MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

I can't believe that its almost Christmas -  2 sleeps and it'll be here. As much as I love Christmas (and I really love it!!!) I can't wait to put my feet up and have some time with my family.

Im not perfect (but Im willing to try)

So as you may or may not know Im studying health and nutrition. Its been an eye opener.
I thought I knew so much about health and what are good foods and what are bad foods etc...
but it turns out that if you go right down to the basics, like the very core of food, it's structure as a plant etc I realized that there are NO GOOD FOODS OR BAD FOODS!

There are ONLY foods that nourish your body and foods that don't.

And yes it really can be that simple!

As I go down this journey and discover things I thought there may be others like me who would like to make themselves healthier. Im really not perfect and I definitely don't know it all BUT Im willing to learn.

BUTTERNUT PIE AND THANKSGIVING

 

I've never had pumpkin pie before in my life so I'm really not sure if what I created is anything close to what its supposed to be like. I really wanted to try and make it... so I read loads of recipes and the common thread was pumpkin, sugar, eggs and milk plus cinnamon, spices and a pie crust (duh)!---BUT I wanted it to be minus the dairy and mounds of sugar And I really like butternut so I subbed that for pumpkin. So in the end I think I really created a vegan, dairy free variation of "a kind of pumpkin pie?"...  I suppose it could maybe be called South African Butternut "thanks giving" pie

This one time I gave up coffee and dairy --- Going Dairy Free

Recently I have given up dairy and caffeine- crazy right!
If you've looked through my blog or followed my tweets or instagram you will know how strongly I LOVE coffee! and dairy! So here is why the change....

Some Background
In 2007 I was diagnosed with PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) And although I was told by the doctor it was cysts on my ovaries affecting my hormones etc... I wasn't told much about how to look after my body regarding food and lifestyle. I was told there were some medicines I could take like metformin because I could be pre-diabetic and another medicine that I can't remember now. But that

Betty Bake in Print Media

Betty Bake in Wellness Magazine October issue

So lately this blog (www.bettybake.co.za) has been in two print media publications.
To say that I am beyond happy would be a huge understatement! I am thrilled and can't stop smiling, the chocolate has been broken out (the dark and healthy decadent kind) and all is happy and sunny in betty bake land.

HAPPY ALMOST FRIDAY

So when you are reading this it maybe thursday or it maybe friday... or another day. But for me I am  happy knowing that the weekend is almost here (klinks glass- cheers).
Sometimes we look for almost anything to cheer us up or to find a positive spin on our day or week...
Its the little things that make us smile - that block of chocolate or cup of coffee. The thought of time

WIN Le Creuset with Cuppa For CANSA

Hold a cuppa for CANSA and you could win a beautiful Le Creuset flan dish and a teapot to the value of R900

Life behind the computer screen

Grab a coffee , lets chat...

Because there haven't been much blog posts up (sorry) doesn't mean I haven't been staring at the computer screen alot (think square eyes).
I have been spending way to much time in front of the computer- but for good reason. Partly because I have a job online doing a little social media for 1 company and the other reason is that I recently started studying (online).
I am enrolled and studying Health and Nutrition for 6 months (only been 3 weeks so far),

The Hungry Collection v2

Only great nourishing food.Sweet and awesomely healthy foods from around the web. Foods and treats I could definitely make and feel good about.

I hope you like it to....

For the Love of Baking by Sarah Dall (GIVEAWAY AND REVIEW)

photograph from www.sarahdall.co.za

If you love to bake, then this is the cookbook for you!

ORANGE CHOCOLATE FRUITY SPICE COOKIES

WIN A BOTTLE OF 14YR SINGLE MALT WHISKY

 

This week is my birthday and what a cool way to celebrate by giving away a beautiful bottle of whiskey!

The hungry collection

Don't you find just the most amazing food on the internet when you are hungry? I always do!

Ive purged my life of the sugary doughnuts and deep fried junk foods over the years and I find that even looking at pics of those kind of foods really doesn't do it for me anymore... So here is some sweet and awesomely  healthy foods from around the web. Foods and treats I could definitely make and feel good about. I hope you like it to.

