Muffins? Yes Please…

The weather is quite changeable here in Brisbane today…cool one minute, humid the next, plenty of rain, a bit of thunder to start the day and seems to be staying cloudy!  So often on days like this I jump into the kitchen and have fun playing and creating.

You know my foodie style follows what I call clean eating…For our whole family that means gluten, dairy and grain free.  Low on sugars/sweeteners, natural ones at that.  Not only this, I look for nutritional value and it’s quality, following this SLOW mindset = Seasonal, Local, Organic, Wholesome.

I love our weekly visit to local markets and exploring new markets.  Chatting with farmers, learning how our food is grown and where it comes from.  I even met one of the farmers recently who sings to his beans!  Now, there is passion for you.

Follow the link below to my recipe for Pear and Chia Muffins and enjoy creating 🙂

Pear & Chia Muffins

 

 

Summer + Seafood = Salad

Here in Australia, it’s Summer and for our family that means one of my classic salads…that also goes hand in hand with the festive season and that is my Summer Seafood Salad.  Honestly, it’s delicious all year round!

As always my eating style is about sourcing great quality ingredients.  Guaranteed enjoyment.  Click the link below for the recipe 🙂

Summer Seafood Salad

 

In the kitchen…

Because some things just turn out awesomely the first time…with no recipe!

It’s always good to get honest feedback about my baking and the family gave this one a big thumbs up 🙂

This ‘creation’ was inspired by my desire to use some local, fresh pecans from a colleague.  I love trying out new ingredients and thinking about what ingredients will partner well together.

So, with no recipe to give you, this ended up being a mixture of

• Dry Roasted Pecans (smashed)
• Fresh – Blueberries, Strawberries and Raspberries
• Shredded Coconut (a little extra for the topping)
• Almond Meal
• Hazelnut Meal
• Tapioca Flour
• Eggs
• Coconut Oil
• Sweetener (I used Birch Xylitol)
• Bi Carb

I don’t have measurements to give you…but I will offer you this – You can create any recipe from exploring and using your intuition.  This is how I have taught myself.

There are only 2 outcomes…it will be a success or it will be a learning experience.  Either way, pop into the kitchen this festive season, use your intuition, bake with love and most of all have fun xx

WHAT DOES YOUR PANTRY SAY ABOUT YOU?

Could it be a reflection of your current state of health and overall well being?

When beginning my health journey one of my early decisions was to overhaul my pantry. It also needed a health check, just like I did!

Upon reflection the reasoning behind this is now crystal clear, though at the time it was more of decision in the moment, without much conscious thought. Here are some of the reasons behind this positive, educational and empowering step forward…

1. I was very motivated after an appointment with my Kinesiologist.
2. The clearing out was cleansing on a practical level and an emotional one.
3. It forced me to shop differently, pause, read labals, ask questions and LEARN to understand ingredients and what I was putting into mine and my families bodies.
4. It gave clarity and facilitated easy stocktake, shopping and advanced meal preparation.
5. Having the clean out meant I didn’t keep using excuses to default back to my previous and negative eating style ie having no lollies in the pantry meant I needed to seek an alternative! Such as a handful of blueberries:-)

Here are a few thought provoking questions for you…

1. Do I have a lot of packets in my pantry and importantly can I pronounce the ingredients list and understand their benefit to my body and it’s nutrition?
2. Would labelling my pantry assist in the organisation of my kitchen and my life?
3. Do I have any organic products in the pantry?
4. My pantry is only part of my kitchen…do my habits trend through to my fridge and freezer?
5. At a glimpse, can I easily browse through and get a snapshot of what’s low and what needs re-stocking? Or what combination of ingredients I will use in a recipe?

In trying to make some ‘cleaner’ choices in your eating, here are some easy and clean swap ideas to get you started, to stock the fridge and pantry…

Current Product v Swap Product
Rice v Quinoa or Buckwheat
Chocolate v Cacao
Full Cream, Processed Milk v Coconut, Almond or Goats Milk
Soft Drink v Water
Full Fat Processed Cheese v Goats Cheese

Need help with your pantry…Get in touch with me and we can work together.  My pantry looks like this on a daily basis. I did not clean this out, or align anything for this picture.  A tip…I have always been a keen ‘labeller’. I do love The Dymo machine!!

What does your pantry say about you?