starting small

Okay. So usually, when I hit a red light, I come up with a plan. It's really fun to do, and amounts to me transforming myself into the most amazing, kind, wonderful, glamorous, creative, productive, intelligent, enviable person alive. Of course, I am yet to become that person... and unfortunately, I know that I never will be - because it is impossible. For anybody. (Yes, even Cate Blanchett, I'm sure, has her faults. Or, at least, that is what I tell myself.) So this time, I am going to start small. Really small.

Eat breakfast.

Easy! And not just any breakfast. A healthy breakfast. Maybe not be the healthiest breakfast in the entire world, but one which provides me with some nutrients and antioxidants, and fills me up until lunchtime (okay, until a mid-morning snack).

You see, I usually miss breakfast. For a multitude of reasons. The first is time. I usually sleep in, which means that I am rushing out of the door and don't have time to rummage around the kitchen, let alone actually sit down to eat a meal. The second is options. Of course, there are a lot of things in my fridge and pantry that I could eat for breakfast, but none of them appear to be particularly appealing - mainly because the early hours of the morning is when I am most determined to be healthy, so white bread or bacon doesn't quite mesh. The third is because I am not very hungry in the mornings, so when I miss breakfast, it doesn't feel like a big deal.

My philosophy is that a nourishing, healthy, pleasurable breakfast will give me a jump start to the day, with the flow-on effects of encouraging me to wake up a little earlier, take a few minutes to read my book (currently The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert, it's captivating) and reflect upon the day ahead (a little more on that later).

The breakfast itself, I stole it from Leo Babauta at Zen Habits. I have been devouring his blog over the last few days. It's wonderful. (Again, more on that later!) Browsing his archives, I came across his post 10 Tasty, Easy and Healthy Breakfast Ideas, the first of which was...

Oatmeal, flaxseed, blueberries & almonds. To me, this is the perfect breakfast. Steel-cut oatmeal is probably the healthier choice, but if you are in a hurry, the instant kind will do fine (it doesn’t have as much fiber, but the other ingredients make up for that). After microwaving the oatmeal, add ground flaxseed, frozen blueberries, sliced almonds. You can add a little cinnamon and honey (not a lot) if you’re using the non-instant oatmeal. That’s four power foods, full of fiber and nutrients and protein and good fats, with only a couple of minutes of prep time. And very tasty!

I have tweaked it a little to suit my own tastes. I have half a packet of oatmeal (the instant kind, but one which contains no sugar... it is also organic and biodynamic, whatever that means*), a handful of fresh blueberries, raw almonds slivers and two finely sliced fresh strawberries. With a tiny drizzle of maple syrup (organic, again... and the vegan alternative to honey). I would love to add flaxseed, as soon as I find some at my local health store. To tell the truth, I had never tried oatmeal before in my life... and on its own, it is a little (a lot) bland. But with the fruit, it is yummy and satiating. As I eat, I read my book and sip on some green tea. Then I round the whole lot off with a litre of water (which I drink slowly, as I am getting ready), using the giant BPA-free water-bottle I stole from Andy. (Just like smaller plates help us to eat less, a giant water-bottle encourages me to drink more.)

So that is my starting point. I will be slowly adding in new things to try, as well as tips and inspirations from others. I'd love to hear your feedback, advice or story, as well.

* Working in the cosmetics industry has left me very dubious about "organic" claims. There is no official body certifying organic products (only ingredients), and often when a brand is labelled "organic" (or "mineral", for that matter), it is often the case that there is only a few ingredients are actually organic, and the rest are just cheap, synthetic fillers. So definitely read the ingredients list itself, if you are concerned about using or eating natural products or foods... My oatmeal contains just oats and sea salt, which I feel safe with.

some food inspiration

As much as I adore beautiful food blogs, I have never harboured much of a desire to join their realm. For one, I am a terrible cook. I am not just being modest - I am truly bad at anything food related. (Kimberley will be able to attest to that, after I took three attempts to heat up her lasagna before my younger brother had to take over.) Secondly, what I actually can cook generally belongs on the "what not to eat" list. Or, I cook relatively healthy meals so badly that they look as though they belongs in that category. Not wonderful material for food inspiration.

