Low fat banana bread

A really, really easy, and low fat banana bread. It can easily be made gluten free too.

You will need:
4 ripe bananas, mashed
225g self raising flour (can be substituted for gluten free flour)
100g low fat margarine
100-150g of unrefined caster sugar (the less sugar you use, the less calories the final loaf will be!)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla paste/extract
handful of dried fruit (optional)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to gas mark 4 (180°C/350°F), grease and line a 2lbs loaf tin.
2. Put everything in a large bowl, and mix with an electric mixer for a few minutes. Leave for 2 minutes for the raising agent to start working, then fold int he dried fruit (if using).
3. Pour into loaf tin and bake for 1 and half hours until the top is golden.
4. Leave to cool on a cooling rack. Scoff!

Is also nice with a shake of ground cinnamon in the mix.

Andy’s low fat apple and blueberry muffins

Makes 12

You will need:
100g low fat margarine
75g sugar
1 large free range egg (lightly beaten)
225g self raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
A good pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
150-175 ml skimmed milk
1 large organic cooking apple
1 small tub organic blueberries

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 220 Celsius (gas mark 7), and put paper cases in a 12 cup muffin tin.

2. Peel, core and chop the apple; wash and drain the blueberries removing any stalks.

3. Cream the margarine and sugar until fluffy.

4. Mix in the egg.

5. Sift flour, salt and spices, and stir in lightly – do not overmix.

6. Add apple, blueberries and 150 ml of milk, stir lightly adding the remaining milk if needed. Batter should be fluffy and spongy but quite thick. Don’t worry if it looks too stodgy, the apple will add moisture while cooking.

7. Spoon evenly into the paper cases.

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until muffins are just starting to go golden on top. Test for doneness with a skewer, if ready the skewer will come out clean. If not, bake for a further 2 or 3 minutes.

9. Remove from muffin tin carefully (don’t burn your fingers), and leave to cool on a wire stand.

10. Enjoy with a drizzle of double cream, or without if counting calories. They make a lovely breakfast.

Andy’s low-fat lemon drizzle cake

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
100g sugar
100g softened low-fat margarine
grated zest of 2 lemons
175g self-raising flour
125ml milk
pinch of salt

For the lemon syrup:
100g icing sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas Mark 4). Brush margarine all over the inside of a loaf tin, then coat with flour; shake any excess out, line the bottom with baking parchment.

2. Put the eggs and sugar in the bowl of the food processor and whiz for 2 minutes. Take off the lid and drop spoonfuls of the soft margarine on top of this mixture, together with the lemon zest, then whiz for another two or three minutes. The mixture should now look like mayonnaise.

3. Add the flour, milk and salt, cover and whiz until the mixture is smooth in texture and even in colour, scraping the sides down with a rubber spatula if necessary.

4. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown on top and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and stand the tin on a cooling rack. To make the syrup, gently heat the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan, stirring until a clear syrup is formed, about 3 minutes. Do not boil.

5. Prick the warm cake all over with a fork, then gently pour the syrup over it, until it has been completely absorbed.

6. Leave until cool, then carefully ease the cake from the baking tin and remove the baking parchment. Keeps 1 week under refrigeration in an airtight container. Freezes up to 3 months.

7. Make a cup of tea and stuff your face.