the sisterhood...

i had been looking forward to it all week.

six women, coming together for a long lunch of laughter and conversation. 

i washed the house and tried to make things pretty so my friends would think I was an impeccable housekeeper (ha!). 

when it was all done i had time to spare, and fidgeted nervously - i so enjoy the company of these wonderful women.

some people come into your life at different times and, unexpectedly plant themselves right in the middle, and it feels as though they've ALWAYS been there.

know what i mean?

For CW, DW, KM, SR and LY

I quit sugar...

well, sort of.

all my DAILY cake and biscuit scoffing had me worried

especially after i read about my friend rachel's efforts to 
quit sugar 

inspired, I decided to embark on a similar journey

my version of this 'diet' was quite simple, really. 

as much about reducing my sugar intake as my craving for anything that tasted sweet. 

no cakes, biscuits, lollies, processed cereals, honey, jam, dried fruit, juice and anything else containing refined sugar for 

37 days

spot the difference!

Before: MindLESS scoffing of cake!                              After: MindFUL indulging

yesterday was the 37th day - yay!

how did it go?

truthfully, the first week was difficult

i discovered just how frequently my need for a sweet hit punctuated my day
hourly, i reckon

i ate up to seven pieces of fruit a day at first
reducing it eventually back to two but allowing myself a medjool date or persian fig here and there

in the second and third weeks
it got easier as my tastebuds got 're-trained'
its hard to explain but the lovely french patisserie i could never seem to walk past without buying a sweet morsel from, didn't even register in my consciousness as their cabinets laden with macarons, eclairs, madeleines and petit fours beckoned to others
(i'm still a little freaked out by that)

I DO miss baking 

i just have to learn to bake without wanting to consume it all as it comes out of the oven

maybe i could bake and share with the neighbours 

meanwhile, my mummy tummy deflated!

its so nice to get back into jeans that I haven't been able to wear for years. 

i have more energy and don't have to snack constantly. 

the persistent, desperate craving for something sweet is almost gone, much to my surprise.

i have not mentioned exercise
somewhere in the 37 days were two weeks of school holidays so i did not get to my twice weekly group fitness sessions but i did kick the footy around a fair bit with the kids and got out to the park or beach

i think its important to remember that its not all about having to get to the gym
rather finding opportunities in our 
everyday comings and goings
just MOVE


not having scales was liberating
instead of waiting for the numbers to drop
i waited for the previously snug pants to drop
and i'm almost there

did i ever slip up?
sure i did

 i had a Bliss Bomb or five, and a slice of dessert at my cooking club dinner the other night 

i was aware of and savoured each mouthful 

i think I had forgotten how to do that

my take home message to anyone thinking about doing something like this would be
to forget the word 'diet'
its not about depriving or punishing yourself
its about finding alternatives

my 37 days may be up
but i'm thinking this is how i want to live the next
37 years

ok, i'm a bit excited about it
i have never felt this good
why don't you give it a try?

Sunny Days...

You wouldn't know it was winter here 

Unbelievably blue skies

crisp and clear

Quite often I find I have to stop right where I am

 wherever that may be

to look up and around me 

taking in all the splendour

 colour and life around us

With all my senses

They love it too

The sun and fresh air gives them an extra spring in their step

Just try and stop them!

The ocean today

 teeming with life and colour

These shells are actually under the water 

but you can't tell - it was so clear and clean

I wanted to dive right in there

I wonder how many of us take the time to notice the simple beauty that surrounds us? 

Whats been cooking in my kitchen...

I'm part of a lovely group of ladies who get together once a month to cook. 

We are united by a common passion for eating and trying out new foods and ways of cooking. 

Its been 7 years since we started out, some of us armed with basic cooking skills, others more advanced but all of us eager to learn, cook and eat.

This month we each had to create dishes using two 'mystery ingredients'. Mine were puree of chestnuts and glace ginger. My head still hurts from all the inventing!

Come see what we made here.

Bliss Bombs...

Forrest Gump lives in our house. 

He takes off every Sunday morning and runs, and runs, and runs. Usually around 20-30kms 

During the week he runs home from work. Its about 8-10kms, depending on where he decides to detour. Its taken him 3 years to get to this point, and along the way, he has modified his diet somewhat to help his stamina and recovery. Some 'new' foods and ingredients that have found their way onto my pantry include chia seeds and bran, agave nectar, coconut oil, spirulina, raw cacao and various flours such as lupin, barley and oat.

Its taken me a while, but I have come to embrace this change and try to accommodate it as part of the family's diet. I have come to substitute ingredients - mostly in my baking - to include some of these ingredients. I figure if its good enough for the athlete it must be just as good for the rest of us. 

What you see pictured is an accident of mine, borne of a botched effort to make muesli bars. I call them "Bliss Bombs" More of an effort to get the kids to try it, rather than any ethereal, out-of-body experience that the name might suggest. That said, they are absolutely delicious and moreish (much to my surprise) and uses up the fresh almond meal leftover from when Forrest makes almond milk. 

Here is the recipe. Oh, and don't be tempted to add too much extra spirulina - that stuff stinks.

2 cups organic oats

2 1/2 cups fresh almond meal

1/3 cup agave nectar

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted gently if it has solidified

1/4 cup raw cacao powder

2 teaspoons spirulina

1/4 cup chia seeds

pinch of sea salt

20 pitted dates, chopped in half.

Combine all ingredients except the dates in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Roll into walnut sized balls with a piece of date wedged inside.

Bake at 160oC for around 10-15 minutes. 

Let me know what you think. Whats been cooking in YOUR kitchen lately?

Home for the holidays..

And so, we are at the halfway point of our winter school holidays. Its been busy, and I've enjoyed every minute of it. I've noticed suddenly, how quickly my kids are growing up - because its been so much easier having them around all day, after getting used to having them be at school all day! 


We've cooked, painted, kicked the footy around, rode our bikes everywhere, snuggled on the couch for some midday TV (because we can) and have lots more planned for the rest of the holidays. I want to stop time and stay this way forever.


How are your holidays panning out?

The view from Herdsman Lake

Stopping for a breather - its 8 kms round trip!

Lily decides to cook dinner - Meatballs and spaghetti. She even made her own breadcrumbs.

Proud as punch of the finished product, and so she should be. It was scrumptious!

And fixin' some bruschetta the next night, her favourite dish.

Doesn't that look like a mighty fine plate?

Busy Beavers...

Since we last met, I've been a little busy. 

Teaching the little man how to ride without his baby wheels.
What a proud moment!

Pillaging from my friend's cumquat tree and trying to figure out what to do with the bounty.
Jam, pickles, citrus tarts?

Hanging out with my Aunty who came on a wee break from Brunei, showing her how hard life really is over here ;-)

and..
Creating comforting, delicious and homely meals for those families who can't while they take care of their sick little ones in hospital. And making lots of mess along the way!

What have YOU been up to?