I've got to say I'm very excited to be getting my work out there for people to see. As some of you may or may not know, I am an absolute cooking nut. I love taking standard recipes and tweaking them with healthy goodness, or designing my own healthy treats for my son and I. 

The lovely people at www.yourzenlife.com have decided to publish one of my recipes for their readers to indulge in. The thing I love about this website is that it is two Aussie girls (Terese being a fellow Adelaide girl!) getting out there and doing something inspiring and positive. They are not preaching at people, rather using their website as a medium to allow others to join them in a positive lifestyle. Being healthy isn't exclusive to the rich and famous. No, it's for all of us, if you choose to make that choice.

The website is absolutely packed with different articles that range from nutrition, to exercise, to daily meditation. It really is an excellent tool for those like myself who enjoy using the internet as means for inspiration, rather than mindless drivel.

Get on board and show the crew some support. x

Thank goodness spring has well and truly arrived. This means the start of the excitement of finding beautiful fruits and vegetables. It also means getting outdoors more often and getting our dose of vitamin D. I find that I'm extremely vitamin D deficient over winter and that it really does make fatigue set in. Spring feels like such a productive season. It the reason why the term 'spring cleaning' was coined. We tend to open up th curtains and windows and let the fresh air pour through the house. We get to do as much washing as like without having to consider what random furniture objects we are going to hang them off with hope they will dry before work the next morning.  We get to go plant our selection of veggies for the summer, in anticipation for what goodies we will reap. 
I really do find a strong desire just to give back to the earth a bit and do my part. This means taking time out regularly to just be amongst all things nature. As is sit with my iPad outside in my garden watching my little puppy pounce around and eat grace,I'm pretty content. 


What will you be planting this year? 

X

As most of you may have guessed, I'm on quite the health quest. With having a little boy, I like to keep my life as simplified as possible. I find the key to that really is planning and preparation. In fact, I'd go as far as saying its paromount to a healthy lifestyle. 

Tonight turned out to be one of those last minute throw together nights. Those are those nights that my old cooking ghost of Christmas past comes out and encourages me to make something crazy. Yep. Potato bake. Complete with cream, cheese and plenty of it I may add. Great idea at that particular moment, not so great a little later on. 

The thing that I wanted to discuss with you all is the fact that once you start limiting those thing in your life, your body actually starts rejecting it. Sounds like a farce right? The good news it ain't nuthin but the truth!! The same goes for my limited intake if gluten free products. A sneaky couple of pieces of toast can mean the difference between feeling horrible and feeling light. How do you feel about this theory? X 

Going back a few years ago somebody designed this as a bit of tongue in cheek fun. Well this image kinda went viral and got people talking. Apparently Coca Cola has been considering whether to market a product like this for quite a while. What do you think? Would you buy it?

For me, I have been a long time lover of Coke. You all gasp, but rest assured, I do not drink it anymore. I'm completely aware of the amount of calories, and the heavy use of sugar in the soft drink, and that is enough for me to stay away. But I won't go as far as saying it tastes bad. It's taste flippin' delicious! Sugary, cokey deliciousness. The point is, would I start buying Coke again if it were organic? Well let's see. For starters, would Coke even be able to be Coke if it were made out of ALL organic ingredients? Would stevia be used to sweeten it (a la Pepsi NEXT) or would it just be organic sugar? 

One things for sure, there's nothing like the real thing. Or is there?

Ever have one of those days where you just need someone to vent to? This app is perfect. I really enjoy the way that it has been designed. Clean, modern, and easy to use. It feels highly interactive. The purpose of this application is to allow you to digest the problem or emotion in the height of the moment, and to break it down to a place of being able to solve the problem or emotion.
It will ask a series of questions and allow you to describe exactly how you are feeling, followed by suggestions on how you can find an outcome for your problem. Usually just sifting through the moment itself and venting is enough to eradicate the negative thought. I use this often when I'm feeling stressed out at home and need a moment to myself. x

I'm currently obsessed with my little fruit combo. It's the perfect snack for me. It feels good to digest! x

Quinoa crusted chicken - so easy to make and double the dose of protein!

After resting and cooling my quinoa crusted chicken, I add it to a simple garden salad. Perfect mid week booster.

I'm a huge fan of home made risotto. I find that its the easiest dish to make when you need to get rid of veggies. MY personal favorite combination is the "spring green" one that I made above. It's asparagus, pea, spinach and occasionally celery. Delish.

Growing boy.

This little wraps a perfect to make when you have children. Cut up all the ingredients beforehand and allow them to make their own. They will love it. I really try to get my son to appreciate his food and the process of making it. 

This is my little semi healthy dessert treat that I whip up occasionally. It takes a mere 3 mins. It's amazing, and that is no exaggeration. Guilt free cooking that doesn't taste like dirt? Yes please.

Go on. Be a greenie and give this a whirl. 

