Fit Kids - keeping our kids healthy, the fit kid toolbox with Hivita

Being a fit, healthy family in these modern times can be quite the challenge!
Many families find it a challenge and even when you do get it happening well, and you all eat well you can still be falling short of certain minerals and vitamins. It is hard!
Families and especially kids are busier than ever so it is more important than ever to give our bodies everything it needs to work at peak performance.

As a mum, passionate about healthy, active living and a dance mum of a very active competitive dancer and cheerleader, I know nutrition and health is so important.
My youngest from a tiny age was filled with passion and drive to dance and stretch and lunge about our house like a Yogi. It is this amazing drive in her that I also see in lots of other kids these days as well.
Not a very big TV family I have always encouraged outdoor activities, dancing, yoga and sports for all the confidence and health benefits. My youngest loves it so very much.

We eat well, loads of vegetables and fruit every week but when your child is also learning for many hours a day at school and then training 3-4 afternoons a week or doing different activities they need a really great action plan to support them.

For my little ballerina and for other kids that do sports, dance, cheerleading, swimming or are just active kids wanting to be healthy this is my action plan!

• Good sleep.
  I make sure she gets 12 hours a night, for her age, level of training and school this ensures she is well rested.
• Hydration.
  We actually generally pack two bottles of filtered water for school so we can monitor just how much she is drinking there and so she drinks more.
• Relaxation time.
  I make sure she gets soaking relaxing baths with kid appropriate essential oils, Epsom salts magnesium baths, massages, chiropractic adjustments if needed and downtime days of relaxation.
• Green time.
  It might sound obvious but we actually have to make a mental plan to get enough of this in some weeks when we are really busy! This includes beach time, bush walking, a trip to a waterfall, river walks, park plays, tree climbing, muddy puddles! Fresh air + sunshine + dirt!
• Nutrition.
  Lots of raw vegetables and fruits, green smoothies before school, healthy protein sources, good fats. Healthy snacks to give longer sustained energy and lots of diversity in vegetables.

An extra boost.
At the moment we are doing this with HIVITA for KIDS
I have found this to be a really useful extra tool in the parenting toolbox actually. I was sent some to review and I noticed the first days that it gave her a boost in energy levels, (not like the sugar boost that has an awful after effect crash but the great sustained energy boost we might see from power juices and things as adults.)
My daughter found the taste pleasant and it had a full range of minerals and vitamins, unlike many multivitamins that forget about the all important minerals we need too!
It would also be equally great I imagine for the fussy eaters, the low immune kids that seem to catch every cold that goes about, myself and my oldest more studios daughter are also currently taking Hivita as well and do actually feel a lot better for it.
I think it can be so easy to forget about all the extra minerals that humans actually need to be in top health, they don't even get that much of a mention in the media but they are so important for our health and wellbeing.

To find out more about Hivita check out their website HERE

AND my readers you can get 50% OFF!! To try it yourself

TRY Hivita Liquivita for Kids using code "bekkids" at the checkout of the online store!

And you can see my tiny ballerina in action on her Instagram, account HERE

*This was a sponsored post by Hivita. Opinions and reviews completely our own.

Cruising for a Celebrity Chef Experience AND an amazing family holiday

When you hear the word cruise, you immediately envision a sense of relaxation, of peace, warm sunshine, cool breezes, exciting cocktails, sarongs and time slowing down.

You can hear the kids giggling as they play and imagine the endless amounts of amazing food and entertainment.

Ok, some parents (insert grin) might also smile in glee at the thought of kids happily entertained in kids clubs so they can enjoy some adult relaxation too like restaurant eating and deck lounging with a good book, going to the gym, walking about deck, having a nap without, "Hey mum, mum can you, mum look at, mum she hit me... every 3 seconds haha!!
Going on a cruise is like the ultimate family holiday I am sure, something for everyone packaged into a really safe way to travel where everything is taken care of for you, you don;t have to worry, you don't have to cook, you don't have to wash up, you don't have to rush, you can de-stress.

3 years ago we went on a holiday to spend some time with family on the opposite end of the country, and this was wonderful but this also involved for me as a single mother, a 2 hour car trip at very, very early hours of the morning, then airport navigation carrying a little one on one hip and one hand on another one and organising tickets, luggage, drinks, snacks, kids entertainments, jackets, shoes, toilet stops, Then a long flight with one child screaming for at least 40 minutes, both getting restless, one putting stickers on the sleeping man next to me, frequent toilet visits in that cramped space, drinks spilt, that was followed by another 5 hour drive to our destination which involved about 2 hours of crying from a fed up toddler, a few lovely days spent with family before doing it all in reverse but throwing in a flight change and a 30 minute window to dash from one connecting plane to another and onto a final plane with no entrainment causing cross kids and then waking up kids to get them off planes and drag them on another road trip home after so much rushing about already. I came home stressed, delighted to have spent time with my family, but stressed and realising wow, travelling with young kids is full on...

