Pancakes are quick and easy to make and every year when I make them on Shrove Tuesday I say, “ I must make pancakes more often, not just once a year.” Yet every year passes without me making more.
Pancakes can be served with a variety of toppings and fillings, though I favour the traditional sugar and lemon, using the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon, as opposed to that out of a bottle or plastic excuse for a lemon. My son loves strawberry sauce (Tesco Strawberry Dessert Sauce, £1.49, which is lovely and fruity without being too sweet), whilst chocolate sauce or golden syrup (Lyles Pouring Golden Syrup 98p) are other favourites.
Don’t bother buying batter mixes, as pancakes are very quick, easy and cheap to make from scratch. To make 8-10 pancakes you need 275ml (about 1/2pt) batter. Place 100g plain flour in a bowl with a little salt, make a well in the centre and gradually add 2 beaten eggs, mixing well. Stir in about half of 275ml milk, beat, add remainder of milk and beat again. Batter should be smooth and creamy. Use a small omelette pan to heat a little oil, add batter a small amount at a time (I find a ladle a good measuring device), cook until firm, then toss or flip to cook other side. Serve with your chosen topping.
Ditch The Diet …
… in favour of ongoing healthy eating. Many of you may have made a New Year’s Resolution to lose weight, but once you find yourself using that dreaded word ‘diet’, you instantly feel deprived and more prone to give in to temptation. So instead of a rigid diet regime, gradually make some healthy eating additions and swaps to help reduce/maintain your weight.
Remember: eat 5-7 portions of fruit and veg a day; use small amounts of very lean meat, making up the quantity in dishes such as stews with lots of healthy veg; avoid deep fried foods, shallow fry in a little olive oil or ditch the fried stuff altogether; reserve creamy desserts, cakes etc as very occasional treats; serve meals on smaller plates, resulting in smaller portions that you psychologically believe to be the same.
Another tip is to keep a food diary. By writing down everything that you eat, it really makes you think twice about what you reach for and encourages you to choose healthier options that look more ‘respectable’ on your list.
Get Puzzling
Solving a puzzle is a great workout for you brain – I’m a big fan of all kinds including codewords, su-doku, logic problems and quizzes. It has been suggested that puzzle-solving may even help delay or lessen memory problems and dementia. A large number of puzzle magazines are available, ranging from weekly publications featuring prize puzzles that also contain articles such as Chat and Take A Break, to monthly puzzle only editions published by Lovatts, WH Smith etc. So what are you waiting for? Work that brain today!
Follow me on Twitter @shoppersjoy
No comments:
Post a Comment