Recipe

HEALTHY RECIPE Fallen Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Cake

Who would have thought olive oil and chocolate would go so well together? This recipe isn’t overly sweet but packs a deep, rich flavour. No butter or flour is required for this cake - just dark chocolate, olive oil and sugar! This recipe is by food blogger Michelle Tang of kitchenmess.com, a healthy recipe blog designed for busy working professionals. Follow her on IG and FB @kitchenmesshk.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Medium

TIME 75 minutes

TIP:

The cake is meant to look cracked and deflated - don’t worry if it’s not perfectlooking! INGREDIENTS • 200g dark chocolate • 125g strong-flavoured olive oil • 100g caster sugar • 2 tbsp ground almonds • 5 large eggs, separated • pinch of sea salt • 1 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Heat oven to 180C. Butter and line a 20cm springform pan with parchment paper. 2. Break chocolate into pieces and melt using double boiler method on a stove (i.e. heatproof pan set on top of simmering water). 3. Once completely melted, whisk oil in and two thirds of sugar. Stir until combined. Remove from heat and stir in ground nuts, pinch of sea salt and egg yolks. 4. In a separate clean bowl, whisk egg whites with the remaining sugar till you have medium stiff peaks forming (firm tips that droop slightly). 5. Using a spatula, loosen the chocolate mixture and gently fold in the egg whites. Fold thoroughly but be careful not to lose air. Transfer combined content to the springform pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Test by inserting skewer; if it comes out clean, the cake is done. 6. Remove from oven and leave to cool in the tin. 7. Carefully turn over and remove the paper. Plate then dust with icing sugar. Serve with some vanilla ice cream, creme fraiche, whipped cream or by itself!

THE POSITIVE POTENTIAL

How can we stay resilient through challenging times? We speak to Master Transformational Coach, Diana Purdy, who shares seven actionable tips on how to maintain a positive mindset through 2021.

START AND END YOUR DAY WELL

Use the fi rst moments of your day to breathe deeply, meditate, pray and set your intentions. If you don’t take time for yourself, it’s easy to lose who you are in taking care of everybody else, leading to resentment and low morale. Exercise not only contributes

Equally, ensure you take of each day. Refl ect on your achievements, no matter how small, and fi nd a relaxing winddown routine that works best for you. Your sleep and your mood are closely correlated, so ensure that you get enough deep, restorative rest each night.

SMILE. EVEN BETTER, LAUGH!

Even if you think there is little to smile about, the simple act of smiling triggers the release of endorphins and serotonin in the body, helping you to feel good. Research shows that smiling and laughter help to lower your stress levels and boost your body’s immune system. So, fi nd a funny video and have a good belly laugh.

MOVE YOUR BODY

time for yourself at the end to better sleep, but increases your overall energy, elevates your mood and boosts your immunity. Even going outside for a walk and being in nature helps to reduce stress and gives you some of the Vitamin D you need for healthy brain function.

HELP OTHERS

Volunteering your time or other resources to help others brings a sense of wellbeing, connection and purpose. It also provides a different perspective on life. Knowing you have had a positive impact on someone else makes you feel good about yourself!

AFFIRM YOURSELF

Repetitive negative thinking is an indication of your subconscious thought patterns. However, it is possible to transform your mind. One way to do this is to affi rm yourself with positive words, even if you don’t believe them at fi rst! Try playing positive affi rmations through the night. Your subconscious mind works continuously, even when you’re asleep. Whatsapp Diana at 9010-1310 to learn more about transformative coaching.

BE GRATEFUL

Studies show that gratitude has benefi ts for your mental, emotional and physiological wellbeing. Being thankful helps to shift your perspective away from negativity towards possibilities.

TALK TO A LIFE COACH!

Whether you are feeling stuck and can’t see your way forward, or whether you are ready to fully unleash your potential, transformative coaching can be a life-changing experience. Life coaching generates positive change and enables you to create the life you desire by expanding your thinking capacity, heightening your awareness and increasing your clarity, getting you where you need to be much faster than through self-help.

ABOUT DIANA

Diana Purdy is an employment lawyer, life coach and the owner of Ozone Fitness. She is passionate about holistic health and has been helping people achieve inner wellbeing and personal transformation for two decades. Diana is a respected Master Transformational Coach (PCC), accredited by Coach Masters Academy and the International

Coach Federation.