Around Here - Date Walnut Loaf

I recently came across this Date Walnut Loaf recipe which is a really great recipe and wanted it on my blog.  The recipe link is above and if you go to that link it has the normal instructions as well as Thermomix method.  It's a bit confusing because both methods are written together instead of separately so I've just typed up the Thermomix recipe here.  I can highly recommend this recipe and although I don't have a photo it is worth it.  I'll make it again and take a picture to add to this blog post.

DATE WALNUT LOAF

INGREDIENTS

250gms pitted dates

250gms water

90gms melted butter

150gms brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg lightly beaten

225gms self raising flour

1 teaspoon bi-carbonate soda

pinch of salt

90gms walnuts chopped

THERMOMIX METHOD

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.

Grease and line the base and sides of a loaf tin [approximately 12cm x 30cm] [4.5inches x 12 inches]

1. Place the dates, water and butter into the Thermomix bow.
2. Mix for 4 minutes, 80 degrees, Speed 2 [until dates have softened and resemble a thick paste]
3. Mix to blend into paste.
4. Add the brown sugar and mix for 10 seconds on Speed 6.
5. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and repeat 10 seconds on Speed 6.
6. Add the lightly beaten egg and vanilla extract and mix for 5 seconds on Speed 6.
7. Add the self-raising flour, bi-carbonate soda and a pinch of salt.
8. Mix for 5 seconds on Speed 6.
9. Scrape down the sides and mix for 5 seconds on Speed 6.
10. Manually add the chopped walnuts by folding them in the mixture.
11. Pour into loaf tin and cook for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
12. Note:  I cooked for a further 10 minutes.
13. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Around here - Blogs in 2023

In July 2023 this simple living blog of mine will be 11 years old.  Things come and go and it seems that blogs are on the way out and not many people are writing them anymore.  Back in 2011 when we moved into this house I used to make my morning coffee and look forward to reading my daily 15 blogs and that was the technology done for the day.  So many of those bloggers no longer have blogs as it appears that the current technology like Instagram is the preferred method.  I do love Instagram and more so when it was only a photo sharing app however now every second post is an ad or a loud video which is not as great as it once was.  Also your IG and FB feed comes and goes in a heartbeat and a blog post you can add lots of photos and words and have it as a record in time.

I still write on this blog because I have so many things stored on here, recipes, outings and things I often refer back to.  I was in a FB group today and a lady was asking about making Vanilla with Vodka so I jumped onto my blog and searched "vanilla" and up popped the Vanilla post from November 2013 when Sienna made our first Vanilla extract when she was 7 years old.  It's great for a timeline of when we did what and where.

There are so many links to recipes on my blog as well that I have made and loved over the years.  After a while along with linking the recipe I would also write it in my post because blogs were disappearing which means so would the recipe.  I only ever post recipes that I love and will make again so if it's on my blog I can quickly refer to it and then bake it.

Over the years I have printed out my blog in a hardcover book so that if one day it's no longer there I have printed copies however you don't have the search function available.  Emma from She Sews Seeds [closed her blog] recently after I told her about printing it out using Blog2print before she closed it.  She posted she had to look up a recipe recently but then had to flip through books and books of her printed blog however at least it's all there in writing.  It's super easy to print your blog into a book as you put in your blog name and whether you want the comments printed or not, whether you want a new page after each blog post and what size you want the photos.  If you get on the mailing list they often have 30% sales which when you are printing a book with lots of pages certainly helps.

I thought I would post a few old blog posts for a trip down memory lane.

Our very first time making pasta together, how could me kids be so little and cute.

James making Five Seed Bread when he was 9 years old.

Sienna planting veggies in our veggie garden when she was 8 years old.

Our first veggie garden at our other house was a huge success with just two garden beds and I made a photo book of that garden which was such a joy.

Best cupcake recipe using cream.

A favourite slice called "Happy Pantry Slice" which we have been making since 2015.  I don't actually put chocolate on top now to make it a bit healthier for the school/uni lunch boxes.

