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

Five

On Friday my tiny twins turned 5. I know people say it all the time, but it really is hard to believe that it was five years ago that I gave birth to my gorgeous little Alexis and handsome Rory, two tiny little babies that would keep me on my toes for the next five years.

The count down has been on for what feels like months, every night for the last two weeks Rory would ask "how many sleeps now?", until finally they fell asleep on Thursday only to wake up as five year olds the next morning. As soon as they were asleep Poppy and got to work on some decorations and Tom got to work in the backyard, setting up the cutest little cubby house that they would find in the morning.

They have been asking for months for a big car seat like Poppy's, and as they had well and truly grown out of their baby car seats it was the perfect gift for my grown up two. 

After present opening and taking Poppy to school, we headed out to Pop's house to have a visit, and go out for a special birthday morning tea. Then we spent some time at home playing with a few toys they got for their birthday and then we went down town to the party shop where Rory and Alexis chose a balloon each.

Then we met Poppy and Aunty Sarah for a special after school treat at our favorite frozen yogurt place '123Yo!'

Then that night we had more family over for pizza and cake.

I was looking for easy options for the cake this year, so this ice cream cake was not only a winner for the twins, but for me also (1 tub of vanilla ice cream mixed with some chopped maltesers and frozen raspberries then put into a cake tin and freeze until ready), I could make it a week before and everyone loved it.

On Saturday night we had a little fire in the back yard and a few friends drop in for some nibbles and for the kids to play, the twins loved showing everyone their new cubby and playing on the trampoline with their friends.

Instead of another cake, I got a bunch of 'sweetie treaties' as my children call them, and made a fun dessert platter to share around.

 So now my grown up two are playing quietly with their new toys, tired after their big birthday weekend.

Enjoy year five my beautiful babies, I know I will enjoy sharing it with you.

xx

Sharing boards

If you follow me on Instagram (@hollirob) you would have noticed that 'Sharing boards' are my new favorite tummy filler.

Between the five of us, we all like different things, so I'm finding these fun sharing boards a great way to please everybody, and to use up left overs in the fridge from the week before.

The last few weekends, I have whipped one up late afternoon when everyone is "staaaaarving" and then later at night when everyone gets the nibbles again, I pop something easy in the oven, like some chicken wings, spinach and cheese toasties, or I use up some left over veggies in this recipe.

I have noticed the children trying different things they may not have tried before, or not for a long time, In the busy day to day, I sometimes forget to add new things to their plates to try, instead just going with what I already know they like.

I also love whipping one up in the afternoon for an after school feed. I can put one together before I head out on school pickup and it's ready to go when I get home with three tired, hungry children.

  
With school holidays just two days away, I'm sure I will be making a few to get us through some of these cold wet and windy days.

Yum! xx

Smoothies

We love smoothies at our place, they are often whipped up after school for a healthy snack or on weekend mornings when we have a little more time. We have been loving them though the hot summer days, as when using frozen fruit, they are a delicious icy treat. 

I often buy the marked down stone fruit from the supermarket, slice out the bad spots and lay on a plate with baking paper in then pop in the freezer.

I then put the fruit in a zippy bag ready for our smoothie mornings. 

I also do this with bananas (a staple in all our smoothies), blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and even spinach.

Then chuck what ever fruit we choose in the blender with the liquid of choice, coconut milk or water, almond milk, cows milk, orange juice, the possibilities are endless.

Served in a cute bottle or jar, and topped off with a pretty straw, of course.

Do you smoothie at you place?

Yum! xx

The pea paddock

We spent the morning on a friends farm in the pea paddock. Big juicy peas as far as the eye could see, and whirring around us was the huge pea harvesters, podding in the paddock as it went along. 

Rory couldn't get enough of the harvesters and Alexis couldn't get enough of the peas, her little fingers must have podded over a hundred in the paddock. While Poppy slowly worked on filling her bucket, picking the plumpest, juiciest peas she could find.

We chatted about how the peas grew, where the water came from and where they were headed, in less than 24 hours they would be washed and snap frozen ready for the supermarket freezers.

We picked three big buckets and took them home to pod, some we would eat fresh (we made this delicious salad), and some we would freeze for winter. 

Tonight we all have green thumbs from podding and bellies full of delicious peas.

xx