Carrot Cake

 * This recipe can also be used for carrot cake muffins

You Will Need:

For the Carrot Cake:

• 4 cups grated carrots

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 1 ½ cups white sugar

• 1 cup vegetable oil

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup (50g) coarsely chopped pecans (for topping the cake)

Cream Cheese Icing 

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 225g cream cheese
• 4 cups powdered sugar, more for a stiffer frosting, sifted if lumpy (add more or less depending on desired consistency)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• salt to taste (salt balances the sweetness)

Cake Method:

In a medium bowl, combine the grated carrots with the brown sugar. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes to let the carrots soften and release some moisture.

Preheat the oven to 180°C .

Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper.(can also use an oven tray)

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, white sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Stir the carrot and brown sugar mixture into the wet ingredients.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.

Gently fold in 1/2 cup of pecans into the batter.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

Once cooled and frosted, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup chopped pecans over the top of the cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting Method:

Mix butter, cream cheese, salt and vanilla essence together.

Gradually add Icing sugar and mix until desired consistency of icing is reached. Use more icing sugar for a stiffer frosting and less for a piping consistency.

Puri

INGREDIENTS

2 cups wheat flour
1 cup self raising flour
Salt to taste
Milk
1 tbsp butter

METHOD

• Rub 1 tbsp butter into the self raising and wheat flour
• Add enough milk to make a soft dough
• Make small balls
• Roll out into round flat puris
• Deep fry until golden brown

Halwa

Ingredients

1 tin condensed milk
1 litre fresh milk
1 tsp elachie powder
1 cup ghee
1 cup flour

METHOD

• Mix the condensed milk and fresh milk together
• Add the elachie to this mixture
• Heat the ghee on the stove
• Add the flour
• Fry until it turns pinkish in colour
• Gradually add the milk mixture
• Stir continuously to avoid lumps
• Texture should be smooth and creamy

Cabbage Soup for weight loss

Ingredients:

3 carrots diced or julienned

1 onion diced

2 cups cabbage sliced

4 grated tomatoes

1 pkt onion soup mix

2 cubes chicken or vegetable stock cubes

1 green bell pepper diced

1/4 cup green beans

5 cups of water

3 celery sticks chopped

1 tsp black pepper

Method:

Place all vegetable ingredients in pot and allow to heat on low.

Mix stock cubes with half a cup of hot water and add to pot

Add the 5 cups of water,black pepper and the onion soup mix

Mix well and allow to simmer on low heat until vegetables are tender.

(This soup can be stored in refrigerator for up to 5 days)

To read more about the benefits of the cabbage soup diet, read the following book , available on amazon:)

The 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet...

This is a great book that comes highly recommended with people suffering from diabetes.

It provides an easy to follow step by step guide. Dr Michael Mosley, author of the bestselling 5:2 Fast Diet, reveals a game-changing approach to one of the greatest silent epidemics of our time - raised blood sugar levels.

Discover the groundbreaking method to defeat diabetes without drugs using the step-by-step diet plans and recipes from #1 New York Times bestselling author Dr. Michael Mosley. Based on consumer feedback , this book has been tried and tested helping many people in the process.

Book Blurb:

The food we eat today, high in sugar and easily digestible carbohydrates, is not only making us fat, but is putting us at risk of type 2 diabetes, strokes, dementia, cancer and a lifetime on medication.

More than a third of adults in the UK now have raised blood sugar levels and most don't know it. In this timely book, Dr Mosley explains why we pile on dangerous abdominal fat and shows us how to shed it, fast.

 He demolishes common myths, such as the claim that steady weight loss is always better than rapid weight loss and that those who lose weight rapidly will inevitably put it back on. This is a book not just for those at highest risk but for anyone who has struggled with their weight and wants to regain control of their health.

Black Coffee For Weight Loss_Get In Shape After Winter!!!

According to some health experts drinking black coffee can assist in weight loss. How?

Black coffee contains a compound called chlorogenic acid, which is known to speed-up weight loss.Drinking black coffee after a meal slows down the glucose in the body thus resulting in a lesser production of new fat cells.

The rich caffeine content in coffee induces temporary weight loss by activating the need to frequently urinate causing the body to get rid of unwanted waste water and fluid built up in the body.This method helps to shed those extra pounds without any threatening side effects.

The caffeine also effectively speeds up your metabolic activity and boosts energy level in our body.

However be sure to eliminate the sugar and milk from your coffee to achieve desired results as these additions do not assist in weight loss.Adding a teaspoon of honey instead of your normal sugar should help the coffee go down :)

However, this weight loss is temporary so be sure to pair it with a healthy diet and exercise.

