Over the past couple of weeks our house has become organisation central. I have joined flylady, have read Peter Walsh's book "It's All Too Much" and have taken action!!! I have been busy establishing new morning and evening routines and have decluttered every nook and cranny of our house and sheds. I know my friends who are reading this will probably ask what on earth I have found to declutter (I am renowned for being an organiser and minimalist), but let me tell you I have found plenty of clutter. I am loving our new clutter-free lifestyle and am truly understanding why Peter Walsh says "A home is the beginning of every day. Changing it changes your life". It is so cleansing to free yourself of clutter and to be reminded of what you really value in your life.
I really like flylady.com as the daily emails keep me on track. If you join be sure to click daily digest as she sends lot's of emails through. I don't shine my sink (it was sending the perfectionist in me a little crazy) and I don't follow the zone cleaning as I do a full and thorough clean each week anyway. I do follow the flylady daily routines though and have found them extremely helpful at reducing the stress in our days. Some of the best routines I have implemented into our daily lives include:
* Laying out our clothes, accessories, shoes, school bags etc in the evening for the following day. Even if we are having a home day, this still gets us off on the right foot.
* Placing a load of washing into the machine every evening, ready to start first thing in the morning. That way I can get it out on the clothesline before we head out each morning.
* Decluttering a hot spot each evening for several minutes before bed (a hot spot is an area of your home where clutter gathers). My hotspot is a little pile of papers that sit on our kitchen bench (bills, school notes etc).
* Getting completely dressed (including hair and make-up) first thing in the morning after my shower. Flylady says you have to put your shoes on first thing too, but I just can't do shoes inside.
* Decluttering one area for 15 minutes per day. This has made a huge difference to our lives!!! Initially I started with really obvious places like the top of the fridge and inside the computer cupboard, but I then moved on to other less obvious areas. My make-up bag has been cleaned out and now only contains my favourites. My digital photos are saved into files, backed-up on my external hard drive and my camera card is now empty. My pantry is clean, organised and only contains food that is in date and that I will actually use. My email inbox is empty as important emails have been saved in labelled files and junk emails have been discarded. My sewing and knitting boxes have been cleaned and excess fabric and wool has been sent to charity shops. My wardrobe now only contains clothes that I really like, that fit me well and that are ironed ready to wear. My car is now spotless and is completely unloaded every time we go anywhere. You get the drift.
I also really loved reading "It's All Too Much" and am so envious of Peter Walsh. He is living my dream. I do love teaching but if I could do any job in the world I would definitely want to be a professional organiser. Peter Walsh goes beyond just organising though and says you just have to get rid of your excess stuff (not simply organise your rubbish in a nifty storage system). He really goes beyond the flylady when it comes to decluttering and provides excellent strategies for getting rid of clutter (even sentimental clutter which is so hard to part with). Here are some of my favourite strategies:
"When it comes to handbags, I'm going to give you a choice. If you don't use your handbags, you must pare down the collection to fit the space. And if you have room for a prized handbag collection, you must justify it by emptying your purse every night - the way men empty their back pockets - to keep your purse contents spare and easily transferable".
"There's no such thing as artist block in preschool or kindergarten, or even primary school for that matter. Say your child paints at least one masterpiece a day. At three hundred works in a year, your child is more prolific than Picasso.....The answer is to make it a ceremony, not a purge. File flat art in a portfolio. At the end of each term, tell your child it's time to pick the best of the best. Sort through the art and pick one piece to frame and three or four to keep for posterity. The rest can be photographed and discarded."
The one-month cardboard box test
"Not sure what you use and what you don't. Here is a tried and true way to find out. Empty the contexts of your kitchen utensil drawers into a cardboard box. For one month, only put a utensil back in the drawer if you take it out of the box to use it. At the end of the month seriously consider discarding everything that's still in the cardboard box."
My Hubby has been getting into the spirit too and has been decluttering his wardrobe and shed. On the weekend I decided to give him a helping hand and I laid his precious baseball caps out on the bed (a strategy Peter Walsh uses for shoes). I laid out 15 caps as I didn't find the other 3 in his golf bag until later. When he entered the bedroom (and recovered from the initial shock of seeing the caps all laid out) I asked him how many caps he thought he needed and how many he would really wear. By laying them all out he could clearly see how many he had in each colour and which caps were in the best condition. We got it down from 18 to 7! I have had similar results with the boys and their toys.