Nevertheless, I have decided that I will start writing some food-related posts every now and then. As I have said, I have no special food knowledge or cooking talent that qualifies me to write about food. I have just noticed that the reason I don't take pride in my cooking or choose particularly healthy options is not purely because I have no cooking ability (there may be some, buried deep down inside of me!) It is mainly that I am not inspired or motivated. Every now and then I will read a book, blog post or watch an Oprah episode that persuades me to try a new recipe or two, but, on the whole, I have no desire to make much of an effort. (Living with my parents and having a chef as a boyfriend doesn't help any.) Hopefully, by foraging into the food world via this blog, I can help to inspire you a little and, in turn, I hope that you will inspire me! Please feel free to share any feedback, food knowledge, recipe ideas, your favourite new ingredients, etc in the comments section.

So here are a few things I made today. I did take pictures, but ultimately decided not to post them because they looked utterly unappetising. Thankfully, the sites where I found the recipes have absolutely lovely photos for you to fawn over!

Chile and Lime Roasted Pepitas, via The Brassica Diaries

These are so quick and easy to make, and a delicious snack. I made a bowlful for my family this evening, as a pre-dinner appetiser, and they all disappeared! I will be making some more over the weekend for me to snack upon between meals during my study break next week. Yum.

Homemade Paprika Roast Potato Chips, via The Good Mood Food Blog

I made these for my brothers as an after-school snack today, using a mix of potato and sweet potato (the latter for me, which is nominally healthier). They were very tasty - my brothers even complimented them, which is very rare (considering my cooking prowess). I have to add that Donal, the Irishman who writes this blog, is very cute.

Laura's Summer Juice

This is my own recipe, so it is lucky that this picture did not turn out too badly! My love for juices stems from my years working at a juice bar during high school. After every shift, we would be allowed a free juice, which means that a long, draining day always triggers me to have a craving for juice. This one is all fruit, so more of a treat than an everyday snack. Perfect for hot, summery days.

Half a banana

Two oranges, squeezed

Two strawberries

One teaspoon of chia powder

6 iceblocks

Blend in a blender and voila! One tall glass of delicious, thirst-quenching, pick-me-up juice.

Beauty Food: Eat Well to Look Beautiful by Marie Claire

If you are, like me, in need of some food inspiration, I would highly recommend this book. Since it was commissioned by a magazine which tends to advocate fad diets, I didn't have high expectations when I picked it up at Borders, but it is really good. It consists of scientific, expert advice from world-class nutritionists, shedding light on how to eat well, with practical tips that are easy to implement. The overall message is that we should be eating a balanced, fulfilling diet designed to nourish our bodies, rather than denying ourselves from sustenance with punishing weight-loss regimes and unnatural, processed foods. Overall, a refreshingly positive, educational book about food!

"If we can't, as artists, improve on real life, we should put down our pencils and go bake bread."

— Barbara Kingsolver

10 Day Cycle

So another 10 days have passed, and it is time to embark on a new "cycle".

Last week went well. It was the final week of my break so I took some time to relax and get a few things done that I had resolved to do, like exercising and writing. I also fired off some emails (on the advice of the lovely Corrine at Frock and Roll) and received some heart-warming replies. I organised my desk and bought all my textbooks for uni. I attempted both recipes: Alicia's juice was yummy and Skye's mousse was delicious. I made the mousse for my friend Kimberley's Masterchef finale party - I had been on team Adam since Skye left, so over the moon when he won! I didn't get the laundry done.

Things to read

Confession... I was distracted from my reading list by Annabel Crabb's Rise of the Ruddbot... but I need to educate myself in preparation for the election! I did finish Living Dolls, which was brilliant.

So this week I'm going to be a little more realistic and just allocate one fiction book...

I have read the first chapter and been meaning to continue for a few months, and now I feel as though I am in a place that reflects the tone of the book... thoughtful, whimsy, optimistic and reflective. My friend has the audio version, which Obama narrates himself... divine.

And one non-fiction book...

