Good-bye,"Ange at home", hello Workingmamamadness

I've started a new blog...come over and have a look:

workingmamamadness

Is it just me, or is packing to go away (for only two days)very stressful?

Today I'm packing to go away for the weekend. The weekend. Two days,two nights. So why,why,why,is it so stressful? Is it just me?Is it my terminally perfectionist personality?Is it because I have to try on fifteen outfits to decide what to wear out to the 50th birthday dinner we are going to?Is it because I have a three year old who is excited about going away and also needs a detailed explanation about every single item we are packing?

I feel stressed. Somebody tell me to stop being a silly woman and relax...oh, that's right, my husband did! Going away should be a small pleasure, shouldn't it? A chance to get away from home - from the domestic chores that mock me all day long. A chance to spend quality time with family who live in another town.A chance to go out for dinner (I am looking forward to that).

So, to go away for only two days, I need to pack my clothes (who would think it'd be so hard?) I wish I had a pair of jeans I could call my favourites, that feel like my tracky dacks,but look nice, so I could just wear them all weekend. Alas...sigh...

I also need to pack for a three year old,and for all the accidents, spills,possible puddles and mud we might encounter. Not to mention making sure that I've packed the clothes that I know he'll wear. Most days there's a total rejection of anything I offer. Granted - it isn't packing for a baby - but it has its own issues.

Then there's the packing of a bit of food. Despite my lovely sister-in-law telling me there's no need to bring anything, with our family's diet - gluten free for the kids, grain free for us, mostly sugar free too- we need a few things we can eat when we get a bit peckish, as a three year old will, about 15 times a day.

And let's not forget that we'll need supplies in the car. Entertainment supplies, cuddly supplies,food and drink,and a thermos for the adults.

So I suppose I should stop procrastinating and just bite the bullet,and pack.

At least scribbling in my blogg has released a little of my tension. Oh and the cup of tea and tiny little macaroon.

From Scratch

Yesterday,I made a whole lot of stuff from scratch, without even realizing(until later) that over at Inner Pickle, Fi has set a MONTH of making things from scratch. So I guess I started early.

I made a big plateful of picklets for the kids.Made from whey,yoghurt,milk,water,gluten free flour and two eggs. They were delicious (yes- I snuck a couple,despite my Paleo diet! I'm afraid it's not always perfect).

After that I made  "cream cheese" (yoghurt labna) into marinated cheese. I put balls of the stuff into a plastic container (which happens to have a little basket in it), along with sprigs of thyme,lemon rind,garlic cloves and seasoned salt (no msg or nasties).Then I covered it in a good quality olive oil.

I love marinated feta,but I'm always disappointed that the shop bought stuff is marinated in a mix of olive and canola oil. And canola oil is best left for bio-fuel.

 My marinade ingredients.

 The cream cheese which had been on the bench for 24 hours- no muslin,so I used tulle - works just fine!

 Popped the marinade ingredients into the container,added the cheese,topped with oil. Sorry the photos are so bad.I just can't seem to get a decent pic with my camera when it is dark.Always too much flash or not enough!

 Then I used the whey to make sauerkraut. I got the idea from Sarah Wilson.But I also have the recipe in my Nourishing Traditions book, by Sally Fallon. So I cut up the cabbage, pounded it for ten minutes and popped everything in the jar. I hope it all works out,because I'm not a big fan of shop bought sauerkraut, but after reading about how great it is for our bodies,I'd like to eat more of it.

So, there you have it - all made from scratch.

What's next? I don't know. I don't have a working oven at the moment,so no baking.But we are managing just fine with the stove top, rice cooker,weber and barbeque.Charlie is a large consumer of rice crackers - perhaps I ought to give that a shot? I believe Inner Pickle has a recipe....I'll check it out after netball this morning. Must dash...

What to do when you feel lousy and can't do much...

Well, I think it's a great time to catch up on ideas. I've not had much time for thinking and contemplating beyond the weekly food menu, how to improve my paleo diet, and the shopping list ( I do a lot of thinking about food!).

So, it seems I have caught a bug. I've been feeling very low and had nasty stomach cramps too. Thankfully, no vomiting or diarrhea, but still feeling quite awful.

So rather than be frustrated, I've decided this time is actually a gift to be savoured. It's an opportunity to rest, because it is obviously something I need, and a chance to take time to  do nothing at all.

So, I'm in bed, writing this and doing some thinking and researching.

