Teatime Rocks

Firstly – just a quick THANK YOU to all your wonderful comments on my blanket. I’m very pleased with it but it meant a lot to hear you all loved it too :-).

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Todays post is about one of my very favourite things – TEA!!! However much as I love it I’m a pretty boring tea drinker – black, English Breakfast, and an occasional chai tea.

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However I recently discovered this Scottish Breakfast (which is rather nice) and the Christmas Tea (which is rather different for me). The container with the orange scoop contains Chai Tea and my everyday tea is in the glass container (which is stored in a dark cupboard).

I like to buy Fairtrade where possible but on our cruise last year I discovered Daintree Tea – which obviously is from Australia.

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I quickly finished off my holiday supplies and ordered more online – both looseleaf and bags (for travel). I recently spotted this tea in Woolworths but I bought a year or twos supply so I’m good for a while :-).

Now in addition to the tea we also have the things needed to make tea.

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I use the little teatime rocks pot all the time – perfect for one cup of tea. The larger pots are used when more than one cup is being made. The ball-thing is used for chai tea (though we do make it in a pot as well). For many years I had tea bags – and occasionally still will but tea tastes a whole lot better when made in a pot – maybe it’s the ritual, maybe it’s the brewing time – I don’t know but I just LOVE making MANY pots of tea throughout the day.

Morning cup of tea

Have you enjoyed a cup of tea today? What’s your favourite?

Let the food blog begin

I have decided to take the plunge in the wonderful world of health food blogging. I get so much out of the blogs that I read that I thought creating my own might help keep me a bit more accountable about what I eat, and maybe even, provide some ideas for my readers – esp, those in Australia, as I am yet to find many Aussie health food blogs (if anyone knows of any PLEASE let me know).

And so…on to our first day. Now is there are a better way than to start the day than with a green smoothie blended in my BRAND NEW Vitamix.

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The morning was spent doing jobs around the house and decluttering stuff in my scrapbook room. Mid-morning I had a cup of tea and a handful of …..healthy handfuls. Yes, I know these are made for kids – but I just LOVE them.

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It was such a beautiful Autumn day and both girls were out playing with friends so I decided to take my lunch outside.

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Most warmer days I have a salad  made up of greens, cucumber, tomato, pineapple- todays was topped with marinated tofu & a squirt of mayonnaise. Delicious. Both the weather and the food.

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My lunch partner…

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Around an hour after lunch I like to have a cup of tea and usually something sweet. I debated having two biscuits…

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But was really feeling like more crunching so swapped for some cruskits with spreadable cheese…

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But I have confess… I did go back for those biscuits later. I also drank many more cups of tea throughout day – rather neglecting my water today :-(.

Around 4pm I was peckish again so had some crackers topped with Camembert cheese – yummo!

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Tonights dinner was made up of leftovers – with the addition of some vegetables – as it was just 3 of tonight (Amy was at a sleepover).

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Dessert was custard – something I haven’t had in months – as I know it’s not the healthiest. I really felt like some raisin toast but we didn’t have any – guess what I’ll be buying tomorrow :-).

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My new toy

As you know I’m in love with green smoothies – and have one most days. I’ve even gotten Kevin onto them. Which means my blender gets quite the workout. I’ve been anxiously awaiting it’s demise so I could get a Vitamix Blender – after hearing all about them all over blogland. Guess what? The other day is started mucking up, so Kevin got online and ordered me a new blender. It came yesterday and I have to say this mornings smoothies was totally without lumps! Yay!

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Yes, I know you don’t think it looks very nice but I tell you, they are DELICIOUS!!!

Recipe : Vegetarian Potato Kugel

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The blog I orginally found this recipe is no longer published and I’ve seen other almost identical recipes around so I’m not really sure who to credit. But it is delicious. Apparently it freezes well but we never have any leftovers :-).

Ingredients

3 medium potatoes
2 small carrots
1 small onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 egg
1 tbs oil
2 tbs chopped parsely
2 tbs wholemeal breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk powder
15g butter, cubed
1/2 cup grated cheese

Method

1. Grate potatoes, onion and carrots, and combine with the crushed garlic.

2. Lightly beat the egg with the oil, and pour over the grated vegetables. Stir in the parsley, breadcrumbs and milk powder.

3. Spread into a greased 20cm pie dish and dot with the butter.

4. Bake in a moderate oven (180’C) for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake for a further 15 minutes.

Serve hot or cold. Freeze for up to 4 months.

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