Tag: healthy food

BAKING TIPS: Social Distancing – Bakes for when staying home. Part 2.

by granebakes

Well, and here we are. How many weeks are we in of the big shut down? I’ve lost count. I was disappointed that I couldn’t continue to do my Sainsburys shop, which was my only foray into the world outside my cul de sac. But the upside I’m happy to be spending happy hours trawling through old (I mean ancient) cook books and scribbled notes on menu’s from the past, home and jobs. Although today I’m testing a vegan tea loaf – in the oven at present – will give the verdict later….

Following day …

Sliced tea loaf in half to test the centre. This is not a cake nor is it bread – texture definitely dense and sticky, a true malt loaf. Let’s say a “marmite” bake. Certainly full of flavour from all the fruit. So how did I do it?

Vegan Tea Loaf

You will need:

  • a 2lb loaf tin greased and lined. 
  • 6oz raisins 
  • 2oz chopped dates 
  • 1 mashed banana 
  • 2oz brown sugar (dark or light) 
  • 7oz wholemeal self raising flour 
  • 2oz ovaltine powder or granules (or other malty drink) 
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder 
  • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 
  • ½ teaspoon salt 
  • 2 fluid oz’s plant milk 
  • 1 teabag (preferably earl grey for best flavour) 

Method: 

  1. Set the oven to 4-5 gas (180 fan) 
  1. In a bowl ass raisins and dates, teabag on top. Cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 15 minutes minimum 
  1. In a large bowl add all the dry ingredients, mix well  
  1. Empty wet stuff – raisins and dates (without the teabag) banana and half the milk and stir thoroughly. If its too stiff add the rest of the milk and any remaining soaking liquid 
  1. Spoon into a lined tin and bake for 40 minutes.  
  1. Test the centre with a skewer, if its still sticky then return to the oven for 10 minutes (cover with foil if the top is too dry) 
  1. Cool and slice – what do you think? My granddaughter loved it! 

Ginger and caramel tray cake

Now for an old favourite, even with folk who say they aren’t keen on ginger.  You will need an oblong tin – deep – not swiss roll type. 8” x 12” (ish) greased and lined. 

  • 7oz soft butter 
  • 5oz brown sugar 
  • 3 table spoons black treacle  
  • 3 large eggs 
  • 8oz self raising flour 
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger (optional) 
  • 1 small jar diced stem ginger in syrup 
  • 1 tin caramel (nestle) 

Method 

  1. Medium oven gas 4 (160 fan) 
  1. In a large bowl place all ingredients (but only 2 large spoons of caramel and 2 of diced ginger, not the syrup) 
  1. Whisk it all together thoroughly 
  1. Place into a tin and cook for 30 minutes – it should be firm and risen – if its not put it back covered with grease proof paper for 10 more minutes 
  1. When cooked place it on a cooling rack 
  1. Whilst warm, prick the top with a fork or skewer and poor over some of the ginger syrup then spread thinly with caramel 
  1. Leave it to cool still in the tin 
  1. Cut it into squares 

Enjoy! Definitely one of my favourites. See what the vegans are missing – sorry folks! 

Just a final note – we are in for a tough time. Weeks or months, who knows? Everyone is affected in a different way. I have had long periods of working from home and it was always the lack of social contact that was hardest to cope with – but at least it prepared me for this! I am fortunate in having family close enough to bring in my supplies and show a cheery face at the window. Myself and my neighbours, all elderly and living alone, are keeping an eye on one and other and speaking on the phone. We have a rota and although now we cant help out by shopping, we can keep chatting – a laugh and a moan – but we are in contact. I’m sure you are all doing the same. So keep it up – stay fit and well. Chat, moan, and laugh away, till next time.

Bye for now. Love from Gran E x

I’d love to see if you trial this recipe. Send me your pictures – I’m @gran.e.bakes on Instagram.

