Make It The Mother Of All Tea Parties!
MOTHER’S DAY – one day in the year that I insist on making special. I can’t always see my own Mother since she lives so far away but I always take time to choose a special gift for her, make time for a lengthy telephone conversation and make the time to flip an album or two to remind myself of all the good times we’ve had together. My own mother is some 82 years young so, as you can imagine, there are a fair few photographs to smile, chuckle and even shed a tear over.
Most years I am also lucky to be able to see my own children, Lucinda and Charlie, and we have a family meal to celebrate the day. They know these days that getting together means a great deal to me since they don’t live at home any more so getting around the table for a special celebration is my favourite thing.
I know some of you won’t have your Mom around any more to do that and some won’t have children to make the day special either and so I hope you will take some time out to be kind to yourselves on this day when things seem a bit over the top.
My children have by now realised that I don’t do chocolates and candies on Mothering Sunday so they look for other gifts that this old bariatric might appreciate. I’ve been looking too for my Ma and like the look of the offerings below – who wouldn’t like
a special scarf, pretty clutch or purse, heart-shaped trinket box, scented candle or room spray? Or, as a practical gift, be thrilled with an individual coffee maker, perfect tea or coffee cup and flavoursome tea or coffee blend? These are from The White Company but there are countless others in major stores, on-line and small boutiques. You could also do worse than check out our useful gifts in our shop (see here).
Breakfast in bed was always one of my favourite Mother’s Day treats plus a memorable cream tea at a swanky hotel. Food restrictions post-bypass mean that the latter doesn’t work too well for me any more but I still do enjoy a teatime treat. A small bariatric-friendly cupcake usually fits the bill (although my brownies – recipe here are always welcome).
There are lots of recipe ideas from previous Mother’s day posts – check them out at the bottom of this blog but this year I shall be serving these chocolate and cherry bariatric cupcakes on Sunday – they’re a sort of Black Forest retro idea that works well. If you don’t want to add the cherries then fine, leave them out, but it does give them a bit of razzle dazzle!
BLACK FOREST CHOCOLATE AND CHERRY BARIATRIC CUPCAKES
Ingredients
METRIC/US
2 tsp baking powder
25g/1/4 cup cocoa powder
100g/1 cup ground almonds
50g/2 oz olive oil or cold-pressed rapeseed oil
100g/4 oz Sweet Freedom Syrup (or other low-sugar syrup like Choc Shot)
3 medium eggs
about fresh 24 cherries, stoned and quartered (optional)
Frosting (optional):
125g/1/2 cup low-fat cream or soft cheese
1 tbsp cocoa powder (optional)
1 tbsp Sweet Freedom Syrup (or other low-sugar syrup like Choc Shot)
fresh fruit and finely grated no-sugar-added chocolate to decorate, such as cherries
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170 C/325 F/gas mark 3. Place 12 medium-sized paper cases into a bun tin.
2. Sift the baking powder and cocoa into a large bowl. Add the ground almonds and mix well.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, Sweet Freedom and eggs. Pour into the almond mixture and stir together until well combined. Stir in the chopped cherries if using. Divide evenly between the paper cases.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
5. To frost when cool (if liked), beat the cheese with the cocoa powder if using and Sweet Freedom. Spoon or pipe a little onto the top of each cake. If a white frosting is preferred to a chocolate one then omit the cocoa powder and use a colourless syrup rather than a chocolate one. Sprinkle with grated chocolate and decorate with fresh fruit to serve.
MAKES 12
WLS PORTION: 1/2-1
V suitable for vegetarians
* suitable for freezing
CALORIES PER CAKE WITHOUT FROSTING: 137
CALORIES PER CAKE WITH FROSTING: 155
PROTEIN PER CAKE WITHOUT FROSTING: 4.2g
PROTEIN PER CAKE WITH FROSTING: 5.9g
CARBOHYDRATE PER CAKE WITHOUT FROSTING: 8.4g
CARBOHYDRATE PER CAKE WITH FROSTING: 10g
FAT PER CAKE WITHOUT FROSTING: 10.4g
FAT PER CAKE WITH FROSTING: 11.1g
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