Back in 2019 I got into learning about additives and preservatives that are in our foods and how to avoid them.  What is alarming that spinach wraps from the supermarket did not contain any spinach and yet they are allowed to get away with it.  I listed to these 7 podcasts which was very eye opening and then I did the 4 week online course with Tracey & Jo, sisters from Additive Free Lifestyle.  The girls have just launched an app now and you can take a photo of the ingredients on the packet, crop the image and then it will pop up with all the additives and preservatives in the item and then the traffic light system of red, yellow and green pop up and then a description of the additives, where it's used and how harmful or good it is.  The app is a game changer to make shopping easy.  If you only do one thing I would listen to one of the following podcasts a day for the next 7 days.

Day 1 - Preservative 282

Day 2 - Annatto 160B

Day 3 - Perservative 220

Day 4 - Caramel 150c

Day 5 - Take Away Foods

Day 6 - Swapping it up

Day 7 -  Embracing the Change

School holidays and visiting the Koalas at the Daisy Hill Koala Centre.

Still making this laundry power for our washing which I love.

This Apple Slice recipe of my Mother in Law's is amazing I can highly recommend it.

Baking in the Country when my friend moved to acreage 15 minutes from me we would spend a day together doing some sort of baking and preserving.

I have been making this Mayonnaise and Coleslaw Dressing since 2019 which takes all of 10 minutes to get the ingredients out and whip it up with a stick blender.  Super easy, economical and best of all no nasty additives and preservatives.

Around here - Celebrating Motherhood - The Magic in the Everyday

Whilst my Motherhood journey is at the other end of the spectrum the value in all those years of photographing our everyday lives remains immeasurable.  Regardless of the unique circumstances we face, the power of photography transcends, reminding us that the essence of Motherhood lies in the beauty of everyday moments, forever cherished and treasured.

I've created a Free Facebook Group for Mothers who are just starting out on their journey as Mothers or Mothers who already have a number of kids.  Whether you have a camera or just an iPhone you are welcome to join for tips and tricks and a space where we can encourage you to get in the frame and document your day to day life.  If you are reading this blog post and you know any Mothers this would be of interest to, please pass these details on as I've just opened this group.  I'm passionate about Motherhood and celebrating all the things we do.

Here is the link to the Free Facebook Group.  Celebrating Motherhood - The Magic in the Everyday.

Around here - Ikigai Book Review

One of my passions is buying books and since 2008 I have been buying books from the UK Book Depository as the books get delivered to my door and free postage.  The sad news announced on the 5th April, 2023 that they are closing down on the 26th April, 2023.

Book Depository is a UK-based online book seller with a large catalogue offering free shipping to over 160 countries.  Founded by a former Amazon employee, it was acquired by Amazon on the 4th July, 2011.  My first reaction when I heard the news was because of Amazon they were closing down however Amazon actually owns them so it's not a business going out of business because of Amazon.

I don't buy novels however I buy lots of simple living, gardening, mindful books and stories and have purchased lots and lots of books over the years.  I don't buy clothes, shoes or handbags but I love buying interesting books.

A book which I purchased recently is called "IKIGAI". I had to google and listen to someone actually say the word so I could pronounce it myself.  IKIGAI - The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life.  I thought I would summarize the principals of Ikigai so I have a record of them on my blog too.  I loved this book and can highly recommend reading it.

The Ten Rules of IKIGAI are as follows:-

1.  Stay active; don't retire.  Those who give up the things they love doing and do well lose their purpose in life.  That's why it's so important to keep doing things of value, making progress, brining beauty or utility to others, helping out, shaping the world around you, even after your "official" professional activity has ended.

2.  Take it slow.  Being in a hurry is inversely proportional to quality of life.  As the old saying goes, "Walk slowly and you'll go far".  When we leave urgency behind, life and time take on a new meaning.

