September 27, 2012

More gratitude. More hope. More love. #11

26.09.12
A Handy Tip for the Easily Distracted.

I could watch Miranda July for hours and remembered this clip as I was looking for inspiration and distraction. Oh the irony! 



Feeling grateful for the inspiration this clip sparked in me again.

September 25, 2012

More gratitude. More hope. More love. #9 (Gluten & sugar free blueberry muffin recipe)

24.09.12
Gluten and sugar free blueberry muffin goodness

I love baking with the music turned up and was grateful to have time in the afternoon to indulge this pleasure. I made these lovely muffins singing along to Regina Spektor's - 'What we saw from the cheap seats'. 



I adapted and halved the recipe from gluten-free goddess.
Makes 6 muffins.

Ingredients:
1 cup plain gluten free flour (mix from packet)
1/4 cup xylitol
1 teaspoons double acting baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup olive oil
1.5 free-range organic eggs, beaten
1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste (the paste makes all the difference- expensive but worth it)
1 cups frozen blueberries

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease a 12-muffin tin- as I was only baking 6 I filled the empty tins with water so they would cook evenly.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, xylitol, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.


Add in the olive oil, eggs, almond milk, and vanilla and beat to combine. Continue beating for 2 minutes until the batter is smooth. It should not be overly wet or too dry- this batter is a fairly moist batter, akin to thick cake batter. If the flour has absorbed too much liquid and the batter appears dryish, add another tablespoon of almond milk to loosen it. Stir in the blueberries by hand, using a big spoon.


Using a spoon, drop the batter into the 6 muffin cups, leave the top a bit messy with a bit of a peak and the muffins will rise nicely. Bake in the center of the oven for 22-25 minutes, until risen and golden brown. A cake tester inserted into the center should emerge clean.


Cool on a wire rack of five minutes, then turn out the muffins to continue cooling on the rack. Delicious when still warm.

September 24, 2012

More gratitude. More hope. More love. #8

23.09.12
Today I'm greedy and sharing two things I'm grateful for both under the theme of art and creativity. 

Most radio stations in the Gold Coast are either stuck in the 80's and 90's or play the worst of commercial pop and rock! I was screaming out for decent music, interviews..anything but another furniture store ad or Billy Idol song.  Finally I stumbled across ABC Gold Coast just in time to listen to Clare Bowditch discussing touring with Leonard Cohen and her exploration with happiness for her new album 'The Winter I Chose Happiness'. 
This interview in SMH is very similar.

Dreamy carnations a pleasure to the eye. 

September 21, 2012

More gratitude. More hope. More love. #5

For a hospital this one ain't so bad. Surrounded by bush, rooms with a view and kickass staff. I'm VERY grateful my dad is being well looked after.

September 19, 2012

More gratitude. More hope. More love. #3

The freedom to walk barefoot on a sunny afternoon at Currumbin Beach. In the moment, not searching for anything more and then a man behind me points out a whale playing in the distance (the white dot!). Amazing. 

More gratitude. More hope. More love. #2

Love love love raw chocolate. My tastebuds are singing.


September 16, 2012

More gratitude. More hope. More love. #1

A few weeks back I read an interview with Hailey Bartholomew of the original '365 days of grateful' project and was inspired by her simple idea of reflecting on gratitude that grew and grew and grew and had a big impact on her and many others. I know the project is from way back but for me the time to jump on board is right now!

Delighting in nature's textures, colours and shapes.