Baking & portion control

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

I promised to make Tony a fruitcake.
They take no time in the assembling, but do require a long time to bake then cook down. I used up those packets, cranberries, raisins, nuts. Pistaches.
Jolly good it is too.
Personally, I would have pulled it out 15mins earlier, but he likes his baking well fired.

One piece for me, and the remainder is for him, one slice a day - he's got amazing portion control.



Any other bakers out there wanting to share?

[Sakkarin Profile]

Talking of portion control, there was an article in the Guardian a couple of days ago on portion control, which coincided with a friend writing a poem on The Joy Of Hobnobs, so I adapted the Guardian article as below.

Also I was going through a lot of old photos yesterday and found a pic of a Dundee cake I made in 2011, and marvelled at how scrummy it looks!

These days I tend to make the quickest cakes I can, usually either Rachel Allen's all-in-one muffins, Levi Root's Jamaica Ginger Cake, or quick American-style Pancakes. I've made three batches of pancakes already this year, and used up the last of my Lidl maple syrup...

EDIT: P.S. I don't actually like the chocolate hobnobs, they're a bit gritty - give me a chocolate digestive any day...

[Stokey Sue Profile]

The portion control thing has set all the dieticians and nutritionists on Twitter into a frenzy
Basically they don't like it because it really can't be one size fits all

For example, PHE suggest that the correct portion of pasta is 65 - 75 grams. That's about right for me on most days as a main course (what about pasta served as a side or as a pasta course Italian style?) but clearly not enough for a fit 95kg rugby player even on an office work day, and definitely not enough post match. Possibly to omuch for some people, but not many.

Having said which when cooking for myself I do try to be a bit aware of portion size, there's a tendency to cook 100% or 50% of a package or item and then eat all that has been cooked, even if it's slightly too much

[Sakkarin Profile]

On that issue, the first and third examples illustrated on the piccy I posted are utterly pointless, and the middle one doesn't specify length - do they still make the really long spaghetti my mum used to buy?

I always cook too much and end up eating it all, to avoid cooking too little

Whoops, not about baking, so here's a pic of my first attempt at macaroons, a couple of weeks ago, edited to remove the bit of buttercream you could see poking out which I used to hold them upright. A bit too sugary for me though...

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

OOoooo, they look gooooood. First attempt well done.

I do weigh some things.
Oats for breakfast, I weigh 65g.
Pasta, I weigh 250g for 2. It's always too much, I know 100g is right, but any less looks stingy.

The smell of cooking pancakes takes me right back to my childhood.
My mum used to make drop scones if there wasn't much money around
She was from Dundee as it happens, so Dundee cake takes me back there too.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I don't use my cup measures for baking but I do use them for portioning

This morning I had a 1/4 cup of granola with a sliced banana, last night I had the same volume of dry rice with my salmon teriyaki and so on (didn't finish the rice)


Talking of which - what has happened to small bananas? The ones I saw over the weekend were the size of mammoth tusks and those in the shop are quite chunky. I'll have to look at funsize ones, I only eat them in granola of yogurt so big ones don't work.

[Wic Profile]

I love the portion control pictures, Sakkarin, though only one packet looks a bit mean ...

I always used to measure pasta by handfuls, but use less now, our appetites have shrunk in recent years. Five of my handfuls is now a scant four handfuls and there is always some left over, but, like, Gill, somehow if you don’t use as much it looks as if you won’t have enough.

[Alexandria Profile]

Sakkarin,

The White French Macarons look wonderful !

Congratulations ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Since we eat pasta as a main course, followed by just a simple Rocket & Radicchio salad, 65 grams per person, would surely not be enough for us.

250 Grams of pasta divided by 2 is our standard at home.

[Alexandria Profile]

Sakkarin,

2.000 Calories is outrageous !

Way over the limit ..

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Sakkarin,

2.000 Calories is outrageous !

Way over the limit ..

Limit for whom?

Scientific basis?

