Food change

There's been lots of talk around the interwebs about food and cooking from scratch, about healthier options and additives and preservatives.

Its been an interesting read and great to see what alot of other families are implementing into their lives and their childrens lives to eat more naturally.

To say it's inspired me is an understatement it's really got me thinking and planning more.

I have always cooked alot from scratch but I thought I could always have cooked more.

When we discovered Master J was additive and preservative sensitive (mainly colour 102 and MSG) we started cutting out a few bits and pieces and I started baking alot more.
Not to mention I have 2 boys who are going to need loads of food to fill their bottomless legs ;)

It's something I've really grown to enjoy.

I wont say Im 100% natural or additve/preservative free or from scratch, the whole concept of being compleltely free makes my head spin.
I am however making concisous decisons about what I am feeding myself and my boys and I think that even if I'm only doing half I'm helping my boys be healthy and not affected by nasties in some food.

I'll be the first to admit as a solo mumma of 2 I can get lazy and I will buy hot chippies for lunch every now and then or Maccas as treat but most of my boys meals are cooked/made at home.

The big thing I struggle with is their snacks.

My boys arent huge fruit or vegie fans so picking up and apple if they are hungry between meals just dosen't happen here, which I'm not too fussed about... at this stage.

I grate a whole lot of vegies into most of their dinners and I have started baking alot of things which require fruit and puree/stew my own fresh fruit, so they are getting their fruits and veggies just in a different way.

They love their milk before bed and are happy eating wholemeal bread or bread I have baked, they love yoghurt and cheese, weet-bix, rice bubbkes, sultanas and rice crackers.
Master J will also eat tinned peaches and bananas and Lil C will happily sit down to a bowl of mashed vegies with some gravy (he's his mummas boy in that department)

I have loved finding new recipes that are the "equivilant" to the pre packaged foods I would normally buy and It feels good to be getting the boys involved and helping and watching them try new foods.

Just today I made a few differnt food choices in our shopping.
I purchased a yoghurt maker and instead of the long life juice I brought the Coles cloudy apple juice from the dairy aisle (which I give them diluted) which is only apples.
I also brought some apples and strawberries to make some fruit filled oatmeal bars and wholemeal pitas and wholemeal crumpets.

We have baby spinach and rocket (we did have basil & corriander too... they didnt quite make it) growing in the boys old sand & water table and I plan on extending our vegie garden when we move in November and getting some egg laying chickens.

I am also now considering buying a few things that are Organic after seeing this on Pinterest

image from theoldsimplelife.blogspot.com

It may mean my shopping is a smidge more expensive but I think thats the comprimise for making

sure our food is that little bit healthier.

Looking at all the things I do it isnt very much right now slowly but surely we will get there and will choose differnt options as we go.

Small change is better then none at all... right?

I would love to know if you are doing anything like this... what you are doing? Do you buy organic? 
Can always use some more ideas ;)

Recipe Book ~ Fruit Filled Oatmeal Bars

I have been trying to find a recipe the same as the fruit filled bars you can buy at the supermarket for so long and I have had no luck so far!
Then I came across a recipe *here* the other night.
It looked easy enough and almost what I wanted.

So here's how I did it...

ingredients

1 cup wholemeal plain flour
1 cup of quick oats
2/3 cup of soft brown sugar packed
1/2 cup of margarine
3 granny smith apples
8-10 strawberries halved

method

Cut up apples and place into a small saucepan with a little bit of water.
turn on heat and boil until almost soft.
Add strawberries to apples and boil until they are soft too.
Take off heat and allow to cool.
Using a stick mixer or food processor blend until smooth or consistancy desired.

*Combine plain flour, quick oats & brown sugar
*Add margarine
*Using your hands rub margarine into the dry ingredients until it resembles breadcrumbs
*Take out 1 cup of mixture and put to the side.
*In a small square or rectangle baking pan press the rest of the mixture into the bottom of the pan. (make sure it's nice and firmly packed)
*Spread the apple and strawberry puree over base.
(there may be some left over depending on how big your pan is)
*Using the 1 cup of breadcrumb mixture put aside earlier sprinkle over the top of fruit puree. I pressed mine down a little bit but don't press too hard otherwise the puree oozes through ;)
*Pop in over for 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

*Cool in the pan on top of a wire rack.
*Once cooled to room tempreature pop in the fridge so it sets a little more.
*Once it's cooled completely cut into sqaures or bars.

