#AtoZchallenge Z – Zucchini Cake – #glutenfree #dairyfree

Posted on April 30, 2016 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

On the last day of the AtoZ challenge, I am really pleased to share my recipe for Zucchini cake. It’s my favourite cake of all time, and it’s almost healthy!

Think about the vitamins and minerals from those fresh ingredients, and it’s gluten/dairy free as well.

I’ve tweaked this recipe over the years and think I’ve finally found the perfect mix of ingredients. Recently both my kids have used this cake for homework assignments. Here is my daughter’s instructions on how to cook it.

Ingredients

3 eggs

400g of self-raising gluten free flour

100g of ground almonds

1tsp of salt

1tsp of ginger powder

150g of raisins

250g of brown sugar

150g of rapeseed oil

50g of caster sugar

Zest of a large orange

500g of grated carrot and courgette

3cm piece of ginger grated

Instructions

First you need to get a bowl and scales. Put the bowl on the scales and measure 400g of self-raising flour.
Secondly add the rest of the dry ingredients which are ground almonds, salt, ginger powder and raisins.
Now get another bowl and put in the wet ingredients which are the rest of the ingredients.
Next tip a quarter of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients bowl and stir. Then repeat until there is no more dry mixture left.
Now line and grease 2 cake moulds and share the mixture between both.
Next put in the oven at 170 degrees fan oven and cook for an hour.
Lastly leave it to cool then enjoy.

(Do I have the new Delia on my hands?)

The kids love this cake and ask for it every birthday. They also love to help with the making; cracking eggs, grating, weighing ingredients, mixing, and eating it still warm from the oven.

It’s a wonderful cake for any time of year, especially in the summer when there are plenty of Zucchinis / courgettes to spare. It works for breakfast, lunch or tea, and is surprisingly good with custard. (I’m actually making this cake to take to a family BBQ tomorrow. Because it’s not too sweet, it goes perfectly as a dessert with alcohol!)

The cake freezes well, and fresh it last for a few days, but it does become drier the longer you keep it. No chance of that in this house.

Thanks for joining me on my A-Z Challenge. It’s been fun, but I need a rest. Now to switch off the internet, flick on the kettle and resume editing my WIP.

Cake anyone?

Find links to all my other atoz posts here.

#AtoZChallenge X – Xtremely Healthy Lunch

Posted on April 28, 2016 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

One of the perks of working from home is homemade, warm and healthy lunches. I still want it to be fast and easy to prepare, I can’t stand to waste my precious writing hours cooking.

A stir fry is quick and easy, and can use up whatever’s in the fridge. The small amount of oil needed must surely be countered by the lovely fresh vegetables. I prefer to use olive oil or rapeseed oil

I like a combo of coloured peppers, courgettes, onions or leek, mushrooms, tomato puree and whatever else needs using. You could even use cabbage or broccoli. I also like to add some tinned and or fresh tomatoes and fresh herbs towards the end of cooking. You just chop it all up and chuck it in the frying pan. Easy.

Top with a few cubes of crumbled feta cheese (available low fat), a couple of handfuls of tortilla chips (available gluten free) and it’s a healthy delight.

You could finish the meal with a slice of Gluten free Carrot cake or the Ultimate Flapjack.

Of course you may want to keep it healthy and have an Orange Vitamin Shake or a hot cup of Elderberry syrup instead.

But I recommend waiting until Z… That’s a real winner.

Now you’re all set for an afternoon of writing, editing or proofreading (check posts on E & P if you need a helping hand). Good luck.

Do you have any Xtremely healthy lunch ideas?

***

Tomorrow a little something for the birds….

Check out the rest of my a to z posts here.

#AtoZchallenge V – Vitamin A & C Syrup (make your own)

Posted on April 26, 2016 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

This syrup is a great way to use these lovely vitamin rich Elderberries after a foraging trip. The syrup is quick and simple to make, it lasts for months in the fridge and has been used traditionally as a cold & flu remedy. Plus it tastes delicious.

Beware – the stalks and leaves of the Elder are toxic, so be careful with the preparation. And it is not recommended to eat them raw.

Ingredients

A bowlful of delicious berries stripped from the stalks.

Water to cover the berries in the pan.

450g of sugar for each pint of juice that is produced.

Instructions

Wash the berries.
Add to a pan and cover with water.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
Put the mixture through a sieve and discard the seeds and pulp.
Add 450g of sugar for each pint of juice.
Boil this down for about 10 minutes, to thicken the juice.
Bottle and store in the fridge once cooled.

I’ve made this for the last few years, and we’ve used it when we feel sniffy or need a vitamin hit. It’s also very tasty if you just want a spoonful of goodness. Last time I forgot to reduce the mixture over the heat for very long and ended up with a thin syrup. It hasn’t affected the flavour and I’ve found it’s delicious adding a few spoonfuls to hot water. It makes a nice alternative to tea, and it’s hopefully doing a bit of good at the same time.

You can also use it as a Coulis and trickle it over ice cream. Yum!

***

Next time W for Warwick Castle.

Check out other AtoZ posts here.

