The Return of the Hangries featuring an appearance from the One Armed Bandit...

~ Ballade of Barbara Allen ~ 

OhJohnny...

The man in black never gets old...a song for every occasion...or every morning at least...one of my favs...

So...back to the food as I am all about the food at the mo...

Another week...another couple of new recipes...and of course...a return attack of the hangries...this time we also feature an appearance from the one armed bandit aka the one handed cook...she appeared this week due to a very clingy Hangry Hippo...yep...it can be done folks...

I must mention before I go on...the self imposed wine ban was lifted...ever so briefly I might add...wine in a plastic cup...hmmmm hardly counts really...before you ask I was with friends at a gig and I guess glass and drunk people just don't mix that well to be fair...not that we were drunk...anywho...moving right along...

This whole obsession with living healthier has been a slow and steady process...starting at the beginning of 2012 when I read a bit of...

I say a bit as I simply could not bare to read the whole thing and it would be fair to say I was pretty shocked and horrified by the entire state of affairs...hmmmm...a bit of an epiphany of sorts shall we say... and then I started my Facebook page...Green With Envy and started furiously posting bits and pieces relating to health...

Firstly this week we tried an Organic Whole-wheat Couscous...I have tried this wee pearler before but have not actually bothered to make it myself...seems a tad toooooo easy peesey...none of this is a rocket science mind you...just experimenting with wholesome...new and different...that's the name of the game...

sfgate.com says...Regular couscous is made from semolina wheat, while whole-wheat couscous derives from the whole grains of durum flour. This flour derives from durum wheat, which is high in protein and commonly used for other fare like pasta and pizza dough. A whole grain has its endosperm, germ and bran intact. These components make up the kernels of grains, which contain all the nutrients. When grains are refined, at least a portion of the endosperm, germ or bran is removed. This is what makes whole wheat couscous a good addition to a healthy diet plan.

 A rich source of calcium, haloumi also contains potassium and zinc, and is a great low-fat option.

Recipe from...http://simply-delicious-food.com/2012/03/11/whole-wheat-couscous-salad-with-haloumi-roasted-sweet-potato/

We tried a couple of smoothies...

 Blackberry Ginger from http://www.theclevercarrot.com/2014/08/blackberry-ginger-smoothie/

And we tried Protein Power Lentils and Amaranth Patties...oh me oh my they were goooood...with a bit of bacon...for the sometimesetarian out there like myself...

Adapted and added to from here:http://gourmandelle.com/amaranth-patties-chiftelute-de-amaranth/

YUMYUM...Mushrooms instead of Olives as my husband is not a fan and a few extra herbs and spices...a pinch of this...a dash of that...oh and defo a sprinkling of Parmesan or two...

Amaranth...

Are your foodie friends forever going on about amaranth but you're too ashamed to admit you don't know what they're talking about? We've got all the answers.

WHAT IS AMARANTH?
Amaranth was first harvested by the Aztecs, who referred to it as 'the grain of the gods' because they believed it had supernatural powers. As such they used it in religious rituals. This ancient grain is a protein power punch, rich in lysine and magnesium. It's also a great source of iron and calcium, it's low GI and it's gluten-free - ideal for coeliacs. You can also eat the leaves, just like spinach or silverbeet.

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?
The leaves are similar to spinach and they're fresh and lovely in stir-fries or vegetarian frittatas. The grain form is similar to brown rice in taste, ie nutty and almost malty.

WHERE CAN I FIND IT?
Ceres Organics sells it in grain and puffed form - look for it in organics stores, health food shops and some supermarkets. You can also grow it yourself and really impress everyone.

WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD?
Other ancient grains like quinoa or spelt are perfect replacements if you can't source amaranth. You could also experiment with buckwheat, bulgur, millet or brown rice.

Read the fill article here:http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/food-news/7469763/Secret-ingredient-Amaranth

Red Lentils...

Hmmm...I have never used these before and have to admit was not to sure...all I know as the pesky little suckers kept appearing from down the back of a kitchen cupboard at our old flat...I need not have worried...delish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

whfoods.com says...Lentils, a small but nutritionally mighty member of the legume family, are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Not only do lentils help lower cholesterol, they are of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. But this is far from all lentils have to offer. Lentils also provide good to excellent amounts of seven important minerals, our B-vitamins, and protein—all with virtually no fat. The calorie cost of all this nutrition? Just 230 calories for a whole cup of cooked lentils. This tiny nutritional giant fills you up—not out.

Next we had Sweet Potato Curry Quinoa...

Very tasty, nutritious and easy...get the recipe here... http://www.happyolks.com/sweet-potato-quinoa-curry-bowl/

Sprinkled with Currants and followed by...

 Chocolate Coconut Flour Cake...did not rise as well as some but no probs...good, rich taste...a bit more light and airy and not as dense as the Choco cake from last week...yum!

                 http://www.nutritionstripped.com/chocolate-coconut-flour-cake-with-chocolate-mousse-frosting/

                                         To be served with Candied Pecans and baked pears!

                                                    

My pantry is getting filled with lots of goodies...one day it shall look something like this...oh yes pleaaaaaaase...dream pantry...


 
 Or this...


 And smell like Piko...looooove that shop!

And to sign off for this installment of The Return of the Hangries...I will leave you with this pic of my hangry little hippo pictured here with his lovely Nana...stay tuned folks...who knows what might be coming next...I surprise myself at times...hehehehe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                                                   

The Hangry Little Hippo and the Adventures of his half crazed hippie (ish) Mama

Half crazed...I am not there yet but give me a couple of vino's and I shall be well on my way...this is  no joke but a rather serious matter where the self imposed wine ban gets enforced rather strictly from time to time...

