30 days of kindness

Posted by Alana on May 20, 2013 in Challenge, Ramblings | 4 comments

A lone feather mysteriously falls from the sky. Caught by a gentle breeze it moves up and down, twisting and spinning. As a woman walks to work the feather strokes her face. She smiles for the softness of the touch. A child, barefoot, playing in the grass. The feather tickles his feet. The child laughs and squirms, wriggles his toes. The feather floats on. A cat dozing in the sun feels a gentle touch on her nose. An eye pops open. She bats the feather softly, enjoying the game. The cat’s person smiles, watching the cat play. And still the feather floats on.

Recipe: easy peasy noodle salad

Posted by Alana on May 18, 2013 in Recipe, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian | 0 comments

Easy. Delish. Healthy. Nuff said.

5 warning signs you’re not getting enough protein

Posted by Koren on May 16, 2013 in Diet, Vegan, Vegetarian | 0 comments

Confession time. For the past month my body has basically been a walking wreck. Actually, it hasn’t really even been capable of walking me anywhere.

There I was having the time of my life flitting about Central and Eastern Europe, living it up before moving to Spain for a year, when something went dreadfully wrong. Overnight I was robbed of my freedom and confined to bed as I battled the unrelenting agony of a serious back injury.

It seemed so unfair. I mean sure, I hadn’t been eating too well. I hadn’t been resting that much. I’d been shunning water in favour of lunchtime wines. But I’m still young! Surely my body could cope with a few months of mild abuse. Apparently not.

Recipe: Bread and butter pudding

Posted by Alana on May 11, 2013 in Recipe, Sweet Stuff, Vegan, Vegetarian | 41 comments

Winter is almost upon us in Australia and when it gets cold my body tells me carbohydrates are the only way to go. Who am I to say no? This recipe is an old time favourite that my Mum used to cook for us when we were teeny tiny. I have modified her recipe just slightly to make it completely vegan but the majority of the recipe is all her doing. The smell of cinnamon, sultanas and baking bread take me back to when I was a little girl and I would hang around in the kitchen waiting to hear the clatter of plates, knowing that the pudding was almost about to be served. My Mum’s (now not so) secret signature on this dish is the thick lashings of apricot jam she spreads on just before the pudding finishes cooking. It packs an extra punch of sweetness and gives the pudding a mouth-watering shiny glaze.

Guest post: Meditations with the angels

Posted by Alana on May 8, 2013 in Guest Post | 2 comments

How awesome are Mums? Our Mum is super kind, oh so sweet, sensitive, supportive, beautiful and talented. In a nut shell, she is the best Mum in the world! We’ve been asking her for a while now to write something for our blog. When she told me she had created these little meditations I jumped at the chance to share them with you. So read on for a few words from our Mum and links to the free meditations. Oh – don’t forget to pop over to Mum’s Facebook page and say hi. She’d love to hear from you.

The spotty dress makeover

Posted by Koren on May 6, 2013 in Brisbane, Crafternoon, Eco-friendly, Shopping | 2 comments

I just love finding old dresses in second-hand stores and giving them a new lease on life with a little trimming and sewing. Most of my makeovers involve the barest of changes, maybe just a hemline lift or sleeve removal that can be completed in a matter of minutes. But recently I ventured into a more daring attempt with this 1980s spotty number found for $30 at Brisbane’s wonderful Endeavour Foundation thrift shop. Of course, I wanted to share it with you. And now seems like the perfect time as unfortunately I’m still down and out with a severe back injury. So, a brief hiatus from my couch surfing tales to show you one of my favourite upcycling attempts.

Recipe: Mum’s apple crumble

Posted by Alana on May 5, 2013 in Guest Post, Recipe, Sweet Stuff, Vegan, Vegetarian | 0 comments

Looking for something delish to cook up for Sunday dessert?

The Blog Angel reveal

Posted by Alana on May 2, 2013 in Challenge, Giving goodness, Guest Post, Ramblings | 8 comments

Earlier in the month I hinted that we had been taking part in Craftbiotic’s April Blog Angel soiree. But we had to keep it all a big secret. Well, as April is over, I’m allowed to share…

Giving goodness: Farm Animal Rescue

Posted by Alana on May 1, 2013 in Charities we ♥, Giving goodness | 2 comments

This month we’re giving to Farm Animal Rescue, who have recently opened a farm animal sanctuary in Pine Rivers, Queensland. The sanctuary provides a safe, peaceful place for animals that have been freed from the torture of factory farming while at the same time aims to teach visitors about these wonderful, gentle creatures.

Guest recipe: Vegan Mother Hubbard’s ginger pistachio chews

Posted by Alana on Apr 30, 2013 in Guest Post, Recipe, Snacks, Sweet Stuff, Vegan, Vegetarian | 0 comments

I stumbled across Sandra’s blog, Vegan Mother Hubbard, about a month ago, the beautiful home cooked food drawing me in. As I began reading I discovered a couple who are so much in love, raising two gorgeous girls and doing it all with vegan food. I personally don’t know any vegan couples and I certainly don’t know any vegan men so how refreshing it is to read that it is actually possible to have it all and not have to drop your ethical, moral ball at the same time. Sandra definitely inspires me, both with her cooking and her sweet, gentle home life. So you can understand my excitement when I asked Sandra if she would consider doing a post swap and, without hesitation, she said yes. Then she gave me this yummy guy. She’s such a clever cookie (lame pun totes intended). Enjoy!