Raw Peanut Butter Squares x

I eat a lot. I eat all day everyday. I am constantly snacking. Eating is amazing. I have realised the wobble of my thighs has nothing to do with world peace. I am content.

Tonight I was hungry and I really felt like something peanutty and chocolate like. I kinda made the mixture up as I went along, so feel free to add things to the mix. As long as it sticks together when pressed, it will work perfectly. Sorry about the lame photo. It's a bit shizz. I wasn't planning on posting this recipe, initially, but it's just too good not to share.

Time: 15 minutes. Then about half an hour in the freezer.
Serves: About 24.

Ingredients:

The filling-

• 400 grams of raw peanuts (sorry- I'm not sure how many cups that is. Maybe three?)
• Half a cup of apricots.
• 4 dates.
• One third of a cup of raisins.
• 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil. (You could probably use natural peanut butter here. I couldn't find mine or I would have).
• Two tablespoons of sweetener (I used maple syrup and rice syrup).
• One teaspoon of vanilla essence.

The topping-

• 3 quarters of a cup of cacao.
• Half a cup of maple syrup or agave.
• One third of a cup of coconut oil, melted.
• A small handful of cacao nibs.
• A pinch of salt.

Method:

Place the ingredients for the filling in a food processor and blend on high for about five minutes, depending on your blender. You want to end up with something resembling almost a dough. Press into a tin lined with baking paper.

Put the ingredients for the topping (except the cacao nibs) into a bowl and stir well to combine. Pour over the filling and smooth out. Sprinkle the cacao nibs over the top.

If you're in a hurry to eat this, place in the freezer for about half an hour. Otherwise, keep in the fridge.

Cut into squares and serve with a nice cup of tea. X

Fulfilment and DIY Cinnamon Porridge.

How do you define success? I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I am working in a job that I feel completely blessed to have, but it's not where my heart lies. I find my passion lies in helping people to help themselves, and although my job is wonderful, it just doesn't feel quite right. I miss seeing those "lightbulb moments" in people.

Many people don't have the luxury to think about their jobs this way. For many, a job is simply a means to an end. Why live your life doing something you don't enjoy? I've always found that when I want something in life, I figure out what I need to make that happen, and although it doesn't always happen straight away, it does happen eventually. I couldn't possibly comprehend spending the next 35 years working in a job that does nothing for me emotionally. Every day is a blessing and I want to put myself in a position where I can learn and give in way that makes my heart fill full instead of being stressed and dreading rolling out of bed. Moral of the story? Life is short. Do what you love.

The hard part is figuring out what it is I love the most.

 Before you go quitting your job, apply for those jobs you are interested in (and I stress, prior to quitting your current one) or take up studies as you work. It's a hard slog, but if you love it, it's worth it in the end.

I find myself pondering what "success" means. I mean, as long as there is food in my belly, clothes on my back, a roof over my head and the love of my friends and family, isn't that all I need? Money has never really meant much to me. I don't have a desire to have tonnes of it, so if I'm not chasing the dollar, what in turn can make me successful? Is it even a word that should be in our modern day vocabulary? I think perhaps "content" is a word better used in a day to day context.

What is it that makes us crave fulfilment?

And now something to create fulfilment in your belly. Porridge.

Do you remember that advert in the late 80's and through the 90's with the little scottish kid giving porridge a cute little mouthful? He was always telling people "That's not how you make porridge" until he finally got to a spoonful of microwaved, pre-paked oats. It was cute.

I was sent a packet of porridge from lovely Caroline over at Tea and Sympatico. As we are getting into the cooler months here in Australia, I was inspired by the nutty, simple deliciousness of it.
I grabbed some oats and make a mix to keep in my cupboard so I can grab it at anytime and have a healthy and delicious meal.

I've never been a big one for breakfast, but I am really making an effort. I've been making my own yogurt lately thanks to the help of a wonderful reader, Nina. More on that to come once I have perfected the coconut yogurt. So far, I have made soy and I currently have almond brewing at the moment. Autumn is looking wonderful.

