Banana, Peanut Butter and Honey Rye Cakes

I'm not sure how my family discovered this flavour combination, but all three of us LOVE it. We can't get enough. On toast, in wraps, with pancakes, I could go on! Having recently cut out processed sugar from my diet, I still feel the need to tame my sweet tooth every now and then.

Generally this batter will make either 16 muffins, 12 muffin and a mini loaf, or you could always put all of the batter in a large loaf tin.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup organic rice bran oil
• 3/4 cup raw honey
• 2 organic free range eggs, lightly whisked
• 1 cup of overripe bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup organic raw peanut butter (the good stuff)

• 2 cups organic rye flour
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 180c.

Using a medium bowl, mix the first five ingredients together using a spoon.
In a larger bowl, combine the last four ingredients.
Now combine your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients, mix until both are JUST incorporated.

Spoon into patty pans or a greased loaf tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes. I check the cakes at around the 15 minutes mark with a skewer, if they're not done, I'll check every 2 mins after that. If you're using a large loaf tin, I'd say the cooking time will be closer to 40 minutes.
Because these use honey instead of sugar, they tend to burn easily.


The good thing about these muffins, is you can serve them for breakfast the next morning... guilt free!



Enjoy!

MamaKoo

Pinapple, Banana and Coconut Iceblocks

As the weather gets hotter, I've recently been experimenting with healthy processed sugar free ice block flavours for Grub. So far shes only liked strawberry frozen yoghurt... not very exciting, but super easy to make. I just freeze Jahla strawberry yoghurt in reusable ice block moulds (I've come to realise that sometimes plastic is a good thing).

So in the exciting build up to summer, I came up with this combination.

Ingredients

• 1 pineapple skinned, cored and chopped
• 2 bananas, peeled
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 3 tbs of raw honey

Place all ingredients in blender and blend till smooth.

Spoon mixture into ice block moulds. Mixture should be enough for approx. eight moulds.

Freeze for at least 5 hours or overnight. To make the removal of ice blocks easier, run moulds under warm water till you can pull them out.


 Sadly, Grub doesn't like the tang of the pineapple but on the flip side, that means more for me! I'll have to make her some banana only ice blocks considering she loooves one ingredient banana ice cream. Trial and error!

Enjoy!

MamaKoo

Raw Chocolate Mousse

Recently, I've been trying to cut out all refined sugar from my diet, this afternoon I almost cracked. Instead I decided to whip up some Raw Chocolate Mousse to ease my cravings for something sweet. The results were more than satisfying AND I can happy give Grub some without feeling guilty. Plus its super easy to make.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 tbs of raw honey
• 1 tbs of cacao powder

Place all ingredients in blender and blend till smooth and creamy.

You most likely will need to add a splash of water to keep the mixture moving about.


Hey presto! You're done!

 Enjoy!


MamaKoo

{This moment}

Inspired by Soule Mama.  A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

We Are Meat Eaters

My family are meat eaters.

I used to be a vegetarian through highschool, purely because I connected with animals well being (the health benefits of being a vego didn't even occur to me back then), to me it seemed cruel to raise an animal for human consumption. I also have family members and friends who what the same morals towards animals, so I had contact with non-meat eaters throughout my life.

I have to admit, I crave meat. I love the taste. There is nothing more satisfying than an antipasto platter with a bit of prosciutto on the plate. Taste is undeniably the first reason I began eating meat again. Focusing away from sustainability, I feel as though meat has a purpose in our diet, meat from smaller frames such as poultry, seafood and game. I believe in a balanced diet from wholefoods, personally if it was my choice, we would be eating a diet consisting mainly of vegetables, pulses, fruit, grains, some fish and little meat. But, living in a family which considers other members, I feel I must provide what my family wants, within reason. What I don't believe is that meat is an everyday food, that it should be the focus of the meal.

 

Because I have high morals about animal cruelty and living sustainably, I buy either organic free range meat or at the very least free range. I don't buy my meat from the supermarket, only from local butchers who buy from local farmers.

My two favourite butchers at the moment are Feast Fine Foods, who provide a range of meats and cuts you would see at the supermarket or any other butcher BUT they deal with the most premium producers you can find in the state. You'll find restaurant quality, organic, free range, rare breeds and rare cuts of meat. They really try to respect meat and it shows by the support they have for local farmers and the butchery classes they hold at The Adelaide Central Markets. I buy cheaper cuts of meat from Feast, as their prices are quite high and I'm realising because I buy meat that is mostly on the bone or a whole bird, it allows me to connect with the animal. During food preparation, I find myself slowing down and really seeing what animal I'm working with, where it came from and I give  it a little more respect and dignity. I don't think I could get the same feeling from a shrink wrapped, clean piece of fillet.

The second is Wild OZ. Wild OZ caters to my sustainable side. They hunt their produce, to a certain degree. I can be sure to find wild kangaroo (which is one of Australia's most sustainable meats), wild rabbit, open range pork and goat. They also try to focus their flavours on Australian bush foods, which also feeds my passion for native plants.

I'm finding if I have balance with my meat eating I can do so without overwhelming guilt. I am still working towards gradually cutting down my family on farmed red meat and I think kangaroo will be a great alternative. But boy, pushing for veggies in my family is hard work, although Mike has started eating more and he actually LOVES mushrooms now. Persistence!



MamaKoo

Does your family eat meat? What are some of your family favourites when it comes to vegetarian meals?

Outdoor hour - Cleland Wildlife Park

My love for Australian native flora and fauna has pushed me in the introduction of natives to Grub. Ranging from walks at our local national park, to reading Australian theme books and teaching her the names of animals. One of Grub's favourite books at the moment is The Bush Jumper, its about a koala named Mitty and her friends emu, echidna and wombat.

When reading books to her that involve animals, I often find myself wondering what she thinks about the characters, does she know they are fiction? Koalas don't really wear jumpers!

So show her animals in a toddler friendly environment, where she can see, feel and feed animals, we decided to head outdoors and take her to Cleland Wildlife Park in the Adelaide Hills. Normally I don't like visiting wildlife parks or zoos, I feel sorry for the animals in small enclosures. But I feel Cleland is one of South Australia's leading wildlife parks, you can be sure to go there and feel like the animals are well looked after and some have free range over larger areas.



Here are some of the photos I took on our family outing.

She now knows, koalas don't wear jumpers.




MamaKoo


Do you think its important for your little ones to learn about native wildlife? How do you encourage your children to be involved in things that interest you?

Toddlerhood

In August, Baby Grub is about to enter the world of toddlerhood, officially. She has shown definite  signs of more confidence, wanting more independence and decision making and is testing her boundaries more and more. Yet she still clings to me when there are strangers about.

I remember not too long ago when Grub was an infant I couldn't wait for her to be more interactive, to discover her personality, to take her on discoveries and adventures and to answer all her questions and curiosities. Looking back, I did enjoy the time I had with baby Grub but I feel as though time is moving too quickly and I'm missing the days of holding a sleeping babe in my arms (who doesn't weigh 13kg), touching her soft skin and smelling that sweet, sweet newborn smell. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE who Grub has become. Shes hilarious, kind, generous, loving, silly, creative and at times is on the cutting edge of fashion.

When I look at her now, I try to hold on to those memories, her pure innocence, the sacredness of the love I felt for a helpless being. I feel its especially important to still hold on to that memory when new challenges arise as children move from newborn, to toddler, to child, teenager and beyond. Shes still just as precious as she was when I first held her in my arms on the day she was born.




MamaKoo


Don't you wish life had a pause button or perhaps a rewind function, so you can relive all those fond memories true to their form?