The Love List {April 2014}

April 30, 2014 · 10 Comments

It’s already the end of another month. April was a month of chocolate, family fun, holidays and Anzac marches.

Here are some of my favourite things from this month and a round up of the best bargains out there!

♥ This month I discovered funky online store Lovage (totally love the name too!)

Lovage is an online boutique that sells premium quality natural/organic cosmetics. Their tagline is ‘beauty sans la beast’ ! The girls at Lovage want to provide community members with toxic-free beauty products that actually deliver on the skincare goodness promise.

With top brands like Vanessa Megan, Ere Perez, Evohe and Laviol, Lovage covers all beauty needs from skincare, bodycare, haircare and makeup. You can also get free shipping on orders over $150. It’s pretty much a one-stop natural beauty shop!

While you are there, check out the blog with some interesting articles on natural beauty.

The lovely Heidi from Lovage is offering all of you an exclusive deal! Receive 10% off on your purchase if you spend $50 or more at Lovage. Just use the code NNAM10. Offer expires June 1, 2014.

♥ The sneak peek for the new movie, Overfed and Undernourished came out and it resonated with me. Actually, it made me sad but hopeful all at the same time. Watch it here and tell me what you think. I am so looking forward to this movie being out and spreading the word on healthy living!

♥ My new favourite cookbook – My Darling Lemon Thyme by chef, mum and blogger, Emma Galloway. I made her Pecan Maple Tart for Easter and it was divine. Emma’s recipes are gluten free, vegetarian and real, whole foods all the way. There are so many recipes I want to make, I don’t know where to begin. Loving it, big time (and yes, I do sing ‘my darling clementine’ every time I get the book out!) You can get it online with free shipping.

♥ Melissa at Frugal and Thriving has my favourite blog post this month. It’s 10 ways to ditch disposables in the kitchen. I particularly love this idea of knitting kitchen cloths. They really do work well!

♥ Actually, I had two favourite blog posts this month. Kirri White Coaching has this awesome post about giving yourself permission to feel lost while you are finding yourself. Kirri has such a great understanding of women and practical advice to help navigate life.

♥ What do you do with your old yoga mat when it gets worse for wear? You don’t throw it away! LovEarth Yoga mats gives us some ideas on how we can reincarnate it!! Very cool. I would have never thought of doing this.

♥ I got another delivery from the lovely ladies at TOM Organic this month. This is the only brand I use now. They are an Aussie company and use only certified organic cotton. As the TOM team so eloquently put it – no more chemical and bleaches near your lady bits! They have recently also released their maternity and pad range.

You *can* now get the range from Woolworths for convenience, but if you want to avoid the supermarkets and get bulk prices, go straight to their online store. The lovely Aimee has a special deal just for you! Get a massive 20% off any purchase from their online store! Just use the code: NATMUM. Ends May 31st.

♥ The lovely Aaron and Phoebe at Happy Skincare are giving away a Sweet Dreams Foot Softening Treatment with their 3 Step System. Hurry ends May 11. A perfect Mother’s Day gift!

♥ Sarah at the Raw Food Store has a great special on the Southern Cross pottery water filters this week. As well as filtering out a lot of nasties, these ones also filter out fluroide.

♥ Happy Tummies has a special on food pouches. Get 10 for $9.95.

♥ Yard Games are having a massive sale with up to 80% off! They stock a great range of outdoor, backyard and educational games for kids.

♥ There are also a heap of great deals and discount codes on my Mother’s Day Gift Guide post. Hurry, they are only for a short time and exclusive to NNAM readers!!

What took your fancy this month? Anything exciting we should know about?

*Some of this post is sponsored*

My Favourite Cookbooks

July 22, 2013 · 25 Comments

I have an addiction. It’s not sugar, it’s not alcohol, it’s not chocolate. It’s cookbooks! I love cookbooks. I am sure many of you have the same addiction! Foodie heaven. Many years ago, I passed on most of my cookbooks and decided to concentrate on healthy cookbooks. These are my favourites for healthy family cooking.

♥ Let’s Party Additive Free. This is a wonderful book by Melanie Avery, a mum from country NSW. Melanie goes through information about additives, gives us lots of basic, additive free party recipes and some fun party games and information as well. Get the book here.

♥ Cut out the Crap. Collette White is the popular author the Cut out the Crap book series. The recipes are very family-friendly and my kids have liked all of them. All Collette’s recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free and additive-free. Fantastic for those with special dietary needs. Lots of healthy, tasty food without pretension. Get the book here.

