A Sweet Treat

I really don’t like the snow and after a few days of not being able to get out running, I’m literally climbing the walls.  The treadmill at the gym suffices for a few days, the turbo trainer at home is tolerable and I’ve enjoyed walking much more than I normally would, but I miss the way running makes me feel; the wonderful feeling of movement, the abundance of fresh air, the soreness of hard-worked muscles afterwards, the stress relief it provides and the positive outlook it instills; for me, there really is no substitute.  So today, I’m feeling very excited as I see the white stuff melting away and feel the temperature rising; with a week of milder weather forecast, I’m determined to get out as much as I possibly can, making up for the last week.


Mary Berry eat your heart out!

I get very hungry when I up the miles and often feel like something sweet, particularly during the evening or after a long run, but avoid reaching for energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods to quickly satisfy the hunger, not wanting to undo all the hard work & discipline I’ve invested.  All week I’ve been thinking about fruit cake, but when I’ve visited the supermarkets I’ve not fancied the mass-produced slabs on offer, so today, I decided to make my own.  The recipe was given to me by a friend who is an amazing cake-maker, so I don’t expect my version to be quite as good as hers, but I’m pretty pleased with the results.  I chose to include a dried fruit mix of sultanas, raisins, cranberries, blueberries & cherries, so it’s packed with nutrients and fibre and will help provide me with some of the extra energy I’m going to need.

The friend I mentioned above invited me to tea before Christmas and it was a fabulously civilised and elegant affair; the best china and the most amazing cakes, including meringues, mince pies, lemon cakes & fruit cake. It was a wonderful treat, pure indulgence and I hope I get invited again – perhaps for a summer version!  You see, I don’t believe in diets, they are synonymous with deprivation; a period of time spent feeling miserable & hungry and although I don’t advocate eating copious amounts of cake, the odd treat alongside a predominantly healthy lifestyle, won’t do any harm at all.

A very elegant afternoon tea!

So, as I sit typing, I’m waiting for the fruit loafs to cool to be able to sample same and then I’ll wrap them in foil in readiness for a powerful week of daily discipline in preparation for spring.

Le Fruity Cake

450g Dried fruit (I used sultanas, raisins, cranberries, blueberries & cherries)
225g Butter
340g Sugar
340g Plain flour
3 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder

2 x 1lb loaf tins

 

·         Put dried fruit in pan & cover with water – boil for 5 minutes
·         Put butter in a large bowl
·         In a separate bowl whisk the eggs & sugar together
·         Drain the dried fruit and pour over the butter
·         When the butter has melted add the egg/sugar mix to the fruit & butter
·         Fold in the flour & baking powder
·         Mix well (do not beat)

Cook on gas mark 3 (150°c) for approximately 50 minutes – 1 hour

Thank you G!

 

Cathy x