Make your own general Cleaner ...

Good Afternoon friends, I hope this finds you well and that you had the most wonderful weekend. We had a lovely time here …. Friday night we booked in the Babysitter and hubby and I went and saw ‘Noah’ at the movies. Saturday hubby surprised me with a new Oven! It is just a cheapie (I wasn’t keen on getting a good one as I would like to do a complete Kitchen Renovation in a few years) but it is GREAT and so much better than the one I had …. my old one needed a chair against it to keep the door closed and the last few days the Thermostat had a mind of its own!

Hubby putting in my new oven

Sunday we went to a friends Wedding where hubby was best man …. what a beautiful Wedding it was. The bride looked breathtaking , the groom looked so very handsome …. I sat at a table with some lovely ‘new’ friends and had many laughs. It was truly lovely. 

Hubby and I – love him so much!

A couple of weeks back I posted on here how I clean my fruit and veg … since then I have had a few people ask me what I do for other cleaning products so I thought I would share some with you. For cleaning around my home I use one of two things 1) Enjo and / or 2) my homemade general cleaner – I have seen over the years a few different ‘recipes’ for general cleaner and I have adapted it and taken the bits I like to end up with this one …. I love it, it cleans beautifully and smells magnificent! I hope you love it as much as I do!

The finished product…

General Cleaner

500ml water (boiling)

¼ cup bicarb soda

1 litre water (room temperature)

1 cup white vinegar

¼ cup dishwashing liquid

1/8 cup ( or 30ml) eucalyptus oil

In a large bowl place the boiling water and bicarb soda to dissolve.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. 

It is perfectly normal for it to FIZZ! 

Allow the mixture to settle for 10 minutes before pouring into individual spray bottles and / or a large 2 litre bottle. 
Note: you can add a few drops of lavender or tea tree oil or essential oil of your choice for added fragrance. I personally use approximately 5 drops if tea tree oil and lavender OR lemon OR lime. 

As a bonus to the fact that I believe it cleans well and smells amazing, this general cleaner SAVES you money also! Here are my calculations for this 1 1/2 litre mix: (I have compared prices to those at a Supermarket)

Water =  $0

Bicarb = $0.26  (based on 1kg costing = $3.70)

Vinegar = $0.15 (based on 2 litres $1.18)

Eucalyptus oil = $1.40 (based on 100% Euc oil $4.62 100ml)

Dishwash liquid = $0.19 (based on average price and brand  at $0.50 for 100ml)

TOTAL: 1 1/2 litres = $2.00 which equals $0.13 per 100ml

COMPARE THIS TO:

Multi-cleaners: 

Jif – $0.94 per 100ml (just over SEVEN times more expensive!) 

Coles brand – $0.66 per 100ml

Earth Choice – $0.56 per 100ml 

Ajax – $0.87 per 100ml

Wishing you all a wonderful week! Look forward to chatting more soon!

Take Care of You, 

NEW AND NOW AVAILABLE ON MY ONLINE STORE! Ginger Biotic Exotic Ginger Jamu Bar !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Make your own general Cleaner ...

NEW! Ginger Biotics Exotic Ginger Jamu Bar - INDIVIDUALS

NEW! I am so excited to have for sale the new and tasty Ginger Biotics Exotic Ginger Jamu Bar from Aussie Company Nutra Organics. These bars are packed with goodness and taste amazing just like the rest of their bars … if you love ginger and love coconut, then you are sure to love these!

1 x 45g BAR

$4.20

Information about the bars – direct from the company:

Nutra Organics Ginger Biotics – Exotic Ginger Jamu Bar, is a decadent, delicious bar based on ancient traditional Javanese Jamu. Jamu’s main ingredients come from the ginger family, known as empon-empon, along with other exotic spices, a remedy that has been passed down the generations. In Indonesia Jamu is taken daily or weekly for disease prevention and maintenance of general wellbeing.

