What’s Your Guilty Pleasure

Regardless of our refined our tastes may be, we all have a few guilty pleasures. Foods that we just love even though we know we shouldn't. I am very much against processed food, but there are some to which I just can't seem to shake my addiction! I have to admit that a lot of these were introduced to me on my trips to the US, like Twinkies, peppermint patties and potato bread. Even now back in Zambia I crave potato bread hot dogs. I also love canned pasta, especially Heinz Macaroni Cheese. When I was in Italy I fell in love with Kinder Brioche, a type of oblong cake that Italians like to eat for breakfast. Again I still pine after these tasty sponge cakes that are just wonderful dipped in coffee and I wonder why they have never been for sale in the UK. Then of course the ultimate sin – pork fat (crispy) and roast chicken skin. Most of my guilty pleasures are comfort foods or foods that remind me of a particular time in my life. Sometimes it's just reverting back to my childhood, who doesn't want to do that every now and then?

So, share with me, what's your list of guilty pleasures?

Healthy Banana Cake

This banana cake recipe was given to me by a student. It is wonderful and easy to make. In the original recipe Splenda is used instead, if you prefer this, do not pre-heat your oven.

2 peeled apples grated

1 sliced banana WITH skin

2 tablespoons of unrefined cane suger

1/2 tsp of mixed spice

2 egg yolks and 3 egg whites

3 tablespoons of sunflower oil

2 1/2 0z of oats

2 1/2 0z of self-raising wholemeal flour

1/2 tsp of baking powder

Preheat the oven to 180 c

Mix the oil, apple, eggs and mixed spice together

In a separate bowl, mix all the other dry ingredients

Add the the oil, apple etc to the dry mixture and combine gently

Pour into a greased baking pan - I used a square one of medium size

Bake for about 35 minutes, check after 30.

Turn out onto a rack then cut into squares when cooled.