3.  Don't fill your stomach.  Less is more when it comes to eating for long life, too.  According to the 80 percent rule, in order to stay healthier longer, we should eat a little less than our hunger demands instead of stuffing ourselves.

4.  Surround yourself with good friends.  Friends are the best medicine, there for confiding worries over a good chat, sharing stories that brighten your day, getting advice, having fun, dreaming...in other words, living.

5.  Get in shape for your next birthday.  Water moves, it is at its best when it flows fresh and doesn't stagnate.  The body you move through life in needs a bit of daily maintenance to keep it running for a long time.  Plus, exercise releases hormones that make us feel happy.

6.  Smile.  A cheerful attitude is not only relaxing - it also helps make friends.  It's good to recognize the things that aren't so great, but we should never forget what a privilege it is to be in the here and now in a world so full of possibilities.

7.  Reconnect with nature.  Though most people live in cities these days, human beings are made to be part of the natural world.  We should return to it often to recharge our batteries.

8.  Give thanks.  To your ancestors, to nature, which provides you with the air you breathe and the food you eat, to your friends and family, to everything that brightens your days and makes you feel lucky to be alive.  Spend a moment every day giving thanks, and you'll watch your stockpile of happiness grow.

9.  Live in the moment.  Stop regretting the past and fearing the future.  Today is all you have.  Make the most of it.  Make it worth remembering.

10.  Follow your ikigai.  There is a passion inside you, a unique talent that gives meaning to your days and drives you to share the best of yourself until the very end.  If you don't know what your ikigai is yet, as Viktor Frankl says, your mission is to discover it.

I absolutely loved this book and can highly recommend buying it or seeing if the library has it.  A book I did get out of the library a while back which is also good is by Dan Buettner called "The Blue Zones"  Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest.  I find this subject fascinating.

Around here - Grab your free PDF Cheat Sheet for turning your digital photos into a Photo Book

Around here it's been extremely hot in Brisbane and the air conditioner has been on night and day.  Last night our power went out for over 2.5 hours so it was pitch black inside and outside and all I needed was 3 minutes to heat up my yummy dinner I had thawed out during the day.

It would have been better if it went off during the day as you could walk around and see where you are walking or mop the floors or clean the bathrooms.  Lucky for me I had charged up my power bank for my phone during the week so I could keep my phone going.

The funny thing was I was chatting to my friend on the phone who lives 2 hours away at the Gold Coast and after about 15 minutes her power went out as well.  Her power came back on not too long after however mine didn't come back on about 8.30 pm when I was able to heat up my dinner and get back to watching Emily in Paris which I have been enjoying.

During the week I created a PDF Cheat Sheet on how to go about making a photo book and getting your digital files off your phones and computer.  In this day and age everybody takes so many images probably mostly on our iPhones and that's where they stay.  If you have taken a holiday, or grown wonderful veggies or cook really yummy meals and have taken photos of them it's worth while making a photo book.

Often we don't know how to get started so this little Cheat Sheet should help you.  It can seem daunting given the amount of photos most of us take these days however just pick one subject or one holiday and go from there.

If you would like my free PDF Cheat Sheet head over to my website Kathy Aylward Photo and subscribe to receive your download.  Feel free to tell your family and friends as the more the merrier to preserve those precious memories, after all you took the photos in the first place to remember the moment.

A few years ago I made a little Photo Book of our first veggie garden at our old house and this garden brought me so much joy.  The kids were so little and my sister came over and we set it all up.  It was the most productive veggie garden just two 1200mm x 1200mm boxes. [4'x4'].  The cherry tomato bush gave us so many tomatoes I used to take them in for the kindy teaches and they said they were the best tomatoes they have tasted.  I love being able to look back through this photo book to these lovely memories.

I've participated in years of different photo projects and here's just a few photo books I've made.  Week in the Life photo books and Yearly Photo Books.

