Ever since Amanda got me started on this whole healthy baking business, I’ve found myself gravitating towards lemons a lot. I really love a fresh lemonade, or a hot honey lemon drink when I’m under the weather, but to bake with lemon? This is actually new to me!
This cake is so healthy that if you want anything healthier, you would have to bite into the lemon itself. :p
Speaking of healthy, the very nice people over at SlimKicker are sponsoring a giveaway right here! They are giving away an Ozeri Touch Professional Digital Kitchen Scale to the lucky winner.
I’ve started many fitness regimes only to lose focus and give up soon after. SlimKicker is a program that keeps you focused and motivated in fun ways such as games and challenges. You rack up points by tracking healthy calories, and completing challenges such as quitting soda for a week. Upload a picture of a reward such as a cheat food, or iPod, and the program will remind you to reward yourself with that reward once you reach your target points. Slimkicker also has a calorie counter app as well. So handy!
**Update – The giveaway has ended. Thank you for participating!**
A few rules for entering the giveaway:- Simply leave a comment with a suggestion of a fun, creative fitness or diet challenge in 1 or 2 sentences. A challenge can be something simple like “not eating processed meat for a week” to something more difficult like “exercise before watching tv”.
- The winner will be chosen by SlimKicker and I will announce the winner on my next post and by email.
- This giveaway will expire on 31 July 2012
- This giveaway is limited to those in USA due to shipping constraints. Sorry!!
Good luck!! Now, back to the lemon cake…
Lemon Cake 125g butter, softened3 eggs
1¼ cups caster sugar
1½ cups self raising flour
½ cup milk
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line the base of a deep 20cm cake pan with greaseproof paper. If making cupcakes, line a 12 hole cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Cream butter, rind and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift flour over the egg mixture. Add juice and beat for a few seconds. Add milk and beat until well combined.Pour into prepared tin. Tap the tin on the worktop to settle the batter. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 50-60 minutes until golden and cooked through when tested with a skewer. If making cupcakes, check that they are done after 15 minutes. Stand cake for 5 minutes, then turn onto a cake plate or wire rack and cool completely.
The Intrepid Baker 
For a fun and somewhat tiring month challenge a few of your friends to the “Miles Challenge”. Rule is simple.
1. Whoever can run the most miles in a month wins and gets to rub it into everyones faces over a free dinner paid for by the losers.
Enjoy!
great idea to do something with your friends–it holds everyone accountable!
one thing i’m trying is to fit in 15 minutes of some activity (jumping jacks, sit ups, walking my dog, etc.) before opening my laptop ever. since i’m constantly getting on/off the internet all day, the minutes add up really fast!
Swap sweetened beverages for a glass of ice water made special with citrus slices, mint leaves or cucumber slices.
family bicycle rides after dinner.
I’m not in the US, but I’m still gonna say that the cake looks so moist and delicious! I’m really into lemon food right now – lemon curd, lemon pasta, lemonade, lemon tea… gotta try out this lemon cupcake to complete my lemon addiction!
Thanks Jasline! lemon pasta sounds interesting. i saw a recipe for a lemon tart but with a cake base. will have to try it out one day. let me know if you want to try it out!
I do a must eat list, a pint of berries, bowl of greens, 3 fruits, etc.
I can eat what I want if I respect the must eat list. Sometimes I put all my veggies on a pizza slice..might sound silly but it works.
Drink more water-
Try going a week without eating anything preprepared. Cook everything!
What absolutely divine looking cupcakes! I love the way you’ve presented them.
thank you so much!
Unless we’re traveling or sick, I try to work out every other day. It doesn’t matter how long or when of the day, or what kind or exercise it is. It can be challenging, but using apps and crossing out dates on my calendar (so I can see it visually) really helps! :-)
Run or walk in your neighborhood on weekday mornings before you begin your regular daily activities.
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I do sit-ups, planks, jumping jacks, squats, lunges, jog in place, etc. during the commercial breaks of my “must-watch” tv shows. I only allow myself to indulge in television if I commit to this work out. I started it last year during the last season of The Bachelor when I saw how gorgeous all the women were :)
I’m horrible at planks and anything core related. I’ll start seeing how many commercials I can get through holding the same plank position ;-)
replaced a full meal dinner with a little healthy snack for one week!
I challenge you to dance dare your friends and family :)
(just in case you don’t know, dance dares are when you dance behind people without them knowing and you cannot get caught :D)
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Try to eat at least 3 servings of vegetables every day for 1 week.
I’m addicted to candy, and every time I try to cut it out of my diet, it backfires and I go on a candy binge. Instead, I’ve been keeping strawberries and blueberries in the fridge to eat whenever I need a little sweetness that I’d normally get from a starburst or skittle. It’s perfect because they’re bite-sized so you can grab one as quick as you could grab a candy.
One challenge that I’m trying to do right now, is to walk at least a mile 4 times per week.
