Recession-proof living

Recession-proof living

Jam and chutneys“Happiness is like jam – you can’t spread even a little without getting some on yourself” 

Since the 2nd World War, the world on the whole has been on an upward trend. Bigger, better, faster – certainly the last few decades – was the motto.  But now the momentum is slowly turning to go slow, community and nature. It has been coming for a while, but the Covid epidemic accelerated this process.

There is so much fear attached to the word ‘recession’. If you are not 100% sure what the term means – it is the economy shrinking for the last 2 consecutive quarters. The economy follows like nature cycle behavior. The economic winter (recession) is therefore an inevitable season and the preparation for new shoots to come.

Instead of fretting, let’s look a the good points a recession can bring:

  • We are forced to stop and think about what we really need and get rid of all that is surplus anyway.
  • We get more efficient with natural resources – food, energy to name a few.
  • Material possession gets less important and intangible qualities such as love, friendship, happiness, and nature come to the front. You can enjoy it a lot –  even with very little money.
  • Goods actually get cheaper and if you have looked after your pennies and have some savings,  now is the time to make big purchases. But go for quality rather than quantity.
  • It forces you to invite change into your life – a change of job, scenery, change of mind, and heart.

Economically speaking we are about to enter the phase of winter. The time to save, reflect and reorganize.

The ‘Biodynamic lifestyle’ is actually very compatible with this life phase.

  • It pushes you to be conscious of the environment and its natural rhythms
  • it urges you to produce less waste and recycle whenever possible
  • It is a very economically efficient way of life where you rely more on what you can produce instead of what you can consume.

Now that times are getting tougher and the environment is close to breaking point, this way of life makes real sense. So why are we not all living like this?

preserving food  Producing takes skill and time. Once you take the time to learn the skill again, you will get faster and better and you will just love making your own homemade products. There is nothing nicer than bringing your homemade jam or chutney to friends. It is a thoughtful and useful present. As food prices rise you want to use up any bought food.  Here are a few recipes for you to try

Winter Chutney: 

Ingredients:  300g carrots, 400g apples, 300g onions, 200g tomatoes, 2 red peppers, 400g red wine vinegar or apple vinegar, 2 tbsp (tablespoon) sultanas, 1 tsp (teaspoon) salt, 1 tsp pepper, ½ tsp of cinnamon powder, a pinch of cayenne pepper, 500g jam sugar.

1)  Wash fruit and vegetables, chop, peel, deseed and dice them into small pieces and put all ingredients into a large, very clean pan. Bring to boil and cook gently for about 1 hour, stirring regularly. When vegetables have the desired consistency, pour the hot mixture into clean glass jars and seal immediately with cling film. Leave to cool. The chutneys last for a couple of months unopened.

Strawberry Jam: 

Ingredients: 1kg strawberries, 1kg jam sugar, 1 small unwaxed lemon, a small pinch of pepper

Wash strawberries remove stalks and cut them into small pieces. Rinse lemon and grate the rind finely. Put the strawberries, grated rind, pepper, and sugar in a clean pot and boil for about 4-5 minutes. Pour straightaway into clean (wash out with boiling water) jars, cover with cling film and tightly close the lids. Makes around 8-9 jars, depending on size. The best time to do this is of course in June but you can use this recipe for similar fruit jams, for example, plum jam – but I would substitute the pepper with a pinch of cinnamon. 

 Home-made cleaning products: 

Living in a biodynamic home and garden,  you will be surrounded by more diversity than most other gardens that use pesticides. The upshot is that you will attract lots of wildlife into your garden. In our garden – in the middle of London- we have earthworms, butterflies, spiders, cats, bees, many bird species, squirrels and even foxes can be seen on a daily basis.  But sometimes all these lovely creatures can become a bit much – especially when you have moths invading your clothes cupboards and eating your most loved garments. It can be a dilemma if you don’t want to use pesticides. So here is a recipe for my own super-effective and totally organic moth deterrent. And as a bonus it makes the carpet and furniture look great, too.

Here is my home-made recipe that protects your clothes from moth or other insect infestation:
Get a large empty spray bottle (the ones you would mist your flowers with) and fill it with a mixture of 2/4 washing-up liquid (I use a lavender-infused liquid soap – you can dilute it slightly with some water),  1/4 99% IPA (alcohol) and 1/4 of white vinegar. Shake it well and mist it on your furniture, carpets, and even clothes. I also use this mixture on garden plants that have infestations like aphids.

