Sunday, 29 September 2013

Date & Macadamia Slice RECIPE

Good afternoon! I hope this finds you well and enjoying the sunshine and school holidays!

I posted this recipe on Facebook a while back and I have had several requests to ‘re-share’ it since then so I thought I would share it on here also for you all to enjoy!

It is a huge hit in our home….whilst we have a ‘nut free zone’ at school, it is nice for an afternoon tea treat. 

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Date and Macadamia Slice

1 cup of dates

1 cup desiccated coconut

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons macadamia nut spread (or nut / seed spread of your choice) 

a pinch of sea salt

Put all ingredients  into a food processor & mix for 1 minute. Press into a lined lamington tray & bake in preheated oven (180c) for 10 minutes. STORE IN FREEZER!!!!! Delicious & REFINED SUGAR FREE!!!!!! (Of course as well as Gluten, Dairy & Additive Free)

Have a great week….chat again soon!

Take Care of You,

Collette x

 


Date & Macadamia Slice RECIPE

Wednesday, 25 September 2013

Our guest from America and "Texas Cream Cheese Dip"

Hello friends! I hope this finds you all well!

Almost 2 weeks ago we welcomed the safe arrival of “Bekah” (my hubbys cousin) to come and stay with us from America for a few months.
It turns out it is a ‘win win’ situation for all of us. Bekah has a Grandma, Aunts, Uncles and many cousins here that she doesn’t get to see often, so her trip here is a wonderful opportunity for her to catch up with everyone and spend plenty of quality time with us all (especially us!)

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me with Bekah!

With 4 children and my business life is pretty full on (to say the least) but since my 3rd book “Cut out the Crap with Style” has arrived I have been busier than I could ever have imagined…I would like to take a moment to say a HUGE thank you to you all for your wonderful support and love of my books!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!

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Front cover of my new book! Have you got your copy yet???!!!

We have decided that Sundays is “Bekahs” cooking day ….. she treated my family last Sunday with this amazing “Texas Cream Cheese Dip” for Lunch after Church….it is not Dairy Free but it is Gluten Free and with the right brand choices it can be preservative / additive free ….. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did!

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“Texas Cream Cheese Dip”

Preheat oven to 180c.
In a large lasagne dish place 2 x room temperature blocks of cream cheese and 1 x 400g tin corn and mix well.
Add 3 finely diced tomatoes, 1/2 bunch finely shredded coriander, approx 1/2 cup finely shredded spring onions, 1 tspn cumin, 1 tspn coriander, 1/4 tspn herbamare or good sea salt and 1/4 – 1 tspn cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you like it! 1/4 tspn I used was child friendly)
Mix thoroughly and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until warm. Serve with good corn chips!

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Sunday night Bekah cooked “Curry Chicken” from “Cut out the Crap” for dinner!

 

Wishing you a wonderful rest of the week!

Talk again soon, 

Take Care of You,

Collette x 

 


Our guest from America and "Texas Cream Cheese Dip"

Wednesday, 18 September 2013

Allergy Riders Flags/Cupcake Cases GIVE-AWAY!

Good Afternoon! I hope this finds you well :-)
I apologise for being a little quiet on the blog front – since “Cut out the Crap with Style” arrived a bit over a week ago I have been running around like crazy! I feel very blessed that you guys are loving the new book – it means so much to me! Thank you! 

I came across “Allergy Riders” a few week back on Facebook and bought some straight away! I thought they were such a great idea for classroom parties, birthday parties and playgroups with friends…no more confusion with party food when kids have dietary requirements! 

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My Savoury Veg Muffins from “Cut out the Crap for Kids” book – all ready to go for a morning tea with friends!

I was cheeky enough to ask the lovely Amy from Allergy Riders if she would be keen to do a give-away for you and she said YES!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!

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I asked Amy how she started this wonderful business and this is what she told me: I created this business because one of my 3 kids, Ned now aged 5 is allergic to dairy, wheat and nuts (as his major allergies, he has lots of others). When he was 2, for his birthday, I wanted him to be able to just go to the table and eat food and be happy! I looked everywhere for food flags that would indicate what he could eat. I couldn’t find anything. So I made “Ned Safe” flags and I put them in all his birthday buffet food that he was allowed to eat and everything thought it was a wonderful idea. Then came the colour coded idea for children that can’t read.
Many people choose to be for example, dairy and wheat free (I have MS and fit this category), so I didn’t want a design that just appealed to kids, I wanted them to be funky for adults and children alike.

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I don’t know about you but I truly love this idea…I think its so clever and is so helpful! You can get Cupcake Cases and Food Flags that say “Dairy Free” – “Egg and Dairy Free” – “Dairy and Gluten Free” – “Gluten Free” – “No Eggs here” – “I’m Vegan” and “No Nuts here” 

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I am so excited that I am able to give-away a pack of flags and cupcake cases (of your choice) to THREE  lucky random COTC friends!

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To enter simply write here on this blog post which one you would like to win! It’s as simple as that! 

THREE random winners will be chosen Thursday 26th Sept and will be announced on here AND emailed!

