Sunday 5 December 2010
Meditation
Meditation is generally an internal, personal practice and most often done without any external involvement, except perhaps prayer beads to count prayers. Meditation often involves invoking or cultivating a feeling or internal state, such as compassion, or attending to a specific focal point. The term can refer to the state itself, as well as to practices or techniques employed to cultivate the state.
There are dozens or more of specific styles of meditation practice. People may mean different things when they use the word, 'meditation'. Meditation has been practiced since antiquity as a component of numerous religious traditions, especially in monastic settings.
Try it - even if you just take 5 minutes each day to sit quietly, light a few candles and be at one with the world!
Friday 3 December 2010
A beautiful view
Tuesday 30 November 2010
Refreshing Rain
Monday 29 November 2010
Relax with a muffin this Monday
1 1/2 cups of self raising flour
1/2 tspn baking powder
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbspns dark chocolate bits
2 tbspns white chocolate bits
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup light olive oil
1 cup raspberries (frozen is fine)
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius (180 fan forced). Line/grease muffin tray.
Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add oats, sugar and chocolate bits. Whisk egg, milk and oil in a medium bowl and add to flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Fold in raspberries.
Spoon mixture into muffin tray. Bake for approx 20 minutes or until cooked through (test with a skewer). Leave in tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Dust with icing sugar if desired!
Enjoy with a lovely refreshing green tea!
Sunday 28 November 2010
Relationships
Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh!" he whispered. "Yes, Piglet?" "Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. "I just wanted to be sure of you." ~A.A. Milne
Enjoy your day
Monday 29 March 2010
Life
Enjoy your day
Sunday 28 March 2010
Attitude
Wednesday 9 July 2008
Need vs Want
Sunday 6 July 2008
Lots of moments
" We are only limited by our imagination, and our imagination is limitless..."
Use your imagination because it really is limitless!!
take a moment for yourself
Saturday 8 September 2007
Photo Hunters - Music
Sunday 19 August 2007
Relaxing in the garden
Wednesday 1 August 2007
Tuesday 24 July 2007
Treat yourself
Sunday 22 July 2007
Sunday Serving easy and relaxing recipe
I have not been doing too much blogging this last week as I have had a touch of the flu and Nito has been home - enjoying a relaxing week. So today he has provided the lovely easy to make recipe:
Entree Prawn Cocktail:
Prawns
Lettuce
Homemade Dressing
Place lettuce into individual serving dishes
Place peeled prawns in lettuce
Add dressing (dressing made from tomato sauce and mayonnaise - mix)
Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pies.
1 large barbecued chicken
30gms butter
4 green shallots, sliced
200gms mushrooms, sliced
2 tblsp cornflour
1 cup water
1 chicken stock cube, crumbled
1/2 cup sour cream
parsley
2 sheets frozen puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten
rice (if desired)
The recipe serves 4
About 15 minutes preparation
25 minutes to cook
Let's Cook
1. Remove the chicken meat from the bones, discarding the skin (try not too eat the skin rather than discard!!)
2. Heat butter in a large pan. Add shallots and mushrooms, stir over heat until mushrooms are tender. Blend cornflour to a smooth paste with a little water then add to pan with remaining water and stock cube. Stir over heat until mixture boils and thickens. Add sour cream, parsley and chicken, stirring over heat until combined. Spoon mixture into 4 individual ovenproof dishes or one pie dish.
3. Cut the pastry into four thin strips, about 1cm wide. Brush the edge of each dish with a little egg. Press a pastry strip around each edge, brushing again with egg. Cut four rounds from the remaining pastry large enough to cover dishes. Place pastry rounds over dishes, press at edges to seal, then trim edges. Brush pastry tops with egg and cut a small slit in the centre. Place pies on an oven tray and bake in a 220c preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden.
As a gluten free variation - use rice rather than pastry and ensure stock and cornflour are gluten free (these can be found at any supermarket).
The chicken and mushroom mixture can be cooked a day ahead.
Serve with seasonal vegies
Wine (or any other drink)
and
Friends
Enjoy!!!
take a moment for yourself
Wednesday 18 July 2007
Monday 16 July 2007
Count your Blessings
Sunday 15 July 2007
Sunday Serving - healthy and relaxing
Well what better way to end a weekend than to spend it having a healthy meal and relaxing with friends. This meal serves 8, is really quick to prepare (about 15 mins), easy to cook and tastes delicious - give it a go and let me know what you think.