Here is an article about home-made cleaning products 

Don’t throw food away before you do this:
Here is one of my favorite tips to rehydrate vegetables and salads that have gone a bit limp. Fill a bowl of cold water and add a small capful of white vinegar (in fact any vinegar will do, but go for a cheap one here as the results are the same). Chop your salad, and vegetables up and immerse them in the water.  Leave them in the bowl for around 30 minutes and you will have crisp, ready-to-eat salads and vegetables on your plate.

These are just a few examples of the many ways you can save and help the environment.  Initially, it does take a bit of effort and experimenting. But over time these recipes are quick to make and once you get used to the taste of homemade produce there is no going back!

Remember: YOU alone are the master of your own destiny. Join our community below for more information.

 An Introduction to LWTM

Here is a link where you can download all our free resources to start building your new holistic life 

Cooking with the moon

Cooking with the moon

TODAY IS A GREAT TO TO COOK IN BATCHES FOR FREEZING, MAKE  BREAD AND BAKE CAKE AND COOKIES

I read that Mauro Colagreco, owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant Mirazur, situated on the French Riviera, has changed his menu post-COVID lockdown.  That would not be surprising for a place listed on the World’s 50 Best Restaurant list. But why is it news-worthy? Because he will tailor his offerings in accordance with what the moon is doing.

I am sure many readers thought ‘Ridiculous new fad- what next?’. Well, this ‘fad’ is actually not so new, it is in fact a few thousand years old.

Here is the article 

Mr. Colagreco reasons that he is already using biodynamically grown produce and so he might as well not stop there but carry this method over to the kitchen. Ah, now it makes sense. 

In the Biodynamic garden, one aspect is that the gardener is plants, sows, and carries out any work in accordance with the biodynamic calendar. This has given Biodynamic farming always a ‘woohoo’ appeal, fit for a few crazy souls, but nothing for the sensible masses. But what many don’t realize is that for centuries this was actually THE normal way of farming, nothing ‘woohoo’ about this.

Generations of observations have led to practices which ‘just worked’ – olives picked on certain days had more oil and apples more juice. Spinach sown on this day was less susceptible to disease or grew quicker. The ‘why’ was less questioned, it just was called ‘tradition’ and it worked.  

I assume the menu choices you will see in the near future at Mirazur, will be guided by the change of the moon phases and the elements.  When you take a look at our online calendar The Month Ahead   you will see that each day shows a moon phase (Waxing Moon, Full Moon, Waning Moon or New Moon) and an element (Water, Air, Earth & Fire) and activity symbols that are connected.

These symbols represent the observations that led to the creation of these calendars. But their widespread appeal was (and still is) that they are such great tools to structure time and life.

So what is cooking with the moon?

If you grew up with this ‘way of eating’, then your body is sort of programmed to fancy certain foods at certain times.
I guess this is nature’s way to make sure you get a well-balanced diet. If you have never heard or experienced it, then it does need a bit of time to get used to it. Firstly, you have to ‘detach’ from your current eating habits and ‘re-teach’ your body to develop what I call ‘healthy cravings’ and food management. I am currently working on a program that will teach these steps in more details.

But here is quick intro if you are completly new to this way of cooking and eating.

Eating with the moon cycle:

The Waxing Moon: As the moon grows, so do we. People seem hungrier and gain weight easier. It is a great time for those who find it hard to put weight on (say after an operation) or anorexic.

If you struggle with too much weight, it is crucial that you watch this time. Don’t lose weight, rather stabilize your weight and aim not to gain. Prepare meals that are filling and full of nutrients (fresh, healthy, organic produce is, of course, best) and that contains very little sugar and empty calories, such as white flour.

The Full Moon: Again, it is easier to put weight on, but as it is just a short time, you may as well enjoy it and go for a slap-up meal. Traditionally diets started at Full Moon.

The Waning Moon: Losing weight tends to be easier now.  We are also more active and as a result may eat less, as we are too busy with other things.

If you have no weight issues, just focus on moving more and keep eating a normal, healthy diet. If you need to lose weight, now is your perfect time. These 2 weeks go for it – there are numerous strategies depending on lifestyle habits and body types.

New Moon: Traditionally a rest and fast day. 

Another area are the elements. Each day has a special quality and again you can see this on the calendar which ‘day quality’ is dominant.

