Muesli bars

Lately I've been trying to use what we have at home instead of popping to the shops every day(we live about a two minute walk away from a major supermarket). Our pantry, fridge and freezer are constantly full to the brim like we are stocking up for some sort of world ending event. When we run out of something I pop to the shops to get it and end up loading four more bags of groceries into the car. 

My first effort in doing this, has been preparing Tom and my lunch's on a Sunday, saving time and money and leaving out the option of a 'grab and go' not so healthy lunch (mine is usually toast with peanut butter!). I recently tried these Burrito Bowls and they were delicious.

So this morning when I realised I had run out of some school lunchbox bars, I had a poke around and found enough ingredients to make my own, they were a winner with the kids (and big kids) and so easy to make. 

What you'll need:

2 cups of oats

1 cup rice bubbles

1/2 cup of your choice, I had pretzels in the cupboard so I crushed them up and used those, but you could use nuts, m&m's, or dried fruit.

1/4 cup butter

1/4 honey

1/2 brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

What to do:

In a bowl combine oats, rice bubbles and extra of your choice (I chose pretzels as my children attend a nut free school).

In a small saucepan on high add butter, honey, brown sugar, stir until melted. Then simmer on medium for 2 minutes.

Pour butter mixture and vanilla into bowl and press firmly (really firm so the bars don't fall apart) into a slice tray lined with baking paper.

I topped mine with half mini m&m's and half melted chocolate. You could top yours with white chocolate, mini marshmallows, nuts, pretzels, sultanas or anything floating about in the pantry.

Place in the fridge to set. Mine took about 30 minutes.
Cut into bars, wrap in lunch paper and serve.

The bars we get at the shop can be priced up to about $1.00 a bar. This recipe made 12 bars and cost about $0.20c a bar, and I know exactly whats in them!

Now I just hope there is some left come Monday morning!

Burrito Boxes

Spring is in the air, and we have already been eating dinners outside, refreshing the garden and enjoying lighter meals.

I have been looking for some different lunch ideas for Tom and I, and found these 'burrito bowl' lunch boxes. I have put my own little spin on it, but they are so easy, so I thought I'd share.

In a baking dish (yes I used a foil one, don't judge me), I placed three chicken breasts, 1 green and 1 red capsicum, sliced and two sliced red onions.

I then covered the chicken breasts in fajita seasoning,

then salsa,

and baked in the oven at 180 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked right through.

Then in the little lunch containers (plain pink is an upgrade on the usual 'Disney princess' containers Tom usually gets), I places two table spoons of brown rice, corn, kidney beans, the cooked onion, and cooked capsicum.

Then I topped with the sliced, cooked chicken and salsa and a slice of lemon. I'll also add a little container of greek yogurt to put on top.

I then stacked them in the fridge and voila! Lunches for the next few days.

They will last for four days in the fridge, and this recipe that I created made six lunch containers (I only photographed four).

I can't wait to tuck into one of these tomorrow.

Happy Tuesday! xx

Easter

With Easter falling a little earlier this year, we figured we could squeeze in another camping trip before the weather gets too cold. It was a great excuse to get some more use out of the motor bikes and spend the holiday with great friends.

We chose some where different from our usual spot, which can be hard to do, as there is usually six or more families and it can be hard to find a great spot that we all fit in and is suitable for the bikes, 4x4's and buggy.

Griffin Park, which is about a 10 minute drive from the tiny town of Mathinna, has many large camping spots by the beautiful river, which in the Summer is perfect for a swim.

The boys had planned a motorbike ride through some logging tracks to another small town called Pyengana which would take them about 4 hours and the girls and children took the 4x4's and navigated our way (not an easy task) to Pyengana in about an hour. The little town is famous for it's beautiful cheese factory and little "Pub in the Paddock" where we all met up for lunch.

It is a pretty popular ride and the place was full of dirt bike groups who had all made the trip for the day.

The pub is also famous for it's pig "Priscilla" who loves a beer specially brewed for her.

On Easter morning it was so special to have all 11 children wake up to a magical Easter wonderland, The Easter bunny had made the biggest hunt and it was lovely to see the bigger children help the little ones collect their eggs and show them what it was all about.

I remember coming to Griffin park when I was Poppy's age and riding motorbikes and hunting for easter eggs, so it was so special to now be sharing these memories with my own family and making new memories that will last a life time.

 The mornings were so cold, and one morning there was even a frost, but with a large camp fire, a few layers of clothes and a warm camp coco we were thawed out in no time and it wasn't long before the sun came up and dried everything out.

It was another great few days away, and even though I'm still washing bedding and packing away, I'm looking forward to more camping adventures at the end of the year when the weather warms up again.

Did you get away for Easter?

xx