Little Hands

Hiromi asked me to help out with an English camp. We picked blueberries (some of which were from NZ!), played games, sang songs and made sandwiches (with “hard” bread which the kids were unfamiliar with hehe). I absolutely adore children! Here are the pictures.

 

There Is Nowhere Morning Does Not Go

Morning is an important time of day, because how you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have. (Lemony Snicket)

Turns out waking up early is even better for me than I originally thought. This morning was an adventure I’ll never forget. So I embarked for my usual 5.30am walk only to be stopped halfway by an ojichan (old citizen). He asked where I was from, what I was doing here etc and long story short, he took me to his garden where he showed me his eggplants, watermelons, broccoli, figs, persimmons and other fruits and vegetables before ripping out a big cabbage head for me to take home. Next, he introduced me to his wife who also gifted me fresh produce: capsicum, parsley and cucumber. Since it was still early by the time I got home, I whipped up a quick batch of blueberry muffins to return to the old couple as a thank you before heading to work. When I got there…well, I’m sure you can imagine their smiles and feel their warmth.

His mother’s blueberry muffins were his favorite

His mother’s blueberry muffins were his favorite
that is, until he tried mine
shhh don’t tell her
he leant in
I thought, for a kiss
but he just grabbed another
even so, my heart skipped
I’d badly wanted to please him
flash-forward 3 years
they rise in a much smaller oven
on a new continent
in a six slot tray not twelve
actually everything has changed
even my hair color
but I still remember
I hope I wont always
the blue of his eyes
the blue on his lips

These HEALTHY four ingredient pancakes will change your life!

I have a confession to make. Sometimes (okay, most-times) I day dream about waking up to the smell of pancakes being especially made for ME by a lover. And, if he resembles Channing Tatum’s character from The Vow, well then, that’s a bonus but really who am I kidding, I just want the pancakes. And luuurrrrve. But, this ain’t that type of food blog. Here at Iaccidentlyatethewholething we (and by “we” I mean me, just me, one, uno, ichi,) don’t like to mix the personal with the recipe. So here it is, the recipe that will change your sad, lonely, wherethefuckishe single life. For this is a NEW age (apparently) where I don’t need no man and definitely not one to cook for me (and rub my feet, and listen to my worries, and hold my groceries) cos I’m an independent woman who can do all that for herself (or so my mother tells me).

Shit. Did I just mix the personal with the recipe? My bad. SO THE RECIPE is sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. In other words, it’s broccoli.

1 large banana
1/2 cup of quick oats (use GF if GF)
1/2 cup of milk of your choice (I used naturally sweetened organic almond milk)
1/4 tsp baking soda

Blend all ingredients together until smooth

Grill in a skillet greased with a little coconut oil for a minute or two until golden on both sides.

I served mine with yogurt, blueberries, raw walnuts and honey.

raw blueberry and apple jam

Yesterday I went blueberry picking at North Village in Shoo Town (300 yen for 1 cup + one or ten cheeky testers whilst picking) with my beautiful neighbour and her delicious baby whom by the way has been making me insanely clucky! Japanese babies are so scrummy!! Today, we made raw blueberry and apple jam – so healthy and supa easy! Please try it and let me know what you think! FYI, this recipe is naturally free from refined sugar, gluten and dairy.

2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup natural apple juice
2 tbsp pure maple syrup

2 tbsp chia seed

In a food processor or blender, mix together the blueberries, apple juice and maple syrup until  well combined and chunky.

Pour mixture into 1 or 2 jam jars then add chia seeds.

Mix mix mix thoroughly.

Refrigerate for a few hours before spreading on hot toast or mixing through greek yoghurt -yummy!

sugar-free blueberry and lemon yogurt loaf

Gift-giving is huge in Japanese culture. Since day 1 of arriving here, I have been given countless gifts! Once it was horse jerky. Yes horse. But last week it was three bags full of fresh vegetables! I am so blessed. To return the favor, I made this yogurt loaf for my dear friend the rotating librarian who I hope is reading this via Google translate! Anyways, the yogurt in this loaf makes it super moist (gross, word I know…apparently there was a recent study as to why we find it so?). Made with entirely wholemeal flour and zero sugar, it’s rather healthy, too!
Cake for brekkie? Don’t mind if I do.

2 free range eggs
1/2 cup oil (I used coconut, melted)
1 cup unsweetened natural yogurt
3/4 cup of honey
zest of one lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 160C

Mix the wet and dry ingredients in two separate bowls (excluding the blueberries).