I've been thinking about the garden. I can't wait til we sell our block of land so we can spend some money developing our house block. I want to move the vegetable garden up close to the house, build a chook(chicken) yard nearby, and bring in a whole lot of fill so that we can have a LEVEL garden. I'm really sick and tired of having to have raised terraced beds. We lose so much water, and digging, planting, pushing a wheel-barrow and carrying things up and down a hill is just proving to be too challenging. It has led me to being very neglectful of the garden. So, that's the long term plan...

The short term plan is to start showing some love to my garden again. We've had a long hot summer (it's still happening), which makes for loads of lovely beach time, but very little loving of the garden. My garden isn't reticulated. I don't have the time or inclination to stand out in the Aussie sun, watering the garden for hours on end. Consequently, everything is suffering from a lack of water. Why won't it just rain???

So, I need to pull up many dead plants, put in a whole lot of organic matter, and rejuvenate the soil before I start planting out in late Autumn. I don't really want to do many of those jobs until the weather is cooler. So perhaps in the Easter holidays, I'll get a start on that.

Then I'll start planting out broccoli,beetroot,cabbage,carrots,lettuce,Asian greens,onions, spinach (lots and lots of this) and peas.

I've also been thinking about recipes. I recently got hold of this book: Bridging Foods: http://www.penguin.com.au/products/9780646521718/bridging-foods-introduction-gluten-dairy-yeast-free-eating.

I'm going to try out these recipes this week:

• Thai Fish Cakes
• Pumpkin and Tuna Sushi
• Coconut Chicken and Asian Salad
• Fish Tacos

I'll let you know how they turn out.

Oh dear - I seem to be thinking about food again! There's no way around it. A family has to eat.

I've also thought about getting more time to myself. I've come up with a tiny little plan to get 30 minutes of swimming laps in. Apparently the quietest time for lap swimming is between 2.30 and 3.30. On a Wednesday I'm not teaching period 6, which means if I left a tiny bit before home-time, I could manage a half hour in the pool. No one will miss me, and I'll get a well deserved 30 minutes to myself. Yippee! It's certainly worth a try.

I have to admit, though feeling sick isn't pleasant, it was nice to have some time to do nothing much at all.

How to do it?

How do we do it - working, mothering,partnering- without losing our "selves" along the way?

My question comes from a place I've found myself in - a place I don't want to be in- but, nonetheless, I am.

I knew it wouldn't be easy to go back to work again, to three days a week, but I had hoped I would be able to juggle it, along with all the other roles I have, in an elegant fashion.

But, here I am, fumbling, dropping the balls, grasping desperately to pick them all up again...

Things coast along reasonably well when we get into a routine, when I stick to the "plan", but when events conspire against me, everything tumbles.

This past week has been difficult, and I feel exhausted. It is noone's fault. It is just how life can be.

The week started with Lily feeling sick. She is our most available and able, willing babysitter. With her out of action, the rest of us have to do a little more to keep our littlest one occupied.

Then both Freya and Charlie had colds. That meant more tiredness and misery.

I too fell down with the dreaded lurgy. Only I soldiered on, kept working, kept mothering, kept house-wifing.

Then Mike went away overnight on Friday and came home Saturday afternoon, sleep deprived and suffering from a terrible toothache. His toothache had him out of action all weekend, doped up on painkillers and feeling awful.

Then Freya got something in her eye, it was swollen and sore, and she really wasn't up to doing very much.

Add to this netball trials, grocery shopping, after school tutoring (I'm the tutor, and I finish at 5.15pm, twice a week), meals to be cooked, laundry and general mess and mayhem caused by a three year old.

I find my brow furrowed. I have to tell myself to stop frowning. I feel stressed. Getting dressed for work is so, damned hard...could I please just wear my sweatpants??? I fall into my chair at the end of a long day and fall asleep at 8pm. I can't find time to exercise, let alone meditate....

This morning my darling husband noted that, because I get up at 6 a.m, and he sleeps on til 7, that I should use that extra hour to get ready for work, so that the hour from 7 - 8 a.m (when we leave the house) won't be so stressful...I don't think he saw the irony in it at all- that hour is the only one that I get where I don't do anything much, other than drink a cup of tea, read my favourite blogs and forums.

When am I supposed to have some time to myself? How do you juggle it all? Any suggestions?

I'd love to be a stay at home mum, as I was the last three years, but I can't keep that up. The mortgage needs to be paid, and the children like to be fed. I also don't want to lose my permanent position at the school.

So, what I need is is useful, helpful ideas. Some family support would be nice, but that is sadly lacking.

Soldiering on.....

Deviating...off course...and feeling the consequences.

 We had Lily's birthday this week, so there had to be cake. It was Gluten free, but still cake, grains and sugar and all, so not really Paleo. It was delicious, and we all enjoyed it. I did feel very tired the next day. But that may be due to going back to work three days a week.

