While they were sleeping…

Tomorrow, I am going to Byron Bay… with a friend…sans children and I’ll be sneaking out before they even wake up!

Beautiful Byron…

I’m freaking out!

It’s not that I don’t want to go.  I really do want to go.  I can’t put my finger on it exactly, but the thought of being away from my children for three nights is making me hyperventilate! I don’t feel guilty about going, I really need the break.  I’m not worried that they won’t be well taken care of…my husband is a fantastic father and extremely capable of looking after the kids on his own, even if there has been a worrying amount of talk about sausages and chips.  So what is it…what’s holding me back?

Is it the thought of Leonardo waking in the night and his mother not being there to comfort him for the first time in his life?  Is it the physical distance that will separate us and the fact I can’t be by their side in an instant if there is a tsunami or someone vomits? Is it the possibility that they won’t miss me at all?  That they won’t even notice I’m gone.  That maybe, I’m not the center of their universe after all.

Well…it is Byron…shame I don’t eat dairy…

Oh dear…this is just making me feel worse!  I need to focus on the positives, after all, it is only three nights.  And it’s Byron Bay!  My favourite place, my spiritual home.  We will walk and talk and eat and drink.  There will be no sleep times to work around, no ‘behaviour management’ plans to enact (I hope…) There will be time to think, time for ourselves.  It will be wonderful…we are so very lucky.

Do you panic at the thought of leaving your children…I mean, we all fantasise about it…but to really, actually do it is hard.  I’d love to hear how you handle the situation…please leave a comment if you have any thoughts or advice.

See you in a few days!

mamacino x

PS I will be posting to the mamacino facebook page and instagram while I’m away so

Good Food Friday – Very Veggie Burgers with Yoghurt Hummus Sauce

Everyone loves a burger!  Especially Veggie Burgers!  They’re healthy, tasty and oh so satisfying.  I love making these at home because they are so versatile…you can play around with the ingredients to create interesting and delicious flavours.  You can eat them with all sorts of of sauces, in a wholegrain roll with lettuce, tomato, cheese and beetroot or simply on a plate with your favourite salad.  Kids love them and…they’re awesome on tomorrow’s sandwich for a fantastic lunch box treat.

Very Veggie Burgers…yum!

Very Veggie Burgers – My Way

Makes 8 medium sized burgers

Ingredients:

1 cup of breadcrumbs ( I make my own by whizzing up 4 slices of crust-less bread in the food processor – use GF bread if you have a sensitivity)

2 zucchini, grated ( I also do this in the food processor on the smaller grate attachment)

1 carrot, grated (as above)

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed * see below for low-fodmap suggestions

1 egg yolk

3 tbsp good quality peanut butter

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Rice Bran Oil

What to do:

Use your hands to squeeze as much juice as you can from the grated carrot and zucchini.  Put your breadcrumbs, grated carrot, grated zucchini and onion in a big bowl.

Place chickpeas, egg yolk and peanut butter in the food processor and whiz – it will be thick, don’t panic.

Add the chickpea mixture, cumin and coriander to the bowl with the veggies.  Season with salt and pepper if you like.

Using clean hands, massage the mixture so it all comes together…this is very satisfying, go for it!

Shape the mixture into 8 patties and place on a lined tray in the fridge for at least half an hour or until you are ready to cook them.

Fry them in a little rice bran oil for a few minutes on each side, taking care when flipping them, until they are golden and cooked through.

Yoghurt Hummus Sauce

1/2 cup hummus – for a great hummus recipe, see here

1/2 cup natural or greek yoghurt

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

Mix all ingredients together in a small serving bowl.

Easy no-fuss dinner everyone will love!

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with this great salsa and the yoghurt hummus sauce and maybe some home made potato or sweet potato wedges.
• Serve on a big, crunchy, wholegrain roll with grated cheese, lettuce, tomato and beetroot – or just put out all the toppings and let everyone make their own burgers!
• Add some curry powder to your mix and make mini veggie burgers which you can put in a wrap with salad and the yoghurt/ hummus sauce
• Make the veggie burgers bite size and serve at parties…you could go retro and place them on a tooth pick with a piece of cheddar and 1/2 a cherry tomato…

Low Fodmap

If you are following a low fodmap diet, you probably want to keep clear of chickpeas…you could substitute them for 1 cup of brown rice or quinoa or maybe even mashed sweet potato…and don’t forget to leave the onion out too.  Instead of the yoghurt sauce you could serve with a delicious mayonnaise or maybe a spinach pesto.

I hope you enjoy these veggie burgers as much as my family does…if you try them, be sure to let me know how it goes!

