Toffee Ginger Cakes with Fudgy Icing

I posted a picture of Toffee Ginger Cakes with Fudgy Icing in my last post, and promised a recipe for them, so here it is.

I can take no credit for the recipe at all as I found it in Waitrose Weekend when I was in Waitrose recently. Of course, I made some changes, but then if you read this blog you would know that I can never follow a recipe to the letter.

Ingredients
100g soft butter I used PURE Soy margarine, as usual..
100g light brown soft sugar
1tsp ground ginger I used fresh ginger, about a thumb sized piece (recipes always say that don't they)
1tsp vanilla extract
25g golden syrup
100g self raising flour, sifted Sift ? Me ? No sifting..
2 eggs

For the Fudgy Icing
25g butter I used PURE Soy margarine, as usual..
50g light brown soft sugar
2tbsp single cream oops, I think I used skimmed milk, still tasted lovely.. I never, just never have cream lying about as I try to restrict  the amount of animal dairy produce that I use and eat..
100g icing sugar

To decorate
Fudge pieces  I didn't have those either, the cakes were perfectly lovely without them.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 deg c, gas mark 6. Place paper cupcakes cases in a 12-hole cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy.

2. Beat in the ginger, vanilla and golden syrup until combined. Gradually add a little flower and some of the egg, beating well after each addition. Repeat until all the egg and flour has been added.

3. Spoon into the cases and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden and well risen. Place on a wire rack to cool.

4. For the icing, melt the butter (or PURE Soy margarine), and light brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, add the cream (or milk) and simmer for 5 minutes. (I don't think I simmered for 5 minutes, actually).

5. Remove from the heat and beat in the icing sugar. Spread the icing over the cakes and decorate with fudge (if you have any).

Cabbage Patch 2013 - The Results

If I could write on the 'speech bubble' on this cake, I would write 'Well Done GG and Kooky Girl on fantastic results in the Cabbage Patch 2013'. GG managed an impressive 1:13:00 and I managed 1:25:07. Considering, I had thought that I would finish in 1:40:00 I was very pleased with the result.

What can I tell you about the race ? Well, we were running quite late and earlier in the morning it was pouring with rain, so it was a quick comfort break in Costa Coffee and straight to the race 'holding area'. We did feel a little like cattle as we were quite tightly squashed into the street, and all too soon, we were off. I waved GG off as she is faster than me.

The course is very flat, I recall going over several bridges, I completely missed the mile 8 marker, and it would have been useful to see it, as I was flagging at that point... There were 2 water stations and I took 2 cups at each, one for me, and one for my hot head. 

The earlier rain had been replaced by a nice, warm day, and when running it was a little too warm. During the whole route there were plenty of runners, and spectators. I have to say that I was glad to be finished, and pleased that I recovered very quickly. I put that down to the race being a relatively flat route. I met up with BB and CC, and we made our way to the area to collect the nice long-sleeved wicking t-shirt and some more, much needed, water.

Later, we met GG and her family in the infamous Cabbage Patch Pub. It's a lovely traditional pub and we gathered in a booth. GG and her family ordered some food, the kiddie burger and chips, macaroni cheese, and caesar salad. They all looked delicious. I was still experiencing post-race nausea at this point ... The atmosphere in the pub was warm and friendly and, as it is race HQ, it was packed with runners. Service was still great though.

I could have stayed there all afternoon, but it was off home for a long, hot soak in the bath and some Maths revision for CC.. Later, I raked the leaves in the garden and made the cupcakes above. Tomorrow I will post the recipe and you can make them, if you wish.

So, will I be doing Cabbage Patch next year ? No such luck. BB and GG's husband have already put dibs on that one, but I can't say I'm that disappointed as I can go to the Cabbage Patch pub and have a lovely lunch. That's what I call a Win-win. 

If you are looking for a popular, flat and fast race with lots of competitors and a great atmosphere then I can highly recommend  the Cabbage Patch 10 and it's HQ Cabbage Patch pub. Cabbage Patch: I look forward to seeing you next year.  

Cabbage Patch 10 2013

I haven't blogged for quite some time now. I've just started a new job, which has changed my life, in that I no longer commute for 2 hours a day, but I still haven't found much spare time for blogging..

I've still been running,  and it's great that many of my new colleagues are into running, and fitness in general. This weekend will see GG, (a new friend) and I taking part in the Cabbage Patch 10.

Cabbage Patch 10 is one of those races that I've heard of for years, but I've never raced it. It's already a favoured route, because it's one 10 mile loop and not a 'there-and-back', or a 'loop-the-loop a gsquillion times' route, which drives me crazy.

I already know that I won't be breaking any records on the day. If I finish in 1:40 I'll be happy enough with that. On Saturday, I did park run in 25:30 or so. This was a few seconds longer than 2 weeks ago, and that was a PB, so that wasn't a bad result..

Wish me luck - I will post a full report and photos on Sunday.

Oh, and remember, if all of this rain is putting you off running outside, then grab a running top with a hood and get out there, even if just for a short run. It's quite exhilarating !

Happy running !

Veganism - week 1

It has been a good week, and I did manage a whole week of a vegan diet, and then I lapsed. Don't get me wrong, I haven't eaten any meat, fish, or an actual egg, but I did have some biscuits and a piece of cake (that probably contained eggs and milk), and  I also had some cheese in my mushroom risotto, but no side of chicken fillet like BB and CC.

I guess I've realised just how hard it is.. I definitely don't miss meat, but it's pretty frustrating to go in the supermarket and look at seemingly innocent products and see 'contains milk' or 'may contain milk'. I also looked for some vegan / non-dairy cheese in a large supermarket and found not even one variety..

