Did you know that the peanut is actually a legume and not an actual nut? I didn't, and only learnt this little fact recently.
What I did know, however was that they are packed full of nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins as well as mono-unsaturated fatty acids, which helps to lower "bad cholesterol" and increase "good cholesterol".
So basically (I believe), this little treat can be and should be enjoyed whole-heartily in the full knowledge of what an amazing and loving gift you're giving to yourself.
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Food for Thought: Did you know that the often overlooked root vegetable known as parsnip is actually an excellent source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fibre, helping to do that wonderful job of reducing your blood cholesterol levels?
Not me. I just thought it looked like a white carrot, but only sweeter.
Like carrots, the parsnip contains a good dose of vitamin C (helping the body maintain healthy connective tissue, teeth and gums), it's anti-oxidant property helps protect us from diseases and it is rich in many of the B-complex group of vitamins (such as folic acid and vitamin B6), not to mention vitamin K and E.
And if that wasn't enough for you, it has a healthy level of minerals including iron, calcium, copper, potassium and manganese which all help to control your heart rate and blood pressure by countering the effects of sodium.
All that from a white looking carrot?
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When it comes to food and meal times, I am not a "fly by the seat of my pants" kind of girl.
I'm a planner.
Whilst munching away on breakfast, you can bet that I've already planned what I need to pick up for my lunch and dinner later that day, so the discovery of this little bakery located Rue des Martyrs in the Montmartre district of Paris suited me perfectly. While heading off to lunch, we had dinner safely packed away in our bags....phew....everyone can relax now!
The quality of the ingredients (sourced from small producers) is what stands out in this organic bakery run by a Franco-British couple, where you'll find huge bowls of freshly made salads, daily soups, quiches to die for, and not to mention mouth watering puddings.
Be prepared to queue and wait!
It's so worth it!
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Don't you think there is something so perfect about food that can be eaten with your fingers in just one to two bites. With little bits of frosting sticking to your fingertips, waiting patiently (or sometimes not so patiently) to be licked off.
Maybe with this following confession you might find me a little strange, however the process of making these petite little morsels of food gives me huge pleasure. It's like stepping back into my childhood when I would whip up recipes for my dolls as they sat around waiting for their tea party to begin.
I bet barbie would have loved these little cupcakes instead of the "special" cupcakes made of mud and leaves that I would proudly offer to her.....maybe.....
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Here's a little treat for you since it's Friday, since it's cold and raining here in Melbourne, and since the weekend is right around the corner.
I've been really enjoying experimenting with gluten-free flours at the moment. I myself am not celiac, but I do prefer the way my body (especially my tummy) feels when I don't consume too much gluten. I'm also a big lover of all of those beautiful, lesser known flours out there that actually give love back to your body, rather than the highly processed white flour on the market shelves these days. I know this is not a fair statement to make, as I still do bake with this flour regularly when making cakes for family and friends, but for my own personal consumption....I reach for the buckwheat, coconut and brown rice flours first.
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If you're looking for a super simple and super quick recipe, then look no further.
I've made this dish a number of times after first discovering it on The Stone Soup Website, and the brilliance of this dish (well, I think so anyway) is that any extra can be frozen and whipped out when needed for an even quicker mid-week meal. The chicken can be flaked off the bone and along with the capsicum, tossed through some quinoa or pasta, or you could even package it up and eat cold on a picnic.
Did I mention it only has 3 ingredients?
Did I mention how super simple it was?
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Say hi to Nichole!
Nichole comes all the way from Baltimore and started cooking out of necessity (to stop her eating burnt food). Don't you just love it! She's also the mother of two cats and the brains behind the blog Cookaholic Wife, which just happens to be my Secret Recipe Club partner for the month of July.
The recipe I've chosen from Nichole's HUGE list of recipes is one that is near and dear to my heart. It's a French classic, it's the perfect dish for these cold Winter days we're experiencing here in Melbourne and it's my sort of comfort food at its very best. It also happens to be one of the very first French dishes I tried my hand at.....
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Food for thought: Did you know that dried white beans are versatile, affordable and packed full of goodness?
Loaded into these simple looking little beans you'll find antioxidants, fiber, protein, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and zinc. Eating regularly, they may help decrease the risk of diabetes, heart disease, colon cancer, and help with weight management as they make you feel full so you tend to eat less.
Did I mention they were cheap?!
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"The trouble with much modern cooking is not that the food it produces isn’t good, but that the mood it induces in the cook is one of skin-of-the-teeth efficiency, all briskness and little pleasure. Sometimes that’s the best we can manage, but at other times we don’t want to feel like a postmodern, post-feminist, overstretched woman but, rather, a domestic goddess, trailing nutmeggy fumes of baking pie in our languorous wake." – Nigella Lawson
I've always loved this quote by Nigella from her cookbook How to be a Domestic Goddess. Every time I read it, I feel it was written about me, and in fact, it probably describes most female home-cooks today. Brisk and efficient one day, caring and unhurried the next.
Today, I was a domestic goddess.
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I'm starting to think of myself as a walking contradiction within this little blog world of mine, and in fact, my life in general. I'm a firm believer, absolute lover and vocal advocate of the benefit of consuming whole foods. Pack my day full of organic vegetables, protein and good fats and I'm singing from the rooftops.
However, I LOVE LOVE LOVE to bake!
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Pumpkin soup is not my "go to" soup. In fact, it's not even in my top 10. It hasn't been a favourite ever since we made a friend's little sister sick with it way way way back when. At the time we thought it was hilarious. Who knew that decades later I'd still remember that particular moment and how pumpkin soup and I have never fully bonded.
However, things may have just changed.
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Well, the holiday is well and truly over..sob..sob.
As much as I love the freedom of travelling (especially in France), a small part of me always loves coming home to my own bed, my own shower and my everyday eating routine. Are you the same?
So this little lady has decided to go back to basics. I'm back off fructose, gluten and basically anything processed to try and be good to this poor little tummy of mine. Giving my body a chance to get back to neutral. I'm giving it a big love-filled hug by filling it full of highly nutritious plant food, protein and good fats. It's thanking me for it.
So in ode to "getting back on track", my oven was switched on and this little treasure came popping out.
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