In terms of health-experiments, although I have decided to go the conventional route for emotional well-being, this hasn’t affected my natural-living-attitude.  Natural therapies, eating a nutritious diet, exercise and the likes can be very powerful supplements in the quest for health.  I don’t think I will ever stop experimenting.

Fermenting.  This isn’t a “new” thing, as such – kombucha, kefir and sauerkraut are household staples around here (not to mention Viper’s bread) – I’ve just started experimenting with new ingredients.  Sour oats or “Oat-ghurt” is my new favourite.  It’s pretty simple to do, you just need to be patient for a few days.

A basic run down of the method goes a little something like this:

• Take 1C whole oat groats, and cover with 1 & 1/4C water – soak overnight.
• In a food processor, blend up oats with an additional 1/4C water.
• Place in a ceramic/glass bowl, wrap in a tea towel and place in a warm, dark place.  I actually use a yoghurt maker as my incubator – I can keep the oats at a constant 30 degrees C, which makes the process a lot more fool-proof.  A hot water-cupboard or somewhere consistently warm would do the trick though.
• Incubate for around 48 hours – keep tasting the oats…. they will become increasingly sour as time goes on.  If they seem to be getting too dry, you can add more water, but only in small 1/8C increments.
• Serve as you would ordinary oatmeal/porridge….add a pinch of salt, and whatever toppings you like.  I’ve been enjoying these oats with coconut cream, cinnamon and raisins. Store extras in the fridge.

I really love these oats – they taste like a bowl of oats, mixed with a tangy yoghurt – hence the “Oat-ghurt,” tag.  Supposedly chock-full of beneficial bacteria for the gut too – but I just like the taste, the nutrition bit is a bonus.

I love coffee.  Not going to lie.  I have managed to cut down my consumption from up to 3 cups a day back to just the lonely morning cuppa.  Green tea, although it contains caffeine, doesn’t effect my anxiety/nerves – and I don’t get the melt-down-caffeine-crash that feels like my brain is a dry sponge.  Everything in moderation, right?

Magic Drops. I’ve started using bush flower essences, made by the lovely Alisha of Naughty Naturopath Mum & Essence Practioner.  She made me up a personal blend for a whole host of issues, plus I am taking a general Emergency Essence for those times I tend to get overwhelmed/anxious.  As with natural therapies, it’s kind of hard to tell if what you are taking is “working,” per se, but I can tell you that I feel a lot more balanced, calm & focused which has got to be a good thing.  Alisha ‘makes-to-order,’ specific blends for whatever ails you – whether it be physical, emotional or in between – check out her blog, she always has the most informative posts (on the subject of fermented foods above – this post of hers is excellent).

Seed Cycling.  Sounds a kooky, yes, but I’m willing to give it a go.  Basically the intention is to balance hormones, and regulate my menstrual cycle (including symptoms of PMS).  All you do is consume 1T ground flaxseed and 1T ground pumpkin seeds on days 1-14 of your cycle, followed by 1T ground sunflower seeds and 1T ground sesame seeds on days 15-menses.  Simple as that.  I shall keep you posted.

Yin yoga – Hip Openers.  I tend to practise what I call “intuitive yoga” – I don’t stick to a particular style or “school,” of yoga for any long period of time, I just go with what my body and mind needs on that particular occasion.  Some days this may mean a dynamic vinyasa flow, while a different occasion may call for simple pranayama (breathing) exercises and gentle stretching.  Recently I have been focusing on Yin yoga, which hones in on seated asana (postures) held for long periods of time (at least 3-5 minutes).  This gives the connective tissue in muscles/ligaments time to release and help give us the true benefits of the posture.  The slowing down of asana gives our mind the time to “let go,” as well.  Hip openers have been playing a huge role for me at the moment – which is pretty accurate considering the emotional roller coaster I have been riding.  Emotions, particularly negative or “bottled-up” feelings tend to be stored in our hips – our metaphysical “saddle-bags,” if you will.  Hip openers like Eka Pada Rajakapotasana(pigeon) help us to release pent up and stale emotion – even if that means getting a bit teary during a yoga class (been there) – better out than in.

