Healthy Family Healthy Budget - Summer Edition

ISSUE NO. O2 • DECEMBER 2017 

HEALTHY RECIPES • HELPFUL ARTICLES 

HEALTHY FAMILY 

HEALTHY BUDGET 

A M A G A Z I N E F O R 

H E A L T H Y F A M I L I E S 

ON A B U D G E T 

THE NEW PLACE FOR A HAPPY. HEALTHY FAMILY 

Healthy Ice Creams • Christmas Feast Without the Heat • Summer Skincare Guide 

Help with Fussy Eaters • School Holiday Activities •

Contents 

[THE HEALTHY FAMILY HEALTHY BUDGET MAGAZINE Summer EDITION] 

04 

Guest Contributors 

06 

Lunchboxes What to Pack 

07 

From the Editor 

08 

Healthy Food Swaps for 

Christmas 

10 

Gifts That Don’t Cost The 

Earth 

12 

Christmas Feast Without 

The Heat 

13 

Cold Christmas Recipes 

26 

Fancy Drinks The Whole 

Family Will Love 

28 

Just For The Grown Ups— 

Cocktails 

30 

Budget Friendly School 

Holiday Activities 

31 

Tips For Fussy Eaters 

32 

Boredom Busters 

33 

BBQ Banana Split 

34 

Fruit De Light 

35 

Banana Pikelets 

36 

How to Protect Your 

Summer Skin 

38 

Summer Skin Care Guide 

39 

Bohemian Baked Vege Bowl 

40 

Tips for Meal Planning on a 

Savvy Mums Budget 

42 

What’s in Season for 

Summer 

44 

Super Power Spaghetti 

Bolognese 

45 

Quinoa Con Carne 

46 

Why Grazing Platters? 

47 

Picnic in the Park 

48 

Healthy Ice Cream Recipes 

52 

The Sharing Economy 

53 

Why Are Picnics so Great? 

54 

Zucchini, Bacon and 

Haloumi Slice 

55 

Chicken Burritos 

56 

Muesli Parfait 

57 

Raspberry & Mango 

Smoothie 

58 

Tips for Working out in 

Summer 

60 

Fish and Chips 

61 

Our Favourite Products for 

Summer

Spring edition Guest contributors 

[meet the lovely contributors that help put this edition together] 

Annette Sym is Australia’s favourite weight loss mentor and bestselling author of 

the SYMPLY TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE cookbook series 1-7; with over 4 million 

copies sold. Annette has helped thousands lose weight and keep it off through her 

low-fat cookbooks, Premium Breakfast Shakes, online mentoring program, 

speaking events, workshops, website and social media. 

Find out more about Annette at Symply Too Good 

Abigail Koch is spokesperson for one of Australia's most well-known comparison 

services, comparethemarket.com.au. Abigail has been a media commentator on 

household budgeting and finances for the last four years. She is a contributor 

to news.com.au's MoneySaverHQ and regularly appears on the Today Show and 

Sunrise to share her money-saving tips and advice with consumers. 

Find out more about Abigail at comparethemarket.com.au 

Anna and Alex are Accredited Practising Dietitian, Sports Dietitians and nutrition 

experts who are passionate about educating and empowering busy individuals to 

achieve optimal health and wellbeing through good nutrition. The Biting Truth 

regularly feature in the media and have a social media following of over 50,000. 

The girls endorse a balanced and practical approach to health and nutrition and 

have a strong passion for family nutrition. 

Find out more about Anna and Alex at The Biting Truth 

After being diagnosed with an autoimmune condition and fibromyalgia a few years 

ago, I changed my diet to help heal my body. I became fascinated by the world of 

health. This led me to the creation of my blog www.superchargedfood.com, as it 

gave me a platform to create and share recipes, connect with likeminded people 

and spread my love of healthy and simple food. I’m a holistic nutritionist, mum, 

whole foods chef, Hatha yoga teacher and author of several number-one bestselling 

books 

Find out more about Lee at Supercharged Food

Spring edition Guest contributors 

[meet the lovely contributors that help put this edition together] 

Liana is the founder and head nutritionist at Pure Zen Nutrition. Liana is a 

professional nutritional health practitioner who has a passion to help people find 

health through nutrition and healthy eating. She launched Pure Zen in 2016 as a 

private consultant. Liana offers one on one consultations that will address your 

health, lifestyle and diet. She believes that preparing good and nutritious food 

should be fun and easy. Liana has a passion for gut health, she believes, that 

most disease states arise in the gastro intestinal tract, and a happy belly will lead 

to a happier healthier you. 

Find out more about Liana at Pure Zen Nutrition 

Rani from You Totally Got This is a full time lawyer and part time blogger. Her 

mission? To help you get a healthy dinner on the table fast. With her simple real 

food recipes (think, yummy stuff like pizza, lasagne and tacos) and clever kitchen 

hacks, Rani makes cooking easy. Whether, you’re short on time, hate cooking or 

just can’t be bothered, she will have you cooking awesome healthy meals in 

minutes. 

Find out more about Rani at You Totally Got This 

Vanouhi Nazarian started Kindershare after feeling frustrated when travelling 

with her children – having to take half the house because she couldn’t find baby 

equipment when she needed it interstate and overseas. Hearing about the 

sharing economy made her realise there was an easier solution to the constant 

ring-around to find baby equipment, and Kindershare was born. 

Find out more about Vanouhi at Kindershare 

Hi I’m Becky! Family Garden Life is all about reconnecting with the outside and 

enjoying fun, engaging and hands-on learning with your family. Do you love being 

outside in your garden, backyard, courtyard, or even your patio? We believe it 

doesn’t matter if you have green thumbs or black thumbs it’s what happens next 

that will shape your family garden life. 

For more ways to get into the garden visit Family Garden Life

Lunchboxes 

WHAT TO PACK 

Crunch & Sip - Pack some veggie sticks or fruit, perfect for a quick energy 

boosting snack 

Morning Tea - Fresh fruit, wholemeal crackers with cheese, yoghurt (freeze 

before it goes to school), homemade muffins, plain popcorn 

Lunch - Mix it up a bit with sandwiches and wraps with lean meats and salads, 

leftovers and veggie slices 

Drink - Always pack water so they stay hydrated all day 

QUICKTIPS: 

 

 

 

 

Involve kids in packing lunch box 

Keep it simple and fresh 

Use left overs 

Plan ahead and save

Hi, 

From the editor 

Wow, the past three months have flown by and it is 

time for the Summer edition of my little magazine. I 

was extremely proud of how my launch edition for 

Spring turned out and all the feedback that I 

received. I hope you enjoy this edition just as much. 

I love this time of year; Christmas especially but 

being able to enjoy the outdoors more. Enjoying 

BBQ’s and sitting outside while it is still light (with 

mozzie zappers going of course). This edition is full 

of helpful articles to assist you in having a healthier, 

budget friendly Christmas as well as recipes and all 

over tips. If you have fussy eaters then you will love 

the tips that the girls from The Biting Truth have 

contributed to help you out. 

I’ve also included some tips on working out in 

Summer without suffering from heatstroke; and my 

favourite products for Summer time. The team from 

Nim-Veda have also supplied an article about caring 

for your skin during the summer months; well worth 

the read; trust me. Oh and don’t forget to try out the 

healthy ice cream recipes that Lisa from Mummy 

made It has supplied (hidden ingredients that you’ll 

never guess). 

So please, sit down with a cuppa (or a wine) and 

enjoy this edition and I hope you find something in 

here that is helpful to you and I look sending you the 

Autumn Edition in just a few months time. 

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and wish 

you all the best for the New Year. 

Enjoy Summer!! 

Katrina 

Founder Healthy Family Healthy 

Budget

Five Healthy Food Swaps for Christmas 

and the holidays 

The Christmas period is a time for friends and 

families to get together, go on holidays and often 

eat either a little more than we usually would or eat 

different foods from our normal routine. With the 

endless parties and end of year get togethers, this 

can often be a time of stress for those who are 

concerned about what they are eating. 

The best way to ensure that you are enjoying 

yourself while still partaking in all the yuletide 

activities is to make small and simple swaps. 

These are my suggestions for a happy and healthy 

Christmas. 

1. Swap white bread for Whole grain breads 

Often we have house guests over the christmas 

break and one of the most popular breakfast 

options is toast or bagels. They are easy to 

prepare, quick, tasty and cheap. The problem is 

white bread is what I call an ‘empty food’, in that it 

is something that will fill you up, but wont actually 

put any nutrients into your body. White flours are 

made by removing the husk that surrounds the 

wheat germ (1) . This is done so the flour wont spoil 

as quickly and the flour can be stored for longer 

periods of time. However by removing this husk we 

also remove a lot of the fibre, vitamins and minerals 

that go along with it (2) . Choosing a sour dough or 

whole grain bread will not only have more 

nutritional value, it will also keep you fuller for 

longer making sure you don’t snack through out the 

day. Adding protein to your breakfast can also help 

to keep you fuller for longer - smoked salmon and 

avocado anyone! 

2. Swap lettuce for Spinach 

Salads are a great add on to any Christmas meal, 

and often garden salads are one of the features 

with lettuce being the base. Baby spinach however 

has three times more calcium, five times more iron 

and six times more magnesium than lettuce (3) . 

Making this simple swap, will ensure your salads 

are packed full of goodness. 

3. Swap Mayonnaise for Yogurt 

Greek yogurt can be a substitute dressing for the 

mayonnaise we usually add with a potato salad, 

with less fat and more calcium (3) . I like to use this 

recipe as substitute: 

1 x cup of greek yogurt 

1 x tablespoon of apple cider vinegar 

1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar 

Mix well until all ingredients are combined. 

4. Swap Potato for Sweet potato 

Sweet potato is one of my favourite vegetables, not 

only does it taste great, it is versatile, and full of 

vitamin A (3) . Vitamin A is important for the immune 

system, normal vision and reproduction health (4) . 

Sweet potato chips go down absolute treat, or try 

making mash potato with half sweet potato and half

normal potato. 

5. Swap Pavlova for Eaton mess 

Pavlova is another favourite not only at the 

Christmas table, but any table that sports a 

summer B.B.Q. For a healthier spin on this classic 

dessert try crushing some meringue nests (these 

can be purchased at any major supermarket), top 

with greek yogurt, bananas, summer berries and 

passion fruit. Berries are packed full of 

antioxidants, vitamin C and fibre to keep your 

digestive tract happy this summer (4). 

With these simple swaps in mind, you can now 

spend the holidays enjoying time with your loved 

ones and not worrying about what you are eating. 

Article submitted by Liana Kent of 

Pure Zen Nutrition 

References 

1 - Mayo clinic 2017, How can bread be labeled 

white and whole-wheat? viewed 28 November 

2017, . 