This is why honestly, myself, my kids and my mother are planning on taking a cruise ourselves soon as my kids next big holiday experience, I think travel wise it is going to be a holiday we can actually relax on and it leaves from Sydney which is just a short flight away! Yay
I know from friends that have done them with kids that a cruise is going to be perfect and is one where we can spend time just laughing, eating, having fun and relishing the moments. Where the kids are completely catered for and have the best time, which means happy kids = relaxed mum!

Going on a cruise.

It feels like the perfect holiday already, but imagine combining all of that with the utter thrill of a celebrity chef restaurant experience too...where do I sign up???

YES, that's right.

As if going on a cruise wasn't enough fun already now, with cruise agency you can actually book into a celebrity chef restaurant experience while on your cruise!

From Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant to Salt Grill by Luke Mahon to Share by Curtis Stone

Food is one of the biggest memories you take away from you when you travel.

I have often heard it said that one of the things people tend to remember most when they go on holiday, travel is the food.

I absolutely love the idea of not just enjoying a family holiday but having something like this to look forward as a special highlight, imagine, Jamie O's Italian food!!
I'm hungry just thinking about it!

Have you been on a cruise?

Bek xo

*images courtesy of Cruise Agency.
*Sponsored Post, Opinions my own. especially about going a cruise, I have literally been working on manifesting that and planning my deck lounging outfits ;)

Cherry Bomb Goat's Yoghurt Ice Creams

Every year it always feels like Summer and Christmas and all things happiness when cherries start to appear in the shops. The little, pretty red balls are such a refreshing dash of flavour and colour.

And nothing makes it feel quite like Summertime than beautiful ice cream.

This year my first new ice cream recipe for the Summery, Christmas season involved not just cherries but an ingredient that flavour wise matched them perfectly, a beautiful, creamy yoghurt I had not tried before CapriLac Goat Yoghurt.

This yoghurt is lovely and creamy and the natural flavour has just the right amount of tartness to make it a fantastic ingredient to work with. Goat yoghurt is said to be much better tolerated by a lot of people in regards to digestion as a healthy alternative that is easy to digest and can reduce tummy bloating (and all girls want that in the Summertime!).
It has the beneficial live and active cultures and the CapriLac brand is preservative free and naturally A2 and gluten free.
Found in Coles and Woolworths makes it readily available for families and it turned out to be popular with my kids too!

Cherry Bomb Goat Yoghurt Ice-creams

Ingredients
1 x 500 gm tub CapriLac Goat Yoghurt

1 & 1/2 cups cherries pitted. (Can use frozen too)

1/4 frozen cherries.

2 tablespoons raw honey
2 teaspoons organic vanilla paste
paddle pop sticks (food quality)

Method

• Divide the yoghurt in half.
• Prepare mold suitable for ice creams, (even plastic cups are fine)
• In a blender combine one half the yoghurt with the honey and vanilla. Blend well, set aside.
• Blend the other half the yoghurt with the cherries.
• In  the molds pour a layer of the dark yoghurt mixture and drop some frozen cherry pieces in.
• Top with the opposing coloured layer and keep going until the container is full.
• Use the pop stick to very gently swirl the two colours lightly together - only just!
• Freeze covered with cling wrap or a cover like 4Myearth until frozen.
• About 10 minutes in or when just starting to freeze add the pop sticks in, (they should stand up ok in the mixture by themselves).
• Run under warm water on the outside to loosen, remove and enjoy!

Notes

• To get a more jazzy and defined look freeze the separate colours one at a time and store the mixtures in the fridge. This will take some time but does look fantastic.
• You can add sweetener to taste for either layer as desired like raw honey, stevia, maple syrup, rice malt syrup.
• Try and add frozen cherry pieces in as well as they give a lovely texture contrast.

Toddler Tips

• Adjust to your child's preferred sweetness tastes. I find with little kids that the less sweeteners you use when young the less they need, give them a chance to taste sweet and tart foods with little added sweetener and then adjust from there as needed.

One of Bek's professional recipe creations. (c)2015RebeccaMugridge
Note: This was a sponsored post with Caprilac Yoghurt

Strawberry Spring Trifle with Nutworks Sprinkles

Strawberry Spring Trifle


Clear blue skies, cool ocean water and gardens coming alive everywhere. Spring in Qld is one of my favourite times of year.
It also happens to be when beautiful local strawberries are in abundance, one of my absolute favourite of fruits.