Lamb Chops and mustard glaze
About 1.5kg of sweet potatoes
Approx 1/4 cup of wholegrain mustard
Approx 2 tsp of mixed herbs
About 2 tbs of honey
12 lamb chops (or pork chops)
Olive oil
2 onions
1. Peel sweet potato and cut into 1cm thick slices. Cook in boiling water for 5 minutes or until par-cooked. Drain. Refresh in cold water and drain again.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgOF6NC4KhlQS_mBFZiViV3nOxQIjJPCIf06VfiTJU3JNoaxTVjn_O3DJklPH9Gm5Rrrwa2j7V4-qkz1QRVKYsIxWO5CTjLmzJgUrkarWtc0unlD0oxnv8FkPO7Vy5LHKeWc1JXj-p456/s320/15jul2007+005.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAm9heUcAZ-F26zWUvdBLo0Ucnptk1zAFPyVJq0KKIa_CBGkfdh2Y30s0DAbgua3t987fxY8IKVpm5tJrumAzkpIhD4iNXYvZC0N5UvyRNwgZv1TFStJss0-u2Dej71I_lGTLdNJJ7aHIw/s320/15jul2007+006.jpg)
2. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. Combine mustard, mixed herbs and honey in a small bowl. Season to taste.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggpy2QT0wEN-JYLlc7f4KTP-Ua8UNhXoSCGpk2hyOTgVF5deyN4L-Nv8kJlWDOIHqRUlaQ1jJcgSmps3YOZ3aaXtbJseKtHKdrcWXeo6MVuZN87G_oFNEEJKTlfxRFB-e5dM900ndycSWq/s320/15jul2007+008.jpg)
3. Heat a large ovenproof frying pan over high heat. Add chops to pan with onion. Cook chops for 2 minutes each side or until brown. Add mustard mixture to pan. Turn chops to coat. Transfer pan to oven and cook for 5-7 minutes or until lamb is cooked through.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxJDaNBoJTlm7GbG2IvyxY3giycVxdoC6K-eNys6fMAHmVvwv8549YJfBcNJuzb42ovj__Dpq8EXd2sGlGPFkdx0yjRDO4g2BJbpAOLElinSp-MVhiODPmLxa768oQfb3t_4XqNgA7SkO/s320/15jul2007+009.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpANRbsjAEz5IXyAnWKXHbVuKoVax3gdNh-MEcD_uY7DFbXh3s8i3y_nkMu3hbabQLM-QqEFW5UCHc-RJ-_ux2MNWiOYob-V97qCR3kYORrFR7XdKq6NQtxbyvRJfoAeSnH-onR7oN5w9p/s320/15jul2007+010.jpg)
4. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add sweet potatoes and cook, turning, for 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMAgb3D82mV-GNYj1aczCUB8k8dsvY3YfuaDE1NPPqRIisI3BqovKXsvDRAjPeyS9H6UFpTHalPmvjTcxQ9lz8RLCCciVIa6AnluuT26P1UQzlrhaSsFYP_c899DJpDsGQot5VDWwq-N1/s320/15jul2007+012.jpg)
5. Divide sweet potato among plates, top with chops and spoon over mustard glaze and onion. Add other vegies that you like.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3TOPmRQLQHF6asBS2tZWU0rLg3GqoYTNqaxND1kCATs2_zQajn6c9API6rHQoGU1cLvtv9-9YvYhEbc8pYSZQRBsssKyvJdNr4OEz9meowRjuZglhcpDYt2mcZCndCLnoAE7qjSWdioG/s320/15jul2007+013.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicT89FL3Ua7tlHna2DBLlLxREbPhFDl_J-_b-2p2Tq_JETyOO_B2pbhwNLUvg030uHOzgSSR9aRVOKKaPV8qct6G7kz_HXEoN9XnFlXeXtvliJj2A8CIpCXR1hIO6PeiCEIXfFoxELzrwI/s320/15jul2007+014.jpg)
Serve with a nice red wine.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRymYG6so2_i9glEINagK572WInynDZLsVyw2zy2gn07X1gzFEX5x2SKzZ9Zaa3CPxGKGlgwl4XEZeMb_7HJFV3A4CxzzeQGd699wRHHt_deiKIj5pewP3_hJ9LAXilVkP04rSKO1YY0n/s320/15jul2007+011.jpg)
Enjoy with great conversation.
Be a little indulgent for dessert - homemade custard with choc chips.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXK1dmt3vHNMLnKARQXFjUcCxw3NqaTZGAlS9N7eVk82BxW-xp8-V_cIi08FQi8lds5YLedkBiDhzMN9RAJqTKW_-UsIjrZz9UuYiobhR2rveSqdJ9-wOg9b2qD88UJeeM1HbJToQ9PB2o/s320/15jul2007+015.jpg)
Easy and delicious meal.
take a moment for yourself