VOILA!

Both my boys and myself enjoyed these. I will definitely be making them again and experimenting with different fillings.

Just so everyone is aware this is NOT my recipe I just ommitted things and used slightly different ingredients to the original recipe all credit is www.food.com s

Our Adventure to the Farmers Market

On Sunday I decided to take my boys to the Adelaide Showgrounds Farmers Market
It was our first time going since it had become as big as it is, I went once before and loved it but it was quite small and then life just got in the way... as it does.

Master J has taken quite the interest in cooking lately, something I am over the moon and about, I feel so happy that he is starting to love it like I do.
So i thought this would be just another step for him in his small boy cooking adventure!
Because it was quite busy and they didn't have doughnuts (typical 3yo) and I was a little stressed because I hadn't got there as early as I would have liked he wasn't overly thrilled but he did enjoy finding the vegies for me just like we do in the supermarket.

waiting in line to pay for some of our vegies

The atmosephere was great the place was buzzing with chatter and bargaining and I loved the variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers we could choose from, and it was so cheap!

After we had done the rounds on the fruits vegies and flowers, it was time to head into the shed and have a look at all the stalls in there.

They had bread and deli meats, olives and honey it was a little overwhelming as it was quite busy inside.

BUT I did wait in line for these gorgeous little treats! They are sooooo good!

Macaroons by From Scratch Patisserie

As we left I was excitied to use our vegies that night for our roast dinner and for the rest of the week.

our day at the market

I was not disappointed everything was so tasty and fresh.
The carrotts were sweet and fresh smelling and the broccoli smelt of the earth it was a wonderful smell. It's a smell I have smelt before when I worked in the Central Markets with my family but something my boys hadn't and Master J was amazed.

Tonight we are making Pastie Pie and we are using all the vegies we got at the market.
Both the boys will eat this without fail and they don't pick the vegies out even thought they are chopped quite big whihc is huge for Master J as he is my fussiest eater.

Our big bowl of vegies before they are cooked

Even better yet Master J couldn't wait to get in to the kitchen and watch me and help doing his favourite thing when we cook... Stirring.

"I stir mummy"

We will definetly be back to the market in a fortnight for another adventure and hopefully take it a little slower and soak up the atmosphere a little bit more and enjoy a hot chocolate too.

Do you go to any local farmers markets where you live? What's your favourite part of them?

Warm moroccan chicken, vegies and couscous salad

I found a recipe "warm chicken & couscous salad in a magazine

and I was all set to follow it to a tee

until I decided to do it a little bit differnt and actually started cooking it.

It turned out amazing!! So delicious!

So I am going to try adn share the recipe even though I ended up using the concept but changing alot of the ingredients.

Warm Moroccan chicken, vegies and cous cous salad.

ingredients

2 chicken breast

Moroccan seasoning

Cherry tomatos

Mushrooms

1 red capsium

1/2 a zucchini

1/4 butternut pumpkin

(could also use sweet potato instead or aswell)

1 cup of couscous

1 cup of  chicken or vegetable stock

(could use water too)

Oil

method
* preheat oven to 180-200o and add some oil to a roasting pan
Add cubed pumpkin, halved zucchini, capsicum cheeks and quartered red onion.
sprinkle with moroccan seasoning and roast for about 20 mins or until soft enough to eat.

* place 1 cup if stock/water into a pot and add some moroccan seasoning

Bring to boil

take off heat and add 1 cup of couscous.

Cover and let stand for 2-3 minutes.

Once liquid has been absorbed transfer to a big bowl and use a fork to fluff up the cous cous.

* add a small amout of oil to pan and diced/sliced chicken.
sprinkle with moroccan seasoning
cook until chicken is cooked through
I also added a tiny bit of stock to create a little bit more juice.
Take off the heat and add quatered muchrooms and cherry tomatos
(they wont cook as such they will just heat through)

*once roasted vegies are cooked/soft cut up zucchini and capsicum into smaller pieces
and put all roasted vegies into bowl with couscous
add cooked chicken, tomatos and mushrooms and baby spinach into the same bowl as couscous and vegies
Stir well.

*serve with a wedge of lemon and a drizzle of greek yoghurt.

It came out just divine! So refreshing and so yummy!

I just love when I find a recipe and I then turn it into something completley differnt and it actually turns better then I actually thought it would!

The best part is it's completly adapatable

You can use as little or as much seasoning as you like and add any kind of vegies that you or your family prefe.r Im sure sweet potato, squash and eggplant would be just fabulous in it too.

