Hummus from home.

We’ve received a swag of rad engagement presents over the last couple of months. One if particular being a snazzy little food processor! My latest culinary creation is homemade hummus! Those plastic tubs of hummus in the supermarket just don’t compare to the flavour, texture, smell and how filling the real stuff is!

I’m always trying to discover ways to become more self sufficient to improve my health and reduce the amount of packaging I use. Eg growing my own herbs, mixing up our own muesli, buying toilet paper in paper packaging rather than plastic so it can be popped in the recycle bin.

So I’ve stopped buying crackers and started using mushies, snowpeas, zucchini, cucumber, red capsicum, carrots as my dippers! Also by putting the dip into little glass containers you’re cutting down on the foil and plastic packaging of the commercial stuff.

Here’s what to do:

1 x 400g tin of organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained (packed with protein)
½ tsp pink Himalayan salt (rich in minerals)
1 garlic cloves (natural antibiotic)
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice (vitamin C)
2 Tbs tahini (high in calcium)
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil (essential fatty acids)

Whiz everything in a food processor then store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days.

There are heaps of variations you can make like pumpkin hummus, spiced beetroot, mint and pea, etc. So get creative!

What new dishes have you made lately? How can you cut down on packaging around your house to reduce your carbon impact? xx

Oh yeah and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Book worm.

Sup nerds. Out of all my orders that I place, I get the most excited when a delivery from Brumby Books arrives at our door! Four in particular are pretty special.

Firstly there's the Louise L Hay 'I Can Do It' 2012 desk calendar. Each day that you peel off has a new affirmation ready and waiting to inspire you. On my bday next year on Feb 2nd (yay for Aquarians!) the affirmation says "I really enjoy the present. Every moment today is special, and I choose to celebrate it". And celebrate I shall ;)

I'm a bit of a frother for Janella Purcell. She's a super qualified lady who's books don't seem to have any ego about them. The book is alphabeticalised by foods and disease states so you can see what foods to avoid, increase and herbal medicines to take too. How convenient...

Do your kiddies have eczema, anxiety, catch every cold that goes around, poor concentration, chronically snotty, bad sleep patterns or restlessness? Don't just blame it on the age they're at. Sue Dengate is the goddess of kids health and I wish this book belonged on EVERY parents bedside table. It talks about the link between childrens behaviour and the foods they eat. The foods aren't just red cordial and Twisties, it's the naughty things that are "hidden" in rice crackers, vegemite, cheese, juice, etc. It's an eye opener to say the least.

Spilt hair dye on your bathroom bench top? Deoderant stains on your red leather jacket? Did your cat drink green food colouring and then peed on your oatmeal-coloured sisal carpet? (These are all REAL questions in the book). Shannon Lush and Jennifer Fleming will be at your rescue! And just for the record, spiders hate lemon oil, mozzies are not fans of lavender oil and peppermint oil deters ants!

So come in and got your nose in our books!!

Books for cooks.

Cookbooks seem to be the latest trend, don’t you think? I was biding time in the book shop at the Sydney airport last week and saw cookbooks by actors (Gwyneth Paltrow), designers (Fleur Wood), reality TV show winners (Julie Goodwin) and even the chick from Playschool in the 80s (Monica Trapaga).

Cookbooks have gone from dog-eared Women’s Weekly favourites to glossy, hard covered masterpieces for decorating coffee tables. This is not necessarily a bad thing.

We received an order from Brumby Books on Friday overflowing with inspiring and creative books. One of which being Eating for the Seasons by naturopath Janella Purcell.

Purcell has created this fantastic book based on Asian and naturopathic principles of eating nutrient dense foods, listening to your body as the seasons change and nourishing the particular organs that are more sensitive to that time of year eg. balancing the lungs and colon in autumn and building the blood in preparation for winter.

The book is divided into four sections for each of the four seasons with breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts designated accordingly.

For example:

Smoked trout, broccolini and lemon pasta in spring

Baked sweet ricotta with mango cheeks in summer

Pumpkin and sesame tarts in autumn

Baked pears with ginger compote in winter

Needless to say that I now have my very own copy strategically placed on my glass coffee table and am making thai fish cakes and nori rolls for dinner tonight because after all, it is autumn.