I really would recommend both the flylady and Peter Walsh's book "It's all too much". Perhaps do what I did though and instead of buying the book, just borrow it from the library. That way it won't clutter up your bookshelf!!! :-)
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Filling Tummies with Glazed Chocolate Jam Cake
Last week my Mum and I converted another one of her beautiful cake recipes to the thermomix. This deliciously moist cake is so easy to make and is a big favourite in our family. I love the fact that it doesn't need to be iced!!! The jam glaze is a delicious time saver. I used apricot jam to make mine, but berry jam is also yummy.
Ingredients
100g butter cubed
160g organic raw sugar
160g water
120g fruit jam of your choice
180g plain organic wheat flour (use a bit more for spelt)
1 rounded tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarb soda
20g cocoa
2 eggs
Additional tbsp of jam for glazing
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees (160 fan forced) and grease a 22cm round cake tin (I also like to line the base with greaseproof paper).
Weigh the butter, sugar, water and jam into the TMX bowl and melt for 3 minutes at 80 degrees on speed 1.
Add remaining ingredients and mix for 20 seconds on speed 4 or until well combined. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl after 10 seconds.
Scrape mixture into the prepared tin (it may be a little runny) and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Leave in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out onto a cake cooler.
Spread the cake with the additional tbsp of jam that has been warmed.
Enjoy as a deliciously moist cake or as a dessert served with whipped cream or custard.
Glazed Chocolate Jam Cake
100g butter cubed
160g organic raw sugar
160g water
120g fruit jam of your choice
180g plain organic wheat flour (use a bit more for spelt)
1 rounded tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarb soda
20g cocoa
2 eggs
Additional tbsp of jam for glazing
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees (160 fan forced) and grease a 22cm round cake tin (I also like to line the base with greaseproof paper).
Weigh the butter, sugar, water and jam into the TMX bowl and melt for 3 minutes at 80 degrees on speed 1.
Add remaining ingredients and mix for 20 seconds on speed 4 or until well combined. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl after 10 seconds.
Scrape mixture into the prepared tin (it may be a little runny) and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Leave in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out onto a cake cooler.
Spread the cake with the additional tbsp of jam that has been warmed.
Enjoy as a deliciously moist cake or as a dessert served with whipped cream or custard.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Filling Tummies with Basic Side Dishes
My Hubby was brought up on "meat and three veg" and although he never complains about my creative cooking I know he always appreciates it when I pop a couple of basic meat and veg meals onto the weekly menu. I often cook up some sausages, homemade rissoles or steaks and accompany them with some steamed veg and tasty mash or steamed veg and mushroom rice (all cooked in the thermomix of course). I really like feeding our boys these types of meals as they are good vegie-eating practise. Some of the thermomix recipes disguise the vegies which I don't really appreciate.
Both of these recipes are extremely basic but I thought I would share them here just in case you are still using your saucepans to steam veg (yes I'm talking about you SH :-)). These recipes make great sides for your cooked meat and can replace packet-mix sides that contain lots of nasties. The mash recipe is (in my opinion) far superior to the EDC recipe. I would honestly never make that again after making this one. The mash in the first recipe is based on this recipe and the mushroom rice is based on this recipe (you have to love forum thermomix!).
Ingredients
750g peeled and cubed potatoes (2cm dice)
500g water
50g cream or milk (cream is divine)
50g chicken stock
20g butter
Assorted thinly sliced vegetables (often I just do peas and carrots)
Method:
Weigh the water into the bowl.
Place the potatoes in the basket and the vegetables into the varoma dish (leaving some of the vents clear).
Place the varoma on top of the lid and program 8 minutes, varoma temp, speed 2.
After the 8 minutes, take off the varoma and lid and fit the basket in place. Put the lid and varoma back in place and program a further 15 minutes, varoma temp, speed 2.
Check the potatoes after 13 minutes (mine often need another 3-4 minutes). The potatoes need to be falling apart easily when pricked with a fork.
When everything is cooked set the varoma and steaming basket aside and drain the water from the bowl.
Insert the butterfly and tip the potatoes into the bowl. Add the cream, stock and butter and whip for 4-8 seconds on speed 4.
