naked chocolate cake - yum!

I've been getting into a little baking lately, and trying to make things that I will love as well as the kids. Things I might be able to use in the lunch box too, so I can completely stop buying snack foods. The more I've been reading about nutrition and what's in our food and the products we use, the more horrified I'm getting! I'd love to be able to make everything at some point, including bread, but I'll need to work up to that.

Anyway, I came across The Healthy Chef blog recently. It's great, as it's Australian, and all the recipes I've come across so far are super easy, and super yummy! I noticed the Naked Chocolate Cake last week and was determined to make it. I've made it three times already! It's really, really good, and not an ounce of sugar. The only sweetness added to this is through the pure maple syrup. This is the type of thing I'd be more than happy to put in the kids lunch boxes, knowing exactly what is in it, and it really isn't all that bad either. It's also gluten free, and can be easily adapted to be nut free, which is also great for the kids taking to school.

There's not much to it either, so it's quick to make and it was a great one to do with Zoe who LOVES cooking and baking with me.

I've been eating it with my new favourite yoghurt, Barambah Organics natural yoghurt, and I don't feel guilty at all eating it! Win win!!

i won i won i won!

I spotted this Papercookie giveaway last week on Facebook. I don't often click on things to enter on Facebook, but this one looked GOOD! And it was only open for a few hours. First thing this week I decided to check back just to see who had won.....there was my name staring back at me! It was just the pick me up I needed too. I've still been feeling mostly low and out of energy, and lacking inspiration due to all the kids still taking turns being sick and a non-sleeping-at-night, certain 10-month old. Low funds around these parts, too, has meant very little impulsive shopping for me, so this was a great treat!

Here's what I bought:

 

 

Love You Bear card | Hello Bear print | Love You Cheeky Monkey card | Washi Tape Hooks

What do you think?

Can't wait for it all to arrive now. The two Love You cards I plan on framing and putting on in each of the kid's rooms. Just a little friendly reminder of how much I love them, even when I'm a cranky mama bear.

And now, I'm looking forward to a (hopefully) relaxing weekend.

Adieu!

coconut flour banana muffins

Little Miss Zoe loves, loves, loves baking with me. So today we whipped these coconut flour banana muffins up. I've had the coconut flour sitting in the cupboard for a while, so it was great to finally make something with it and see the results!

I was happy with how they turned out. They don't look overly pretty but the taste was good. I was a bit worried at first as I put the eggs straight in to the mixture right after I had put the melted coconut oil in, and of course, the oil was still hot, and the little one couldn't mix it quick enough, so we had a few chunks of cooked egg white swirling around! When I saw it, I was a bit disappointed, and very nearly threw it out, but knew we couldn't start over as I didn't have any more bananas left. So I thought we'd press on anyway and see how they turned out. I'm surprised to say they don't taste egg-y at ALL! Next time, I'll wait until the oil has cooled a bit and make sure I stir the eggs straight away, or at least whisk them in a separate bowl before adding.

We also didn't add the walnuts in ours. Zoe decorated the top of them with a sprinkle of coconut flakes and a few choc chip bits.

The were lovely and moist and tasty, and Zoe declared them 'the best cakes I ever had!'. No sugar in these either, so no guilt with these! Perfect in lunch boxes I think or as an afternoon snack on the balcony as we preferred. Yum!

how to have a better day

image from Mango Watermelon Love via in spaces between

don't grow up

image

Some days, I truly wish I was little again. With no responsibility and to be able to run about carefree. It's so hard to feel free and alive when you are a grown up sometimes. I think we kind of trap ourselves into a hard place when it doesn't have to be. Life can be simpler. It is nice to kick back every now and then and pretend there is nothing to worry about and just go a bit silly. Kids are good for that. They know how to have a good, honest laugh or a satisfying, silly dance around.

Might go do that now.

see this little face?

See this little face? Isn't it cute? Yep, it is sometimes. But, by golly, when it's whining and crying at you numerous times in the middle of the night, when your whole body aches for sleep and does not want to be dragged away from the slumber it is yielding too......urgh. It's the most horrid feeling in the world. I love him to bits, but he is turning me into an enormously grumpy and impatient mama.

We have been referred to a sleep school. Still waiting on a call from them, but hopefully it will be the answer to all these shenanigans. One can only hope!

coming out of hiding

I'm coming out of hiding today, and will hopefully start to re-use this little space again. It's been months of a sleep deprived fog for me, which I am still in, but I can see a tiny little light at the end of the tunnel. Well, at least I hope that's what it is and not just sun glare!

I'm going to try and do a little more of this today - eat, drink and enjoy!

image