#AtoZChallenge U – Ultimate Flapjacks

Posted on April 25, 2016 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

Although not gluten free, these Ultimate Flapjacks are wheat free. And although full of sugar and syrup, they are a delicious treat. They are so easy to make, and the kids can easily get involved with the measuring and preparation.

Ingredients

250g oats

100g raisins

125g butter

60g demerara sugar

4 tbsp. golden syrup

pinch of salt

(you can add other dried fruit, chopped nuts, seeds etc)

Instructions

Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan on a low heat setting.
When melted and the sugar dissolved, turn off the heat. Add the oats, raisins and salt and mix well.
Pour the mixture into loaf tins or a high-sided baking tray and press down.
Cook in the over 180c for about 20mins until brown and crispy.
Cut into squares, allow to cool and enjoy.

You could be munching on these Ultimate Flapjacks in less than an hour, start to finish. Just don’t burn your tongue on the hot raisins!

***

Tomorrow – Vitamin rich syrup

Check out my other AtoZ Posts here.

#AtoZChallenge O – Orange (a celebration of colour)

Posted on April 18, 2016 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

Orange is a special colour in my household. My daughter’s name, Amber is on the colour wheel between gold and orange (according to Wikipedia) and my son used to have an obsession with the colour. The obsession controlled him and the choices he made, and if he didn’t get the orange cup or plate at nursery all hell would break loose. Thankfully he’s calmed down a bit now. Now some pictures to celebrate orange.

Orange sky at our favourite family holiday destination, Worcestershire.

Butterflies

Orange flower technically red but looks orange(ish)

I’ve taken better Robin shots, but this scruffy fellow is kind of sweet.

The next pictures are not great quality but I was sitting across the river, in the rain. I was so happy to capture the Kingfisher and his/her young. This year I promise myself I’ll get better shots.

Battle of the orange beaks

Orange scents

The rose smells beautiful, but I’ve no idea what variety it is. The Mexican Orange blossom (Choisya) above will soon be awash with small white flowers that smell gorgeous. It’s a wonderful shrub that flowers at least twice a year.

Feel the heat and hear the crackle of the fire

Finally orange taste

Orange Vitamin C shake

I really enjoy making things with fresh ingredients. Whether I have grown them myself, or bought them from the shop. This is a little vitamin pick me up drink. It tastes really good drunk straight away.

Start with:
Chop it up (only used half a carrot)
Stick it in the blender. And this is the result.

It’s really good with a bit of ice, but even better with a shot or two of vodka!

***

Next time Proof reading.

Check out the other A-Z blog posts here

#AtoZchallenge J – Jam Making

Posted on April 12, 2016 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

Plumberry Jam is the perfect summer recipe.

It uses fresh blackberries, plums and cooking apples from the garden or after a foraging trip. I love the added sharpness of the lemon in this jam recipe. It makes a delicious change to the usual sweetness you expect. Original recipe from Clippy McKenna’s book ‘500 Jams & Preserves’.

Ingredients

600g sugar

2tbsp fresh lemon juice

225g each of peeled & chopped cooking apples, de-stoned plums and blackberries.

3 tbsp. water

(The original recipe also adds fresh vanilla which I didn’t have. I didn’t add any vanilla essence despite its appearance in the picture!)

Instructions

Gently boil the water, apple and plums in a pan. It will take about 10 minutes to go soft.
Add the blackberries and lemon juice and cook until soft – 5 to 10 minutes.
Once soft, add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
Cook with the lid off so the mixture starts to reduce and thicken.
Cook on a rolling boil. It will be ready in about 5 minutes.
Check it has a jam consistency. Leave to cool a little before pouring into sterilised jars and seal.

As you can see it made three smallish jars. I’m eeking out the last jar, and can’t wait for the summer to make some more.

I also love marrow, ginger and cinnamon jam. It’s even more delicious than plumberry. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures to share of this, but I’ll do a post about it later in the year.

***

Tomorrow I’ve be answering some of Kai’s Questions…

Please check here for links to other a-z challenge posts.

#AtoZChallenge G – Gluten Free Carrot Cake

Posted on April 8, 2016 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

I wanted share my favourite carrot cake recipes. Its gluten, wheat and dairy free, but does use ground almonds instead of flour so no good for those with a nut allergy.

It’s a very moist cake, which gets even more moist over time. Of course it doesn’t last very long in this house. I save calories by leaving out the topping. It’s so delicious, it doesn’t need anything added.

Original recipe from ‘Beat IBS through Diet’ by Maryon Stewart & Dr Alan Stewart. I’ve added my own twist to this delicious recipe by adding cinnamon, raisins and using orange peel instead of lemon.

Ingredients

225g grated carrot

225g ground almonds

225g sugar (I’ve used Demerara sugar, which really changes the flavour. I love the slight crunch it gives)

4 eggs.

rind of an orange or lemon

80g raisins

1 & 1/2 tbsp rice flour

1tsp w/f baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon (could easily add more)

Instructions

1. Add the egg yolks, sugar and peel to a bowl and beat.

2. Add the carrot, ground almonds and raisins and mix.

3. Add the rice flour, baking powder and cinnamon and mix.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff.

5. Gently fold the egg whites into the rest of the mixture.

6. Add to a lined and greased loaf tin or high-sided baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes at 160/170 fan.