Here are some products or meals that you can eat and I did:

Savoury
Japanese Rice Crackers
Sweet chilli sauce
Peanut butter
Brown Rice
Mushroom Risotto (hold the cheese)
Vegetable Curry
Falafel in wholewheat pitta with salad and humous
Spaghetti with olive oil, black olives, garlic and a squeeze of lemon
Rice noodles with beansprouts, and a sauce of sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, lime juice served with mange tout
Stuffed vine leaves
Alpro almond milk
Blue diamond almond milk (less creamy than the Alpro variety, and definitely my preferred brand)
All sorts of nuts.
Houmous and cucumber sandwich


Sweet
Alpro soy yoghurt
Alpro soy yoghurt - Vanilla flavour - great alternative to custard.
Apple and blackberry crumble (crumble made with PURE dairy free spread) served with vanilla Alpro
Strawberries
Grapes
Alpro chocolate dessert

I also managed  a PB in Saturday's park run, so the lack of meat and dairy did not seem to effect my energy levels. This week I would guess that I will eat a little dairy, no actual eggs as I don't like them anyway. I would definitely recommend a vegan week. It definitely focuses the mind on your food intake and your overall diet.

A Vegan September

I know just a few 'vegetarians'. I'm sorry about the quotes, but one of them eats fish and chicken, but never pork, beef or lamb. Another eats fish, but no meat. Another is a total vegan..

I'l be honest, I like eating some meat, some fish and I also like vegetarian food. However, one thing I've never understood is how some people can refer to themselves as vegetarian yet still eat meat and fish.

I have more of a problem with the ethics of milk and egg production than meat production, and don't even get me started on the blinding of prawn mothers. That said, I think we (I), get removed from the reality of meat that is shrink-wrapped in plastic on the supermarket shelf, and the animal in the field, or most often the animal that is not in the field. I struggle to relate the two. I am sure though that I would find it too squeamish to be able to slaughter or prepare my own meat. If that is the case, how can I take it from the supermarket shelf and cook and eat it ?

I've been thinking about vegetarianism and veganism more and more and of one thing I am sure, and that is, for me it's an all or nothing choice. I may be wrong, and I may look back in months or years to come and think I will eat chicken and fish, and no other animal. I have also become squeamish about animal bones and animal fat lately which reinforces my feelings towards meat...

I have therefore decided to go vegan for September, BB thought I should start with a gentler option, and I do understand that, but I do feel the need to go 'cold turkey' (pardon the pun.). I will be eating no meat, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, gelatine, honey or any other animal derived product.

I went shopping today, and I was most surprised to see just how animal-based a lot of products are. Although, I did manage to buy plenty of food that  was suitable for vegans.

Wish me luck, I will report back on how it goes !!!

Cycling with Evans Cycles at the National Trust's Polesden Lacey

BB, CC and I love a bike ride, which is why most Saturday mornings we can be found at the National Trust's Boxhill.

Last year we also did an Evans cycles bike ride around Biggin Hill and loved it. So when the opportunity came to combine Evans Cycle and the National Trust, we jumped at it.

It was an early start, finally leaving the house at 7.30 this morning. Fortunately, Polesden Lacey is just a 45 minute drive for us, so practically on our door step.

Like last year, the whole event was very well organised. We took our cycling helmets to register and were given a sticker with a barcode that would be read before starting the ride, and when we returned. It is emphasised that the event is not a race. Indeed some of our fellow cyclists were even cycling a different distance.

This is no easy ride. We chose the shorter 27 mile loop, but in parts the hills were so steep that CC and I got off and walked. Even the more experienced cyclists found those hills hard. It made Boxhill's Zig-Zag look like a walk in the park.

Evans cycles provide a great service with a well-marked route, a map and aid stations along the route, we stopped at around mile 17 and were glad to see flapjacks, jelly babies and other high-energy products. Then we hopped back on the bike and completed the remaining 8 miles, getting off the bike once this time for another killer hill.

We arrived back jubilant, it was CC's longest ride to date. She did really, really well. We walked over to Polesden Lacey's National Trust cafe where we had our usual post-race snack of sausage rolls and pasties. Definitely a post-cycling snack only. Polesden Lacey was very busy, there is live jazz on Sunday afternoons at the moment, a great restaurant and a lovely gift shop. I can't wait to go back and see the house and gardens.

Thank you to Evans' Cycles and the National Trust for hosting the event. This family certainly had an excellent time.

Chicken and Chorizo Summer Stew

It's boiling hot outside, but tonight I was fed up of eating summer food, e.g. salad,  that's probably because I've been eating salad since the end of March, willing summer to be here through my food choices...

Whilst it wasn't really the weather for this dish, this is what I cooked. This stew is somewhat of a Spanish-Indian fusion. It was delicious, by the way, and we had it with naan bread and Total Greek Yoghurt. A meal for the United Nations.

Serves 3

200gr chorizo sausage, peeled and chopped
4 small chicken fillets, sliced into strips
1 courgette, chopped into coin shapes
2 small brown onions, roughly chopped
1 carton chopped tomatoes
1tsp turmeric
1tsp cumin
1tsp gharam masala

Method

1. Fry the chorizo sausage over a medium-high heat until the oil runs. Drain off excess oil.
2. Add chicken strips and spices and fry until mostly cooked.
3. Add onion and courgettes shortly after chicken and spices
4. When all is looking brown and cooked tip over the carton of chopped tomatoes
5. I added water to thin out the sauce.
6. Leave to simmer over the lowest heat, so there is just a slight bubble, for 30 minutes
7. Serve with naan and yoghurt and definitely fresh coriander if you have it.

To drink I had tonic water with a squeeze of lime juice and plenty of ice.

I would wait for the weather to cool a little before trying this one.

What are you eating and drinking to keep you cool ?