What’s something NEW you have discovered lately?

Some days, Misty doesn’t eat.  Oh, he will DRINK close to anything, but eat any solid food?  You’re joking, right?  Thank goodness for smoothies – I can blend anything into one and he will guzzle it down…ask the boy to chew though, and you are just tempting a tantrum.  I suppose it’s an age thing – Misty has realised his own decision-making power, and is beginning to work out what he does and does not like.  Perfectly normal and acceptable.  I think kids actually have a really good grasp on intuitive eating – they eat when they are hungry and reject stuff they don’t like/are not hungry for.  I really don’t get that “You will sit at the table until you finish EVERYTHING” mentality.  Yes, of course kids need boundaries, but force feeding a toddler is not my style….. Misty will eat when he is hungry enough.

Misty is a grazer…. he prefers to have a bunch of snacks during the day instead of 3 set meals.  Suits me, as that’s the way my eating-style rolls too.  When he does decide to eat, I try and get as much nutritional value in as possible….. the following cake/slice has been a big hit.  It’s high in protein and good fats, low in sugar and even involves some fruit.

The cake itself is not vegan – Misty (and Viper, on occasion) eats eggs, but the icing/frosting is vegan-friendly.  I would highly recommend making a double batch of icing, and eating it as “fudge” on it’s own – when it is chilled it goes wonderfully firm.  I’ll take icing over cake ANY day…. or maybe I’m just the fussy one?

Cinnamon-Raisin Cake with Carob-Peanut Fudge Frosting

(Grain/Wheat/Gluten/Dairy/Refined sugar free)

• 2C almond meal
• 2t ground cinnamon
• 1/4C rapadura sugar (or your favourite granulated sugar)
• 1/8t sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1C apple puree
• 1t vanilla extract
• 1t baking powder
• 1/2C raisins

1. Pre heat oven to 170 degrees, fan bake.
2. Whisk together eggs, vanilla and sugar.
3. Combine almond meal, cinnamon, salt,  and raisins in a mixing bowl.
4. Add wet mix to dry, and finally fold through baking powder
5. Pour into a lined baking dish, or silicone mould.  I use a silicone pie dish which results in a cake that isn’t too high – around 2cm.  If you want a smaller, higher cake, you may need to adjust the cooking time – just insert a skewer in the middle, when it comes out clean it is done.
6. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
7. Cool the cake completely before icing with the following recipe.

Carob Peanut Fudge Frosting

(Vegan:Gluten/Wheat/Grain/Refined sugar free)

• 1/4C soft coconut oil
• 1/4C peanut butter (I used crunchy, unsalted)*
• 1/8t sea salt (if using unsalted peanut butter)
• 1t vanilla extract
• 3T carob powder**
• 1T hot water
• 3T brown rice syrup***

*If you have a peanut sensitivity, tahini is a delicious substitution.

**Cocoa/cacao can be used instead.

***Or your favourite liquid sweetener – maply syrup, honey, coconut nectar etc.

1. Mix all ingredients together well – the hot water will help get things moving.
2. Spread on top of cake – or eat as is….. use as a topping for oatmeal, spread on fruit slices/toast/rice crackers.  This fudge frosting will be soft at room temperature, but if you chill it, will firm up so it is more of a “fudgey” texture.

That little head in the background agreed with this offering.  Hoo-ray.

Do you have a fussy child?  Or are YOU the fussy one in your household!?  If we are being honest here – I’m probably WAY more fussy than Misty, but I’m the adult here, right?  I have ways of defending myself!

So.  Here we are again.  I’ve written a post like this before, however, it doesn’t get any easier.

I suppose it’s my need for authenticity that motivates me to write this, because I could so easily keep on as if everything is just fine and dandy – which, it is, mind you – but it’s good to be honest, yes?

