More food...

It is so easy to feel low after seeing a client/patient with depression. It is hard not to be affected by the cases you see and the stories you hear. My placement with the hospital will be done by next week and even though I have my ups and downs there, I can't help but feel sad that I'm leaving. (well, I'm actually relieved too since I'm not sure how much longer I can stand chasing participants for my research + looking sane in the hospital).

It's strange, but no matter how many presentations I have given, classes I have taught and groups that I have lead.. I still feel nervous when someone is sitting there and thinking about what marks to give me. Well, I'm telling myself that if an associated professor stammers when giving presentation (but not affecting the quality of it), then I can give myself permission to make blunders too.

So I have been baking and cooking, baking and cooking.. The following are just some samples of what I have been doing.

As per requested by Ruth...

Yogurt Cake-this is so moist, it's like a butter cake except less sinful!
1 cup of yogurt (any flavour- I like peach and mango, Ski).
3/4 cup of olive oil.
3 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
1 cup of caster sugar
3 cups of self-raising flour.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius,
1) Mix yogurt, oil and sugar till combined.
2) Add 3 eggs and mix well. Add vanilla extract.
3) Sift flour in. Fold gently.
4) Pour cake batter into prepared loaf tin. Bake for 35 mins. Cool for 10 mins before taking it off the tin.


Cranberry shortbread
note: thanks to evan for the recipe.

125grms butter softened
100grms icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
180grms flour
1 tbsp custard powder
1/2 tsp salt
handfuls of cranberries.

1) preheat oven 170 degrees c.
2) Rub in butter, icing sugar, vanilla essence, flour and salt till it resembles breadcrumbs.
3)add in cranberries and knead into dough.
3) Place dough in between 2 pieces of baking paper. Roll out. Cut into shapes. Or if you are lazy like me, just shape them into balls and press them flat onto the baking tray.
4) bake for 20 mins till golden brown. Cool before storing.

Shepards Pie (own recipe so parden the rough guide of measurements)

300grams of lean beef mince (or use lamb)
1 diced onion
1 tablespoon of olive oil.
healthy splash of sherry
1 cup of frozen mix veges.
3 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper.

mashed potato- boil 4 diced potatos. Mashed with 2 tablespoon of lowfat spread (or margarine/butter) and 1 cup of milk.

1) Preheat oven to grill.
2) Heat pan. Add oil. Sweat onions. Add mince. Cook for 3 mins. Stiring constantly. Add worcestershire sauce. Add sherry. Cook for 4 mins. Add frozen veges. Season. Cook till done.
3) Pour into heatproof bowl.
4) Spoon mashed potato on top. Grill for 20 mins (or till done).


Sticky date pudding (ps-one of my fav dessert after molten chocolate pudding!)

300grms dried pited dates
450ml water
1 tsp bicarb soda
100g margarine
100 grms caster sugar
3 eggs
275grms raising flour
1 tsp vanilla essence.

Sauce
80grams brown sugar
250ml low fat cream
90grams margarine
1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees c.
2) Bring dates and water to boil. Add bicarb soda. Let cool.
3) Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Sift flour in. Add date mixture and vanilla essence. Mix. Pour into large dish and bake for 30 mins.
4) To make sauce- put everything into sauce pan and mix well till smooth.
5) Pour sauce over pudding and return to oven for 5 mins.
6) Serve with vanilla icecream!!!


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Mum smsed me to say she recieved HD for her first assignment! Yeah! So the frustration during phone calls and patience training pays off. Well, I did tell her that her assignment is fine and she didn't believe me. There you go. hrmph.