A gluten-free chocolate and almond cake that is also guilt-free, but still tastes totally decadent? Yes!

I will be the first to put my hand up and say that my forays into gluten-free baking have not always been hugely successful. So I am shamelessly proud of myself for producing this totally delicious Guilt-Free, Gluten-Free Chocolate and Almond Cake today which was a resounding success. 

The occasion? My husband’s birthday. Why on earth, I hear you cry, would you risk your previous track record in baking on such an important day? Because I’d got it into my head that I wanted to create this cake and he said it was OK if I fluffed it up and I wasn’t allowed to have a tantrum if I did. So there we go, carte blanche for me to crack on with the creation. 

Well it had to be gluten-free, no wheat flour in this house if we’re looking for a guilt-free cake. Ground almonds are a perfect alternative to flour in cakes, as they create a rich flavour and a gooey...

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Actually, I’m not a massive fan of Valentine’s Day. I spent the best part of my twenties cursing all the couples as I drifted in and out of unsuitable ‘relationships’ but mainly remained single (TMI?!) So I don’t really see the point of an over-commercialised ‘holiday’ designed to make single people feel inadequate and couples feel as though they have to gaze into each other’s eyes in a check-tableclothed Italian restaurant being overcharged for a plate of spaghetti carbonara.

Having said that, I still expect a card from the other half ;)

So my lovely husband and I tend to just make each other dinner at home and tonight it’s my turn for pudding. I have just whipped up these little chocolate mousses with a surprise healthy ingredient. They tasted pretty good when I licked the spoon so here’s hoping the afternoon in the fridge will make them super-yummy.

Simply whizz up 1 tablespoon of...

I have been inspired to write this post in advance of my appearance tonight on the lovely Parent’s Show on my local radio station in St Albans, Radio Verulam 92.6FM. 

The topic got me thinking about Christmas and about our traditions of allowing ourselves to completely stuff our faces with the knowledge that we’ll mop up all the damage in January. This tradition is about as ingrained in the British psyche at the Queen’s Speech. But it’s not exactly sending out the right message to our children is it? Especially at Christmas. Truckloads of chocolate + a bucket of sweets + a skipful of Santa excitement + a day of insane present-opening = MELTDOWNORAMA!!! I mean I think we’ve come to expect a level of completely tearful tantrums at some point over the festive season (and that’s not just because I have NOTHING to wear on Christmas Day), but is it really fair on our children’s little bodies to let them eat whatever they want, keep...

That got your attention!

As I mentioned in Super Speedy Snacks, I recently gave a talk to my local NCT Bumps & Babes group with lots of practical easy ideas to incorporate healing, healthy, energy-boosting foods into their very busy lives.

I have no idea if they were listening because frankly the babies were making a right racket, but I do know that the muffins went down a treat. The reason I have called them Mummy Muffins is that they contained two special ingredients to encourage milk flow – fennel and caraway seeds. Now, don’t worry, you won’t start spontaneously lactating, but it does give them an lovely aniseedy tang.

I have adapted the recipe for Good Morning Muffins from one of my favourite cookbooks, Leon by Allegra McEvedy, to make them less sugary, more nutty and seedy, gluten free, and of course, milk flow-inducing. Here you go:

Makes about 8 in a deep muffin tray.

• 2 eggs (free range definitely, organic preferably)
• 90ml groundnut oil
• 3 heaped...