It’s become pretty clear to me now that I cannot function without anti depressants.  Although on most paths within my life I tend to gravitate toward to the “all-natural-hippie-weirdo,” kind of trail, with my emotional health, natural therapy doesn’t quite cut the mustard.  I am pretty positive that certain cases of circumstantial or mild Depression could definitely be treated effectively with natural therapies such as Homoeopathy, supplements, exercise, diet, Bush Flower Essences, TCM and so on, but in my circumstances we are not dealing with a one-off case of low mood.

This is hard to say, but I feel it is important to share.  I change when I am not medicated – I become a person that I don’t like.  Angry, erratic, irritable, irrational, and honestly, sometimes downright delusional – and this doesn’t coincide with being a good Mother, wife, friend and so on.  Although I understand the harsh side effects of anti depressant medication, at the end of the day I will always choose quality of life over quantity, and the quality of my life un-medicated is simply too low to warrant.

So my experiments with finding a natural therapy to treat my Depression & Anxiety have to cease.  The last year has been an absolute roller coaster – not just for me, but my family, and putting them through that is pretty unfair to be honest.  On medication I am at least stable, and I can supplement with plenty of natural therapies to help me stay on the brighter side of life – yoga, meditation, flower essences, homoeopathy, exercise and diet will ALL play an important role.

It’s the same sort of message that I keep emphasising in terms of diet: every BODY is different, and what works for one person, may not be the best thing for another.  Body, mind, spirit – they are all connected, and it truly is a very individual journey to discover what will work for ME to remained balanced and happy.

You may wonder why I share all of this.  The inner-workings of my mind, and the struggles I have with all that chemistry and emotion that simmers up there.  I share because it helps me – writing about it is my therapy – always has been, and always will be.  Emotional health and mental issues are things that need to be talked about, experiences shared, and problems discussed.  That’s how we manage to get a leash on it, and try and tame it into somewhat submission.  This is how we (I) move forward.

I’ll be honest with you – I’m not a bread person.  Whatsoever.  Sandwiches?  Meh.  The only time I went through a bread-obsession was when I was pregnant (and all I could stomach was bread & cheese). After Misty made an appearance, my need for bread disappeared.  Viper, however, lives for the stuff.  There is a panic if the bread bin is empty.  He has declared this the “best bread EVER” – which I take as a very good thing.  Apparently, the test of a great bread, is the ability to eat it alone, sans ANY toppings.  Viper is definitely an experienced bread-taster, that’s for sure.

The reason that I love this bread is that it is so simple to prepare – mix a few ingredients together, leave it alone to do it’s thing, and then bang it in the oven.  You just need to get into the habit of preparing the mix to sit overnight, and then you will have a little bread-making rota on your hands.  Even though I use wheat flour for this recipe – the fact that it is slightly fermented will make it easier on the body to digest, as well as giving it a little of that delicious sourdough-style flavour.

Simple No-Knead Vegan Loaf

(Original recipe/inspiration from the NY Times)

• 3C organic unbleached plain flour* (plus more for dusting)
• 1 & 5/8C tepid water
• 1/4t active dry yeast
• 1t sea salt
• 1/4t raw sugar
• Olive oil for greasing bowls/hands

*Now I have been using a few different flour blends for this recipe.  Viper has less “healthy-tasting-taste buds” than me, and prefers all organic white flour, but I have had success with using  2C spelt flour + 1C organic white wheat flour blend.  1C organic wholemeal + 1C organic rye + 1C organic white wheat flour works well too.  Play around with what suits your tastes.

You need two greased bowls to start off with.  One for mixing, and then one for storing the dough while it proves.  Coat both bowls (the one that will hold the dough needs to be glass/pyrex/ceramic) with oil – this mixture is VERY sticky.  Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Transfer as much as you can (it tends to stick to the side of the mixing bowl) to the other bowl, wet a clean tea towel with warm water, and wring out.  Place on top of the bowl, and put the bowl of dough somewhere dark, warm and draught free for approximately 20 hours, or until the mix starts to smell a little sour, and has small bubbles on the skin (as pictured below).

