Recipes, sunsets and garden delights

Sorry for the quietness around this blog lately. I decided to have a little blogging break and not go on the computer until evenings as ashamedly I wasn't getting all my jobs done because of too much time wasting on here. This blogging business is very addictive.

The above book I have had for a while and after my father's and my friend's recent heart attacks, I have decided that we all need to be living healthy so to keep health problems at bay. Especially our son who eats far too much rubbish food.

These recipes are taken from this gem of a little book. It contains so much information for adults and children alike.

We are what we eat after all.

If we put poor quality fuel in our cars, will they run properly? No. Same with our precious bodies, if we put poor quality food in our mouths we definitely will not run properly!! Lately I have been experiencing a little more stress than usual in my life and am in much need of some energy food.

Energy building recipes

Fruity Snacks

Packed with nutrients, these fruity snacks are perfect for lunchboxes, parties or after school. Individually wrapped in cellophane, they make a great gift.

60 g dried apricots
60 g dates
60 g raisins
30 g ground almonds
40 g coconut

Put all the dried fruit through a fine mincer. Place the fruit and almonds into a bowl and work together with enough coconut to make a firm, mouldable mixture. Sprinkle the remaining coconut on greased paper. Form the mixture into 'logs' about 1cm x 4cm and roll in the coconut. Chill for a short time until firm. (The chilling time depends on the weather and how soft the ingredients were.)

*All I did was whiz all the ingredients (except for a bit of coconut to roll them in) in the blender and rolled into 'logs' and then sliced into small pieces for finger food.

One-cup Fruit Slice

This is one you can throw together and have in the oven in under 10 minutes. Any other combination of dried fruit can be used in place of the dried apricots and sultanas, as long as it amounts to 2 cups.

1 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup sultanas
1 cup reduced-fat milk

Grease a 20cm x 30cm slab tin. Mix all the ingredients together evenly. Press into the tin. Bake at 180C for 25-30 minutes. Cut into 20 squares.

Banana and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Using a mix of white and wholemeal flour add fibre. This recipe can be mixed the day before it's needed and stored in the refrigerator ready to cook.

1 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
1/4 teaspoon bi carb soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup soft brown sugar
1/2 cup chocolate bits
3/4 cup reduced-fat milk
1 egg lightly beaten
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/4 cup vegetable oil (macadamia nut oil or grapeseed oil is best for this recipe, or you could use canola oil. Olive oil might have too strong a flavour.)

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Grease the muffin tins.

Combine the flours, bi carb of soda, cinnamon, brown sugar and chocolate bits.

Mix the milk, egg, banana and oil and add to the other ingredients.

Mix until just combined. (Do not over mix.)

Spoon into the muffin tins and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

Makes 12 small or 6 large muffins.

There have been a couple of lovely sunsets lately.

Old truck across the road with the beautiful orange colours of Autumn.

The near by Flinders Ranges all aglow with late orange sunlight. This photo is taken from our little block of Australia.

Some elephants tongues? I think this is what they are called. This is the flower part and the large green leaves come along later after the flowers have died. The garden is starting to recover after our extremely hot summer.

Warm days here with little to no wind, I must take some photos of the gulf in the mornings when it looks like glass, it is so pretty. Even saw a pelican this morning on our way to school.

Must get back to helping a year 8 with his homework now.

Have a good evening,

See you soon,

x Tania