It’s the recommended daily intake for a normally active man in both US and EU

But of course that’s the real total including drinks etc

[Alexandria Profile]

Sue,

My view for me.

I would never be able to eat that much to consume 2.000 calories a day.

The poster states: 2.000 Calories for Women and 2.500 Calories for Men.

And my dear would never be able to eat that much in a day to take in 2.500 Calories.


Have a nice day.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Then I doubt you can cook and eat 250g pasta for 2 people, Member 461.
That's too much pasta for a smaller eater.

Tony and I are very fit, I can easily eat 2000 calories per day. More on a particularly active day, say a 5hr cycle ride or walk.
But even when I say 250g pasta, we leave some of it.

[Amyw Profile]

How much calories do you and your husband have a day then Member 461, as the stated figures are correct. In order to lose a pound of weight a week, you’re supposed to have a 500 cal deficit per day from those amounts

[Alexandria Profile]

Gil,

My view.

We have always been very fit too & work out daily, and since we do not eat very much at night during the week, & never snack on pre packaged krap, and are up at 5.30am, believe me we share 250 grams of pasta, and pasta is one of our fave foods, and my view is 2,000 or 2,500 calories is still a hell of alot of food.

The only sauce on our pasta is fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and a bit of garlic and Bio Evoo and a pinch of salt to taste & a teaspoon sprinkle of aged Reggiano. So, that is not 2,000 calories !

We very rarely eat meat or poultry products either, so for us, a bowl type plate of pasta without bread & a very tiny salad is quite filling and holds us through as we work long hours ..

Even a tiny pincho or canapé does not have 2,000 calories nor a Michelin Star dinner .. ( fish or shellfish is low in fat, however, high in cholesterol ) All is fresh & very light.

A plate of paella does not have 2,000 calories either ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Amy,

I do not need to diet nor does my spouse as we are naturally tall and slim and have been all our lives.

I stated: " My view: 2,000 Calories for women, and 2,500 Calories for men, sounds like an awful lot of calories " ..



Nothing more to say.

Have a Healthy, Successful & Happy New Year.

[smitch Profile]

Do you not eat breakfast or lunch then? Just pasta in the evening? The 2000 calorie guideline is per day not per meal.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Most people take in a lot more calories than they think , it least because they underestimate drinks, a cappuccino for example is 90 calories or more, a typical glass of orange juice about the same, and fizzy drinks including mixers like tonic range from 35 to 55 per 100 ml. Then all alcohol is 52 calories per 10 ml pure alcohol (1 unit, 25 ml of a standard spirit) plus whatever traces of sugar are in the drink
Then there are the bits and pieces like salad dressings and condiments; I was slightly shocked when I discovered how many calories were added to grilled tomatoes by dressing them with pesto

[Alexandria Profile]

Smitch,

Yes of course, we have breakfast ( 6am ) and lunch ( 14.30 ) always ..

At 11am, Spanish Coffee Break Time Officially: an Espresso ( never milk ) .. and a bottle of sparking wáter with fresh lemon or an Earl Grey ( no sugar ever in my hot beverages ).

Laboral days, we might stop for a tapa or share some squid or prawns or a salad depending on the season and weather.

However, in Spain, the main meal is lunch at 14.30 ..

Breakfast (6am) is always Espresso, 2 fruits and a hard boiled egg or a slice of cibbatto with a teaspoon of Evoo and crushed fresh tomato & 2 fruits, usually splotched acidy matte, green & pale red apples .. ( never shiny ) .. Then, off to the office by foot .. In the summer, I do like to have fresh figs and berries when in season.

Saturdays are our dinner out evening with Friends or Family or just the two of us, depending on the weekend or where we are.

We do not snack on plastic false packaged poisons ..

I close with have a nice evening. It is late ..

[Amyw Profile]

Absolutely exemplary Member 461 , all organic or bio I assume

Reverting back to original subject , your cake looks lovely Gill. Can’t beat a homemade cake