Now you need to really flour your work surface WELL here – this mix is incredibly sticky.

Oil your hands before you do anything here.  With greased mitts, scrape as much dough as you can onto the floured surface.  No kneading here – simply flop the dough over itself a few times (in half one way, and then in half the other – or whatever you can manage, really).

The trick is: lots of flour on the board, and lots of oil on the hands.  Shape into something resembling a loaf.

Now leave your loaf for another 30 minutes, covered with a tea towel on the bench.  Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees on bake.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

*I have never bothered using a bread tin for this loaf – I simply use a silicone baking sheet so the dough doesn’t stick (baking paper would work too).  The bread does not really rise like a traditional loaf – the end result is something in between a sourdough and a ciabatta.  If you want a higher finished product, you could prepare 1 & 1/2 times this recipe and pour into a bread pan.

So there you have it – a loaf of bread that makes both myself and Viper very happy – for two different reasons.  I also love the fact that I can make beautiful, additive-free, organic bread for my family for less than a few dollars a loaf…. while putting in very minimal effort (Yeah, I’m pretty lazy).

**Contributed to Veggie Mama’s Meatless Mondays

I know people that eat a shocking diet, drink 2 cases of beer a week, and consider walking to the fridge to get another cold one their exercise, and they NEVER get sick.  Argh.

I suppose it’s safe to say that you can try you best in the “health” sense, but genetics and constitution really get to play the final card.  Frustrating to say the least.  We are just seeing the light after 3 weeks of constant sickness here – I know that having a toddler (disease sponge)  doesn’t help my chances of staying healthy through Winter, but I can try my hardest in terms of diet and lifestyle.  I shudder to think what I would be like if I didn’t look after myself.

At the moment, I am trying to keep life simple – not over complicating everything.  Same goes with my food.  Simple is good (and less time messing up the kitchen).  Maybe it’s the cooler mornings, and me craving something a little ‘stick to your ribs,’ style, but I have been loving a very simple (huge) breakfast bowl of 1c oats, 1 huge banana chopped into it, salt and coconut kefir.  So simple, so filling, and it seems to agree with my body. Hoo-frickin’-ray.

I work nights which makes life a little hectic at the best of times – especially when it comes to food preparation.  I try to leave something nutritious for the boys, and hope there will be leftovers for me when I get home.  Quick and simple is my mantra – but it also helps to have a little secret weapon in the flavour department: herbal sea salt.

When you are stretched for time, a little container of this stuff is a godsend – an instant flavour boost, with no need for stock or complicated seasoning combinations.  It’s all done for you.  This brand is my favourite, but there a plenty available at both supermarkets and health food stores these days.

On the topic of quick, simple and nutritious (not to mention CHEAP) you can never go past soup.  A big pot will last a few meals, and for fussy toddlers, it’s also great served over rice or pasta.

Simple Pumpkin Soup

(Vegan: gluten/wheat/grain/refined sugar free)

• 1kg sweet pumpkin (think Jap or buttercup varieties OR kabocha squash for you on the flip side)
• 2 medium red onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 4C water
• 2 400g cans of chickpeas (I used salted) – drained and rinsed well
• 2t Herbamare (or any herbal sea salt blend – you may eed to adjust seasoning to taste though)
• 1/4t regular sea salt
• 1/4t white pepper
• Black Pepper to taste (I like a very inappropriate amount)

1. Combine pumpkin, onion, garlic, water in a saucepan.
2. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer, and then cook until all veggies are super tender.
3. Pop the lid on, turn off the heat, and let it cool down.
4. Blend up the veggies with chickpeas and seasoning.

Serve as is…. hearty, thick and comforting.  Of course, I never practise what I preach – Viper has been missing dairy-based condiments, so I made him a batch of cashew “sour cream” to dollop on top.  Not essential, no, but SO good.