As an local and healthy food blogger and as an ambassador for the new Nutworks Gourmet Sprinkles range found in Woolworths I couldn't wait to create a recipe that tasted and looked like Spring.
This trifle is just bursting with strawberry flavour and creamy Maleny Dairies real cream. The Nutworks Sprinkles add such an amazing crunch and hit of flavour tie-ing it all together so well.

Ingredients

• You will need a trifle jar.
• 2 x container's of Maleny Dairies real cream. (Or equivalent if you cannot get this cream where
• you are - its just my favourite! You can also use coconut cream for a paleo/vegan version)
• 1 x 250 gm punnet strawberries, washed, stems removed, cut in halves and frozen.
• 1 x 250 gm punnet strawberries, washed stems removed and kept fresh.
• 1 x packet Nutworks Gourmet Sprinkles - Raspberry Crumble Boost.
• 2 teaspoons organic vanilla paste/drops
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar (opitonal)
• Shredded coconut
• Edible flowers and extra strawberries (whole) to serve

Method

• Blitz together half and half cream and frozen strawberries. I used one container Maleny Dairies Cream and the equivalent in Strawberries. It should be lovely and thick and tangy and a nice pink colour. Set aside in the fridge.
• Whip the second container if cream with the vanilla and optional coconut sugar.
• In your trifle bowl spread a layer of the whipped cream, top with sliced strawberries, then a layer of sprinkles, then a layer of the strawberry cream, then a layer of coconut then strawberries and then back to the cream and continue until the bowl is almost full.
• On the very top spoon a layer of whipped cream and form a peak in the centre.
• Cover with sliced strawberries and coconut and then generously cover in the sprinkles and top with 2 - 3 fresh whole strawberries.
• Chill for at least 30 minutes and serve!

Recipe & Photography by Rebecca Mugridge

This is a sponsoerd blog post as an ambassador for Nutworks and their new gourmet Sprinkles Range.
Find out all about this exciting new range of healthy flavourings HERE

Top Tips for Cooking with White Wine

White Wines for Cooking

When gathering together ingredients, spices, and sauces to cook most people tend to think of wine, but seldom which type of wine is the best to use. Red or white, dry or fruity, there are a number of different types of wines you can choose from, each of which will go best with a particular type of dish. If you’re looking to cook with a dry white wine and are wondering what types of dishes and varietals will work best, here are some options for you to choose from.

Dry, Crisp White Wine

By far the most versatile white wine and the easiest to cook with is a dry and crisp one, such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc or Unoaked Chardonnay. Each one of these wines brings its own unique set of flavours to the table. Pinot Grigio tends to be quite neutral (not too sweet, rich, or acidic), making it the best to keep in the kitchen for general use. Sauvignon Blanc has the highest level of acidity which works especially well with richer seafoods, such as scallops. Chardonnay is by far the richest of the three, and is best used with white meats and cream sauces.

White Sherry

Another good option for cooking wine is white Sherry, which is an extremely versatile tipple in the kitchen, whether you’re deglazing, adding depth to a sauce, or simply looking for something to serve alongside an appetizer like oysters, clams, or mussels white sherry is good choice.

Sparkling Wine and Champagne

White wine is well known for making a perfect mignonette to serve with your oysters, but it can also be used in a pinch as a replacement for white wine, especially for use in beurre blanc.

Alcohol Content

An important thing to keep in mind when choosing any of your cooking wines is the alcohol content, which you want to keep low to moderate—look for wines with 10 to 13 percent alcohol content. The problem with picking wines with a high alcohol content is that the goal of cooking with wine is to allow it to reduce and add a tenderizing brightness to your dish. Whatever you’re making for your next meal, consider adding a bit of flavour with a dash of white wine.

Images by existangst and stefano lubiana wines used under Creative Commons License.

Check out my wine risotto recipe here >>>
http://www.authorrebeccamugridge.com/2014/01/brown-rice-quinoa-pumpkin-wine-risotto.html

Sprinkle Up Your Taste Buds - Nutworks Gourmet Sprinkles Range

Sprinkle up your taste buds

As a food blogger, recipe developer and local food ambassador I am so excited about the NEW Gourmet Sprinkle range from Nutworks found in Queensland Woolworths Stores Stores and made right here on the Sunshine Coast.

Nutworks have brought me on board to promote this delicious new product range.

This Sprinkles range has me excited. Nutworks are well known for having natural and healthy high quality ingredients and with these products even the simplest dish can become extraordinary from just one of these packets of flavour.

For example my Savoury Smokey Zucchini Herb Muffins with cream cheese frosting came alive with the Gourmet Sprinkles. Just by adding the Nutworks Texas Smoked Sprinkles the muffins have instant wow factor.