Time: 10 minutes.
Makes: About 10 serves.

Ingredients:

• 4 Cups of oats. I used biodynamic oats. They have not been heat treated and so, when heated, they don't get as gluggy as porridge often does. Please feel free to use whatever you can find or afford. 
• 1 Tablespoon of ground cinnamon.
• 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
• 1 teaspoon of ground cloves.  
• 1 Cup of almonds or other nuts.
• 1 Cup of dried fruit (I used muscatels, but apple, raisins, apricot, dates or even goji berries would work. Use whatever fruit and nut or seed combination you like).
• Half a Cup of coconut.
• Half a teaspoon of sea salt. 

Method:

Chop the almonds. Place them in a frypan over low heat. Stir for a few minutes until they are lightly browned and you can smell that beautiful smell in the air.

Pop them in a bowl with the other ingredients and mix together. Store in an airtight container in the cupboard. 

When making your individual serves, take half a cup of the mixture and place in a bowl. Top with about three quarters of a cup to one cup of water and place in the microwave for three minutes. You may want to add more or less water depending on how you like your porridge. You may also choose to use a nut milk instead of water, but hey oats and water create a milky result so I never worry about that. 

You can also do this on the stovetop. Mix together in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until cooked. 

Below, I served my porridge with some apple, soy yogurt and maple syrup. It was so warm and filling. I can't wait for breakfast tomorrow.

I hope you are having a truly inspiring day! 

Favourite words.

I suppose Autumn isn't so bad. It's warm enough that I can lie here in bed with my arms hanging out and the window open. There's a crispness to the air but I am snug.
My friend, Amy, taught me a new word.
It brings to mind all of the beautiful colours that Autumn shows us.
So lovely.

Stock. It's easy!

Autumn is obviously leaning more towards the winter side here in Adelaide. If the last few days are anything to go by, it's going to be a cold and wet Winter.
I'm not complaining about the wet. That would be bad form after the drought that we are barely recovering from. However, I do miss Summer. Those long, hot days, with glorious sunsets over the ocean, turning the sky all orange, pink and purple. I just love being warm. The temperature gauge is known to sit anywhere between 30*C and 46*C here in Sunny Adelaide.

Last year on a trip to Norway, I found myself trying to convince a group of Norwegians who are quite familiar with the icy depths of a winter without sunshine, that it does in fact get cold here. It was upon this exclamation that I realised that maybe the reason I get so chilly, is the fact that I don't own any socks or indeed any jumpers. I also never turn on my heating.

This coming winter, I will be prepared. I have just spent a ridiculous amount of time discovering the addiction of eBay and purchasing jumpers, slacks, scarves, socks and shoes, all at bargain prices. This year, Winter, I'm ready for you.

Annually, I hold what I call "Sally's Soup Kitchen". I gather together everyone I know and invite them all to bring a bowl of soup to share. We usually sit by the fire, all snug and sip the night away on the various belly warming delights.

Being that we are about to hit winter, I thought I'd write to you about an easy way to make stock. Stock is obviously at the heart of anything delicious. I use it as a base for curry, soup, stews and often use it to boil rice and other grains. It imparts a depth of flavour that gives so much more to the dish.

Recently, our share house disbanded and all the rescue chickens and bunnies went to live with Kat & Amy. I missed being able to give them my scrap vegetables and felt it was such a waste throwing them away until I remembered my trusty, old slow cooker. Obviously you can boil these scraps on the stove to make stock, but the slow cooker gives us the ability to walk away and not think about it.
Here's what you do.

Makes: About 4-6 cups.
Time: 4-8 hours if using a slow cooker.

Ingredients:

• Your vegetable scraps and anything that's starting to wilt in the refrigerator. For example: chopped bits of onion, carrot, celery, fresh or dry mushrooms, turnip, pumpkin and any other vegetables that will taste good in a stock. You can use the flesh of the vegetable, the peel- any scraps you have left.
Remember that the flavour will be concentrated, so make sure you really like the veggies that you are adding the most of. I once made a stock primarily out of celery. I'm not the biggest fan of celery unless it's in stick form dug into beetroot dip, and I really didn't enjoy this stock or the subsequent soup, so remember to add flavours you enjoy.
You don't need more vegetables than what would to fill a quarter of your slow cooker.