2 - Better Health 2017, Cereals and wholegrain 

foods, viewed 28 November 2017, . 

3 - Food zone 2017, . 

4 - National institute of health 2017, Vitamin A, 

viewed 28 November 2018, .

Gifts that don’t cost the earth 

Gifts are just that – gifts. They don’t come with a 

value to them, in fact, gifts that are made with love 

have a higher emotional value to them with less 

spend. So it makes sense to weigh up your options 

because the credit card hangover you get mid-tolate 

summer is not for the faint hearted! 

Here at Family Garden Life, we like to take it one 

step further and gift something green. This means 

we are making better choices when thinking about 

our footprint and the effect our gift will have on the 

environment. This doesn’t mean it will cost you 

more in fact, it costs less to gift green. You just 

need to think more about what you can recycle, 

reuse, grow and even make for consumption. 

Simples! 

Herbs in recycled tins 

Herbs are an awesome gift for anyone and are a 

valuable addition to any garden kitchen. They not 

only smell amazing and are useful in the kitchen 

herbs are extremely valuable and cost effective. 

Being able to pick what you grow and not waste 

excess has a massive impact on waste reduction. 

My favourite 3 herbs which are super easy to grow 

and always welcomed in our kitchen are basil, 

rosemary and mint. 

If you want to take it one step further, all three of 

these herbs can be taken from cuttings. If someone 

you know already grows herbs, then this is a 

perfect way to minimise your spend. 

What you’ll need 

Used tins, rinsed with labels removed 

Hessian roll approx. 10cm wide 

Twine or thick string 

Herbs of choice 

Good quality potting mix 

Make sure you drill 3 holes in the bottom of the tin 

for drainage. Tins will rust over time, so ensure 

your tins are used close to the gift giving date. Fill 

with soil and add your herbs and water well. Wrap 

the hessian around the tin and secure with the 

string. You can always use paddle pop sticks as 

plant identifiers as well. Make sure you use the 

correct marker on the stick or the ink will run if it 

gets wet. 

Sunflower grow balls 

Sunflowers would have to be one of our favourite 

flowers. The sunflower is a magical flower which 

over delivers on impact with its sheer size and 

amazing display of colour. The birds and bees can’t 

resist as well, making it a valuable addition to your 

garden. 

Sunflowers are also perfect for the hot Australian 

conditions at Christmas time. You can also collect 

the seeds afterwards, if the birds don’t get to them 

first, making this gift one that just keeps on giving 

well after the gift has been received. Now that’s 

value!

Recipe 

4 cups of clay (most clay will work. I use 

bentonite clay) 

1 cup of fine compost 

Seeds 

Sprinkle of fertiliser 

Water to moisten 

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add 

the water sparingly. Your consistency is everything 

because you need it to form a ball. If it’s too wet it 

could trigger the germination process or be difficult 

to work with. Roll them gently into balls. Don’t 

compact them together like you would if you were 

baking in the kitchen, they need to be able to break 

apart on germination in the garden. Set them out 

on a tray to dry for 24 hours in a cool, dry spot. 

While your seed bombs are drying, get to work 

creating your packaging from biodegradable 

materials. Cups or display boxes made out of 

recycled materials, hessian pouches, even a small 

pot to start the sunflowers in. Bright sunflower 

swing tags will brighten up the natural packaging 

material. 

Succulent Fairy Pods 

Coffee pods are normally thrown into waste and 

can’t be recycled, which is the worst kind of 

packaging for our environment. Making choices to 

not purchase these is by far the best option. If you 

do have an excess of empty pods, I have a great 

way you can reuse them as gifts for the kids to give 

their friends. 

Fairy gardens are so popular these days, and there 

is nothing a fairy likes more than a plant pot at the 

entry to her fairy cottage. Turn your used pots into 

fairy planters by simply following these directions. 

Directions 

Empty out the pods and give them a rinse 

Push the base up so they sit flat 

Fill with succulent mix 

Add a cutting 

Sustainable gifts are a great way to show kids that 

giving is about the gift and not its size and value. I 

don’t know about you, but I love a gift that is made 

especially for me. When someone puts thought and 

love into a gift the value is received in more ways 

that just the value of money. 

You can have green thumbs or black thumbs it 

doesn’t matter. It’s what happens next that will 

shape your family garden life. 

Article submitted by Rebecca Searles from Family 

Garden Life 

Rebecca Searles is the founder of Family 

Garden Life. Even as a child, she treasured the 

moments when she could escape to the garden, 

now she loves sharing this with her kids. 

Family Garden Life a blog directory for mums 

who want to bring their family closer to nature 

but aren’t sure where to start.

Christmas feast without the heat 

As well know Summer in Australia is not the 

best time to have the oven going for hours on 

end. And for some of us this seems to be the 

only way to have a Christmas feast on the 

table. It doesn’t have to be; with a bit of 

thinking and planning you can have a 

delicious Christmas lunch/dinner without ever 

turning the oven on. 

If you’re family likes to have a couple of 

roasts on the table; consider buying the 

pre-cooked BBQ Chickens; both Coles and 

Woolworths have dropped their prices on 

these and it is now cheaper to buy the 

cooked ones than the raw ones AND you 

don’t have to spend time with the oven on. 

If Pork is your roast of choice; consider 

cooking it on the BBQ; it will take roughly the 

same amount of time and will keep the heat 

outside. 

Turkey is another popular roast for Christmas 

day; this one is a little trickier. You might be 

a bit hard pushed to cook a full turkey on the 

BBQ (space, lack of seal on BBQ’s); however 

there are other options to the traditional 

whole turkey roast. If your family is happy to 

enjoy a cold Christmas lunch/dinner; look at 

the sliced turkey breast offerings at the deli 

section of the supermarket. Per kilo they are 

a little more expensive (but think about how 

much of the meat goes to waste when you 

cook a while bird). If you have a small 

Christmas gathering this may be a more 

economical way to do it. The other option is 

to look at the Rolled Turkey breast roasts; the 

per kilo $ is a bit higher than the full bird, but 

without the bones you end up getting more 

for your money and these can be cooked on 

the BBQ as well. 

If your family favours the full hot lunch/dinner 

for Christmas and you need veggies; you can 

roast veggies on the BBQ as well or look at 

steaming or boiling potatoes, pumpkin, sweet 

potato, carrot, corn etc. and then melting 

some butter, garlic and parsley and mixing 

through your veg. Another yummy option is 

to boil carrots and then melt some honey, mix 

with sesame seeds and mix through the 

carrots. While these options do require some 

heat, it is the stove and will not heat up you 

(or the house) anywhere near as much as the 

oven. 

I love having a variety of salads on the table 

at Christmas; they work great with either a 

hot or cold meal. 

I hope these ideas can help you can enjoy 

Christmas day without the added heat and 

stress of all the cooking. I have included 

some recipes that all leave the oven alone to 

give you some more ideas. 

Article by Katrina Gee of Healthy Family 

Healthy Budget

Cold Potato Salad 

Ingredients 

approx. 600g white washed potatoes 

4 rashers bacon, diced 

4 spring onions, sliced 

Dressing 

3/4 cup mayonnaise 

1 Tblspn dijon mustard 

1-2 Tblspns white wine vinegar 

2 Tblspns sour cream 

Method 

Rinse the potatoes (peel if you prefer) and 

chop into bite-sized pieces 

Cook the potatoes in boiling water for approx. 

5 minutes or until just tender (pierce with a 

small sharp knife, the knife will go in and out 

easily but the potato will hold its shape.) 

Drain and place in a large bowl and leave to 

cool 

While the potatoes are cooling, cook the 

bacon and spring onions until bacon is crispy 

and onions soft 

Mix in with the potatoes and allow to cool 

slightly 

Mix together dressing ingredients, adding the 

vinegar a little at a time to taste. If you prefer 

a thinner dressing, add a little water. 

Pour over the potato, bacon, onion mix and 

gently toss being careful not to break up the 

potato pieces. 

Recipe by Katrina Gee of Healthy Family 


Garden salad 

Ingredients 

Either approx. 8 iceberg lettuce leaves , 

removed, washed and shredded 

Or a large bag of mixed lettuce leaves 

1/2 red capsicum, diced 

1/2 cucumber, sliced 

100g cherry tomatoes, halved 

1/2 red onion, sliced 

1/2 carrot, peeled and matchstick julienned 

1 avocado, peeled and cubed 

Dressing 

1/3 cup olive oil 

2 Tblspns balsamic vinegar 

Method 

Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl 

and mix well to combine 

To make the dressing: 

Whisk together the olive oil and balsamic 

dressing until well combined 

Drizzle the dressing over the salad mix 

and toss gently to combine. 

Once dressed, serve immediately. 

. 



Coleslaw 

Ingredients 

1/2 small red cabbage, shredded 

2 medium carrots, grated 

1 small red onion, thinly sliced 

1 red capsicum, chopped 

Dressing 

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

2 Tspns lemon juice 

1 Tspn Dijon mustard 

Method 

Combine all salad ingredients in a large 

bowl and mix well 

To make the dressing; whisk together the 

dressing ingredients until well combined. 

Pour the dressing over the coleslaw mix 

and mix well to combine, serve 

immediately. 