Then, yesterday, I made a huge batch of mini meringues, for my friend's 50th party (which is on tonight). They were a great success. I made vanilla, coffee and chocolate meringues. Of course, I had to sample each flavour, and then have only one more, then another, then another...Oh no, that sugar just had me gasping for more. Not good! They tasted lovely though.

However, deviating off the Paleo road wasn't a great idea. I was feeling tired anyway, probably from working, however, I spent the afternoon feeling quite fatigued, and ended up with a headache which I needed painkillers for. Now I've woken with a sugar-hangover. My head hurts and I still feel tired after a full night's sleep.

Was it worth it? No, not really. I'm annoyed at myself for slipping. Especially as I had weighed myself that morning and was so pleased that I'd lost some more weight.  What's worse is that I feel lousy today, and we have a party to go to tonight. I'll need an afternoon nap, I think. But I won't beat myself up about it. There's no point. Instead, I shall learn from my mistake, and will be staying away from the dessert table tonight. Instead, I want to indulge in a couple of glasses of champagne. I think it is an auspicious occasion which deserves toasting (my lovey friend, Carolyn's, 50th birthday.)

Other than this slip-up, I think the Paleo way of eating is becoming second nature. I do really like that I feel healthy and energetic on it. I also like that my clothes feel loose, and my tummy isn't bloated anymore. It's worth the sacrifices to feel good.

Paleo-riffic

Things are going well.
I know this is working on the family when I can smell bacon and eggs cooking in the kitchen, and who is cooking? My 11 year old daughter.

Since I stopped buying bread, making cookies and muffins and cakes with wheat flour, and generally getting rid of gluten, Freya has noticed a marked improvement in her skin - she has struggled with eczema her whole life - much like Charlie.

He too has had a marked improvement. I noticed he was a little scratchy in his sleep a couple of nights ago - after he'd been to Day-care. I'm just not sure what to do about that. My carer is wonderful, and provides food for all meals and snacks, which makes things easy for me. I'm guessing that if I insist on Charlie being gluten free, I'll have to pack his food. Of course it is worthwhile if it makes a difference to his health.

I'll talk to his carer next week, and start thinking about how to tackle it. I do worry that if he has different food to everyone else, he'll feel left out, and of course he loves bread, pastry and other gluten foods, so if his playmates are eating it, he'll want it too. But he going there three days a week, so it will make a difference.

I'm supposing that as a carer, she must have to deal with other allergies? Anyway, something to think about.

I start back at work this week - three days a week. A bit of a shake up for this family. Last year I worked one day a week, sometimes two, so a regular three days may affect us. Everyone will have to make adjustments - not just me. At least I'll have a four day weekend. That's when I'll be trying to get the food organised. I think to maintain a healthy diet, we really do have to work at it. And why shouldn't we if it means our health is assured? It's worth the effort.

Speaking of which, I think it might be time for my caveman to get out of bed - so I'll fire up the stove and sizzle up some bacon and eggs, perhaps some tomatoes - plenty growing in the garden, some mushrooms. Yummy!

Onions...

Image not mine - taken from Google

My lovely friend, Janine, gave me a box of onions yesterday, so I have been thinking about what to do with them.

I love caramelised onions - probably because the sweetness is brought out in them, but I wonder if that means they are too high in sugar for the Paleo way of eating? Oh well - too bad if they are, I'm eating them anyway.

I made a lovely caramelised onion quiche/frittata for dinner last night. Though I didn't measure things out precisely, I'll give you the recipe, as it turned out deliciously.

Crustless caramelised Onion Tart:

I used:
5 medium sized onions, a mix of brown and white, sliced thinly
1 heaped Tbs  virgin coconut oil
1 Tbs butter
5 small courgettes (or a medium sized zucchini would work) sliced thinly
3 spring onions, sliced (green and white parts)
8 eggs
about a cup of cream and one of buttermilk (but any dairy or yogurt would work)
A big handful of grated tasty cheese
salt and pepper

Start by melting your coconut oil and butter, add all the onions and let them cook slowly for about 20 minutes, this will bring out the yummy sweetness. Then I added a dash of balsamic vinegar, mixed it in and transferred to a baking dish.

Then I sauteed the courgettes til they were slightly browned, and transferred them to the baking dish. I sprinkled that with the spring onions and cheese.

In a bowl I whisked up the eggs, cream and buttermilk. I gave it a good whisking until it was frothy as I wanted to make it airy and silky (and it was). Pour that over the onions, cheese and courgettes. Pop it in the oven at moderate heat for 30 -45 minutes.