LIFE TALES: California dreaming…

by granebakes

And it really was! My cousin and her husband had lived there for many years, and were now well established in the Hotel and Restaurant business. They had recently acquired a stunning cliff-top restaurant right on the coastal road. Highway One is spectacular, hugging most of the the California coastline for 656 miles. The main theme was chef’s grilling swordfish, steaks, chicken and ribs on a huge, brick, open-style barbeque cooker. Looking to increase trade at lunchtimes to a wider customer base I was to produce – guess what – quiches and homemade soups!  Clam chowder became a favourite alongside my own carrot and coriander soup.

Highway 1

Living with the family in their stunning home in nearby Pebble Beach, driving to work by the ocean, Barbara Streisand on the radio – what kind of a job was that?! 

I was gathering tips on; cooking a good lasagne; on blanching spare ribs in boiling water before marinating and slow roasting; the same with squid, blanch first to prevent the rubbery texture, dry well then dip in flour and quickly deep fry – YUM! 

Salads and dressings all made from fresh local produce were amazing. One thousand ways with garlic – grown in vast prairie-like fields – practically unheard of or at least not used enough here in the UK. All useful stuff, expanding my ever growing repertoire.  

Another English couple owned a tea shop in nearby Carmel-by-the-Sea. They were looking for a cook to produce English style baking, scones, cakes and yes, quiches! So, three mornings a week (stretching to 3pm!), I baked in this quaint cricket-themed caff called The Sticky Wicket. The baking – or rather the preparation – became a feature. Absolutely no-one made pastry from scratch, or scones. Standing there rubbing fat into flour, another demonstrating role was born! 

Around the corner was another restaurant. Owned by Clint Eastwood, he was known to pop into the Sticky Wicket for coffee and one of my handmade scones and a chat. He was also a customer at Rocky Point (the cliff-top eatery), being very friendly with my cousins. It was a very busy life but so rewarding; and again, I learned a lot. 

But, all good things must come to an end. It was time for me to head back to Sheffield.

LIFE TALES: Everyone starts somewhere. And I started here.

by granebakes

Back to early on in my journey.

Having little or no money meat was never high on my list – cheese and vegetables always a better option even then in the 1960’s (vegetarianism isn’t a recent thing!). My husband played football and cricket, always inviting his pals back for supper. Cheese and onion pies were a firm favourite. 

Party food at this time was sausage rolls, the aforementioned cheese and onion delights, the Hedgehog (pineapple and cheese chunks on cocktail sticks stuck into an upturned grapefruit!) and vol au vents – mini pastry cases filled with prawns or mushrooms in sauce. I hear this retro style is making a comeback! 

Needing an outlet for myself I joined a friend who scoured fashion warehouses for slight seconds and samples. We sold these at house parties (very popular at the time) along with jewellery, make-up and other household stuff – a great way for young mums to socialise. 

We did very well with the clothes, branching out into fashion shows before opening a shop. In the 1970’s this was before small boutique-style outlets came into vogue. 

As my children grew up we had many parties for them and their pals. My meat and potato pies with beans and/or mushy peas were always a favourite – this theme remains strong 40 years later! 

After a few years in the rag trade another friend proposed a radical change of direction – a garden centre were looking for a cook “with ideas” to open a cafe – again, the norm today but quite unusual at the time. 

I became well known for menus, many of the items unheard of at the time; 

  • It was the era of the quiche – very new, a savoury custard tart! – with my mixes of vegetables and herbs (“what the ‘ell are they?”!)  
  • Homemade Soups – carrot and coriander a real favourite 
  • Individual variations on my meat pie 
  • A range of fruit flans including banana and custard, carrot cake  

This all went down a storm, the owner of the garden centre was delighted. However, never being one to stand still I was intrigued when another new invention appeared – microwave ovens! I was offered a role demonstrating this amazing space-age technology in large stores around Yorkshire and Derbyshire. After attending a training course at the Philips factory I returned home with a large appliance to practice cooking techniques and recipes on and a list of locations keen to see this new fangled wizardry! It was a fascinating and informative role but quite exhausting, travelling hundreds of miles in my car packed full with food and equipment. 

Even today I would not be without my microwave, but as an aid to cooking, not a replacement. You can save time starting food in the microwave – particularly roots for roasting or apples for pies. 

So, with the UK covered came my next challenge – California beckoned!

Bye for now.