Hungry Hippos...

Remember that game as a child?!!!!!!!! Vaguely...hmmm...alas...it all seems so long ago...now I have a hangry hippo of my own...this truly is a constant battle let me tell you...boys will be boys...




This is my first post...the title for this blog came to me in a moment of pure brilliance...it doesn't happen often...but yes...sometimes it does...despite the fact that many say I should be blonde...not my colour at all!!!!!!!!!!!...the half crazed is not on a day to day basis (generally speaking) but rather refers to what occurs after four too many Vino's (Okay...lets be honest...sometimes perhaps even two... and the (ish) is referring to my desire to create a healthier life for our now 16 month old Son...sadly at this point I do not have green fingers at all despite having a Mother who has veeeeeeeeery green fingers...who knows...wonders will never cease to amaze me...with all this Cooking perhaps that and Knitting are next on the agenda?!!!!!!!!!!

What have I been doing this week...well...amongst other things...Cooking, Baking, Cleaning...arghhhhh I have turned into rather a bit of a Nana following the surprise arrival of our first born and boy oh boy what a surprise that was...

I found this most wonderful new Cookbook tucked away at the local Library...time to ditch the old faithful (Edmonds) and crack out some new goodies!!!!!!!!!!

Apple - Cranberry Oatmeal Muffins (with Pecans - only on top mind you as no nuts at daycare of course! ...crikey...)

   Yesterday we were also busy in the Kitchen...

 Beets...Organic of course

Wholesome and nutritious Chia Seeds

Dr Libby says... Nutritionally speaking, chia seeds are a great vegetarian source of Omega 3 alpha-linolenic acid — beneficial for the brain and heart. Essential fatty acids build new cells and regulate various processes of the body, but our bodies cannot make them internally so we must get them from our diet. Chia seeds are also a good source of potassium and contain all eight essential amino acids, making them a complete source of protein. This is critical for vegetarians or vegans who have to combine foods to supply missing amino acids. Chia seeds also contain good quantities of many minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and manganese. Phosphorus is a mineral primarily known for its role in bone health. It works with calcium in order to boost the strength of your bones.

Cacao Powder...lots of it...

Body + Soul says...Naturopath Aimee Robbins says raw, powdered cacao is full of flavonoids, which act as natural antioxidants. "Antioxidants protect the body from ageing and disease caused by free radicals. Raw cacao contains up to four times the antioxidants of traditional cacao powder, and has the highest antioxidant value of all the natural foods in the world." Scientists from Cornell University in the US recently discovered that raw cacao contains nearly twice the antioxidant content of red wine, and up to three times the antioxidant content of green tea.
The cacao bean is also rich in magnesium, an energy mineral and vital electrolyte. This super-food is also a good source of sulfur. Sulfur is associated with strong nails, shiny hair and a healthy liver and pancreas. Medical herbalist Dominique Finney says the flavonoids in cacao prevent fat-like substances in the bloodstream from oxidising and clogging the arteries. "Cacao has also been found to help regulate blood pressure and reduce cholesterol while building the immune system."

And the finished product...also from my beloved new Bible (notice how I say mine but it actually isn't but it shall be mark my words)...Decadent Choc Bundt Cake...and oh my giddy heart it was divine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


For tonight we have...Cheesy Millet-Stuffed Butternut...adapted slightly from The Bojon Gourmet

Millet...rather resembles bird seed don't you think...hmmmmmmmmmm?!!!!!!!!!!

whfoods.org says...Millet is more than just an interesting alternative to the more common grains. Our food ranking system qualified it as a good source of some very important nutrients, including copper, manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium.

But tastes like nutty Quinoa (Keen-wa)

Oh cheeeeeeeeeeeese please...Gruyere and Feta

Cheese.com says...Gruyere is named after a Swiss village. It is traditional, creamery, unpasteurized, semi-soft cheese. The natural, rusty brown rind is hard, dry and pitted with tiny holes. The cheese is darker yellow than Emmental but the texture is more dense and compact. Slightly grainy, the cheese has a wonderful complexity of flavors - at first fruity, later becomes more earthy and nutty. To make Gruyere, raw milk is heated to 93 degrees F and liquid rennet is added for curdling. The resulting curd is cut into small pieces which release whey while being stirred. Curd is cooked at 110 degrees F and raised quickly to 130 degrees F. The pieces become shriveled which is the cue to place the curd in molds for pressing. The cheese is salted in brine for 8 days and ripened for two months at room temperature or a quick method: 10 days at 50 degrees F. Curing lasts from 3 to 10 months (the longer the curing period the better the cheese).

• Made from cow's milk
• Country of origin: Switzerland
• Type: hard
• Fat content: 40-46%

I added Spinach, Tomato and Yellow Onion...a healthy and simple dindins for the Whanau (aka band of hangry hippos!)

Delish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And one lucky last from a couple of days ago...bound to be a repeat...Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes with Blackberry Salsa...borrowed from

http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/05/sweet-potato-quinoa-cakes-with-blackberry-salsa/

My Pinterest addiction pays off yet again...I now have 16,291 pins and much to my delight 3,618 followers...if this is not a sure sign of addiction I am not sure what is...hehehe...but I looooooove it!

Here is my hangry little hippo himself...he sure is cute...takes after his Father!!!!!!!