Ginger Biotics bar brings you the unique health benefits of ginger, turmeric and cinnamon combined with fibre rich coconut, fermented probiotics and organic cacao to provide you with an absolutely addictive flavour sensation.

As with all of our range the Ginger Biotics bar is gluten, soy, corn, egg free with no added nuts, and shelf stable fermented probiotics. Nutra Organics Ginger Biotics bar brings you another quick and easy way to get sustained energy for your body. This bar is a must have for ginger lovers, travellers and those seeking the benefits of jamu… Try one today!

Ingredients: Rice Malt*, Desiccated Coconut* 18%, Dark Cacao Chunks, Crystallised Ginger 16%, Sultanas**, Cranberries**, Pea Protein Isolate*, Lactobacillus Probiotic Blend <10,000 CFU/g (Mung Beans, Brown Rice, Red Lentils, Chick Peas, Linseed, Alfalfa Seed, Millet, Filtered Water), Cacao*, Berry Choc Chunk (Cacao*, Cacao Butter*, Coconut Sugar*, Vanilla Beans*, Himalayan Crystal Salt, Acai Berry*, Blueberry, Raspberry, Blackberry, Cranberry**, Goji Berry, Mango, Beetroot, Calcium Citrate) Flaxmeal, Sunflower Seeds, Water Hulled Tahini (Sesame Seeds), Fructoolgosaccharides (Prebiotic), Chia Seeds, Ginger Powder, Turmeric Powder, Cinnamon Powder.

NEW! Ginger Biotics Exotic Ginger Jamu Bar - INDIVIDUALS

Good Afternoon friends! I hope this finds you well and having a great week so far. 

I wanted to share with you this idea for ‘Cauliflower Rice’ (which has been around for a while and is ever so popular in homes everywhere)….perfect for those on a grain free diet and perfect for those trying to get extra veg into their kiddies meals….I have mentioned it a few times on my page and often get asked ‘how’ to make it….so here it is….simple, quick and delicious….you will never know the difference between eating this and white rice!

Cauliflower Rice

½ large cauliflower (approx 600g)

1 tblspn coconut oil and pinch of salt and pepper optional

Grate or process the cauliflower until it resembled grains of rice.

(TMX: 5 seconds, reverse, speed 5 – may need a few seconds more – depending  on the size of your cauli)

To cook there are a few options:

• You can place it in a saucepan (no oil) and stir 5-8 minutes on a medium heat until tender and cooked.


• You can place it in a saucepan with coconut oil and seasoning – stir well – then place the lid on and steam on a medium – low heat for 5-8 minutes until tender.


• TMX version: place the cauli in the steaming basket (with 500-600g water in the bowl) and steam for 12 minutes, speed 3, varoma. 

The first time I served this to my family as ‘rice’ with their meal I sat there smiling and watching on as they devoured their meal without knowing they weren’t eating rice – at the end I asked them how it was …. ‘GREAT’ was the response …. I then went on to tell them it was cauliflower ‘rice’ ….. their reactions were quite funny and were confused as to ‘how’ it was cauli rice and ‘why’ they didn’t realize …. I don’t know about you but the conversations around our dinner table are always fun, often crazy and generally full of laughs …. Even over something as simple as figuring out the in’s and out’s of cauli rice!

Wishing you a wonderful afternoon and I look forward to chatting more soon!

Take Care of You,

Collette x 

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Cauliflower Rice

Super Food Log

Good Morning friends! Happy Monday! I hope this finds you all well and that you had a beautiful and relaxing weekend. We had a lovely one here. We plodded around the home and got a few little bits done on Saturday and then we all curled up and watched a movie in the afternoon, such a nice way to relax after a busy week. Sunday morning was Church and then in the afternoon I drove down to Sydney as I bought a ticket to the “Ministry of Food – Kitchen talk with Jamie Oliver” ….. to be in the same room as this great man was AMAZING! Woo hoo! “Inspirational” doesn’t come close to describing him and all he does to help others all around the world. He is funny, charming, genuine, caring & of course can cook like not many others! His passion to teach people to cook (of all ages), reduce “crap” food & stop our growing rate of obesity & food related health issues is just part of why I think he is amazing and I know that the majority of you would agree with me! 

