SEASON'S GREETINGS

Afrihyia pa

Buon Natale

C Pождеством Xристовом

Feliz Navidad

Glædelig jul

Joyeux Noël

Krismas Njema Na Heri Za Mwaka Mpya

Nadolig llawen

Nollaig chridheil

selamat hari natal

สุขสันต์วันคริสตร์มาส

FANCY AN APPLE CRUMBLE WITH SOME ZING?

You can exclude or increase the ginger powder if you wish to. I would have used fresh ginger but had to consider my two rascals.

INGREDIENTS:

4 medium sized golden delicious apples

Juice of 1 navel orange - I prefer this as I find the taste just right

300g plain flour

5g ginger powder

160g light brown soft sugar

225g + 15g extra unsalted butter

50g flaked almonds

50g ground almonds

IN THE MIX:

Preheat your oven to gas mark 6.

Peel, core and dice the apples. Toss in the orange juice (make sure each piece is coated in the juice). Cook on low heat uncovered. You can cook it covered for the last 2 minutes to make it slightly softer.

Add the powdered ginger to the flour and mix well. Rub in the 225g butter till your hands almost fall off - well it felt like that!

Stir in the 50g flaked almonds and set aside.

Add the 50g ground almonds to the apple/orange mixture coating each piece. Gently stir in the 15g butter and set aside.

Distribute your apple/orange/almond mixture evenly into 2 (215mmØ x 24mm deep) flan cases and sprinkle your flour mix on top. Gently press down and bake for 35 minutes (or until golden brown).

Leave to cool slightly and serve with cold vanilla custard.

Enjoy

Akua *I am not good at writing out recipes -I just love baking*

HAIR PAMPERING TIME

I love concocting and abide by almost the same principles for cooking & skincare.

My hair needed serious pampering tonight so I gathered whatever I had at home to treat it and here is what I did. Some of the ingredients are from my garden to show you how fresh the ingredients are.

Please read through:

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE TEA

475g freshly boiled water 35g apple cider vinegar (acv) 15g fresh bay leaves from my garden

2g fresh rosemary sprigs from my garden

FOR THE “MAYONNAISE”

52g banana (without the skin)

20g unrefined palm kernel oil

20g shea oil

14g egg yolk

12g fresh root ginger (without the skin)

10g shine oil

9g moringa seed powder (or moringa leaf powder)

6g fresh garlic (without the skin)

1. Bruise the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs to release the aroma and put in a glass jug (this helps to retain the heat).

2. Pour the acv over the herbs.

3. Add the freshly boiled water and stir to incorporate. Cover the mixture with a cling film and set aside.

4. Wash your hair with authentic African black soap. Towel dry but leave the hair wrapped up whilst you mix up your “mayonnaise”.

5. Blend all the ingredients for the mayonnaise till smooth. Massage your scalp before applying the mixture – do not comb through. This mixture was thick enough for my rather thick Afro hair. Make sure you cover every strand.

6. Wear a shower cap and keep your hair warm preferably under a hooded hair dryer for 30 minutes. This method can be quite dehydrating so make sure you give yourself 3 x 10minutes intervals – drinking enough water in between.

7. Rinse your hair thoroughly with warm water. Strain the “tea” and use as the final rinse.

As it is too late now, I have decided to leave the hair to dry naturally and oil it in the morning.

A BICYCLE FOR A SPECIAL GIRL

A big thank you to Tomcat Trikes in Gloucester for this amazing bicycle for my 10 year old Queen.

Tomcat build amazing bicycles for special needs' people and the service is superb. After waiting more than 5 months to have the bicycle built, we were all happy to wake up early on Saturday morning and drive down to Gloucester where we met Bob and John. Their hands-on approach is one of their many fantastic services they offer. We are now looking forward to riding as a family.

THE FRIDAY NIGHT PROJECT

What have I let myself in for? There was a time when I was learning about SAP values and ingredient properties. Now, I am learning all about beads and wire gauges. I am finding myself winding down every day with more beaded earrings and bracelets. My favourite is the necklace but I seem to forget buying enough for the whole set - at least, I am still learning.

This is my Friday night project - yes, all handmade after the rascals were put in bed tonight.

Sorry about this image - I know - I should have rotated it :)

I keep promising myself to stop making the pieces and start selling but all in good time.

Akua

AshantiGirl.com

I AM A VERY PROUD TEACHER

My recent rather hectic trip to Ghana included a soapmaking class for members of the shea co-op. This is the same co-op I have used for more than 3 years - supplying me with pure unrefined sheabutter and unrefined neem oil. It is great to support this co-op who are not affiliated to any UK based companies.

I am not a good teacher but I enjoy making natural soaps. Bearing this in mind, I was happy to put few days aside for a soapmaking class under the rather hot Ghanaian sunshine.

I am proud to say that the "students" listened and yesterday, I was sent some pictures of their recent soap batches using unrefined shea butter - naturally. I am so proud to support this co-op and will continue to do so.

Ayekoo.

RED RIBBON

Thank you to all those who purchase our marula oil, 10% from the sale of each bottle is donated towards the support of a child orphaned thanks to the highest HIV/AIDS rate in the world.