RECIPE >>> CLICK HERE
The Gourmet Sprinkle Range has been a conceptual idea for some time. In 2013 Nutworks created the original flavours and held a focus group for invited foodie and local business guests to come and taste the original and first trials of these sprinkles. The sprinkles were well received.  Over the next year and a half the recipes were refined, trialled and improved. At the same time Nutworks team were pitching the concept to the market. Finally at the end of 2014 the Gourmet Sprinkle Range was accepted as part of a 1 year contract into selected Queensland Woolworths Stores.

An exciting development for local food on the Sunshine Coast indeed.

What I absolutely love about the Gourmet Sprinkles range is how they not only taste sensational but how healthy they are for you as well.

Nuts are very important in a well-rounded diet. The diversity of flavours within the sprinkle range ensures that there is an opportunity at every meal to get the recommended serve of nuts for your daily intake. Research shows that nuts reduce your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and can help with weight management.

And these ranges are just using natural ingredients and spices to create outstanding flavours.
Sprinkles are perfect for busy multi-tasking mums and families. Great for creating an outstanding dish for a dinner party, an event or just delicious family dinners without all the hassle of trying to perfect flavour combinations and spending heaps of time in the kitchen.

With flavour ranges of:

SAVOURY

·      Texas Smoked Almond

·      Asian Cashew

·      Mushroom, Rosemary Walnut

·      Lime Pepper Cashew

SWEET

·         Banana Coconut Boost

·         Raspberry Crumble Boost

·         Lime Coconut Boost

·         Apple and Cinnamon Boost

The Sprinkles Gourmet Range has a flavour combo to make any meal or snack outstanding.

I am really looking forward to working with Nutworks, a local food producer that I love to promote this range and craft some stunning recipes around them so stay tuned to the blog, newsletter and facebook and Instagram for more information and recipes!!
And if your wanting to try the ranges yourself they are even currently on special at Woolworths stores until the 19/09/2015

Check out the hash tags to find out what others are doing with the sprinkles and share your own ideas and recipes!

#Sprinkles #Nutworks #Allnutswelcome #TEXASalmond #Nutworkssprinkles #sprinklelove
#nutsforsprinkles #cookingwithBek 

Disclosure:
I am currently working as a paid product ambassador for Nutworks with their new Gourmet Sprinkles range, all opinions however are my own.
Recipes (c)RebeccaMugridge2015

Once Upon a Time with Disney Junior the Channel & Book Week

Disney Product Talk Draft

Story Telling is a magical part of life.

From a very young age children look on in awe at the stories and characters that unfold before them in books. They meet fairies, princesses and dinosaurs from the comfort of their own home and in the safety of mum or dads arms.
As the stories unfold they learn about believing in themselves, being a true friend and overcoming obstacles to reach their happy ending. Morals of stories stay with us through our life, which is why all cultures, all over the world have always enriched their children lives with story telling.

As we have just started our book week here, my house is full of excitement over books and characters and dress-ups for school parade and it is so wonderful to see kids interested in books and story telling. It warms an author’s heart!
Which is also why as an author and as a mum I am very excited about the new Disney Junior’s once upon a time story telling series.

“Disney Junior’s The Book of Once Upon A Time” is a locally-produced, interactive story-telling series hosted by Australian actor and playwright Kate Mulvany. Tune in for a story every day at 7:10pm on Disney Junior The Channel (Channel 709 for Foxtel subscribers), or anytime on the website

The second season of “Disney Junior’s The Book of Once Upon A Time” will launch in Book Week on Monday 24^th August with “Snow White and the Great Jewel Hunt”. (I know, awesome timing right??)

Later episodes will include new Disney stories from “Winnie the Pooh”, “Aladdin”, “Sleeping Beauty” and EVEN  “Frozen”!!! I can hear my two girls screaming now!!

And one of the most exciting features as well is how it is set up so that it is easy for parents to make storytelling part of children’s bedtime ritual because Disney Junior invites parents to settle down and share a magical moment with their little one every evening on Disney Junior around bedtime.
Then the “Land of Once Upon A Time” lullaby follows each episode, encouraging children to prepare for bedtime.
I can’t wait to try this out with my youngest.
I love that this helps busy parents establish that beautiful calming and enriching night time routine, let’s face it we just don’t all have the time to go to the library all the time and select and read through first appropriate books and then establish a routine.
The Disney Story room is such a great, easy way for parents to bring that routine into their children’s lives and calm them down for bed time at the same time, all the hard work is done, you just get to enjoy this quality time with your kids and then let them drift off to sleep with a mind full of wonder.