Happy Eating,

mamacino x

Feed the Kids – Delicious Fruity Spelt Muffins

Delicious Fruity Spelt Muffins are perfect for breakfast, morning tea or a lunch box snack.  Dairy free and made with spelt flour, they are easier on little tummies (and big ones too) are sweet and tasty without the use of refined sugars and are full of fruity goodness.

Spelt Muffins with Pear, Dates and Walnuts….

Is anyone else missing summer fruit?  I am!  I LOVE having berries with breakfast every day but I’ve noticed the organic strawberry lady hasn’t been at the Farmer’s Market for a few weeks and the strawberries in Woolies are $7 a punnet!  Never mind, we always have our wonderful Autumn fruits to devour.  Apples, pears, bananas…they all lend themselves wonderfully well to baking and especially well to my favourite…muffins!

This recipe is adapted from my new favourite foodie blog, Whole Promise.  It is a delightful resource with wonderful, healthy recipes that the whole family will love.  For the original recipe, see here.

I used pear and date puree for my muffins but you could use any fruit you like…apples, bananas, pineapple, just to name a few.

Spelt Muffins with Pear, Dates and Walnuts

Makes 7-8 medium sized muffins

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups of spelt flour

1/2 cup ground walnuts (ground to a small crumb in the food processor)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bi-carb soda

Wet ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup pear and date puree (or your own favourite fruit puree)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup rice milk

What to do:

Heat your oven to 180 degrees celcius and line a muffin tray with muffin cases.

Combine your dry ingredients in a bowl.

Mix your wet ingredients together in a seperate bowl.

Add wet to dry and stir gently until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes.

Leo looking a bit worried about his chances of getting a second muffin!

Cool a little before digging in…these are SO lovely when still a little warm…you could even have them with a little yoghurt and extra fruit puree for a delicious breakfast treat.

Do your kids love a sweet treat?  Be sure to let me know what you think of these yummy delights.

Enjoy,

mamacino x

 

Is your body aTemple or a Playground?

If you were sitting in a cafe, sipping on a latte, and your body sat down beside you…what would it say to you?  Would it thank you for all the loving kindness you have shown it over the years or would it scowl at you and your coffee, and give you a piece of it’s mind?  What would your body look like?  Would it be glowing and radiant with health and vitality or would it be pale, tired and terribly overworked?  Being your body is a tough job…maybe it’s time we listened to what it’s trying to tell us.

But that is easier said than done, isn’t it?  We’re busy.  So busy.  We’re stressed.  We have to go to work, we have kids to look after.  We all know the excuses.  We are very good at putting everybody and everything before ourselves…but why?

My friend and I were talking about this last week as we shared some child free time over a decaf cappucino at our favourite cafe.  We know all the answers when it comes to improving our health through nutrition and lifestyle.  We could advise a friend…even write a book!  But when it comes to comitting to these much needed changes ourselves…we always fall short of the mark.

Is it laziness?  For change to occur, effort is required.  To exercise, to eat well, to get to bed before midnight…it’s not that easy.  Do we divert our attention by focusing on others and avoid concentrating on ourselves?  Are we afraid we will fail? I am guilty of berating myself for my misgivings on a daily basis.  That nagging,  negative voice that lives in your head…I shouldn’t have eaten all that bread, I’m  supposed to be going grain free…If I’d done more exercise I wouldn’t have to lay on the floor to do my jeans up (possibly with a coat hanger)….

Do we think we’re not worth the effort?  Looking after yourself takes time, it might take a little bit of money too…sometimes we see this as selfishness, especially if we’re not supported by loving family and friends who understand how important taking care of ourselves really is.  We need to respect ourselves for our own well being but also because we are role models.  I for one want my two daughters (and my son) to grow up with a healthy view of themselves and the ability to make choices that reflect what is best for them.  The bottom line is…if we don’t stay healthy and happy and well…we can’t take care of anyone else.

Look after yourself and you’ll be doing cart wheels…though I don’t recommend it if you have had babies…unless you have your ‘Tena Ladies’ on!

As I’m getting older, I’m starting to love myself more…I know, I know…it’s so cliche…but I appreciate my body now.  Goodness knows, it’s done amazing things.  It runs, it bends in all directions in the name of yoga, it has carried and given birth to three beautiful babies (a miracle I still can not comprehend!) and it has fed and nourished those babies independently for varying amounts of time.  It has completed two degrees and is considering a third.  It has kept working no matter how much I demand of it and has dragged itself out of bed every morning for 36 years regardless of how little sleep it has received (and it hasn’t always been because of night feeds and restless children…)

When I see the beautiful young women in my life, some who are mothers and many who are not, treating their bodies and themselves so carelessly, it makes me feel really sad (and old).  Smoking, alcohol, junk food, crazy work hours…it really concerns me .  I want to tell them…you are so special…you deserve better!

