MMM..This is just SOY good!

Soy Milk...you either Love it or hate it.  For myself I actually really, really like it. 

In my quest for health and feeling good, I decided to switch to Soy.
I have never been a huge cow milk drinker.  In fact I remember as a child the thought of it turned my stomach.  I could never work out why all my friends used to gulp it down and loved getting milk mustaches.  It repulsed me...ugh!
As i have gotten older, I can tollerate it a lot better.  When I was Pregnant with my kids I craved milk and had alot of chocolate malted milkshakes.  Even though I craved it I felt a bit icky after it.  Still, I drink it, and I always feel a bit Blah after. 
I switched to Soy about 3 and a half weeks ago and I must say...No more Bleh feeling.  Honestly! 
I can drink a glass of it (in a smoothie) and I dont get that icky after taste or rumbly tummy.  I feel lighter and I heard it is high in Protein...which is fantastic news.

Im no expert (and not against cows milk) but I heard in my google travells that "Dairy is a tremendous mucus producer and a burden on the respiratory, digestive and immune systems." I am an asthamatic and suffer from sinus so I can vouch for the fact that it does do somthing to my breathing...such a change since swapping to soy.
I have also heard that Rice milk is also great, so I may give that a go too.  I will let you know how it goes.

Bread, Bread Glorious (spelt) Bread!

In November my hubby bought me a Breville breadmaker oven.  I know this may sound a tad weird but I think it is one of the best additions Ive ever had to my kitchen.
The things is what bread do I make?  I played around with a few different flours.
I have never realy had white bread in the house so my kids dont realy know what white bread taste like.
I have always had a thing for grains and wholesome bread.  My husband has had a bit of trouble with his stomach the past couple of years and we are in the process of eliminating different reasons for this.  We still arnt 100% sure of the reason but our next option is trying to cut back on wheat products etc.
I have had a try at making organic spelt bread.  I went to Mrs flannerys and got some wholemeal  organic spelt flour.  I googled the net for a recipe.  I came across this recipe below, but I just halved the recipe as it makes a better size for my bread maker.

Ingredients



1¼ cups (310ml) warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 egg
3 ½ cups (375g) organic spelt flour
1 tablespoon bread improver
2 teaspoons yeast
1 pinch sea salt


Preparation method


1. Mix together the water, oil, honey and egg. Place in pan of bread machine then add all the dry ingredients. Start the “white bread cycle” on bread machine.

This is the recipe I use for my Pizza bases...
Put ingredients into your bread machine in this order:



•1 cup warm water
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•1 tablespoon honey
•1.5 teaspoons sea salt
•3 cups sprouted spelt flour (or your favorite whole-grain flour, or bread flour)
•2.5 teaspoons active dry yeast


Set your machine for dough cycle (mine takes one hour and 50 minutes) and be sure to check about five minutes into kneading to make sure your dough is a smooth ball. You may need to add a little more water or a smidge more flour, depending.

Realy, realy nice with fresh shaved ham from the butcher, organic, preservative free feta, fresh olives and pesto all from your local farmers markets and I also add mushrooms, capsicum, zuccini and occasionally some oil free, reduced fat sundried tomatoes~Nice with a glass of red too. DELISH! (the Kids even like it ).

I LOVE SPELT bread.  Im a total convert.  In my opinion, it is a little like Sourdough.  Its a heavier type of bread but so soft and spongy.
My favourite is a poached egg ( a tiny bit runny) on spelt bread.  The egg kinda soaks into the bread without making it soggy...Yummmmm!

Spelt is not strictly gluten free but is easier to digest than wheat. So probably not real great for gluten intolerant people or ones with celiac disease.  However, it is a great way to cut back on it.  I actually feel better for eating it.  My family realy love it too.
If you havnt tried it yet...You must.  Bon appetit!

ScHoOl HoLiDaYs...YAY!