Beetroot and 

Hazelnut salad 

Ingredients 

3 beetroots, washed, topped and tailed 

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

1/2 Tblspn balsamic vinegar 

1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped 

Method 

Grate beetroot 

Combine garlic and vinegar and pour 

over beetroot 

Toss to combine 

Garnish with hazelnuts just before 

serving 

Recipe supplied by Hopewood Lifestyle

Nutty Floret 

Salad 

Ingredients 

1 cup cauliflower, cut into small florets 

1 cup broccoli, cut into small florets 

1 cup snow peas, chopped 

1/2 cup almonds, toasted 

1/4 cup cashes, toased 

1/4 cup coconut, shredded and lightly 

toasted 

1 cup tomato wedges or halved cherry 

tomatoes 

Dressing 

2 Tblspns tamari 

1 garlic clove, pressed 

1 Tblspn honey 

1 tblspn sesame oil or toasted sesame 

seeds 

Method 

Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl 

Toss through with dressing and serve 


Eggplant, Tomato 

and Feta Stack 

Ingredients 

3 eggplants, sliced into rounds 

1 onion, chopped 

2 garlic cloves, chopped 

3 tomatoes, chopped 

1 Tspn fresh or dried Italian herbs 

1 cup low fat tasty cheese, grated 

1/2 feta, crumbled 

Basil and parsley for garnish, chopped 

Method 

Cut the eggplant into rounds, allowing 

three per person 

Place on baking paper and setting the remainder 

aside 

Bake in the oven at 180oC for 20-25 

minutes, until almost cooked 

Cube the remaining eggplant 

Saute onions and garlic with the cubed 

eggplant until soft 

Add tomatoes, herbs and tasty cheese, 

tossing gently in the pan until the cheese 

starts to melt 

On the baking tray, assemble the eggplant 

rounds with layers of the tomato mixture in 

a stack 

Top with crumbled feta cheese 

Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes 

to heat through prior to serving 


Coconut and 

tahini balls 

Ingredients 

1/4 cup raw almonds soaked in water 

(1 hour) and chopped 

1/2 cup tahini 

1/2 cup honey 

1 cup almond meal or LSA 

1 cup dried fruits chopped (e.g. apricot, 

apple, cranberry, dates) 

1/2 cup desiccated coconut 

1 Tbslspn vanilla extract 

Method 

Combine all ingredients (except coconut) 

in a food processor 

Roll into balls 

Roll into coconut 

Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving 

Store in an airtight container in the fridge 

Fruit and nut 

truffles 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup pitted dates 

1/2 cup walnuts 

1/2 cup dried craisins or cranberries 

1/2 cup sultanas 

1 cup shredded coconut 

Method 

Combine all ingredients (except coconut) 

in a food processor 

Roll into balls 

Roll into coconut 

Store in an airtight container in the fridge 

Recipes supplied by Hopewood Lifestyle

Mini Frangipane 

Tarts 

Ingredients 

100 g softened butter 

100g caster sugar 

100 g ground almond flour 

1 egg 

1 tsp vanilla extract (not essence) 

zest of half an orange 

Raspberry Jam (this would also work with 

almost any another jam flavour that you 

have on hand) 

Mini tart shells (woollies and coles have 

these in the bakery section) 

Method 

Cook off the tart shells in the oven (only 

takes about 10 minutes 

Beat butter and sugar together until 

creamy 

Beat in the egg and vanilla 

Mix through the almond flour 

Place a teaspoon of jam in the base of the 

tart shell 

Follow with a teaspoon of frangipane mix, 

then another of jam and one more of 

frangipane 

Bake for approx. 18 minutes 

Serve with your choice of cream, ice 

cream and berries on top 


Healthy Budget (Original recipe from 

Jamie Oliver)

Quick Pavlova 

Ingredients 

1 x 500g pavlova base (available form 

woollies and coles) 

300ml thickened cream 

1 Tblspn icing sugar 

1 Tspn vanilla extract 

6 cups your choice of summer berries 

(blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, 

even cherries if you like (frozen is fine) 

1Tblspn sugar 

Method 

Put berries in a saucepan with 2 Tblspns 

water and the 1 Tblspn sugar and bring 

to a simmer over a medium heat, 

uncovered. Simmer, stirring gently every 

now and then until the berries begin to 

break down, approx. 5-10 minutes 

Allow to cool 

While the berries are cooling whip the 

cream with the icing sugar and vanilla 

until soft peaks form. 

To serve dollop cream over pavlova and 

top with a drizzle of the berries and the 

sauce created. 

Serve immediately 



Chocolate Crackles 

Ingredients 

2.5 cups rice bubbles 

1/3 cup desiccated coconut 

100g 70% dark chocolate 

2 Tbslpns coconut oil 

2 Tbslpns rice malt syrup 

Method 

Mix the rice bubbles and coconut together in a large 

bowl 

In a microwave safe bowl add the dark chocolate, 

rice malt syrup and coconut oil 

Melt in bursts (30 seconds) in the microwave until 

chocolate has melted* and stir together well (took 

about 45 seconds plus some stirring in my microwave) 

Add the melted chocolate mixture to the rice puffs 

and mix together well 

Divide evenly between the cupcake cases and place 

in a try in the freezer to set (leave them for about 1-2 

hours) 

Remove from the freezer a couple of minutes before 

you try to eat them 

Enjoy 

Notes: *Melting the chocolate in 30 second intervals 

allows you to check the chocolate regularly to avoid 

burning the chocolate. Give the chocolate a good 

stir before you put it back in the microwave as the 

chocolate will hold its shape until touched. If the 

chocolate is nearly melted leave it out of the microwave 

and stir it a bit, the residual heat should be 

enough to finish melting it. If not, reduce the time in 

the microwave to 10 second bursts. 

Suggestions: If you fancy a minty version, add 1 

Tspn peppermint essence to the melted chocolate 

mix before and mix well, before you add it to the rice 

puffs. 

Recipe by Katrina Gee of Healthy Family Healthy 


Peppermint 

chocolate slice 

Ingredients 

2 x cups roasted almonds 

1 x cup preservative free shredded coconut 

(you can get yours here) 

1 x cup medjool dates (you can get them 

here) 

2 x Tbs coconut flour 

4 x Tbs cacao powder 

3 x Tbs coconut oil (from here) 

8-10 drops peppermint essential oil (pure food 

grade essential oils can be purchased here) 

Method 

Put all ingredients into thermomix or food processor 

and blend until well combined. Don’t 

process for too long, you want it to be 

‘crunchy.’ 

Line slice tin with baking paper, pour mixture 

into tin and press down well. 

Put in fridge for an hour before cutting into 

slices. 

* You may need to add 1 -2 tbs of water to 

help the mixture stick together. 

* You can roll into balls and cover with coconut 

if you prefer. 

* Wild orange essential oil is a delicious alternative 

to peppermint. 

Recipe submitted by Jess Ralph from Nourish 

and Spice

Kids Trifles 

Ingredients 

1 x ready made cake 

1 pkt jelly (flavour of your choice) 

1 granny smith apple 

400g vanilla custard to serve 

Method 

Make up jelly and fridge to set for about an hour 

(custard consistency, not fully set) 

Cut apple lengthways into 5mm thick slices and 

using the star shaped cutter; cut stars from the apple 

Add to jelly, stir to combine 

Cut cake to size to fit in your chosen glasses to 

serve in 

Place approx. 1/2 cup of jelly mix into the base of 

your glasses return to fridge to set for another 4 

hours (approximately) 

When the jelly is set remove from fridge and add in 

cake pieces, top with custard to serve. 

Recipe by Katrina Gee of Healthy Family Healthy 

Budget (adapted from Aeroplane Jelly recipe)

Summer Berry Trifle 

Ingredients 

1 x 85g pkt Aeroplane quick-set strawberry & 

raspberry jelly crystals 

14 bought jam rollettes, cut into 1cm-thick 

slices 

80ml (1/3 cup) apple juice or sweet sherry 

650g summer berries of choice (strawberries, 

blueberries etc. fresh is better for this recipe) 

500ml vanilla custard 

1 cup thickened cream 

Method 

Prepare the jelly following packet directions. 

Pour into a large container and place in the 

fridge for 1 hour or until set. Coarsely chop. 

Place half the rollettes in the base of a 3L (12- 

cup) capacity serving bowl. 

Drizzle half the apple juice or sherry over the 

rollettes. 

Top with half the jelly and one-third of the 

berries. 

Spoon over half the custard. Repeat with the 

remaining rollettes, apple juice or sherry, jelly 

and half the remaining berries. 

Top with the remaining custard. 

Spoon the cream over the trifle and top with 

the remaining strawberries and blueberries. 

Place in the fridge until required. 

Recipe adapted from Taste.com.au

Fancy Drinks the whole family will enjoy 

Pomegranate Fizz 

Place a teaspoon of pomegranate seeds in the 

bottom of a champagne glass. Fill halfway with 

pomegranate juice and top up with cold Edenvale 

Sparkling Cuvee. Garnish with a sprig of mint. 

Happiness in a glass! 

Cranberry Crush 

750ml bottle of Edenvale Alcohol Removed 

Sparkling Rosé 

Juice of 2 limes 

2 cups cranberry juice 

Combine all ingredients together with ice in a 

pitcher or drink dispenser. Serve over ice with 

sliced fresh strawberries and mint to garnish. 

Lemon & Lime mocktail 

Ingredients: 

1/2 Lemon, 1/2 Lime and Edenvale Sparkling 

Cuvee 

Directions: 

1. Cut lemon and lime into small rounds 

2. Pour desired amount of Edenvale Sparkling 

Cuvee into glass 

3. Add lemon and lime rounds 

4. Stir and enjoy! 

Peach Bellini 

Combine 1 part peach puree with 2 parts Edenvale 

Alcohol Removed Sparkling Cuvee and stir gently. 

Delicious! 

Nojito 

If you want a taste of Cuba without the white rum 

(or the headache) then this is the mocktail for you... 

Add 30 ml of lime juice, 6 mint leaves and 2 tsp of 

brown sugar to a tall glass, making sure you bruise 

a few of the mint leaves. Leave the mix to rest for a 

while and then fill the glass with ice and top with 

120 ml of club soda, lemonade, or our Edenvale 

Sparkling Cuvee. Stir, then add a sprig of mint for 

decoration & enjoy! 

Cucumber Cooler 

1 cucumber 

Mint leaves 

Peel cucumber and blend in a blender to create a 

smooth consistency 

Add mint leaves (muddle, bruise mint leaves with a 

wooden spoon) 

Strain 

Add 2 cups of Edenvale Sparkling Cuvee 

Stir 

Sangria 

2 cups boiling water 

1 black tea bag 

½ cinnamon stick

2 tablespoons sugar (or stevia) 

1 orange, sliced into thin rounds 

1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds 

1 lime, sliced into thin rounds 

1 apple, slicked into thin rounds 

2 cups Edenvale Shiraz 

Mix together and leave overnight in the fridge or at 

least for a few hours 

bottles of Edenvale Alcohol Removed Sparkling 

Cuvee in an ice bucket, and arrange alongside 

different types of juice (orange, pomegranate, 

grape fruit, pear), bowls of chopped fruit for garnish 

(orange, lemon, lime, strawberry) and champagne 

flutes. Then let your guests create their own 

mimosas and experiment with unique flavour 

combinations. 

Cucumber Mint Fizz 

In a cocktail shaker add a handful of mint leaves, 1 

tsp of honey and the juice of 1 lime and give it a 

good shake. Pour the mixture into a glass over 

some ice, add a few slices of cucumber, and then 

top it up with some fresh and fruity Edenvale 

Alcohol Removed Sparkling Cuvee to add the fizz! 

Rose Berry Bliss 

Pour a bottle of Edenvale Rosé into a large jug 

Add 250g frozen blueberries 

Add 1 litre pink lemonade 

Place in fridge for 1 hour 

Pour into flutes and top up with lemon-lime soda 

and a few blueberries 

Enjoy! 

Mimosas 

Mimosas are synonymous with Sunday brunch. So, 

if you're planning a festive season brunch at your 

place, why not try a DIY mimosa bar! Place a few 

Traditional Mulled Wine 

Decant a bottle of Edenvale Shiraz into a large 

saucepan with 250ml water. 

