Hi everyone!
I’m back at long last! Sorry I’ve been away so much longer than expected. I hope you all had a wonderful Spring break. While I’ve really valued my ‘unplugged’ time, I’ve been looking forward to my return to blogging world. I’ve missed you guys!
So what have I been up to? Well, over Easter, M, Lil’ L and I were very fortunate to escape the freezing cold weather in the UK and head to the Canary Island of Lanzarote. It was wonderful to spend some quality time with my boys, without all the distractions and ‘busyness’ of life back home.
We enjoyed chilling out on the beach and at cafes, chatting, reading, playing card games and sketching (cartoon drawing was particularly popular this holiday!)
We’re huge fans of Cesar Manrique, and we loved spending time at the sites he designed, including Los Jameos del Agua, Jardin de Cactus and his own house (now a charitable foundation) which is situated in a lava field!
During the holiday, we also got to spend some quality time by ourselves. M really enjoyed biking in the volcanic national park…
while I loved my daily runs along the coast path and meditation by the sea.
Lil’ L loved playing on the beach, rock climbing…
and leaping!
However, in contrast to all this boisterous activity, sometimes you’d walk round the corner and find him meditating!
He also spent a lot of time reading. He got through about seven books! (‘Big Nate’ was a popular read this holiday).
We did some great walks along the coast and in the volcanic national park. Away from the resorts and towns, you could easily start to feel like you were on another planet!
To be honest, when I saw the newspaper headlines about the freezing temperatures and chilling winds in the UK, I wasn’t particularly looking forward to our return. However, we seem to have brought the good weather back with us. Perhaps Spring has finally arrived for sure (fingers crossed!) I’m loving the lighter mornings and evenings too ♥
Inspired by the sunshine and warm weather, I chose to make a pineapple cake for my study class this week. It was no ordinary cake though… it was fat free, dairy free and egg free! A friend gave me the recipe a few years ago. She’d spotted it in a newspaper, but I believe it was originally published by Kim and Rachael of the 4 Ingredients phenomenon.
Since it has no fat, its texture is different to other cakes, but it’s delicious none the less. It’s one of my all-time favourite cakes and I’m happy to report that it got the thumbs up from my study group friends too 😀
Here’s how to make it…
[print_this]
Three Ingredient Pineapple Cake
Serves: 12
Ingredients
250g / 9 oz / 1¾ cups self raising flour*
200g / 7 oz / 1 cup unrefined caster sugar
1 x 432g / 15 oz tin of crushed pineapple
* alternatively use plain (all purpose) or wholemeal (wholewheat) flour and 2 tsp baking powder. I use chapatti atta flour, which is a very fine wholemeal flour, available in the UK from the world food aisles of Tesco and Asda.
Optional glaze
1-2 tbsp pineapple or tropical juice
2 tbsp granulated sugar
Method
- Grease a 22cm / 8½ inch cake tin and line the bottom with non stick baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180c / 350F.
- Sift the flour (and baking powder) into a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar. Add the pineapple (entire contents of the tin, including the juice). Mix until just combined. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes.
- Optional glaze: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick it all over with a cocktail stick. Brush with juice and sprinkle on some granulated sugar.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the tin. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge (or slice and freeze).
[/print_this]
I wonder if this cake will work with crushed mangoes too? I’m definitely going to have to give it a try 😉
Have a wonderful weekend everyone. I hope the sun is shining wherever you are xx
Link of the day: Orange and Almond Cake
What a very cool holiday to go on. The pictures are just awesome and it seems like you all were the only ones there.
The weather has finally gotten consistently warm here in my part of the world, so here is to hoping yours stays nice as well.
The cake looks fantastic and just fresh and delicious. I look forward to hearing if mango does a good job in it as well.
So nice to have you back 🙂
Thanks Rachel! It’s nice to be back!
I can’t wait to catch up with your blog. I’m heading over there now 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend xx
I’ve missed your posts – so nice to have you back. This cake looks delicious – may try as an easy bake with the girls this weekend. The holiday looks fab – glad you had a good time. x
So lovely to hear from you Naomi! I’ve missed posting on the blog too. I’ve found it a bit of a struggle to get back into it after such a long break. I’ve made lots of lovely dinners that I really want to share…. but then I forget to photograph them before they get devoured! I’m sure I’ll get back into the swing of it very soon.
Have a wonderful weekend. Hopefully the weather will stay glorious for us xx
I wondered where you had been – missed seeing your posts!
Welcome back – looks like you’ve had a lovely time 🙂
I’ve really enjoyed catching up with your posts today. Such a fantastic array of yummy eats you’ve been making (and photographing) lately.
I’ve had one of those weeks where I’ve just not had a chance to blog 🙁 Hopefully I’ll be able to get myself more organised next week!
OH yes I can definitely understand weeks like that!
Look forward to hearing more from you when you’re able to xxx
Looks like a lovely trip! I’m booking a week away somewhere in June, I feel like I need some time to relax and unwind! I am so glad it’s finally spring like!
It was a lovely trip but I’m thinking that maybe I relaxed and unwound a little too much. It was such a shock to my system to return to life back home! It’s way too busy for my liking!
Fortunately, the beautiful weather we’ve been having has helped to lift the spirits. I’m loving my morning runs out in the countryside and by the canal. There’s so many beautiful sights to take in at the moment. I saw my first ducklings this morning. Too cute for words!
I am really enjoying your blog. Several times you have mentioned your home made seeded bread but I cant find the recipe. My own recipe doesnt quiet taste right and I would like to see your and compare. I did try emaileing you but the emails was returned. Many thanks Sue
Hi Sue! I’m so pleased to hear that you’re enjoying the blog 😀 Posts have been a bit thin on the ground these past few weeks but hopefully I’ll get back on track soon! I haven’t posted my seeded bread recipe yet but I’ll type it up and email it to you tonight x
Welcome back, Sharon! I’m glad to hear you had a nice holiday. It looks wonderful in the photos and it is nice to live vicariously through others’ fun adventures! I think I am most impressed by the fact that Lil L got through 7 books–impressive! I found myself missing your posts while you were gone so I am glad you are back. 🙂
So lovely to hear from you Candy! I hope you and the boys had a wonderful Spring break too. It really is wonderful to see how much Lil’ L is enjoying reading at the moment. I hope it continues! He’s hooked on The Charlie Small Journals at the moment and they’re really inspiring his own story writing (so his teacher tells me). With all the reading he’s doing at the moment, I’m glad we’ve got a library close by!
I love hearing what other boys are reading and loving–thank you for sharing. I will have to look for the Charlie Small Journals for my boys–they sound like something they will love.
I’m sure they would enjoy them! There are 12 in the series so far and Lil’ L said it’s important to read the first book initially as it sets the scene (Charlie Small 1: Gorilla City, published 2007). The complete book order list is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Ward_%28children%27s_author%29
Fortunately, we’ve been able to get hold of the books via our local library. They don’t stock them, but have managed to source them from other libraries for Lil’ L for free! Love the library 😉
Welcome back, Sharon! Spending a family vacation is one of the very best reasons for a blogging break. Your Lanzarote holiday sounds awesome. Biking, runs by the sea and lots of quality family time in a lovely environment? That sounds perfectly blissful to me! It’s amazing to see that Lil’ L is already meditating at his age already. Did you inspire him to or was he curious to try it himself?
Keeping my fingers crossed Spring will decide to stay around!
I’ve made something similar to that pineapple cake before – I love easy and delicious recipes like that! Thanks for sharing, it looks great! 🙂