To Die For Chocolate Cake

My daughter dug this recipe up (Internet) and we adjusted a bit to replace egg substitute and white flour... Absolutely to die for, moist and rich but not too sweet!

Devilish Raspberry Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

Dough

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/4 cup vanilla yoghurt
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Raspberry Sauce

• 3 cups raspberries
• 1/3 raspberry jam (PC or Smuckers)
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Topping

• whipped cream

Combine all the dry dough ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl using electric mixer mix wet ingredients for 30 sec. Combine both mixtures and mix with electric mixer first on low speed until blended then on high speed for 3 min.

Fill into greased spring form. Bake at 165C in convection oven (180C /350F in normal oven) for 35-40min. Let cool completely.

To make the sauce, slowly heat the raspberry jam. When hot add lemon juice. Add fresh raspberries just before serving. Serve with fresh whipped cream. Yummy!

Fighting Injuries

For the last few month I have been running fairly regularly 2-4 times a week. Injury wise, I stayed out of trouble, but my calves have been getting increasinly tight and for a week or so, the side of my heel bone has been excruciatingly painful at night, early in the morning at at the beginning of my runs. I never have been a great uphill runners, but with my calves feeling like they are bursting on the slightest incline, I hardly have been able to walk uphill yet alone run. It's been a bit frustrating, as my overall running and speed has improved over the last few months.

I did a bit of digging and assessing my routines. The biggest downfall probably has been, that I didn't stretch during and after my run over the winter month (too cold, too wet, etc.). My half hearted attempts at stretching didn't do a thing and when the outside of my left heel started to throb, I knew I had to do something.

Lacking coverage for physio or massage therapy, I tend to self treat...maybe not the best solution, but I've had pretty good success. With a background in nursing and 35 years of running behind me, I've learned a trick or two.

Massage: Proud co-0wner of a Myofascial release ball I started to massage my calves every evening. The first time, I felt I was just trying to figure out which areas responded best. When finished, I was surprised at the feeling of release in my muscles. Definetely working in breaking up tightness.

Stretching: Ahem, I try to stretch extensively each evening before bed. I should probably add 1-2 more sessions throughout the day. Working on it. I go through a routine of common calf stretches, taking about 10 minutes.

Ice: I feel icing the side of my heel, would be benefical. I swear by icing anything that is slightly irritated and half had good success...this time around, I just haven't been to keen putting cold ice on my body...it's been a long winter ;-)

Strenghtening: Once my acute heel pain is under control, I will start on heel drop excersise, sets of 3x20 3 times a day.

Ibubrofen: I don't like taking drugs, but sometimes it helps to get the healing process started.

Wish me luck in getting over this.

Nutrient Values of Some Common Foods

This is a great resource from Health Canada: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/alt_formats/hpfb-dgpsa/pdf/nutrition/nvscf-vnqau_e.pdf

The Nutrient Value of Some Common Foods lists 19 nutrients in 975 foods marketed in Canada. The nutrient values are taken from the 1997 version of the CNF and are given in terms of the common household measure of the ready-to-eat form of the food. The nutrients listed in this booklet are:

Energy in kJ Protein Carbohydrate Total Dietary Fibre Total fat Cholesterol Calcium Iron

Zinc Sodium Potassium Vitamin A Vitamin C Vitamin B6 Folate Thiamin Riboflavin Niacin

Values for total saturated, total monounsaturated and total polyunsaturated fatty acids are given for some foods in an appendix to the main tables.

Use this quick and easy reference as a guide or a teaching tool towards forming better food choices through an understanding of the nutrient content of the foods you eat.

Obtain Nutrient Value of Some Common Foods

PDF Version

You can view or print the PDF version of the publication , Nutrient Value of Some Common Foods. You will need Adobe Acrobat reader to view this file.

Order a booklet:

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Please indicate the catalogue number when ordering:
H58-28/1999E
ISBN 0 - 660 - 17784 - 6

Price: $9.50Cdn +GST, Shipping and Handling, per copy
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Issued by Health Canada
Date: 1999

Tired of the Auto Industry Mess

I just about choked the other day when I read yet another report about the auto industries demise. No sympathy here. The writing was on the wall. Big, honking SUV's from the big North American Automakers are gas guzzlers, environmental disasters and most people who drive them, only need them to boost their ego not to navigate the rugged back country or transport their tools. I guess the margins where bigger than for smaller, economical cars and why not milk it to the bitter end? But what got really got me was one line where an hourly wage of an autoworker was mentioned. Are you sitting down? $79! You are kidding me. To put it into perspective, a registered nurse makes less than half that. Sorry guys, time to get real and cut those fat pay checks. You had enough time to put away a nest egg or pay down the mortgage and if you haven't, well, welcome to the real world.