Add 3 tbsp honey, a clove, 1 sliced orange, 1 sliced 

lemon, 1 tsp ginger, 1 cinnamon stick. 

Allow to simmer gently for 20 minutes. 

Remove from heat. 

Divide among heat-resistant serving glasses, 

garnish with orange slices and cinnamon sticks. 

and serve immediately. 

Mulled Wine – the ‘quickie’ version 

Decant a bottle of Edenvale Shiraz into a large 

saucepan. Add 200ml fresh orange juice, rind from 

the orange, 3 tbs honey and a mulled wine sachet. 

Simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Remove from heat, divide among heat-resistant 

glasses, garnish with orange slices and cinnamon 

sticks, and serve immediately. 

Recipes submitted by Edenvale Wines

Just for the 

grown ups 

The summer 

Impression 

Ingredients: 

2 inches of a cucumber rough mirepoux 

1 Scoop ice 

30 mls elderflour liquer 

15mls vodka 

15 mls cointreau 

Small squeeze of lime juice 

15 mls of coconut milk 

Method: 

Blend all ingredients well until 

consistency of a slushy, rim a martini 

glass with coconut flakes 

pour and garnish with cucumber and 

lime. 

Serve 

Recipe submitted by: First Edition Bar 

and Dining, Canberra

Just for the 

grown ups 

The first 

Impression 

Ingredients 

1 scoop Ice 

15mls First Edition Signature Gin 

15 mls of Soda Water 

1 whole passionfruit- with the seeds 

removed 

Small squeeze of Lime Juice 

Method 

Mix all together pour into a short glass, 

garnish with passion fruit seeds and mint 

Recipe submitted by: First Edition Bar 

and Dining, Canberra

Budget Friendly 

School holiday activities 

School holidays may be a time for some to finally wind 

down and relax, but for many kids, they’re ready to be 

entertained for the whole holidays! As parents, 

grandparents and even babysitters, we want each 

school holiday to be more memorable than the last, 

trying to come up with new, and exciting ideas to make 

the break unforgettable. However, the price of 

entertainment generally doesn’t come too cheap! 

Abigail Koch, spokesperson for Compare The Market 

lists 10 quick budget friendly school holiday activities 

that are guaranteed to keep the whole family entertained: 

Find a river or estuary to swim in. Finding calmer 

waters in your area will make a big difference to your 

beach trips if you have little kids who aren’t too keen on 

the waves. Taking the kids to the local river is a fantastic 

way to exercise, have fun and keep cool these holidays. 

Set up a slippery slide in your backyard. Stitch 

together a pair of tarps, have the water hose at the 

ready and let physics and your kids’ exhilaration do the 

rest. 

Explore the parks in your area. Local parks are a 

wonderful way for your kids to explore and it won’t cost 

a cent. Most parks are well equipped for the younger 

ones, with the added bonus of them getting worn out 

easily. Make a day of it and invite friends and family to 

join in on the fun! 

Look for activities that have educational value. It 

could be anything like a trip to a zoo, a wildlife 

sanctuary, botanical gardens or a planetarium. If your 

children are inquisitive by nature or enjoy looking at 

pretty pictures, chances are they’ll spot something 

fascinating during a trip to the museum too. Admission 

fees generally cost a couple of dollars too. 

Go on cycle and scooter rides. Find a good cycling 

track in your area and set out on a family ride. This 

great activity also makes the children easier to manage 

at night time too. You will definitely need the downtime 

once they go to bed! 

Get the board games out in the evenings. Monopoly, 

Cluedo, Trivial Pursuit, Risk – these games last through 

generations and always provide hours and hours of fun. 

Go on a picnic trip. Heading to an unfamiliar picnic 

spot is a guaranteed way to prevent holiday boredom. 

You can let them choose a place in your local area, 

pack some lunch and make a day of it. Bring a Frisbee 

or football and play a couple of games after lunch too. 

Do some gardening together. Teach the kids how to 

grow their own plant – whether it’s a vegetable patch, 

fruit tree or some herbs. They’ll learn so much about the 

environment around them while keeping tabs on the 

progress of their garden. 

Visit a farm. From patting farm animals to trying out 

fresh produce, few things can teach the kids to love the 

land like a day on the acreage. 

Kids’ bedroom makeover. School holidays are ideal 

for this, as makeovers are practically impossible during 

the school term. Involve the little ones in redesigning 

their room to their liking! This doesn’t have to be an 

expensive project; it could simply mean putting up a few 

posters or rearranging the furniture. 

Article written by Abigail Koch for Compare the Market.

9 Tips for fussy eaters 

Whilst food refusal and extreme fussy eating can be 

very disheartening for parents, it’s important to 

remember that it’s normal for children to go through 

stages of refusing to eat certain foods. Yes, it probably 

would be easier at times to give up but getting on top of 

fussy eating at an early age can help prevent ongoing 

nutrition related issues later in life. We’ve compiled 

9 simple tips that we have used first hand to assist our 

clients and their families manage fussy eaters 

(remember there’s not one-size-fits-all approach that will 

work for everyone and if you’d like further support we 

recommend seeking the advice of an Accredited Practicing 

Dietitian. 

1. Don’t give up — Young children often need to 

see a food up to 10 times before they feel 

comfortable enough to try it. Try presenting new 

foods in different ways, by themselves and in 

combination with other familiar foods. When 

children do not eat the foods offered, it’s 

important not to give in and provide other 

foods. Children may see this as being rewarded 

for being fussy. Just because your child is 

refusing to eat a new food, doesn’t necessarily 

mean they don’t like the food. General rule of 

thumb: Continue to offer healthy family meals and 

try not to offer alternatives. 

2. Positive Reinforcement is Important — 

Encourage good eating behaviours. 

When children do eat a new food, congratulate 

them – even if it is just for trying one mouthful. 

Try not to pay much attention to fussy eating 

behaviour otherwise this behaviour may continue 

as a means of attention seeking. 

3. Engage — Where possible engage your children 

in the preparation of meal or snack times as this 

will increase their interest in the foods. For 

example, if serving wraps for lunch, serve 

‘deconstructed wraps’ and allow the children to 

select different items they would like on their 

wraps. Talk to the children about different foods 

and where they come from. 

4. Consistency in mealtimes — Keep meals and 

snacks at regular times. Set a timeframe for 

meals (around 20-30 minutes) and snacks (10-20 

minutes). If the food is not eaten within this time 

period, allow the child to leave the table or quietly 

remove the plate. 

5. Avoid filling up on drinks — Avoid letting 

children fill up on drinks especially milk. Allow no 

more than 2 cups of milk per day. Allow unlimited 

amounts of water. 

6. Stay Calm — If your child frequently resists food, 

mealtimes can be stressful. Avoid force-feeding 

as it is important to remember that healthy 

children will not starve themselves. Make 

mealtimes a happy, social occasion. Try not to 

worry about food on the floor or spilt drinks as 

your child may sense your worry. Pressuring your 

child to eat their vegetables, may contribute to 

further aversion to vegetables. Meal times are 

supposed to be a social, enjoyable experience – 

the less stress the better. 

7. Variety is key — Explore different ways of 

presenting, serving and eating such as serving 

fruit: raw, sliced, mashed or grated! Finger food 

can be easier to manage and can offer more 

enjoyment and independence. If you are worried 

that your child’s diet may be lacking in a range of 

nutrients, it is worthwhile speaking to Accredited 

Practising Dietitian. 

8. Offer one new food at a time — Keep it simple. 

Allow each new food to become familiar before 

moving on to the next new food. 

9. You’re the role model — It’s important to 

remember that you can’t ask your child to eat a 

food that you are not willing to eat. Where 

possible, try to sit it down with your child at 

mealtimes and set the example. 

Article submitted by Anna and Alex of The Biting Truth

There’s two words no parent wants to hear 

over the school holidays, “I’m bored.” It can 

be hard to keep kids busy on rainy days 

when there’s no money left to spend on 

adventures or movies nearing the end of 

the holidays. Keeping children amused on 

wet days or when funds are low can be 

tricky, but they can turn into super fun days 

with a little thought. 

If you don’t want your kids spending all day 

on their computers, phones or watching 

television then here are some ideas that 

might help: 

• Make a cubby house with the young 

ones. Throw a sheet over the dining 

table and let them set up a cubby 

underneath. Then let them organise a 

picnic lunch in the cubby house. 

• Have craft days. I used to get my kids 

to make birthday cards for friends and 

family. It’s so much cheaper and has 

more heart too. 

• Playdough never goes out of style. 

Google the recipe and save it for boring 

days in the holidays. 

• Write a book. Encourage children to 

write and illustrate their very own book 

with their own story. They can either 

draw pictures or cut images from 

magazines. 

• Have a bake day. Use this to freeze 

snacks such as muffins, pikelets or 

Boredom busters 

cakes to have for school lunches. 

Check out the recipes in this edition. 

• Arrange a play date. Allow them to 

invite a friend over, and maybe the 

friend will return the favour later in the 

holiday’s. 

• Plan a concert. If you have more than 

one child get them to create their own 

concert and they can perform it to the 

adults before dinner. 

• Visit friends or relatives. Drop the 

kids to grandma’s house 

• Spring clean their room. At the rate 

kids grow, there will always be 

something to clear out of a closet or 

something lurking under a bed that 

probably shouldn’t be there. 

• Have a game day. Get out the board 

games and have fun. 

Article submitted by Annette Sym of Symply 

Too Good

Amazing BBQ 

Banana split 

Ingredients 

2 ripe bananas 

20g of finely chopped chocolate - that's 

about 4 squares 

1/2 cup of whipped cream 

2 tablespoons of crushed peanuts 

2 cherries 

Method 

Heat your BBQ on low. 

Make a cut through the skin of the bananas so 

there is a slit from top to bottom, being careful 

not to slice the bananas all the way through. 

Use your fingers to stuff the chopped chocolate 

through the slits in each banana, and then wrap 

each banana separately in foil. 

Place the bananas on your BBQ plate, cut side 

up, and close the lid. 

Cook for 15-20 minutes until the bananas are 

soft and the chocolate is melted. 

Unwrap the bananas from the foil and place in a 

bowl. Top with whipped cream, crushed 

peanuts and a cherry. 

Recipe submitted by Rani from You Totally Got 

This

Fruit De Light 

Ingredients 

1 sachet (9g) Mango or Orange Jelly 

Lite 

200ml boiling water 

1 cup apricot halves in natural juice 

drained 

1 x 175g tub French Vanilla Formé no fat 

yoghurt 

Method 

Dissolve jelly crystals in 200ml boiling 

water. 

Pour into food processor/blender with 

apricots and puree together. 

Add in yoghurt, blend till mixed. Pour into 

dessert dishes, refrigerate until set. 

Variation: Replace apricots with any 

canned fruit you like but match up the 

colour of fruit with jelly and yoghurt 

(keeping same quantities as with the 

apricot recipe). 

