The Sunshine Coast Show

I am such a huge fan of the Sunshine Coast Show, it is by far one of my favourite events on the coast and such an incredible day out for the whole family.

I was back again doing a cooking presentation this year

and this time it was marigold biscuits and bliss balls

Get the super simple 4 ingredient only recipe HERE 

A home-made deliciously healthy box of chocolates!
Not only do I enjoy being a part of such a huge community event but I love to make a whole day of it too with my kids. I love an agricultural show and the Sunshine Coast pulls out all stops to put on a massive one! We were dazzled by dancing troupes, fashion parades, fabulous food, local produce displays, cooking entries, art entries, hibiscus flowers the size of dinner plates, face painting, animals, petting zoo and pony rides, hands on snake shows, snake cuddles, star chickens, horse jumping, wood chopping, motor bike stunts, car parades, fireworks and hours of fun on rides and sideshow alley.

 

If your anywhere from Brisbane to Bundaberg, and especially if you are on the Sunshine Coast like me put the dates 12  14 th June 2015 in your diary for this event next year! Honestly it is wonderful.

 My favourite part!

 BLACK raw honey!!

 Sunshine Coast Beekeepers

We went to the Ekka and the Sunshine Coast Show one year and compared the two big events and the result was the kids loved the Sunshine Coast Show better!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Sunshine Coast Show and their publicist Sandra Conte and my ingredient sponsors Jeffers Market and Nutworks.

Bek xx

The Edible Garden Adventure Begins at Woolworths with Jamie Oliver's Garden Collectibles

As a passionate horticulturalist, real food cooking presenter and mum I was thrilled when I was contacted about the new Woolworths Jamie's Garden Collectibles.
Already a long time fan of the inspirational Jamie Oliver I was just so delighted about these new collectibles and stickers from Woolworths inspiring kids with the incredible world of food. Growing food, cooking food and seeing food as the amazing and beautiful part of our lives that it can be.

"The Jamie's Garden Collectibles range includes 128 stickers featuring fresh produce and garden animals with special effects such as 3d, thermal ink and scratch and sniff technology.
Children can keep track of their stickers in a special scrapbook-style album with interesting facts, puzzles and kid friendly recipes that teach children about healthy nutrition, fresh ingredients and the origin of food.

There are also eight of Jamie's super power fruit and vegetables plush toys to collect as well as gardening tools and a nifty tin to keep stickers safe.
What did my kids think of it all?
Well lets just say that there was serious sibling rivalry going on over who got the Super Broccoli Man and who got the sticker album!! Yes, absolute hit with my two, even with their 5 year age difference (and yes, looks like I will be getting a second album and plush toy and more stickers ASAP!)
So I can say these will no doubt be an even bigger hit than the previous  hero's Woolworths cards and how exciting for us parents this time too, not only seeing our kids excited about something and collecting things and interested in things outside electronics but they are excited and its all about real food and growing food!!!

I am so excited about these because I believe, every time a child wants to grow something edible at home, even a single tomato plant, a whole new door to an exciting healthy life begins for that whole family!

And kids just really do love to eat vegetables that they themselves helped to grow, they just do!

"

WIN a gorgeous Peppa Pig Pyjama Giveaway!

May is Peppa Pig Friendship Month!

Peppa is a lovable, cheeky little piggy who lives with her younger brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig. Peppa loves playing games, dressing up, visiting exciting places and making new friends, but her absolute favourite thing is jumping up and down in muddy puddles. Her adventures always end happily with loud snorts of laughter.

I don't know about your house but in ours nothing gets as much squeals of delight as Peppa Pig! Yep, she has rock star status here and both my girls especially my youngest have developed a great love for anything Peppa Pig and everything muddy puddles!

Even last years birthday cake had a big muddy puddle on top with a tiny Peppa jumping in it!

I have to admit too, even mummy doesn't mind watching a bit of Peppa hehe! She is rather cute and funny after all!

My Peppa Pig loving Miss V!

You too can enjoy your own Peppa Pig adventure this May.

Simply visit any ABC store this May to 'find Peppa and her friends'.

Collect an entry form from the till point and write down the name of the characters that you find.

