Sunday, 15 December 2013

Weekending: Boy oh Boy is it SUMMER!!!

Oh my gosh is it summer! We are in the middle of a heatwave here in Perth. Over 35C for about a week. I don't think any day this past week has been under 38C! So we've been trying to get out in the mornings, then hibernate for the afternoon.
 There's been a lot of this...
 Birthday parties...
 Watching out strawberries grow...
 This is Gloria and Manny =)
 Frangipani's are about to bloom!
 At home salad bars for dinner!
 Evening walks...
 And morning ones too. LOVE those Australian Christmas trees!
 Early ice coffee in Freo.
THIS is summer! A box of mangoes for only $15!
 A bit of crafty in the air-conditioning.
 Some taffy making for teacher's Christmas presents.
And a bit of painting to finish the weekend up...almost, the girls jumped in the pool afterwards!

Sunday, 8 December 2013

Weekending...

Birthday cupcake decorating
Lunch prep for the week
A fruit basket full of organic goodies
A "teddy bears picnic" lunch
Christmas light walks
Yummy drinks with lunch
Serenaded with Christmas Carols while we eat
Free Lego activity at Toys-r-us

Christmas pillowcases

More Cake!

Thought I'd share a few more cakes I've done so far this year. Nothing as fancy as previously, we haven't had any big parties this year. Next year though, is Eva's first year of school so she gets her big party!
 My first "cheesefake" was sooooo good!
 I actually didn't do this one. My girls made it with their dad for my birthday!
 Easter bunnies the girls made.
 This one I did for a friend's daughter =)


 Snickers Cheesecake.



Pancake is a type of cake right??
Hopefully next year I'll make some more exciting cakes!

Saturday, 7 December 2013

What Vegetarians Eat...

So this post, and hopefully series. is inspired by three things.
1. A friend of mine has started a summer salad series over on her blog rosiesaysrelax.com (go check her out for a bit of beautiful bits and pieces eye candy!)
2. Over the years I've received the question "You're vegetarian...what do you eat?!?!" more times than I can count.
3. I have a few friends that are on a vegetarian/healthier/natural food path and have asked me where I get my recipes from.
So I'm aiming to answer the two questions!
In general I don't follow recipes. I'm more of a fly by the seat of my pants cook. I throw in what I feel goes. Either that or I tweak recipes. Sometimes meat recipes are tweaked and sometimes vegetarian ones. 

This particular meal was very much a fly by the seat of my pants affair...

 (excuse the blurriness!)
Chickpeas
Sultanas
Carrot
Slivered Almonds
Corn (you don't have to use fresh, I just happened to have some from my delivery that week. Tinned or defrosted works just as well)
Silverbeet (again substitute with spinach, curly kale, whatever is on hand)
(not pictured)
Cumin
Tumeric
Garlic
Sea Salt
Pepper
Mix all the above with some precooked rice and voila! Chickpea and Rice Salad!
I don't really have any measurements for any of my ingredients, just add to taste. You can omit things if you don't like them, or add them if you think they'll improve the dish! That's what's so great about cooking like this. Anything goes!
And by the way feel free to add meat too if you want. This is great as a complete meal, but would also be a great side salad at a BBQ. Just make sure it's free range though ;)

What sort of a cook are you?
Do you have a fall back throw anything in type dinner?

Thursday, 5 December 2013

Middle Earth Two!!

FINALLY! I can actually upload my photos! My connection has been terrible lately, so uploading these took me around... 2 weeks! These are the rest of the South Island photos from NZ. Hopefully it won't take me as long to get the North Island ones up!


Elephant Rocks aka NARNIA!!
It was windy and freeeeezing, but the girls had a ball climbing every rock in sight.

This was in Oamaru. I think that was one of our fav places, we stayed two nights so it was a little more relaxed.
We stayed right next to Oamaru Botanic Gardens which had the most awesome swings!


 That is a seal on the beach!
 We got to see the Blue Penguins too.



After Oamaru was Christchurch. The city center was like a warzone.
As amazing as it was, it was a little depressing.

 Mountain. Road. Ocean.


 Picton
 It was beautiful!
I was pretty worried taking the ferry across the Cook Straight. Boats and I do NOT mix! It was surprisingly fine. I think it helped that it was more like a ship! 

Next was Wellington on the North Island and Weta Workshop...AMAZING!!!