Mayonnaise and avocado mayonnaise

I really wanted coleslaw with dinner but now being dairy free and most coleslaw is so full of dairy and other nasties that I had to make my own.

It was a simple process to make.

Some olive oil and coconut oil blended together with some lemon juice to make the Mayo.

Then I felt like a twist I didn't want just mayo on my coleslaw, I will be experimenting with more dressings for coleslaw too as this was simple, refreshing and nice but it wasn't creamy which is what I miss.

To make the avocado Mayo I simply added an avocado to my already made Mayo, some chives, garlic and a bit more lemon juice. Gave it another blend and it was done ready to go.

Recipe (makes approx 1.5 cups Mayo)

1/4 cup of coconut oil

3/4 cup olive oil

Splash of lemon juice

Blend all ingredients together

Avocado Mayo

1 cup Mayo

1 avocado

Chives

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Splash of lemon juice 

Add all ingredients to your blender and blend together.

Frittata 2 ways

This recipe has been a favourite of mine ever since I first moved out of home. It is easy, quick and cheap and you don't even need to really follow the recipe, add whatever is in your fridge. For example usually I make this with spinach not kale but I have kale that needs using and it worked a treat.

I did 12 mini frittatas in the oven using a muffin tray and did a big one in the slow cooker, this is the first time I have attempted to make a frittata in the slow cooker but I was pleased with the results.

What I had to do first was roast my capsicum, for this I sliced it up and put it into a hot oven skin side up until the skin was blackened and blistered. When that had cooled I chopped it up after peeling the skin off.

While the capsicum was roasting I shredded some kale and put it in a frying pan and cooked slightly.

I put some in the bottom of my slow cooker (I had generously sprayed my slow cooker with coconut oil beforehand), I also placed some in each of the muffin holes in my muffin tray. Add the calpsicum and some spring onion too.

I whisked up 18 eggs and added some pepper. I separated this between the muffin tray and the slow cooker. Sprinkle feta on top and cook.

In the oven I cooked these at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes.

In the slow cooker this cooked on low for 3 hours

Recipe:

Ingredients

1 red capsicum

Kale

50g feta

Spring onions

18 eggs

Pepper

Method

Roast capsicum in a hot oven until skin is blistered and blackened, cool and remove skin.

Chop capsicum into small pieces.

Cook kale over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

Spray your slow cooker and/or oven tins with oil (I used coconut oil)

Add kale and capsicum to the slow cooker/oven tin

Slice some spring onion and add that to the slow cooker/oven tin.

Whisk up 18 eggs and add a dash of pepper.

Divide in half, pour one half into your slow cooker or oven tins and reserve the rest for your second frittata or do as I did and make some in the oven and some in the slow cooker.

Sprinkle with feta and cook.

Oven 180 degrees for 20 mins

Slow cooker low for 3 hours

Back on track meal plan

I admit it, I have been slack lately. I haven't been bothered, we have had foods we shouldn't and boy have we paid for it, the boys have been naughty and loud and fighting constantly, my depression has taken a very fast downward turn. It is time to turn around again. This is our new meal plan for the fortnight. It is school holidays too so lunches will be quick and easy like scotch eggs, frittatas etc so here is just dinners. Sunday - baked potatoes with chilli con carne topped with spring onion and avocado Monday - pork chops with coleslaw, sweet potato mash, corn cobs, grilled apples and pears Tuesday - pumpkins soup Wednesday - spaghetti bolognese Thursday - pumpkin soup Friday - taco bake Saturday - fish, chips, mushy peas and chip shop curry sauce Sunday - chilli and brown rice Monday - sweet potato and asparagus soup Tuesday - pumpkin risotto with bacon and feta Wednesday - beef casserole Thursday - sweet potato and asparagus soup Friday - chicken, broccoli and quinoa bake Saturday - leftover night I am also going to make an effort to get exercise back into our lives even if it's just a trip to the park. I want to feel good again and have energy. I have had people say to me that I don't deserve this blog because we fell off the wagon a little, but to that I say yes I feel bad but success cannot be achieved first without failure. When we slip up we learn, that is life. I am learning.