Check out the Disney Story Room HERE

The Book of Once Upon A Time features Disney stories that are available as eBooks from the Disney Story Central app, available to download from iTunes

DISCLOSURE:"Brought to you by Nuffnang and Disney

#reading #healthykids #sponsored #Disneystories #Disneystoryroom #books

Happy Storytelling!

Bek xoxo

Superfood Fruit & Nut Chocolate Bars

Chocolate love with good for you,
 Superfood Chocolate Fruit & Nut bars.
Once you start making your own raw chocolate there is just so many combinations you can make. One of my favourite is a healthier twist on the classic fruit and nut bars.
Simple. Healthy. Delicious.

Ingredients
1 cup coconut oil, runny room temperature

1 cup organic rice malt syrup  (I often use less as we don't like it too sweet)

6 tablespoons cacao powder

2 heaped tablespoons Nutra Organics Super Greens Plus Reds (oh yeah all that goodness! Optional)

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
*1/2 teaspoon pink himalayn salt 

*1/2 cup peanut or macadamia butter

*1/2 cup sunflower seeds
*1/2 organic raisins
*1/2 cup walnuts
*1/4 sultannas
*1/4 cup macadamias
*1/4 cup goji berries

Now my biggest TIP is you want your coconut oil but for the best consistency when mixing for a smooth chocolate I put mine in a bowl and place in the fridge for about 10 minutes or so until it is just crystallizing around the edges, when it reaches this point it will blend with the other ingredients beautifully with a wooden spoon, no fancy equipment needed.

Mix the coconut oil and rice malt together well.
Then add cacao and greens powder, salt, then the nut paste.
Mix together very well.
Stir in all the nuts, seeds and dried fruit, stir through.
Line a baking tray or dish with baking powder.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the tray, smooth down.
Place in the fridge until set, (usually at least 3 hours depending on the thickness you make it), remove, slice up into chocolate bar shapes on a chopping board, place in a sealed container and store in the fridge ready to eat!
I do recommend putting on a high shelf otherwise your kids will slowly but surely shorten your supply when you are not looking! Haha ;P
If you are REALLY desperate for a choccy fix, (like need right now) and I "may" have done this, you can set it super fast in the freezer hehehe!

Bek Xx

Chocolate Strawberry Smoothies

How exciting is it when something really healthy for you tastes like pure indulgence?

Really good right?
With an abundance of such stunning fresh strawberries on the Sunshine Coast this time of year and always having a love of chocolate, this smoothie to me is just soooo good it is almost addictive!

Chocolate Strawberry Smoothies
Ingredients
(per smoothie - if using a large blender to make multiple adjust quantity to suit.)
1 cup of washed, fresh and really ripe strawberries.
1/2 cup spinach
1/4 cup kale
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 heaped tablespoon cacao
1 teaspoon raw honey (optional)
1 cup almond milk (or favourite alternative)
1 frozen banana for creaminess (optional you can leave out.)

1 teaspoon super greens powder (optional)

Extra cacao to sprinkle on top.

Extra strawberries for serving.
Ice if desired.

Method.

Blitz all the ingredients in a high powered blender or nutrabullet.
Serve in a tall glass.
Sprinkle with cacao powder and sliced strawberries on the glass.
Enjoy!!

Notes
You can of course add a good quality protein powder and even some oats if you ant a really dense smoothie for say after the gym.
Strawberries are an excellent source of Vitamin C and manganese and are said to have many health benefits including anti inflammatory and anti cancer properties, and people that eat them, fairly often are said to have decreased cardiovascular disease risk

Kid Tips
Kids love this one, the sweetness and colour from the ripe seasonal strawberries makes it such a hit!

Gluten free zucchini, herb & pepita smokey herb muffins with cream cheese frosting & Nutworks smokey sprinkles

It has been a long running inside joke in my family that I should open a muffin shop. I seem to be always making muffins and crafting new ones. There is something so wonderfully comforting and exciting about a muffin all at the same time, and the flavour possibilities are pretty much only as endless as your imagination!

What is not to love??

When Nutworks told me about their exciting new Gourmet Sprinkles range I was excited to try it, even more so when I started tasting the flavour combinations they had come up with. I have long been a fan of their products and natural ingredients.
In fact when you read the back of these sprinkles, their is not an additive or preservative in sight.

Nothing quite dresses a muffin up more than a whipped topping and a pop of crunch and flavour on top. Well these handy packets take all the guess work and prep work out as they are ready to snip and go.

As a busy mum, I really like that!!

When I tasted their Texas smoked my mind flew to paprika and smokey flavours and cream cheese so I crafted these muffins around my daydreaming taste buds. I hope you like them as much as I enjoyed making them!