Not suitable to be frozen. 

Recipe sourced from Symply Too Good 

To Be True. Used with permission from 

author Annette Sym.

Banana Pikelets 

Ingredients 

2 egg whites 

1 tablespoon white sugar 

¾ cup skim milk 

1 tablespoons (15g) Flora® Light 

margarine melted 

½ teaspoon bicarb soda 

¾ cup mashed ripe bananas 

(2-3 bananas) 

1¼ cups self-raising flour 

cooking spray 

Method 

Beat egg whites, sugar for 1 minute in a 

medium size mixing bowl using an 

electric beater. 

Combine milk with melted margarine and 

add to egg white mix. 

Stir bicarb into mashed banana then add 

to bowl using a wooden spoon. 

Gently fold in sifted flour until just 

combined. The less the mixture is 

moved, the lighter the pikelets will be. 

Drop spoonful’s onto a skillet or frypan 

that has been coated with cooking spray. 

When mixture starts to bubble turn over. 

Cook other side for a few minutes. 

Repeat this spraying with cooking spray 

each time until all mixture has been 

used. Makes approx. 24 

pikelets. 

Recipe sourced from Symply Too Good 

To Be True. Used with permission from 

author 

Annette Sym.

How to protect your summer skin 

Remember that story of the tortoise and the hare? 

Can you also recall the moral of that ancient fable? 

Basically the tortoise wins, without cheating and an 

over inflated ego, slow and steady wins the race 

my mum would teach me. 

As usual, it turns out she was right (big surprise 

there!), at least for our bodies anyway. 

Organic Products are often equated with slow 

results due to their natural structure. There’s a 

reason your mum always told you that good things 

came to those who waited, or that patience is a 

virtue. Without the harsh chemicals often aligned 

with non-organic products, natural based skincare 

items often take longer to see results but the 

outcome tends to be longer lasting and more 

satisfying. 

We all desperately want to slow down the ageing 

process – you just have to put your television on 

right now to see the obsession we have with 

reversing this natural process. 

Society has long perpetuated that all too common 

feeling of ageing being a dirty word but it doesn’t 

have to be. Embracing and celebrating our natural 

ageing process is the first step to enjoying a 

fulfilling life because it doesn’t have to be as scary 

as it sounds. 

Once we realise ageing is not a negative part of our 

lives, we can start searching for ways of doing it 

naturally beautifully - just the way Mother Nature 

always intended. 

Summer is notorious for putting your skin through a 

not very subtle or gentle workout, many of us feel 

tired and burnt out (metaphorically and literally) 

after a hot three months of the season. Though 

summer holidays evoke warm fuzzy feelings of 

long, hot summer days on the beach, often our skin 

doesn’t feel as sunny and bright about this time of 

year. 

Summer is a perfect time to shake up your skin 

routine with natural products because like most 

things, Mothers know best and it’s no different for 

Mother Nature. A little added natural protection 

during summer is going to go a long way for the 

rest of the year and generally on a more long-term 

basis – for life as well! 

How to make Nature a part of your Daily Skincare 

Routine 

A large number of us are terrified about dumping 

the easy to use, great smelling supermarket shelf 

poor alternatives we’ve been using and who could 

blame us? 

They’re just so convenient to use and who doesn’t 

want that fresh, salon smell all the time, every 

time? However, adopting natural skin care routines 

doesn’t have to be as challenging as we think. 

Plus, with the increased and rapid usage of natural 

and organic body care products, the organic trend 

is clearly here to stay. This probably means that 

large companies you may be loyal to may already 

have natural alternatives for the products you 

already use and love.

So, what does this mean for you? 

The beauty about Mother Nature is that no two of 

her creations are exactly the same - each and 

every one of us is unique in our own way. While 

one natural product may be wonderful for your 

friend’s skin, it may wreak chaos on yours. But 

don’t let this dampen your brand-new fervour for 

beautiful, natural skin. 

If you fail, try and try again! Search for other natural 

options or even different products under the same 

brand. If this doesn’t work, try another natural 

product from a completely different company. 

Remember to always conduct a skin patch test 

before making any variations to your normal 

skincare routine or better yet; discuss the changes 

and the reasons you have for making them with 

your naturopath or medical practitioner before 

making the change. 

Certain natural products just don’t take to some of 

us while the rest of us can’t imagine life without 

them. It is for this reason that I still have a hard 

time truly believing that some of us can’t find a 

natural option; we’re all innately naturally inclined. 

Mother Nature has an organic solution for all of her 

children and many of us prefer to steer clear of 

harmful chemicals and preservatives. Now, many 

organisations out there have made that a possible, 

affordable solution. 

I am a proud advocate for natural “slower products” 

because even if I do believe that ageing can be a 

serene and stunning process, I see absolutely no 

harm in doing it slowly and gracefully. 

How to select the right Summer Moisturiser? 

I believe that an effective and moisturising body 

lotion is imperative to beat the heat and for keeping 

your skin protected during these damaging months 

on the beach - so this is definitely an essential 

beach bag item in our opinion. 

The best way to select a good moisturiser for the 

outdoors is to choose something that is lightweight 

and doesn't clog your pores. The best way to test 

this is to apply a small amount on your hand and 

massage it into your skin, the cream should feel 

light and absorb into your skin quickly and 

smoothly. This ensures that no oily residue is left 

and therefore will keep you feeling fresh and light 

while protecting your skin against the harsh 

summer elements while you're in the water or more 

of a responsible sunbathing kind of person. 

As a personal side note, I have discovered that a 

Body Lotion with Neem and natural Ayurvedic 

extracts is a wonderful way to keep my skin 

moisturised and soothed all year round particularly 

during the damage prone hot summer months. For 

me, this is my match made in heaven – my skin 

soulmate. 

Adopt some of the techniques we have shared with 

you in this article to find your perfect natural soul 

mate. 

Here’s to Happy Summer Skin for all of us! 

Article submitted by Nim-Veda Australia

Summer skin care 

product guide 

Nourished Life is like no other Health Food, Health or Beauty Store, they have taken a uniquely 

different approach to the products we stock. Their ban list exceeds thousands of different ingredients 

includes those that are found commonly in products labelled as being 'Natural' or 'Organic'. 

Nourished Life hosts a diverse range of products across beauty, health, wellbeing, home and lifestyle 

products. Ensuring they’re providing only the best products and ingredients requires a unique 

approach to product assessment and selection. When curating their product lines and mix they use a 

number of propriety tools which make up a unique and complex matrix which determine what they will 

and will not stock. They call this their 

Nourish Matrix and it’s how they ensure only the safest and best products remain on their shelves. 

Life Basics SPF 30 

Facial Sunscreen. 

This sunscreen is 

great for sensitive 

skin 

Little Urchin Natural 

Sunscreen 

Safe for the whole 

family and babies 

from 6 Months + 

Eco Logical Baby 

Sunscreen 

Specially designed 

for babies sensitive 

skin 

Uni Organics Gradual 

Tanning Moisturiser 

Enjoy a golden glow this 

summer without the 

hassle of tanning lotion. 

Badger After Sun 

Balm 

For when you do 

get a little burned or 

over-exposed to the 

sun. 

Organic Shop Lotus 

and Sugar Foot Scrub 

Leave your feet feeling 

soft, smooth and ready 

for Summer.

Bohemian baked 

veg bowl 

Ingredients 

1/3 cup olive oil plus extra for drizzling 

1 lemon squeezed 

1 tbs turmeric 

3 whole garlic 

1 head cauliflower chopped into florets 

1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes 

2 TBS hemp seeds (optional) 

4 carrots peeled, and chopped into batons 

1 tbs honey 

1 tsp cumin 

1/2 large pumpkin skin removed and roughly 

chopped 

Pinch of cinnamon 

4 zucchinis quartered lengthways 

1 TBS wheat free tamari or coconut aminos 

Large bunch green beans topped and tailed 

1/3 cup sunflower and pumpkin seeds toasted 

1 large bunch of kale, rinsed, de-spined and torn 

1/3 cup tahini 

water to thin dressing plus extra lemon juice 

Method 

Preheat oven to 210 degrees Celsius. 

Make up marinade for cauliflower with olive oil, 

lemon, turmeric and 2 garlic cloves crushed and stir 

to coat. Place in a baking tray and top with 

nutritional yeast flakes then hemp seeds. 

In another tray add pumpkin and garlic drizzle with 

oil and sprinkle cumin onto pumpkin. Place it in top 

shelf of oven. 

Drizzle honey and cinnamon plus a touch of oil on 

the carrots place them on middle shelf of oven. 

In a separate tray place zucchini’s and drizzle with 

tamari. Place on lower shelf of oven. 

Let them roast for about 35 mins turning 

occasionally. 

While the veggies are cooking, chop up green 

beans and steam them. 

Pan fry the seeds to sprinkle on top. 

De-spine kale and add to last 10 minutes of cooking 

with a dash of olive oil. 

To make the dressing, combine tahini, olive oil, and 

lemon. 

Remove from oven and place in a bowl then top 

with seeds and dressing. 

Recipe submitted by Lee Holmes from 

Supercharged Foods

Tips To Planning healthy fresh meals 

On a savvy mums budget 

Ever since having children I’ve really learnt the 

benefits to dedicating some time each week to plan 

for the week ahead. 

Have you ever found yourself feeling so stressed 

each afternoon, thinking ‘what are we having for 

dinner?’. 

I sure have, and found myself reaching for quick 

and easy options, including lots of packaged and 

pre-prepared foods. This was not only expensive, 

but full of additives that I didn’t feel comfortable my 

kids having so often. 

If you are all too familiar with this stress, I hope that 

my meal planning tips and tricks not only save you 

money at the checkout, but inspire you to think 

about how you can make healthier choices for your 

family (without forfeiting the flavour!). 

• Carve out the time 

The first and most important step is to work out 

when the best time to do this is. For me, I do it on 

Mondays at lunchtime whilst my boys are having 

their nap, so I can meal plan in peace! 

• Inventory Check 

Do an inventory check of your pantry, fridge and 

freezer. Look at what you can put together for a 

dish. 

For example if you have a tin of kidney beans in the 

pantry, mince in the freezer, avocado in the fridge, 

you may just need some sour cream and onion and 

you are on your way to a nice Mexican dinner! 

• Bake instead of buy 

Think about what you can bake instead of buying. 

Packaged snacks are generally full of sugar 

and preservatives, and really make the grocery bill 

add up. 

My boys just love these Choc Apricot Bites. The 

added benefit of this is getting the kids involved in 

the baking process which all kids seem to love 

encourages them to eat their freshly made goodies!

