made guacamoley in advance with some very ripe avocadoes that were on offer.
combine and mash together:

• 1 ripe avocado
• half a shallot
• lemon juice
• crushed garlic
• table spoon extra light mayo

perfect for dipping or smushed in a tortilla with some chili.

Tarty Quiche.

Cheese and Spinach Tortilla Tart Recipe
This is my take on a lightened quiche recipe, it was a something I invented in my head last night whilst I was in bed (obviously dreaming of cheese and eggs).

this afternoon my plan went in to action and i rustled up a tortilla based quiche and it worked really well. super stoked. the tortilla wrap base ended up crispy and very pastry like, and the filling was pretty great too. (excuse me whilst i blow my own trumpet)

Ingredients

• 1 tortilla wrap
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup milk (semi or skimmed)
• half a red onion finely chopped
• handful of spinach chopped
• cheese grated for topping.
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• pinch of grated nutmeg
• salt and pepper to season.

Directions

1. Heat a tortilla wrap in the microwave for 20 seconds to soften. this makes it more pliable for shaping.
2. Press into flan tin or cake tin.
3. In a bowl, combine all other ingredients
4. Pour egg mixture into tortilla base and top with some grated cheddar.
5. Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.

So nice out today, the sun is shining and it feels as if spring may have sprung.  Me and bobbin walked to the post office to send off some eBay bits and sunny it maybe but the temperatures are arctic, back in doors to hibernate or a few more weeks i think.

Birthday Bones.

Rustled up some cakey bones for the birthday gal.
Ingrediants
1/2 cup rice
1/4 cup carrot
1/4 cup tuna
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cheese
1tsp olive oil
1 egg

• Mix all the the above ingrediants throughly. 
• roll out and cut out!
• bake for 20 mins. 
• Lucky dog.

This is how the cookie crumbles!

I've had a pretty good day today. had a leisurely walk with beebz along the sea front into town, did some knitting and a ole lotta baking.

Started off with the cheesey bread then i moved on to...
Phase two of baking saturday... dog biscuits. They are bone shaped this time using this recipe

 Phase three ... Human biscuits...well cookies. these low calories healthy bites are more cakey and crumbley rather than chewy, but non the less very moreish and will nicely satisfy a cookie craving.

 Chocolate chip applesauce cookie.
I adapted this recipe i found by 'tastes better with friends' and cut down the quantities, because i don't need 36 cookies (well i do).

• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of applesauce
• 1 tsp. of baking soda
• 2/3 cup of flour
• 1/2 tsp. of salt
• 1/2 cup of raisins/chopped ginger/choc chips
• vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375F or 180 degrees C
2. Cream sugar and applesauce. add in egg white and vanilla extract and whisk further.
3. Sift flour with baking soda and salt .
4. Add sifted ingredients to applesauce mixture and stir until smooth.
5. Add your combo of mix ins, i added chopped crystalized ginger, chocolate chips and raisins.
6. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet, spacing the cookies 1 to 2 inches apart.
7. Bake about 12 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Makes 11 cookies at 66 calories each.

  NOW EAT! whilst the chocolate is still ooey gooey.

Gonna dip and slurp mine with a glass of milk, whilst looking out at this view!

BALCONY VIEW.