It was really delicious and the whole family enjoyed it with a side of broccoli and cauliflower.

I realise now that it probably doesn't fit with the "whole 30" as it has dairy in it, but I'm actually quite happy with a little bit of dairy in my life. I still think it is Paleo as it has no grain, no sugar, and no legumes in it.

Now I'm on the hunt for other onion recipes - I wouldn't want to waste them. Stay tuned...

The Link between Gluten and Eczema

Lately I've been trying to get the kids to eat a more "Paleo" way. To start with, I haven't eliminated all the grain in their diets, but I have decided to make them gluten free.

I've been gluten free for a while now. I decided to try it a few years ago when I was having trouble with my gut. It started when a natropath suggested I give up wheat. I did, and I felt a whole lot better. But I still had irritable bowel symptoms from time to time. I read somewhere that all gluten could be an irritant to the bowel, so gave it all up. I felt so much better, and lost some weight, so decided to stick to it.

However, though the IBS symptoms were almost all gone, I still had other problems: aching joints, lower back pain, dermatitis on my hands (much improved, but still there), carpel tunnel syndrome, and the nagging extra weight that I shouldn't be carrying, despite hours at the gym (before Charlie's pregnancy, I've not ventured back since).

Since cutting out all grain, I'm feeling even better. No more occasional bowel symptoms, no more bloating or windiness (this was really helped by giving up sugar), much improved dermatitis, hardly noticing the carpel tunnel or joint pain. And the weight is slipping away without too much effort (I'm certainly not starving myself, and love that I can eat fat. Yay!)

What I'm really pleased about, is the improvement in Charlie's eczema. It has really improved since I've put him on a gluten free diet. He isn't scratching nearly as much, and his skin is looking so much better. He is still eating dairy, but it isn't very much (no more cereal and milk in the mornings), and when he has a glass of milk in the morning, I add a teaspoon of beneficial bacteria, which I hope will help improve his gut, which may have been damaged from gluten. You can read about the link between gluten and eczema at Mark's Daily Apple.

I'm really enjoying learning so much about health and nutrition since getting interested in the Primal/Paleo way. It's such an eye opener, and it is so amazing that what we've been taught, our whole lives, just isn't true. Whole grains aren't that great for humans, and animal fats are really good for us. It takes a bit of getting used to - I still have pangs of guilt for eating fats and butter, but I'm still loving it!

I Think it's day 10 of the Whole 30, and I might have slipped!

Well, it was only a tiny slip, but one none-the-less.

I made gluten-free buttermilk pancakes for Charlie for breakfast, and had one myself. They had no sugar in them, and I think the buttermilk (being a fermented milk product) is okay, and the ground almonds, but I did use some gluten-free flour which is made from corn and rice, which are both grains.

So I slipped, but you know, I am almost totally clean other than that, and I think that's something.

I went out for book-club yesterday, at a cute little cafe to have afternoon tea and I managed to only have a mineral water and a cup of tea. And it didn't bother me in the least. I don't actually miss sugar anymore. I don't actually want to sabotage my diet (for want of a better word). I know my body feels so much better on this way of eating, and the bonus is that I am losing weight.

And I'm really please that my children are starting to embrace this way of eating too. I think the key is to have foods they like (which are not grain and sugar based) available. I'm keeping the home-made yogurt stocked, plenty of fruit that they like in the fridge, and cold meat they can have for lunch, in a seaweed wrap, or with a big salad. I've pretty well stopped buying bread and so far - as long as I cook something for breakfast, they haven't missed it. I know it will be more difficult on work-day-school mornings, but I'm pretty committed, so I will keep trying.

I found that if we all sit down together at lunch time, lunch is made easier, so of course that won't be very easy once they are back at school. However, there are many ways to fill up a lunchbox, it just requires a bit of dedication and time and effort. They can take cold meats,hard boiled eggs, mini crustless quiches, zucchini slice, savory muffins (sans the flour) and of course vegetables and fruit.

I've ordered some Paleo cookbooks, so hopefully, I'll get some ideas from them. I can't wait til they arrive!

The Whole 30 Continued, and Life Goes On...

It's day 6 now, and although I can't say I've stuck to it religiously, I can safely say I pretty much have. The only thing I've had, that maybe I shouldn't have, is yoghurt.

As my fabulous Traditional Chinese Practitioner says, "Yoghurt isn't really diary because it is fermented and so good for you".

I woke feeling a bit off colour yesterday,my head aching and my tummy uncomfortable ( a virus I think, as Lily has been complaining of the same thing the last few days.) I don't think it's due to the Whole 30, because my diet is pretty much the same as last week, but I really felt the need for my home-made-full-of-good-bacteria-yoghurt. So I'm eating it again.

