CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Last year I put this recipe on my blog and have been asked to pit it on again so here it is

Having looked at most luxury style Christmas puddings as well as recipes for homemade ones using traditional ingredients like suet in them I found that most provided around 600kacls and 80g carbohydrate per portion. So I was given the challenge of developing a lower calorie and carbohydrate pudding.

This is what I made and it makes 8 small portions and each portion provides 204kcal 43g carbohydrate, 1.4 g fat, 0.3g saturated fat and 0.3g salt.

It was quick to make and also cheap. It will not keep so make it only the day before or freeze.

Ingredients

200g dried mixed fruit

100ml water

10 ml red wine

1 tbsp oat bran

I tbsp black treacle

200g self raising flour

1 tsp mixed spices

1 420g can of prunes drained

1 egg

Mix the wine and water together (I just washed out a wine bottle)

Pour the dried fruit into a dish

Pour on the wine and water mixture

Leave overnight in the fridge.

This soaking step is important as it plumps up the fruit.

To this mix add the oat bran and return the dish to the fridge

Take the stones out of the prunes and puree—if you have not got a liquidiser a potato masher works well

Add to the mix, then add the treacle and mix through.

Sift together the flour and spices and add to the mix

Finally beat in the egg

If the mix seems a bit dry add a little skimmed milk

Pour into a one and a half pint basin and smooth down

Alternatively pour into 8 small basins

Put in the microwave and cook for 7 minutes on high

Take out of the microwave and let stand for 5 minutes

Cook again for 7 minutes on high and again let stand

Test the inside is cooked with a knife or skewer –if not cooked –then cook again for 5 minutes and allow to stand then check it

The smaller puddings will cook more quickly and so will a pudding in a shallower basin

The pudding will not keep for long so freeze it or cook a day or so before required.

If you do not want to cook in a microwave it can be baked for an hour in a medium oven in a covered basin stood in a bowl of water.

Serve with custard or ice cream or as it is very low in fat a little brandy butter

Variations

You can use all wine, port or brandy to soak the fruit if you wish but this will boost the calories.

If you do not want to use alcohol soak the fruit in apple juice

Extra fruit can be added to the mixed dried fruit –dried cranberries are nice

If you want to have a cold pudding the soaked mixed dried fruit with added cranberries soaked in alcohol or fruit juice goes well with vanilla ice cream. You can even layer this up in a pudding basin and freeze it.

If you want to use puree apples instead of the prunes it will give a paler colour

You can use gluten free flour and soy bran instead of the ordinary flour and oat bran

PS

If you do not want to cook a pudding them many of the supermarkets economy puddings seemed to be lower in calories than the luxury ones.

SOUP

It is the time of year to make soup--so easy to make plus not expensive.

Tonight I made lentil, parsnip and carrot soup for my husbands lunch and it turned out beautifully.

I just put in a big pan  of water some split lentils, a bag of chopped up parsnips I bought from the local supermarket at 10p for a big bag, a few onions a few potatoes from the garden plus a splash of tomato sauce. I always start with boiling water from the kettle the add the vegetables. Then I simmer for an hour. It needs tasting to see if it needs something else adding like a stock cube or yeast extract or some herbs.

Usually I puree it a bit with a stick blender but often not--depends on how I feel.

There will be plenty for another day and it could also be frozen.


I have been really pleased to help Karen with her book and although she does mention "Cake" in the title  she has some fabulous recipes for soup. The recipes include one for bone broth which is really filling and a real traditional recipe.

The book does have some delicious recipes for cakes and sweet items!

NUTRITION CONFERNCE

I was fortunate enough to attend  the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ 2013 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (http://www.eatright.org/fnce) .

This year's conference and expo brought together nearly 7,000 registered dietitian nutritionists and other food, nutrition and health professionals, more
than 360 exhibitors and more than 90 journalists for four days of learning and networking.



Highlights from this year's event included:

• "Seductive Nutrition: Making Favorite Foods Healthy and Irresistible  during which Craig “Skip” Julius, and Lisa Carlson,  shared recent World Menu Reports and current sensory  data to show that one way to improve diets and reduce calorie intake is to focus on making top dishes just a little healthier.
•  Ellie Krieger's "Bringing Cooking Back
•  "Unraveling the Science of Food Allergies " Todd Mahr, and Lynn Christie,  provided an overview of the science with regard to food allergies, the guidelines available for diagnosis and management, and a review of the ongoing research to help treat and prevent food allergies.