♥ The 80/20 Diet. I don’t really like to buy books with ‘diet’ in the title, but in this case, I make an exception. Teresa Cutter has legendary status around healthy foodie circles as The Healthy Chef. Her recipes are absolutely beautiful and nobody could possibly say that eating healthy is tasteless after trying her recipes. She also includes nutrition and exercise information which is quite interesting as well. Get the book here.

♥ Feeding Fussy Kids. I am a long time fan of Julie-Maree Wood, a Sydney naturopath and nutritionist. Her book is full of amazing recipes that are wonderful for the whole family. You don’t have to have fussy kids to enjoy this book. Although if you do, Julie also provides a lot of information on how to go about getting nutrients into your fussy one’s diet. I love her recipe for Iron Booster Balls (apricoty bliss balls). Get the book here.

♥ Wholefood for Children. Jude Blereau is another legend in foodie circles. This book is a fantastic, basic cookbook for parents wanting to feed their children whole, real food. Jude tells us how to set up a wholefood kitchen and then shares her nourishing recipes from baby food through to lunchbox snacks. Get the book here.

♥ Supercharged Food. This is a new book for me, but I love it. Lee Holmes creates recipes that are free from gluten, wheat, dairy, yeast and sugar! There are lots of interesting recipes, some with gourmet ingredients. There are still plenty of things that are suitable for families though. I am looking forward to her kid’s cookbook too! Get the book here.

♥ Vegie Smugglers 2. Well I have to say I prefer number 2 over number 1, because I was a recipe tester for number 2! I have been a long time fan of Wendy Blume and Vegie Smugglers. Wendy makes it really easy for families to make nourishing, real food at home. This book is a fabulous starting point for people who want to learn how to cook healthy meals. All recipes have a good portion of vegetables or fruit in them. We adore the basil and white bean pesto pasta! Get the books here.

♥ Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals. Obviously my cookbook collection contains several of my hero’s cookbooks, but this one I think is the best for healthy family meals. Jamie Oliver’s approach in this cookbook is good food, fast. Some of the recipes might be a little exotic for young tastebuds, but you can leave out the spices or make the meals a little simpler. Although we might take a little longer than the 30 minutes, he shows you how easy it really is to whip up a restaurant quality meal at home. Jamie’s recipes are perfect for easy entertaining. Pukka! Get the book here.

♥ Nourishing Traditions. Sally Fallon’s cookbook ‘challenges politically correct nutrition and the diet dictocrats’! Nutrition researcher and founder of the Weston A Price Foundation, Sally has really been instrumental in the way we look at food. She tells us to eat real, whole food like animal fats and avoid processed food. Her recipes are American and there are some unusual foods that we may not have access too. It is however fantastic for anyone who wants to learn about ‘real’ nutrition and is a great reference book. Get the book here.

But wait, I also love ebooks! Find some fabulous ones here.

What are you favourite healthy cookbooks? Are you addicted too?

{this post contains affiliate links}

Rice Cracker Chicken – two ways to make healthy chicken nuggets

July 23, 2012 · 10 Comments

If you haven’t heard of my JUST SAY NO TO NUGGETS campaign, then I will fill you in!

Commercial chicken nuggets are one of my pet hates. They contain so many artificial ingredients, chemicals and questionable bits of the chicken! Nuggets are such a favourite with kids and a quick, easy standby for mums. BUT, in less than half an hour, you can prepare your own at home, with quality ingredients! I would encourage everyone to just say NO to nuggets and try some of my yummy ideas instead. Click here to see some more recipes!

Today I am teaming up with the gorgeous Collette, author of the Cut out the Crap cookbooks to bring you some more ideas on how to make your own chicken nuggets at home. Collette kindly offered to share one of her ‘chicken nugget’ recipes using rice crackers from her first cookbook, Cut out the Crap. I also had a rice cracker chicken recipe to share, so today you get my version as well!

Here is my Rice Cracker Chicken. It is gluten-free, dairy-free, additive-free and egg-free. Super quick and super yummy!

For the healthiest option, use brown rice crackers with no artificial additives (read the back of the packet). Many rice crackers contain MSG and lots of numbers, so be vigilant! I don’t add seasoning as the crackers are usually salty enough, but you could always add some dried herbs if you like.

Okay, so this is what you need:

500g organic and/or free range chicken thigh fillets

1 packet of brown rice crackers

2 tablespoons organic honey

oil to spritz

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Crush the rice crackers in the thermomix, food processor or use a rolling pin. We want the size of breadcrumbs, not a powder, so go easy on the pulse button!

