Live for Today ...

Life is short,

Break the rules.

Forgive quickly,

Kiss slowly.

Love truly,

Laugh uncontrollably

And, never regret anything

That makes you SMILE.

- Mark Twain

Banana Bread ...

I love the comfort of home with the children playing, the sight of the rain replensihing my gardens and the sound of the pitter patter on my tin roof ... it's perfect weather to create the sweet aroma of banana bread!

As you know, I always use organic products, but obviously you don't have to.  I also use spelt flours and unrefined sugars, but these can be replaced with whatever you have in the pantry..

It's yummy with walnuts too..

INGREDIENTS

125 grams Organic Butter
125 grams Unrefined Dark Brown Sugar
2-3 mashed bananas
2 eggs
1 dash of vanilla
1 cup White Spelt Flour
1 cup Wholemeal Spelt Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons warm milk
1/2 teasoon bicarb soda

METHOD

Cream butter and sugar, add mashed bananas, eggs, vanilla ... then add flour (sifted if you can be bothered) and  baking powder ... then dissolve the bicarb in the warm milk and add, mix slightly.

Pour into prepared loaf tin and cook in moderate oven (180) for around 45 minutes.

Slice and enjoy ... it's great for breakfast toasted with lashing of butter too.

movement is the key ...

Being active makes me feel alive and more energetic to chase my two little people...

My parents were always relatively active, so I learnt at a young age that sport and exercise were the keys to good health and happiness... and it wasn't bad for your social life either. 

I always danced regularly and played a sport, whether it was tennis, basketball, swimming, golf ... every season I was enjoying the outdoors in a team environment or doing laps of the pool on my own.   Our Saturdays as children were always spent at my brother and Dad's soccer games or cricket matches, and as a family, we enjoyed every minute of it .. I never much enjoyed my 5am swim starts, but what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger!

Daniel Irvine, my cousin, is a chiropractor and was a professional football player, was brought up in a home with seven children, and all of them were active too.  The boys always played league, and the girls did Physical Culture and from what I remember, we were all strong swimmers.

Anyway, Dan shared this link, which I really enjoyed, and I thought you would too.

Take the time to have a look, it's not even ten minutes of your life...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo

We can all manage to be active for 30 minutes or more a day, whether it be at your local gym or walking, a quick run on the treadmill, chasing the kids in the park, a friendly game of football, a dance off in your loungeroom, laps in your local pool .. it doens't have to cost you money to be healthy ...

I love a roadside fruit stall ...

Driving through the beautiful rolling hills of the hinterland this morning, I thought to myself .. I am so lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world.

The roads from Montville, through Flaxton to Mapleton have the most amazing Jacaranda's blossoming with the most vibrant of vibrant purple flowers... just so pretty, that I smiled the whole way!

Stall after stall of Avocado's, farm fresh free range eggs, tomatoes, pineapples and more, with honesty boxes to collect your coins ... this is the kind of place I love to call home.

I stopped at my local roadside Mango Man to stock up for the weekend, and decided to get a full tray for $25. ...My boys will be in heaven!

I have just peeled and sliced half of the box's contents to freeze for smoothies and frappes, and the rest we will eat cold for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Happy Weekend everyone .... the weather here is amazing!

On my mind:
http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/

lazy Sunday fried rice ...

With not much left in the fridge, this is tonight's early dinner...

FAST FRIED RICE

OMELETTE
2 eggs .. beat with a fork and add a tablespoon of water

cook lightly in a hot pan in your choice of oil, then set aside in a bowl

RICE
onion
zucchini
carrot
leftover cold boiled/steamed rice (I use basmati or brown)
1/2 cup veg or chicken stock
S & P

Very finely chop all of the veg and cook over low heat with a splash of oil, then add the water/stock and put a lid on to soften for a few minutes... add the rice and mix through.. salt and pepper to taste... add the chopped up omelette and a handful of frozen or fresh peas

That's it, fifteen minutes for prep and cooking time, max!!!

I always cook too much rice for this reason, it's so easy to reheat for the next couple of days or to make fried rice .. and if I don't use it, my Jacky boy dog loves it with his dinner too!

Happy Days ... vegetables, protein and carbs to fill up little bellies, my kind of comfort food.

smoothilicious ...

Everyone loves a smoothie during the warmer months!

The boys and I enjoy a smoothie every day, whether it be for breakfast, afternoon tea or most commonly for us, it's dessert

They are healthy, filling, refreshing and most importantly ... delicious!

I always have frozen mango cheeks, raspberries and blueberries in the freezer.  We eat them as cool snack and obviously in our smoothies.

HEALTHY SMOOTHIES

Frozen Fruit ... a handful of any frozen fruit make it cold and thick
Yoghurt ... a couple of dollops of any natural yoghurt (we use Meredith's Sheeps Milk)
Milk ... I use Bon Soy or Pure Harvest Organic Oat Milk
A squeeze of smoething sweet - Pure Maple Syrup, Agave Syup or even Honey
LSA ... Ground Linseed, Sunflower Seed & Almond mix adds protein

Obviously you can drop the yoghurt to make them dairy free, or you use cow's milk if you love dairy!

when life gets a little bit crazy ...

North Stradbroke Island ... Spring School Break

It is so good to be back!! 

I have missed my little tummy rumble blog posts ... I didn't realise how much until today when I was sitting on my deck, at my freshly painted red table, with my lap top and my little Eli riding his bike close by.  I opened up my facebook page and then clicked on a link to my blog... and here I am again.

Sadly, it has been, out of sight ... out of mind.

I also only just noticed comments that I completely missed from as far back as June, and feel a little bit rude having not replied.  So, my sincerest apologies my friends! 

Why is it, that when life gets busy we so easily give up the things that make US happy?!

Whether it be exercise, reading, cooking, blogging ... I am going to make any effort to do at least two of these things every day ... even if it means missing one of my meaningless television programs in the evening when the boys are sleeping.

It is a challenge I am setting for myself!  Anybody care to join me?