Fire – dedicated to fruit – this could be picking, pruning fruit bushes and trees or making jam 

Earth – anything to do with root vegetable and the earth. Digging, weeding harvesting potatoes, sowing carrots, etc.

Air: Anything to do with flowers and oils. Sunflower would be a top example. This is a great time to pick olives and press their oil, incorporate flowers into salads and dishes and eat ‘flowery’ vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower.

Water: Leafy vegetables like spinach, all kind of salads and in the garden a great day for planting, fertilising and extra watering.

The reason I combined the gardening and eating is that until very recently you would grow your vegetable, harvest and eat them – usually all on the same day. There were no chest freezer or fridges available. When your trees had an abundance of fruit, you made jams, compotes, cider or stored them in a way that it lasted for a long time.

Root vegetables got pickled or fermented. Freezing is not a bad habit, but it works best if you pick and freeze, so the nutrients stay as fresh as can be. If you take only one thing away – try to eat less, but better and shop for food that is ‘alive’ – ideally grown near you, by an organic or even better biodynamic farmer or grow your own, making sure the soil is a nutritous as possible.

Make your own delicious strawberry jam

Make your own delicious strawberry jam

 Strawberry jam

  June and July are the best times to pick strawberries and make jam for the rest of the year.  Here is a  delicious recipe for making your own jam. It is quick, easy and home-made jams just taste so good, especially with scones or toast.

Fire Days, in particular when you see the symbol above work really well. This will make sure your jam won’t get mouldy, providing of course you sterilized your equipment correctly!

What do you need to make your own delicious strawberry jam?

A general rule for making jams: Fill your jam glasses with boiling water before use or even better sterilize them in a pressure cooker. If you like making your own jam, then I suggest you keep a pot and cooking spoon just dedicated to this task and make sure that they are both REALLY clean. Done on the right day and with the right method/equipment, you can rest assured that your jam will last and you can make a  good supply for the next couple of month. Home-made jam is to do and makes great presents.

Recipe for simple Strawberry jam:

Equipment needed: 1 large cooking pot and wooden spoon (both very clean), 8-9 medium-sized jam jars (sterilized) or 4-5 large jam jars (sterilized), all jars must have tight-fitting lids. I tea towel. 

Ingredients: 1kg strawberries (washed and stalks removed, 1kg jam sugar, 1 small unwaxed lemon, a small pinch of pepper

  • Sterilize 8 to 9 medium jam jars (or 4-5 larger ones). Put them on a tea towel, so they are ready to receive the hot jam mixture. Make sure you also sterilize the lids as this is often a spot where mould forms.
  • Cut the washed strawberries into small pieces. Then rinse the lemon and grate the rind finely. Finally put the strawberries, grated rind, pepper and sugar in a clean pot and boil for about 4-5 minutes.
  • Pour the jam mixture straightaway into the sterilized jars and cover them tightly with cling film. Then close the lid on top of the cling film. This will give it extra protection.

If there is time you can also bake your scones and enjoy both with a great cup of tea.

Recipe for scones: 

Equipment needed: 2 plastic cake mixing bowls, pastry brush, whisk, baking tray, round pastry cutter

Ingredients:  225g self-raising flour (or 225g of plain flour and 1tsp of baking powder) and a bit extra for dusting, a pinch of salt, 2tbsp caster sugar, 55g butter (bit extra for greasing), 150ml buttermilk, 1 egg (beaten), 50 g of mixed sultanas, raisins or other dried fruit (optional) 

  • Preheat oven to about 200/220 degrees centigrade and grease a baking tray with butter.
  • Pour the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter using your fingers. You will get a crumbly mixture. Then add the sultanas or other dried fruit.
  • Beat the egg into the buttermilk and add the sugar,  so it becomes a golden coloured mixture.
  • Make a well in the middle of your flour mixture and add the egg/buttermilk/sugar mixture. Work quickly, as speed here is important. You should now have a soft dough.
  • Dust your surface with some flour and shape the dough into an even thickness of about 1cm. With a round pastry cutter, cut out the round scones and place them next to each other on the greased baking sheet. Repeat until the dough is gone.
  • Glaze the scones with a little milk using your pastry brush and bake them for around 10-12 minutes until they have risen and are golden brown.
  • Leave them to cool on a plate and serve with cream, strawberry jam and a good cup of tea. This is a very English way to spend a summer afternoon.