Other than that I've been really sticking to the guidelines.

I turned down a glass of wine at the beach the other night. It would have been lovely, but instead I went for a long walk with Charlie. Much better for my body and my liver. I've been suffering from dermatitis on my hands - it gets very itchy and it always seems to happen whenever I drink wine and cider. The Chinese perspective is that it causes "heat", just as sugar does, which will give you trouble with your skin.

I still have a headache, and I'm hoping it will buzz off soon.

I think the whole 30, and the Paleo way of eating is great.

Reading Gary Taubes book, "Why We Get Fat". It's really interesting - there's a great deal of science in it, and I'm yet to get to the bit about what we should be eating, but much of what he says about carbohydrates - particularly the refined, grain kind, is in keeping with the Paleo way of eating. I'm continually amazed at all the scientific information that supports the Paleo/Primal way of eating and show the Standard Australian(or American) Diet to be full of flaws, and basically what is killing the Western world with modern day diseases.

Now, if someone could help me wean the children off all the refined carbohydrates that they enjoy, then all would be well...

But, life does goon and it isn't easy to tell your kids they have to stop eating all their favourite foods, especially during school holidays. But I am going to do it gradually. I'm phasing out bread and all the naughty baked goodies, and will endeavour to use gluten free alternatives whenever I can. I know it won't be easy, but I do think their health will benefit.

Day 3 of the Whole 30

I was looking for an image to use, but i just got myself into computer strife, however I found a really good discussion about The Paleo diet at this website:http://www.fitbomb.com/p/why-i-eat-paleo.html.

It gives a comprehensive explanation.

So, Day 3 of the Whole 30, and I'm still on track! Hurray.

Breakfast was a small bowl of sliced strawberries topped with coconut flakes and chopped macadamia nuts, which I toasted in a teaspoon of coconut oil. Delicious! And the kitchen smelt amazing. I did miss my creamy yogurt, but I'll just give it a go and see how I feel after the whole 30.

I went to acupuncture in the morning, and came home feeling very relaxed and hungry. We ate the leftovers from last night's dinner, which were delicious all over again!

For dinner I made a favourite family dish of lamb, potatoes and tomatoes. I didn't eat the potatoes, but I did put some sweet potatoes in the dish and ate those. It was served with broccoli.

Here's the recipe, which I got from a book called :Feeding The Bump by Lisa Neal. It has some great recipes in it, though it isn't a "Paleo" cookbook. (And, no, I'm not feeding a bump right now). I cooked double the recipe.

Rosemary, Lamb and Tomato Bake:

4 potatoes or 2 large sweet potatoes (I used both)

1 red onion, quartered

1 punnet of cherry tomatoes,halved

2 Tbs fresh rosemary,chopped

400 g lamb chops

Dressing:

2 Tbs olive oil (I use a Paleo friendly oil like lamb tallow or macadamia oil)

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celcius.

Wash and cut potatoes into 3cm thick pieces.

Bring a medium(large if you are doubling the recipe)saucepan of water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes or until just tender.

Prepare onions,tomatoes and rosemary.

Heat the baking dish or tray for 5 minutes in the oven.

Brown the lamb chops in the fry pan.

Place everything in the baking dish and pour over the dressing. Mix and coat all the ingredients in the dressing. 

Bake for about 15 - 30 minutes. The recipe says 15 minutes, but Ia found it took more like 30.

Enjoy!

Day 2 of the Whole 30.

Day two and I seem to be sticking to it. Hurray!

I started the day with a simple breakfast : tomatoes and bacon cooked in ghee, served with half an avocado. Michael had his with an egg.

I was busy in town all morning, and by the time I bought a few groceries, it was lunch time, so I ate a small bunch of green grapes on the way home.

Lunch was a simple garden salad with tuna and a little mayonnaise. I followed that with a cup of tea (with a dash of milk, so I suppose I'm not 100% sticking to the Whole 30) and a nice chunk of the Paleo slice.

I think that may have seen me through to dinner time, because I don't remember eating anything else.

Dinner was a delicious Mexican style meal, I guess it was kind of Tacos, but instead of taco shells or tortillas, we used iceberg lettuce for shells.

I've been concerned about the seasoning we have used in the past - the packet variety- so decided to make my own. I searched the Internet and came across a recipe that I tweaked. Here it is:

2 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp paprika
2 Tb cumin
2 Tb dried oregano
1 Tb garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt

I mixed it altogether in a jar. This was the perfect amount for the 1 kg of kangaroo mince I used.