• Herbs that will match what you're going to add the stock to. So, perhaps some garlic and bay leaves (always a winner) and perhaps some rosemary if this endeavour is for a nice potato and leek soup or ginger or kaffir lime leaves if for a curry.

• A few shakes of salt & pepper, to taste.

• 4- 6 cups of water, depending on the size of your slow cooker.

Method:

Place all of the ingredients in your slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Strain the vegetables and the liquid you are left with should be incredibly aromatic.
This can be frozen in a container or used straight away.

Here's to a tasty, toasty winter!

It's started already.

This delicious green juice is spinach, apple, pineapple, lemon and ginger. Cold pressing really makes all the difference. I can taste each flavour individually and they are just so intense that I became far too excited on my first sip. This certainly makes a change from the ol' blender.
Amazing.

Happy Birthday, Me.

It's my Birthday!! I always get told 'No more kitchen appliances'. Today my gorgeous fiancé gave me a whisper quite, cold press juice machine. I'm so happy right now! Obviously, now there will be many more posts about juicing in the following weeks...

I'm going to spend the morning brewing Kombucha, baking bread and making vegan cheese. Oh, and of course, making cold pressed juice.

Birthdays are such a strange phenomenon, but I'm so glad they exist. It's nice to know how much you mean to so many people and when it's my friends and family who are having birthdays, I do try to make them feel as special as I can.

I hope you are having a fantastic day, too!

One question. What is your favourite juice combination? X

Sprouts. How to grow them and how to time manage. x

I have had a very hectic few weeks and despite the rapid nature of it all, I feel like I am not really getting much done for the bigger picture. I have paintings that need to be painted, washing that needs to be washed, friends that need to be seen, drums that need to be played, homework that needs to be done, food that needs to be cooked, and so on and so forth.

At times like this, when I am feeling quite overwhelmed and submerged, I like to break all the things I want to tick off my list into smaller, more manageable tasks. I give myself time frames in which to get things done. Like today, for example, I have the day off work and so I will spend the morning working on this here blog, making food and doing some cooking to get ready for the week ahead. By 12 noon, I will start my painting and work on that until 5 pm. From 5 pm, I will practice my drums and do my cardiac homework. I like to write all of these things down so that if I think of anything else that I need to do it's all there in front of me, instead of swimming in my head causing mini whirlwinds of frustration.

Breaking everything I need to do into a timetable helps me work towards a deadline. As it approaches 12, I will have in the back of my mind that I need to get this done, and I will hurry my arse along to make sure that it happens.

I don't know about you, but if I don't have a deadline, I kind of just meander about, doing little things here and there. I start one thing and then get distracted halfway through by something else that I find needs to be done.

By setting myself goals and a deadline, I can stay focused and get the shit sorted.

And now to tell you about sprouts. 

Sprouts remind me of being a child. At one point, my mum worked in a fruit and veggie shop and I used to go along with her and hang around whilst they set up the shop before I went to school in the mornings. They often had little, interesting items for sale. One of these interesting items was an alfalfa sprouter. A handful of seeds came in a small container and each day I would water them and watch them grow. It was pure magic. I often took them to school with me and we would grow them as a class project.

A friend of mine gave me a fancy seed sprouter for Christmas and it's so much fun to watch these little seeds come to life.

There are many health benefits in regards to sprouting seeds. They are fresh and full of vitamins and minerals but I think the main thing for me in regards to growing sprouts is that they are there in my cupboard, fridge or on my windowsill as I need them, ready to throw in my salad and get in my belly.

One good thing about sprouts is that you can sprout anything that comes in seed form. Make sure that the seeds haven't been sprayed with nasty chemicals though. You want nice, healthy baby plants to make you nice and healthy.

It only takes literally 5 minutes a day and you have a fresh, healthy snack with the added bonus of knowing exactly how it was grown.