 An Introduction to LWTM

Please click this link to find out more about LWTM and holistic lifestyle planning and  download our freebies 

Spices of Life – nutmeg

Spices of Life – nutmeg

Nutmeg is the ground pip of the nutmeg fruit growing on the evergreen nutmeg tree. When you open the fruit you will find the dark brown seed and woven around a bright red material called mace. This is also used in baking and other dishes, as it is less spicy than the actual seed, which is gourn into the wellknown nutmeg powder.

The nutmeg fruit, mace and nutmeg seed

The ground nutmeg spice is predominantly used as kitchen spice and it is rich in magnesium, vitamin B6, calcium and iron.

Today nutmeg is grown in Indonesia, Malaysia, Grenada and India where it flavours a lot of their traditional dishes. Nutmeg came to Europe when the Portuguese, Dutch and Spanish started to travel the world and brought exotic spices back from far away land.
During Elizabeth’s I reign nutmeg was said to ward off the plague and the price skyrocketed.

Nutmeg should be used sparingly, as excess intake can cause allergic reactions.

Recipes:

  • Carluccio’s Spinach ball pasta  
  • You will need:
  • 500g/1lb 2oz spinach washed thoroughly, tough stalks removed
  • 2 free-range eggs, beaten
  • pinch freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 garlic clove, blended to a purée with ½ tsp water
  • 110g/4oz fresh white breadcrumbs
  • 50g/2oz parmesan or similar vegetarian hard cheese, freshly grated
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil

For the courgette pasta sauce

  • 8 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
  • 1 chili finely chopped
  • 2 courgettes, trimmed, finely grated
  • 60g/2¼oz parmesan or similar vegetarian hard cheese, freshly grated
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 400g/14oz rigatoni or similar pasta cooked according to packet instructions, drained (reserve a few spoonfuls of the cooking water)
  • How to cut your vegetables 

Method

  1. For the spinach balls, blanch the spinach leaves in a pan of salted, boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then drain well and refresh in cold water.
  2. Using your hands, squeeze out as much water from the blanched spinach leaves as possible, then finely chop the spinach.
  3. Transfer the blanched, drained spinach to a bowl, then stir in the beaten eggs, nutmeg, garlic purée, breadcrumbs and parmesan. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well until the mixture binds together, adding more breadcrumbs or more water, as necessary, to bind the mixture.
  4. Roll the spinach mixture into walnut-sized balls and place onto a baking tray.
  5. Cover the base of a frying pan in a thin film of olive oil. Heat gently over a low to medium heat.
  6. When the oil is hot, add the spinach balls, in batches if necessary, and fry for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden-brown all over. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining spinach balls.
  7. Meanwhile, for the pasta sauce, heat the oil in a separate frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until softened but not coloured.
  8. Add the courgettes and continue to fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the courgettes have started to soften.
  9. Add the parmesan and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until well combined, then stir in the reserved cooking water from the pasta and the cooked, drained rigatoni.
  10. To serve, divide the pasta and sauce equally among four serving plates. Place the fried spinach balls on top.

Home-made skincare using nutmeg

  • Reduces pigmentation and dark spots
  • Lightens skin
  • Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, fights spots and acne
  • Stimulates hair growth

and these are just a few

Recipe to lighten your skin:
Combine 1/4 tsp of nutmeg powder with 1 tsp of fresh lemon juibe and 1 tbsp of yoghurt in a bowl. Apply this mask to your skin (avoid the eye area and mouth) and rinse off with lukewarm water. Then apply a good moisturiser. If you have sensitive skin I would recommend a patch test, where you put a small amount onto your arm to see if it provokes a reaction. Do this 24 hours before applying the mask. Once you know you are fine, use this mask consistently 3-4 times per week to notice a difference.

Nutmeg Spot Treatment:
Add a pinch of cinnemon powder and a pinch of nutmeg powder into a small bowl. Add a few drops of fresh lemon juice to it and add 1/2 tsp of honey. Put this mixture onto your spots and leave on them for about 20minutes before rinsing this mixture off.

Youthful nutmeg skin mask:
Mix 1 tsp of honey, 1/2 tsp of nutmeg powder, 1 tsp of Greek yogurt to form a paste. Apply to your face and leave for about 10 min( as always avoid the face and mouth and do a patch test 24 hours before applying for the first time). Wash it off with lukewarm water and make sure it does not get into your eyes as nutmeg does sting!