Bek xoxo

Zucchin, herb and pepita muffins with whipped lemon cream cheese frosting and Nutworks Smokey Sprinkles

Ingredients

2 free range eggs
1 large or 2 small zucchini
1 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup baby spinach leaves
2 cups self raising gluten free flour (could also use buckwheat with baking powder added)
1/8 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes slivers
1/4 cup smoked ham/bacon/vegetarian ham or leave out. Cooked and sliced thinly.
1/4 cup pepita seeds
1 cup water (or as needed)

 1 packet cream cheese
1/4 cup chives chopped
1/4 cup parsley chopped

1/2 large lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon smokey paprika

Nutworks Texas Smoked Sprinkles. (Find me at woolworths.)

Method
Pre heat oven to 180'c.
Line a muffin tray with cases or grease.
Whisk eggs and oil together in a large bowl.
Sprinkle in some salt and add into this mixture the cheese, ham, zucchini, pepita, paprika, sun-dried tomato  and spinach and some of the water.
Gently fold the flour through the wet mixture, add a little extra water from the cup of water as needed. Mixture should be reasonably runny, easy to stir texture.
Fill cases approx 3/4 full.
Bake for around 20 minutes or until golden on top.
Remove from heat and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Whip the cream cheese with an electric beater/mixer with the lemon juice and nice and smooth and a little fluffy. Adjust amount of lemon to taste. You can use just a hint and replace with water.
Use a spatula to top each muffin with the cream cheese and top with the Nutworks smokey sprinkles.
Enjoy!!

Note:

These are fantastic to take to a BBQ, picnic, dinner party

Zucchini & Chia Seed Moist Choocolate Cake

You always need chocolate right??

Zucchini and Chia seed, Moist  Chocolate cake 

A chocolate cake with some added goodness.
After 3 years being a tagged on recipe on another post I have finally out this chocyliscious baby on a post all of her own! x

A beautiful, moist chocolate cake (with added goodness).
Most of us love a chocolate cake and if you are going to have a chocolate cake why not have one with some goodness inside!

Ingredients

• 125g butter
• 1 cup coconut sugar (or swap for stevia)
• 1 tsp good vanilla
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 3 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 cups zucchini finely grated
• 4 free range eggs
• 1 cup almond meal
• 3 cups gluten free self raising flour, OR 2 cups organic self raising flour OR wholemeal spelt with 2 teaspoons baking powder.
• 1-2 cups whipped cream or whipped coconut cream for dairy free
• jam (I use homemade or sugar free with stevia/fruit juice sweetener )
• walnuts
• fresh strawberries to serve

Method

• Pre heat oven to 180`c
• Grease and line with baking paper 2 x 20 cm cake tins
• Gently melt chocolate and butter
• Combine chocolate butter mixture in a bowl with the sugar
• Add in vanilla essence, eggs
• Mix in almond meal and flour, mix together well
• Fold in zucchini and chia seeds
• Pour mixture into lined tins
• Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until springs back when touched
• Turn both cakes onto a wire rack to cool
• Once cold place one cake onto a dish, spread with a generous layer of rosella conserve and then a layer of whipped cream and some sliced fresh strawberries
• Assemble second cake on top (arrange it flat bottom on top for a neater topped cake), top with whipped cream and decorate with walnuts and fresh strawberries
• Enjoy!

Notes

• Use milk chocolate for a milder version
• Leave the cream out and instead make and use a dark chocolate icing in its place
• Squash can be used in place of zucchini if you find you have lots of them growing in your garden!
• Swap walnuts for more fresh fruit or even choc chips!
• Use wholemeal spelt flour – this does make the cake heavier so I recommend adding in some vanilla yogurt if you use any type of wholemeal flour

Rebecca xx

Book Club - Meet JM PEACE and A Time To Run. Australian Authors.

Introducing a NEW segment on the blog >>>> BOOKCLUB!!

This is NEW and a great way to not only find out about great new books out there but ALSO to support our amazing authors!

As an author myself I just love to meet and support other authors.
As an avid reader I also know how a great book can steal your heart, take your sleep, run you through all your emotions and leave you with a book hangover...
A love of reading is a life skill to treasure forever.
If you don't love reading, I say you just haven't tried the right book for you yet!

This week I am delving into the some adrenaline rushing, (note to self - don't read late at night or you wont sleep), reading of new Qld author JM Peace's thrilling new crime release, A Time To Run.

Before having children I loved a good horror or thriller. I had long exhausted Steven King, Dean R Koontz, Clive Barker...since becoming a mum a well written and fast paced scary book has taken the adrenaline rush to a whole new level so it is something I only do on the odd occasion now!

Not only was I incredibly excited when I learned my amazing friend JM Peace was having her first book published but when I read the start of A Time To Run, I knew it was going to be one of those occasions.One of those books on the HAVE TO READ pile.
And so it has been. Gripping, fast paced, and intelligent with a main character you take to right away.