A cup of black coffee contains 5.4 calories and it is also known as a calorie free drink but as with anything if you consume too much,you might end up having negative effects to your health so limit yourself to 2-3 cups a day.You can find more detailed information in the book below:

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information.

Chicken and Cheese Tortilla Wraps

INGREDIENTS

1 kg Chicken Fillets cut into strips

1 onion diced

2 chillies chopped

Mayonnaise ( use as desired)

1 tsp black pepper

salt to taste

Tortilla wraps bought from supermarket

3 carrots julienned

1 green pepper cut into strips

2 tsp ginger & garlic paste

1 tsp paprika paste

2 tsp mixed herbs

Lettuce 

1/2 cup grated Cheese

hot sauce ( use as desired)

METHOD

• Marinate chicken with paprika paste , mixed herbs and ginger & garlic paste 
• Fry chicken on low until cooked
• Add onions, chillies, black pepper , salt, and pepper
• Allow to cook until onions is translucent in color
• Place a tortilla on plate
• Place a lettuce leaf and carrots on tortilla, add chicken mixture
• Add mayonnaise and hot sauce 
• Sprinkle with cheese and fold into a wrap
• Toast tortilla on both sides on a frying pan
• Repeat process with remaining tortillas

Banana and chocolate chip muffins

INGREDIENTS

6 bananas
2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup oil
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda / bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla essence
chocolate chips

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 150°
• In a large bowl combine eggs and sugar and beat well
• Add oil and beat well
• In a separate bowl mash bananas and add to egg mixture
• Add dry ingredients and chocolate chips alternately with milk
• Line muffin tray with baking cups and fill eah cup halfway with muffin mixture
• Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into muffins

Quick and Easy Vanilla Sponge Cake

INGREDIENTS

125g butter
250 ml sugar
2 tbsp vanilla essence
3 eggs
500 ml cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk

Chocolate Ganache Icing

2 slabs milky bar
4 tbsp dessert cream

Butter Icing

100 g butter softened
500 ml icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
+ - 2 tbsp milk

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 180° and grease a round cake tin
• Cream butter and sugar together until light and creamy
• Add vanilla essence
• Separate egg yolks from egg whites and add only the egg yolks to batter one at a time mixing well after each addition 
• Sift the flour , baking powder & salt together
• Fold into the creamed mixture, alternating with milk
• Lastly fold in the egg whites to mixture gently
• Pour mixture into cake pan and bake until golden in color or when knife comes out clean when inserted into cake
• Ice the cake with either the chocolate ganache icing OR the butter icing

ICING

   

Chocolate ganache 

• Melt chocolate and mix dessert cream into melted chocolate
• Spread over cake , garnish the top of cake with grated chocolate of your choice 

Butter Icing

• Cream butter and icing sugar together
• Add vanilla essence and enough milk to make a soft spreading consistency
• Spread over cake and garnish with decorations of your choice

* 2 cakes can be made and sandwiched together with icing

Hungarian Tart / Jam Tarts

INGREDIENTS

250g butter
1 cup Sugar
3 Eggs
3 1/2 Cups flour
6 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD

• Cream butter 
• Add Sugar and mix well
• Add Eggs and vanilla essence and mix well
• Add flour & Baking powder 
• Make a soft dough
• Grease oven dish and press 1/3 of the dough into oven dish
• Smooth jam over dough
• Grate the balance of the dough and sprinkle it over the jam
• Bake for + - 15 minutes at 180°
• Cut into squares when cooled

Soji

INGREDIENTS

500g semolina
500g butter
2 litre boiled water
1 tsp food colouring
5 cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped almonds
4 tsp ground elachi
1/4 cup desiccated coconut ( optional )
 1 can dessert cream
chopped colored almonds for decorating

METHOD

• Fry soji in a wide pot stirring continuously for 15 minutes on medium heat
• Add butter and stir again until butter melts and fry with soji
• Add cloves, cinnamon sticks, sugar, almonds and elachi and stir well
• Mix food coloring with 1 litre of the boiled water and add very slowly to soji stirring continuously (Do not add all the water at once )
• You will notice that soji absorbs the water and begins to thicken.
• Continue adding the boiled water whilst stirring continuously until the soji stops absorbing the water
• There is no need to add more coloring to the second litre of water as the soji should already have a rich yellowish color
• More than 2 litres boiled water may sometimes be required but soji consistency should remain thick and not mushy
• The trick is to add just enough water .Too much could ruin the dish.
• Turn heat off and flatten the soji with a spoon
• Add dessert cream over soji
• sprinkle with the colored almonds and a pinch of elachi powder for extra flavor

Spicy Garlic Grilled Chicken

INGREDIENTS

1 whole chicken
2 tbsp veri peri sauce
2 tbsp garlic paste
2 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
4 tbsp garlic and herbs spice
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp mayonaise
3 tbsp masala
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp fine salt

