Kirsty's Blog

Not So Green Brownies for Fussy Eaters

04/25/2012 16:24:00

Is your child a fussy eater? Well my Mr 4 certainly is. He is my 3rd, and he is my only fussy eater with a very sensitive pallet. I struggle to get him to eat new things, green things and most meat. I don’t believe my dinner table has to be a battle ground so have more often than not pressured him to eat what I think is a nutritious dinner. He is great at breakfast, loves his fruit and generally makes healthy lunch choices. It is just the meat and vegetable issue that is frustrating to both of us. Sound familiar?

So with the inspiration of my sister, The Sneaky Chef (http://www.thesneakychef.com/) and my daughter’s favourite Brownie recipe, I have begun to discover solutions to my dilemma. I thought I would share my first win with you!

The not so green Brownies!

First make your green puree from the Sneaky Chef:-

Make-Ahead Recipe #3: Green Puree

Makes about 2 cups of puree This recipe makes about 2 cupsof puree; double it if you want to store another 2 cups. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or you can freeze 1/4-cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers.

- 2 cups raw baby spinach leaves*

- 2 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen

- 1 cup sweet green peas, frozen

- 2 to 3 tablespoons water

*note: I prefer raw baby spinach to frozen spinach for this recipe (more mild flavor); if you must use frozen spinach, only use 1 cup of it.

If using raw spinach, thoroughly wash it, even if thepackage says "prewashed."

To prepare on the stove top, pour about 2 inches of water into a pot with a tight-fitting lid. Put a vegetable steamer basket into thepot, add the spinach and broccoli, and steam for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the frozen peas to the basket for the last 2 minutes of steaming.Drain.

To prepare in the microwave, place the broccoli and spinachin a microwave-safe bowl, cover with water, and microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes, until very tender. Add peas for last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain.

Place the vegetables in the bowl of your food processor (or blender) along with 2 tablespoons of water. Puree on high until as smooth as possible. Stop occasionally to push the contents to the bottom. If necessary, use another tablespoon of water to smooth out the puree.

Then make the Brownies:-

Ingredients

· ½ cup of green puree

· 3 eggs

· ½ cup of cocoa powder

· ½ cup Self Raising flour

· 1 cup castor sugar, or you can use Xylitol as ahealthy sweet alternative. You can get it at your local health food shop.

· 180g butter, melted

· 1 cup of L.S.A. (see my blog post for more about what L.S.A. is and the health benefits - http://www.unity-qld.com.au/blog/2012/02/17/The-Benefits-of-LSA.aspx

Method

Add puree, eggs and butter in mixing bowl. Mix well. Then add all dry ingredients. Blendwell. Line a lamington or shallow bakingtray with baking paper. Pour mixture inand spread evenly. Bake in a moderate pre-heatedoven for about 30 – 35 minutes. Whendone, cool and cut into squares.

Great for snacks and lunchbox treats, and my kids and husband haven't been able to tell the difference and love them.

Work Life Balance - How to A.I.M. for Balance

04/23/2012 13:48:00

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Work Life Balance - How to AIM for Balance in your life.

Kirsty shares a simple acronym she uses to achieve work life balance in life today.

A = attitude; do you have an attitude of gratitude, are you hopeful, do you adopt a never give up and determined focus?

I= inspired energy; who are you around regularly, do they sustain or drain your energy, do you drink enough water, do you eat high energy foods and do you get enough rest and relaxation?

M= meaningful order; what are your key life result areas, what are you passionate about, what desires do you have, what routines and plans will then work for you and your unique family?

Balance is the opposite of feeling overwhelmed. It is feeling purposeful, being in the now, doing your best and following what you truly desire, maintaining a connection to what is important to you and knowing you can overcome obstacles placed in your way.

Paw Paw Ointment

04/12/2012 18:33:00

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Paw Paw Ointment

http://www.unity-qld.com.au Kirsty O'Callaghan shares with you the benefits of using this amazing natural product, paw paw ointment.