I wanted to re-post this favourite recipe of mine on here for you all today. It was on my old blog (a few years back) but when I transferred over to this new page it got lost ….. and that is a sad thing to happen to a yummy recipe! 

This is quick, easy, healthy, homemade, gluten free, dairy free, preservative and additive free, egg free, nut free and YES …. TASTY!!!!!! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! (Perfect for the lunch box!) 

Super Food Log

2/3 cup sesame seeds – toasted (90g)

1/2 cup chia seeds (80g)

1/4 cup maple syrup (55g)

  8 medjool dates (100g)

1 tblspn cacao

Place a 30cm piece of foil down on the bench and on top of that a piece of baking paper.
Place the sesame seeds and chia seeds into a food processor and blitz well. (TMX = 5 seconds speed 9)

Add the remaining ingredients and blitz again until well combined. (TMX = 10 seconds speed 8)

Place mixture onto the baking paper and using your hands form into the shape of a log.

Roll up the foil/baking paper nice and tight and fold over or twist the end (should end up looking a bit like a Christmas bon bon!)

Refrigerate for 1 hour. Cut into 1cm pieces and enjoy!
Delicious to eat as is or would be amazing as an addition to a cheese and biscuits platter! 

I notice that people don’t always get to see every post I put up on FB so please take a moment to ‘subscribe’ on my blog here (on the right hand side of the home page) so these blogs and free recipes go straight to your email address, you don’t miss out on reading and enjoying them and then they can be filed and saved for easy reference. 

Have a WONDERFUL week ….. chat again soon!

Take Care of You,

Collette x

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Super Food Log

Good Morning friends! HAPPY FRIDAY! I hope you have all had a beautiful week.

My 4 children LOVE mince dishes (bolognaise, nachos, savoury mince on top of potatoes etc) and I LOVE putting a heap of vegetables in their dinners! I planned for Nachos the other night and then realised I didn’t have any mince ….whoops! …. I wasn’t going to pack all 4 kids in the car to go and get some so I decided to do a Vegetarian version instead …. it was devoured and no one mentioned the fact it had no mince! I have tested it again both on the stove top and in my Thermomix and I am thrilled to share with you all my recipe …. I hope you enjoy it too!

Vegetarian Nachos 

1 tblspn olive oil

1 large clove garlic (5g)

1 brown onion (190g)

1 red capsicum (250g)

½ large green capsicum (100g)

1 large carrot (110g)

1 large zucchini (200g)

4 medium mushrooms (130g)

2 roma tomatoes

½ cup vegetable stock

1 tspn cumin

1 tspn coriander

½ tspn chilli flakes or 1 small fresh chilli diced (optional)

½ tspn herbamare (or salt and pepper)

400g tin chickpeas – drained and rinsed well

400g tin red kidney beans – drained and rinsed well

Optional – to serve: corn chips, fresh coriander, sour cream or natural yoghurt.

Stove top method:
Prepare ingredients:

Crush the garlic.

Dice all vegetables.
Place the olive oil, garlic and onion into a heavy based saucepan and stir on a high heat for 1 minute. 
Add all the diced vegetables and stir over a medium – high heat for 5 minutes. Add the stock, cumin, coriander, chilli  and herbamare and mix thoroughly.

Turn heat to medium and place the lid on the pan.  Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring 1-2 times during this process.

Add the chickpeas and red kidney beans, mix well and replace lid. Simmer on a medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Stirring often.

Serve and enjoy!

Thermomix Version: (prepare all vegetables by cutting smaller – eg ¼ the onion)
Place the garlic, onion, green and red capsicum into the bowl and chop for 10 seconds, speed 4.
Add the carrot, zucchini, mushrooms and tomatoes and chop for a further 10 seconds, speed 4.

