Mardi Gras magic!

Serves: 8
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 45 minutes
Oven temperature: 200°C

• 260g (375ml) mealie meal or polenta
• 230g (375ml) cake flour
• 15ml baking powder
• 10ml sugar
• 60-100ml jalapeño peppers, chopped
• 250ml frozen corn, cooked  and drained
• 1 large onion, sliced and fried
• 250ml grated Cheddar cheese
• about 300ml milk
• 2 large eggs
• 90ml melted butter

1  Grease a round or square 22cm pan or alternatively you can also use an ovenproof cast-iron pan.

2  Mix all of the dry ingredients together and then stir in the chopped jalapeño peppers, cooked corn, fried onion and the Cheddar cheese. Whisk the milk, eggs and the melted butter together in a separate bowl, then stir it into the dry ingredients. If the mixture is too dry, you can stir in a little more milk.

3  Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the bread is cooked through. Serve the  corn bread sliced, spread with butter.

Here is a simple idea for making over an old lampshade.

You will need
• bell-shaped lampshade frame (ours has a base diameter of 25cm)
• cotton DK in the colour of your choice (we used one 50g ball)
• 5,5mm knitting needles
• large-eyed sewing needle
• pretty ribbon or lace

1 For a 25cm lampshade, cast on 100 stitches. For a different size frame, ensure the cover is tight at the bottom as knitting stretches.

2  Work approximately 50 rows in stocking stitch (one row plain, one row purl). Check every few rows to see how much more to knit. Cast off once your knitting is long enough.

3  Wrap the knitting around the frame and sew the side edges together. Attach the top and bottom to the frame. To complete, tie around ribbon or lace.
TIP If your knitting ends up too big, thread elastic through the top and bottom edges and pull to tighten.

How to knit purl stitch
With the yarn at the front, insert the right-hand needle through the front of the first stitch on the left-hand needle. Wind the yarn around the right-hand needle.

Lampshade from The Lampshade Studio 082 768 5100

The winter won’t feel so cold with these curry recipes.

Illustration: Hannes Koegelenberg

Traditional korma curries are made using cream; we’ve used low-fat evaporated milk as well as lean chicken breast fillets to make this a healthier version.

Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

• 10ml canola oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 5 cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
• 5ml each ground coriander, cumin, turmeric and garam masala
• 125ml chicken stock
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 200ml low-fat evaporated milk
• 5ml cornflour
• 6 chicken breast fillets, cubed
• 25ml sesame seeds
• fresh coriander
• 50ml slivered almonds, lightly toasted
• cooked brown rice or barley, to serve

1 Heat the oil in a saucepan, then add the onion, garlic and ginger and sauté until soft. add the spices and stir well, then add the stock. add the sweet potato and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potato is tender.

2 Stir a little of the evaporated milk into the cornflour, then stir into the remaining evaporated milk. Add to the saucepan and bring to the boil, then add the chicken and simmer for five minutes or until cooked through. Stir gently.

3 Add the sesame seeds and fresh coriander and season to taste. Serve sprinkled with the almonds and accompanied with brown rice or barley.

Why it’s good for you
• Almonds contain healthy fats, vitamins and protein.
• Spices such as turmeric and ginger contain anti-inflammatory compounds that might reduce the risk of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
• The anti oxidants in garlic and onions can protect against heart disease and cancer.
• Sweet potatoes are rich in potassium and vitamin C as well as calcium.

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Baked chocolate and cranberry pudding (Low in fat)

Knit yourself this warm chunky blanket and hibernate in the winter chill.

Size
220 x 250cm

You will need
• 18 x 100g balls of Elle Family Knit Chunky in stone shade no. 048
• 7mm circular needle
• 7mm crochet hook

Tension
12 sts and 16 rows to 10cm over stocking stitch using 7mm Ns.

Before you begin
It can be very heavy on your wrists and shoulders when knitting such large pieces, so it is a good idea to place a large tray on your lap to take some of the weight. As one row is completed, simply turn the tray around so the right side of the next row is facing you without you having to keep lifting and turning the work.

To knit rectangle
Using a 7mm circular N, c/on 131sts and work in double moss st patt as folls:

1st row (RS): * k1, p1; rep from * to last st, k1.

2nd row: * p1, k1; rep from * to last st, p1.

3rd row: * p1, k1; rep from * to last st, p1.

4th row: * k1, p1; rep from * to last st, k1.

These 4 rows form the patt.
Cont in patt until work measures 125cm from the beg, ending with a WS row. C/off all sts in patt.
Make three more rectangles in exactly the same way.

To make up
Block the pieces to measurement, but do not press. The knitting will drop as it is heavy and over time it may increase slightly in size. Place two rectangles together with the WS facing. Using a 7mm crochet hook and working in the edge sts so they correspond, join the two pieces with dc. This stitch will form a seam with a raised edge. Repeat for the other two rectangles. Now join the two strips of two rectangles together to complete the blanket.

TIP The pattern for the rectangles is not complicated, but you must pay attention when working every row. If a mistake is made it will be very obvious and it will spoil the appearance of the blanket. List rows one to four on a piece of paper and every time you complete a row, tick it off. It is always best to complete an entire row when finishing off for the day, as holding stitches in the middle of a row can stretch the yarn and distort the stitches.

Turning your body into an efficient fuel burner is easier than you think.