I am almost halfway through this (after receiving it in the mail from Amazon last night) and it's wonderful.

Things to try

Transcendental meditation — Sarah Wilson wrote about this on her blog last week. I am very skeptical so I never thought that I would even entertain the thought of taking up meditation, but the benefits seem amazing so I have decided to give it a try. You can read Sarah's article here.

Recipes to try

A couple of recipes from Cannelle et Vanille...

• Poached salmon salad
• Chocolate, banana and teff cupcakes (gluten-free)

Hair and makeup inspiration

I am finally getting my hair redone today. I have been contemplating which colour to go for and, at this stage, I am enamoured of exquisite Australian model Samantha Harris in this Little Joe runway show.* It is the perfect, understated shade of brown that has none of that dreaded red tone that I hate (on me, I love it on other people!)

Her makeup is beautiful, too.

Things to do

Go to a dinner party tonight

Fill out the iStudiez app on my iPhone

Get ahead with my Law and Women's Studies reading; watch some movies for my English unit

*Enamoured "of" sounds off to me, but I did my research... "with" is grammatically incorrect and "by" would mean that Samantha is enamoured of ME. Just thought I'd clear that up in case anybody else thought that it sounded wrong... It's probably just me, though!

(Pictures via Primped, Amazon, Niotillfem and StartBreathing)

vague fantasies

"It was late september. I was eighteen. I had experienced a rather unceremonious exit from school. I had no real idea about what i wanted to do, just some vague fantasies involving writing, a palazzo, an adoring Italian, daily love letters and me in a Sophie Loren sort of dress, weaving through a Roman Market holding a basket of ripe scented figs."
— Sophie Dahl, Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights

first impressions

Okay, you guessed it, j'adore Paris! We arrived yesterday afternoon via the Eurostar and it was love at first sight. I am staying in the 7e arrondissement, by the Tour Eiffel. The area is incredibly charming, with so many little food stores, a gourmet market down the street, and lots of restaurants and cafés. Last night we ate at a lovely brasserie (I had delicious Normandy style veal scallop) and then bought dessert at an adorable pâtisserie on the way home (a to-die-for chocolate crème éclair).

Today I walked the streets of Paris. It was absolutely freezing (the temperature was 2 to -6) but I was so excited that I didn't feel cold (although I will need go shopping for some more layers tomorrow!) I saw the Musée du Louvre, Pont Alexandre III, Palais Garnier, Arc de Triomphe, Avenue des Champs-Élysées and, of course, the Tour Eiffel. I will revisit each of them individually during the week to explore them further. I did delve into the breathtaking Notre Dame. There was a mass in progress and although I am not at all religious, I was riveted. The architecture is magificent, especially the exquisite stained glass windows, which invokes both tranquillity and awe.

I was warned that Paris is not as beautiful as it is in pictures; that it is dirty and the people are unfriendly. Well, I respectfully disagree - Paris is just as striking, picturesque and welcoming as I could have imagined. Each of the landmarks I have encountered are amazing, and the buildings in between, although not so grand, are, in the least, quaint and charming. I have not found Paris to be dirty at all - it is not spotless (and people do not seem to clean up after their dogs' public messes) but its cleanliness is comparable to most other cities I have been, including Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. Definitely nothing to complain about! I have not found the people unfriendly at all; the waiters are all extremely lovely (a lot more so than in Australia!) and the shopkeepers, although none I have encountered speak English, were very patient and gracious toward my family.

Quite simply, Paris is the perfection I expected it to be, and I am hopelessly* in love!

* Or helplessly? Hopelessly sounds too morbid, yet helplessly just doesn't sound right! Insert the correct word here, please. I should know this!

yummy

Determined to embrace summer despite today's stormy weather, I convinced my boyfriend Andy to teach me how to make chocolate strawberries (my favourite summer snack!)

Organic strawberries + dark chocolate chips + cream (equal millilitres of cream to grams of chocolate). Boil the cream in a saucepan, melt the chocolate and mix it with the cream, then dip the strawberries and refrigerate until the chocolate hardens. Simple and delicious!