Nutmeg toner:  
Use 1 tbsp of coconut milk and a pinch of nutmeg. Stir well and put into a small bottle, then apply on a cotton ball on a clean face.

Spices of Life – Cayenne Pepper

Spices of Life – Cayenne Pepper

Spices of Life – Cayenne Pepper

By Jutta Russell

Founder of Living with the Moon

Cayenne Pepper is an ideal spice for weight loss and that is why I have chosen it for January. It is a medium hot chili pepper, mostly red in colour. Like most chili pepper it grows on a bush and the ripe fruit is then harvested, dried and ground to a cayenne powder, which is used to flavour dishes. It originates from South America and was brought to Europe by the Spanish in the 16th century. Here are the main benefits of cayenne pepper:

The capsaicin in cayenne peppers may help boost your metabolism. This can help people who suffer from a sluggish metabolism, but unfortunately, the body gets used to this effect. So this method is only to be used as a short-term boost rather than an everyday effect.

Cayenne Pepper/lemon and maple syrup cleanse: 

DAY1

I would say it is rather a cleanse than a diet. Start on the first morning (you need to start on an empty stomach) with the salt cleanse. 1 tablespoon of high-quality salt (like Himalayan salt) dissolved in a 1litre of warm water. Sip this and make sure you stay near a toilet for the next few hours, as you will have strong bowel movements.
Next-  prepare the Cleansing lemonade consisting of: 

  • 2 tbsp of organic lemon juice that must be freshly squeezed, no substitutes
  • 2 tbsp organic maple syrup, again strive for the best quality here
  • 1/10 tsp (so very small amount) of cayenne pepper (powdered)
  • 300ml (10 oz.) of filter water.

Drink as much you want over the course of the remaining day.

Just a word of warning: Choose a weekend or holiday for this, as many people are feeling headachy, light headed and you really want to stay in bed, relax, read and should not have a hectic day. Besides, you will need to visit the toilet on a fairly regular bases, so I advice you to call any social engagements off for the day.

DAY 2

If you still feel bloated repeat DAY 1 as above otherwise start with eating soups (home-made broth with vegetables) and drinking home-made smoothies or home-made fruit juices. Avoid anything commercially made as it invariably contains sugar and some form of preservatives.

DAY 3

Introduce solid food again. Today have some steamed green vegetables with a poached white fish or pieces of fruit.

Summary

Over these 3 days the only food intake allowed is 

DAY 1: The cleansing lemonade (drink as much as you want),

DAY 2: homemade soups and juices (broth with vegetables) – or just repeat Day 1.

DAY3: Steamed green vegetables and carrots, no potatoes and steamed white fish. No meat, dairies, sugar, anything preprepared, all juices and soups have to be home-made. If you opted for a 2 day cleanse, then start you liquid day on day 3 and go back to solids on DAY 4.

After you have finished the cleanse add some probiotic to you diet and start to eat as healthy as you can for as long as possible, but definitely stay off alcohol, tea, coffee, meat, dairies and anything process for at least a week to get optimum results.

Recession-proof living

Recession-proof living

“Happiness is like jam - you can't spread even a little without getting some on yourself"  Since the 2nd World War, the world on the whole has been on an upward trend. Bigger, better, faster - certainly the last few decades - was the motto.  But now the momentum is...

read more
Cooking with the moon

Cooking with the moon

TODAY IS A GREAT TO TO COOK IN BATCHES FOR FREEZING, MAKE  BREAD AND BAKE CAKE AND COOKIES I read that Mauro Colagreco, owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant Mirazur, situated on the French Riviera, has changed his menu post-COVID lockdown.  That would not be...

read more
Make your own delicious strawberry jam

Make your own delicious strawberry jam

    June and July are the best times to pick strawberries and make jam for the rest of the year.  Here is a  delicious recipe for making your own jam. It is quick, easy and home-made jams just taste so good, especially with scones or toast. Fire Days, in particular...

read more

Access your free calendar and guide

When you subscribe you’ll receive:

The Month Ahead Lifestyle Calendar a calendar of practical tips, recipes and life-style advice on living with the moon. E-book ‘LWTM goal planner’, a vital tool for setting and achieving goals.  Free introductory e-book ‘Living With The Moon’.

Spices of Life – Cinnamon

Spices of Life – Cinnamon

In Europe cinnamon is the spice of Christmas and mostly used in Christmas decorations and for baking. The evergreen cinnamon tree grows predominantly in Indonesia and China and its fragrant bark is rolled up and left to dry. Then it is cut up into pieces known as cinnamon sticks. Alternatively, it is available as a ground down mid-brown cinnamon powder.

