School holidays.

Am I a bad parent?
Why does spending so much quality time with my child frustrate me?
Why are we both looking forward to the beginning of the school year?!!

These are but a few questions that run rampant in my mind during school holidays. I feel so inadequate as a parent. Some days I just want to lock Spawn in his room for a few hours, so I can have time to breathe on my own. Other days I get excited about the possibilities of the fun things we can do together! But then push comes to shove and we end up doing nothing, as I dread the possibility of a meltdown, tantrum, poor attitude, shitty people, or wanting something I cannot afford.
Why?!! Why can't I just enjoy time with Spawn, while I have it?! Lord knows he is growing up faster than I could ever imagine. It is only a matter of time before he is packing his things and moving out to start his own life. This, by the way, is a fucking terrifying prospect! When this happens, I will be entirely on my own. And that is nobody's fault but my own.

Why do school holidays often bring out the contemplative, depressing thoughts?
I often wonder this. Why? I mean, happy times! I'm a Christmas lover, so the month or two before Christmas is always a fun time. However, with the dismantling of the tree comes the disappearance of my cherry disposition. I become grouchy. Like a post-Christmas Grinch. How depressing. At least Spawn is having a great time. I signed him up for the Scholastic summer reading challenge and he has already racked up over 3,000 minutes reading! My little bookworm. <3

I'm currently making plans and hoping to stick to them. We have a (hopefully) good week of weather ahead of us, and I am determined to make some fun memories!!! Please, whoever is watching, let this happen!! Let me be the cool, fun mum again!!! Let me be the fun-spirited L again. Let me just ....I don't know? Live again.

Hope you're all enjoying summer! I'm loving this warm spell!

Peace out.

- L. x

Mango Loaf

So while this amazing smelling loaf bakes away in the oven, (yes, I bake on 37 degree days! Hello, aircon!) I decided I would share the little back story that led to this tasty little loaf! 

First, do you know what I love most about January? Mango season. The juicy little morsels are by far one of my favourite fruits, and I can never resist stocking up when I see them at a good price! Unfortunately, this isn't as common down here in Victoria. Not like the sunshine coast, where amazing ripe mangoes can be purchased just about everywhere, at prices that have the potential to turn anyone into a person who lives solely on mangoes!
Ahh, Sunshine Coast. Take me back!!! Your glorious beaches, weather, and cheap fruit are the things dreams are made of!

Anyway, basically the only way to get cheap mangoes down here is when they're all borderline overripe. Which is fine if you want to gorge on mangoes that day, but sucks when you already have a few in the fridge ready to eat!! 

I had this genius idea to combine my need to use the overripe mangoes with my need to prep snacks for Spawn to take to school! This of course, led to serious googling and a trip down the rabbit hole......but after a few hours, I resurfaced with ideas! Mango loaf! YES.
However, the recipes I found contained ingredients I don't own (all that sugar?! No thank you!), so I found the tastiest looking recipe and tweaked it until it could be consumed by my naturally hyperactive child without inducing a sugar rush! Said original recipe can be found here. 

Fresh out of the oven... Mmm, delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups (150g) plain flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup (190ml) coconut oil
3-4 mangoes; 2 pureed, 1-2 chopped (small)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup (30g) sultanas or raisins (optional)

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees, then grease and line a loaf tin. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, beat eggs and oil together then add to flour mixture along with the mango puree and lemon juice. Add chopped mangoes and raisins(if using). Pour into loaf tin and cook for about 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

I am also making a mango butter to go with this loaf, that I will put on each slice before freezing, to make it easier when putting in Spawn's lunchbox. 

Enjoy!

- L. x

I would chop two mangoes to add next time! It's yummy, but needs more mango for me!

Lunchbox Inspiration.

Every day, Spawn takes lunches to school that not only meet our needs (no additives, refined sugar, minimal gluten) but also the schools needs (no eggs, fish, kiwi, nuts). Being a single mum, I cannot afford to buy expensive pre-packaged food that meets our requirements - and finding such items is almost impossible anyway - so I make it all myself. Don't get me wrong: sometimes Spawn's lunch consists of nothing more than a carrot, a couple of mushrooms, a piece of fruit, and rice crackers with vegemite.... But most days I'm able to pull some stuff out of the freezer and give him an awesome lunch! It all comes down to how great your time management skills are, and how organised you can be.

I bet you're wondering what, exactly, does Spawn eat every day??? I'm blessed with a child who loves to eat healthy and knows that "too much sugar makes me silly, mummy!" He loves raw vegetables, which makes my life easier, so I just prep a heap of stuff once a week and pack his lunchbox the night before with delicious, healthy, homemade goodies from the freezer (or fridge, depending).

I see so many mothers complaining about being time poor, but it's really not that difficult - I dedicate an hour or two most weekends to meal prep, and then spend five minutes (max) each night packing Spawn's lunch.

