Life is funny. After feeling triumphant at cooking a meal for the first time in days, I was overcome by a wave of nausea that did not fade for hours. My mother suggested lemon and hot water. I sipped and sipped this bitter liquid but to no avail. I was crashed out on the sofa for hours feeling more than a little sorry for myself. I think maybe it was a bit much to be cooking after two days of being off my feet. I am always surprised on how debilitating these ‘minor’ illnesses can be. In someways I feel quite fraudulent because when the antibiotics and analgesia kick in, I feel fine and I am wondering what the fuss is all about. So I was lying in the sofa, willing the contents of my stomach to stay in place, when I thought that perhaps I just needed something very sweet to eat. Nice thought, but apart from my husband’s dark chocolate collection there was not really much in the way of sweet sweet stuff in the flat. I then decided that if I had the energy I would make some dark chocolate brownies. I found a recipe last year that was a complete success. Dark Chocolate and Ginger. Ginger is meant to help with nausea…?

So after much mental ‘persuasion’ from myself. I went back into the kitchen and rustled up a batch of brownies. Sounds so easy…

Well it was and it wasn’t. Afterwards I was tired again. I ate one brownie with a cup of hot sweet tea. Did it help the nausea, for a time yes. But I think I shall have to accept that I will feel better when I feel better and I should rest a little more.

Ingredients

113g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

75g dark chocolate, broken into squares

200g caster sugar

95 g plain flour

2 eggs

1 tsp fresh root ginger, grated

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170°C and grease and line a 20cm square baking tin

2. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a medium sized saucepan over a low heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

3. Add all the other ingredients and stir until smooth.

4. Pour the batter into the lined pan and bake until set – about 30 minutes.

5. Cool in the pan, and then cut into 16 squares.