Week 6

Hello wonderful visitors!

I've been very slack in posting, we have been a house of cold and flu for our entire school holidays. Thank goodness they are fighting fit and ready to go back tomorrow. I have successfully been 6 weeks sugar free. Woohoo. I feel so much calmer and more content now. I feel clearer in my mind and decision making is easier. I feel like I can handle stressful situations more easily as well, however this may be tested in our first week back at school.

The healthy chef is my latest foodie find. She has fabulous, achievable recipes from ingredients you mostly already have in your pantry. I am currently eating the wonderful chocolate cupcakes, while my sister has whipped up the hazelnut fudge. She does use honey and dates as sweeteners, which I think is perfectly fine, especially if you are 'weaning' the kids off refined sugars. I did switch the honey for rice malt syrup in my cupcakes, but to be honest I couldnt identify any sweetness in them. They are light and fluffy though.

My gluten free efforts are not going as well. It is quite difficult to find foods without gluten while travelling or out with the kids and in a rush. There is definite room for improvement here!

Linley x

Week 5 Sugar free

There are 2 fantastic blogs you should check out: Simply Sugar and Gluten free and The Spunky Coconut. They are amazingly generous ladies who have shared many many reciepes on their blog for beginners like me! They also have cookbooks available which I'm sure will be on the Christmas lists this year.

This is the best pizza I've ever made for myself, roast pumpkin, coriander, chorizo, feta and mushrooms. I did use tomato paste which contains sugar, however used less than normal.

During the past few weeks, Ive been reading lots of other blogs and books on the sugar free lifestyle, and it is pretty clear that gluten had to go. I am now 1 week gluten free (after this pizza was made :))
I definitely feel better, as I had been having trouble with bacteria and infections with just quitting sugar - to compensate I was increasing my bread and gluten intake to counteract the lack of sweetness. I can handle the switch to gluten free now, it has cleared up alot of the problems I was experiencing. There are plenty of products out there that are gluten free, I have tried gluten free pasta, however found it really gluggy and not that appealing. I think there may be a trial and error period until I find the products I like.

I did try this gluten and sugar free brownie , I just cant remember where from!!! Surprisingly my eldest girl loves it, even though its very bitter. We added some coconut milk and berry 'icecream' made in the thermomix, and cream for good measure. Not too bad I say!

Ive experienced alot of cravings this last week, no matter how many other yummy savoury dishes that have been opened up to me - I still would love a hit of the sweet stuff in the afternoon. I have found myself eating potato chips instead, which I'm pretty sure this is not the best option but there you go!


Linley x

Ok, so after being so enthusiastic in my last post I immediately got an infection and have been on antibiotics. Turns out my body isnt as happy about the big diet change as I thought! Thats ok, I expected some setbacks, and Im back to feeling great and full of energy now.

We had a great weekend in Perth, catching up with friends and taking the girls out to breakfast where they declared baby chinos dont cut it anymore - hot chocolate is required! I am a chronic caver in-erer so of course thats what they had. I did make up for it by only providing nuts, carrot and celery sticks to watch Daddy play football. This was a bit torturous for everyone when the other kids were eating chocolates and electric blue slushies...

No new receipes to tell you about, Ive been eating 'normally' without the sugar, oh, I have made the granola with mainly nuts and coconut and really love that in the morning. Eggs everyday for breakfast can get a bit much after awhile.

Linley x