A catch up....and best wishes

Hello friends, it has been over a year since my last post. I have been good, doing a little travelling, enjoying the time with my family and working hard to maintain a healthy body and soul.

 This year I had a bit of a bump but it was all good now.  I couldn't be happier to to have a positive outlook for my future.  I am still cooking as you can see the pictures from here and there.

      

But Most Days, I just want something simple to nourish myself. An overnight oats or a dairy free smoothies for breakfast, an avocado with vegemite on toast or a hearty vegetable soup for lunch, a chicken stir-fry for dinner and not need to mention the awesome fruit.

 This will be my last post at blogger since I am healed and I don't need to dig down to explore what I should be eating.  The best medicine for good health is to be happy and I wish you well. Life is beautiful!

Merry Christmas

So it is Christmas again! I have just come back from my trip to Sydney and need sometime to unwind myself before I'm ready for more food and laughter!

It has been a very busy month of the year with my son's graduation from primary school and attending our cousin's wedding within the same week.  I was totally exhausted after looking my son from food poisoning and lucky he was just able to get onto the plane to attend the wedding.  He has missed out the last two days of school but he is looking forward to meet his friends and making new friends in high school next year!  I have to stop regarding my son as "my little boy" as he is catching up my height and I don't know where does the time fly!

One of the highlight of our trip is to visit the Zumbo at the Star City.  They have a dessert bar opens from 6pm.  We bought some takeaway cakes and macaroons then went to have gelato at the other store.  You can see the eight layers clearly after cutting the mini V8 cake, I'm just amazed by the combination of flavour and technique.  If you are Adriano Zumbo's fan from Masterchef, this is one of the place to visit!

This Christmas would be an easy one and I'm not cooking any new recipe as my energy level is still charging!  Have a Merry Christmas and lets hope everyone have a great 2013!

mini cake

Donut and chocolate flavours

V8 and Chocolate Mousse Cake

Blueberry Muffins and Pink October

If you have tried to bake with fresh blueberries then you'll know the difference between the fresh and the frozen one.  You won't get the cloudy blue in the batter with the fresh one.  Blueberry is high in anti-oxidiant with many health benefits and my favourite recipes for blueberry include blueberry pancake with maple syrup and blueberry with yoghurt and muesli.

My blueberry trees are blooming and when fresh blueberry is available, I alway make blueberry muffin as you know the fresh one always taste the best!  I make this muffin using the recipe of my first post apple and cinnamon muffins, please click for recipe.  I use it as a base recipe for various muffins, simply substitute the apple for blueberries.  The other good combination is mixed berries with white chocolate.  One of the blogger mentioned that muffin was liked a country girl (true and honest) and cupcake was liked a city girl. (dressing up)  Which one do you prefer?

October is dedicated to bring the awareness for breast cancer, I would like to take this opportunity to ask you to do a simple thing.  Do a self breast examination and keep it as a monthly routine.  If you're over 40, take a mammogram and ultra-sound for your breasts.  If there is any suspicious lump or discharge from your nipples, seek for medical advice without hesitation.  Don't ask your husband as they just don't know!  I have been through that and it's only early detection can saved your life.  Breast cancer don't only happen to old people or a particular race!  Let us all beat the cancer and support those that are having treatment be well and healthy soon!

Please share this message with your girlfriends to bring out more awareness of breast cancer!

The Success of the Fundraising for Breast Cancer

I couldn't hold my tears when the principle at school announced at the assembly that we had raised over $1000 in only ten days for the Pink Luncheon to raise fund for breast cancer.  It was my first time organising fund raising for charity and I was overwhelmed with the supported from the school, customers from the restaurant, local businesses and the girls from the netball club.  On the day of the luncheon, we had only about $600 raised (which had already hit our target of $500) then 31 people turned up and they generously purchased multi-draw raffles tickets and buying merchandises from the Pink Box.  My cupcakes was a hit as well.  Everyone had a wonderful time and a nice meal was served by my chef husband.  The guests wrote little supporting messages for their family and friends that had suffered from cancer and we put those messages onto our wall to memorise them.  They also signed for the painting which was painted by the close friend of my other organiser who had recovered from breast cancer.  It's a pleasure to see the guests winning the prizes from the raffles and enjoy a great time together for a good cause.  For $1200 raised, it can help to fund 3 days of research into a rare type of breast cancer and that's a small step closer to the cure!  After a month of organising the event, my husband and I went to bed feeling so happy and good for what we had achieved.  I am looking forward to get involve with the biggest morning tea and relay for life next year and hopefully we can help other people suffering from cancer and keep fighting for them!

In order to say thank you to one of the group of ladies coming to the luncheon, I baked this choc chip cookies for them.  It's my daughter's famous recipe that she baked it for charity and gift for our family most of the time.  My husband and my son both have the same expression when they eat the cookies, it's mmmmmm like a heaven to them.  Because it's her special recipe, I have to keep it as a secret!