Once you have completed the hunt hand in your completed entry form to be entered into the competition and receive a Peppa Pig giveaway!

For more info, visit peppapig.com.au | facebook.com/officialpeppapig.au | https://shop.abc.net.au

PLUS.....

WIN your little sweet pea a fantastic Peppa Pig Pyjama Pack set valued at $50rrp right here on this blog!! Note: Styles and sizes vary, giveaway winner may request a size between 3-6. Sizes are not guaranteed, but we will do our best to accommodate.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mango Macadamia Honey Ice Cream and a visit to Maleny Dairies

Nestled in the green mountains of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland is a beautful local producer and farm, Maleny Dairies

A family run farm with strong ethics and care for their animals and a factory that is at the heart of its community. They believe in what they do and in quality products. As a cook I have never used a cream as real, rich and thick as the Maleny Dairies cream.

It is so natural it is almost yellow and it whips in seconds.

It truly makes the best ice cream, my kids know if they see Maleny Dairies cream in the fridge there is a good chance ice - cream is on the menu!

Coffee Ice Cream

Chocolate Macadamia Ice Cream

And my latest creation!

Mango, Macadamia & Honey Ice-cream!

Ingredients

• 1 x 600ml container of cream, (I always use Maleny Dairies rich and natural cream)
• 2 ripe mangoes
• 2 tabelspoons raw honey (or to taste)
• 2 droppers of sweat leaf vanila stevia drops ( you can get these from most health food shops and many supermarkets, I know the Maleny IGA stocks them OR use a good vanilla paste in its place and increase your honey to taste if needed.
• 2 teaspoons dark coconut sugar (optional you could also you raw cane sugar) 
• 1/2 cup raw macadamia's

Method

• Pour the cream into a large bowl, add the honey, liquid stevia drops ( or vanilla paste/essence), coconut sugar.
• Carefully whip the cream, making sure not to over-whip it.
• Taste it for sweetness. Drizzle carefully with some extra honey.
• In a blend blend both mangoes worth of flesh until it smooth and runny.
• Arrange some ice-cream moulds, plastic cups or a tub for your ice-cream on a bench.
• Pour into each mould a layer of the cream.
• Drop in some loose macadamia's.
• Top with a layer of mango, then  more cream, nuts and mango again etc until containers are filled.
• You can now either freeze as is OR use a paddle pop type stick to swirl the flavours together a bit for effect and flavour.
• Place a paddle stick into each one.
• Freezer covered with cling wrap or similar for at least 4 hours.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• You can also make this tub style and pour the ingredients into a tub on top of each other and then use a spoon to swirl them into each other and top with a drizzle of honey and macadamias.
• If you have a dairy allergy but still want to make these swap the cream for:
  the equivalent in Coyo coconut yoghurt (do not whip), Sanitarium vanilla ice-cream (allow to soften slightly at room temperature so easier to work and do not whip) or with a tin of full fat organic coconut cream (yum) - still absolutely delicious, may take a little longer to set, still give a light hand whip and chill in the fridge for 2 hours before using. 

Visiting Maleny Dairies.
I have always believed it to be very important that kids get to know where all foods come from that they are going to eat, so whatever your chosen diet for your children they should become familiar with where everything they put into their bodies comes from, I think it gives them a more down to earth appreciation for food and their bodies.
I recently took the kids for a fun filled day out to the dairy to do their farm tour.

 The kids had the best time! What a fantastic day out and so much for kids to do. They get to feed baby animals, ride the toy animals, see the cows coming in from the field to be milked, see all the amazing machines filling the milk bottles and even watch a hilarious Moovie!

It is a fun and also peaceful day out and after your tour everyone gets to taste some dairy deliciousness, buy goodies farm direct and relax on tables and chairs while the kids run around on the green, green grass with happy chooks cruising around, a giant chess set and toy animals they all race to ride.

Beautiful Buderim Ginger

Recently we had a family fun day out at Buderim Ginger !

I was invited out there to taste test two new cordials they are producing.

I can't tell you much about them yet other than they were beautiful and I would highly recommend watching that space! Especially if you are a foodie like me and maybe also if you are a healthy food loving foodie too...

