I eat healthily and in very moderate quantities most of the time and, for what it's worth, my BMI is at the lower end of the 'healthy weight' range. But I do have a sweet tooth (no surprises there, then) and, whilst well aware of the arguments about sugar being the new tobacco/salt/fat/spawn of the Devil, I happily indulge it.
This might be with a couple of squares of 70% chocolate, a bag of licorice, a pack of Medjool dates (these have featured rather a lot lately), cakes or biscuits. The latter two I mostly make myself, give or take the odd packet of Lidl's gingernuts, and this week's bakes included another batch of chocolate digestives. (No, the chocolate hadn't set when I ate them and yes, I made a mess. Handy hint: If you do the same, best not smile whilst eating. I'm told chocolate coated teeth are not particularly attractive.)
For some inexplicable reason, I've also been fancying Eccles cakes of all things so, as there was a pack of pastry feeling sorry for itself in the fridge, I had a go this morning. Believe me, they tasted rather better than they looked and were pleasingly sticky on the bottom. The mister's verdict? 'Nice but not as good as the original M&S ones. They used to be really really buttery'. Well, tough, you live with a vegan baker these days and the vegan baker's sweet tooth needed indulging .
I didn't follow a recipe (having looked at a few I decided to live dangerously and fly without a parachute), nor did I measure. If you fancy having a go, I used half a pack of puff pastry (JusRol, which just happens to be vegan) and, once rolled (quite thinly), cut out circles using the largest plain cutter in the tin (about 4'' diameter). The filling was a mix of melted coconut oil (about 2 tablespoons though you could easily substitute butter or marg), a large handful of currants, a heaped tablespoon of soft brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. Place a tablespoon of the currant mixture in the centre of each pastry circle and then pull the edges together to form little parcels and squeeze to seal the filling. Carefully flip the cakes over so that the folded bit is at the bottom, place on a baking tray and slightly flatten each cake into the traditional oval shape. Make 2 or 3 cuts on the tops, sprinkle with caster sugar and bake according to the instructions on the pastry packet for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack.
I think Eccles cakes are best eaten whilst still warm (or more or less straight from the oven if, like me, you have an asbestos lined gob).
And here's proof that it isn't all sugar based indulgence here.
This was a pea, mint and coconut soup (I mostly followed the recipe here) which was so quick and easy (peas were from the freezer) to make, very summery and very delicious.