So, I will…

Whenever I question my girls about something they don’t think I noticed and they ask me how I knew…I always say…”because I’m a Mum, and Mum’s know everything”.  They are young enough that they believe me and this still works as an answer…and so in that spirit, I’m going to tell you…

You are so important, worthy, good, loved, beautiful, special, unique, amazing, wonderful, clever, fun, classy, gorgeous, funny, bright, sexy…so take care of yourself, you deserve it.  And I know, because I’m a Mum and Mums know everything.

Is your body a temple or a playground?  How do you feel about your own body?  What has it taught you over the years?

mamacino x

Beautiful Blogger Award

Beautiful Blogger Award…

Many thanks to the lovely Nicola at The Yogic Housewife for nominating me for the Beautiful Blogger Award x

Here are some of my favorites…

Natural New Age Mum

Subtlekate

Wholepromise

Healthy Kids Happy Mama

The Best of this Life 

My New Roots

And a special thanks to everyone who takes some time to read about kids, food, travel and life in general at mamacino…it is greatly appreciated x

Good Food Friday – Perfect Pizza And A Whiz Bang Video

Everybody loves Pizza!

Home made pizzas are so much tastier and definitely a whole lot healthier than their boxed counterparts.  Have you always wanted to make your own pizza dough but never really knew how?  Well…it’s so easy!  Check out our first ever mamacino video to see for yourself!

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If you get invited to our house for dinner or a party, there is a pretty good chance you will get pizza in some shape or form!  We have a pizza oven in our back yard and we love it!  We all have our favourite pizza toppings so it’s a great way to get everyone involved in the creating – especially the kids!

Here are the ingredients:

Makes 2 large or 4-5 smaller pizzas depending how thin you like your crust)

2 1/2 cups of flour (you can use wholemeal if you like…I’m working on a spelt recipe too – stay tuned)

2 tsps of instant dried yeast

1 tsp fine sea salt

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 cup of warm water

What to do:

Add your flour, yeast and salt to a big bowl and mix to combine.

Add your oil and water to the bowl and give it a good stir with the wooden spoon until it begins to come together.

Get rid of the spoon and start using one hand to knead the dough in the bowl so all the floury bits are all together in a shaggy bowl.

Tip it all out on to the bench and start kneading…use the heal of your hand to push through the dough, twist, turn and repeat.

Kneading is the key to a great dough.

KEEP KNEADING…this is the secret.  Knead the dough for 7-10 minutes so you get a lovely smooth, elastic ball of dough.

Lightly oil a large, clean bowl and pop your dough inside it.  Cover with a clean tea towel and put in a warm spot to rest.

Leave the dough to rise for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

When your dough is rested…take out all frustration by punching it.  Then tip it on to the bench and give it another short knead.

Go ahead, give it a good punch!

Now your dough is ready to use!  Divide your dough into 2 large or 4 smaller quantities.  Flour your bench or board well and roll out with a rolling pin (or wine bottle if you get stuck).

Place your beautiful dough on a pizza stone or tray lined with baking paper and you are ready to make your pizza!

Toppings:

Everyone has their own idea about what’s best on a pizza but in my opinion….simple is best.  You must start with tomato sugo (pizza sauce or passata), then mozzarella, then a sprinkle of dried oregano…and finish with something fresh, like rocket or basil.

The pizza we made in the video is my personal favourite…it has tomato passata, mozzarella, oregano, chopped fresh tomato, goat cheese and is finished off with some fresh, lightly dressed rocket from the garden after it’s cooked.

Buonissimo!

Now  you are ready to make your very own pizza dough.  I can’t wait to hear about it and all the wonderful food that awaits!

Feel free to share our video with your friends and family. Leave a comment and let us know what you think about our mamacino movie!  What are your favourite pizza toppings?  

Why not upload a photo of your favourite pizza to our facebook page?  See the menu on the right to ‘like’ us on facebook and get some awesome pizza inspiration!

Stay tuned for more pizza ideas…including spelt pizza dough soon.

Happy Eating,

mamacino x

Feed the Kids – Fast Pasta…Broccoli Carbonara

Jamie Oliver is one of my heroes.  I love what he has done to educate us about how important it is to feed our kids healthy, wholesome, real food.  I quite like his wife, Jools, too.  I think if I was rich and famous and lived in London, we’d probably hang out….If you haven’t seen this clip of Jamie Oliver speaking on TED Talks it is well worth the time..it’s truly inspirational and you can see it here.