There are some fabulous healthy bake-at-home 

mixes available now too, check out BakeMe 

Snacks- I was lucky enough to be sent these to try 

and they are delicious! My kids loved making them 

as well as eating them too. You can buy a 

three pack of BakeMe Snacks Bake at Home Mixes 

for $23.90, each pack makes 16 bars, so they work 

out at less than 0.50c each which is cheaper than 

most store bought muesli bars. My boys absolutely 

love them, they are a healthy, tasty and filling 

snack. Win/win! 

• Get to know your food labels 

Try to avoid buying packaged pre-prepared meals. 

As with the packaged snacks, they are expensive 

and full of preservatives. 

There are a few exceptions to the rule, for example 

we just love the Birds Eye Whiting crumbed fillets, 

they contain no artificial colours, flavours or 

preservatives. They are very tasty and I tend to 

grab a couple of boxes when on special. A good 

reason to get to know your food labels. 

• Meat free meals 

Have at least one meatless night. Meat is 

generally expensive so by not including it on your 

meal plan a night or two a week you can save 

yourself some money. 

A fun meat free idea your kids will just love helping 

you make is Rainbow Pizza. 

• Check your diary 

Look at your week ahead and plan meals 

accordingly. You might need to plan a quick and 

easy meal for evenings that you have sports with 

the kids, or you may like to put more time into 

meals on a Sunday when there isn’t the rush. 

• Double up 

Think about doubling certain ingredients so you can 

make double batch and freeze half. 

My favourite recipe to do this for is Quinoa Con 

Carne as once you have your base you can make it 

into so many things. Think nachos, tacos, tortillas, 

puff pastry, jacket potatoes, it’s even great on 

toast! 

• Slow cookers are your friend 

Save money by cooking dishes that work well with 

cheaper cuts of meat, chuck steak works perfectly 

in slow cooked dishes. 

This Indian Beef Curry has long been a family 

favourite. 

• Check for specials 

Jump online (or your catalogues) and check the 

specials. If meatballs are on the meal plan you may 

choose to do chicken rather than beef meatballs if 

you see a good special on chicken mince. 

Note down any specials for pantry staples you may 

wish to stock up on. Dishwasher tablets tend to be 

expensive so last time they were half price I bought 

five packets and saved $50. 

• How to avoid impulse purchases 

My most important tip – never, I repeat never shop 

on an empty stomach! It can lead to not so healthy 

impulse purchases. 

• Give yourself a break 

Cut yourself some slack. On Friday evenings after 

hubby and I have both rushed home from work, the 

last thing we felt like doing is spending much time 

in the kitchen. One of the best decisions we made 

was to make Friday night ‘toastie’ night. 

The boys get veges given to them as part of their 

lunch at daycare so I have no guilt about not 

including them in dinner on Friday nights. 

They just love toasties so it’s another win/win for 

us, as they get to eat something they love and we 

get more time to hang out with them and relax. 

You can always jazz up an ordinary dinner by 

serving it up to your kids on some fun dinnerware. 

Article submitted by Rachel Cassidy from Little 

Peeps Eats

What’s In Season For Summer 

It is December and the start of Summer. Hot, summer days have arrived 

and a whole new seasonal supply of produce from Apricots to Zucchini; 

here is a guide to what is in season this Summer…. 

Fruits 

Fruit 

Apple 

Apricot 

Banana 

Blackberries 

Blueberries 

Boysenberries 

Rockmelon 

Cherries 

Currants 

Fig 

Grapefruit 

Grapes 

Honeydew 

Lemon 

Loganberries 

Lychee 

Mango 

Mulberries 

Nectarine 

Orange 

Passionfruit 

Peach 

Pear 

Plum 

Pineapple 

Rambutan 

Raspberries 

Rhubarb 

Strawberries 

Tamarillo 

Watermelon

Asparagus 

Avocado 

Beans 

Beetroot 

Cabbage 

Capsicum 

Carrot 

Celery 

Corn 

Cucumber 

vegetables 

Daikon 

Eggplant 

Leek 

Lettuce 

Okra 

Onion 

Peas 

Potato 

Pumpkin 

Radish 

Shallot 

Silverbeet 

Snow Peas 

Spring Onion 

Sugar Snap Peas 

Tomato 

Watercress 

Zucchini 

Zucchini Flower 

Apple mint 

Basil 

Chervil 

Chilli 

Chives 

Coriander 

Dill 

Garlic 

Ginger 

herbs 

Kaffir Lime Leaves 

Lemongrass 

Mint 

Oregano 

Parsley 

Rosemary 

Sage 

Tarragon 

Thyme 

Vietnamese mint

Super power 

spaghetti bolognese 

Ingredients 

500g packet spaghetti 

olive oil 

1 round of pancetta 2cms thick, diced 

1 brown onion, finely diced 

1 red capsicum, diced 

1 small sweet potato, grated 

1 zucchini, grated 

1 carrot, grated 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

500 grams beef mince 

400 gram tin pureed tomatoes 

700 ml bottle good quality passata 

1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 

1/2 tablespoon brown sugar 

1/2 tablespoon Italian herbs 

1 tin cannellini beans 

fresh parmesan – to serve 

Method 

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frypan over 

med-high heat. Add pancetta, garlic and onion cook 

until onion Is translucent and pancetta has started to 

brown. 

Add all veggies and cook for around 5 minutes and 

vegetables have softened. 

Remove pancetta and veggies from the frypan and 

set aside. 

Add remaining olive oil to pan over med-high heat 

and add the mince. 

Stir and break up mince with your spoon for 5 or so 

minutes until browned. 

Add the veggies and pancetta in with the mince and 

stir. 

Add tin tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, sugar, passata 

and herbs and stir. 

Turn heat down to low heat and simmer for at least 

20 minutes. 

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, and cook 

spaghetti until al dente. 

Drain spaghetti, serve it up, and season adult 

servings with salt and pepper as desired. 

Don’t forget the parmesan on top! 

Recipe submitted by Rachel Cassidy from Little 

Peeps Eats

Quinoa Con Carne 

Ingredients 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

2 cloves of garlic 

2 cups of quinoa 

2 cups of vegetable stock 

400g tin cannelini beans, rinsed and drained 

400g tin black beans (or kidney beans), rinsed 

and drained 

2 x 400g tins diced tomatoes 

2 cups corn (tinned or frozen work fine) 

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Organic corn chips OR mashed sweet potato 

Toppings 

Choose whichever toppings are loved by your 

family! We will always at least use these: 

Squeeze of fresh lime 

Sour cream 

Chopped fresh coriander 

Diced Avocado (tip – add this just prior to 

serving. Do not store leftovers with avocado as it 

tends to go a bit yucky) 

Additional topping ideas: 

Cucumber 

Capsicum 

Cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered) 

Grated cheese 

Served with Sweet Potato Mash and a variety of 

toppings 

Method 

Rinse quinoa well until water runs clear 

Warm olive oil in a large saucepan at medium 

heat. 

Add garlic and cook until fragrant 

Add in quinoa, stock, cannelini beans, black 

beans, tin tomatoes, corn and spices and stir well. 

Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and 

simmer for approx 20 minutes or until quinoa is 

cooked through. 

Serve on either organic corn chips or mashed 

sweet potato. 

Add your favourite toppings and enjoy! 

Recipe submitted by Rachel Cassidy from Little 

Peeps Eats

Grazing platters and how they 

Encourage healthy eating 

back in the fridge. 

A grazing platter or a plate, or lunch box that 

allows for a range of different foods is an 

excellent way of introducing new and exciting 

foods to kids and encourage healthy eating. 

What is a grazing platter? 

It is just a plate or container of whole foods with a 

range of different things for your kids to try. 

The secret to keeping the grazing platter a 

success is to add a couple of new things every 

time. You don’t want to overwhelm the kids so 

adding some favourites on there will keep them 

interested. The ideal is to include something 

they are familiar with and love, something they 

are familiar with and ok with eating, and 

something they have not yet tried or typically do 

not like to eat. If they eat the new item – add a 

little more next time until they are familiar and 

comfortable eating it. 

What can you use to create a grazing platter? 

Just a normal plate will work if you have nothing 

else but kids seem to love it when their food is in 

different compartments. This adds a whole other 

level of learning to the experience! Doing it this 

way introduces mathematical concepts such as 

sorting and grouping. Kids like to feel in control 

of what they put into their mouth so this helps 

them feel comfortable with what is in front of 

them. 

Other simple options are using things like ice 

cube or muffin trays. Another great idea are 

bento lunch boxes! This way the kids can eat 

what they want to eat and then you can pop it 

What are the benefits of using a grazing 

platter? 

Toddlers like to snack their way through life so 

having food readily available when they are 

hungry makes life easier for you and avoids 

those “hangry” times! The reason for this is it can 

avoid their blood sugar levels dropping which is 

when they seem to misbehave. 

Children are very sensory learners so being able 

to touch a variety of different textures and see all 

the beautiful different colours encourages eating. 

Opening them up to a range of different foods 

and giving them choice adds to their sense of self 

esteem and is putting the power in their hands. 

They are more likely to try new foods if they feel 

like they are not being pushed or coerced into 

anything. 

What kinds of things can you add to your 

grazing platter? 

Really the options are endless! Anything in bite 

size pieces works well for little fingers, such 

as fruit and veg, dips, meatballs, cheeses, cold 

meats, sandwich pieces, mini quiches, scrolls, 

sushi, avocado, hard boiled eggs, pasta rice or 

lentils. Grazing platters can be used for any 

meal of the day, some examples are: 

• Breakfast: a combination of fruit, pancakes 

and yoghurt. 

• Lunch: a combination wholegrain crispbread 

spread with nut butter, vegetable sticks and 

hummus dip. 

Afternoon tea: a combination of Choc Apricot 

Bites, cheese sticks and fruit. 

Mexican dishes are great to serve up in this 

manner so your little peep can pick and choose 

their own toppings. Check out this Quinoa Con 

Carne recipe for inspiration! 

Article submitted by Rachel Cassidy from Little 

Peeps Eats

Picnic in the park 

This is a fantastic time of year. Summer is 

well and truly here and is the perfect time to 

take the family on a picnic. It’s a great 

excuse to get the kids outdoors, enjoy a 

game of cricket and share an easy lunch or 

early dinner. 

Here are my 8 tips for perfect picnics: 

1. Keep it simple. If you have time to 

plan ahead, cook up one of by my 

savoury slices, like my Ham and Corn 

Slice. These are perfect finger food 

when cut into bite-sized pieces. Make 

ahead and either freeze or refrigerate 

until you are ready to head out on the 

day. 

2. Salad rolls are easy for kids. If there’s 

no time to plan ahead, grab some fresh 

rolls, lean deli meat or a barbeque 

chicken - skin removed for a lower fat 

option. Include low fat cheese slices 

and salad ingredients for a no fuss 

lunch. 