Then combine the dry ingredients into the wet.

Lastly, gently mix in the blueberries – take it easy here unless you want a purple loaf.

Pour batter into a greased oven-proof loaf dish and bake for about 45-60 minutes or until the fork comes out clean.

Let cool before removing from pan.

Keep refrigerated.

Blueberry and Walnut muffins

The weather here in Christchurch has been playing up lately (to say the least) and my favourite clothing stores are already stocking coats, jackets and everything in long-form: sleeves, pants, socks etc. So for my Sunday baking I thought it appropriate to use blueberries one last time. You know, before they all disappear from our supermarket shelves and I need to flavour everything with pumpkin – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but yeah. I think it goes without saying that they’re delicious but they’re also naturally free from gluten, refined sugar and dairy. Meaning they’re the ideal healthy treat for morning/afternoon tea or whenever you feel like a muffin-break minus the excessive sugar/calories.

the creamy top of a can of coconut cream 
3 free range eggs
1/4 cup oil (i used coconut)
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1 cup wholemeal flour (use rice flour if GF)
1 1/2 cup almond meal 
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup fresh blueberries 
1/2 cup raw walnuts 

Preheat oven to 160C

Place all ingredients except blueberries and walnuts in a food processor and whizz until combined

Turn your food processor off if wanting to avoid unnecessary accidents and using a spoon carefully mix in the blueberries and walnuts

Divide batter between a greased muffin tray

Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

Let cool before nomnom

Serve with a cuppa of your fave hot beve and take some time out! It’s Sunday for crying out loud.

 

ATTENTION BOYS, this works better than flowers.

Flowers are so last year! (Shush! I know you see right through me; I’m actually dying for a fu***ing bouquet.) BUT, a fancy blueberry, peach and basil crumble?! Now, that’s next level romantic shit. If the way to a man’s heart is via his stomach… than the way to a womans’ is through her sweet-tooth? Let’s all just pretend that made sense… Anywho…this crumble is so freakin’ easy to prepare that I dare say, even a male specimen can make it. Let’s break it down to three simple steps (no multitasking required, promise).

filling:
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2-3 ripe peaches (stoned and sliced)
handful of basil leaves (washed – don’t be disgusting)
juice of one lemon

crumble:
1 cup almond meal (a fancy name for ground almonds)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used almond but if you’re looking for that extra sumthin’ sumthin’ I’d use hazelnut or even better; macadamia)
1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 heaped tbsp honey (don’t be stinge)

1. combine all of the filling ingredients in a medium sized bowl then toss to combine.

2.place fruity deliciousness in an OVENPROOF dish… unless you’ve prepared a firefighter’s outfit… in which case, use a piece of paper.

3.Using a fork, combine the crumble ingredients in a small bowl then assemble on top of fruit mixture.

Bake for 30ish minutes or until nice and golden.

Serve with plain yoghurt, ice-cream or whipped cream (oh yeah!).

*gluten-free
*dairy-free
*vegan
*refined-sugar free

Blueberry and Lemon Muffins

Some of you are getting a bit tired of the unpronounceable healthy ingredients (quinoa/keen-wah etc etc.) and have requested I share some dimwit-proof healthy recipes instead.

So you still don’t know what’s the dealio with cacao powder and you think chia seeds are chai lattes (you know who you are). It’s okay, don’t worry – I’mma save yo ass. The recipe for these gorgeous blueberry and lemon muffins requires rather basic ingredients which i presume most of you should already have in your pantries. They’re wholesome and nutritious but they’re not gluten, dairy or refined-sugar free. However; very easily, they can be – just refer to the parenthesis.

3/4 natural unsweetened yoghurt (for dairy-free: coconut cream)
3 free-range eggs
1/2 cup oil (I used coconut but you can use whatever you like)
1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup if you’re concerned about ze bees)
2 cups of wholemeal flour (for gluten free: almond meal or rice flour)
pinch of cinnamon 
zest and juice of one lemon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 

1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup brown sugar (for refined-sugar free: coconut sugar) 

Preheat the oven to 160 C

In a food processor mix the yoghurt, eggs, oil and honey until smooth.

Add the flour, cinnamon, lemon zest, lemon juice, baking soda and apple cider vinegar and pulse until well combined.

Pour mixture into a greased muffin tray and top with blueberries and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a fork comes out clean.

Let cool before nom nom.