Tag Archives: recipes

Let them make cake!

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Turning a hobby into a business is always a popular topic on Girls Around Town and if the business in question involves food, so much the better.

Someone who’s done just that is Lyndsay Sadler, who joins June and Rosalyn in the studio this weekend to talk about how she’s now sharing a life-long passion for cooking with the young – and not so young! – in a variety of ways.

In addition to making beautiful celebration cakes and cupcakes, she passes on her skills in the kitchen to children and teenagers by giving them the opportunity to make their own tasty treats. And of course, to enjoy the results of their new-found culinary expertise too…

Lyndsay will be describing her own journey, from spending hours transfixed by the tempting cakes in her mother’s cookery books to studying for a City and Guilds in Advanced Professional Cookery and later living above a boulangerie in Lyon and getting up early to watch the bakers at work.

Now with four children of her own, ranging from one to twelve-years old, when they started growing up she knew she wanted to combine everything she’d learned with a business and so Coco’s Kitchen was born.

“I’ve always loved involving my children in what I’m doing in the kitchen,” she says.  “We cook regularly together and enjoy ourselves enormously in the process. Cooking with your kids is quality family time and the added bonus is you get the wonderful bonding experience of sharing something delicious together at the end.

“Each year, as my own children’s birthdays came around, I looked for new ideas for their parties and then it suddenly occurred to me that, with my experience of both food and children, I should start my own business to cater for this growing market.”

Tune in to 107.8FM or listen online between 10am and 12 noon to find out more about the benefits of getting your kids busy in the kitchen. Lyndsay will also be talking about some of her favourite makes and bakes – luckily for June and Rosalyn’s waistlines, there’ll be no cakes in the studio this Sunday but word is she’ll be whipping up a tasty wintry soup…

Sounds like just the job for a chilly November lunchtime!

Time for a treat?

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Who says eating healthily means never being able to enjoy the occasional treat?

Certainly not Alison Harris, last Sunday’s guest on Girls Around Town – and June is with her all the way on that too…

Everybody needs a bit of a treat once in a while and if it’s a guilt-free one, then so much the better.

Next time you’re tempted to reach for a chocolate bar or a cake, give Alison’s protein balls a try – quick and easy to make, you can even pop them in the freezer which means they’re always to hand when you want to spoil yourself a little!

Alison's Protein Balls

  • Servings: Makes 18
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 100gms ground almonds
  • Approx 75gms raisins
  • 2 tbsps peanut buttter
  • 1 tbsp ground mixed seeds
  • 1 tbsp cacao powder
  • Handful of berries, grapes or orange segments

Directions

  1. Blitz all the ingredients in a food processor, making sure the mixture is wet enough to stick together – you can add a little extra peanut or coconut oil if you wish.
  2. Shape into bite-sized balls and roll in dessicated coconut.
  3. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.
  4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freeze them if you want to.

Let’s raise some dough!

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Have you been watching The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer on Channel 4 over the last few weeks?

Probably not ideal viewing if, like June, you’ve given up cakes for Lent but great entertainment nevertheless – and all in a good cause too, of course.

If you’ve been inspired to follow the example of Jeremy Paxman, Johnny Vegas, Nicola Adams and the other 17 celebs lined up for the series, here’s your chance to do just that.

Whether you’re a Star Baker or a Soggy-Bottomed runner up, Newark Does Bake Off wants to hear from you. And you can hear all about it next Sunday, when Ann Hayes joins June and Rachel in the studio…

Bring your best bake – or just your appetite – to Ann et Vin on Sunday 14 April and join in the fun from 2pm. Tickets, priced £10 for bakers and £10 for testers, are on sale now from 23-25 Castlegate and all proceeds will be going to Stand Up To Cancer.

The Girls Around Town were a little disappointed to learn that the hunky Mr Hollywood won’t be among the judges. But between them Newark town mayor Tony Roberts and local chef/restaurant owner Steve Taylor no doubt have all the experience and expertise needed to step up to the plate in his place!!

Tune in or listen online from 10am for all the details from Ann. And find out whether June, Rachel and Rosalyn will be putting their own baking expertise to the test or just going along to give their taste buds a treat…

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