Homemade Apple Muffins Recipe
The mixed weather has been causing us a few problems over the last week. The heavy rain has meant we have had ponds as oppose to puddles in the courtyard and the strong winds managed to fell a tree right across the path walkers use. Fortunately, it didn’t take long for the sun to dry out the puddles and we got the tree towed away.
The autumnal weather has also brought with it beautiful scenery across the estate with the changing leaf colours and we have had a lot of pheasants too. We do like to promote bird life on the estate. As well as our own bird table that attracts tits and woodpeckers, we have been working with the RSPB to cater for tawny owls and kestrels. The RSPB guys came over from Nottingham to put up numerous nesting boxes in trees and it will be exciting to see if we have birds making their nests there in the spring.
We have now picked most of the apples and tried a new recipe this week – apple muffins. This time, we used a gluten free flour and rice milk and have been really pleased with the results. The apples seem to ensure things are soft and moist not dry like sometimes can happen when using gluten free ingredients.
Homemade Apple Muffins Recipe:
Put 200g flour, 100g castor sugar, 50g brown sugar, 2 ½ teaspoons of baking powder in a bowl.
Add 90ml rice milk, 80ml vegetable oil, 1 large beaten egg and 5 drops of vanilla extract. Stir until all ingredients are combined.
Gently fold in chopped apples (2 large peeled cooking apples).
Spoon in to muffin cups and sprinkle with icing sugar.
Bake for 20minutes or until golden brown.
We have attended two interesting events this week; the ‘Explorers against Extinction’ talk at the Royal Geographical Society in London, and the Matriculation Ceremony at Lincoln Cathedral.
‘Explorers against Extinction’ was a unique evening featuring leading explorers, wildlife experts and conservationists which was introduced by Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who has been described by the Guinness Book of Records as the ‘World’s Greatest Living Explorer’.
The event aimed to raise awareness about the plight of Africa’s most iconic animals, including elephant and rhino whilst raising funds to buy, train, deploy and equip five dogs to combat poaching.
We were also invited to attend a private viewing of the ‘Sketch for Survival’ exhibition comprising original artwork donated by leading wildlife artists as well as by actors, politicians, athletes and celebrities in support of conservation charities.
Friday was the Matriculation day for some of the Bishop Grosseteste students. This is their inauguration into the college at the beginning of their course. The lecturers were in full robes and the sight of everyone appearing from Lincoln Cathedral following the ceremony is splendid.