It will definatly be going onto my favourites list for the nights the boys arent home, for lunch or a really quick dinner once the boys are in bed.

Have you ever created your own recipe and have it turn out really yummy?

what was it?

Recipe Book - Yummy Kiddie Treats

I found my cooking/baking mojo yesterday and totally got stuck into making some snacks for the boys.

Master J is constantly asking for food at the momment and because he is the apple of Lil C's eye right now he is right behind him with his chubby little hand out wanting something too!

So these recipes are  all really easy and yummy and fairly healthy... I guess

well except the cookies but at least they are homemade right?

Cheese and herb mini muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups self raising flour

1 1/2 cups grated cheese

2 eggs

3/4 cup of milk

the herbs arent in the recipe I just added them for something extra i just used italian/mixed herbs

Method

Mix all ingredients together

spoon into mini muffin tins

cook at 230o for approx 8 minutes

I think I left mine in for 10

Apple Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups SR flour

1/2 tsp salt

4tbls sugar (i used brown sugar not the soft stuff the coarse sugar)

1tsp cinamon

1 cup of milk

1 egg lightly beaten

1/2 cup melted butter/margarine

1 cup grated apple/fruit

I used a whole green apple and a pear

method

sift flour, salt, sugar and cinamon

add milk and beaten egg

mix lightly

stir in melted butter/marg and grated apple/fruit

mix just long enough to combine ingredients

pour into greased muffin tray filling them 2/3rds full (or as full as you like really lol)

bake in a hot oven (180o-ish) for 20-25mins

2 Tone Choc Chip Biscuits/Cookies

makes about 40!

Ingredients

125gms/1/2 cup butter/margarine

1 1/2 cups of soft brown sugar

2 tsps of vanilla essence

2 eggs lightly beaten

2 1/2 cups plain flour

1 tsp bi-carb soda

150gms dark choc bits (i used milk choc bits)

150gms white choc bits

method

preheat oven to moderate 180o brush two oven trays with melted butter or oil and line with baking paper

using electric beaters beat, butter, sugar and essence until light and creamy. add eggs gradually beating well after each addition

using a metal spoon fold sifted flour, bicarb soda and choc bits into creamed mixture, mix until smooth

drop level tablespoons of mixture onto prepared trays allowing for spreading (i found mine didnt spread too much really) flatten mixtrue slightly

bake for 12-15mins or until lightly browned and cooked through

transfer to wire rack to cool

*top right - 2 tone choc chip cookies

*middle - cheese and herb mini muffins

*bottom right - apple and pear muffins

I found I was able to whip these all up while Lil C slept and Master J was occupied with the iPad

(thankyou playschool art maker app!)

Ooh! Thats Pinterest...ing! ~ The things I've done edition

Yewww second week Linking up with the fabulous

Tina Gray {dot} Me 

Linky

This week I thought I would share a few projects I've done around the house

thanks to Pinterest inspiration

If I could create, orgainse or do everything I pin on my boards

I would be extremely happy!

Buuuut thats so un-realistic unfortuantly

That I pick things out every now and then and get busy doing

The first thing I ever did was this...

easy DIY dry erase board

which I blogged about *here

I've also made a few meals that were all so yummy!

healthy baked chicken nuggets

pinterest picture not mine

Slow Cooked Lasagne

pinterest picture not mine

my slow cooked lasagne

Lemon & Rosemary Chicken bake
pinterest picture not mine

This was so yummy

I used breast instead of pieces though and added them later in the cooking cycle

I've also done a few things for me and around the house

a jwellery board and trinket plate

pinterest picture not mine

my very own jewllery board

Laundry powder into glass jars

pinterest picture not mine

mine arent the same jars but still look awesome

As you can see Pinterest is a good kick up the butt for getting creative & finding new recipes

If only I had enough time to do everything I've pinned!

You can follow me on Pinterest here

What have you been Pinning lately?

homemade bubba food...

My kitchen must hate me i beat it to within an inch of its life at least once a week

Last week i made a whole lot of food for Lil C

and a few of my friends wanted recipes etc.

On this particular day i had an Italian chicken casserole just the Coles brand in the slow cooker

This was perfect as i used some of the sauce on his vegies for dinner.

I also made homemade vegitmite rusks

One of Lil C's favourites!