Raw Cashew “Sour Cream”

(Vegan: RAW/gluten/wheat/refined sugar/grain free)

• 1 & 1/4C raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours – then drained and rinsed well.
• 2t apple cider vinegar
• 4t lemon juice
• 1/2t sea salt
• Approximately 3/4C water for blending

1. Whizz all ingredients together in the food processor – you could use a blender, but I would double the recipe, as it isn’t a huge amount, and could be annoying to scrape out of a large blender.  Blend until super smooth and creamy – adding water as needed.
2. Adding herbs (think basil/parsley/shallots) is great if you want something with a little more oomph.  1/4C fresh should do the trick.

Of course, you simply cannot have soup without some sort of bread.  I know I’ve been talking about this “no-knead,” bread for awhile – it’s just awesome. It’s the easiest thing I have ever baked, plus Viper reckons it’s the best bread ever…. it’s just that I have run out of time, and the work whistle is blowing.

Apologies, apologies, but such splendid bread deserves a dedicated post, and to spend any more time clacking keys would result in tardiness, which is not my style.

Anyway, the moral of the story is, keep things simple – and don’t place EVERY health intention on your diet…. eating clean & wholesome definitely helps, but it’s not the divine answer a lot claim it to be.

Anyway, a few days ago, I was inspired to make cookies.  Cookies aren’t my favourite thing to make, and so I rarely partake in the art.  This day was different though – I was playing around with spelt flour, and felt the urge to make cookies.  Misty generally loves anything “cookie” shape, so I thought I would make us all a treat, while trying out a new flour.  Spelt flour was an impulse buy – no real dietary reason for the purchase, I simply wanted to try something new.  Spelt still contains gluten, but is apparently more easily digested, and is higher in protein & B vitamins than traditional wheat.

These cookies turned out really nicely – they are amazing straight out of the oven (aren’t all cookies?) but after two days (I know, how did chocolate chunk cookies last that long in my house?) they had dried out a bit.  Misty decided to swipe the whole container off the bench, smashing them to pieces.  Bugger.

It’s no secret I hate to waste food, so if you you hang around until the end of the post, I will tell you how to create something delicious from a toddler-induced disaster.

Vegan Chocolate Chunk Spelt Cookies

(Vegan, wheat/nut/refined sugar free)

• 1 & 1/8C white spelt flour *
• 1/8t sea salt
• 1t baking powder
• 100g dark chocolate, cut into chunks
• 1/2C soft coconut oil – soft, not liquid (place in the fridge if necessary)
• 1/3C brown rice syrup (or alternative liquid sweetener)
• 1t vanilla extract

*If you are gluten sensitive, almond meal would be a good substitution here.

1. Pre heat oven to 170 degrees C fan bake.  Line a baking tray with baking paper. 
2. Combine flour, baking powder, chocolate and salt in a mixing bowl.
3. Whip together rice syrup, vanilla and honey until well combined.
4. Fold wet mix into dry, and either using clean, wet hands or spoons – shape into cookie shapes and place on your prepared tray.
5. Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Cool on a wire rack.
7. Best eaten within 2 days of making.

After eating about 1/2 of the batch, Misty (destroyer of all things) decided to take his frustration out on the remaining baked goods.  Disaster.  There is no denying the delicious-ness of cookies, even in crumb-form, so I decided to re-purpose them into a fudge-type slice.  Obviously, you don’t need to make the spelt cookies just to try out the fudge recipe – use any cookies you like/have on hand.

Cookie Crumb Fudge

(Vegan, wheat/nut/refined sugar free)

• 2C cookie crumbs/broken cookie pieces (obviously, the flavour of the end fudge will vary according to what cookies you use)
• 1/2C kefir*
• 4T coconut butter

*I used coconut kefir, but if you eat dairy, cow milk kefir would be fine.  Alternatively you could use 1/2C non dairy or dairy yoghurt to get the pro biotic factor into your fudge.  1/3C milk plus 2 pro biotic capsules would also work.

