Whenever I’m in a cafe that has some tempting cakes on display, I love checking them out – even though I can’t eat any of them!  It sounds a bit masochistic I know, but I’m a cake geek – (if you hadn’t already noticed). I enjoy admiring other people’s sweet creations, plus the thrill gets even better when I think I can devise a healthier version.

I spotted this cheeky brownie amongst the cake crowd in a beautiful bakery window display last week. Read more

Back in the old days, when I could tuck into the sweet course when I was eating out, I used to love panna cotta. It’s such a light, refreshing end to a meal with the satisfying bonus of being able to carve a perfect spoon shape out of its lovely form. I’ve always assumed the attainment of the perfect panna cotta consistency must be a secret art passed down from pudding master to disciple. Read more

Here’s an autumnal twist to a classic apple pudding. The hedgerows where I live are bursting forth with lovely tangy blackberries at the moment. I love gathering them at the end of the Summer - despite the thorn and nettle injuries this usually incurs. I love scoffing them too. Their flavour has so much more character and balls than the fat puffy blackberries you can buy all the year round in the supermarket. Read more

This post is for anyone else out there whose sugar avoidance extends to reducing carbohydrate consumption too.

Since switching to low carb eating, I’ve found the meal that’s takes the most ingenuity to replace is the packed lunch - have you?  If I were to prepare a meal that needed to remain intact at the bottom of a backpack AND look fresh and appetising a few hours later – I’d have formerly turned to things like tortilla wraps, pitta bread or perhaps a little pastry covered number. (I’m not that keen on salads that have gone warm and wilty, nor having to pack separate dressings and cutlery).

We’re usually pretty disparaging towards those who re-invent the wheel but where do you stand on re-inventing the cake? Read more

These wee seed bars deliver a lot of oomph and nourishment per slice. They’re almost a meal in a cake and humongously rich and spicy. What’s more they’re quick and easy to make - no cooking is involved. You just need a nutri-bullet or a blender of sorts, capable of mashing some of the seeds down into a glorious creamy wodge. Read more