Personally, I believe it to be worth it. Not cheating and giving Spawn packaged stuff (or boring sandwiches) means he is happier, calmer and more satisfied, as he loves eating his delicious lunches! Given his behavioural issues, I'm all for anything that helps keep him from having a full-blown meltdown!

So here we go. Below are some yumbox examples, and I've mentioned the things I make myself: some of these recipes can be found on my blog. We also use a 'regular' lunchbox when I'm too lazy to do the dishes, and Spawn enjoys rummaging for the good stuff on those days. ;)

Peace out. 

- L. x

Grilled chicken, anti-LCM..

Chicken Sausage rolls, homemade tzatziki..

Pizza scrolls (gluten free), muesli bar..

Rice paper rolls, dried fruit muesli bar..

Chicken pasta, hummus, banana & fig cookie..

Chicken Parma Balls

I LOVE these! They're so simple and affordable, yet so yummy! This recipe was originally a "4 Ingredients" recipe, however I have tweaked it a little to suit our tastes.

INGREDIENTS:
500g chicken mince (or turkey!)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I use GF crumbs)
1 spring onion, finely sliced
1 tbspn (approx) mixed herbs
salt & pepper, to taste
2/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup pizza sauce 

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180° and line a tray with baking paper.
Combine the mince, breadcrumbs, spring onion, herbs, salt & pepper, and half the cheese in a bowl. Mix together using your hands, until well combined.
Put the sauce into a small bowl, and the remaining cheese into another bowl.
Roll the mixture into meatballs (I like them to be 'two-bite-size', but do them whatever size - you may need to adjust cooking time accordingly) then dip them into the sauce and place on tray, sauce side up. Repeat until mixture is all rolled, then put in oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven, dip in sauce again, but this time dip in the cheese after dipping in the sauce. Bake for a further 5 minutes, or until cheese is golden, "having become one with the sensuously delicious balls"**.

I serve these with anything - salad, vegetables, you name it! They're also great in the kids lunchboxes the next day!

Enjoy!

- L. x

**This description is one the 4 Ingredients author used, but I had to "borrow" it! It's too good! ;)

Lemony Chicken with Broccoli

I'm trying oh-so-hard to find a million ways to incorporate broccoli into dinner without just having plain '30-second-steamed' broccoli on the side of most meals. This turned out pretty good!
As a sidenote - I have a photographic memory, so sometimes I see a recipe and then remember the key ingredients or whatever, then incorporate those ingredients into what I believe to be my own creation. So whilst I think I'm being totally original (or not... someone out there has pretty much combined every pairable ingredient possible!), I may have been unknowingly inspired by someone else. We're all Masterchefs in here though. ;)

Served myself and Spawn, with enough leftovers for both of us to have again for lunch tomorrow!

INGREDIENTS:
1kg chicken breast, diced bite-size
1 medium brown onion, finely diced
250g mushrooms, sliced
1 lemon
300g broccoli, steamed (I steam for about a minute - just so it's more vibrant and heated)
1 tspn ground cumin
1 tspn dried basil
1 tspn dried oregano
Salt & pepper, to season

METHOD:
Heat large frying pan over medium heat and add oil/fat of choice.
Add onion and mushroom and cook until starting to soften, then add chicken and mix well.
Once chicken is just about cooked, add cumin, oregano, basil, juice of lemon, and broccoli. Mix around and then add salt and pepper to taste, and more oil/fat if needed. Test to ensure chicken is seasoned to your liking - if not, add more salt/pepper/herbs/lemon, then stir and serve!
I served this meal with brown rice, but would be great with cauliflower rice or mash as well.

Enjoy!

- L. x
(Will add a photo next time - was running late with dinner tonight, lol.)

Mad Woman, Bad Woman, that's just what you are...

Yeah, you'll smile in my face then rip the brakes out my car.

Remember that time I mentioned my waning sanity??? Well, it's waning some more right now. Well, today. Why is parenting so hard? Why don't you get an instruction manual, that also includes a list of common issues children dish out over the years?!! I swear, the person who comes up with that manual, and finds a way to give it to everyone in the country (or world!) deserves a prize. Like, a country or something equally epic.

Soooo. How's the serenity?! No, really. Tell me. I forget what it's like to know real peace! Even while Spawn is at school - and I CHERISH those precious 6.5 hours - I never really experience serenity. There are always floors to clean, dishes to do, food to prep, shopping to do, people to see, cleaning to do, toys to hide.....I mean, put away.
DOES. IT. EVER. END?!! Who knows? Maybe some great-grandparents know. Although, I suspect they're facing their own problems....like incontinence.