Around here

My daughter turned 17 on Monday and in two weeks time she will get her license and then she'll be out and about more than ever.  Last night her Kindy teacher [from 2010] was messaging me after she saw a post on Sienna's birthday and said it's amazing that these little 4 year olds she taught all those years ago are now young adults.  I find it hard to believe myself that the time has gone so fast and both kids are amazing confident young people.

I can't believe we are in March already so at least it will start to cool down a little and not be so hot which it has been here in Queensland.  I love Autumn and Spring the best if I had to pick seasons.  In a few months we'll be flying back over the other side of the country to go to my Nephew's wedding in June.  It's nice to have a trip to look forward to since I haven't travelled for years.   Here's a few recent photos.

Our local Fruit & Veggie Exchange.

What I gratefully received.

Yummy lunch at home.

Have been making a jar of pickled onions for the fridge and we are all enjoying them.

Have been making popcorn for some afternoon snacks the old fashioned way with a saucepan and lid using coconut oil rather than buying expensive already popped corn from the supermarket.

Made new batch of toilet pods using this recipe.

Around here - Escape to the Chateau Evening in Brisbane

I mentioned back in August how I had booked to go and see Dick & Angel from Escape to the Chateau fame when they were touring Australia and New Zealand.  It was on Wednesday night this week and I loved it.  It was a basically a talking evening with them sort of doing a "This is your life" on their own life with how they came to meet each other and how in real life they their worlds collided to come across each other.  For a start Dick is 19 years older than Angel which today that doesn't look like anything but put a photo of Dick being a 19 year old in the Army and Angel in a nappy as a baby they wonder how they should have ever met.

Angel's parents live in the coach house at the Chateau and they came on tour as well along with the kids.  The kids and Angel's Dad came on stage for 10 minutes at the beginning and then they left with Dick & Angel hosting the talk.

They started out by chatting to the audience about who had visited the Chateau and one lady yelled out.  Then other questions like raise your hand if you have been dragged here tonight with someone which got a lot of laughs.  They then talked about "click bait" and spent quite some time reading out the "click bait" headlines on them and the stories that had been written about them which were untrue and some of them made you laugh.  One recent one that I thought was true was that they had sold the Chateau and they said absolutely not, the Chateau is their forever home and will not ever be selling it.  

So the slide show showed a year and then they had photos of each of their lives and up until they bought the Chateau and then it was intermission.  They searched for 4 years before they found the one and Angel wanted to put a deposit on it sight unseen which Dick put a stop to.  The drive to the Chateau was 4.5 or 5.5 hours [I can't remember] and she didn't want it sold on the drive there.  

The 2nd half of the show was basically a virtual walk through the entire Chateau room by room, floor by floor which was great because we have seen rooms renovated on the TV series but walking in the Chateau so you knew how it all fit together was really great.  They are such entertaining people and seemed really down to earth.   I got my tickets about 8 rows from the stage so was really watching them up close which was great.  After the show finished they did a meet and greet and got photos and signed programs however there was so many people as the Concert Hall at QPAC holds 1600 people and I'm pretty sure it was full.  I decided as since I was so close during the whole show I wasn't going to wait around for 1-2 hrs to get a photo with them although it would have been lovely.  I went to this event on my own as I have watched the series for years and none of my friends are into it.  I had such a great time given I wasn't sure how a talking event with two people would play out but I loved it.

This is how close I was to the stage.

The meet and greet as I was walking past to get out of the building.

Home made focaccia using this recipe.

I made some Hot Cross Buns and while they look great I made the mistake of letting rise in this dish which was actually okay however I should of then transferred them to a large tray so there was space in between each of them for them in the oven.  The ones in the middle didn't cook properly on the inside however had cooked on the top so I had to put them back in and muck around getting the centre ones to cook.  The ones that had cooked first up were nice but it was a simple mistake that could have been avoided.

This is a bunch of bananas that my neighbour grew and gave to us.

You can see the banana tree in the background.

Home grown by my neighbour, so tasty.

Made this yummy chicken recipe.