Meal Plan 29th June

I feel refreshed to be resetting my motivation and getting back into this, the world holds so many temptations especially when we have had a big day or are tired. As I said on my last post I am extremely tight with my budget for a while so have tried making a meal plan that fits in with this. Here it is: Monday: Breakfast - Breakfast muffins Lunch - Scotch eggs and veggie sticks Dinner - Maple roasted chili pork with sweet potato mash Tuesday: Breakfast - Banana bread Lunch - Frittata Dinner - Mexican chicken stew with cauliflower rice Wednesday: Breakfast - Breakfast muffins Lunch - Scotch eggs and veggie sticks Dinner - Roasted veg soup Thursday: Breakfast - Banana bread Lunch - Frittata Dinner - Crispy orange beef with stir fried veg and quinoa Friday: Breakfast - Breakfast muffins Lunch - Quinoa, spinach omelette bites Dinner - Seriously addictive nachos Saturday: Breakfast - Eggs and soldiers Lunch - Fish, chips, mushy peas and chip shop curry sauce Dinner - Beans on toast Sunday: Breakfast - Breakfast muffins Lunch - Quinoa, spinach omelette bites Dinner - Pumpkin risotto For a fortnight feeding 2 adults and 4 children this totals $288.44 according to Woolworths online shopping, I am going to reduce the cost by getting most of my fruit and veg at the fruit and veg shop not the supermarket. When I have done shopping I will update with what I saved.

What do you eat?

A common question when we go out for dinner or get invited anywhere and I go through the no dairy, soy, gluten, artificial colours/flavours checklist. It's not a silly question either, a few years ago I would have said the same thing. I have been a little slack with this blog lately I will admit, my computer died, my daughter got probable diagnosis with Dyslexia we confirm this in August, my oldest daughters father was released from prison after 2 years and has caused lots of anxiety for us as a family. Legal proceedings have began to get what is best for her in terms of spending time with him so we have been busy and my headspace has been all over the place. But time to get back on track. Many people are taken aback when they see we have cut so much from our diets (and I do admit I have not stuck to it all that well lately and paid the price!)By cutting all of this from our diets I have seen behavioural changes in my kids (slowly it does take some time for all of this to exit our systems, I have had more energy, we have had less eczema flare ups, sleeping better and just generally feeling a lot better. Since I have slipped we are back to not listening, not helping, not sleeping very well, poor behaviour and my head is fuzzy and a mess. I have to admit I doubted myself with the food changes but this has proved to me that there was a difference and reminded my why it was so important. There are many fantastic foods you can eat still and I am on a mission to recreate all of our favourites. Money is very tight at the moment, my car is still broken after 5 months and I have poured around $4000 into it and its still having the same problem so things will be simple food wise for a while but again I love that I will be able to show people that on a budget you can still eat in a way that will benefit and help you and your family. I am in the process of doing a meal plan at the moment and will post that up when I am done.

Cinnamon Rolls

These were delicious, I admit they didn't turn out how I wanted but they turned out great still.
They were the perfect size for lunchboxes or with a cuppa.
My twins helped me make them too so great for occupying little ones.

Here's the recipe.
It makes roughly 10 rolls.

Ingredients
1 1/3 cups almond flour
1 tbsp coconut flour
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup walnuts
1 egg
2 tbsp honey (for dough), extra for filling and glaze.
Cinnamon
Almond milk

To start with mix your flours together and add honey and your egg.
Lay a sheet of greaseproof paper down and place your dough on top. Place another sheet over your dough.
Roll it into a rectangle and remove the top layer of greaseproof paper.
Drizzle your extra honey over the dough and sprinkle your walnuts, dates and 2 tbsp cinnamon over the dough.
Roll into a log shape and freeze for 10 minutes.
Once the 10 minutes is up slice the log into about 10 sections.
Place your rolls on a baking tray and pop in a preheated (180°C) oven.
These only need approx 10 mins in the oven.
In the meantime mix your almond milk (i used about 3 tbsp you may need more), cinnamon and honey together to make your glaze.
When the rolls are done, drizzle the glaze on top and enjoy.
They are best served warm, fresh from the oven