Share Your Recipes: Incorporating Nuts

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Part of my Month for Me is concentrating on creating healthier meals for my family and I as well as including more of the things I love. And I LOVE nuts, but once children came along foods like nuts became a sometimes food and then a barely ever food. A special occasion food.  

We all know there are numerous health benefits when including nuts in our diets and I want to introduce these benefits into our lives. But, Ellie's in that stage. You know the one. That stage where 'different' things in meals cause meltdowns and where trying new things isn't high on the priority list.

I think she would happily eat salad wraps for the rest of her life if I would let her, which makes changing our habits not as easy as I would like.

The Nuts For Life website has a list of 23 Tips for including nuts daily and here are some of the suggestions that I think not only sound great but would actually appeal to my suddenly fussy eater;

- Blend almonds, milk, yoghurt and ice cream to make a delicious smoothie
- Mix chopped hazelnuts or pecans in muffins or cakes
- Sprinkle chopped, roasted hazelnuts or almonds onto low fat ice cream

So, we have desserts covered...

Now the challenge is to incorporate nuts into main meals and make the above on the more special occasions.

I'm not the most creative cook, I'm not a particularly great cook. I can whip up a meal in twenty minutes, but they're always the same things. Over and over. Because it's fast and it's easy and I know what the end result will be, so this is a real stretch for me.

But, I am committed.

Something I have learned from my time reading blogs is that so many of you are Goddesses in the kitchen. I have tried many recipes shared on blogs and have been so happy with the result.

Enter the Nutty Recipe Challenge, where you will not only be helping me, you could win a $50 nut hamper. Nom nom.

To go into the draw simply send your favourite healthy recipe with a nutty twist 0to me via email (becky{@}beckyandjames{.}com) and I will post a show case of the best recipes along with the winning one. Photos accompanying your email gets you brownie points as I am one of those people who like to SEE what I am meant to be making (mainly so that I can go 'Wow, mine doesn't look like that' at the end).

Alternatively, if you don't have a favourite recipe you can try and enter one of the recipes on the Nuts For Life website.

*Please note: your recipe might be published on the Nuts For Life website. 

ETA  -- A closing date and email address might help, yes?

Entries close midnight June 16th 2011 (AEST, ie Sydney time) and will be drawn by me. Please note, entry is only open to Australian residents and be sure I have your contact details in case you win!!

If the prize is not claimed within a week, this competition will be redrawn.  

Disclosure: This challenge is being hosted by myself in conjunction with Porter Novelli and Nuts For Life. No financial payment was offered nor accepted for this post. All opinions expressed are purely my own. 

Skin Check

I recently made an appointment for my first ever skin check after finding myself completely freaked out by skin cancer ads where they talk about a 26 year old dying.

Apart from the fact that I am a severe hypochondriac, what I saw hit home with me as I am about to turn 28 and I also have type 1 skin; which means I burn at the mere thought of going into the sun. I do not tan. I crisp. I blister. I have often looked like a lobster. And, unfortunately, I have not always been sun smart and looked after my pasty complexion.

So, I tentatively made my appointment and wished I hadn't.

When it rolled around this morning, I felt sick. My ability to imagine I have anything and everything is... amazing. I've been obsessively looking at my moles for weeks now; imagining that I was seeing differences.

As I sat in the waiting room, reading the consent form I could feel my skin prickle. I swear each and every mole, mark and lesion was burning.

I worried about just how invasive the scan would be, how naked I'd have to get and how uncomfortable the whole situation would be. I turned them around in my head; making them into excuses to leave.

Thankfully, before I was able to completely convince myself it was a good idea to leave it was my turn.

The process was quick and painless, the doctor was friendly and informative and I was given the all clear after a quick chastising about picking at mozzie bites.

Now, it seems so crazy to me to want to put off something so quick and easy that may just end up saving your life.

Have you had a skin check lately?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

{52 Weeks} Week 29: Ouchies

This is me just after having a wisdom tooth extracted today. I was up most of the night last night, unable to sleep because of the pain. I was up at stupid o'clock googling 'fast home remedies' and making horrid concoctions which left me feeling like I had eaten a salty sausage. I went through 3 trays of ice and didn't get a moments peace to even contemplate sleep until 4.30am, at which point my Little Man woke up.

Not the best night I've ever had. Thankfully the culprit is now gone and once it's all healed I will be all good. Who knew I would one day be saying "Thank goodness for Dentists!"