A Time To Run is written by police officer and busy mum turned writer JM Peace who I have interviewed for you with my first bookclub post!

Q. Jay, you are an incredibly strong woman and inspiring role model for women, first as a police officer and now as a published author. You book's main character is a strong woman and you yourself have a daughter, what piece of advice would you give to mums of young girls hoping to raise strong women?
A. 'Be brave. I don't mean wrestling crocodiles or disarming bombs, but do the things that make you apprehensive or nervous. Just have a red-hot go at whatever comes your way. Don't be scared to fail. Failure doesn't mean the end. And let your children see this. Regardless if you succeed or fail - most of all, let them see you try.'

Q. You juggle writing with work, two active children and running a household. How do you manage to keep all the balls in the air?
A. I think I’ve become quite good at time management. I try to be organised and ready ahead of time. My mother is a very efficient and practical person and I think I learnt a lot from her.
 Also, as the writer side of things has started to take off, I pretty much watch no TV. The evenings after the kids are in bed are when I get most of my writing done. So although I enjoy TV and movies, I’ve set my priorities and stick with it. It’s important to me, so I find the motivation because I want to.

Q. What do your children think about you being a police officer? Or a writer?

A. My kids have always been proud of the fact that mummy is a police officer. All their school friends know, kids often run up to me in the school yard (I never go to the school in uniform) and ask “Are you really a police officer?” As far as I can tell, there has been nothing negative for them having a cop as a parent. I am very alert to the fact that this will change at some point.

The kids are only just starting to grasp the whole writer thing in the last few weeks – firstly, once they could hold a copy in their hands and secondly, now that I have appeared a couple of times in the local media. My son has apparently told his class that I am famous.  Hmm. 

Q. What made you start writing now?

A. I decided I no longer wanted to be a police officer. I gave a lot of thought on what I should do, such as going back to Uni, and eventually decided I should try to do exactly what I had always wanted to do – be a writer.

One of the reasons I chose writing is it was potentially something I could do from home, setting my own hours. I try to make my family my priority and I don’t like missing events in my childrens’ lives. Although they may seem like little things, they are so important to the kids at the time and you just can’t get those moments back. It’s tricky trying to tick all the boxes as a working mum.

You can find A Time To Run in all good Australian bookstores.
FIND JM PEACE on Facebook HERE


Thank you for your time Jay, and for the sleepless nights and pondering of visiting Bunnings to buy much bigger deadlocks for my doors now hahaha!!
But seriously, congratulations on such a well crafted book, it is exciting to read and I know you are going to really quickly find an avid fan base following and be the next big writing thing!

NOTE of interest: Jm Peace is the author's pseudonym who is still a current serving police officer in Queensland.
Which only adds to the magnificent mystery and excitement of the book!!


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Make your own Fruit Fly Traps - Healthy, Happy Gardening

I love to garden, I love to grow things, I love adorning my house with bowls of fresh fruit that look gorgeous and the kids can help themselves too.

Living in Qld though, insects are a part of daily life, Think ants, stick insects that make you jump a foot in the air they are that big, spiders **shudders**, mosquitos, cockroaches and having big bowls of fruit in the house, fruit growing in the garden and compost bins means you have to deal with the dreaded, FRUIT FLY...

Nothing ruins that dazzling, gorgeous fruit bowl on display in your kitchen quicker that these tiny little flying dots of havoc....

I have been through humid Summer's where it has been optimum conditions for them and they have grown to plague proportions....They can feel nearly impossible to get rid of sometimes and nearly drive you to drink as they wither and ruin beautiful fruit. Especially when it is growing beautiful and organically in the garden!

But you can take offensive action! Oh yes, feel like the sniper of the veggie patch and arm yourself with some tricks of your own to outwit these tiny little flecks of fruit doom.

TOP TIPS for dealing with pesky Fruit Fly

Even though we are in Winter here and fruit fly are at their most annoying in the heat, they can still be a right pest, so it is a great time now to get into some good habits and proactive action.

• Be vigilant in the garden about picking up fallen/rotten fruit. I swear they can smell this stuff from the other side of Australia.
• Even though of around 200 species of fruit fly only 2 are said to be a problem for home gardeners one of these is a particular pest in Qld, where I live and is usually found around plants like tomatoes, bananas (oh how they love to ruin my bananas in the house!), citrus or all kinds, guavas, eggplant (weird I know right?), pears, stone fruit, apple, capsicum, avocados and they just have massive rave parties with mangoes!! So with these plants try and keep their area as "clean" as possible.
• Use very specific "bags" to cover fruit you really want to protect in your garden. Ask at your local nursery.
• Companion plant as much as possible. Many strong smelling herbs and plants work as excellent garden "friends" helping to hide the scent of other tasty varieties, like basil with tomatoes. Not full proof by any means but it does help!