This is what I did:

I sauteed a large red onion (finely chopped), with half a large chopped red capsicum, and two tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley in about two tablespoons of lamb tallow and a tablespoon of ghee(Kangaroo meat is very lean), then I added the meat and browned it. I also added a large grated carrot and a large grated zucchini. Then I popped in half a large jar of tomato paste. You could add more if it doesn't look right. I let it simmer for about 20 minutes, then tasted it. It needed more salt, so I added about a teaspoon. The vegetables provide enough moisture, so I didn't need to add any water.

I have to say it tasted really good and the whole family enjoyed it, though it was quite spicy and the kids needed a glass of milk to go with it.

We ate the meat mixture, wrapped in lettuce leaves with cheese, tomatoes, cucumber, sour cream and guacamole. I omitted the cheese and sour cream.Still delicious, and really filling. I had two filled lettuce leaves and felt quite satisfied.

I think I might have a nice cup of green tea or herbal tea to end the day.

Let's see if I can do another 28 days. I'm up for it!

Day one of the Whole 30

I mentioned earlier that I would have a salad for lunch, but decided to cook a stir fry with lamb fat and meat (a tiny amount of meat) and zucchini,onion,broccoli and snow peas. I decided to cook the lamb fat, mainly because Michael had hurt his shoulder last night and I'd recently read about how good the grass fed fat is for aching muscles and sore joints.

After lunch I had a medjool date (Oh My Goodness - what a delight), and later had 4 big cherries and some paleo slice, as well as a herbal tea, and later a beautiful arctic fire tea. I took Lola for a long walk in the bush and picked some tea-tree, which is flowering beautifully at the moment. It looks lovely in a big vase on my side-board.

Now Michael is barbecuing a couple of organic steaks and some skinless sausages for the kids. I par-boiled sweet potatoes, coloured carrots and potatoes (for the kids), and popped them on the oven to bake in some lamb fat with lemon thyme, garlic and leeks fresh from my garden. We'll have some green beans too.

Yum! Can't wait to eat!

The whole 30

I've been spending a bit of time researching the Paleo way of life - particularly the paleo way of eating, and I keep hearing about the "whole 30". I stumbled upon this website http://whole9life.com/2012/01/whole-30-v2012/ and have read all about how to go about it.

I don't think it will be all that hard, because I have been grain free and mostly sugar free for some time.But I am not dairy free - I really do like to eat homemade yogurt. However, the thinking is that dairy, even the fermented kind, isn't good for regulating hormones, and for the inflammatory response, which is what I'm really interested in ( having had the diagnosis of an underlying, unknown auto-immune disease). I hope to keep  it away by adopting the paleo lifestyle, and hopefully, sticking to it.

So, there's no more excuses (because Christmas and New Year are over, and I have 3 weeks of holidays before I am back at work - long enough to establish the whole 30.

In a nut-shell, here's what is involved (but please pop over to the web-site to find out the details):

• Eat real food: meat, seafood,eggs, tonnes of vegetables, some fruit,plenty of good fats from fruit,nuts,oils and seeds.
• Eat food with very few ingredients, unprocessed is best.
• Do Not eat any sugar - real or artificial
• Do Not consume alcohol
• No grain - NONE- no quinoa,amaranth,buckwheat,corn etc.
• No legumes, definitely no soy, but green beans, sugar snap and snow peas are okay
• No dairy (this will be hard for me) - not even fermented dairy like yogurt. Only clarified butter and Ghee.
• No white potatoes (another difficult one for me)
• No malted or sweetened vinegar, but all others are fine
• Exceptions of processed food are : coconut milk/cream, applesauce,tomato sauce (without added sugar), chicken broth, bottled olives.

So, with that in mind, I will need to organise meals that suit me, and the whole family. I'm leaning more and more towards getting the whole family to eat a more Paleo style diet. I think it will help them get over their niggling ailments, which though not too bad, they could do without. The girls sometimes suffer from  mysterious stomach cramps. They might be related to hormones, I can't be sure, but maybe a better diet will help. Charlie suffers from itchy eczema, and I'd love him to be rid of it. I've also noticed that they are all a bit addicted to sugar and carbohydrates. I know how bad these things are for my body, and I'd like to save them from the gamut of chronic illnesses I've suffered over the years, which are more than likely related to my love of all things sweet and white.

I realise going "cold turkey" for the kids will be really hard, but if I offer them a whole lot of yummy food that is grain and sugar free, perhaps they'll be convinced? It remains to be seen.

So, I'm going to try and keep track of my 30 days - I'll try to write often, and will let you know what is on the menu.