Notes:
If I am serving the mash and steamed veg with steaks, I often make the mushroom sauce from the EDC to go with it. It is a brillant recipe. We prefer a slightly chunky mushroom sauce, so I add some sliced mushrooms in after chopping the majority of mushrooms in the TM and I cook the sauce on the reverse speed. Yum!
Ingredients:
Assorted thinly sliced vegetables
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves
40g butter
400g beef stock (don't be tempted to use vegie stock)
salt and pepper (be generous with the pepper)
500g water
100g brown rice
150g white rice
120g sliced mushrooms
small bunch of chopped parsley
Method:
Place the sliced vegetables into the varoma dish leaving some of the vents clear.
Place the onion, garlic and butter into the bowl (sometimes I add a mushroom in here also) and cook for 3 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 4.
Add the stock, water and salt and pepper to the bowl.
Sit the basket on the lid and weigh in the brown rice. Fit the basket into the bowl and cook the 20 minutes, varoma temp on speed 4.
After the 20 minutes add the white rice, mushrooms and parsley and stir with the spatula. Fit the varoma in place and cook for a further 20 minutes, varoma temp, speed 4.
After the cooking period has finished remove the varoma and basket. The liquid in the bowl can be thickened with a cornflour paste and cooked for a couple of minutes at 100 degrees to make a tasty sauce if you desire one. I normally make up the sauce while I am dishing up the meal.
Notes:
I haven't tried this using all white rice or all brown rice.
Both of these recipes are extremely basic but I thought I would share them here just in case you are still using your saucepans to steam veg (yes I'm talking about you SH :-)). These recipes make great sides for your cooked meat and can replace packet-mix sides that contain lots of nasties. The mash recipe is (in my opinion) far superior to the EDC recipe. I would honestly never make that again after making this one. The mash in the first recipe is based on this recipe and the mushroom rice is based on this recipe (you have to love forum thermomix!).
Steamed Vegies and Mash
Ingredients
750g peeled and cubed potatoes (2cm dice)
500g water
50g cream or milk (cream is divine)
50g chicken stock
20g butter
Assorted thinly sliced vegetables (often I just do peas and carrots)
Method:
Weigh the water into the bowl.
Place the potatoes in the basket and the vegetables into the varoma dish (leaving some of the vents clear).
Place the varoma on top of the lid and program 8 minutes, varoma temp, speed 2.
After the 8 minutes, take off the varoma and lid and fit the basket in place. Put the lid and varoma back in place and program a further 15 minutes, varoma temp, speed 2.
Check the potatoes after 13 minutes (mine often need another 3-4 minutes). The potatoes need to be falling apart easily when pricked with a fork.
When everything is cooked set the varoma and steaming basket aside and drain the water from the bowl.
Insert the butterfly and tip the potatoes into the bowl. Add the cream, stock and butter and whip for 4-8 seconds on speed 4.
Notes:
If I am serving the mash and steamed veg with steaks, I often make the mushroom sauce from the EDC to go with it. It is a brillant recipe. We prefer a slightly chunky mushroom sauce, so I add some sliced mushrooms in after chopping the majority of mushrooms in the TM and I cook the sauce on the reverse speed. Yum!
Steamed Vegies and Tasty Mushroom Rice
Photo to come
Photo to come
Ingredients:
Assorted thinly sliced vegetables
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves
40g butter
400g beef stock (don't be tempted to use vegie stock)
salt and pepper (be generous with the pepper)
500g water
100g brown rice
150g white rice
120g sliced mushrooms
small bunch of chopped parsley
Method:
Place the sliced vegetables into the varoma dish leaving some of the vents clear.
Place the onion, garlic and butter into the bowl (sometimes I add a mushroom in here also) and cook for 3 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 4.
Add the stock, water and salt and pepper to the bowl.
Sit the basket on the lid and weigh in the brown rice. Fit the basket into the bowl and cook the 20 minutes, varoma temp on speed 4.
After the 20 minutes add the white rice, mushrooms and parsley and stir with the spatula. Fit the varoma in place and cook for a further 20 minutes, varoma temp, speed 4.
After the cooking period has finished remove the varoma and basket. The liquid in the bowl can be thickened with a cornflour paste and cooked for a couple of minutes at 100 degrees to make a tasty sauce if you desire one. I normally make up the sauce while I am dishing up the meal.
