FOOD DESIGN (6)

How simple yet stunning is this design? Well done to the person behind it!

DID YOU KNOW ...(33)?

Photo Credit

Only female bees have stingers. In other words, only female bees sting.

VINEGAR FOR SILVER

You can polish your silver with white vinegar. Make a mixture with half a cup of vinegar and two spoonfuls of sodium bicarbonate and leave your silver items in them for a few hours before you rinse them with water and polish them with some soft piece of cloth.

BRUSSEL SPROUTS INFORMATION AND RECIPE

Last week, I received a family fruit and vegie box from Aussie Farmers Direct and boy, I was impressed! It was a perfect size for our family and the variety in the box was quite impressive. They looked fabulous, smelled delicious, and felt wonderful! Seeing Mr. Junior so excited about the box full of surprises was a priceless bonus! 

When the box arrived, we were about to have our dinner and there wasn't any time to make anything using the newly arrived treasures, so I had to wait despite my impatience. However, the next day, I couldn't resist the huge inspiration and urge to make something with them even though we had enough leftovers for dinner that day. I first thought of a broccoli salad as the whole family loves it but soon, the brussel sprouts somehow beat the broccoli and ended up in my hands ready to be used even before I noticed it. 

Using the recipe a friend of mine has given me, I made a brussel sprout salad full of goodness and colour! Before I move onto the health benefits of brussel sprouts and my tasty recipe, let me briefly introduce you Aussie Farmers Direct using their own words:

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Aussie Farmers Direct | Fresh Fruit, Veg, Meat & Groceries Home Delivered.

Aussie Farmers Direct is an independently owned, multiple award winning, home delivery food business that sources fresh 100% Australian owned, grown and produced food, and delivers it direct to more than 130,000 households across six states of Australia.

Save time and money by shopping online with Aussie Farmers Direct and enjoy quality groceries, fruit & vegetables, organic produce, meat and dairy delivered direct to your door.

Join today and choose from one of our Special Introductory Offers!: AussieFarmers.com.au

Useful Information on Brussel Sprouts:

Brussel sprouts

• supply high levels of Vitamin C
• has cancer-inhibiting potential similar to -or according to some research results, even higher than- cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables (eg. broccoli and cauliflower)
• is considered to be an immune system booster
• is rich in folate (folic acid), potassium, and Vit K
• has some beta-carotene (precursor to Vit A).
• provide some cholesterol-lowering benefits if steamed. 
• are low in fat and sodium
• are high in dietary fiber
• are high in protein

It is also claimed that they may have some role in DNA protection.

It is recommended that to benefit from brussel sprouts (and cruciferous vegetables in general), they should be consumed at least 2-3 times a week (serving size at least 1-1/2 cups).

Cooking and Preparation Tips:

Remove stems and any discoloured leaves and wash them. You may even leave them in cold water for a bit to remove any insects that may reside in the inner leaves. 

Some people prefer to cook them whole. However, to cook them quickly and evenly, I suggest you cut them in half, cut them in quarters or just cut an X in the bottom of the stem before cooking. 

Steaming is claimed to be the healthiest way to cook them. However, I often boil but if you decide to boil too, plan ahead and make sure you don't waste the water. I generally add it to a soup that I cook afterwards. 

Don't over cook them as it changes the texture and the nutritional values of them. 

BRUSSEL SPROUT SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:

Brussel sprouts (cut in half or quarters)

Chopped parsley

Chopped dill (optional)

Red capsicum 

Lemon juice to taste 

Olive oil

Chilli flakes to taste

Black pepper (optional)

Salt 

Method: 

Boil the brussel sprouts and let it cool for a little while. Once warm or cold, add the rest of the ingredients and in less than 10 minutes, voila! Your salad is ready! Best served when cool. 

Enjoy something fresh today!

HANDMADE BOOKS

Source: http://homegrownhappy.blogspot.com.au/2009/10/babys-soft-book-of-colors.html

What a wonderful idea to make something special for your little one (or as a gift) with your small pieces of fabric scraps! Waste not, want not!

Source: http://www.craftinessisnotoptional.com/2009/10/soft-color-book.html

Source: http://www.craftinessisnotoptional.com/2009/10/soft-color-book.html

Click here for a free tutorial on how to make a handmade colour book from fabric scraps.

MR. JUNIOR's CLASSIC MUSIC LOVE SECRET

Mr. Junior and I have different tastes in music at times. However, we have a system running smoothly in our lives. On the way to his early learning centre, we listen to 'his music', and on the way back home, we listen to 'my music'.

His type of music is hard to name as he is generally pretty particular about what he likes and it is hard to guess what he will say yes to especially while listening to the radio. It is perhaps mostly pop music but not the very loud or the busy ones and I am  happy with it as well. However, I also enjoy variety and I try to expose my children to it too. That's why I thought it would be great to find a way to offer some opportunities to my children to have a taste of other music types too rather than the only ones they like.

Music doesn't actually have a big role in my life to be honest but when I do listen to it, I often prefer some calming type of music such as classic music or jazz unless I am happy to sing along or dance and that's when we both enjoy similar types of music (for example, we both enjoy listening to'The lion sleeps tonight' over and over and we both like to jump around and dance to it).

My love of classic and instrumental music in general began when I was at highschool when one of my brothers gifted a Mozart CD to me and later on took me to a great concert. A good friend of mine is also a ballet dancer and hanging around with her for quite a few years too helped, I assume.

Here is what worked really well for us: Use of imagination. It wasn't very hard to come up with this solution as I am still to this date doing this regardless of I mean to or not. I just can't help thinking of possible dance moves or a story that goes with the music I am listening. Recently, I turned on 'my music' in the car again and asked Mr. Junior what he thought was happening/what story it was telling as he listened to it. He was perplexed and asked me what I thought it was about. I started sharing with him what I thought the story was. As the tunes changed, the moves changed too. He loved it!!! He loved my stories and he started imagining also. He still prefers me to tell him a story that goes with the music rather than him sharing one with me but, hey, this little game gave us something unique to share, an opportunity to let go of our limits and let our imagination go wild and also the love of classic music.

Since that day, he LOVES classic music and the stories that we come up with. At times lions jump out of nowhere and run wild until they find a puddle and then they start jumping on it, sometimes it is the kids hiding from some other kids and going on their tippy toes, or someone trying to sleep but it is not working because he has some brilliant ideas that just came to mind and made him too excited. He gets up and writes the ideas down before he relaxes and goes back to bed etc.

I believe that every time he listens to classic music even as an adult in the future, he will remember our little stories and who knows, may be one day, this may be how he will help his children to enjoy a certain type of music when he is a parent!

DID YOU KNOW ... (32)?

The average person spends 2 weeks of their life waiting for a traffic light to change.