Favourites (26.7.13)

Fresh from the oven

It's been way too long since I've shared a list of my favourite reads and discoveries here. It kind of just dropped off without me realising it.  But lately I've read too many awesome articles, recipes and all kinds of posts to ignore sharing the love. I hope you enjoy these gems x

• Where the f does confidence come from anyway?  No further introduction needed.

• Blog planning Meet Me at Mikes style.

• Petite kitchen's White Chocolate and Raspberry Almond muffins. I've baked these goodies a few times now (pictured) with butter instead of cacao butter, but I've got cacao butter in the pantry for next baking urge.

• Save this one! A quick go to guide on using whole food flours and sweeteners.  Jude Blereau's Baking with Wholefoods: Sweeteners and Flour.

• The best in farm to plate, local, ethical and story behind the food innovative ideas to look out for Real Food Projects, The Bread and Butter Project, The Local Harvest Collective and Arthur Street Kitchen.

• Favourite winter staple Dahl recipe. I used chana dal instead of split red lentils.

• Fascinating article on Why Time Slows Down When We're Afraid, Speeds Up As We Age, and Gets Warped on Vacation.

• The Kale and pumpkin love continues Quinoa and kale salad recipe. 

Image by The Local Harvest Collective

Favourites (14.2.13)

I've got a stack of recipes to share but no time to write them up...so instead here's a quick favourites list of what has been rocking my little patch of grass over the last month (though I tell you, most of it has come my way in the last week, and it is all too good not to share!). Wishing everyone a delightful weekend x.

• A dear friend of mine (who also happens to be a very talented children's author, presenter and a really good person to chat with if you're in need of a good book) has been busy setting up her new blog and has recently teamed up with Mandy to co-edit a lifestyle blog The Hunter Woman. They have their first giveaway closing 5pm Friday 15th!

• Mindfully Green is another new blog that enticed me into it's lil corner with a post on The Sweet Power of Tea (need I say more!). It must be giveaway month because Amber is also running a giveaway- a copy of Bread Revolution- closes this week. 

• Against All Grain - another new discovery for me and I can't wait to try this bread recipe. (Grain free bread! I know it's like a decaf, soy cappuccino! not the real thing... hopefully better).

• Green Goddess Juice. Delicious, green and alkalising.

•  I hate food waste and so was quick to save a bucket load of bruised nectarines from the garbage after a work function this week. I'm going to play around in the kitchen on the weekend and make a nectarine and raspberry crumble based on this recipe. No grain, no sugar, no nasties. 

• One day I'd love to own this lovely lady's cookbook 'A Homemade Life'.

• And lastly, dream away. 

Photo: Florist in Manly from my recent Sydney trip.
P.S I've added a follow button, scroll down on the sidebar, if you'd like to follow along.

Favourites

A first here. A collection of blogs and other favourites that have tickled my fancy this past month. But before the list, did anyone see yesterday's full moon? It sure was a beauty. 

• Age Old Tree my latest blog crush (and let me tell you it's a big crush). Ann marie documents so beautifully her love of literature, food and nature.  And whilst it's heating up down here as we head into Summer, I love seeing the contrast in seasons as the Northern hemisphere heads into Winter. Particularly loving the cabin series, check out the cabin: before the storm and at the cabin: the snow came and so we went out. Another post I love...and this sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with "...it has taught me that fiction is often closer to the truth than simple fact-telling".

• The Wholefood Mama has been kicking some serious whole food butt. Nikki has a delicious healthy giveaway, seasonal salad recipe, interview with a fellow whole food mama and an honest post on why she blogs with handy blogging tips.

• The Wellness Warriors favourite go-to healthy recipe websites. 

• Can't wait to get my hands on Frugavore, a book on growing your own, buying locally and eating well, which I discovered via this great review at Eight Acres. And yes it's at my local library!

• A relaxing detox bath recipe for an indulgent soak. 

• Keep on giving gift guide.

• Uttu - so pretty and dreamy.

• This beautiful film.  

• A secret life comes to light.

And lastly I'm grateful for an amazing scene I saw yesterday of black cygnets playing whilst being protected by Mama and Papa Black Swan (i took a video and have been trying to upload it all morning but alas my tech skills are less than proficient so no video (yet)). Yesterday morning before the cygnets and full moon I was having a bad day, expecting a piece of bad news, and definitely not feeling any gratitude. So before the 'bad news' was going to be delivered I went for a walk and was drawn out of the thoughts going around in my head and back into life. And as things go... I started to feel grateful, and the bad news...well there was none, in fact it was all good news!

Image: A house full of flowers, a picture I took a while back.