slowing it down…
(a wonderful concept created by the lovely Christine over at Slow Living Essentials)
it's not pretty but it fills happy bellies
Nourish– I’m loving a simple rustic family sized quiche once a week at the moment. A couple of sheets of puff pastry, (seems I got over that packet guilt rather quickly) beaten eggs and what ever looks appealing on the day. The Monkeys quiche of choice? Fetta and some free range bacon. Mr and Chocolate and I? Whatever seasonal vegetables that look particularly quiche like from our local CSA delivered box, (but lets be honest…he’d rather the fetta and bacon one too.)
Prepare– School lunches are particularly easy when all I have to do is whack one out of the freezer. Pesto parmesan scrolls and apple cinnamon ones are the taste of choice at the moment. They are also easy for a hungry mama to grab on the run.
Reduce– I’ve been putting aside some old worn out clothing. Rips, tears, thinning fabric, too big, too small. I’m sure I can turn them into something else. Just waiting for the inspiration as to what. I’ve also been incredibly lucky with receiving a whole bunch of wonderful little girl clothing. She will clearly have a whole heap of Monkey clothing to grow into but a small amount of pink as been infused into the mixture as well.
Green- Being economical with the oven use, and utilising all the racks when cooking. Also cooking bigger batches of things, and cluster cooking. (cluster cooking…. now there’s something to pop into you days vocabulary.) The worm farm is still going strong. The little fellas seem to have worked out their own little wormy balance and it requires very little maintenance.
Grow– I’m growing mould on my bathroom ceiling… does that count? No, no I guess not. I’m also growing my children, and they are growing like weeds!
Create– Making a little hat for a three year old girls birthday. Teddy wanted to model it, as my own residing three year old refused, (at least teddy keeps still.) I’ve also been playing with using vegetables as stamps and creating cards. It’s been fun playing with what works and what doesn’t.
Enhance- There is hooking action going on lately. I still suck, but I’m willing to learn as I want to get better. Hooking plans in the park or cafe with other hook yielding friends. A recent visit to this shop, just inspired the pants off me. (Thankfully they stayed on while I was in there as I didn’t want to scare anyone away.) Crochet and knitting classes I can see being a part of down the track, unless I really nut out the whole crochet thing by myself, (which seems unlikely to happen at this stage…sigh.) I’m still getting my Foodconnect box delivered too, it makes life just a tad easier.
Discover– I plan to become one with the above crochet book… that’s the plan anyway.
every man needs a penguin sinking into his cake
Enjoy- Mr Chocolate’s birthday, being with my little people, BLT’s in the back courtyard with family and enjoying the beautiful time of year that Autumn is.
cityhippyfarmgirl 
Ah…lovely!
I too am enjoying the lovely autumn weather – particularly the two gloriously sunny days we have had this week.
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We’ve had some lovely weather this week haven’t we. Summer was a bit odd, apparently Autumn is where it’s at 🙂
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Love the pics…it all sounds and looks wonderful…..”cluster cooking”….that gives a name to what I have been trying to do,…the kids laughed the other day cause I had bickies in with the enchiladas in the oven at dinner time,,,had to explain method in my madness of reducing the ammount of time the oven is on 🙂
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‘Cluster Cooking’… actually it sounds like a title to a cookbook. A ‘how to’ on maximising your oven use.
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Hadnt thought of it as cluster cooking – but love the expression – can I use it too?
I have just put a lamb casserole in the oven with apple and rhubarb crumble about to follow it in – cluster cooking at its best.
Maybe I need a cake or two as well ( its is a big oven after all! )
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If you can fit it in, everyone needs a cake in the oven as well.
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What a lovely post – and lovely pictures as always. I love the penguin in the cake too! Cluster cooking has me intrigued and I suspect is something I should do more of. When I manage it (presuming I am correctly interpreting what it is) it is so much more time efficient and I end up with a nice supply of food for the week. I don’t have a freezer of scrolls though and now I feel I need one 🙂
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It is more time efficient isn’t it. As for the penguin, he just kept sinking lower and lower… then got a good Monkey licking!
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Those BLT’s look so yummy and that cake is amazing and yes, every cake needs a penguin! xx
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yes, from here on in, it’s only penguin cakes.
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Yeah Autumn is cool……love what you have achieved in April…..and Mr Chocolates cake is so cute
http://www.mykitchenstories.com.au
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It’s a beautiful time of year isn’t it.
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What a gorgeous wrap up, Bryds. It’s so great to hear what’s been happening in your world! Where to start? So glad to hear there is some pink infusion happening, love a good quiche here too..although if it’s for hubby I must make sure to call it ‘egg and *insert enticing ingredient* pie. He has a phobia regarding ‘quiches’!
Hooking! You ARE amazing!! (wool looks delicious – if that’s at all possible?) and our men have similar birthdays..we celebrated hubby’s the other day too!
Now if I could just have one of those BLT’s I would be a happy woman indeed. Thanks for joining in xx. 🙂
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Christine you would have loved this shop. I spent rather a long time placing balls of wool up to my neck to see if it was soft enough. So many gorgeous colours… saying that you have your own dyed gorgeous colours to choose from!