Just take 2 pieces of bread wholemeal or white

Spread vegimite on one slice top with the other slice and squoosh it down.

Cut all 4 crusts off and then slice the sandwhich into 3 fingers.

Lay on a baking try lined with baking paper

And cook in a low overn 125o for 1 hour or until hard.

They store in an airtight container for quite awhile.

Next on the menu was Apple and Strawberry

I peeled, cored and diced 3 apples (you can use any kind) and cut the tops off and cut into quarters a punnet of strawberries.

Pop them all in a small saucepan with some water and a sprinkling of sugar

(takes the bite away)

The colour of the strawberries will run but ot still tastes yummy ;)

Once they are all soft and mushy transfer to a bowl leaving behind the liquid and mash or puree

Let it cool and Voila!

You can use the liquid for their breakfast use it soften weetbixs or mix with baby rice cereal.

Vegie pancakes were a huge hit with both Lil C and Master J

Simply make a pancake batter as usual minus the sugar

mix in some mashed vegies ie. potato, pumpkin and sweet potato

grate some zucchini and carrott into the batter

and mix well

Cook as you would sweet pancakes

Master J loves having his cut into shapes using cookie cutters and served with tomato sauce

and Lil C just loves sucking on fingers of cooked pancake

I even attempted finger food vegies.

I simply peeled and sliced into fingers

potato, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrott and apple

then par boiled them in some water until they were soft, but not falling apart.

As they cool they harden a little but are still soft enough for little moths to suck/gum or chew and dont get mushed in their little hands.

At the momment the poor poppet isnt eating much because hes not well

but when hes feeling good he normally eats quite a variety of foods.

Homemade sghetti sauce with soup pasta

mashed vegies

banana muffins

Plain crackers or for something sweet yo yo biscuits

Strips/fingers of red capsicum and cucmber

Lots of pureed/mashed fruits

and

Yoghurt

Once hes feeling better and eating more again we will be moving onto

rices and differnt sauces including pureed casseroles etc

chicken nuggets and some more vegies.

So thats what gets cooked in my kitchen for my little Princes'

hope you can take some inspiration from it :)

and

Did your little ones have a favourite homemade food?

writers block, so lets cook

Do you have a fussy eater?

My master J is terrible.

As a wee babeh he would eat whatever i fed him

but as soon as he learned to feed himself and gained that independence

all food consumption went out the window.

Unless it came in tin spaghetti or nugget form

So i was left wondering what to do.

I child will never starve themselves that you can be sure of

But how do you deal with the mothers guilt of you child not eating their vegies?

I was given loads of advice

and took most of it onboard.

Some of its worked most of it hasn't.

So ive found our own little tricks that work

and by golly did i get sneaky ;)

I used pureed mixed vegies as a substitute for the egg & milk step on chicken schnitzel

It was a bit soggy at first but once they started cooking they turned out fabulously and he ate them all up

MUMMY 1 MASTER J 0

We use tomato sauce.

Ok so not the best way but seriously

Master J will eat almost anything with tomato sauce on it

I dont put much but there has to be some.

The boy ate roast beef and roast potatos because it had sauce on it!

I almost fainted he's never eaten roast beef!

We grate or finely chop vegies into EVERYthing possible.

Spaghetti sauce is the real winner

in goes almost every vegie

mwahahaha

AND dont forget the ravioli he luurves ravioli.

im yet to attempt making it myself but its definatly on the list

He loves chicken nuggets

a good friend of mine gave us a chicken nugget recipe using chicken mince

loads of vegies and breadcrumbs

mix it all together

well kinda

and VOILA chicken nuggets the fuss pot will eat

oh and dont forget the sauce.

RECIPE
this is my adapted version
500gms chicken mince
Grated carrott, zuchini, celery, i also grated capsicum and squash
plain flour to dust
milk and egg wash
breadcrumbs to coat
Oil to cook

combine mince and grated vegies in bowl
(no need to really bind the mixture as the chicken mixture is quite moist)
roll mixture into balls of the size you wish
then form into nugget shapes
dust in plain flour, dip in milk & egg wash and coat in breadcrumbs
Heat oil in fry pan and place a few nuggets in at once.
Cook unitl golden brown and cooked through.
Serve with favourite sauce.

These are good to freeze too
I froze some for the boys and just used the oven to re-heat

Meat Pie

Master J loves these especially if i make the little party pies

mince and vegies pastry and sauce

WINNER!