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 180° . clean chicken but leave the skin on, and cut in the centre to butterfly the chicken.. make a few incisions on the chicken
• Mix all ingredients together forming a marinade
• Marinate the chicken with marinade
• place on oven tray and cover with foil
• Grill in oven until chicken is cooked and is golden brown

* Best served with potato salad and roasted vegetables

Mutton Mince Curry

INGREDIENTS

1kg mutton mince
5 tablespoons oil
3 heaped tbsp masala
1 tsp jeera
2 cinnamon sticks
4 leaves mint
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
2 tsp breyani spice
 2 tbsp garam masala
1 onion chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
4 tomatoes grated
4 potatoes cut into cubes
2 sprigs curry leaves
1/2 cup water
dhania for garnishing

METHOD

• Heat oil in a pot and add onion , fry until golden brown
• Add jeera, biryani spice, masala, turmeric, cinnamon sticks and the ginger & garlic paste
• Mix well and add the mince 
• Allow to cook for 10 minutes
• Next add the garam masala , peas, tomato and potatoes
• Add the salt, mint and curry leaves and mix well for all ingredients to incorporate
• Allow to cook on low heat ,stirring occasionally for + - 45 minutes or until potatoes are cooked
• The water can be added during the cooking process if curry starts getting too dry.
• Garnish with dhania and serve with rice or bread

Hot Fudge Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1/2 tin condensed milk
2 tbsp butter

METHOD

• Use a thick based pan
• Melt the butter and stir in condensed milk
• Allow to cook until color changes
• Remove from heat and stir until smooth

* Serve with Crepes or pancakes.Links to  crepe and pancake recipe found below

Crepes

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup sifted flour

METHOD

• Heat a non stick frying pan and grease with light butter or spray with Cook n Spray
• Beat the eggs and sugar
• Add vanilla and beat well
• Whisk in the milk and add sifted flour
• Combine well making sure that there are no lumps
• Spoon the batter over hot frying pan
• Flip over once bubbles start to form

Sour Milk Doughnuts

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
4 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour milk
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 cups flour

METHOD

• Mix all the dry ingredients
• Rub the butter well into the dry ingredients
• Beat the eggs, sour milk and sugar together
• Make a soft dough with the egg mixture
• Roll out onto floured board, cut out with doughnut cutter
• Fry on oil
• Dip in sugar syrup and sprinkle with icing sugar or 100s and 1000s

Naan

INGREDIENTS

4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
10g dry yeast
2 extra large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 potato cubed and boiled
1/2 cup fresh cream

METHOD

• Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy
• Add oil
• Liquidize potato and add cream
• Add dry ingredients
• Add warm milk to make a soft dough ( use as needed)
• Cover and set aside and allow to rise ( double in volume)
• Grease hands with oil and form small balls with dough
• Place on a well greased tray not very far apart and allow to rise again
• Brush with egg and sprinkle poppy  seeds or sesame seeds
• Bake at 190° for +- 15 minutes
• Serve with butter chicken

Stuffed Gem Squash with Beef Mince

INGREDIENTS

4 large gem squash

20 ml oil

1 onion diced

400g beef mince ( can be substituted with mutton mince)

1 tsp salt

4 cloves

2 tsp ginger & garlic

1 green chilli chopped

1 can baked beans

METHOD

• Heat oil in pan, add onion & braise until golden brown
• Wash & drain mince in colander, then add to saucepan with salt, cloves , garlic and chilli
• Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
• Add beans and cook a further 10 minutes until well blended
• Halve squash and remove seeds
• Stuff squash with mince and bean mixture , leaving some gravy in saucepan
• Place squash in saucepan and steam, covered for 15 minutes
• Sprinkle cheese over gem squash and bake in oven for 10 minutes
• Serve with white rice

Crispy Chicken with Savory Vegetables

Spicy Mutton Chops Chutney

INGREDIENTS

2 kg chops
7 green chillies
4 tbsp ginger and garlic
2 tsp mixed herbs
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp steak & chops marinade
1 tbsp paprika paste
1 tsp green chilli paste
1 tsp jeera
1/2 tsp tumeric
salt to taste
1/2 cup thyme
3 large onions diced
10 ripe tomatoes grated
1 tsp masala
3 tbsp oil

METHOD

• Marinate chops with ginger & garlic, mixed herbs, black pepper, paprika paste and green chillie paste and set aside
• Fry onions in oil until golden brown
• Add jeera and turmeric and green chillies
• add chops and fry on low heat until cooked or can be pierced with a knife or skewer
• Add tomatoes , masala ,thyme and salt and mix well gently to avoid breaking chops
• Cook on low heat for 20 minutes or until tomatoes are cooked.
• Garnish and serve with savory rice