Delicious, and the kids love it.

I love finding healthy (ish) gluten free recipes. Have you any to share?

***

Tomorrow Hampton Court.

Links to previous posts can be found here

#AtoZchallenge F – Foraging

Posted on April 7, 2016 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

I love learning about nature’s bounty and the medicinal properties of herbs and plants. In 2015 I went on a one day Wild Food Workshop at Painshill Park in Surrey. It was a freezing Sunday, early in April, but walking around the beautiful landscape made up for the cold. (Pictures below taken June 2008. It’s a beautiful place, well worth visiting.)

Our guide was very knowledgeable and had us sampling roots, leaves and flowers as we walked around. I never realised you could eat very young beech leaves (they have a very interesting flavour) and young primrose flowers and leaves (an acquired taste). Or that the very tips of the brambles sometimes taste like blackberries – I wasn’t brave enough to try them though. Neither was I brave enough to eat a rolled up, fresh nettle. I did try a nettle cooked over the fire, but it tasted like eating a cigarette.

We collected a bounty of plants and were shown how to prepare, cook and make infusions with them. I wish I could have photographed and written about every single plant.

Foraging better pic

Here is a list of some of the plants we sampled and how they were prepared.

Teas (infused with hot water and left to steep).

Pine needles.

Yarrow

Ground Ivy

Water mint

Dandelion (makes a coffee substitute if you dry the root out)

Fried over an open fire.

Wild garlic or Ramsoms – delicious fried in butter.

Cleavers, also known as sticky willy (my kids love this name) and goosegrass – use the young plant before it flowers, fried in butter. It didn’t taste of much.

Celandine root – tasted ok.

Plantain root – tasted ok.

Burdock root – fried in oil but not that great. Can also eat the root raw.

Cat tails (Reeds) – can’t remember tasting it (but it is prominent in my pictures)

Our guide also made a simple bread and added Woodhaven – very tasty.

Plants you can eat.

Thistle all edible, just cut the spines off the leaves. (Don’try it without checking, my notes aren’t that clear after shivering all day!)

Dandelion – can use the whole plant and root.

Lady smock, cuckoo flower – the flowers and leaves are very peppery.

Violet – think you can eat it all.

Plantain – can eat roots, leaves and the seeds can make a cake.

Red dead nettle & white dead nettle

Wild garlic – eat root, bulbs, leaves and flowers.

Misc.

Stinging nettles are a super food. It contains Vit C & A and protein, but I’ll be leaving them to the butterflies.

We must all remember as children putting dock leaves on stringing nettle stings. My kids used to call it Doctor Leaf and were adamant it was a miracle cure. But apparently the best cure for stings is plantain.

We also made a soapy mix from crushed conker leaves and water.

Despite all I learnt, I’m not sure I’d put the tasting into practice without a guide. Nature has a nasty way of tricking you. If you get the identifying wrong, it could be the last thing you do.

Poisonous plants.

Dogs Mercury – looks like Ground Elder

Hemlock – (looks like cow parsley which is edible) Hemlock is one of the top 5 most poisonous plants. 50% of people who eat it die.

Yew berries – just a few can kill a child.

Elder – Only edible parts are the berries and the flowers.

***

I collect reference books. I love Ray Mears Wild Food and James Wong’s Grow your Own Drugs. I’m gathering quite a collection of books on herbs and even tree medicine. I find the whole idea fascinating, and love how our ancestors learned to do so much with plants.

I’ll use any excuse to dip into these book and learn something new to put into my novels. I even have a wicca woman who opens an apothecary shop in one of my future books. She wasn’t supposed to be a main character, but as my love of foraging has grown, so she has started to take over and I really can’t wait to tell her story.

We can all try the most basic of foraging in hedgerows with things like blackberries and elderberries. It’s a great excuse to get outside and I love getting the kids involved. Not only on the collecting but in the cooking and the eating!

Give it a go this spring and summer. I’d love to know your results.

***

Tomorrow I’ll be sharing a Gluten free recipe.

Links to previous AtoZ challenge posts here

Take a break and eat cake!

Posted on August 29, 2015 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

Every writer needs a break from their computers once in a while. Something I’ve found always relaxes me is baking my favourite cake. This is not just any cake. It’s gluten and dairy free and has a few secret ingredients that make it tasty and healthy.

How can a cake with these ingredients be anything but good for you!

Time for a cuppa and a slice of cake.

What better way to spend a rainy day than making Plumberry Jam.

Posted on August 13, 2015 by suzannerogersonfantasyauthor

Blackberries and plums from the garden.

225g cooking apples, 225g plums, 225g blackberries, 3tbsp of water, 2tbsp lemon juice, 600g sugar.

Cook apples and plums for 10min (until soft). Add blackberries and lemon juice and cook until soft. Then add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Boil until a jam consistency is reached.