What you need:

• Either one seed sprouter and these can be bought online or from any good health food shop. Follow the instructions.

OR:

• One clean jar.
• A tablespoon full of seeds. Alfalfa is a good one to start with.
• A rubber band.
• An old stocking.
• A pair of scissors.
• A cup of water.

Method:

Place the seeds in the jar. Cut the foot off of the stocking and place over the jar as shown in the photo. 

Secure the stocking in place with the elastic band. 

Pour the water in the jar and let stand in a cupboard overnight.

The next morning, rinse the water out of the jar. The stocking will act as a sieve so you can rinse the water without loosing any of the seeds. You want to leave the seeds moist but not have them drowning. 

Rinse the seeds morning and night over the next few days until they have grown to a substantial size. This may take 4 days to a week.

Once this has happened, give them a good rinse and place them in an airtight container in the fridge. 

They should last about a week in the fridge. 

Add them to whatever you like: salads, a topping for soups and casseroles, into curries. Let your imagination run free! This is a really easy project that the kids will love. x

Kung Pao Faux Chicken and a whole lotta love. x

I've been thinking a lot lately about the beautiful ladies I have in my life. We have all been having some very honest conversations about our directions in life and our lack of confidence.

It's amazing just how many strong, independent women I know who, when all walls are down, are actually very shy and insecure, although they exude this beauty and style that is incomparable when in polite society.

It's funny. The people that have come to know me the best over the years are often shocked at just how shy I can be. I come across as fiercely independent, apparently. This is only because I feel the need to get things done and have varied experiences in my life. I bury my insecurities deep down and focus on the task at hand. I refuse to let my shyness win.

Having said that, I can often become very quiet around people that I feel slightly in awe of. I over think my next sentence and don't end up saying much at all.

In all other aspects of my life, I can play the part of nurse, friend and all round good girl, although I never feel 100% correct in my choices. My shyness is incredibly frustrating.

We don't often get a lot of positive feedback in life. I think my shyness relates to not being sure if what I'm doing is good or likeable. I get very shy about my work, but lately I've been loving what I've been creating and that in itself is giving me inner-power.

Last week when I was deejaying, I was saying to my lover that I wasn't sure if people were liking the music I was playing. He said "Haven't you ever heard, no news is good news?" Even though I didn't get any positive or negative feedback during the set, after I was then asked to stay on for another hour and told how much people love having me there. I'm taking this phrase on board and it's helping to make me feel less worried about what kind of impact I am making on this world.

So perhaps, remember that no news is indeed good news, and give someone a compliment. It's a small gesture but it can really make a difference in someones life.

I guess in essence, love what you do. Love yourself and let others know how much you appreciate them. They may just return the favour.

Kung Po Faux Chicken

This recipe is delicious and inspired by all of the asian take out we so often purchase. The faux chicken melted in my mouth and the mushrooms were delectable. I hope you like it, too.

Time: 30 Minutes.
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• One Tablespoon of minced ginger.
• Three cloves of minced garlic.
• Half a red onion, sliced.
• One and a half cups of vegetable stock.
• Quarter of a cup of soy sauce. 
• Quarter of a cup of rice wine vinegar.
• Thee cups of quartered mushrooms.
• One red capsicum, sliced.
• One cup of sliced bamboo shoots.
• Half a cup of cashews. (Traditionally, peanuts are used)
• A light spray of oil. 
• Chilli to taste.
• One packet of faux chicken, or perhaps try some tofu chunks.
• Wedges of lime, to serve

Method:

In a fry pan over medium heat, add the oil, onion, garlic and ginger and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil.

Put the lid on and leave to simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. It shouldn't take long to cook.

If yours is still a little watery, mix one tablespoon of corn flour with two tablespoons of water to make a smooth paste. Add this to the mix and simmer for a further three to five minutes. I didn't need to do this, but it's a handy hint just in case. 

I served mine with some delicious quinoa and lime. 

I hope you are having an amazing day. x

Make some big jumps...