Yep, its that time of year again, I LOVE this time of year.  No more getting up early, rushing to make breakfast, lunches, doing hair, looking for that lost shoe that Miss Mimi lost somewhere in that Pit of toys she calls her room.
Yes, we can take it a little easier.  Staying home, making things, swimming, having friends over to visit and daddy home too (my favorite).
Last week we finally had a rainy day, It was so nice as the weather here has been soooo hot.

The rain came down...it was so good for my plants.
We stayed home as the rain poured outside, and we made Playdough.  I will post the recipe we used when I have a bit more time.  It kept the kids busy for quite some time.  Whichh was a bonus.  It was messy but so much fun.

Miss Mimi made a Piggy and T made a shell.

Some sort of playdough cake thingy they made, mmmmmm. LOL.

It was a realy nice day.  I have 5 more weeks left of holidays at home with the kids and Im realy looking foward to it.

So....untill later, Ciao Bellas!♥

TODAY...is the first day of the rest of my life...

...This is how Im viewing this day.  Today I made a solemn promise to start getting healthier. 

I Promise to get more sleep.  The aim is to be in bed by 9.30 each night...Lights off by 10.  Rising at 5am.

I also vow to eat wholesome, unprocessed, fresh foods...More water and just 'sometimes' have my treats (chocolate) as supposed to um...most days! *blush*

I have dicovered this week that I absolutly need ALOT more protein in my diet, so I am aiming to put some in each meal I eat...Breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.  I was a little hesistant in doing this as Im not a huge meat eater.  Im by no means vegetarian, however I find i just simply 'cant' eat it.  I can very easily do without it.  But I have done my research and found there are so many ways to include this in my diet with having copious amounts of meat.  Nuts, yoghurt, lentils, eggs etc, etc, etc...the list goes forever. 

I also promise to exercise 'at least' 30 mins a day...however the goal is 60mins.  Get to the gym, Early starts (5am) and if I cant get their at that time find some other forms of exercise such as activly jumping, playing and running with my kids at the park. :0)

I love Cardio...I realy like the treadmill as well as spin class.  Im also going to focus on a pump as well as a pilates once a week as this helps aline everything as well as controls my breathing.  I have asthma so this is fantastic.

Im setting a goal...to lose 8kgs by April next year (2010).  Hmmmmm, I wonder if I can do it.

My ultimate goals in life are to be be positive, to be looking forward and to be healthy.  I want to be a good mummy.  I want to be a wonderful wife...I love my family and I want to give them the best Ive got...so this is for them.

Here's to the rest of my life.....here we go!

sew cute!

Here are latest creations for Miss Mimi...

I got the sewing machine out again for these 2.  The white singlet i did a little whimsical bird in beautiful floral print.  I sewed on a little button for an eye.

For my other one I had my inspiration from a skirt miss mimi had.  I was having trouble finding the perfect top to go with it.  I trolled through my box of fabric and found simular colours and patterns etc.  I then cut 8 circles in differing fabric.  Matched 2 together, and then sewed them together.  I did the same with the remaining circles.  I was then left with 4 circles with 2 different sides. I then sewed one circle on to the singlet tucking the bottom of the circle in to form a V..or a petal shape.  I sewed the remaining circles on.  I then completed it with a little yellow button for a centre.
What do you think?

For the next 2 pics please excuse the side view.  Im having issues with my computer at the moment.  Im tying to get it sorted, sorry!

The beautiful skirt that inspired me.♥

My next project is a few summer tops for Mr T.  Im wanting to do a few little dinosaurs, planes, aliens and surfboards in boyish retro fabrics.  Will post them up when I get around to doing them.

Muffin Shmuffin Pffff....

ok...Had a seriouse wake up call the other day...One I didnt like AT ALL.  Lets just say, I like Muffins..just not over the tops of my pants LOL. 