To lose weight easily and healthily, you need to boost your metabolism. Simply put, metabolism is the rate at which our bodies burn kilojoules. Many factors affect metabolism including stress, diet, genetics, hormones and age. Here are a few easy tips to kick your metabolism into high gear:

Graze, don’t gorge
‘Smaller, more frequent meals keep your blood sugar stable, provide a steady source of energy to fuel metabolism and are also an ideal way to manage energy levels and cravings,’ says registered dietician Celynn Erasmus. She suggests not letting more than four hours pass between snacks. Ideally a snack should meet the following guidelines:
• It should provide about 300-500 kiloujoules (70-120 calories).
• The total fat should be about 10g (for weight loss 5g is better).
• It should be as high in fibre as possible.
• It should contain some vitamins and minerals.
• The carbohydrates should be slow releasing, with a glycaemic index (GI) of less than 60 (intermediate or low) and a glycaemic load (GL) of between five and 10 (low).
Note that dropping your kilojoule intake below 4 200kj (1 000 calories) a day will signal to your body that you are in starvation mode, which will cause your metabolism to slow down.

Make sure you eat breakfast
Skipping breakfast slows your metabolism and your body goes into ‘hoard mode’. Breakfast boosts your metabolism and pro- vides energy throughout the day. ‘The majority of people who eat a healthy breakfast have fewer weight and health issues than those who don’t,’ says Celynn. Try thinking out of the box. For example, opt for a bowl of vegetables instead of cereal.

Eat most of your food earlier in the day
Dinner should be your lightest meal. Try not to eat later than three to four hours before you go to bed, to allow your body time to process and burn the food.

Water, water, water
Depriving your body of water can encourage it to hoard energy. More than 90% of the chemical reactions in your body occur in water. Water flushes toxins out of the body and keeps the kid- neys operating efficiently, allowing the liver time to metabolise fat. Guidelines suggest we need 1,5 to 2,5 litres of water a day.

Get enough B vitamins
If you lack energy, make sure you are getting enough B vita- mins, specifically B12. Consider taking a B-complex supple- ment and include vitamin B-rich foods such as low-fat dairy products, leafy green vegetables and whole grains in your diet.

Stay hot – eat chillies
Chillies have many health promoting benefits such as fighting inflammation and boosting immunity. The heat you feel after eating hot chilli takes kilojoules to produce. Even sweet red peppers can significantly increase heat production and oxygen consumption for more than 20 minutes after they are eaten.

Count sheep
Research suggests that people who do not get sufficient sleep tend to gain weight. This may be because the body uses sleep to heal and regenerate itself, including its muscular system.

Get enough of the right exercise
Consider the quantity and the quality of the exercise. Choose exercise that suits your lifestyle and that you find enjoyable. ‘The best forms of exercise for boosting metabolism are those that build or maintain lean muscle, such as weight train- ing or resistance exercise. Muscle burns more kilojoules than fat, even while you are resting,‘ says Celynn.

Choose slow-releasing food
Eat low glycaemic index or slow-releasing carbohydrates, which keep your blood sugar levels on an even keel and your insulin levels low after eating.

This chocolate pudding will satisfy your sweet tooth without adding too many kilojoules to your diet.

Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 45 minutes
Oven temperature: 180°C

• 25ml boiling water
• 60ml dried cranberries, roughly chopped
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 85ml (75g) castor sugar
• 170ml (95g) self-raising flour
• 15ml cocoa powder
Sauce
• 125ml (110g) brown sugar
• 30ml cocoa powder 300ml boiling water
• 50g dark chocolate (with 70% cocoa solids), melted

1 Pour 25ml boiling water over the cranberries and set aside to soak.

2 Beat the eggs until they are pale. Add the castor sugar and beat until thick.

3 Sift the flour and cocoa over the egg mixture and fold in along with the cranberries and water. Spoon into a greased ovenproof dish or individual dishes to three-quarters full.

4 Sauce Mix the brown sugar and cocoa powder together. Stir in the boiling water. Pour slowly over the back of a spoon over the batter. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes (or 20 minutes if using individual dishes). Remove from the oven and set aside to stand for 15 minutes. Serve drizzled with melted chocolate.

Why it’s good for you
• Dark chocolate contains plenty of minerals and flavonoids. Flavonoids are phytochemical plant pigments that act as natural antioxidants, neutralising free radicals that can damage body tissue.
• Cranberries are rich in antioxidants and can help to prevent urinary tract infections.

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Chicken and sweet potato korma(Low in fat and suitable for diabetics)

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Quick, easy and so pretty! Make a cake stand from a selection of floral plates to display your cupcakes beautifully. This would also make a lovely gift.

You will need
• large plate
• small plate
• saucer
• two sherry glass in different sizes
• strong glue that dries transparent
• white vinegar

1 Wash the crockery in white vinegar and lukewarm water to remove any oiliness, then dry. Mark the centre of each plate.

The inspiration for this cake was bright floral.

Makes: 1 x 22cm ring cake
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour Oven temperature: 180°C

• 250ml (230g) butter
• 330ml (280g) sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs
• 500ml (270g) cake flour
• 10ml baking powder
• 2 drops red food colouring
• 7ml rosewater
• 75g Turkish delight sweets, finely chopped
• 250ml (130g) icing sugar
• sugared roses and extra Turkish delight sweets, to decorate

1 Beat the butter until soft and creamy. In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and eggs together until thick and light.

2 Fold the sifted flour and baking powder gently into the egg mixture. Fold the butter in.

3 Add a drop or two of red food colouring and 5ml rosewater. Fold gently then spoon half of the mixture into a greased ring pan. Sprinkle the Turkish delight pieces evenly over the batter. Top with the remaining batter and bake in a preheated oven for about an hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

4 Remove from the oven, cool, and then invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

5 Sift the icing sugar and add a little warm water along with the remaining 2ml rosewater. Stir to make a spreading consistency. Add a few drops of colouring if you prefer. Drizzle over the cake and allow to run down the sides. Decorate the cake with sugared roses (click below to see step-by-step instructions for making sugared roses). If you don’t want to use glacé icing, you can simply dust the cake with sifted icing sugar instead.

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Sugared roses
Sugared flowers