3. Snacks are a must. Make or buy low 

fat dips, perfect with some carrot and 

celery sticks or rice crackers, or make 

my low fat corn chips from book 1. 

Pack pretzels or popcorn. 

4. Bring on the fruit. Small apples and 

bananas are perfect to eat on the run. 

Kids love watermelon, why not buy a 

whole one and cut it up at the picnic. 

5. Make some muffins. Young and old 

will never say no to a muffin. My muffin 

recipes are all very low in fat but high in 

flavour. They freeze well too so you can 

make them ahead. 

6. Keep the food cold. Make sure there’s 

lots of ice in the esky to keep the food 

nice and cold, this will ensure the food 

is safe for everyone to eat. 

7. Stay hydrated. Pack lots of water, 

assign everyone a cup or drink bottle 

and make sure they drink up. 

8. Work up an appetite. Picnics are a 

great opportunity to get everyone 

moving. Enjoy a game of cricket, throw 

a Frisbee, take a swim or go on a bush 

walk, all great ways to burn energy and 

have fun at the same time. 

Other things to pack to make your picnic a 

success are comfy foldup chairs, a beach 

umbrella and wet ones. Some bug spray 

might also come in handy and don’t forget 

to slip, slop, slap. 

Article submitted by Annette Sym of Symply 

Too Good

2 Ingredient Mango Ice Cream 

Ingredients 

250 grams frozen Mango 

1/4 Cup Coconut Cream - the thickened 

part of a can of coconut cream/milk that 

has been left in the fridge (dairy cream can 

be substituted) 

Method 

Place the ingredients into a blender and 

process until creamy. 

Serve immediately or freeze in a sealed 

container. 

If making ice creams in moulds, pour the 

mixture in and freeze for at least 4 hours 

(overnight is best). 

The following Ice Cream recipes have all 

been submitted by Lisa from Mummy 

Made It

Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream 

Ingredients 

1 1/2 Cups Coconut Cream (use the thickened cream 

from an opened can of coconut cream/milk that has been 

in the fridge overnight. Discard and DO NOT use the 

watery remains) 

1 1/2 Cups Coconut Milk 

1/3 Cup Maple Syrup (or Rice Malt Syrup or Honey) add 

an extra 1-2 Tablespoons if sweeter ice cream wanted) 

2-3 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract (more if wanted; do a 

taste test to be sure) 

Dash Salt 

2 Tablespoons Arrowroot (Cornflour can be used 

instead) 

Method 

In a medium sized saucepan place the thickened coconut 

cream, 1 Cup of coconut milk, maple syrup, salt and 

vanilla. Place the saucepan over a medium/low heat and 

warm slowly, or until the cream has 'melted' and the 

mixture is luke warm. 

Meanwhile, place the extra 1/2 Cup of coconut milk in a 

small bowl and whisk in the arrowroot, making sure no 

lumps remains. 

One the saucepan mixture has warmed, increase the 

heat to medium/high and add the thickened milk mixture, 

whisking to combine. 

Whisk/stir regularly as the mixture starts to thicken. The 

mixture will become custard like in it's consistency. Be 

sure to whisk/stir the bottom of the pot to ensure that the 

mixture does not stick and burn. This will take 5-10 

minutes. 

Once thickened, allow the mixture to cool slightly. 

Pour the mixture into moulds or a container and freeze 

for at least 6-8 hours, or until set. 

The ice cream will need to sit at room temperature for at 

least 10 minutes to soften to be able to be served.

Chocolate Sweet Potato Ice Cream 

Ingredients 

1/2 Cup cooked Sweet Potato puree (to 

cook a sweet potato; place a whole, 

unpeeled, sweet potato in a moderate 

oven and bake for 1 hour or until mushy 

inside. Peel the skin and remove the 

mushy insides) 

1/2 Cup Cocoa or Cacao 

1 Cup Coconut Cream (thick dairy cream 

can be substituted)- place an opened can 

of coconut cream/milk in the fridge 

overnight and spoon off the thickened 

cream to use. 

4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup (Rice Malt 

Syrup can be substituted) 

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract 

Method 

Place all the ingredients into a blender and 

process until smooth. 

Pour the mixture directly into the moulds 

and place in the freezer for at least 6 hours 

(but preferably over night). To assist in 

removing the icy pole run the mound under 

warm water to loosen it.

Sweet Potato and Chocolate Ice Cream Sundae 

Ingredients 

1/2 Cup Sweet Potato Puree (to make: bake a whole, unpeeled 

Sweet Potato in a moderate oven for 1 hour, or until soft in the centre. 

Peel and use mushy insides) 

2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup (Rice Malt Syrup or Honey can be substituted) 

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

3/4 Cup Coconut Cream (place an opened can of cream in the 

fridge overnight. Scoop out and use the thickened cream, discarding 

the watery part) 

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon 

Dash of Salt 

Caramel Sauce 

3/4 Cup Coconut Cream 

1/4 Cup Maple Syrup 

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

Dash of Salt 

Method 

Place all the ice cream ingredients into a blender and process until 

smooth. 

Pour the Ice-cream into a shallow container and cover. Freeze for at 

least 4 hours (longer is fine). Once set remove from the container 

and process in the blender until smooth. 

Serve immediately. 

This last step is needed as the Ice cream can go too hard and icy. 

To make the Caramel Sauce 

Place the coconut cream, maple syrup and salt in a saucepan over 

medium/high heat. Bring the mixture to boil, then reduce to a medium 

heat. 

Allow the mixture to simmer until quite thick and dark golden in colour. 

Stir regularly to prevent burning. 

This will take 10-20 minutes, depending on the quality of your coconut 

cream. 

Add vanilla and salt and continue to cook on medium heat for another 

3 minutes. The caramel will be dark golden in colour and 

delicious. 

When cooler, place into container and keep in fridge. The caramel 

will thicken as it refrigerates.

The Sharing Economy 

Helping with Expenses 

5 years ago, the thought of letting a stranger pay to 

sleep in your spare bedroom was strange, however 

115,000 Australians are doing it right now. The 

sharing economy has opened up ways for 

everyone to earn money from spare time or spare 

assets they have at home. 

How can families participate? 

Those with young children may find it difficult to list 

on AirBnB, but there are plenty of other options 

available to earn extra cash from unused assets. 

One new entrant to the sharing economy is 

Kindershare. If parents have travel cots, travel 

prams, plane cushions or bassinets at home, they 

can rent them out to other families, earning money 

from equipment that would otherwise be gathering 

dust at home. Renters are usually families who 

need things at their destination, or are keen to have 

a compact pram to take with them to help manage 

tired feet in airports. 

Is it risky? 

The first question people ask is “will the renters 

take care of my items?”. All owners set a bond on 

their items, which gives renters an incentive to take 

care of the items. Kindershare will also give you 

75% of the replacement cost if something goes 

wrong. From personal experience, I’ve found 

anyone who has rented my items has been very 

careful – one person even washed all the cot 

sheets before returning it. 

What items get rented the most? 

High value, travel related items are always in high 

demand, and its not surprising when you consider it 

from the renter’s perspective. If you are travelling, 

your options are to buy a cheap stroller for $50, or 

rent a top of the line one for $60. One parent has 

made over $500 this year from renting out her 

Yoyo travel pram to other families – that’s almost 

the price of buying one new. 

How else can I make money using the sharing 

economy? 

The sharing economy has made it easier for people 

to earn some spare money by renting out their 

garage, pet sitting or running classes for other people. 

The Sharing Hub is a collection of Australia’s 

leading sharing economy companies and offers 

great ways for families to make some extra money, 

or save on items they only need for short periods. 

Article submitted by Vanouhi Nazarian of 

Kindershare

What Are Picnics so Great? 

I LOVE picnics, packing up the picnic basket, 

finding a great location and sitting down together 

for family time. I really do think that picnics are the 

best family time activity; you can do picnics for 

breakfast, lunch or dinner. At this time of year a 

picnic dinner at carols by candlelight it a great way 

to spend time together as a family; a picnic lunch at 

the beach or the park are great ideas to fill in some 

of those long days during the summer school 

holidays when ‘I’m bored’ is said far too often. 

Here are my top reasons why I love picnics: 

• The Whole Family Gets Outdoors – fresh 

air, vitamin D, fresh air. These are just a few 

of the benefits of getting outdoors for a picnic. 

Fresh air invigorates you and leaves you 

feeling more energised. 

• Healthy Eating Habits – Food that is 

prepared at home is more likely to be healthy 

than the majority of fast food options. By 

packing your own picnic food and snacks you 

have control over what is being eaten by your 

family. You can make your own meat and 

salad sandwiches, grab a BBQ chook and 

have it with salad. Take home made popcorn, 

fruit and homemade healthier cupcakes for 

snacks. The fun of a picnic isn’t always the 

food, it is the joy of eating outside the norm of 

the dining table. 

• Gets You Active – a great family tradition to 

start when out on picnics is to play sports or 

games. Whether your family’s chosen sport is 

cricket, soccer, AFL, league or even tug of 

war; these games will get the whole family 

moving (and let’s face competition is rife in 

families). Keep it clean and fun though and 

fair for little ones. Play these games before 

your meal so everyone works up a good 

appetite and then take something like a bean 

bag toss game for after. Visiting a park or 

beach that has a playground is also a good 

way of getting the family moving; little ones 

can have fun playing on the equipment; if the 

older kids and grown-ups want something a 

bit more involved, create an obstacle course 

and do timed runs. 

• Happy Families – eating a meal outdoors is a 

natural mood booster, enjoying the sunshine 

and fresh air will put everyone in a good mood 

and leaving happier. 

• Family Bonding Time – spending time with 

family is really important and in todays society 

of long work hours, after school activities and 

homework some families don’t get to spend 

all that much ‘quality’ time together. A picnic 

is a great way to spend time together as a 

family and build stronger bonds, love and 

feelings of belonging. 

• Budget Friendly - Picnics are great for the 

budget too; you can take all your food and 

drinks with you so you aren’t buying anything 

while you are out. You can visit a free venue 

(beaches and parks for example), and take 

some fun games, balls with you and enjoy an 

entirely free fun day out. 

Article by Katrina Gee of Healthy Family Healthy 


Zucchini, bacon and 

haloumi slice 

This is a super simple recipe and is perfect for a 

light, midweek Summer meal. It can be made ahead 

and frozen for lunches. Tip - if making for school 

lunchboxes I like to cook in mini muffin tins, perfect 

for little hands. (If doing this, reduce cooking time to 

20mins.) 

Family friendly and kid approved by my 2 x boys! 

Ingredients 

2 x zucchinis grated 

1 x carrot grated 

200g nitrate free bacon diced (leave out for 

vegetarian option) 

180g haloumi grated 

¾ cup almond meal 

6 x eggs 

Cracked pepper 

Method 

Preheat oven to 180c 

Put all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until well 

combined. 

