In the kitchen last week and a 'sugar free' update..

23 June 2012

I am well and truly settling in to my new eating regime...and sugar has been banished...well mostly at least.
The sugar cravings and withdrawals have left me....and now what I've been craving is delicious healthy foods and flavours....

Health wise I think there is definite improvement....
It was only today that I noticed I'm aching less....and my stomach isn't growling and burning in protest... my appetite seems to have settled so that I'm hungry when I eat.....but feeling completely satisfied in between....unlike the old me....that was sniffing for food constantly.....always after that elusive morsel that was going to satisfy or make me feel 'better'.
I know now that my body was sniffing for healthy food....and not the sugary foods I kept feeding it with.

So this week our grocery bill was slashed.... we made use of foods and ingredients we had on hand... and I chose simple meals that were quick to prepare....this left me time to explore other avenues of healthy eating....like making my own breakfast cereal.....and crisp-breads.

I did have a little spend up at the health food store....and brought home a little stack of packaged staples for healthy baking.... plus I loved that I could buy up sulphur free sultanas...quinoa and pepitas  in bulk....of course I had plenty of jars on hand and they are just perfect for storage.

So.....my first attempt at some homemade breakfast cereal aka Coco nutty Granola was a success...
I used a recipe from Sarah Wilsons "I Quit sugar Cookbook"
but a quick online search found a copy of it (here) if you are interested.

It had a delicious coconutty flavour.....and a real crunch....it would be perfect sprinkled over yoghurt however I don't eat yoghurt (Not sure why I added that random fact....I do in fact LOVE yoghurt..but it doesn't like me)....anyway... I'm off the track....so I have started making myself a bowl or porridge in the mornings and sprinkling this on top.....I don't need any added sweetener....the Granola is tasty enough.


My next little experiment was to make myself some healthy crisp-breads....
I love hummus....so each day for work I would pack myself a little tub and then eat it with store bought crisp-breads.....which ...are all packed with sugar....not to mention other additives...so I made myself some lovely crispy...seed filled.... crisp-breads aka 'Happy crackers'....yummo!
The recipe is very adaptable....and easy to follow.... courtesy of Sarah at the 'My New Roots' blog...
You can find the recipe (here)


This week we were also lucky to receive a bag of freshly picked local oranges from a friend....Paul always keeps us in beautiful fresh oranges throughout Orange season and quite often the girlies and I will stand at the bench and squeeze it fresh ....they stand their banging their cups on the bench in anticipation.



Today though....I just felt like cake.....and seeing as I had beautiful fresh oranges.....
I went with Orange Cake.
I adapted my recipe from this one here....which I have made previously and is delicious.
However I wanted to reduce the sugar content.... and healthy it up a bit....so check out my version below if you are interested.


Healthy Orange Cake

I made mine entirely in the food processor.... its quick...easy...with minimal dishes.
It does make a very moist cake.... a little on the dense side..which I love.

Cooking Time

70 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 orange.. unpeeled..roughly chopped...deseeded
  • 150g butter.. melted - use a smidge to grease your tin.
  • 3/4 cup of rice malt syrup
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 (about 320g) carrots...peeled...coarsely grated 
  • (I changed the attachment and shredded them in with the food processor)
  • 1 1/2 cups wholemeal SR flour
  • 1 x 110g pkt almond meal
  • 2 tsp baking powder

How to..
  • Preheat oven to 180°C.

  • Use a dab of the melted butter to grease a  22cm cake pan.
  • (Line the base and side with non-stick baking paper.)

  • Place the orange in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. 
  • Add the butter, sugar and eggs and process until well combined. 
  • Add the carrot, flour, almond meal and baking powder and process to combine.

  • Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. 
  • Bake in oven for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 
  • Set aside for 1 hour to cool. 
  • Cut into wedges and serve with cream


Enjoy....we did.
Tomorrow Ill sit as usual and plan for the week ahead.....one thing Im keen to try is a onion tart....the recipe is in my Veg cookbook and screaming to be made.
I will also whip up another batch of Granola...
a bowl of Hummus....and some chicken and vegetable soup....slurp!

6 comments

  1. WOW Mardi... you are really inspiring me... thank you so much for sharing... I LOVE the look of the granola and crispbread... and the orange cake looks delish... really impressed to hear that you now feel satisfied in between meals... because that is me exactly... always looking for more... and yes... it is usually sugary... and awesome that you are aching less... got to get my act together and try this...

    Hugs
    Jenny x

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  2. Hi ardi I am just catching up on your last few posts. You truly are such an inspriration. The cake looks divine. I'll be making that one soon. LOVE your jumbo cushion too. Clever clogs.

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  3. eeek I missed the M for Mardi:)

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  4. Wow Go you!! That food looks amazing! I have been sugar free for 6 months and tend to eat the same old so I need to get more creative with my eating. That orange cake looks incredible!

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  5. This is my fave post of yours at the moment Mardi! Ive read it a couple of times..Thanks for all your tips about this sugar free journey we are on! I bought oranges yesterday to make your orange cake today and I do want to try to make that granola too.

    I feel like I'm in the swing of things now and not craving sugar at all and I think recipes like your orange cake show you can still have a sweet treat without the sugar! Love it!

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  6. Hi

    I'm here from Jenny's blog... I am going to try the orange cake - thanks!

    Karen

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