Sunday, April 15, 2012

Linden's Coconut Cake and Hazelnut Plum Crumb Tart

So I am beginning to start a slight weight-loss program, but it hasn't gotten to the part where I exclude delicious cakes and sweets from my diet, which is good because I wouldn't be able to explain this post. My current (likely unrealistic) plan involves eating better breakfasts and lunches, and not worrying about my cake intake yet. These are my most recent attempts.

The first is a coconut cake with chocolate chunks, which was super delicious, but probably more calorie-dense than I would like to admit. It does, on the other hand, travel fairly well, although there is some coconut loss along the way. (A big slice of this cake travelled with me to Paris a few weeks ago.)



This cake was one of those, "I want to bake something but have nothing interesting in the pantry" shots. Found and modified a recipe off epicurious for it - next time I would use less chocolate.



This cake has a better story. There is a store in Engand called Waitrose, which has a wonderful habit of making extreme price slashes when its food is about to go off. Right before Easter, they had some extra good reductions because they were closed Easter. I got a bag of six plums for 30p, and thought I had better use them up quickly rather than eat squashy plums.



So, I made this delicious hazelnut plum crumble, which has a hazelnut crumb base and topping, and a custard with plums going through the middle. Mm, tasty.  (It also has the advantage of using up some ground hazelnuts in the pantry, which were left over from chocolate hazelnut christmas cookies.) I would heartily recommend this one to anyone who is looking for some delicious good hearty fruity baking. (I always use milk instead of cream in these recipes, as I don't see the point of buying cream and it's still delicious with milk.) Pulled off the very reliable smitten kitchen.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Linden's healthy sweet potato and black bean salad

So now to break the trend of unhealthy foods. After a year of not worrying about how much I eat, I've been chubbing up a bit, and have to slim down. So I am, along with the pork ragu, beginning a series of Healthy Lunches that are filling and don't have the Too Much Sugar problem.

So, to start, a sweet potato and black bean salad. (It has the added benefit of being super cheap, although it takes a little while to put together.)

Also, the benefit of being super pretty.

I roast the sweet potatoes, cook the black beans (in my case, from dried), and then throw them in a bowl once slightly cooled. I add some chopped tomato, threw in a handful of chopped cilantro, and squeeze a lime over it. Yum yum.

Linden's Really Good Pork Ragu

To continue the recent pattern of big, meaty dinners, here's what we ate last Sunday. (Now that I work a proper job, I don't have time to do long meals on weeknights, so all the delicious slow cooking happens on the weekends.)


Last weekend, we wanted something delicious and meaty, and I've had this in my to-cook folder for months. (I have a long list of meals that require a dutch oven, and since I don't have one of those, and don't actually know what it is, and whether England carries them, they mostly stay there. Now, I have a casserole dish, and I'm making do with that for some of the cheatable ones.)

Personally, I think this is something Xan should cook, because he will like it. It is super, super delicious! Not all that much work, but a long cooking time that makes the whole house smell really, really good. After browning a big hunk of pork in a pan, you stick it in a dish and add some tomatoes, red wine, herbs, and put it in the oven for hours and hours.



It comes out looking like this, and then you shred it, and put it on some delicious pasta.




 Yum yum. Really though, Xan should make this and report back. The original recipe here