Coffee and honey cupcakes

These days I am big on coffee; in whatever form I can possibly find it. It's probably not a very healthy thing to have lots of cups of coffee a day but you can substitute that craving for a coffee cupcake instead. They're really simple to make and they're better than having a cup loaded with caffeine!

MAKES 10 CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

170g wholewheat self raising flour (or white)

1 tablespoon wheatgerm

100ml rapeseed oil (or 100g unsalted butter)

100ml honey (or maple syrup, I find maple syrup gives it a deeper, more caramel-like taste)

2 eggs

1 tablespoon fresh coffee (or 1/2 tablespoon granules, diluted in a little water)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

100g cranberries (optional)

50g pecans, chopped, to decorate (optional)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C and line a muffin tray with cupcake liners.

Whisk together the eggs and oil until light and fluffy. Then slowly pour in the honey. Add the vanilla and coffee. Once combined add the self-raising flour, baking powder and wheatgerm and combine until the mixture comes together.

If you are adding the cranberries add now with a wooden spoon.

Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Cool and serve with vanilla ice cream (and of course, this bit is optional!)

* Wheatgerm is an excellent source of Vitamin E and B vitamins (folic acid in particular), Magnesium, Calcium and Phosphorus.

* High in Vitamin C, Cranberries are an excellent source of antioxidants which are essential to combating free radicals in the body.

pancake day without the pounds

I love fluffy American pancakes, who doesn't? They're so filling and yet strangely uplifting that one is never really enough. Here's my version of those feel-good delights, which are great fun to make with the kids.

Also, if you don't already have wholemeal plain flour in your pantry don't worry, use plain flour and just remember to buy some next time you go grocery shopping - it really does make all the difference to the whole family.

MAKES 8 PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS

100g plain wholemeal flour

30g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup, or half and half)

140ml soya milk (or buttermilk or semi skimmed milk, whichever you prefer!)

1 large egg

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil (or olive oil)

METHOD

Sift the flours, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. In separate jug or bowl beat the egg, and then whisk in the milk, honey and oil.

Heat a non-stick pan and brush with a little oil. Then, using a small ladle, pour the batter onto the pan (you should be able to get three small pancakes in at the same time). To avoid the pancakes getting cold, place a warm plate in the oven and keep the pancakes in there until the rest are ready.

Serve with maple syrup and fruit... and maybe even a little whipped cream for a more indulgent breakfast. Milk chocolate drops sprinkled on top are also a favourite with kids!

* Wholemeal / wholewheat flour contains more nutrients than white plain flour, which extracts around 60% of the nutrients when bleached, including bran, which is very important for the body as it contains vitamins B1, B2, B3 and folic acid, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, copper and iron - that's a whole load of vitamins! The fiber in wholemeal can also help maintain a healthy body weight.

* Honey has numerous health benefits, including acting as an antioxidant, anti-bacterial agent and can give a boost to the immune system.