Our Wednesday, Travel League.

What an exhausting day we had yesterday, we had to be at training for Matt at 9 a.m. then we dashed back after a 2 1/2 hr. session and had a fairly quick lunch then headed off for my doctor’s appointment in Cambridge (next town) having told her, my doctor, my sad tale of woe, she sent me off for X-rays so, as I only really know a lab in Kitchener, we came home and first went to the lab for Matt’s blood test (they close at 3) and then on to get my X-rays. All done by about 3:30. I was now worrying because we didn’t have the cell phone and I had promised to visit a friend as it was her birthday. Finally got to call her from home and apologize for not dropping by. We had a quick, and early supper and off to another elections training session. We have now decided to swap jobs and Matt will be the Information Assistant (meeter and greeter) and I will be the Revision Assistant. Caused a bit of confusion, but we sorted it out in the end. Finally got home about 9 to collapse in heaps.

For those of you who might be taking part in the Provincial elections, by the way, you do NOT have to show photo i.d. this year – I think that’s ridiculous, but who am I?

Re the doctor, I had a bad fall a week or two ago and may have given myself spinal stenosis because I fell on my coccyx jarring my spine badly. I have major pain in my neck, back and shoulders. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Today its lunch at Benny’s in Waterloo and then the first bowling for our Travel League. This one takes place at our home bowling alley.

I am really annoyed with Amazon.com, we just bought their Kindle and now they have introduced a much better version as well as a cheaper version. Grrr. If you are interested, go to this page and you will find all their new Kindles  including the Kindle Fire which is apparently intended to compete with the iPad.

Carrot Cake

Source: © EatingWell Magazine

16 servings (by who’s count?)

An old favorite with an updated nutritional profile, but still as moist and delicious as ever.
INGREDIENTS

For the Cake:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (see Ingredient note)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved

2 cups grated carrots (4-6 medium)

1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

For the Frosting:

2 tablespoons coconut chips or flaked coconut

12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Ingredient Note:
Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Available in large supermarkets and in natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.

DIRECTIONS

To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Toast walnuts in a small baking pan in the oven until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes.

Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and 1/4 cup of the reserved pineapple juice in a large bowl until blended. Stir in pineapple, carrots and coconut. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until blended. Stir in the nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.

Bake the cake until the top springs back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare frosting & finish cake: Place coconut in a small baking pan and toast in the oven at 300 degrees F, stirring several times, until light golden, 5 to 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with the coconut.

Have a great day