But there were many more including many briefings on foods I hope to cover plus a massive exhibition of foods and related products

The next conference is in Atlanta in October 2014

 The eat right website has lots of useful information on food and diet

DIABETES STUDY DAY

I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO BE ASKED TO SPEAK AT THIS CONFERENCE AND THOUGHT IT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO OTHERS

East Midlands Diabetes Study Day – 

Tuesday, 12th November, 2013

Kettering Park Hotel
Northamptonshire
NN15 6XT
9am to 4.30pm

 Attendance costs £90 per delegate, including lunch and refreshments. 

To register, preferably book through www.eastmidlandsstudyday.eventbrite.co.uk or call IDDT on 01604 622837. Discounted rate for colleagues

We are also offering a 50% discount if you want to bring additional members from your organisation, so if you book before the end of the month it will only cost at £120 for two places. Please note the discounted second attendee rate can only be obtained by emailing events@iddtinternational.org.

 Be part of something new

Organised by the InDependent Diabetes Trust (IDDT), the charity which cares passionately about diabetes, this is the first in a brand new series of Diabetes Study Days, which aim to inform, inspire and educate the healthcare community.

 Benefits to you

• Refresh your diabetes knowledge
• Learn about new developments
• Share good practice
• Pick up CPD points

Confirmed Speakers

Consultant PhysicianDr Charles Foxfrom Northampton General Hospital	Consultant Dietician and Nutritionist Dr Mabel Blades	Julian Backhousefrom theInstitute of Diabetes for Older People (IDOP)	Senior Diabetes Specialist NurseHelen Atkins from the University Hospitals of Leicester

 A day to brush up on advances in the diabetes community

9am	Registration and refreshments
9.30am	Introduction from IDDT Co-chair, Jenny Hirst
9.45am	‘How to Get The Best From Your Patients – and How They Can Get The Best From You’, with Dr Charles Fox, a Consultant Physician from Northampton General Hospital
10.30am	‘A Passport to Improved Diabetes in Care Homes’, with Martin Hirst from IDDT and Julian Backhouse, from the Institute of Diabetes for Older People (IDOP)
11.30am	Workshops – Care Homes/How to Get The Best From Your Patients
12.30pm	Lunch
1pm	‘Transforming Diabetes Services’, with Bernie Stribling, National Director of the DESMOND programme
1.45pm	‘Patient Safety, an Online Education’, with Senior Diabetes Specialist Nurse Helen Atkins, from the University Hospitals of Leicester
2.30pm	‘Diabetes and Food – do Your Patients Count Their Carbs?’ with Consultant Dietician and Nutritionist Dr Mabel Blades
3.15	Refreshments
3.30pm	Workshops – Diabetes and Food/Patient Safety/Education
4.15pm	Summing up and next steps
4.30pm	Close

UPDATE

I have been writing this blog for well over a year now. It continues to be somewhat random with things that I have found about nutrition and food which I feel will be of interest.

I try to write something fairly regularly but often other work gets in the way. Therefore it tend to be somewhat erratic.

I like vintage things --and really liked this from  "free vintage posters" which I found on the hot deals website.
http://www.hotukdeals.com/all/freebies/hot.

The messages it contains are still apt today!

HIGH CALORIE RECIPES

As many people know I love cooking and developing new recipes as well as adapting others. I was pleased to be asked to develop some high calorie recipes.

Good nutrition is vital at any age but for those who are older or need extra calories due to healing it is especially important.

 A number of older people need extra calories due to having difficulties with eating sufficient food for their needs. Indeed some older people are assessed as having malnutrition with weight loss, muscle weakness and feelings of apathy plus other health issues. Others may suffer from various forms of dementia which can impact on both swallowing and appetite for foods. Registered dietitians can give guidance about requirements for individuals.

Foods need to be very appealing to eat plus also calorie dense so that additional calories are supplied. The addition of extra calories to foods is termed fortification or some call it supplementation.

In general adding extra calories to foods and dishes can be achieved by adding extra items such as cream, butter and also Millac Gold.

Millac Gold is an easy to use ingredient which allows it to be added to a range of foods.

These recipes provide a range of tasty and appealing dishes which can be easily enjoyed and which provide those all important extra calories. After all there is no point in providing extra calories in a dish if it is not eaten.

The recipes are obviously a bit higher in fat so may need introducing slowly.

I have to say the sticky toffee pudding plus the sauce is the best ever. The sauce was so good I made heaps and then had to freeze it to stop me dipping into it.

The recipes plus a free carton of Millac Gold are available from  

http://www.pritchitts.com/product/millac-gold