Have you heard about the amazing Paw Paw Ointment?

It is a must for all households. Watch this short video by Kirsty to find out why.

The Healing Benefits of Aloe Vera

03/06/2012 15:38:00

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The Healing Benefits of Aloe Vera

http://www.unity-qld.com.au Kirsty O'Callaghan talks about the amazing Aloe vera plant and how it is the most impressive medicinal plant from your own backyard and nature.There is nothing else t...

Our next video in the series of simple and affordable tips to promote your families health is on the amazing Aloe Vera Plant.

There is one good way to get aloe vera gel - Grow it yourself.

You can also get good quality gels and juices from your supermarket to reputable practitioners and distributors.

I've had an aloe vera plant in my garden for years, my children call it Mum’s special plant, and we use it on many things from insect bites to a very effective skin care product.

It is a 'must' in your home first aid kit.

The Benefits of L.S.A.

02/17/2012 09:13:00

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The Benefits of L.S.A.

http://www.unity-qld.com.au Kirsty O'Callaghan discusses the benefits of having just one table spoon of L.S.A each day with your morning meal.

Here is another video in our series of simple and effective things you can use that are around the house at your local supermarket to promote the health of you and your family.

The benefits of L.S.A have been reported by Doctors and Naturopaths for a number of years. L.S.A. is a combination of linseed, sunflower seed, flaxseed and almond, ground into a meal. You can have a tablespoon a day on your cereal, salad, in a smoothie or the like to get the amazing benefits of the numerous vitamins and minerals. Enjoy this high protein vitality booster to increase your energy levels and even overcome some ailments. I hope you enjoy this 4 minute video, and we would love your feedback or if you have any health promoting products you use, please share with us.

The Benefits of Tea Tree Oil

01/19/2012 13:03:00

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The Benefits of Tee Tree Oil

http://www.unity-qld.com.au Kirsty O'CallaghanAustralian Tea Tree has quickly found its way into household products like soaps, deodorants, shampoos, topical ointments, cosmetics, and herbal remed...

This year we are sharing easy, affordable and natural remedies and solutions you can be using to promote health and wellbeing for you and your family.

This post is about the ways you can use Tea Tree Oil. It is an excellent natural remedy for :-

hundres of bacterial and fungal skin ailments,

an anti-viral,

a treatment for sore throats,

coughs and colds,

infectious diseases. and

strengthens the body's immune system.

See methods and more ways to use this amazing oil in video details.

Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

01/05/2012 14:13:00

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Healing Properties of Apple Cider Vinegar

http://www.unity-qld.com.au Kirsty O'CallaghanVinegar has been used throughout history for everything from skin tonics to household cleaners.Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician and "Father...

Welcome to a wonderful New Year. This year for me is all about being proactive in my life and health and not reactive. I am going to be sharing with you all some short videos outlining hints, tips and suggestions for simple and affordable solutions you can be using at home.

I invite your feedback on how you went and your experiences with my suggestions.

The first one to kick the year off is the health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar. Enjoy.

Kirsty's Christmas message and her lessons from 2011

12/07/2011 09:31:00

What a year it has been! I personally have had one huge rollercoaster ride, amazing highs and dips, spins, starts, stops and lows. I have felt exhilaration and exhaustion all in the space of a week. I am so grateful for the massive business growth of my business, my extraordinaryfriends and the love of my close family members. I have learnt so much, even though definitely felt someone was peeling the legendary onion with a blunt knife at times; through determination, vision and steely resolve let the layers fall away.

Has this made me a better person? Has it all been worth it? Is there a meaning in the pain, the ups and downs? I have to believe that there is and that even though at times I don’t get the process and order of things that there certainly is one. The most profound thing I have learnt this year, through my own experiences and those that surround me, is that where my focus is, my attention and my associations of past experiences, is how I react to the now. It is something I always knew, and the events of this year have certainly brought a deeper level of understanding.