Notes:
I haven't tried this using all white rice or all brown rice.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Filling Tummies with Spiced Chicken and Sweet Potato
This Easter holiday week has been very laid back and relaxed at our house. Our boys have been busy turning the trailer into a pirate ship and have been outside working on it from dawn to dusk. This has been the biggest blessing EVER and has freed up some time for me to do some organising (I'm a new flylady convert) and to catch up on some reading.
Cooking and meals this week have been very basic and I have been making use of some very simple and easy recipes from the Everyday Cookbook and the lovely forum thermomix. Some of the things I have been whipping up include Beef Rendang and rice (EDC), carrot cake, sticky date pudding (EDC), family chowder and creamy tomato and salami pasta (EDC). As much as I complain about the Everyday Cookbook, I must admit it does have some very tasty and easy recipes in it.
Tonight I continued on with my simple and tasty theme and cooked one of my family's all time favourite forum thermomix recipes - ILB's Spiced Chicken and Sweet Potato. It is such a simple dish to make, but is so delicious! Using the varoma (particularly with meat) can be a little worrying for new thermomix users and I really think this would be an excellent recipe for first-time varoma users. I have included some modifications and photos below to make this recipe even easier (I hope :-)).
Spiced Chicken and Sweet Potato
I use this recipe with the following modifications:
* I use 500-600g chicken thighs and 1 medium sweet potato for this recipe.
* I mix up the spices in a little bowl with 2-3 tbsp of olive oil and mix it through the chicken thighs (defatted and chopped in half). I wouldn't recommend using chicken breasts as they dry out too quickly and don't have half the flavour. I leave the thighs marinading in the fridge for several hours and then layer them with chunky sweet potato rounds in the varoma dish (see the photo below). You can also add sliced green beans around the edge of the varoma dish to boost the vegie content. Remember to leave gaps for the steam to come through.
* I add extra water to the bowl in with the tomatoes as I find half a cup isn't quite enough. I normally add about 200g of water.
* I use chicken stock in with the tomatoes for extra flavour and usually add a little sprinkle of cumin, coriander and chilli flakes in with the tomatoes, stock etc.
* I program the TMX to cook for 30 minutes, varoma, speed 2. I normally find that the chicken is cooked perfectly in this time. It is easy to overcook the chicken so keep a close eye on it.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. It is an absolute gem! Thanks ILB!!!
Cooking and meals this week have been very basic and I have been making use of some very simple and easy recipes from the Everyday Cookbook and the lovely forum thermomix. Some of the things I have been whipping up include Beef Rendang and rice (EDC), carrot cake, sticky date pudding (EDC), family chowder and creamy tomato and salami pasta (EDC). As much as I complain about the Everyday Cookbook, I must admit it does have some very tasty and easy recipes in it.
Tonight I continued on with my simple and tasty theme and cooked one of my family's all time favourite forum thermomix recipes - ILB's Spiced Chicken and Sweet Potato. It is such a simple dish to make, but is so delicious! Using the varoma (particularly with meat) can be a little worrying for new thermomix users and I really think this would be an excellent recipe for first-time varoma users. I have included some modifications and photos below to make this recipe even easier (I hope :-)).
Spiced Chicken and Sweet Potato
I use this recipe with the following modifications:
* I use 500-600g chicken thighs and 1 medium sweet potato for this recipe.
* I mix up the spices in a little bowl with 2-3 tbsp of olive oil and mix it through the chicken thighs (defatted and chopped in half). I wouldn't recommend using chicken breasts as they dry out too quickly and don't have half the flavour. I leave the thighs marinading in the fridge for several hours and then layer them with chunky sweet potato rounds in the varoma dish (see the photo below). You can also add sliced green beans around the edge of the varoma dish to boost the vegie content. Remember to leave gaps for the steam to come through.
* I add extra water to the bowl in with the tomatoes as I find half a cup isn't quite enough. I normally add about 200g of water.
* I use chicken stock in with the tomatoes for extra flavour and usually add a little sprinkle of cumin, coriander and chilli flakes in with the tomatoes, stock etc.
* I program the TMX to cook for 30 minutes, varoma, speed 2. I normally find that the chicken is cooked perfectly in this time. It is easy to overcook the chicken so keep a close eye on it.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. It is an absolute gem! Thanks ILB!!!
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