Hearth & Health
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Creating and Smiles
Over the holiday I enjoyed sewing and creating a few items. I began with up-cycling a top never worn into a skirt for Princess. So bright and funky, she loves it. It was simply a matter of cutting the bodice top off and turning the edges over. Quite handily the rows of shirring on the back meant no elastic was needed. Inspired by pictures on pinterest, I next made a strip skirt. Between choosing fabric and my machine tension issues this was not a quick skirt to make. Princess however is rather thrilled although PC calls it a ‘pauper skirt,’ reminding me of Dolly’s song, Momma sewed the rags together Sewin’ every piece…
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Pinning it Down – Grain Free Baking
Joining in with Sarah and Pam as they encourage me to turn my pins into an actual project. To my readers it must appear that all my energy at present is directed towards the gastronomical, whilst that is not entirely so, pinning projects did once again focus on my Grain Free board. Our grain free breakfast menu this week included Grain Free Blueberry Banana Muffins from Real Food Whole Health. As our little ones are not yet keen on berries, so I made half with and half without. The only complaint was I didn’t make enough. We also thoroughly enjoyed Double Down Chocolate Muffins from Healthful Pursuits but alas I didn’t manage a photo before they were all gobbled. Truly though the most…
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Whole 30, Week 3 – Menu
Sharing our menu from the past week once again, in a desire to demonstrate how a large family or those on a tight budget can eat predominately Primal/Paleo. Once again a slightly incomplete list, relying on our pre-planned menu for records. Be sure to read Angela’s Week 4 for another large family menu. * Items on the menu which are not Whole 30 are in italic. Mostly they have been eaten by the non-whole 30ers, not me. Potatoes remain on our menu as we find them difficult for a large family budget to eliminate. Breakfasts Yoghurt and Fruit Weetbix (children) & Walnut Granola Bacon and Eggs X 2 (PC loves fried tomato and leftover potato with his)…
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Whole 30, Week 2 – Menu
Sharing our menu from the past week and a bit, in a desire to show how large families or those on a tight budget can eat predominately Primal/Paleo. Once again an incomplete list as, although I began a food diary I didn’t maintain it. Be sure to read Angela’s Week 3 for more large family ideas too. * Items on the menu which are not Whole 30 are in italic. Mostly they have been eaten by the non-whole 30ers, not me. Potatoes in particular are still on our menu as we find them difficult for a large family budget to eliminate. Breakfasts Yoghurt and Fruit Orange Juice and handful of almonds…
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Pinning it Down – Grain Free Breakfast
Joining in once again with Sarah and Pam as they encourage me to turn my pins into an actual project. In our endeavour to follow the Whole 30 I have seriously tackled the question of ‘what to eat for breakfast?’ with a daily menu. As I knew this morning was grain free muffins, it was simply a matter of popping over to my pinterest grain free board last night and making a selection. At six o’clock this morning I whipped up a couple of dozen muffins and a couple of loaves; Grain Free blueberry and zucchini spice muffins from Organic & Thrifty and Grain Free, Sugar Free Banana Bread from Spoonful of Sugar. So easy. So…
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Whole 30, Week 1 – Menu
One of the most difficult challenges in changing a diet/lifestyle is the organisation and for a large family it may indeed seem overwhelming. Reading blogs/websites is a wonderful help but many of the recipes/menus are for a family of four, and some food choices would make the costs for a family of eleven or a family on a tight budget incredible. My hope is by sharing the reality it may aid families transitioning or those wanting more ideas. Whilst I am striving to be Whole 30 (and not always succeeding) my family is not yet totally Paleo/Primal. Angela also has a large family and her menus for Week 1 and Week 2 on Whole 30 are interesting…
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Yoghurt in the Slow Cooker
We purchased yoghurt for a Christmas treat and then craved more. At $5 a litre the cost was astronomical, so I began investigating how to make our own. Using these recipes and tips we made a batch up, cost only $3 for 2 litres! Using a slow cooker is so simple, just three basic steps. Pour 2 litres(.52gal) of milk into slow cooker. Cook on high until temperature reaches 180F. Takes about 2.5 hrs. (You will need a milk thermometer.) Take off lid and cool until temperature drops to 115F. Add one cup of yoghurt (containing live cultures) and half a cup of powdered milk. (Too runny otherwise). Place lid back on and towel over…
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Our Journey Battling Acne
A major factor of acne is diet, as I shared previously, the skin is an organ of elimination and the toxins inside the body lead to inflammation in the skin resulting in clogged pores, hence acne. To treat acne we must remove the toxins by treating the cause but we can also nurture the skin. We considered and investigated standard acne creams and antibiotics, but the more we researched the more concerned we became. The consensus was, once begun on this route you had to continue using these harsh bleaching creams which evidences supports it could led to the liver becoming permanently damaged and the long term use of antibiotics could lead to irritable bowel disease. In the…
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Grain Free for Over a Year
It has been over a year since we began on our Primal/Paleo journey, going grain free, sugar and dairy free etc. Our teen the most affected by acne has not eaten grain bread in all that time! You may remember after reading Loren Cordain’s Dietary Cure for Acne we embarked on this journey to help rid our teens of acne. In the beginning we began most enthusiastically, the whole family, all at once. Well some were more enthusiastic than others;) We were eating no processed foods, we were eating real food; plenty of meat, seafood, eggs, lots of vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and omega 3 fats. We weren’t eating; white potatoes, grains, sugar, dairy, legumes and omega 6…
