Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
1/4 cup oil (eg peanut or sunflower)
1 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup low-fat milk
2 egg whites and 1 whole egg
1/2 cup flour
3-4 cup sugar
2 cups wholemeal flour
2 tsps baking powder, baking soda and vanilla essence
2 tsps cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cups chopped walnuts and raisins or chopped prunes
1 234g can pineapple crushed with juice

Method:

1. In a large bowl, beat together the oil, apple sauce, milk, egg whites and egg until well mixed.

2. In another bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmet and cloves. Make a well in the centre. Carefully pour the apple sauce mixture into the well in the dry ingredients and mix them together lightly with a holed spoon.

3. Add the carrots, walnuts, raisins, pineapple and vanilla. Pour mixture into a 23cm greased cake tin.

4. Bake for 60-70 minutes at 180 deg C. The cake is cooked when a skewer inserted comes out clean and the cake has come away form the side of the tin. This cake is very moist.

5. Allow the cake to cool 10 minutes before turning out and leaving the cake to cool on a cake
rack.

Topping:

1. In a food processor, put 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese, 3 tblspns low fat yoghurt, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tblspn lemon juice, 1/4 cup cream cheese, and 3 tblspns icing sugar. Process until blended.

2. When the cake is cold, spread the topping over the cake and decorate with walnuts or grated lemon rind.

Barbara's Pinwheel Scones

Ingredients:

2 c flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt (optional)
4 T margarine
2/3 c milk

Savoury Flavour:
60 g Edam cheese
pepper to taste

Sweet Flavour:
4 t sugar
1 t cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
   
2. In a bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Rub in the margarine with the tips of your fingers until it is just crumbly.
   
4. Mix in the milk quickly with a knife until the mixture sticks together in a lump.
5. Without touching the dough, roll into a rectangle about 1 cm thick.
6. Sprinkle dough with your chosen flavour ingredients.
7. Roll up from the longest side.
8. Cut into eight pieces and place pinwheels on a lightly floured oven tray.
9. Bake at 200 degrees C for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden.
10. Serve warm.

In memory of my great scone making grandma 19/11/19 - 24/4/08.

Chocolate Brownies

To prepare: 20 minutes
To cook: 35 minutes

225 g butter
200 g dark chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/4 t vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup cocoa, sieved
1 1/2 cups walnuts, roughly chopped (optional or substitue for other nuts)

Brownie topping:
200g melted dark chocolate
OR
dust with icing sugar

Method:

1. Melt butter and chocolate over a low heat in a pot.
2. Add sugar to the melted butter and chocolate. Allow to cool if necessary before adding eggs.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Stir in vanilla essence.
5. Sift in flour and cocoa. Add nuts and mix until evenly combined.
6. Pour into a greased 30cm x 24cm baking tin.
7. Bake at 180 degrees C for 35 minutes until set.
8. Cool then spread over melted chocolate or dust with icing sugar.
9. If topping with melted chocolate allow to set before cutting in to squares.
10. Makes about 30 pieces.

TIP: I often make this recipe ahead of time. It can be pretty gooey even when properly cooked. It is easier to cut if you freeze it first. Obviously take out of the freezer for a bit before you try and cut it unless you are super strong and have a really good knife! If you are going to freeze this mixture, dust with icing sugar after freezing and before serving.

Enjoy!

Lamb Chwarma Pockets

To prepare: 5 - 10 minutes
To cook: 10 minutes

500 g lean lamb, cut into tiny slivers
1 t ground cumin
1 t dried oregano
1 t allspice
1/2 t cinnamon
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 t crushed garlic
1 T olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
pita breads

salad vegetables
dressing

LAMB:

1. Combine the lamb with the spices, onion, garlic and oil. Leave for at least 15 minutes before cooking, or up to 6 hours refrigerated.
2. Pre-heat a pan or barbecue hotplate to medium-high and oil lightly.
3. Cook the lamb, tossing over heat for 3 -4 minutes, until it is just browned.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the meat in a serving dish and keep warm.

PITA POCKETS:

1. To prepare warmed pita pockets, slice the pita breads in half.
2. Stack one half on top of the other and wrap in tinfoil.
3. Place on a hot barbecue or oven and turn the tinfoiled stack frequently, until warmed through. This takes 5 - 10 minutes.

SALAD VEGETABLES:

• Prepare desired vegetables as required.

TO SERVE:
Squeeze the lemon juice over the meat and serve with warmed pita pockets, vegetables and your desired dressings.

Serves 4 - 6