Although I am starting today , I didn't start til after breakfast - as I had stewed apricots for breakfast, which did have sugar in it. They were very delicious though!

Lunch today will be a big salad as I have a fridge full of goodies after the markets yesterday, and I'll probably eat that with a small can of salmon or sardines, some lemon juice and oil. I'll follow up with some fruit if I feel peckish.

Tonight we'll barbecue some steak and have some roasted vegetable and a cabbage salad.

Wish me luck!

Christmas Fudge Recipe

I found it!

Oh my goodness, it doesn't get much easier than this:

(I make a double batch because it disappears quite quickly)

1 can of Condensed Milk (395gms)
125 grams butter
375 grams milk chocolate
200 grams dark chocolate

Melt the ingredients together. You can do this on the stove top, on a medium heat, or in the microwave ( 1 minute at a time, stirring in between, being careful not to overdo it).

My daughters always make this recipe, and usually do it on the stove top as it is easy for them to monitor the melting.

Once it is all amalgamated together, pour it into a baking paper lined container - I use a rectangular plastic container, so I can put the lid on it and keep it in the fridge, or pour it into a flat baking tray.

It is difficult to cut, but it is so easy to make, and makes a wonderful Christmas gift.

I once made a white chocolate version of this, but found it tasted too sweet. You can also make it with all milk chocolate.I prefer the version with the dark chocolate in it.

Our friends, the Gospers, who passed the recipe on to us also make it with macadamia nuts in it - that is really delicious.

Enjoy!

A New Year. Now What?

I’ve been thinking about New Year’s Resolutions. I’ve been reviewing the year that was, and thinking a little about the year to come.

This time last year, I was in a very difficult place. Two days earlier I had been to hospital to have my tiny baby “removed”(for want of a better word) from my body, because his little heart had stopped, and he had died.

Despite the intense sadness I was feeling at the time, I did write this about the new year:

“But 2011 is a new year, full of promise. I've made no resolutions, no plans. I just want to take it day by day and really appreciate and enjoy what I have in my life.”

So, now I can look back and take stock of 2011.

I didn’t make any plans, but had hoped, that somehow I could soften the blow of the miscarriage by having a successful pregnancy. Imagine my delight when I became pregnant again in April! I was thrilled, though very, very anxious, after the previous miscarriage. However, I felt that it couldn’t happen a second time. How naive (or just plain hopeful) I was. I lost our little boy at the same stage as the previous miscarriage at the end of June. It was pretty well 6 months to the day after my first miscarriage.

To say it, “rocked my world”, would be something of an understatement. Despite having experienced it before, I still had to get through the grief all over again, whilst I was still mourning the loss of Alfie. It was a really hard time. And it still isn’t easy.

Of course, whilst I dealt with that, life went on. My children grew. They were busy. I went back to work. My husband and I had our 21^st wedding anniversary. Our eldest son returned home. Our second child left home. Time marched on, and life really did go on.

As per usual, my interest in health continued and spurred on by Sarah Wilson in her fabulous blog, I tried to give up sugar, and was mostly successful, though I am not 100% clean right now. I’ve also learnt much about grains and seeds and how they affect the body, and why a Paleo/Primal style diet is the best for the human body, and for my body. I’ve pretty well stuck to that, and will continue to do so. I have learnt so much, and enjoyed reading Nora Gedgaudas (Primal Body, Primal Mind ) and Louise Hay ( You Can Heal Your Life).

Physically, I fell well, but in my heart and mind, there’s so much more work to be done. And with that in mind, here are some of my New Year’s resolutions:

·      When I was pondering resolutions last night, the word “yield” popped into to my head. I think I will try to “yield” more this year. To be more flexible, to let things just happen, to give over control, and to trust.

·      I would like very much to integrate the Paleo lifestyle into my life, wholeheartedly,and, to get the whole family eating in a more Paleo friendly way.

·      Every year (almost), I say I will practice Yoga more often. I say this because I know it makes me feel better. It calms me, it turns on the happiness juices, and I always walk away from a class feeling taller and lighter. It’s been so difficult to make it a part of my daily routine, but, dammit, the time for excuses is over. Why would I make an excuse to NOT do something I love?

·      I’m going to ride my new bike often. I want to ride around Rottnest Island (in October)without puffing too much and feeling the burn in my muscles. It is time I became bike fit!

·      I’m going back to work for three days a week. I’m excited about going back. Mostly my job is fun. But I worry about how it will affect us as a family. So I resolve to do whatever it takes to make the transition easy, and to make sure that my workload doesn’t double.