Gluten Free Apple and Cannellini Bean Burgers and a little bit of sunshine. x

I often wonder if I ask "why" too much. I remember in high school reading a poem that contained the sentence, "Let be be finale of seem.", meaning in essence, it just is. I recall arguing with such despair with my English teacher that there will always be a reason to ask why. The moment I understood the sentence- it was like a light bulb went off in my head. My teenage mouth fell silent as my mind wandered over the possibility that maybe there is no "why". Sometimes we need to remember to just be. Just let the air breath in and our of our perfect bodies like a giant sigh of relief. We often make ourselves fight such seemingly large battles in order to obtain the answers we so seek.

There aren't always answers for everything and that's ok.

The Emperor of Ice-Cream

by Wallace Stevens.

Call the roller of big cigars,
The muscular one, and bid him whip
In kitchen cups concupiscent curds.
Let the wenches dawdle in such dress
As they are used to wear, and let the boys
Bring flowers in last month's newspapers.
Let be be finale of seem.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.

Take from the dresser of deal,
Lacking the three glass knobs, that sheet
On which she embroidered fantails once
And spread it so as to cover her face.
If her horny feet protrude, they come
To show how cold she is, and dumb.
Let the lamp affix its beam.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.

Time: 30 minutes.

Serves: 8 large serves. 

Ingredients:

• One red onion, chopped.
• One stick of celery chopped. 
• One apple chopped. 
• Two Tablespoons of fresh rosemary.
• Two Tablespoons of fresh sage.
• One tablespoon or less of pumpkin seed oil. (Or you can use the oil of your choice. Pumpkin seed gives a particularly nutty flavour.)
• Three and a half cups of cooked cannellini beans. 
• Half a cup of cooked quinoa. (Most likely optional, but quinoa is yummy and good for you)
• Quarter of a cup of pepitas. 
• One vegan stock cube.
• One tablespoon of liquid smoke (You could substitute this with smoked paprika).
• Two cups of rice flour.
• Salt and pepper to taste. 
• Oil to fry with.
• Apple sauce to serve.

Method: 

In a skillet, fry the onion, celery, apple and herbs in a little of the pumpkin seed oil on low heat for about five minutes. 

Add the beans to a food processor along with all of the other ingredients. Blend until well combined. 

Add more flour if needed.

Take the mixture and form into 8 balls.

Fry each one in a fry pan until brown on both sides. I didn't need to use too much oil and fried them over a low heat.

Serve on bread or with a salad with apple sauce. 

My new favourite smoothie or Riot... Don't diet!

I haven't been posting many recipes lately. Essentially, I have been trying to kick some weight that I have put on over the years and have been focusing on salads, green smoothies and clean foods.

About 6 years ago, I quit my physical job of being a school photographer where we were constantly running around lifting heavy objects. I swapped this job for a desk job thinking I would have more stability.

I certainly had more stability. I also had less opportunities to move. At this time in my life, sadly I was in a relationship with someone who's personality clashed a lot with my own and neither of us were very happy at all.

I put on 20 kilos that year.

It was then that I ended the relationship. I changed jobs and became a carer and started uni and was on my way to becoming a nurse. Throughout my life, I had always had employment where I gave back to the community and having a desk job for a corporate company did nothing whatsoever to warm the cockles of my little heart.

Instead of staying in a job which I did not find fulfilling, I changed my career path. On a side note, I have met so many people who are unhappy in life and when probed further, it seems the basis of this unhappiness is their job. Ultimately, we are only here for a short while and we must follow our hearts and dreams. If you spend the majority of your time in a place that makes you unhappy, you will be unhappy.

If you are like me and seem to lack any particular direction, choose one. I do enjoy nursing and it gives me a good outlet for my art. It's a job where I can travel, make enough cash to be comfortable and also one where I can help people. It's not the most glamourous job and it can be quite draining and lead to many an existential crisis, but ultimately, it's for the greater good and I don't feel the soul destroying crush that big business can cause. Also, the hours allow me to have many a side project. I take drum lessons, DJ and paint portraits. Those are my true passions but admittedly, when I worked as a photographer I felt like it wasn't "enough" if you know what I mean. I love helping those who are somewhat neglected by society. Having said that, my skin has also become thick from dealing with those who rudely take more than they should. Oh, the ups and downs of nursing... But that is a different story.