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ooh I haven’t thought of potato prints for Sylvia – must do this as we have the ink pad but I haven’t found the right stamps (actually I did and I left them in the shop so that doesn’t count).
sounds like there is lots of yummy food happening in your kitchen – and lots of creativity – love the hat
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Not potato Johanna, think lettuce and bok choy 🙂
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I am definitely a cluster baker. It means a very busy concentrated time and timing to get everything done and especially if there are different temperatures to bake- but it just makes sense to use oven time more efficiently.
Love your wools and cap- I still can’t crochet- one hook instead of two needles confuses my hand/brain connection!
And – I’m with everyone else- I really like the look of your BLT’s.
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Heidi I would love to be able to knit like you! The plan is to get crochet sorted and then I want to get my knitting better….slowly.
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Awww, there’s always something so calming about your posts; a sense that everything’s in its place and as it should be. Glad you’re enjoying the fall with all sorts of deliciousness and wool. Do you have composting worms? I’m so interested in getting some worms to compost my food scraps during the winter, but not sure where we’d put the bin!
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We do have composting worms. I think we’ve had them about 2 years now. They don’t take up much space, and ours sits at the back door doing their wormy thing. I say give them a go Ada.
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Before I read your caption on your quiche photo, my first thought was, ‘what a beautiful creation.’ It’s lovely, and a great idea.
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Thanks Doc. The humble quiche is a firm favourite round here.
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That quiche really is beautiful. You’ve taken some cool photos here.
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Thanks Mr FF 🙂
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Thank you for this lovely Slow Living post. Quiche looks wonderful. I do enjoy following your baking. And now your crochet too. When my children were little I used to make all their clothes (you did in those days). This post has encouraged me to start up with my knitting again, the ultimate slow living essential. Impossible to get stressed if you have crochet hook or knitting pins in your hands. It’s early morning here in Australia, still dark outside, and checking your blog with my cup of tea in hand is a lovely start to my Thursday.
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Jean I think that’s why the crochet is appealing at the moment. It’s so incredibly calming. I only have to do a little bit at a time, it’s the perfect project to keeping picking up and putting down, and whatever I’m making just get slowly bigger and bigger.
…as for the still dark outside, tea in the morning? Best time of the day.
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Wonderful mellow time for you, Brydie! Sounds like it’s all going very well indeed.. 🙂
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Gorgeous. I’m with Ada. I feel calmed and happy, ready to start the day. Thanks.
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“Inspired the pants off me.” LOL!
Your quiche reminds me of how much I love quiche. I haven’t made one in ages… ever since Hubba went on his gluten embargo. I may just have to make one for myself. 😉
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Oh yeah, I’m hearing ya on the worn out clothing fetish…. I have a mighty stack waiting for inspiration! Sadly the most it has amounted to is dishcloths, patches for boys pants and the odd bit to line a zippered pouch.
Lovely to hear about your busy ‘slow’ month ;o)
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Evi I was thinking with all the pockets some of my clothing has to make a hanging- pockety- keep the boys little ‘treasures’- sort of thing. Does that make sense. It’s one of my ideas anywhere.
…and it certainly has been a busy slow month!
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I love food that’s both simple and gourmet. Great post.
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Great post. That crochet book looks like exactly what I need to get beyond granny squares. And I discovered that shop for the first time recently too. What fabulous wool they have in there, it’s really inspiring just walking in the front door! Happy crocheting!
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That shop IS inspiring. I’m hooked on hooking at the moment!
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It’s funny you talked about cooking up big batches of things, while I’m trying to do the opposite – to a point any way. I have a tendency to way over cater for every meal which leads to way too much food in the freezer.
Those BLTs look absolutely delicious. Mr Good would love them, I’ll keep that idea in mind for his next birthday, ore maybe father’s day.
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Those BLT’s were boy food. Mr Chocolate was happy as well.
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Hi lovely Brydie,
I feel like it’s been way to long since I’ve visited.
I always feel so inspired by your gorgeous words and photos.
And I love this catch up.
I always feel so sad at the end of autumn when there are only months of cold and grey ahead, but I think if I broke it down like this that all the bits and pices going on would still be as wonderful.
I might just have to.
Have a fab weekend.
xx
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I do the baking everything at once thing too. Love your beanie … oh how I wish I could make that! I am still up to knitting scarves after two years. The wool in it looks ever so soft.
I think you are doing well making all those homemade goodies with a new baby in the house , well done!
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Looks so delicious, very tempting pictures..
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loved this post. so full of irony and positive energy. mold on the ceiling definitely counts! I am growing a lot of stuff like that too 🙂 love the picture of the flower and… wow, those sandwiches look gorgeous! and the bread looks home-made. no need to feel guilty for frozen puff-pastry… lol. I also always buy my phyllo frozen when I make my quiche (like to use several layers of phyllo dough for mine). xox
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I’m definitely checking out Christine’s blog. I love this idea.. although I can’t see “slowing it down” happening in our house for a few more days. Tonight’s the first chance I’ve had in two weeks to actually read blogs and I’m in heaven! And I’ve loved to have grown up with school lunches like yours! xo Smidge
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