The life and times of Libby Withnall

We aren’t big Australia Day people, and with an overcast/rainy/humid morning and Kevin & Amy painting Amy’s bedroom, we just did a lunch with Nan & Pop.

There was damper…

BBQ steaks/veggie patties and salads…

and pavolva for dessert…

Followed by this Australian Afternoon Tea that I picked up this morning… it didn’t really taste different to any other black tea but it was nice…

with Tim Tams and lamingtons….

Definitely a very yummy way to celebrate Australia Day. Unfortunately my arthritis was VERY bad so I spent the afternoon on the couch feeling sorry for myself while more painting was done upstairs.

I’ve been a long time admirer of Heather and her blog Beauty That Moves. I took her 30 day vegan class last year and it was fabulous. Can’t wait for the new one Whole Food Kitchen. It starts 6th February so you’ve still got time to sign up. If you want to learn more about eating whole foods definitely go check it out. This class is not vegan, or even vegetarian.

Let me know if you’re going to be my classmate – I already know Jackie is.

As a bit of head start we’re having a no/low processed food week in our house. 4 days in and we’re coping surprisingly well.

It’s hard to believe but just one month ago I didn’t think I liked fresh juices. In fact, I couldn’t tell you if I’d ever tried one or the last time I might have. I’m not a fan of bottled juice (even orange) so just assumed I wouldn’t like fresh juice. Then suddenly every other blog I read or vlog I watched was doing fresh juices. So I decided to try one. And even with a bit too much celery I LOVED it. Within a week we had our own juicer (Kevin informs me he bought one MANY years ago but I donated it when it didn’t get used!!!) and were doing fresh juices for breakfast nearly every day.

Amy’s favourite is a basic apple, pineapple and carrot. Sometimes with some freshly squeezed orange juice.

My current obsession is the above – apple, pineapple and carrot, with the addition of some celery (because it’s good for you) and beetroot (which makes this oh, so, delicious…and red)

YUM!!!!

Upon reading the instructions I discovered the jug has a froth excluder – I had no idea what the part was for…. now I just have to find it. I don’t mind the froth though because I drink it with a metal straw.

Does anyone have any favourite juice combinations for me to try?

Another very yummy and simple dinner. Christy made this recipe a few weeks ago and it instantly became a family favourite, and it’s a great way to use up extra rice.

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Ingredients

2 Tbl olive oil

1 tsp sesame oil

4 eggs, well beaten

4 Spring onions or shallots, chopped

1 red capsicum or 1 carrot, diced

4 cups cooked brown rice

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp minced ginger

Soy Sauce – to taste, min 2 Tbl

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1. Heat large frying pan, add 2 tsp of olive oil. Pour in the eggs and cook like an omelette. Remove, set aside, and dice when cooled slightly.

2. Add remaining olive oil to pan (I just use the same one). Add ginger, garlic, spring onion and capsicum.

3. Cook for a few mintues.

4. Add the sesame oil and rice and cook until rice is heated through.

5. Add omelette, peas and corn. Cook for a few mins until heated through.

6. Stir in soy sauce.

7. Serve and enjoy.

****  Recipe adapted from Ready, Steady, Spaghetii by Lucy Broadhurst – a really great book full of recipes suitable for kids.

Okay, we actually call these Weight Watchers banana muffins because I got the recipe off their community boards some time back, but they honestly have to be THE easiest banana muffins I have EVER made – and I have quite a few different recipes. Best off all they are “reasonably” healthy and just 3 pro points on the Weight Watchers Program. And it’s a fantastic way to use up those too-ripe super-expensive Aussie bananas that we can’t let go to waste.

So just how easy are they? Assemble ingredients (the vanilla essence is a mistake and not needed for this recipe)….

Mash two ripe bananas…

add remaining ingredients…an assistant makes the job easier….

Mix…

Then divide into muffin trays….

and pop into the oven. Easy Peasy!!!

So…would you like the recipe?
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups wholemeal self raising flour

1/2 cups sugar (I use rapadura or brown)

1/4 cup Macadamia (or other) oil

2/3 cup light/skim milk

2 ripe bananas

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Spray 12 cup muffin tray with cooking spray.

Sift flour into a bowl then add sugar, oil and milk. Mix well but do not beat. Add mashed bananas and fold through mixture.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake for 15-20 mins until golden.

I didn’t get much done around the house this week but I did find a bit of time to sort through the recipe book cupboard.

I pulled everything out and sorted – books to donate to the library (so I can read them again if I want), books to donate….mainly kids party cake books…

books to look through again before making a decision… with so many recipes now available online I really need to cull the collection – esp. those that don’t have photographs as I find I very rarely will select a recipe that doesn’t have a photo.

and all the loose recipes to be sorted, culled and put into the correct binders…. I really do collect too many. In addition to these I have lots put in evernote as well.

I then put all the keeper recipe books back in the cupboard… on the right are the kids cook books….

Finally the binders (which I need to make labels for) are put in. I’m not sure what it says about me that the soup/salad/mains folder is not as full at the baking folder … well I do really  . Beside the microwave is my FAVOURITES recipe binder and new cookbook (to remind me to use it).

Since it’s school holidays I thought I’d share a nice easy recipe that you can whip up yourself or get the kids to make/help with.

Ingredients

1 cup self-raising flour

pinch bi carb soda

1/4 cup castor sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/4 cup milk

jam and cream to serve

Method

Sift flour and soda into bowl.

Mix in castor sugar and make a well in the center.

Gradually stir in egg and enough milk to give a smooth, creamy pouring consistency.

OR you can do as I do and dump everything into a bowl and whisk .

Drop tablespoons of batter onto a heated, greased frying pan, allowing room for spreading. Cook until bubbles begin to appear, then turn, cook for 1min.

Soooooo easy, and so yummy. Best eaten fresh.

Most days I have a salad for lunch and this is my current favourite. I think I’ve had it 3 times this week already .

These are my basic starting ingredients – butter lettuce, tiny tomatoes, cucumber, diced pineapple, hummus and falafel. The last two are store bought but you could make your own. I believe that every salad NEEDS pineapple.

Today I had just bought a bag of shredded broccoli stems, carrot and beetroot so that was added. I sometimes add corn kernals, cauliflower, sprouts, basically whatever we might have in the fridge.

While the falafel cooks (takes just 1 min in the microwave) I grab a bowl (love these tupperware ones) and place all the salad ingredients.

Then I just roughly  chop the falafels into bite size pieces and add to the salad. Yummo!

I could happily eat this EVERY day. So delicious, yet so healthy!

And best of all the whole thing takes less than 5 minutes.

**** Here’s hoping the photos are working today!

We are not big on Valentine’s Day and I could not tell you the last time Kevin & I exchanged cards or gifts – probably back when we were teenagers.

Amy and her friend Emerson bought each other flowers – organised through the school.

This year I did get a little something from Amy – which I thought was very sweet.

I put a little card into the girls lunch boxes and organised a special dinner. It was all vegan and VERY yummy.

We had these vegan enchilidas with a fake cheese sauce. I spiced them up with another sauce (didn’t have enchilada sauce) and they were delicious.

Desert was vegan shortbread heart, strawberries dipped in dark chocolate (for Kevin) and vegan cupcakes (which we all LOVED).

So my first all vegan dinner event was a great success and the girls loved that I made this special meal for them.