Nourish: My February venture into Nourish coincides with my discover. As I mentioned last month, my husband and I were preparing to begin a detox program to address some health issues he has. Well, we started this month. My naturopath has been kind to us and has only started very slowly by removing the gluten from our diet. I have tried for a few years to minimise it and we have been eating gluten free spaghetti for about 6 months, I found a really good one at the Sydney Gluten Free Expo last year and bought a case of it. This month I have attempted to make gluten free Banana muffins/cupcakes, and although I have had initial success (hubby said they were good when he first tried them), I have found when I freeze them for hubby to take to work they do not taste good reheated….. back to the drawing board on that one!
I have also tried a couple of new recipes for dinner this month, which has been lovely. Before we had Miss Cheeky I used to attempt a new recipe or two every week, but have found with a baby and now toddler that this just doesn’t happen. Our favourite this month was a ‘skinny’ lasagne from the Hairy Bikers using leeks instead of pasta, I was unsure at first but it was really, really good and all 3 of us enjoyed it. You can find the recipe here - Hairy Dieters Skinny Lasagne
Prepare: My preparation this month hasn’t been in the form of stockpiling or really kitchen related. I have been planning my new vegetable garden. We have to rebuild a sagging retaining wall in the back yard and the current gardens back onto it, they also face south so don’t have the best growing aspect, so my hubby is going to build me a couple of raised beds with a better aspect, so I have been planning my layout and what I am going to plant. The seeds are being raised and now I just need to hope for a dry weekend this weekend (yeah right) and I will have new beds to play with.
Green: I’m skipping this one again, forgive me!
Grow: Early Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brussels Sprout, Kale and cucumbers seeds have been planted and have well and truly sprouted with the amount of humidity we have had lately.
The Basil, Mint, Tansy and Catnip that I have planted under out carport to help try to minimise the mozzies and flies have gone more than a little crazy
Create: I have spent most of the month cutting out, matching contrasting fabric and starting to sew the laundry bags I mentioned last month. A much bigger job than I realised when I agreed. I have had my mother in law helping with the sewing and have a lovely lady appliquéing the soldiers initials on the front of the bags for me. We are still only half way there and I have discovered a problem with getting the logo on to fabric….. its expensive! I had intended to do them using print at home fabric but the colours don’t seem want to hold and keep running, to have them printed professionally appears to be exhorbitantly expensive, so I need to find a new idea to accomplish this. The laundry bags are being made as part of a project called Aussie Hero Quilts (and Laundry Bags) here is the link to their blog - http://aussieheroquilts.blogspot.com.au/
Discover: I have been learning lots about eating Gluten Free this month, reading lots as well as discovering more affordable ways to buy GF flours etc. I have also spent a fair bit of time reading my garden books and seed catalogues in preparation for my new garden beds mentioned earlier. I am hoping to be able to companion plant most of the vegetable garden to minimize the bad bugs and weeds as well as increase the harvest.
Enhance: Still working my way through a project I volunteered to do for Aussie Hero Quilts, again a much larger task than I thought when I took it on. I have also been assisting my husbands old Army Unit with the planning for a celebration ball they will be giving for some of their veterans who served in Namibia in the late 80’s early 90’s.
Enjoy: I feel like this month has been far too busy and more than a little stressful rather than enjoyable. I really need to learn to say NO. That was my plan for this year but I have trouble saying no to mu hubby when he asks me to help with his projects, which usually means I end up over committed. I have enjoyed the quite times I have spent with my Miss Cheeky, she is growing up way too quickly and I have to remember to take time away from all the other stuff to enjoy the little girl she is becoming.