• Pulse everything together in a food processor until it forms a soft dough.
• Press into a lined tin, and place in the fridge to set.
• Cut into small squares and store in the fridge.

It may look ugly, but I tell you, it’s delicious.  Even better than plain cookies.  A little pro biotic sneakiness is always a good thing too – I can never convince Viper to eat kefir on it’s own or in a smoothie – but in fudge?  No worries.

I’m learning a lot about myself at the moment, and in doing so, have started to address some ‘issues of the ego.’  Sounds complicated, but really it’s not.  If we feed our ego, we starve our spirit, simple as that.  If we feed our spirit (soul) we starve our ego, and in turn that makes it weak and have less of an impact in our lives.  Easier said than done, that’s for sure.  The ego always wants MORE – more money, more stuff, fancier clothes, faster cars, more friends, more success, more applause.  It’s a beast who cannot be tamed, nor satisfied – forever on your shoulder whispering words of excess.

Society doesn’t really make it easy for us to let go of our ego.  I think that’s why Face Book gets me so annoyed some days.  Viper refuses to go anywhere near it, and on most points, I agree with him – it does however, have it’s connectivity and marketing positives, but that’s another story.  Is Face Book simply another platform to stuff our egos to the brim?  To get instant “likes,” for something we did/said/made/achieved?  To have X amount of “friends?”

I guess ‘putting yourself out there,’ in the sense of blogging is a true test of real intention – not letting your ego get in the way of what you would like to achieve.  It’s hard not to compare yourself to others  (what the rest of the world is up to is pretty much in your face 24-7 on the internet) but I  want to remain true to myself and the reasons I blog.  Blogging for me is therapy – a place to write, share and also connect with other like minded souls…. but I admit, my ego gets in the way sometimes.

Do you know what?   It doesn’t matter how many “likes” you get on Face Book, how many miles you ran this morning, how many people read your blog, or how many green leaves you managed to eat for dinner – it doesn’t matter in the slightest.  If your intention is pure, and you are doing something for YOURSELF, and not your ego, then all is well.  If you need a response, gratification or attention, then it’s safe to say that you are probably acting for your ego, and not YOURSELF (or somebody else, with pure intention, of course).

Honestly, my ego has been a little loud lately (demanding to be fed) and I can attribute a lot of negative feelings coming from that constant strain on my spirit.  I’m definitely up for a little more “ego-checking,” at the moment – once you get in the habit, it’s amazing how freeing it feels.

Are you an ego-feeder?

Now everything chocolate-coloured is described as “Cock-o-Lat Buddy,” or in layman’s terms, “Chocolate Bunny.”  There have been multiple demands for Cock-o-Lat Buddy as of late, and so I came up with this little snack bar which is perfect for the lunch box as it is nut free, plus satisfies a toddler-craving for Cock-o-Lat Buddy.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all about treats – I just don’t like the ones that contain numbers instead of FOOD, and cause my child to bounce off the walls for hours on end.  Let’s just say that Misty is a highly spirited boy who does not need any more stimulation in the form of sugar in his life thankyouverymuch.

I love Whittaker’s chocolate – good old New Zealand confectionery.  Their dark varieties are usually vegan which suits us just fine.  Yes, I took a decent stash home in my suitcase after our recent trip – and have even convinced Viper that dark chocolate has some merits.  (He who would only indulge in the lightest of light milk chocolate).

I didn’t add any sweetener to this recipe – I figure the small amount of sugar in the chocolate I used, plus almost a cup of dried fruit would do the trick, and it did.  If you are a super sweet tooth, then a few tablespoons of a granulated sweetener such as rapadura, coconut crystals or raw sugar would work.