I now look to the future more; I now see the present with different eyes. I no longer define myself on whom and how I have been, yet more on who I am being and becoming. I plan to step into 2012 with more vision,more purpose, more courage, more love and much more focused intent than ever before. I have firmly decided that I am a sum of my actions today and I get to choose my actions for tomorrow.

I wear my heart on my sleeve; I am real, raw and speak out when I feel there is an injustice. Has this got me in trouble and misunderstood in the past? Of course. This part I will not change. What I now know to change though is when I present myself to the world, now when I speak up, it will be in the voice and presence of hope and optimism, not the voice of overcoming suffering and the ability to survive injustice and unfairness. My mission for 2012 is to be even more grateful, think bigger and contribute in the most meaningful and fulfilling ways.

What is your focus, mission and intention for 2012? Here’s a thought, instead of focusing on healing why not expect the most miraculous, wonderful and profound experiences? It is said that what we expect we usually get. I often wonder if the intensity that we focus on healing is actually misdirected to the ‘wound’ itself.

I wish you the most awesome Christmas and New Year, filled with love, laughter and good fortune, and may what you are hopeful for materialise in your life.

Children (or anyone) learns from what they live!

11/20/2011 17:35:00

This is one of my favourite verses. I have reflected on it many times over the years, for wisdom in raising my children, learning why sometimes I feel or act the way I do after some of my life experiences, and understanding how best to build positive and supportive personal and professional relationships.

So as we are nearing the end of the year and the time of family, fun, silliness and hecticness hits, I thought it a good time to remind ourselves of how our worlds are affected and how our behaviours are shaped by what we experience. Depending on what insights you gain, how will you use them in your life?

by Dorothy Law Nolte (1924 - 2005)

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with fear,they learn to be apprehensive.

If children live with pity,they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule,they learn to feel shy.

If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.

If children live with shame,they learn to feel guilty.

If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.

If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.

If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.

If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.

If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.

If children live with fairness, they learn justice.

If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.

If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.

If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Quick tips for Balancing work/home life for parents.

11/05/2011 14:44:00

The concerns, pressures and just plain overwhelm that seemto go hand in hand with working parent’s lives will affect your whole being. It affects how you feel, how you behave and has the potential to create very real physical symptoms.

At first these feelings may be just vague and unsettling, and you may find yourself saying “I just need to get used to the new routine and handing over the kids to someone else, then I’ll be OK”.

However, what happens if you don’t address the real issues and solutions, and when the appropriate time has passed and you are not coping with the ‘new routine’, the kids aren’t coping with the new situation, does that leave you feeling guilty or like you can’t get it right; or worse you are a failure?

So let’s get real about it now. Being a working parent creates stress triggers at some point in our day to day lives. Some of us are more vulnerable to these stressors than others, but even those who become stressed easily can learn to manage it well. It is the stress that is the problem not being a working parent.

OK, so what can you do to manage the stress and feel better?

· Keep an eye on pressures and deadlines and make a commitment to taking time out when you need it.

· Learn a variety of relaxation techniques. Physical relaxation methods and meditation techniques really do help.

· Look after your physical self. Eat healthily, get regular exercise and try to keep a regular sleep pattern. Avoid too much alcohol, caffeine and junk food.

· Practise deep abdominal breathing. This consists of breathing in deeply and slowly through your nose, taking the air right downto your tummy. Visualise the breathe going right down to your tummy and say “I am calm" to yourself as you breathe in. Then breathe out slowly and gently through your mouth. As you breathe out visualise the stress and tension leaving your body with your breath.

· Learn to replace "negative self-talk"with "coping self-talk." When you catch yourself thinking something negative like "I can't do this, it's just too hard," try to change it to something more positive, like "This is hard but I can get through it."

Being a working parent can have its ups and downs, and comes with added responsibilities. However if you are organised, communicate positively to your family on a regular basis, laugh and have an awareness of your needs your will certainly be on the right track to feeling back in control, confident and finding the elusive work/life balance you have been seeking.