Thanks so much.
Do a quick exercise no matter how strenuous or easy during commercial breaks when watching TV and try not to snack during watching TV either.
Get out and walk at least 5 blocks a day.
No drinking for the month of August.
I am trying to actually keep my sugar intake to what you are supposed to have in a day. This is much harder than I thought it would be.. there is sugar in EVERYTHING!
Hot lemon water!!! It fights hunger cravings, and boosts immune system, acts as a diuretic…. all without having to consume caffeine!! One in the morning, and right before dinner!
Try to eat atleast 10g of Fiber before Noon! Which won’t be hard since I eat so many nuts as it is, hehe.
floatingpyramids@gmail.com
Watch the sugar intake closer
Horseback riding . Fresh air and fun
cutting meat consumption by half without losing food satisfaction
exercise without the tv or music on
Some of my favorite workout challenges are the movie workouts. Lots of people have made movie drinking games into workouts, substituting drinks with exercises for famous lines or recurring events in movies and t.v. shows. Good ones keep you moving for over an hour almost non-stop.
Not drinking soda for a month.
I watch an on-demand t.v. show for 45 minutes while walking on the treadmill.
exercise during commericals
Trade your office chair out for an exercise ball. It’s a small change but it really makes a difference.
When you’re craving something not so healthy, drink a glass of water, wait one hour, and if you’re still craving that food, eat half a serving. If you’ve forgotten all about it, then you’re one step closer to your goal.
Leave a little on your plate
My daughters have permission to bug me every day to do at least one activity a day. we bike ride every morning or every other morning……..and they get to chose the workout DVD to work out to as well…..they dont really do them but they just like to try it with me…..They make it alot more fun and we laugh the whole tim! For a 4 and six year old they sure are drill sargeants!……….oooo and they can bug me till i get up and do it and i’m not allowed to get mad at them :)
Every time I get up from my desk while I’m at work, I walk around the whole building to get a little bit of exercise during the day. I also try and take the stairs a couple of times a day to add a little bit more movement into my daily routine.
I try to drink a glass of water before dinner….
Less processed meat! But, remember, red meat won’t kill you… Fuzzy green meat might!
Having a large glass of water before eating breakfast or drinking coffee in the morning, sometimes I think I’m hungry but am really just thirsty!
BTW lemony desserts are my fav, this looks awesome
Me and two other friends all placed a $200 bet we could each not drink for a month. This starts on Monday and each loser must thrown their money in a pool which means if their is one man standing he get $400.
That looks good – try lemon squares and try to go meatless for a few days.
Lately I’ve done a lean and green diet of 6oz salmon plus 1.5 cups of veggies, usually cauliflower, squash, or zucchini.
Spend ten minutes of every hour walking. Even slowly walking will make a huge difference in how you feel.
Lifting light weights a few minutes every morning
Wow–that lemon cake recipe sounds delicious! My tip is to get a 32-oz reusable water bottle (preferably BPA-free) and try to drink 2 bottle fulls a day. It helps me to add lots of ice and keep the water cold–more appetizing for me.
The lemon cupcakes looks so tempting to make! Hopefully I’ll have some time to make it soon. My tip when moving about at work to try to take the stairs when I’m going to different floors. :)
Mine is a bit backwards: Eat healthy, but allow yourself one “bad” meal per week, on the same day. Something to look forward to and a challenge to make it that long without cheating.
ferriza2(at)yahoo(dot)com
Mine is to remove sugar from my diet. Some people seem to be able to handle eating some small amounts of sugar, but my body does not do well with it.! I am going to focus on more natural desserts :0
Stair climbing several times a day.
I finally let go of my beloved Cola… and am now drinking iced green tea (lightly sweetened) once a day, 8 oz 2% Whole Milk, and water.
I am also walking daily — to Mordor! And my stair climbing is my trek to Shelob’s lair! (I’ve watch LoTR WAY too many times!) It works!
to do 10 squats every time i walk into the kitchen. it’s hard to do!!
My challenge recently to myself is only 1 soda a day (and it’s a diet soda!).
I challenged myself to lose a bunch of weight before going to Cancun and did it quickly using a combo of up/down calorie days with once a week having whatever I craved, mostly because I didn’t want my body to get used to a pattern, and keeping fat burning soups on hand in case I was hungry on down days (I actually like the taste). I documented it on our food blog and it worked great for me. I think the main reason it worked so well is because I was never more than 6 days away from eating something I really really wanted.
Stop drinking soda for 2 weeks and see if I can continue the habit. Thanks for the awesome giveaway :)
Renee
fattybumpkins at yahoo dot com
March in place while talking on the phone.
Avoid all sugary type drinks for an entire month and lose several pounds!
brich22 at earthlink dot net
Everytime you think a negative thought about your self, do 2 lunges.
My challenge is to eat more fruits and veggies each day. Also to walk 1-2 miles per day.