I really like their well established Buderim Ginger Refresher Cordial, have you tried it?
It really stays true to the natural flavours and real, quality ingredients.
You can can tell from the first sip that it comes from actual ginger and is not synthetic.
I was very intrigued to learn they were developing new lines in this area and my taste buds were very excited to be invited out there to taste test and I discovered they were both impressive and most of all were really interestingly different from each other and also the refresher.
They had developed them to be similar enough to compliment each other and yet strong with their own flavour edge.

I liked them both very much but one in particular I really liked and literally can't wait for it's release!

My inner foodie was on fire with ideas.
I really like Buderim Ginger products, not just as a Sunshine Coast producer but because the flavours are real, fresh and invigorating.

I have used Buderim Ginger refresher in recipes like this carved watermelon fruit salad perfect for parties, hot Summer days, a healthy dessert, taking to school instead of muffins for your child's birthday or just for fun!
I also used it in this Mango, Macadamia Trifle,
Which will really impress your dinner guests and is fantastic for Christmas time when mangoes are in season. It can also easily be made dairy free if you have allergies - see recipes notes.
When we revealed the trifle at the Maleny IGA taste testing event before Christmas last year everyone did a big Oooh when they got to the ginger refresher flavoured cake layer, it just added this zing of taste sensation.

It is one of those products that are so versatile they can be used in many different ways and equally enjoyed as is.

Another great product they have is their Naked Ginger which I use in these Moorish Macadamia Biscuits ( GLUTEN FREE)

I love how ginger has so many great health benefits too.
I slice it up fresh into my teapot for a herbal tea and I use it in all my juices like my pink and orange juice pictured here.
 I even have a large pot of ginger growing at my home!
Ginger is the star of my delicious and extremely popular
Moist Carrot & Ginger Cake with Citrus flavoured frosting

A cake that is perfect for entertaining and birthdays. A fresh twist on a beloved classic!

This was my first visit to Buderim Ginger, even though I do live on the Sunshine Coast and I already can't wait to go again. I was very surprised at the extent of the place and how much there was to see, do and taste. It was also extremely kid friendly which gives any place top marks in my book.
Oh and the shopping there!

I have always had a real thing for ornamental ginger plants too and have been fortunate to own and grow them over the last few years so I loved seeing these here too!

The whole place is very open and user friendly, the first foyer you walk through is a visual feast of goodies and products.
The food court is really well set up (and had great coffee - and I like my coffee!) and the grounds are really easy to follow around and all edged with beautiful gardens.
The ornamental ginger plants are breathtaking (also a big favourite of mine) and you can even buy plants there too. To my (horticulturalist) delight many species were labelled so my 7 year took great delight in discovering their names, giving the day an educational slant as well.

My kids absolutely adored the train ride, OK I'll admit it, I loved it too!
Haha, maybe even more than they did!
It was so much fun, ducks even came up alongside
the train as we passed to be fed, just  like being in a live Disney movie, the girls were captivated.

As you drive around you hear about the history and you see all the old tools, and of course a great view of the gardens.

Did I mention I loved their gardens? :)

But for the kids I think one of the greatets highlights are the giant life size gingerbread men!

Yes. We had a ball.

It was absolutely pouring with rain that day (hence my very wet hair do!) so I can honestly say it is also a really great place to take the family sunshine or rain.
Which is great for such a fun tourist attraction.

They also have a boat ride and kids can make their own ginger bread men!

A definite must visit when on the Sunshine Coast.

Below are some snapshots I took of our visit.
Thanks for reading and if you get a chance I would definitely recommend heading out there and having a look, but allow plenty of time to look around and experience it as there is lots to see and do.
You can buy the beautiful Buderim Ginger Refresher and other products by them like their Naked Ginger that I used in the Gluten Free Moorish Macadamia Biscuits and collect the recipe cards from the Maleny IGA and you can find out more about the Buderim Ginger Factory HERE and LIKE them on Facebook

 Rebecca Mugridge x

(c)RebeccaMugridge2013
NOTE: I was not paid in any way for this review of Buderim Ginger. I was invited there to taste test some of their new lines and while there given free entry and a family train ride. The opinions here are my own.