• Fruit fly are said to in particular really dislike Rue. Plant some in your orchid, grow some in the garden, put it in a vase near your fruit bowl if you like! 
• Cover fruit bowls with some sort of light covering inside like cheesecloth, mosquito netting. not super attractive but after a couple of days if your kitchen is also super clean they will dissipate and look elsewhere.
• Trap them!
  You will find an ENORMOUS variety of fruit fly home made traps on the internet and by asking around neighbours and farmers but you know what?
  The simplest have been to me over the years the very best.
  This is my ever trusty go to fruit fly trap. It works and you can whip it together with what you have around the house!
  
  Bek's Super Simple Fruit Fly Trap in a Jar
• 
  You will need:
  1 jar
  1 piece of paper
  1 chunk of banana or apple or pineapple etc
  splash of vinegar (I used apple cider)
  sticky tape.
  
  First clean down your kitchen, all surfaces and make sure all dishes are dried and put away, all fruit bowls checked for suspect fruit etc.
  Cover remaining fruit bowls after swooshing away fruit flys with some sort of netting to keep them off for a day or so.
  Take you jar, place a chunk of fruit in there and a splash of vinegar.
  Roll the paper into a tunnel with a tiny end and a large moth end.
  Put it tiny end down into the jar.
  Tape the paper funnel into place so you dont have escape holes.
  Place it near the fruit or area you were finding them leave for a day or so.
  Wallah!
  NOTE: make sure to keep the area very clean and fruit covered so they all are left with the trap as most attractive option.
  
  
  I am a firm believer in living 80/20 or 90/10. Doing the best we can, eating,drinking, cleaning, having the most eco options out there for the most of the time for the healthiest life we can.
  I am also as someone who does a LOT of cooking, cooking demonstrations, catering gigs an absolute freaker over cockroaches. Esp living in Qld where they are everywhere, in every house and as big as birds (ok maybe that was a slight exaggeration) but they are just nasty, evil arch enemies of chefs and home cooks everywhere so I have to be completely honest and tell you, while I do use natural pest control in my veggie gardens and things I do use cockroach bait in my house sometimes. Yes, I do!!
  Are you an ECO warrior or a 80/20 healthy living mum?  What is one none eco thing you NEED to use/have?

Fruit & Yoghurt Biscuit Trifle in a Jar. Healthy, Happy Lunch Boxes.

This recipes was my favourite of the three I demonstrated with the help of amazing little chef volunteers at the Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show this year.

All the fruit & Yoghurt Biscuit Trifles at the show where made with stunning local produce from Jeffers Market if your on the Sunshine Coast or visit this way ever - you NEED to go and check out Jeffers!

I love this recipe so much and I wanted to demonstrate just how easy and simple it can be to make something AMAZING and healthy for the lunch box that kids really will demolish and better yet can even make themselves for their own lunchbox the night before! Oh yeah! Less work for us mums!!

And one of the greatest things about this recipe is you can use whatever fruit is in season right now, whatever fruit is on special or locally grown and beautiful and whatever fruit your kids like and each child can make theirs with their favourites!

What you need

• A nice clean jar with a good sealing lid.
• Yoghurt of choice. I like Maleny dairies, Jalna, Qld Yoghurt and Five AM. (Not paid to say that). For all the ones made at the show and the one pictured here I used Maleny Dairies yoghurt.
• Assorted fresh fruit, think things like blueberries, strawberries, rock melon, kiwi fruit, watermelon, passionfruit, pineapple, paw paw grapes and whatever is in season and tastes great in your area.
• A nice healthy biscuit. Homemade is best or look for one that is gluten free and refined sugar free.
• Spoon to pack with it!

Method

• Prepare all the fruit you will be using.
• Make sure jar is squeaky clean.
• Get the kids to assemble a generous layer of yoghurt.
• Top with lashing of beautiful fresh fruit.
• Place biscuit in a paper bag and smash until it resembles crumbles.
• Sprinkle biscuit crumbs on top.
• Seal and pack with an ice pack for an exciting morning tea!

Simple. Delicious, Budget Friendly, Healthy.

And irresistible!

Notes

• For dairy free use coconut yoghurt or soy yoghurt.
• You can either create just like this OR do it in layers like a real trifle, starting with a biscuit base, then yoghurt, then fruit, then biscuit, then yoghurt then fruit etc.
  
  Check out my NEW FB page Healthy, Happy Lunch Boxes for HEAPS of lunch box inspiration and ideas.
  
  Bek xoxo