Month: May 2016

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Bare Cupboard Cake – Recipe No. 152

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I haven’t baked or consumed much in the way of sweet puddings or cake for ages. Infact I’m just not using any of my sugar ration and hardly any of my margarine or butter either. I’ve therefore got plenty in my cupboard to do some baking and this is what I’ve done on this bank holiday weekend!

As I am preferring to poach my one shell egg a week, my baking normally has to be egg free. When I came across this wartime recipe online it was perfect! No eggs!

This particular recipe is suitable for vegans too if you use a dairy free margarine or oil.

Was VERY pleased with the taste and consistency of this simple cake and greedily enjoyed a couple of generous slices with hot tea, using my pink vintage china of course!

Hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

200g caster sugar
2 tablespoons margarine or oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
175g raisins, currants or sultanas
350ml water
250g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method

Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas 4. Lightly grease one 7 or 8 inch cake tin.
In a saucepan over medium high heat combine: the sugar, margarine or oil, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, salt, raisins and water. Bring to the boil and continue to simmer on low for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.
Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together. Add the flour mixture to the cooled raisin mixture. Stir until just combined. Tip mixture into prepared tin.
Bake at 180 C / Gas 4 for 30-40 minutes until skewer comes away clean from middle.

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The long rambling get-it-off-my-chest post…

SORRY…

Sorry for the absence, the lack of recipes, lack of communication.

I’ve had a few difficult months one would say which culminated in my partner and I parting ways about a month or so ago. We had some great times together over the last couple of years but latterly, both of us had issues that eventually hindered the relationship progressing any further. Inevitably there is transition time after a break up where you spend much time thinking about everything and that’s what I’ve been doing.

With some of the health issues I’ve been working my way through in the past 6 months I’ve decided to dedicate myself, above everything else, to getting happy and healthy again. If this doesn’t leave time for socializing, or writing my blog posts, so be it. I’ve decided that it is OK to sometimes be selfish. I’ve also decided that it is also OK to be celibate. While it’s fun to have a giggle at beardy wonders like ‘The WHIMSICAL WOODSMAN’, I can honestly say that having any sort of ‘friendship’ or ‘relationship’ with the opposite sex in 2016 won’t be happening. I need this time to work on ME, to achieve my goals, to not feel anxious and to banish those self doubts about ‘not being good enough’. I’m me, I like me, even the strange bits….

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Check out the ‘Whimsical Woodman’ HERE https://www.facebook.com/thewhimsicalwoodsman/

Now I’ve stopped talking about boys, lets get down to business. Eating good, unprocessed food and losing weight…

256lbsThe sheer process of being ‘selfish’ and also avoiding stress and anxiety, has had a VERY positive effect on my psyche and my weight-loss these past months. Today I weighed in at 256.6 lbs (about 18 stone 2 lbs). I’ve lost NEARLY 40 lbs since January at a steady rate now of about 2 lbs per week and I’m now down nearly 90 lbs from my heaviest weight ever. My bingeing is under control, I’m no longer turning to food emotionally, to feel comfort or feel full. I’ve been focusing on putting healthy fuel in my body and taking regular exercise since my hospital tests. Like during rationing in the 1940’s, my diet continues to be LOTS of vegetables and wholefoods and very few processed foods and very limited amounts of cheese and egg (4 oz per week and 1 egg). To be honest I’m using very little of my sugar allowance either. Infact I’ve hardly used any but will put it towards some fundraising cupcakes I am making tonight…

Despite the recent upsets, I’m beginning to feel much happier and healthier. I’m liking the fact my body is shrinking (even the odd wobbly bits that aren’t shrinking back like the little fat sacks at the top of my thighs). My tummy has an awful lot of loose skin on it and I can see this being a big problem when I reach my goal weight but I’d rather have that problem than the obesity one….

My next goal, to move out of the ‘morbid obesity’ category to the simply ‘obese’ classification.I’m thinking about another 10 lbs or so should do it!

THANK YOU for all the messages and comments sent and posted on the website, on my Facebook page and on Instagram and Twitter. I’ve been updating these with lots of photos and screenshots from FitBit and weigh-ins

Keep walking, never give up, C xxxx

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