Chicken Pie

Another family favourite

He dosent quite like the mushrooms

but i never thought my boy would eat leek let alone sour cream

AND we dont have to have sauce on this one ;)

My latest winner was dinner the other night of

Baking Dish Pastie.

I chocked it full of vegies and he devoured it

sauce and all

Baking Dish Pastie
recipe from Play Time Snacks on FB
500gms mince
puff pastry
1 carrott
2 potatos
1 parsnip
1 sweede
1 turnip
1 onion
1 tsp of corn flour
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 beef stock cube
i also added
zucchini, squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, beans and brocoli

Brown diced onion & mince, add potato & carrott (diced small)
Cook for 5 mins, add stock cube, pepper & salt
Grate turnip, parsnip & sweede
I added all other vegies here too
Mix in a small bowl corn flour and curry powder pour over meat
Mix well, add lid, cook for 15 mins, stir when needed.

Put a layer of pastry in baking dish, fill with mixture
Add a top layer & prick with fork
Brish with milk & bake for 30 mins at 180o or until golden.

not my own image, image from Play Time Snacks

All these recipes help ease the mothers guilt

I'm happy for him to eat all of these insead of meat and veg sepeartly

because at least even if he dosent know whats really in it, i do!
AND
if all else fails i whip out the trusty ol tin of spaghetti

Honestly somedays you just have to pick your battles and give in.
Theres always tomorrow nights dinner!

If you are after some fussy eater tips check out the gorgeous Nathalie of Easy Peasy Kids blog post.



Meal Planning Tuesday... The Slow Cooker edititon

Its that time of the week again

Tuesday!

I put my slow cooker on this morning with beef and red win casserole

OM NOM NOM

and i have been inspired to do alot of out meals next week in it too

So quick, so easy and melt in the mouth meat = perfection

Wednesday - Baking dish pastie

Thursday - Chicken, Leek, Sourcream and Mushroom Pie

Friday - Chicken Caccitore in the slow cooker

Saturday - Meatballs with pasta & garlic bread
may even do these in the slow cooker ;)

Sunday - Roast Beef and vegies in the slow cooker

im spluging on the budget this week lol

Monday - Nachos

Tuesday - Chicken curry in the slow cooker

not sur eon which one but there are some fabulous curry slow cooker recipe bases

Whats on your menu this week?

or do you have an easy fabulous curry slow cooker recipe for me i can try?

Today im Grateful for..

I thought it was time to spread my wings, i would love some more interaction on my blog

(any tips would be fabulous)

So what better way to do that then to join in with Maxabella Loves for the very first time mind you

and blog what i am grateful for this Saturday :)

Today

...Cooking

which is odd for me.

Normally cooking is a chore not something i enjoy,

but recently with all the stress i've been under and all the hurt im going through,

Cooking just lets me forget about it for a little while.

I have to forget it all while im cooking, i have to concentrate, i have to follow recipes

there is no room for anything else.

I am in my own little bubble.

Not only is it a distraction for me it makes me happy that my family are eating something healthy,

something new some nights.

That i get appreciation when they taste a scrummy dinner.

I love that it brings us together at the dinner table to create special family momments & converstation

but especially when Master J helps mummy make "cookies" or "cake"

I love how it make me feel like a real 50's "housewife"

(weird i know)

 even though i whinge that im not JUST a housewife

I love feeling like one when i cook.

I am also grateful for all the fresh meats and fruit and vegies i have access too,

paying an arm & a leg for yummy fresh produce is worth it... most nights ;)

Such a lovely idea you can play along at Maxabella Loves 

its nice to appreciate the small things

which somedays i will even admit is a darn hard thing to do

but afterall we are only human.

Our Cooking Adventures...

Today master J and I were able to bake some cookies.

and BOY was i surprised at the little man that was before my eyes.

We just used a Betty Crocker packet to make them

But he had a ball pouring and mixing and then spooning them on too the tray.

It was like he knew exactly what he had to do without mummys help :(

As for the cookies they were delicious and i loved spending that quality time with my Boofa.

With a busy life being a mummy of two with my own little business

It was great to just forget it all and teach my little man some life skills.

I dont want him to have that stigma of "Males cant cook anything except a BBQ" attacthed to him

so im glad he enjoys being in the kitchen with mummy or daddy!

I think we'll be doing this a little more often

I wont say once a week because i cant gaurnatee we will always have the time

but i'll defiantlybe aiming for that!

What do you love to do all the time with your babies?