Chocolate Oat Brownie Bars

(Vegan: wheat/nut/refined sugar free)

• 2/3C oat flour
• 2/3C sunflower seed meal/flour
• 1/4C quick oats
• 1T cocoa powder
• 1t vanilla extract
• 1/8t sea salt
• 1/3C dried banana, roughly chopped – if you don’t have banana, something like tart dried apricots or even cherries would be delicious.
• 1/3C dark raisins
• 50g dark (vegan) chocolate, chopped into chunks
• 3T liquid coconut oil
• 1C non dairy milk (I used full fat soy)
• 1/2t baking powder
• 1/8t baking soda
• 1 flax “egg” (1T ground flax seed whisked with 3T water, and left for 5 minutes to gel

1. To make the oat & sunflower seed “flours” simply grind/whizz oats and sunflower seeds in your food processor or spice grinder – it doesn’t matter if it is left a tad chunky – this just means more texture in the final product.
2. Pre heat oven to 170 degrees C.
3. Whisk together your flax egg, and leave it aside to gel while you prepare the dry ingredients.
4. Combine oat & sunflower flour in a mixing bowl with quick oats, cocoa, salt, raisins, banana, and chocolate.  Mix well.
5. In a separate bowl. combine non dairy milk, flax egg, coconut oil and vanilla extract – again, mix well.
6. Pour wet into dry, and finally add your baking soda and powder, gently folding through.
7. Line a slice tin with baking paper(approx 15 by 30cm tin – if you use a larger/smaller pan you will need to adjust cooking time) and carefully pour in the mix.  I wanted thin bars, so the mix is only about 2cm high in the pan.
8. Bake for 25 minutes – it will feel firm(ish) to the touch.
9. Cool completely in the pan before attempting to move – even popping it in the fridge is a good idea before trying to cut it into bars, otherwise you may end up with a pile of crumbs.

These were approved by both the toddler and the newbie to plant-based-eating (Viper).  Chocolate always seems to be a winner, no?  I dearly wish I could taste these – actually I dearly wish that I could taste ANYTHING – the season of cold & flu is upon us, and has struck me down with speed and ferocity already.  10 days of illness (and no taste buds) and counting.  Eating really is extremely boring when you are unable to taste ANYTHING.  Very very frustrating, and so I have to rely on the male members on my family to judge my kitchen experiments as the moment.  These were a win.

I suppose that’s what happened to me.  Being busy, over-committing myself and the likes – it’s hard not to realise that the joy has slipped away.  I don’t want to get you all down in the dumps, because that’s not the motivation for my writing – I simply want to encourage you all to become more mindful.  Mindful of the way you are feeling, acknowledgement of yourself, if you will.  I tend to ignore myself at times – putting my roles as a Mother & wife before my own well-being, which sounds pretty darn silly as I read it back to myself.

Ignorance truly is bliss – until it’s too late and you find yourself in a deep dark hole of unhappy.

At least I have a “project,” to keep me motivated at the moment.  Viper is, still indeed, eating a plant-based diet.  He doesn’t want to label himself in any way, but has been eating primarily vegan, with a few seafood-occasions included.  Luckily, he is pretty comfortable in the kitchen, and he has been coming up with a few new favourites for himself.  (Above) Vegan “brushcetta” – home made no-knead bread with avocado, hummus and sun dried tomato.

Quinoa nori wraps with avocado, grated carrot, sweet potato and red capsicum – sprinkled with kelp.

I’m not sure about kelp granules.  They are another one of those things you eat “because they are good for you,” – they don’t have that much flavour and get stuck in my teeth.  Oh well.

The best thing is, Viper doesn’t need any pushing from me.  His whole decision to eat a plant based diet, and subsequent lifestyle changes are his choice, in his own time.  I was always asked about how hard it must be to eat vegan in a meat-eating household, and why I didn’t try and convert my family to my ways.  That’s the thing – you simply can’t.   If you try and force your ideals on others, it’s all going to backfire in the end – just set a good example and hope for the best!

At the end of the day, getting back on the happy-wagon is way more important.