I'm looking forward to watching The Walking Dead (s5e10 for those in the know) tonight. Ahhh, nothing like some mindless zombie action to distract a crazy lady. Daryl is supposed to have a decent appearance tonight. I miss him. He was such a crazy redneck when he first came on the scene - I'm not sure when I developed a little crush on him?!!! And he's old!!! Like, (almost) as old as my parents! Creeps me out. He aged well. *excited*

If you need me, I'll be that weird lady in the corner talking to herself about the days when sanity was a thing she knew well.........

Peace out.

- L. x

Sausage Rolls

So, I'm not really a fan of sausage rolls... Something about the texture of sausage meat makes me ill.... It's so.....sausagey. Bleh!

Anyway, I experimented and tweaked recipes to my tastes, whilst still keeping Spawn happy (Spawn LOVES sausage rolls!). These are still a work in progress, but I have the 'meat' aspect perfected! Next stop, pastry. Gluten-free pastry can be a pain in the backside!!!

INGREDIENTS:
500g lean beef mince
300g lean chicken mince
2 eggs
1 small onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 carrot, grated
1 cup breadcrumbs (I use GF, but regular would work the same)
1 tbspn mixed herbs
1/2 tspn ground nutmeg
Squirt BBQ sauce
Salt & pepper, to taste
3 sheets frozen puff pastry (or your own puff pastry, if you're better than I am - feel free to share your recipe!)
Sesame seeds, to garnish

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 200° and line two large trays with baking paper. 
Add all ingredients, minus 1 egg to a large bowl and mix well, using your hands to ensure the two meats are combined. 
Cut each sheet of pastry in half. Grab enough meat mix to cover approx. 1/3 of the pastry, and roll into a sausage before adjusting to fill the pastry from one end to the other. Crack the remaining egg into a small bowl and gently whisk, then spread a little on the other edge of the pastry, before rolling lengthways. Place sausage roll on tray with join facing down, and repeat until all are done. Brush the tops with egg and then sprinkle with sesame seeds (or cracked pepper) and then put in oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden.
If you plan on cutting the sausage rolls into snack-size, gently mark the tops of the sausage rolls with a knife, but do not cut through until they have cooked and cooled slightly, as this ensures they don't dry out.

Serve with sauce, or on their own.
Can be frozen in airtight container/bag for 6 weeks. 

- L. x

Blackberry & White Chocolate Muffins

So these are the result of inter-species breeding between a muffin and a friand. They're not quite as dense as a friand, but too dense to be a muffin. To summarise; they're awesome! :D

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups plain flour
2 tspn baking powder
1/2 cup caster sugar
125g white chocolate bits
1 cup buttermilk**
1 tspn vanilla extract
100g butter, melted
1 punnet blackberries

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180° and lightly grease a muffin pan.
Sift flour and baking powder into large bowl, then add sugar, choc bits, and stir until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and butter, then add to flour mixture and stir with a metal spoon until combined. (do NOT over-mix!) Then gently mix through blackberries.
Divide the mixture between 12 muffin holes, then using the back of the spoon, gently swirl the top of the muffins to smooth the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool slightly before removing. Best enjoyed warm, or within 24 hours. I made these yesterday and they're already getting a little dry. (Good enough for the 5 year old, though!)

**you can make your own kind of buttermilk by adding a little white vinegar to a cup of milk and letting it stand for 10 minutes.

Well, hi there!

My name is Crazy. I will be your guide for the next ...however long I'm here, to assist you whilst you decline into that state of being commonly known as "OMG MUM, YOU'RE SO WEIRD!"

I swear, I wasn't always this crazy. I've always been a little quirky - this is bound to happen when you grow up being the eldest of four, with three younger brothers. But once upon a time, I could have a conversation with strangers that wouldn't conclude with a weird look being sent in my direction by at least half my audience. My audience who, by now, is desperately trying to think up some excuse to get as far away from me as possible. LOL. See that on the floor?? That suspicious white puddle?? That's superglue. You're stuck here now - FOREVERRRRRR.

Ahahahaha. But seriously. Hello!
My name is L... Yeah, L. Let's just play it cool for awhile. ;)
My son is 5 years old. He is not allowed additives of any kind. Like I said, I'm trying to stay sane for as long as possible.
I live in Geelong, which is the second largest city in Victoria, Australia. My son goes to a cutesy little school with a big sense of community. I love it. The mothers are nice. Yes, NICE. I know some of you fellow mothers out there are thinking "but most mothers are nice!" ...No. Not once your children enter school. They turn, and they turn fast. Like vampires....except they don't sparkle. They glare. Maybe like zombies. Yeah, zombies.

Speaking of zombies, The Walking Dead, anyone??? I cannot wait for the break to end. YAY!

I was going to conclude this post with a recipe, but I think I'll create a new post, so those who don't want to read my ramblings, but want my recipes, can get them without walking away from this wondering what on Earth they just read.

Peace out!

- L. x