When I changed jobs, I slowly lost 10 kilos. I was getting more exercise and not eating for the sake of eating. I learned more about nutrition and instead of living only on bread, I began to try new nutrient dense foods and quite enjoying them.

Having grown up with a family that focused on dieting but still had a mentality about food as if it was the Great Depression, my idea of food was somewhat skewed. We were often expected to have seconds and thirds at family gatherings whilst the conversation swirled around ideas of "being fat and needing to loose weight".

"You must eat all of the food on your plate. Think of the children starving in Africa."
I'm sure we've all heard this before. This saying has never made sense to me. As a smart arse child, I would offer that we take what was left on my plate and help feed those starving children. Those children will still go hungry regardless of what I eat.

We are not living in the Great Depression anymore, as my grandparents did. Our food is not rationed. In fact, we are privileged in that we can buy food in abundance.  This does not mean that we should gorge ourselves for the sake of not wasting food. We no longer need to think as if we may not have food on our plates tomorrow.

What does it mean to "waste food"? Is gluttony not wasting food? The only real way to not waste food in this day and age is to not buy too much, not cook too much and if you do have left overs, save it for your next meal.

My beloved often teases me for the fact that I often take leftovers home from restaurants. He calls me a "Nana". But do you know what? That is my lunch for the next day. It's not wasted and I don't have to spend any more money or use any more resources in buying more food. I am also loosing weight. Plus, I don't see being called a Nana offensive at all.

Here in Australia we make and receive massive portions of food. None of us want to "waste it". This is why we are having an obesity epidemic. We have been taught to think about food by those who grew up during the Great Depression when sources of food were scarce and little treats were rare and special.
We no longer need to worry about starvation and yet we still have a mentality that if we do not eat everything on our plate, we are wasting it. In what way are we wasting it? If we were to eat more than our bodies wish to receive we become fat and unhealthy. That in itself is a waste of a beautiful, energetic life.  Is it not a waste to eat something that you do not need? It doesn't make any sense to me. Up until recently, I have had rescued pet chickens and rabbits that we fed our leftovers to. We also compost. This is not a waste.

The people who taught us not to waste food are the same people grew up and went through all of the diet phases of the 80's and beyond. Talk about conflict. The idea of the diet actually started in the 1920's when for some reason, society went from thinking that a robust figure was sexy to idealising a more straight up and down figure. This idea of the diet strangely coincides with the beginning of cinema and popular culture.

I have heard every diet hint and tip spewed forth from the mouth of my grandmother who has been a member of weight watchers since before I was born. She has been overweight since I can remember and this weight has an adverse affect on her health. Being that she has this conflicted idea of food consumption, she doesn't seem to understand how food effects the body and has many emotional connections with it.

This can be generalised to many of us that grew up with these ideas being thrown at us.We all seems to think that being thin will in someway make us happy. I suppose given that food is essential for survival and somehow the human condition is all mixed up in survival mode and the emotional state, this is somewhat understandable. Perhaps focusing on eating is a way to not deal with deeper emotions that may be plaguing us. Therefore, over eating or under eating can be seen as an emotional focus when we can't figure out answers to the bigger questions.

Lately, I have been focusing on avoiding mindless snacking. I have not been drinking alcohol. I have been buying only what I need regardless of what is on special and I have been eating until I am full and no more. I have been recognising that if I just need something to do, eating is not the answer. Filling my life with things that I have always wanted to do and often put off, like study and make art.

Eating is not the answer. Unless of course, your body tells you it's hungry.

Having said that, I have lost 4 kilos in the last week without really doing much. My nails have gotten stronger, my existential crisis is resolving and I have more energy.

I feel good.

Above is my recipe for this weeks favourite smoothie which I have been eating for breakfast or lunch. x