I wholeheartedly agree that we need to educate our children about food.  Where it comes from, what it tastes like, how to cook it…and I’m talking about real food.  I think about food…a lot.  I read about it, I dream about it and I talk about it…constantly.

What I want my kids to know about food is not that it’s ‘light’ or ‘fat free’ or even gluten free, paleo or vegan…I just want them to know what real food is… food that is,  to use Jude Blereau’s definition, “ made with real and true ingredients, rather than chemicals that mimic them“.

I think the best way to teach them is by getting in the kitchen and cooking!  Growing food, preparing it, eating it and making it fun is the way to get kids into eating nourishing, wholesome foods…and it doesn’t have to be hard at all…

Broccoli Carbonara

Serves 4

This easy pasta dish is a great alternative to a not-so-healthy take-away or packaged freezer food which we all think about succumbing to on those busy nights when cooking seems a challenge too difficult to step up to.  It is wholesome, healthy and quick to prepare…my kids love it!  I think yours will too.

Wholesome and delicious

This recipe for Broccoli Carbonara is originally from Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Garden Companion.  I must admit, I cook it a little differently each time I make it.  It has a little cream, it has a little cheese but embrace it!  Use the best ingredients you can, organic if possible.  My kids all love this easy pasta dish and it takes less than 30 minutes to get it on the table.  So much better than a greasy take-away.  Trust me, it’s a winner!

What you need:

250 grams of wholemeal pasta (higher in fibre, satisfying and tastes great)

1 large head of broccoli, cut into bite sized florets, stalk peeled and sliced into thin rounds (broccoli is a powerhouse of nutrients – packed with Vitamin C, it’s great for immunity – especially in the winter)

3 organic or free range egg yolks ( protein and omega 3s)

2 tbsp pouring cream (umm…tastes good...in moderation!)

2 tbsp grated  real parmesan cheese (very low in lactose and so easier to digest…also tastes great!)

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

What to do:

Put your big pasta pot on to boil with plenty of water in it.  Once it’s boiling, add your pasta (if using wholemeal, it takes a little longer to cook).  When the pasta has about two minutes to go, tip in your broccoli.

While the pasta is cooking, put egg yolks, parmesan and cream in a bowl and give it a good whisk.

When pasta and broccoli are cooked, drain in a colander reserving 1 cup of pasta water.  Then tip the pasta and broccoli straight back into the hot pot and then add the egg and cream mixture and stir well adding a little of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up if necessary.

Serve it hot hot hot and eat straight away.  Top with a little extra parmesan if you fancy.

Variations:

Add any extras you like…chilli, chopped, lightly fried pancetta, garlic, lemon zest…

Make it low-fodmap by using lactose free cream and your favourite gluten free pasta

For a dairy free alternative try hot pasta with broccoli, olive oil, toasted flaked almonds and lemon zest…mine and Frankie’s favourite and the best Sunday night dinner ever!

Do you have a quick and easy favourite dish that your kids love and that saves you on those crazy, busy not-much-time-to-cook nights?  We’d LOVE to hear about it…please leave a comment and share your ideas with us!

Happy eating,

mamacino x

Many Shades of Mother’s Day…

What did your Mother’s Day look like?  A sunny day, family seated around a long table under a tree in a beautiful garden…delicious food, beautifully behaved children, love, laughter, everyone dressed in white linen?  Or maybe that’s just the Women’s Weekly version.  

Everyone has different ideas about how to spend Mother’s Day but I think most will agree that a sleep in, breakfast in bed and lots of kisses and cuddles is a pretty good start.  I spent the afternoon with a group of friends sipping Prosecco by the fire and indulging in a delicious lunch generously ‘purchased’ by my wonderful friend (none of us were allowed to cook).  Our husbands both went off to the football, mine with our daughters in tow, and though this was, for me,  at first…hurtful, we soon gave in to talking and laughter and relaxed into the comfort and enjoyment that comes so easily with valued friendship.

Mother’s Day Love

But Mother’s Day isn’t easy for everyone.

One of our group had spent the morning with her family at the Mother’s Day Classic, running for and remembering a very much loved, but recently lost mother in their family.

Another was returning home to work on an assignment for the degree she is studying for while she is at home caring for her two little boys.

Absent friends were also remembered…one especially who has spent the last weeks in hospital with her newborn baby.  With two children at home and one in the hospital, we can’t imagine the stress and strain our friend has endured since welcoming her new blossom to the world but her positivity and  love have inspired us all.

And my own Mum…who lives far across the seas but who remains my biggest fan and most wonderful supporter.  I missed her and would have loved to be sharing a coffee and cake with her but we laughed over the phone and will make up for it when she visits us soon.

