Yesterday I met a woman who told me about her bizarre bodysculpting diet and all I could do was feel sorry for her, despite the fact she could probably crack an egg between her thighs.
For her, food was just fuel - I suppose that's the only way to look at it when you are eating seven 'meals' of broccoli, spirulina and tuna a day - which I thought was profoundly depressing. In hindsight, this explains why we met at a café where there was nothing to eat. And why she works in fashion PR. But I digress.
Despite not wanting to give up any of my vices, last week I gave an old recipe of mine a makeover - reducing the sugar, the oil, adding in fruit and using wholemeal spelt flour instead of white flour. It turned out pretty damn well - and completely different - which has made me wonder about changing a few other things. But don't worry, I'm not about to become a bodysculpting fiend. Stripper heels and diamante bikinis aren't really my style...
Spelt Apple Bread
I go a bit mad for apples at this time of year and frequently buy more than our fridge/bench can hold. I even dreamt we had an apple tree the other night and woke up cross at myself for buying apples when we had our very own tree. Anyway, this recipe uses four of them, which is a good start. A nice thick slice of this is a good on-the-go breakfast and it freezes well.
3 eggs
150ml oil
200g brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
80ml (1/3 cup) yoghurt
260g wholemeal spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
3 large apples, grated (to make about 300g grated apple)
50g rolled oats
100g walnuts, roughly chopped
1 large apple, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 170c and grease and line a large loaf tin. Put the eggs, oil, sugar, yoghurt and vanilla in a large bowl and beat well. Sift in the dry ingredients and stir gently to combine, then fold in the apple, rolled oats and walnuts.
Pour into the prepared tin and arrange the sliced apple on top. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer plunged into the loaf comes out cleanly. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
Have a great weekend, everyone. I'm hoping to plant some Chilean guavas and baby papaya trees in my garden, which must be as good for you as lifting weights, don't you think?
Im with you - id rather be a bit wobbly than take no enjoyment from food! but i do like the idea of finding healthy alternatives that are still packed with flavour - thanks!
ReplyDeletei tend towards healthy food, but not that healthy. "a cake a day keeps the doctor away" is my motto!
ReplyDeleteIt becomes an obsession and that's the problem. Mind you I could easily become obsessed with that fab bread too. Swings and roundabout.
ReplyDeleteHe he...Me neither, but I've had a 25kg sack of organic spelt flour in my study for ages and I've only used a couple of kilo's of it, so I'm always thankful when someone shares a spelt recipe that looks as scrumptious as this.
ReplyDeleteI always feel that I'm of the Sophie Dahl school of cooking...spelt and butter, honey and the odd alcoholic drink...but somehow when I look at photographs of the lovely MIss D, I can't quite believe that she does quaff the Dirty Martini's and butter. Or maybe I just get the recipe proportions all wrong!
Have a lovely weekend, It sounds like your garden is going to be beautiful.
debx
yep - give me taste over body sculpting any day - the bread looks lovely - I am starting to get into apple season so I must get baking with them before autumn is gone
ReplyDeleteFood should never be just fuel! that's for robot. I agree with you, that's just depressing.
ReplyDeleteFantastic looking bread. I never baked with spelt flour before. You and your recipes always inspire me :)
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.