Good Luck!

Have a wonderful rest of the day!

Take Care of You,

Collette x 


Allergy Riders Flags/Cupcake Cases GIVE-AWAY!

4MyEarth Snack Pocket - Robot

Perfect for all your snacks such as cakes, nuts, biscuits, cut up fruit and any other items. With our expandable side you can fit in even more!

Size 11- 12 cm x 11- 12cm – size is a rough guide and may vary slightly either side of this measurement.

· Easy for both children and adults to open and close.
· Pockets can be put in the freezer.
· Lightweight, yet extremely strong.
· Stores flat for easy and simple storage.
· Label has space for you to write name on.
· Hand, machine or dishwasher safe.
 
Ethically made in India

4MyEarth Snack Pocket - Robot

Thursday, 5 September 2013

3 pack of "Cut out the Crap" Books!

**** NOTE**** PRE-ORDERS: CUT OUT THE CRAP WITH STYLE IS A NEW BOOK DUE TO ARRIVE MID SEPTEMBER! ANY ORDERS THAT CONTAIN THIS NEW BOOK AS WELL AS OTHER BOOKS / PRODUCTS WILL ALL BE POSTED TOGETHER (NO SPLIT POSTAGE)

This pack contains:

1 x Cut out the Crap Book

1 x Cut out the Crap for Kids Book

1 x Cut out the Crap with Style Book

Buy all 3 in bookstores for $30 each = $90 OR buy ALL 3 here today for ONLY $70  plus p&h

Postage and handling within Australia is a set fee of $10.00 per order.

 

 


3 pack of "Cut out the Crap" Books!

Cut out the Crap with Style BOOK

**** NOTE**** PRE-ORDERS: CUT OUT THE CRAP WITH STYLE IS A NEW BOOK DUE TO ARRIVE MID SEPTEMBER! ANY ORDERS THAT CONTAIN THIS NEW BOOK AS WELL AS OTHER BOOKS / PRODUCTS WILL ALL BE POSTED TOGETHER (NO SPLIT POSTAGE)

“Cut out the Crap with Style”

ALL recipes are Gluten, Dairy and Preservative / Additive free,

‘Cut out the Crap with Style’ shows you to how cook, create and enjoy elegant and tasty food even though you have food allergies or intolerances. This gorgeous book has 3 full dinner parties for you create from start to finish. It includes a menu, shopping list and timeline. On top of that it is packed with finger food recipes, entrĂ©es, mains, desserts and stunning full colour photos for each mouth watering recipe.

The recipes were made to inspire you to try something different and to give you the confidence to eat in style.

Postage and handling within Australia is a set fee of $10.00 per order.

$25 plus p&h


Cut out the Crap with Style BOOK

Tuesday, 3 September 2013

Kim Morrison - Like Chocolate for Women and Twenty8

Good Morning friends! I hope this finds you all well and having a lovely week so far. I don’t know what the weather is like where you live but the sun has been shining so much here the past week or two – it is simply gorgeous! Too nice to be inside so the twins and I have been making the most of heading out to parks, going for walks or simply hanging out in our backyard!

I am so excited to bring you another guest interview – I always love reading these myself – so I hope you do too! This lady I met through the fun world of Instagram and photos! For those of you that know me, you will know I have a slight obsession with taking photos, whether its random things like my garden, my shoes or my days events, my children and of course my cooking and food…it much more enjoyable than (call me naive or uneducated I don’t mind) listening to or talking Politics! Intsagram: collette_cutoutthecrap

I would like to introduce the beautiful, friendly, always smiling and truly inspirational….

Kim Morrison

Author of “Like Chocolate for Women” and Founder of Organic Skincare and Aromatherapy “Twenty8″Kim 4