Cut the chicken into bite size pieces or strips (whatever takes your fancy). Chuck them into a bowl, add the honey and mix in well.

Put the rice cracker crumbs on a plate and roll the chicken in them, piece by piece, pressing the crumbs on firmly.

Place on a baking paper lined tray. Spritz with oil (I use a glass oil sprayer with grapeseed oil).

Bake in a hot oven, 200oC for about 10-15 minutes, depending on how big your chicken pieces are. YUM! I think these might be my favourite so far. The hint of honey is so delicious!

Here is Collette’s Chicken Schnitzel from her Cut out the Crap Cookbook. This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free and additive-free

Chicken Schnitzel

3 single chicken breast fillets

1 bunch fresh chives – finely chopped

1 x 100g packet plain rice crackers

1 egg

1 cup rice milk

1 pinch sea salt

1 cup oil

Using a blender or food processor, process the whole packet of rice crackers until fine crumbs form.

In one bowl whisk the egg and rice milk.

In another bowl, add the rice cracker crumbs, chives and sea salt. Mix well.

Cut each chicken breast into quarters. Make one cut down the length to make it thinner, and one across to make it smaller.

Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dip it into the egg mixture, then into the crumb mixture. Press the chicken down into the crumb mixture, so a good coating is formed.

Set aside on a plate until ready to cook.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan.

Cook chicken schnitzel on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes either side, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the outside is golden.

It is such a thrill for me to connect with other mums also interested in feeding our families healthy food. Collette is a mum of four (where does she find the time to write cookbooks?!) with an interesting story about how she got into healthy cooking.

In the last few weeks, I have been cooking out of Collette’s books and I am very impressed. My wheat-free daughter is having fun with all the healthy gluten-free muffins and cakes! My favourite so far is the Orange and Rosemary Chicken.

All of Collette’s recipes, in both books, Cut out the Crap and Cut out the Crap for Kids are gluten-free, dairy-free and additive-free. The recipes are healthy, simple to make and family friendly. The only thing I swap around is the sugar for natural sweeteners, but that is easy enough to do.

You can check out more of Collette’s recipes at her website, blog or Facebook page. Coming up on the blog, I will also have a chance for one of you to WIN both cookbooks as well. Make sure you are signed up to get the emails so you don’t miss out!

So, are these recipes inspiring you to just say NO to nuggets? Would you give them a go? Remember to check back with us and tell us what the family thinks!

A ‘Vegie Smugglers’ Giveaway !!

July 12, 2012 · 53 Comments

A new school term is upon us – that means it’s back to making school lunches!!!

I have so enjoyed the break, but I have also started restocking the freezer in preparation. Click here to see my blog post on how I make healthy lunches.

My lovely friend, Wendy at Vegie Smugglers is also a dab hand at healthy lunches. Wendy’s healthy ‘vegie-smuggling’ cookbooks are quite famous and very popular with families around Australia! She has been featured in Australian Healthy Living magazine and many other publications.

I was so thrilled to be one of the recipe testers on her second Vegie Smugglers cookbook. I can tell you from first hand experience how yummy the recipes are! Just simple, family-friendly meals that are healthy and contain vegetables – isn’t that what we want to cook every night??

When Wendy asked me if I was interested in becoming her first affiliate blog for Vegie Smugglers, I did not hesitate! I am more than happy to spread the word about healthy eating made simple and tasty. So, I have a little box on the side of my page now linking you up with Vegie Smugglers. Very exciting! Thank you for your support – it means I can try to cover my blogging costs and keep doing what I love!

As well as two fabulous cookbooks, Wendy also has a couple of fabulous ebooks including Craft for Non-crafty Parents (great activities for the kids you can just print off as you need) and….

The Complete Vegie Smugglers Lunchbox Planner.

It contains 40 weeks of lunchbox plans! You will find within, heaps of great recipes and tips for healthy school lunches.

This giveaway has now closed. Thank you for entering!

Wendy has kindly offered to give away THREE copies of her luncbox planner book to THREE of you! You have to be in it to win it, so here’s how to enter!

* Be a LIKER of the Vegie Smugglers Facebook page. Go here.

* Be a FOLLOWER of my blog page. Go to the top right hand side of the page and add your email address.

* COMMENT on this post what healthy food you or your kids like in their lunchboxes.

This giveaway is open to Australian residents only. Three winners will be chosen using random.org and notified by email and also on the comment section of this blog post. This giveaway runs from now until Tuesday the 17th of July at midnight.

Good luck everyone and happy lunch-making!

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