We eat nude at our house...

just kidding! Well, sort of.  We're pretty normal in the way that we eat dinner, at a table, telly off (usually) and fully clothed.  I like to think we eat pretty healthy, varied dinners and that although the kids definitely have their favourites (and like to tell me so!) we do also like them to try a variety of foods.  Somewhere between washing, housework, running a business, raising kids and renovating, I seem to have lost my cooking mojo. That's when we started eating nude... well "Eat NuDe" to be precise.  For the price of a coffee, Eat Nude will provide you with five balanced dinner meals planned for you, that's 5 recipes,a categorised shopping list and fantastic tips to save you time, money and calories.  You can view a sample menu/list here.

Eat NuDe has been developed by one of my lovely cousins, Bronwyn, a dietitian passionate about making healthy meals easy, affordable and delicious.  Given her knowledge gained from years of study and experience, it seems an absolute bargain to have meals planned by a dietitian, for around $5 per week! The extra tips you get access too are also invaluable.   I personally found the portion size advice particularly helpful, as I have to confess to letting them slowly creep up, so it's great to get them in check. It's also great to print a shopping list, add (in the spaces provided) the few extras we need and head out the door for a purposeful and quick shop.  No aimless wandering, throwing in a pile of ingredients with little inspiration or insight into what they'll turn into.  Plus, if I do have two little rascals wanting to play hide and seek down the aisles, at least we're out of there fast!

Here's a snapshot of one of my favourite meal plans.  We always have leftovers for my husband to take to work, which is great, a yummy healthy lunch, that he didn't have to buy. I've made the devilled sausages so many times since this week, it's now a firmly established family favourite on the two nights we don't Eat NuDe, in fact we had it tonight.

Included in each weekly plan is the  'twofor' option, which is basically two meals with little more effort than one.  For example (we loved this) one week included a delicious chilli con carne one night, which if you chose to double, provided the base for yummy wraps the following.  

One last thing, it is fantastic for getting you to try new ingredients. Things I'd wanted to try, but didn't really know what to do with, like haloumi, Israeli couscous and quinoa are introduced and really quite simple when a recipe is provided.  I'd also never cooked brown rice and it's now all I cook, we love it.  I know it's not that exotic, but I'm a creature of habit, habits which eat NuDe will help you break!

Meal plans are emailed every friday, so get in and subscribe before midday tomorrow and have your weeks meals sorted.  Subcription always makes me think "committed", you're not.  She has a range of subscription options, including just one week, perfect for trying it out, but like me, I'm sure you'll be back.  So go on, check it and have a bit of fun getting your mojo back!

Sarah x

Themed presents for children...

We had a special little girls birthday yesterday, this is the apron I made to go with her gingerbread themed pressy.  

She'll now be able to help Mummy use her flash new cake mixer...

to bake more delicious cakes, like the red velvet birthday cake, yummy...

I made one for Poppet too.  She tried hers out at her Aunty's today, and the result was a tray full of delicious Chocolate crackle cakes.

Ben was given a very cute cowboy themed present for his birthday, what a great idea.   It was cleverly wrapped in brown paper, with the sweet cowboy picture (in image) attached to front, all tied up in bakers twine.  He's especially fond of the 'That's not my pony...', they're a great series if you're looking for board books.  The Cowboys can be kind is part of a series of books on manners, the others are Princesses love to share, The friendliest ballerina and The pirate who said please.  They'd be a great start for themed presents, which needn't be expensive, perhaps some printed themed pictures and crayons, stickers, or stationary.  Gold coin/$2 shops are great for wee extras.

Right time for a cuppa (and a sneaky choc crackle) and the latest Homestyle mag.  If you don't read it already, you really should check it out.  Love it! Almost as much as 'The Block'.

For more creative spaces, pop over here.  There's a fabulous dollhouse amongst this weeks.

See you :)

Moroccan love...

Love my new pink pouffes, just like this one.

A favourite book of mine, very well read prior, during and after my trip.

My house smells like a Moroccan souk, and I love it!  Not because I love the smell, it's the memories it conjures up that I love.  I recently received my new pink Moroccan pouffes, and opening the parcel took me back a decade, to my backpacking days.  If any scent could take me there, this could (or the smell of carpet subjected to many a party, as was the case with my London flats).  I keep sniffing them, it's as intrepid as I'm likely to get for quite a few years. The seller assures me the smell will fade, but I secretly hope it doesn't too quickly.  My Moroccan slippers have long since lot their authentic aroma.