I have been going to the gym now for the past 2 years and I find I get spurts of total energy.  I gung-ho it like crazy for weeks at a time then I find I dwindle off a little.  I am proud of the fact that I have kept consistant.  I havnt stopped entirely.
However in saying that, I have been a bit naughty these past few months and well I look a little like the muffin at the top of this Blog post.  I realy dont like this.
I have always been an active, healthy person but now with the added responsibiltiy of children, husband, home, work, day to day life "I" tend to get neglected at times.
I have recentley joined up with a fabulouse Personal trainer. click here to check her out!  I did 3 sessions with her and I realy liked what she did.  I would like to keep up with her, if the finances allow. :-)
She is also a 'life coach' which deals on all aspects of eating, sleep and total well being.  Which is somthing I completely need right now.

Im in two minds about going through with it, as Im still looking into it and weather it's worth the money, but so far from what Ive heard I realy would like to. 

Of recent times I have been realy interested in the way food works with our bodies, the effects of different types of foods and what agrees with each individual. (hence the reason for the fresh/organic change)  Pretty interesting stuff.  I would like to get into it a little more.
I would like to lose a little weight as well as gain the energy and vitality to stay and feel young for my husband and children.
Whether I decide to go with her or not...Im going to do alot of changes foodwise.

My goal is by April to have lost a little of the dreaded muffin top. 

Oink Oink

So...here we are, second last day of year one for Miss Mimi (that went too fast)...It was a massive breakup party (as all parties full of 6 year olds are). 
Miss Mimi and I decided to do some baking...we make cupcakes...piggy Cupcakes.  It was alot of fun, and  suprisingly easy.
We just baked simple tea cake cupcakes (in pink cups of course).  Next, once cooled we covered each cupcake in pink frosting, cut a pink marshmellow diagonally for ears...we then dipped the cut edge of the marshmellow into pink bakers sugar.  next we used MM's for eyes,  1/4 cut off the bottom of another marshmellow for the nose.  Then we used 2 little choc chips for nostrils.  Hey presto...piggy's. 
You should have seen the kids faces light up when Miss Mimi walked into class this morning...even the teachers faced looked excited.  I wonder how she felt about 2 o'clock this afternoon once a class full of kids were yippeed up on their sugar fix, heehee. 
Anyway, all was good.  Miss Mimi came home so happy from a super fun day. 

Tomorrow is the last day of year one.  Im a little sad but so, so proud of my little Princess.  Time flies...She is growing up so fast and is growing more and more into a beautiful person each day.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

My Free Ranging chooky's...

About a year ago (around the time We put in our vege garden) My husband wanted to get a pet for the kids. What we REALY wanted was a bunny rabbit. A big, fat, fluffy bunny..but as we are Queenslanders, we sadly arnt allowed.
My husband suggested getting chickens. My instant reaction was 'UGH...too much work, messy blah, blah, blah' anyway...after much convincing and enquiries to the local council, I was starting to cave.
As I was on an Organic, fresh, healthy free range mission, my husband convinced me that we could have fresh eggs that are 'free range' as well as have cute little pets.
SO...we ended up with 5 day old chicks. We got one each for Mr. Buzz Lightyear (our son) and Miss Mimi (our daughter). We decided on Silky bantums as they look so cute and fluffy.
Miss Mimi chose a white one, Buzz a brown.
They were so cute and tiny. They just fit into our hands and just chirped away. So cute.
We kept them inside for the first couple of months, in a box in the laundry. We placed a lamp in with them to keep them snug and warm. They didnt move much, just huddled.It took a few days for the kids to decide what names we were going to call our new family members. Finally they decided on 'Polly' and 'Zinger' (yes...as in KFC LOL...You can thank my husband for that one). Anyway, the names stuck and we now have 2 new members of our family.
After a few months they were getting ready to move on to their own home...OUTSIDE!
Mu husband had got them a little house and made it all safe and secure from the Neighbors cats, the birds and any other little rodent that might consider intruding. They settled in pretty quick and easy and loved their new found freedom.