Add the stock, cumin, coriander, chilli  and herbamare and cook for 10 minutes, 90c, reverse,  speed 2.

Add chickpeas and red kidney beans and cook for a further 10 minutes, 100g, reverse,  speed 1.

Serve and enjoy!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend, full of love, laughter, happy memories and great food!

Take Care of You, 
Collette x

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Vegetarian Nachos

Custard - quick and easy

Good Morning friends, I hope this finds you well. 

Since getting my Thermomix the kids have a love for Custard (as I hardly ever made it before and never bought it!) It is a quick afternoon tea or dessert for them with fresh or stewed fruit. I have been following the recipe in the TMX EDC for their Custard but using rice flour or tapioca flour, using honey or rapadura and using rice milk. I have posted a few photos on Instagram and have been asked a few times how to make a GF and DF custard on the stove top….so here it is….

I hope you enjoy it!

Custard – quick and easy 

2 eggs

¼ cup rapadura

3 tblspns rice flour

1 tspn vanilla essence

2 cups rice milk

Place the eggs, rapadura, rice flour and vanilla into a saucepan (NOT on the stovetop) and whisk until thoroughly combined.

Place the mixture on the stovetop on a medium-high heat. Add the milk in a steady stream, whisking the entire time.

Whisk for 5-6 minutes over the medium-high heat or until the custard starts to thicken. Do not allow the mixture to boil!

Remove from heat and allow to cool for 1 minute before pouring into a serving dish or ramekins.

Enjoy!

NOTE:

• Swap rapadura for brown sugar or sweetener of your choice


• Swap rice flour for tapioca flour or cornflour


• Swap rice milk for milk of your choice


• Don’t let the custard get too thick on the stovetop as it will thicken also as it cools down


• Serve with fresh or stewed fruit

You will see from the photo that the ‘brown rice’ flour used in the custard will make it slightly grainier as opposed to the tapioca flour. The taste is still the same so it doesn’t bother me at all!

Wishing you all a wonderful day! 

Take Care of You, 

Collette x 

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Custard - quick and easy

Good Morning friends! I hope this finds you well and that you had a lovely weekend. 

We had a lovely time. Friday night the 6 of us went to the Football with some friends, Manly V Souths. It was a great night and a great game and WOO HOO Manly won!

My hubby and my little man ……

Me with a great friend (even though she is a Bunnies supporter!) at the footy on Friday night! Happy Birthday Ab! Love you x

Hubby was away over the weekend at a Bucks Weekend so Saturday the kids and I went up to the Hunter Valley to see my parents for the day. I took my Thermomix for it’s first day trip and cooked Mum and Dad some veg stock concentrate, dinner and dessert. 

You may have heard me say before that every now and then I don’t order groceries for a few days or a week and use up what I have in the cupboard, fridge and freezer. Well, this has been one of those weeks. I made this ‘side’ corn dish for my family to go with some roasted potatoes that I stirred pesto through ….. it was a huge hit and SO easy so I thought I would share the recipe with you. I hope you enjoy it. 

Corn on the Cob – side dish

50g butter or 2 tblspns oil of choice

6 fresh corn cobs – remove husks and cut in half

200g button mushrooms – quartered

200g cherry tomatoes – halved

¼ cup water

good pinch salt and pepper

chilli flakes – optional

dried tarragon leaves – optional

Heat the butter or oil in a large fry pan. Add the corn to the fry pan and cook for 5 minutes on a high heat – turning the corn often.

Add the mushrooms and tomatoes, mix thoroughly and cook for 2 minutes, continually mixing.

Add the water and place the lid on the fry pan, turn the heat down to medium – low and steam for 3-4 minutes or until corn is thoroughly cooked.

To serve sprinkle with salt, pepper, chilli and tarragon.

 A beautiful side dish or healthy and tasty lunch. 

Have a beautiful week and I look forward to connecting more with you soon!

Take Care of You,

Collette x 

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Corn on the Cob - side dish