I absolutely loved Morocco.  It was a complete contrast to anything I knew, exhilarating different, sometimes scarily so for an unseasoned traveller.  I remember my nervous train ride from the airport into Casablanca at dusk, beside slums, with no accommodation booked and travelling with another young woman, I was ready to catch the next train back.  We soon acclimatised though.  I loved the maze like ancient cities, ancient customs, incredible handcrafts, delicious meals and spectacular landscape.  I still have a couple of water bottles filled with sand from my camel ride into the Sahara.  A Berber man (also ancient) advised me it was lucky for fertility? Needless to say, not a grain has been spilt.

Anyway, here is my frequently made couscous salad recipe.  Not entirely Moroccan, but it does always remind me of there. I hadn't eaten couscous till that trip, and hadn't realised how easy it was to make until I came across this recipe.  This is my adaptation.

Couscous Salad
1 cup couscous
1 cup chicken stock (I make with 1 stock cube)
clove of garlic
1/4 cup currants
70g pine nuts(toasted) or sunflower seeds
grated zest of one orange
1 orange peeled and segmented(use the one from zest)
1/4 either coriander or flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Saute garlic in a knob of butter, or dash of oil, be careful not to burn it.  Quickly add couscous, currants and chicken stock, stir till boils then remove from heat, cover and leave for 3 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and add remaining ingredients, toss gently to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.

It really is that simple and can be modified easily.  I've used lemon when I've had no orange, obviously only the zest.  A diced, cooked chicken breast could be added too.  If you need a bigger salad, increase the couscous and stock accordingly and maybe throw in another orange.  The left overs are delicious the following day too.


Bon appetit!


Sarah

pretty pastels and weetbix slice...

I'm really loving all the pastels on my dresser at the moment.  I found the PERFECT fifties style measuring spoons while down in Wellington last week.  They were from a retro style cafe at Paekakariki Beach, sorry I can't remember the name.  Then at the weekend we went to stay with the in laws and I visited a favourite antique shop there, Ethel Anne Antiques.  I found the gorgeous ice cream coloured Pyrex ramekins, LOVE them!  Maybe I should be brave and attempt souffles??? Nah, probably won't happen, but they do look cute on display.  

Poppet and I have just finished off the last of our weetbix slice, it's delicious.  I started off with such good intentions for her diet... now she says 'chippy' every time we drive past McDonalds, oops!  It'll probably be a first word for baby number two.  Anyway, I've photographed the recipe for you, just in case you haven't grown up with it, I'm yet to meet a kiwi that hasn't. 

Sarah

Delicious Lemon Slice...

   

I'm loving my jasmine vine at the moment.  I never thought to use as a cut flower until I saw a florist friend do so.    It looks so pretty in a vintage jug, and smells gorgeous.
Something else I've been loving is this delicious lemon slice, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you.  It's a recipe that's been circulating my sisters work and I can see why, it really is delicious.  So delicious I've aptly named it that.


Delicious Lemon Slice


75g butter
1/2 can condensed milk
1 c coconut
1 packet crushed super wine biscuits(I did in food processor)
Grated lemon rind (1 lemon, finely grated)

1.  Melt butter and add condensed milk.  Stir and remove from heat.
2.  Stir in coconut, crushed biscuits and rind.
3.  Press firmly into a tin.  Refrigerate, and ice when cold.  
4.  Store in fridge.
To make icing, just mix some icing sugar, a little bit of butter and squeeze juice from the lemon.
Keep it in the fridge, as it keeps it nice and hard... though I'm sure it won't last long!


Poppet's tucked up for her afternoon sleep, so it's time for a cuppa, a piece of slice and a good old nosey through Megan's house, featured in the latest homestyle magazine.


Sarah

Old school baking...