Extremely excited that both Woolworths and Coles are starting to expand their health aisles. This means more variety when it comes to healthier choices. If only ever aisle in the supermarket was like that, I feel like obesity would be on the lower spectrum. Anyway I picked these up from Coles for about $2.50. They turned out okay. I did add some LSA mix to it and a sprinkle of chia seeds. The packet asks for them to be cooked for a good half and hour, but honestly I would watch them and take them out earlier, as they were a little dry for my liking, Regardless, its nice to see things being made with Stevia. 

My infamous curries. This one had lentils in it.

I decided to make my own Gluten Free roti. I wasn't sure how it would turn out but it went well. I used quinoa flakes that I whizzed up in the food processor to turn into a flour. Then I simply used a tad of Gluten Free flour just to make sure the consistency was similar to the normal roti. Warm water and a pinch of salt was added. Then rolled out and bung onto a frying pan. Lovely. I love roti so much. 

These little places are all over Sydney and they are amazing. I'm such a lover of fruit and fresh produce that it makes me squirm with excitement. They make you fresh juices to go. Or a fruit salad, a normal salad, or perhaps you'd like some nuts. Amazing. Absolutely amazing.

This winter I've been huge on broths. I feel like they are light on my stomach but so rewarding in taste and healing powers. This one is an asian inspired broth I put together. I've used chicken stock, coriander, ginger, curry leaves, garlic, chilli and lemon. I like to broil chicken in this mix too. Stick it in raw and be patient. All the juices flavour the soup its amazing. Once it's cooked take it out to rest, and cut it into small pieces. Return to the broth, once the broth has been strained. Delicious AND nutritious.

Nothing is tastier or more satisfying than your very own home grown produce. 

Do you cook up things from your own garden? I'd love to hear from you. 

I was quite surprised when I read what the Dalai Lama had written yesterday. It's something that has been ringing true for a lot of us, but somehow needed clarification from someone we hold in high regard. I personally, hold everything he says with great regard. No, he is not a God, but he is certainly an intelligent man, who has taken the time to really understand some of the things that matter in life. 

What do you think of this post? Are you religious? Are you athiest? I'd love to hear some intelligent response...  

Taken from http://www.colinbrynn.com

I have a sweet tooth doesn't always agree with dietary requirements. This here is the business! Protein ball mixture. Like most of my recipes, I really guesstimate when it comes to quantities, but nevertheless, here is the recipe. Blend up nuts and seeds of your choice. I prefer to use pecans, almonds, chia seeds and sunflower seeds. Whizz it up. Add 16 dates that have been softened for half an hour in water. Whizz. Add protein powder. I add 1 scoop which would be about 4 tablespoons. The protein powder I use is called Ladybird Choc Protein. It's delicious. Add goji berries. Or for the cheaper alternative I sometimes use the strawberry flavoured sultanas or craisins. I add a small amount of skim milk to bind it all together and mix it all up. Roll them up into balls and dust with coconut. This is the healthiest, freshest, sweet treat you can give yourself, without worrying about all the work you will have to do to work it off. In fact, this is packing a punch protein wise!

Attempt at making Hot Cross Buns

Berlin seems to be the place for amazing things. Vintage finds, cute coffee shops, rich history, diverse music scene, delicious food, cheap living, fresh orange juice on the street. I could go on.... (serious love affair with Berlin and the bohemian lifestyle it has to offer)

There is nothing like the fresh smell of flowers. They invoke emotions of happiness for me.

For me, symmetry is an exciting thing! I'm aware that most people think that makes no sense, but for me who is almost obsessive compulsive about some thing, symmetry just makes sense - !!

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I love photography, it's one of my many passions. I seem to really enjoy the richness and variety that comes from shooting fashion photography. This one is for the brand Sequoia. Winners of the BMW Adelaide Fashion Newcomer Award.

Love when the weather warms up a bit and we are blessed with natures fuel.

I love to boil up chicken bones and make my own chicken soup. It's so easy to do and honestly it's the best thing for you. It will ease a cold, and is great for little ones stomachs if they are upset. Boil up browned bones, or the carcass of a leftover whole cooked chicken. Add onions, carrots, celery and lots of cloves of garlic. Let it all brown off slightly and then add water to cover the carcass. Leave it to simmer slowly for 2 hours, and drain. There you have it, delicious broth! Add salt and pepper to taste. *I like to add chia seeds to the broth because it amps up the nutritional value and your kids will never know! They are tasteless little suckers but do the trick of providing so serious vital nutrients.

 

Delicious Gluten Free quiches. So easy to whip up if you have a someone with a GF intolerance coming over. My son thinks they are pretty tasty too! I like to beat up eggs, some lactose free cream, salt and pepper and a few types of veggies in a bowl. The trick is to use the silicone muffin trays. Add a little bit of cheese if your feeling a tad naughty and pop it into the greased trays. Stick them in the oven and when they have risen and are lightly browned on top, your done. Job completed. Delicious GF quiches. No, pastry belly aftermath...

Dearest school boy

My haven

Letter from bubs

The newest addition to our family