Weekly Photo Challenge: In the Background

Although the focus is on the grater, the reflected pattern of the grater on the flour in the background is what I find most interesting.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Escape

My idea of escape can vary. A relaxing warm bath on a cold winter night, enjoying some quiet outdoor painting under the shade of a tree on a sunny day, or my favourite, despite the weather, a bit of chocolate. The best way to have chocolate, dunk it in a hot cup of tea and eat it warm and melted. A happy escape for the senses.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern

I was offered one of these Prickly Cucumbers, otherwise known as a Kiwano or an African Horned Cucumber. I have yet to try it but from what I understand it is full of seeds and has a citrus tang. The spikes and the colouring make rather an interesting pattern.

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: From Above

The beginnings of an ants nest, the remains of a bone, and a spider.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Culture

I’m a little late but it has been another busy week.

Lately I have been getting into the healthy food culture. Of course by last weeks pictures you might not think so… the ANZAC biscuits were not exactly low in fat, however, I did use honey in place of the corn syrup. The problem is the biscuits don’t get time to even cool before I’m guzzling them down. The other half literally grabs a handful consisting of about five or six biscuits and that’s just his first round.

Overall I have been trying to eat healthier and as a result I’m trying different foods like adzuki beans, chia seeds and flax/linseeds.

I’m not sure about the chia seeds but then I have only tried them in one dessert. The flax/linseeds I have had before in bread and wraps so adding them to food myself is no surprise. However, I must say the adzuki beans have grabbed my attention.

A long time ago I stopped buying most processed foods and got ride of the salt shaker. Most of the time I don’t use butter or margarine either other than in baking and even then I have moved more towards olive oil. Lately I have been trying to increase my fiber and omega 3 intake and reduce my sugar intake. I love dessert but it usually includes an unhealthy amount of sugar. Some adzuki bean and avocado recipes have given me sweet treats without adding copious amounts of sugar.

No, adzuki beans and avocado are not sweet. However, they make a healthy filler. I make adzuki chocolate bites using a recipe I found online. They have cocoa, nuts (such as pecans, cashews etc), dates and cooked adzuki beans. The dates add enough sweetness that I don’t need sugar. The ingredients are blitzed in the food processor to make a thick paste and formed into small bite size balls. You can roll them in coconut or chopped nuts or whatever. I’m sure a bit of vanilla or almond extract would go nice as would perhaps orange rind or something. I’m still experimenting.

I have also made avocado and banana chocolate mousse using a ripe avocado, frozen banana, cocoa and honey blitzed in the food processor. You would never know there was an avocado in this dessert and if you love a mix of chocolate and banana, you will love this! This too I am going to experiment with, using frozen strawberries perhaps in place of some of the banana.

I’m sorry, there are no pictures of these desserts… they went just as fast as the biscuits… but without the guilt!