And so really, Mother’s Day is not about flowers or presents but about recognising all mother’s for the amazing job they do, every day.  Because no matter what the day brings, they are doing their best and giving their all.  Mothers are awesome.  Honestly, I don’t know what we’d do without them.

mamacino x

Make it for Mum…Simple yet delicious breakfast ideas.

Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday and what better way to celebrate than with breakfast in bed?  

We all know that after the 5 minute sleep in and customary kisses and cuddles, things revert back to normal pretty quickly so pass these simple, healthy and delicious breakfast ideas on to your loving family members and hope for the best…hopefully, they remember to do the dishes too!

My Favourite Apple Bircher Muesli

Try it with banana and passion fruit…yum!

This yummy treat is so easy your toddler could make it…well, almost.  It’s healthy and satisfying and totally luxurious…I just know you will love it as much as I do!

What to do…

Combine 1 cup of oats (gluten free if required) with 3/4 cup of good quality apple juice.  Let stand for five minutes (or in the fridge overnight).

Add 1 grated green apple, a pinch of cinnamon, a small handful of chopped almonds, 1/2 cup of thick natural yoghurt and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.  Mix gently.

Spoon into a bowl and top with your favourite fruit like strawberries and kiwi, blueberries and pear or banana and passion fruit.

If on a low fodmap diet be sure to use low lactose yoghurt, gluten free oats and low fodmap fruit like banana, blueberries, kiwi and strawberries.

Pear and cinnamon…sweet, crunchy, rich and creamy…delightful.

Banana Walnut Pancakes

Muesli is delicious but if your family is up for a challenge, I can highly recommend these Gluten Free Banana and Walnut Pancakes…they are truly heavenly…

You will definitely earn brownie points with these babies!

You can find this recipe on my favourite blog My New Roots.  This is what I will be requesting on Mother’s Day!

Want more ideas?  Try these…

Toasted Banana Bread topped with butter, honey or ricotta and banana

Delicious Whole Food Muffins…

Crunchy Crunchola Granola with yoghurt and fresh fruit…

Let us know your favourite celebration breakfast ideas…we’d love to hear how you celebrate on Mother’s Day!

I hope you all have the most wonderful Mother’s Day, you derserve…you are all AWESOME!!!

Much love,

mamacino x

 

Feed the Kids – Easy Peasy Tasty Pastries

It’ s Sunday night…there’s not much left in the fridge and you are over cooking and more to the point…washing up!  However…the kids are starving and you want them fed, bathed and in bed so you can sit down to watch Masterchef with a glass of wine and a Thai take away…or something like that.  

Don’t despair… try these Tasty Pastries…great weekend treat, awesome for parties and a healthier alternative to the fatty old sausage roll….they’re  quick, they’re easy and the kids will LOVE them…promise!

Tuna Tasty Pastries

Makes 24

Defrost 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry (you could make your own but then it wouldn’t be easy peasy, it would be fiddly and time consuming!).  In a bowl mix the contents of one medium sized can of tuna, a chopped tomato, some chopped parsley or whatever herbs you have on hand and a small handful of grated tasty cheese.  Cut your pastry sheets in half and wet the edges with water.  Spread your filling along the long edges of your pastry and roll up like a sausage roll.  Cut into 6 pieces, brush with water and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you have some.  Bake on a baking paper lined tray in a 180 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden and crispy.  Yum!

Add any leftovers to the lunch box tomorrow.

Bolognaise Swirls

Makes about 20

Defrost 2 sheets of puff pastry.  Wet edges with water and cover whole sheet with a thin layer of leftover bolognaise sauce.  Sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese.  Roll up your sheet of pastry tightly and then cut into about 10 pin wheels. Place swirl side up on a lined baking tray and bake at 180 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, until golden.

Perfect with leftover soup!

For a fantastic kid-friendly bolognaise sauce recipe…see here.

Chicken, Spinach Pesto and Ricotta Pastries

If you haven’t tried these yet, they are definitely worth a go…a big hit in our house and also with lots of friends and families we know.  See here for the recipe.

Awesome for kids parties!

Want even more ideas?  Try these….

Sauteed greens from the garden with garlic and ricotta

Pesto and goat cheese – delicious with veggie soup

Nacho rolls – home made or store bought salsa with coriander and tasty cheese

Pizza rolls – chopped tomato, ham, pineapple and cheese

The gourmet – salmon, spinach and cream cheese

I hope these ideas have given you some Sunday night foodie inspiration…I LOVE hearing from you so please leave a comment to let me know what you think or tell me about your ‘emergency’ meal.

Happy Eating,

mamacino x