·      But, mostly, mostly…I just want to accept. I want to accept that I can’t make all the decisions about what happens to me. That I can’t control some of the things that happen, and that I cannot always get what I want, which goes quite nicely with my first resolution.

·      And, lastly, I won’t beat myself up if I get to December 31^st, 2012, and haven’t been able to uphold all my resolutions. I recall, many, many years ago, resolving to give up smoking. I don’t think I did it that year, but I did eventually, so these things have a way of sorting themselves out…See – already I’m yielding, and, accepting…

Happy New Year!

Merry Making

Although I’ve decide to take a low key approach to Christmas this year, I can’t help but get my hands busy and the girls have joined in too.

They love to make rocky road every year, and fudge, which we then gift to family and friends. The Fudge is amazing and so easy to make, once you’ve made it, you’ll be sorry you did, because you will just want to eat it all…

I will have to post the recipe later because I can’t find it right now!

I’ve been making “yo-yos”, also known as “Suffolk puffs”. They make a wonderful garland (the idea came from Soule Mama), and I also made little ones to make cute little gift tags.

For the gift tags, I cut a circle template with a diameter of about 7 cm. The final yo yo has a diameter of about 3 cm.

Freya and I used a bread and butter plate for the garland template. It is 18cm in diameter. The finished yoyos have a diameter of about  9 cm, depending on the fabric.

To make the yoyos:

Cut your fabric circle.

Pull the thread to gather the edge into the middle.

Fasten with a few over-sown stitches.

Then sew a pretty button in the middle

To make the gift tags, I sewed a row of red stitching around the edge of the card. It has a nice effect, and glued the yoyo onto the card. They are very cute and affective. Next year I may progress to making Christmas cards, but I really left my run too late this year.

To make the garland, I used wide cotton tape and sewed the yoyos onto it. It makes a wonderful Christmas Garland.

You could also make them into tree decorations.

I do feel inspired by how quick and effective the yoyos are, and I’m wondering what I might make next. I remember yoyo dolls were around when I was a kid, but haven’t seen them for years, so might have to look into making one of those.

It’s a busy time of the year. We’ve been doing a lot of socialising and my great Paleo diet has suffered a bit. But I’m not beating myself up about it, I’ll get back to it after the crazy festive season has settled.

We are looking forward to a quiet day at home with all our lovely children. We are hoping for a warm day so we can play at the beach, and plan to have a delicious lunch of roast pork and salad. We might even throw a few prawns on the barbeque!

Merry Christmas Everyone.

Paleo Breakfasts

I can safely say that I'm really happy with the paleo/primal lifestyle and way of eating, however, I do find making breakfast a bit of a challenge.

Being used to popping on a couple of pieces of gluten-free toast, or perhaps some gluten free muesli and milk, leaving all grains from my diet has made making breakfast a bit more complicated. So, here's what I do:

• Always start the day with a cup of tea. Sometimes it is regular tea (though I'm trying to drink less of it), some days I prefer a squeeze of lemon in hot water. Lately I've been having it with honey as I have a horrible cough.
• I usually follow that with a piece of the paleo snack slice I mentioned in an earlier post. It puts my hunger at bay while I try to work out what to eat for breakfast.
• It is difficult to get away with not cooking, so I'll look at what selection is in the fridege and I usually have a combination of these things: bacon, haloumi cheese, feta cheese, mushrooms, smoked salmon,spinach,asparagus, avocado,tomatoes,pineapple, cooked potatoes and eggs (for mike, not me). This makes a really lovely breakfast.
• If I'm in a hurry, or feel like something lighter I'll have some greek yoghurt, usually with berries (most often strawberries), and some toasted coconut and nuts. I love slivered almonds, pine nuts or chopped macadamias, lightly toasted in a small frypan. This takes seconds, and is so worthwhile. If there are leftovers I'll nibble on them during the day.

 I'm always on the lookout for different recipes for breakfast, and I've tried a few. A recent one was paleo pancakes, made with almond meal and nut butter. To say it was a "flop" was an understatement. No one in the family liked them. Even smothered in maple syrup! I could hardly flip them - they kept breaking, and burning. So that was a dud...

There are many things that can be done with eggs. I sometimes make a beautiful omelet for Mike, or scrambled eggs, baked eggs etc, but I don't eat eggs, so it limits things for me.

Overall, the little inconvenience of having to prepare breakfast is worthwhile. I feel good on this way of eating, despite being sick with a bad cold and cough lately. I'm hoping it'll settle soon. The cough is very annoying.

My SHort Story is Published

How exciting! I didn't win the competition, but I have been published on a website.

You can read my story here.