Tell us a little bit about you and your family …

I have a beautiful wee family. My husband Danny and I have been married 20years. We have two amazing children – a daughter Tayla who is 15yrs of age who loves her dance and ballet and a son Jakob who is 13yrs of age who loves his cricket and rugby. Danny played cricket for NZ for ten years so I guess you could say I was a WAG for some time! And I had the auspicious honour of running for Australia in ultra marathons in my early 20′s. We moved from NZ to the Sunshine Coast 7years ago and although it was very hard to leave our beautiful families and friends back there we have felt right at home here. 
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Please tell us more about your business and what a typical workday looks like for you? 
Ok… right… my business… what do I do? I am sure there are many women out there that ask themselves this question every day!! Like Chocolate For Women is all about girlfriends, friendship, relationships and self-care. It started out as a book I wrote with my dear girlfriend Fleur Whelligan in 2001. We brought out a new edition of this book in 2009 and to compliment this updated version we created an online chemical-free organic skincare and aromatherapy range called Twenty8. Fleur returned to live in NZ in 2012 and now I run the business. My hubby Danny is away 8-9 months of the year commentating cricket around the world so often it is just me and the kids. A typical day is getting up early, I meditate then go for a run or do some yoga and check all incoming emails before brekky. I drop my beautiful kids to school and head straight to the office. We get through all I need to with my lovely office manager Kaz who is just extraordinary at ensuring all our customers are attended to and orders fulfilled. I usually spend my time setting up my speaking engagements, in home SPArkle events, writing articles or blogs, attending to the website, product development and answering customer queries. Before I know it – it is time to get children from school and get them to dancing or sport. Then its home for dinner, and either out for a speaking engagement or more emails and some time with Jakob before I get back out to get Tayla from dancing about 9pm each night. I try to get to bed by 11pm each night and its fair to say like most mum’s I am pretty exhausted – but fulfilled with the day. I feel incredibly blessed to do what I love each and every day!  Of course this is my ‘ideal’ day – but like most of us working mums out there the reality is 90% of the time it is subject to change!! If I can put my head on my pillow each night with a smile then it doesn’t matter – its perfect!
How big a part does food play in your overall daily health?
Food is EVERYTHING! I could not do what I do if I did not eat well. My children could not fit in everything they do without a good diet. We spend a lot of money on food I guess, but we try to get to local markets and support our local farmers whenever we can. As far as I am concerned eating clean, beautiful, fresh, healthy organic food is a privilege that needs much better care.
Kim Green Top Final
What inspires you? 
People who give their all… Passion. People who care… Kindness. People who rise through adversity… Faith. My extraordinary children are a huge inspiration for me as is my amazing husband, they each inspire me to be a better person. My girlfriends inspire me with their greatness. Although far away sister, brother and mother inspire me. Danny’s mother is an inspiration with all that she gives. My beautiful grandmother, although now gone is a motivating inspiration every day for it was she who told me to get out there and conquer the world! Good, healthy, beautiful food is inspirational. Nature is incredibly inspirational. And I must say my beautiful products, customers and business inspire me beyond belief. 
What is one piece of advice you could pass on to other Mums?
Look after yourself. Take care of yourself. We are such giving creatures that sometimes we forget to give to ourselves and top our own tanks. It doesn’t have to be much, but maybe an aromatherapy bath at the end of a busy day, going for a run or walk or getting to yoga, date night with hubby, having a chai or wine with a girlfriend can all do wonders for a busy mum. Remember – if the woman of the house is happy and healthy life runs smoothly for everyone else! Taking care of ourselves and making self-care a priority is not a luxury – it is a necessity.
Kim Profile Cover Feb 2013
If you could have dinner with any 3 people in the world who would it be and why?
There are lots of people I would love to meet and share a meal with. But if I was really honest to have dinner with any three people in the world I would want nothing more than to share it with my husband, my daughter and my son… I am at my happiest when it is the four of us laughing and hanging together!
Please tell us 3 fun facts about yourself. 
1. I set a world record at 21yrs of age for being the youngest female to run 100miles in less than 24hours! Not sure running those races were ‘fun’ but its fun recounting them now!
2. I am an authorised Marriage Celebrant! Now that is fun…I love doing weddings!!
3. I have a hidden tattoo! My girlfriend and I got the same one and had such fun doing that together!

 As always I would like to say a MASSIVE Thank you to Kim for taking the time to speak with me and share a little more about her life and family. Don’t forget to show your support by popping over to Kims pages and saying HI!

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Like Chocolate for Women Website

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Twenty8 Facebook

Twenty8 Website

Wishing you a beautiful day and a happy and healthy rest of the week!

Take Care of You,

Collette x


Kim Morrison - Like Chocolate for Women and Twenty8

Sunday, 1 September 2013

Date and Pistachio Ice Cream!

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Cousins x

Good Morning! I hope this finds you well and that you had a lovely weekend. We had a wonderful time enjoying the Sunshine. Saturday we went and had a beautiful picnic with extended family and Sunday (Fathers Day) we went to Church and then spent the afternoon doing a few bits and pieces outside and planting some new vegetables and herbs in the Veggie Garden.

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I love this photo! My son getting a cuddle from his cousin!

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My twins all dressed for Church this morning x

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Happy Fathers Day! My hubby with our Children – we are blessed x

I wanted to share with you this Ice-cream I made for my Kids a few weeks back – incase you missed it on Facebook…..its a little naughty (cream) but it is refined sugar free, additive free and gluten free….and the Kids LOVE it as a treat…..and lets admit it, it is SO much better for you than additive filled ice cream from the Supermarket!

I hope you and your family love it also!

Have a GREAT week ahead….I am eagerly waiting the news that ‘Cut out the Crap with Style’ has arrived in Australia! Will keep you posted!

Take Care of You,
Collette x

DATE AND PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

In a food processor place 14 medjool dates, 1 cup raw pistachios, 2 tblspns vanilla essence, 600ml pouring cream, 600ml milk.
Blend all for 1 1/2 minutes (will depend on your processor – but it will start to thicken) 
Pour into a freezer proof container and then freeze overnight – or until set! 
I had to get it to thaw slightly before putting it into the additive free cones! 
I don’t have an ice cream maker / thermomix but I am sure you can use that if you have one. The dates make it SO sweet…it was a huge hit for all….ENJOY X

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Date and Pistachio Ice Cream!