Pour into baking dish, bake for 45 - 50mins until set 

and lightly browned on top. 

Serve with a salad and some homemade bread, 

yum! 

Other combinations we love - 

Roasted sweet potato, feta, baby spinach and red 

onion. 

Diced mushrooms, diced capsicum, grated zucchini, 

feta. 

Get creative and try any vegetables your family 

likes. 

Recipe submitted by Jess Ralph from Nourish and 

Spice

Chicken burritos 

In this low carb take on a Mexican favourite, we replace the 

wraps with lettuce leaves. Supermarket wraps generally 

contain additives, preservatives and artificial colours as well 

as an ingredients list as long as your arm. Being a busy mum 

we don’t always have the time or energy to make our own 

wraps, making lettuce leaves a great option. Quick, simple 

and kid approved! This is a perfect Summer meal. 

Ingredients 

500g chicken thigh 

Onion diced 

½ red capsicum diced 

4 x button mushrooms diced (optional) 

2 x cloves garlic 

½ tsp cumin 

½ tsp paprika 

Salt and pepper 

1 Tbs coconut oil 

2-3 large lettuce leaves per person (cos or iceberg lettuce 

leaves work well) 

2 x grated carrots 

Grated cheese (leave out for a Paleo/dairy free option) 

2 x Diced tomatoes 

1 x avocado 

Natural yogurt (use coconut yogurt for Paleo/dairy free 

option) 

Jalapenos (optional) 

Method 

Add coconut oil to fry pan and heat up on medium heat. Fry 

off onion, garlic, capsicum and mushrooms. Add chicken, 

spices, salt and pepper and fry until cooked. 

While chicken is cooking prepare salad on plates. (Lettuce 

leaves, grated carrot, grated cheese, diced tomato, diced 

avocado.) 

Add chicken to plates and top with a spoonful of natural 

yogurt. 

To eat - use lettuce leaf as the wrap, add salad and chicken, 

wrap and eat. Yum!! 

Recipe submitted by Jess Ralph from Nourish and Spice

Muesli Parfait 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup muesli of choice 

1/2 cup greek yoghurt 

1/2 cup berries of choice 

(blueberries, blackberries, 

strawberries, raspberries. You can 

use a mixture of them all if you like) 

Method 

In a large (meaning wide enough 

for a decent sized spoon) add a 

layer of muesli, followed by a layer 

of yoghurt and then your berries 

Repeat with additional layers until 

all ingredients are used. 

You can serve immediately or if you 

have a busy morning, this can be 

made the night before. This will not 

only make your morning a bit easier 

(not that this takes lone to make) 

but also allows the flavours to 

combine. 

Note the muesli will lose its crunch 

overnight. 

Recipe by Katrina Gee of Healthy 

Family Healthy Budget

Mango and 

Raspberry 

smoothie 

Ingredients 

200ml milk of choice 

2 Tbslspns greek yoghurt 

1 Tblspn protein powder of choice* 

1 Tspn pure maple Syrup* 

1/3 cup oats* 

1/2 cup frozen mango (about 6-7 

chunks) 

1/3 cup frozen raspberries 

Method 

Place all ingredients in blender/smoothie 

maker 

I like to let the ingredients sit for a couple 

of minutes to let the oats soak a bit to 

soften them 

Blend until well combined and smooth 

Enjoy 

Notes: *You don’t need to use a protein 

powder it is a personal choice, if you 

don’t use it add an extra 1/4 cup of oats 

to help fill you up more and/or have a 

piece of toast alongside your smoothie 

• I use quick cook oats as I find they 

break down quicker/easier in the 

smoothie 

I am still adjusting to the tartness of 

raspeberries so I add in the maple syrup, 

I am slowly reducing the amount I 

include. You may not need any; if you 

are going to add it, make sure you use 

Pure Maple Syrup and not the artificial 

Maple Flavoured Syrup. Honey would 

also work as a subtitute. 



Tips for working out in summer 

The Australian Summer; long, hot, sunny days… 

Great for the beach, BBQ’s and family outings, not 

so great for working out and not suffering from 

heatstroke or getting sunburnt. It can be done, it 

does take a little planning that’s all and here are 

the top X tips for keeping up the workouts in the 

Aussie Summer heat: 

• Drink Water (All Day)– Exercising in any 

weather heats up our bodies, in summer this 

is further increased by the warm temperature. 

Our bodies do have built in cooling systems 

(sweating for one), but when exposed to intense 

heat for long periods; these can sometimes 

fail (the result in which can be heat exhaustion) 

and we need to help out bodies out. 

To keep cool, firstly you need to drink plenty 

of water. Since our bodies are 50% - 60% 

water it is vital that we maintain this while 

working out. You can lose 2% - 3% during a 

typical exercise session, especially on hot 

days. It is important to remember to drink water 

all day, not just while exercising. 

• Avoid the Hottest Part of the Day – Rise 

early and get your exercise in before the heat 

of the day, or save it for the evening when the 

sun is setting and things are cooling down. 

• Change up Your Workout to suit the 

Weather – On really hot and humid days 

switch up your exercise and include an activity 

like cycling in the breeze, or swimming. If 

it’s a super hot/humid day consider staying 

indoors and do a workout DVD/video (or do 

laps of the local air-conditioned shopping centre). 

• Shorten or Split up your Workouts – The 

heat of summer is not the time to push yourself; 

do what you can handle. 10 minutes two 

or three times a day is better than nothing and 

better than pushing yourself for 30 minutes in 

one hit on a really hot day. 

• Take a Cold Shower – It sounds counterproductive 

to take a shower before working 

out; BUT the cold water will cool you down. 

Ladies wet your hair and leave it wet, tie it up 

in a bun and the cool water will drip down 

while you workout to help keep you cool. 

Gents and ladies with short hair, keep your 

water bottle handy and squirt some water on

the back of your neck when you need a little 

cooling. 

• Wear Lightweight, Light Coloured Clothing 

– we all know it (deep down) dark colours absorb 

heat, which can leave you feeling even 

hotter. Heavy, tight clothing will also make 

you feel the heat a lot more. Keep it loose, 

keep it light; the looser the clothes, the more 

air will be able to circulate around you and 

keep you cooler. Light coloured clothes also 

reflect the suns heat rather than absorbing it. 

• Wear Sunscreen – This one may seem obvious 

BUT it doesn’t stop it from being really 

important; aim for an SPF of at least 30 (50 is 

better), try and get an oil-free formula as this 

won’t interfere with your body’s ability to cool 

itself down. 

• Eat Snacks to Maintain Energy – don’t go 

reaching for the crackers and dip though (or 

the bag of chips); think fruit, full of fibre and 

fluid. 

• Know when to STOP and go Inside – I am 

not saying give up, but you need to recognise 

the early symptoms of heat exhaustion and 

immediately go inside and cool down and rehydrate. 

Weakness, light-headedness, dizziness, 

paling of the skin, headache, muscle 

cramps, nausea/vomiting, rapid heartbeat. All 

of these are signs that something isn’t right 

and in the heat especially signs that you 

should stop your workout; listen to your body. 

Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle; 

but it isn’t everything, take care of yourself. 

• Finish with another shower – this time 

though you will be alternating cold and hot 

water. Start off with cold water to decrease 

blood flow and reduce inflammation; then 

swap to hot, this will improve your muscle and 

joint recovery. The hot water will flush out the 

build up of inflammatory cells, dead cells, scar 

tissue build up etc. Finally switch back to cool 

(not cold) just for a minute or two just to help 

cool you down before you dry off and get 

dressed. 

Article by Katrina Gee of Healthy Family Healthy 


Fish and chips 

Ingredients 

600g Kipfler potatoes, scrubbed, skins on 

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra in spray bottle 

¼ tsp salt flakes 

½ tsp smoked paprika 

1 egg, free range or organic 

½ cup polenta 

¼ cup macadamia nuts 

Small handful parsley 

Small handful dill 

Pinch of salt 

Black pepper 

440g firm white fish fillets e.g. flathead, cod or perch 

Spray extra virgin olive oil 

Method 

Cut the potatoes lengthways into quarters. Place in 

bowl, cover with water and leave to soak for at least 

half an hour. (You can leave for longer if more 

convenient to do this earlier in the day). 

Drain the potatoes and pat dry with kitchen paper. In a 

bowl toss with the extra virgin olive oil, salt and 

paprika. Place into the Air Dryer basket and cook at 

200°C for 20 minutes. Remove chips into separate 

bowl and place in a warm oven to keep hot while you 

cook the fish. 

While chips are cooking, whisk the egg in one bowl. 

Pulse the nuts into a crumb in a food processor or 

blender (alternatively, crush the nuts in a mortar and 

pestle). Combine the crumbled nuts in another bowl 

and mix with the polenta, dill, parsley, pinch of salt 

and a good grind of black pepper. 

Cut the fish into the desired finger-shaped size. 

Drench the fish in the egg, allowing the excess to run 

off, and then coat in the polenta nut crumb. Spray all 

over with the extra virgin olive oil. 

Place the crumbed fish into the Air Fryer and basket 

and cook at 200°C for 5 minutes. Turn the fish fingers 

and cook for a further 5 minutes. 

Serve the fish fingers with the home-cut paprika chips 

and a mixed salad. 

Recipe submitted by Dr Joanna McMillan from 

DrJoanna.com.au

our favourite products for summer 

Proud and Punch Frozen Yoghurts and Juice Pops; a 

great healthier version of traditional ice creams. Find 

out more at : http://www.proudandpunch.com.au/ 

No Nasties Kids Makeup. Great play sets, 

specifically designed to be safe for kids faces 

and skin. Find out more at Nourished Life 

Water Hopscotch; attached it to your garden hose for 

hours of summer backyard fun. Great value at only $9 

from Kmart 

Noosa Basic Aluminium Free Organic 

Deodorant. Neutralise odour and feel in control 

with this natural deodorant with a lovely coconut 

scent. Find out more at Nourished Life. 

Octopous Sprinkler Sprayer: a sprinkler toy and ring 

toss game in one. Connect it to your garden hose for 

silly, crazy fun. Available from Kmart. 

4 Pack Beach Tool Set: Everything little ones 

need for a fun day at the beach. An absolute 

steal from Kmart for $2

ISSUE #3 COMING 

March 2018 

HEALTHY FAMILY 

HEALTHY BUDGET 

A M A G A Z I N E F O R 

H E A L T H Y F A M I L I E S 

ON A B U D G E T 

THE NEW PLACE FOR A HAPPY. HEALTHY FAMILY 

Easter Treats • No-Chocolate Easter Presents • Autumn Skincare Guide

Healthy Family Healthy Budget - Summer Edition

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