We're full of colds in our household(again), so have opted for indoors today.  To occupy poppet and satisfy my slice craving, we baked some Louise cake from my latest favourite, Gran's Kitchen.  It was a birthday present from my cousin, and has been a hit.  I love the classic, simple, and delicious recipes.  Oh, and the photos are gorgeous too, very nostalgic.  While searching for a link to where you can purchase, I discovered that there is a follow up book, Gran's kitchen table, will have to put that on next years birthday wish list.
Time for a cuppa and way too much slice... can't get enough of the coconut meringue topping mmm....

Enjoy your afternoon

Sarah

ps. heaps of variations on this recipe if you do a google search.  They seem to look a little better too, oh well, mines all about the taste!

Happy Monday morning to you....

I hope you had a lovely weekend and enjoyed the royal wedding, I did!  I was only going to watch Kate arrive (the dress of course) but couldn't switch the telly off.  She looked amazing, and so in love, was lovely to see.

I had an early start the following morning, as I held my first garage sale for many years.  It was quite interesting being on the other side of one.  Apart from a couple of cheeky early customers(one who peered into my house and enquired about items on my dresser being for sale, a bit intrusive!),  I quite enjoyed the chit chat.  An hour into it and only $9 better off, I thought it may turn out quite embarrassing having to carry everything back inside.   However most sales were made late morning and it was well worth it.  Plus my house is a bit more decluttered, yay!

Anyway, I've been meaning to share my choc cake recipe with you. We had a lovely friend, and her gorgeous wee daughter for tea not so long ago.  It was her birthday, so I made a cake.  It's so easy, all just gets mixed in one bowl, no creaming, or anything time consuming or fiddly.  Pretty economical too, not a lot of butter.  I usually just ice with icing sugar and cocoa icing, though if it's a special occasion I make the ganache and spread my favourite jam inside.  I always think a cake  looks a little bit fancy if on a pedestal too, this was one we had on our dessert table at our wedding.  Oh and I accidentally bought magic candles... it was like putting sparklers (handheld sparkling fireworks) on top, wee bit confusing for the girls too.

Bon appetit!

Sarah

Mums Apple Cake.... and Poppet's CUTE cake tin

How cute is Poppet's toy cake tin? We had a garage sale for Playcentre last weekend, and while helping set up, I nabbed some cute children's cookware.  A patty tin, loaf tin and spring form cake tin.  Poppet has been stirring imaginary cakes for a few days now, so yesterday we baked some real ones.  One for Mum and Dad, and one for Poppet.  It's a super easy recipe and especially delicious just out the oven with whipped cream(a very generous dollop) or yoghurt.  I've found it takes a bit longer than the 30-40mins stated, but that may be my oven.  Just keep an eye on it and insert a skewer or knife in the centre to check it, should come out clean.  I baked this the other weekend for my in laws, who I had to pick up from the airport.   I really had to get going and it still wasn't done, so I turned the oven off and left the cake in.  It could have gone either way, still raw or char coaled.  Thankfully the heat left in oven was just enough to cook it perfectly.... and there were no big red trucks parked outside my house!

disclaimer.  do not try at your house, I take no responsibility for house fires resulting from Mums Apple Cake.

Have a lovely day

Sarah :)

Chocolate Button Biscuits and a CUTE new tin....

This is the best biscuit recipe ever! Honestly it is.  I can't remember where I originally got it, but it's a stayer, and has made it into my little red recipe book.  

Hope you can read my writing ok(please ask if not sure about any of it)  It makes 48 biscuits, about two trays worth.  Warning, very, very hard to stop at one, two... three....

Here is my CUTE new tin, courtesy of my mother in law, thank you! 

Very vintage, though immaculate inside.

Bon appetit x

A spot of afternoon baking....

This afternoon I decided to entertain Poppet with an inhome baking demonstration, complete with television voice and Nigella finger licking.  We made Grans shortbread, which was her mothers recipe, so Poppet's Great Great Grans shortbread.  It's the easiest recipe and delicious.

Grans Shortbread

1/2lb (250gms) butter(cut into small pieces)

3/4 cup icing sugar

1 1/2 cup standard flour

1/2 cup cornflour

Just put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend till it holds together(as in photo above).  You then roll it into a log shape, this can be done on a floured board or in greaseproof paper.  Cut it into slices and press into the top of biscuit with a fork, or as Gran would do, with the end of a cotton reel(see second photo).  Bake at about 160C for about half an hour, or until just golden.  Devour in great quantities with a good cup of tea!