Nowadays it is a must for every kitchen cupboard, but when it first entered the history books around 2500 B.C. it was so expensive that it was only used as an offering to kings and gods.  The Egyptian used it as part of the concoction in the mummification process and Pliny the Elder wrote that a Roman pound of cinnamon (roughly 320 pounds or 11.5 oz.) was worth the wages of fifty months’ of labour and therefore unimaginable for daily use.

From 1600 onwards the Dutch started to import cinnamon to Europe and later the British took over Ceylon from the Dutch and with it the cinnamon plantation. Then the East India company imported cinnamon together with tea and made it more accessible for the European taste.

Health benefits: It has anti-inflammatory properties and has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. Adding a small amount of cinnamon into your daily diet can help people with type 2 diabetes. 

Cinnamon also helps to fight fungal and bacterial infections, helps with insulin resistance. So, all in all, it has many vital health benefits.

Cinnamon in the kitchen:

Cinnamon rolls: 

This a recipe from Sweden and makes wonderful pre-Christmas treats.

Here is what you need: 3/4 cup milk – 1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened – 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour  – 1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast – 1/4 cup white sugar – 1/2 teaspoon salt – 1/4 cup water – 1 egg – 1 cup brown sugar, packed – 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon – 1/2 cup margarine, softened,  1/2 cup raisins (optional) 

How to do it: 

  1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in margarine/butter and stir until melted. Let cool the mixture until it is lukewarm.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
  3. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, softened margarine.
  4. Roll out dough into a 12×9 inch rectangle. Spread dough with margarine/butter/sugar mixture. Sprinkle with raisins if desired. Roll up dough and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal size rolls and place cut side up in 12 lightly greased muffin cups. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until browned. Remove from muffin cups to cool. 

Cinnamon and apple tea cakes

Ingredients: 75g/2¾oz butter, melted, plus extra for greasing – 100g/3½oz self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting – 100g/3½oz caster sugar – 1 free-range egg, beaten – ½ tsp almond extract – 60g/2¼oz Bramley apples, peeled and thinly sliced – 15g/½oz flaked almonds – 1 tsp of ground cinnamon – crème fraîche, to serve (optional)

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.

  2. Grease a cupcake tin or add muffin paper into each tin

  3. Pour the melted butter into a large bowl. Add the sugar, flour, egg, cinnamon and almond extract and mix together until combined.

  4. Spoon a little bit of the mixture into each paper and cover a layer of thinnly chopped apple pieces, then add some more batter and repeat the process finishing with a small layer of batter.  So batter – apples – batter – apples- batter

  5. Scatter each cake with flaked almonds. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until well risen and golden-brown.

  6. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.  Serve warm with a dollop of crème fraîche.

Plum and cinnamon compote: 
500g of sweets plums, washed, cut in halves and stones taken out, juice of half a lemon, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Place the plums into a saucepan and cook until they have dissolved into a compote/jam-like consistency. Then fill into sterilized glass jars and add to your breakfast cereals or use neat with bread or croissants. This is a sugar-free recipe. If you want it a bit sweeter add a touch of Algave honey to it.

Cinnamon recipe for health and beauty: 

Cinnamon & sugar lip balm/scrub: 

This is a great recipe for the cold winter month. I found it in an old book the other day  and thought I use it on myself and absolutely loved it. It tastes nice, the sugar gently scrubs off any flakey bits and the olive oil and honey nourish the lips. If your lips are very chapped you can keep it on for a little while until it has soaked in.

Here is the recipe which takes a few minutes to make:

1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of raw honey, a small pinch of cinnamon.

Mix all ingredients into a paste and let it all settle a bit. Then rub it gently onto your lips. If your lips are very dry and cracked,  please make sure you don’t rub too much, instead let it this mixture soak in and then gently take off with a damp cotton.  If your lips are not cracked, then you can rub this mixture over them to achieve a peeling effect. Blot dry with a tissue.  The rest of the mixture you can fill into an empty pot or jar and repeat the appliation when required.

 

 

GET YOUR LWTM FREEBIES NOW AND
SIGN UP BELOW!

Additionally, you will receive our monthly newsletter The Month Ahead at the beginning of each calendar month with more information.

You have Successfully Subscribed!