Have a break, have a diet muffin

There are some things I really hate, only a few, but the one that i hate the most is the daily, weekly task of cleaning, it never ends. However I found a way to make it more bearable ( it's that the right word?!) and it is give myself a treat after. So... at least I have something to look forward to. My treat this week ... muffins!!! who said girls on a diet don't have fun???

INGREDIENTS

Makes about 8 nice size muffins, and last up to 3-4 days if you can refrain yourself

• 4 large egg whites , 5 if medium 
• 8 tablespoon of oat bran
• 4 tablespoon of fat free formage frais
• 3 tablespoon of powder sweetener
• 1/2 tablespoon of coffee powder
• 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon 

HOW TO

Gather your ingredients and preheat your oven at 180C (or 350 F)

I always start by beating the egg whites till stiff, and what do I mean by stiff? I mean that you can put the egg whites over you head and the wont fall out, that stiff we are talking about, so take your mixer and shake it baby.

Then in a deep plate mix all the dry ingredients, be careful they tend to try to leave your plate and make a mess all over the counter.

When mixed add the cheese and remove again until it gets a stronger consistency and it well incorporated 

Then it is time to add it to the stiff egg whites, that is tricky, you should incorporate all mixture but carefully and mixing it slowly with the spatula so the mixture would keep the smoothness, do it slowly it doesn't take that long. 

Now it is time to prepare your tin and muffin cases, I do spray them with cooking spray but that is totally optional. This muffins do not grow much do you can fill it up to 3/4 of the case or even a little bit more.

Let it bake for about 25 min depending on your oven, mine works out about 23 min and I let then cool down a bit inside the oven for about 7 min before I take them out. I find they are delicious with milk as they are a bit dry, but it work great as afternoon and breakfast treat.

Let me know how it goes for you and 

ENJOY :)

Home Made Custard Dukan Style

I love sweet things and I don't think I could live without them. When I bought the Dukan diet I was so surprise that they had some dessert here and there, because when you go dieting is like you are punished without dessert; not in this diet and I am so grateful for it.

Last night I came home late craving something sweet so I made some custard, it has to chill for a while but no one could prevent me to eat the pot left overs. And this morning... well what did you think I did?

INGREDIENTS 

Makes 4 small cups.

• 1 litre skimmed milk
• 5 egg yolks
• 45gr (3 tbs) cornflour 
• 3 tbs sweetener
• Cinnamon stick  
• Vanilla essence 
• Star anise ( totally optional but I love the taste)  

HOW TO

Gather you ingredients 

Get a pot and add all the milk but one cup. Add the cinnamon, the sweetener, the star anise and the vanilla essence. Let it cook at a medium heat for about 14 min taking care that it doesn't boil or it would ruin the other mixture. In the meantime get you other cup of milk and mix it with the cornflour.

I do this a cup because it is much more manageable. You should mix it up really well and then put the mixture in a bigger container. Then, and this is important, incorporate the egg yolks (the yellowish thing) one by one, do not incorporate another until the previous one is not perfectly mixed. I use a hand mixer for this, because I was tired and I am lazy to do it by hand, but both ways should work.

When you have mixed all the eggs add the warm milk. Be careful if the milk still warm, and do it in small bits, if the milk is to hot it will cook the eggs and the mixture will be ruined, so slowly. Add the mixture to a deep bottom pan.

You need about 7 min of low heat and remove, remove, remove. Be careful NEVER let it boil, that is the only thing that can ruin it. Remove creamy mixture from the heat and place it in your chosen container, let it chill for two hour or over night like a did and there you have home made custard.

Add powder cinnamon if you are an addict like me and 

ENJOY :)