Loving these:

REVIEW: The Herb and Flower Cookbook by Pip McCormac

If you've ever grown herbs (or bought some at the store) and then weren't sure how many ways you could use them up. Perhaps you bought a particular herb for a certain soup recipe but now you want to try this herb in another dish - cause you don't want them to go to waste. I know I have!!! Well this book shows you how to grow and use a whole bunch (pun intended) of herbs.
It is such a beautiful book with a mixture of sweet and savory dishes.

And I have 2 copies to GIVE AWAY.
 

SLOW ROASTED STEAK IN BALSAMIC ONIONS AND SPICES

I have now made this twice --- two weeks in a row.
The fool proof plan is to roast this long and slow.
The size of the piece of meat is up to you... I use a medium to large piece of steak with the onions and tomatoes and roasted it till it was falling off the bone. 1 steak feeds the 3 of us.  The idea isn't to have

Johnnie Walker - The Black Box experiment

 
Recently myself and husband had the opportunity to check out a cool experiment with Whiskey.
Now when I was invited to experience it I had no idea as to what I was going to encounter exactly, the only thing I knew was that it would be myself, the husband and 2 or 3 other people for us to try out some whiskey... and that it would be a more intimate experience than the usual table of foods and drink pairings (I can be a little shy at times so less crowds, yes please). Sounded intriguing - so I replied yes to the email.

CAULIFLOWER MAC AND CHEESE

This warm and comforting food is great in my mind for a lazy Saturday evening dinner while watching a DVD. But it is great for any night of the week... soft on the inside and crispy on the top, mmmm I wish I had some now.
The dried oregano on the cauliflower is a great Antioxidant. Antioxidants help protect the cells in your body against the effects of free radicals and improve your ability to fight infection.

HAPPY EASTER

Wishing you a beautiful Easter.

I loved styling and photographing some Easter pics for a client. Here I used real eggs mixed with white candy coated chocolate eggs in a tin bowl set on wooden table in nature.

Hope you are having a spectacular time relaxing and spending time with the ones you love.
Of course a good chocolate or two in the mix ;)

Thanks for stopping by. I just wanted to check in and say hi.

Have a great time. All my hellos and smiles

BUTTERNUT BAKE

Every one needs a few simple side dishes they can throw in the oven or in a pot on the stove and not have to worry. These side dishes should be relatively quick to prepare and always have a nice outcome, going with most things.

WIN 12 bottles of Organic Wine Worth R590

Wow do I have a lovely give away for you!

Stellar Organics would like to give one lucky person R590 worth of wine - thats roughly 12 bottles.

KEFIR - HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN PROBIOTICS AND WHY YOU SHOULD

This year so far has been more about focusing on me, being kind to myself and my body and putting the most effort into sorting out the most important things in my life. One of them being my daughters

GLUTEN FREE VS GLUTEN FREE AND BEING HEALTHY

So recently I felt like I was the only one not following some sort of eating plan... Everywhere I read  or someone that I spoke to was following some way of eating or diet. It really made me question (again) the way we are eating. Were we wrong in how we were eating in our household? Did we consume the wrong food groups? Did we need more or less protein or more or less carbs?

And of course we are a gluten free and corn free household. So who am I to be the pot calling the kettle black and questioning these sort of things?

But after much internet reading and searching and thinking I've come to realize that:   

Health is an evolution or ever growing state of mind and body.

&

What I ate a year ago I may no longer deem fit to eat now.

CHANGE

If I look back at my recipes from when this blog started to now there are certainly recipes that I don't

COCONUT MUESLI

This is like having dessert for breakfast!

Fresh coconut thinly sliced and then toasted can not be compared to dried out coconut toasted! really once you have cracked up a fresh coconut and put a thin sliver under the grill until lightly golden - oh my yum! I never knew what I was missing... I strongly suggest you try (if you like coconut that is)

Life

Hi

January 2014