Early one sunday morning hubby and I were awoken by the sound of 'ROCK-A-ROODLE-ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" a crackling sounding cock from our 'appent' Polly...Yes, Polly who was meant to be a girl was in fact a blossoming Rooster.
The thing is with chooks, you cant tell the sex of them untill they hit maturity. We were told from the local council we wernt allowed a rooster as they are too noisy, we can only have females.
So, that day (without knowlege to the kids who would have been devestated) hubby took 'Polly' back to the farm we got her and swapped her for an identical female version. LOL. The kids were none the wiser..and still arn't hehe. We might tell them when they are older.


A year on, we still have our little chooky's. The eggs are a little on the smaller side (apparently bantums are)but are delicious and fresh. The kids love talking to them, and collecting the eggs. They free range around our little home. (we live in the burbs but on a big block). When we're home or in the pool or garden they just potter around us.
They are so easy and Self-sufficient. They are also a great companion. I dont know what I was worried about. Im glad we got them. They truly are apart of our little family.

Attempted sewing...

I have tried my hand at sewing a few times now.  Ive tried just simple ideas.  My mum was a massive sewer in the 80's and 90's but now not so much ( i think she may have overdone it and got sick of it LOL) So now, me...as a 30 year old woman am attempting a scary sewing machine solo with my very limited knowledge that my mum told me over the years.  I actually realy suprised  myself.  I have sewn a few things for My Girls room...Cushions for bed, comforter etc as well as a few pillowcase dresses, however the other day I thought I would try my hand at hand sewing. ( I will give anything a go at least once)  I made cute lil' vintage yoyo's and sewed them onto a singlet, with green ribbon.  At the moment I also have a 'thing' for birds, birdcages (all that cute whimsical stuff)  and so I thought I would just give a felt bird a go...Didnt think it would look that good but it actualy isnt too bad.  Quite proud.  I might give it a few more goes.  Not bad, a few cute tops For Miss M, this summer to go with her summer skirts and shorts.

my fruit and veg garden has been ressurected.

Ok so last summer I got all healthy and wanted to go all free range, organic, natural rarara! So hubby and I built a vege garden. It was so much fun. I planted lots...however over winter (plus my lack of knowlege about a veg/herb garden) It kinda fell (or should I say died) away. This summer Im getting seriouse about it. I googled and asked my lovely friends on the simple savings forum (http://www.simplesavings.com.au/) for tips and and ideas on how to keep my little outdoor supermarket alive!
Last weekend My husband and I mulched cow poo, redug soil and replanted seedlings. We then watered seasol in and covered it all with sugercain mulch...all looking a little better. I didnt relise my food needed their own food (DUH).
So I am outside everyday babying my little garden now...I WANT TO MAKE IT WORK! There is nothing like chomping into a fresh salad picked fresh for lunch or serving your kids freshly picked carrot sticks for afternoon tea. Or strawberries with yoghurt for dessert. MMMMMMM....


So far I have Tomatoes, capsicum, lemon grass, zuccini, strawberries, celery, flat leaf parsley, birdseye chili, lettuce, basil, corriander, Rosemary, sweet potato, rocket, beetroot, garlic chives.


The days have been HOT here getting up past 30 degrees so I need to water very often. I will update as we go.

It's all New to me...

So, here I am. I have finally started a blog. My life isnt too interesting however I like to create..create food, photos, gardens, laughter, joy to my family and just fill my day with interesting goings on.life can be a little chaotic at times, I have a little butterfly Princess, who is 6 1/2. A son, who's 4 1/2yrs old who on most days thinks he's Buzz from Toy story. Iv been married 11 wonderful years to the most amazing, man.My family has been my rock through the last few years.They make me so happy.My blog is a day to day snap shot of those little things that bring me joy...my children, my husband,My beautiful garden, Good food, creating and the simple pleasures,getting back to baisics. So here we go.