Cake with almond and poppy seeds

Grounded poppy seeds give a pleasant oily taste to the cake. It can be used for celebration. I have baked it in a heart shape baking tin, covered with melted chocolate and decorated it with almonds.

Poppy seeds contain anti-oxidant, dietary fibre. They are good source of B complex vitamins and high level of minerals. These are beneficial for the whole human body. Almonds contain omega 3 fatty acids. It is an appetising gluten-free cake.

Ingredients

1 mug is approximately 250 ml

½ mug 3 30g 1 mug ½  mug 1 mug 1 tsp

Custard sugar Eggs 150 Unsalted butter  Almond flour Milk Grounded poppy seeds Baking powder

 For the top

150g	Melted dark chocolate
18	Almonds

Method

Preheat the oven 180^oC

Oil and flour a (20-25cm diameter) baking tin.

Place the ingredients into a medium mixing bowl beat with the electric hand whisk until it gets fluffy and smooth.

Transfer the cake mixture into the prepared tin.

Bake it 30-35 minute.

Advise:

Do not add the whole amount of milk at the same time because if the cake mixture is soft stop adding more milk.

Maple syrup

Acer known as maple is a genus of trees or shrubs. The genus is places in the Sapindaceae family. Most species are deciduous, but few in southern Asia and the Mediterranean area are evergreen. Prominently use of the maple leaf as a Canadian symbol.

Maple syrup is a healthy alternative to cane or beet sugar if it is used moderately. Maple tree syrup, or more accurately sap, has been used for centuries. The dominated sugar in sap is sucrose 66%. Sucrose is a disaccharide, within a glucose and a fructose molecules are bonded. The leaves of plants produce sugar during photosynthesis, which is stored as starch in the roots. During the winter months taphole is drilled, a tube is inserted and a bucket is attached. When spring comes the fluctuation of temperature increases the pressure within the tree causing the sap to flow from the taphole into the bucket. So unlike refined sugar, which undergoes complex of processes: harvest, washing, milling, extraction, filtration, purification and crystallisation, maple syrup is natural unrefined product, which depends only on the chemicals introduced to the soil.

Nutritional values of maple syrup:

Maple syrup contains proteins, fat, carbohydrates, water, sugar, minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, sodium, potassium, zinc and iron and vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B6.

Health benefits of maple syrup:

·      Maple syrup holds various antioxidants in the form of phenolic compounds, which are helpful for reducing free radicals that can cause various chronic diseases. It may help protect against cancer.

·      The presence of zinc is beneficial for the heart and cardiovascular disorders.

·      Glycemic index score of maple syrup is lower than regular refined sugar.

·      Maple syrup nutrition also supplies inflammation-reducing polyphenol antioxidants helpful in preventing certain diseases like arthritis.

·      Zinc found in maple syrup helps in maintaining male reproductive health particularly the prostate gland.

·      The maple syrup extract may help the antibiotics work better.

The maple syrup nutrition impacts your blood sugar levels a bit less drastically than table sugar does and it also supplies some trace minerals and antioxidants, while sugar lacks both of these.

Food plan for a hot summer day

Ms H

Food	Ingredients	Calorie content Kcal	Nutrients
Start of the day: Freshly squeezed Lemon juice with Look warm water Breakfast : Toasted nuts and seeds cereal with Plain yogurt Coffee with skimmed milk Snack: Slice of watermelon Lunch: Gazpacho with toasted bread Snack: Aubergine dip with carrot and celery sticks Dinner: Moroccan Spiced Salmon Glass of chilled white wine	1 lemon 100ml water 80g of cereal consisting pumpkin seed sunflower seed linseed almond ¼ red onion 1 cove of garlic ½ red pepper ½ yellow pepper 200g cucumber 200g tomato 1tbsp vine vinegar 1tbsp olive oil small  amount of basil 2 slices of gluten-free wholemeal baguette toasted 1 aubergine small onion 1 clove of garlic  ½ tbsp olive oil 50g soured cream salt pepper 2 carrots 2 celery sticks Moroccan spices  1 skinless salmon garlic 50g couscous 5g sultana 5g prunes 5g flaked almonds	50 kcal 480 kcal 150 kcal 450 kcal 220 kcal 480 kcal Total : 1830 kcal	Antioxidant, vitamin C, anti-inflammatory Provides fibre (keeps bowels healthy), carbohydrates provide energy and proteins provide essential amino acids. Consists of essential minerals and vitamins. Plain yogurt is 85% to 88% water. You’ll get calcium, vitamin B12 riboflavin and probiotics. 92% of water. It is a good source of vitamin C and, also has lycopene, an antioxidant that may help protect against heart disease and some types of cancer. Cucumber is packed with mineral rich fluids and keeps the body well hydrated. Tomato and pepper are packed with  health enhancing  nutrients. Rich in fibre helps remove toxins Celery has its anti-inflammatory  effect Salmon is essential to a good diet it contains omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals Couscous provides vitamin B carbohydrate and protein

During the day drink plenty of water and drink a glass of water half an hour before your meal.  During the day try to avoid consumption of alcohol because it increases the dehydration.  The food plan contains a glass of wine in the evening meal for relaxation. Enjoy these healthy dishes!