nutrition.nature.love

09/12/2021

🍌 Banana circle thriving in this weather.

I planted all of these plants just a few months ago and they are doing so well in our sub tropical climate. Bananas are hungry and thirsty plants so I opted for a low maintenance permaculture design.

In the middle of the banana circle is a pit filled with organic matter which holds the water and slowly releases nutrients into the soil. Every few weeks I top this pit up, usually with old plants from the vegetable garden, sometimes with prunings from trees. Around the outside I have planted lemongrass, rockmelon and butternut pumpkin.

Fun fact about banana trees - they aren't trees at all, they are actually large herbs.

30/11/2021

Sweet Potato and Kale Soup - the perfect end to a rainy day.

13/11/2021

It seems our sugarbag bees love a good party! 🐝

There's been some strange behaviour going on around here over the last few days. This is a new hive we received last week and from what I can gather, this could be a mating swarm, colonising swarm or a defensive swarm.

11/11/2021

Do we have any parents of older boys on here? Please tell me that you survived the 8-9year old hormonal surge unscathed. We are in the thick of it at the moment and it sure is tough.

Along with an increase in big emotions, we are also experiencing an increase in appetite. I am having to make sure that my fridge and pantry is constantly stocked with foods that are supporting his growth.

At these important times of development, it is essential that our kids (both boys and girls) are getting adequate protein. Protein is the building block of the body, and it is so important in this life stage that children require more protein per kg of body weight, than adults do.

Lucky for us, there are many easy food options which contain plenty of protein, that we can have available for our kids. This bowl of Greek yoghurt, peanut butter, nuts, seeds and berries is my sons favourite go to snack at the moment, and it is a protein powerhouse. Other favourites include boiled eggs, edamame, jerky, canned salmon, cheese and baked goods containing spelt, rolled oats, quinoa and seeds.

11/11/2021

My garden is going absolutely nutso at the moment.

Being in Brisbane, vegetable gardening at this time of year can be a little challenging due to heat, humidity, insects and fungal diseases.

If you are looking for a great crop to plant which thrives in the summer heat, beans are definitely the way to go. I am getting massive hauls regularly, which then get cut up, blanched and frozen into portions ready for stir fries and curries. We currently have enough in the freezer to last us months.

Beans are also nitrogen fixers, meaning they take nitrogen from the air and fix it into the soil. Leafy green vegetables, which thrive through the cooler months, love nitrogen. So while I am feeding my family with nutritious, fresh beans, I am also preparing the soil for our autumn leafy green crops. It's a win win for all 🙌

Do you have anything going nutso in your garden at the moment? I'd love to hear about it.

08/11/2021

The food you pack in your child's lunchbox can make a huge difference to your child's learning throughout the day.

Different foods can either positively or negatively affect cognitive skills like memory and concentration.

Unfortunately most convenient foods targeted to children's lunchboxes have very little of the good stuff that supports learning.

You can't go wrong with a lunchbox full of minimally processed, nutritious foods with adequate amounts of fat, protein, wholemeal carbs, fruit and vegetables.

06/11/2021

My husband gave me two options for my birthday this year:

💎 Diamond earrings OR
🐝 A native bee hive.

Easiest choice I’ve ever had to make!

My little sugarbag bees arrived yesterday and are already busy at work pollinating the garden. What a great excuse to plant more flowers, although I didn’t really need one 😂

Aren’t they just adorable? 😍

12/10/2021

Jamie Oliver's Chilli Con Veggie for dinner tonight.

Easy, nutritious, and my kids' personal favourite.

After simmering for an hour the beans and lentils create a consistency likened to the traditional mince version, with flavour that explodes in the mouth. It's a great meal for those wanting to reduce meat consumption but don't want to feel like they are missing out.

This particular recipe makes heaps, enough for our family of 5 for two nights. Perfect for those busy days when we don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.

10/10/2021

Doing our bit for nature on our little slice of paradise.

When we bought this place three years ago, this bush was so overgrown with lantana (an invasive w**d) that we had no idea what was beyond it. After three years of slowly clearing the lantana, we discovered this beautiful little patch of paradise.

This weekend we set out to restore the bush land back to it's natural state. We discovered that we have dry rainforest and eucalyptus species growing here. So we purchased 99 tube stock, in 32 different varieties, all native to this area. We planted a variety of koala trees, and many flowering and fruiting trees to feed the birds, bees, insects and wildlife.

Unfortunately this is just a small section of our property, so there are many more trees to plant. Small steps at a time.

24/09/2021

Muesli kid style

Cade has loved helping me with my summer breakfast reels over the last few weekends, so this weekend he asked to create his own.

DIY muesli is such a fun way for kids to become involved in making their breakfast, and gives them autonomy over what they eat. More autonomy means they are more likely to eat it 👍

21/09/2021

Good afternoon!

As most of you know, I am studying food and nutrition, and I am currently conducting a research project investigating consumer’s dietary choices. I am investigating the influence, perception and knowledge of multivitamin, vitamin and mineral supplements in Australian adults.

If you are over the age of 18, and living in Australia, I would really appreciate it if you could spare 5 minutes of your time to help me out by completing the following survey. You do not have to be taking any supplements to participate, it is open to all Australian adults. You do not have to provide any identifying information, and your answers will be confidential.

Please also share it with your family and friends to complete. The more people that complete the survey, the more accurate the results are.

Thank you so much for your time!

You have been invited to take part in the research project named above. This project is being undertaken by Amber Waugh as part of the Bachelor of Food and Nutrition at La Trobe University. The student wishes to conduct a survey to investigate the influence, perceptions and knowledge of multivitamin...

20/09/2021

Giant fish taco anyone?

This recipe by Well Nourished is my absolute favourite way to eat fish at the moment. The flavours are so fresh and uplifting, it’s the perfect spring meal. It’s a massive hit with the kids too.

Normally we would serve it on smaller cos lettuce leaves, however my husband bought home a giant cos lettuce from the markets, and a giant lettuce calls for giant tacos.