Playful Reusable Snack Bags

 I started making these for Chago because I just hated dragging around a big bag to fit in all his snacks etc!

But then after that I couldn't stop. 

I took out more scraps and started putting the pieces together. 

I placed Bananas in them, a small box of raisins too.

I also poured some cereal in one and a piece of toasted bread with honey spread on it.
Yummy breakfast on the go!

And when we got to the coffee shop to have our breakfast,
I simply asked for an empty bowl and a teaspoon (I should have brought my own spoon).
I brought a small chilled box of Fresh milk with me and fixed his breakfast in a flash!
Win-Win situation.
He eats and I get to do so in peace!

Here are the other snack bags with other playful prints I've made :)
You can get them over at my Facebook Page HERE for RM10 each.
Or go ahead and make one yourself!

Till I sew next!

Making Homemade Butter

I was looking through the net looking for an inspiration and looking for ways to make my own oils without spending a fortune on just buying them.

I was about to shut my lappy off when I suddenly had an idea about making my own nut oils.

In Google, I saw lots of articles about Nutty Butters...

Butter?

It took me awhile to figure that out...

Until I started reading.

And then comes the palm slap!

YES... Now I get it!

We have PEANUT butter in stores to spread on our bread, so walnut, almond, cashew, pistachio etc can also be made into Nutty Butters just like Peanut Butters! Only it's a whole lot healthier and yummier because you can custom whatever to suit it to your own taste buds.

I made to batches.

One for Us to eat - Almond + Sunflower Seeds + Pumpkin Seeds

and One for getting Almond Oil out of

Here's the SIMPLE RECIPE on how to make your own Butter for Consumption:

I promise, This Will be Easy!

Ingredients:

Almonds - I used about 200gms of Whole Unroasted Raw Almonds

Coconut Oil / Olive Oil - I used Coconut Oil because I prefer the smell and taste of coconut oil to olive oil. I find that Olive oil has this really strong Olive smell. 

Honey**

Salt**

Cinnamon**

Ground Nutmeg**

** are optional ingredients you might want to add in. I like to leave mine without the additional stuff so that I can experiment with different flavours when I spread them on my bread, or when I use them in cereals or making cookies / cakes

Tools:

A blender

A spoon to scoop out the Almond Butter

A clean and dry container for storing your Almond Butter

Method:

1. Place Almonds into the blender and blend them slowly at first using the impulse button and slowly increasing the speed.

2. Add a little bit of the oil of your choice and continue blending. The Almonds should start balling up inside. Use a wooden spoon to push the sides and even up on the insides but make sure the blender is turned off when you do this!! I say this because I know some people who actually does this while the machine is on!

3. You may want to add more oil if you find that the Almond is taking some time to actually become a creamy paste. Add a little bit at a time. You can try using a teaspoon at a time. Give it some time to blend. I think it took me about 15 minutes to blend. 

4. You now officially have your very own Pure Almond Butter!

5. Add in a pinch of salt / to taste, honey, cinnamon or nutmeg or whatever it is you are crazy about, mix them up and transfer them into a container for you to store your butter!

6. Store them in a nice cool place. I store mine in my refrigerator. Since Coconut oil does not harden up like a rock, it's actually quite easy to scoop out with a butter knife and spread it on toasted bread.

7. Serve them to any nut crazy kid/adult and watch them enjoy it :)

Chago loves his :)

I actually used Pumpkin and sunflower seed along with Almonds as mentioned above. It tastes more or less just like pure almond to me except the colour has a hint of green to it from the pumpkin seed.

This is Pure Hazelnut Butter which I made for the purpose of extracting its oil from.

The method of doing this is the same way as mentioned above. Just omit the extra stuff out.

I used Olive Oil for this.

I store this under room temperature.

Wait for 2 weeks and Hazelnut Oil will appear on the surface of the Almond meat!

Just get those oil and you'll have the oil you would need.

What can you use it for?

1. Add them into handmade lotions, soaps, shampoos and

Heck!

Why not?? Into commercial Lotions too!

2. Rub the oils directly on your skin. They will not feel oily or sticky on your skin. Use it as a serum for your face and your hair. Rub them on the rough and dry areas on your body i.e. Elbows, heels of your soles, knees, in between your toes and fingers, palms etc!

What to do with the meat?

Rub them on your face, or use them as a facial mask.

You can also use cheese cloth to squeeze all the oils out and use the meat in your soaps as an exfoliating agent.

Hope you find this useful :)

I love making homemade edibles for Chago and the adults :)

Great ideas for gifts too don't you think so?

Chago's Happy everyday BREAKFAST

The continuation of the previous post... 

Here's a picture of Santiago's breakfast and him enjoying it :))

Ingredients: Fresh Milk + Home Made Yoghurt made by yours truly :))) + Raisins + Pink Guava (Jambu Merah) + Corn Cereals + 2 teaspoon Ground Almond, Sunflower and Pumpkin seed + Wheat Germ + Raw Honey + Ground Cinnamon + 2 teaspoon Coconut Oil + Oats. This platter will normally be accompanied by a glass of Fresh Milk and any type of fruit e.g. a whole Unpeeled Banana for him to work and peel off himself.

Look at this 17 mth old munching down his morning grub!

He will never want to waste a drop :))

Power Breakfast and anchovies for lunch and dinner please!

I have religiously been doing this for chago and Miguel (of course) ever since Chago started on Solids full time upon turning one last July. 

I never actually blogged about it...

But I get lots of mails from some others asking me about the home made dishes Miguel and I 

would prepare for chago.

So here is me sharing what I prepare in jars to add into Chago's breakfast...

Pumpkin seeds (not the salted Kuaci but the unsalted ones where you can find packaged in an airtight pack)

Sunflower seeds - again unsalted and unsweetened and organic unsalted almonds.

Mix them all together,

ground them up in a blender... I make them a little chunky and not too fine :)

and then store into a jar.

Anchovies - Yummy!

I use anchovies for Chago not only for the nutritional values they carry but also as a natural substitute to salt since we have not once use salt in any of his home cooked food.

Wash the anchovies, I do this around 3 to 4 times,

strain and leave on a strainer for an hour.

Spread the anchovies evenly on a baking tray,

pop it into the oven under low heat and let it bake till it looks dried up - but not to the extend where it goes brown and crunchy! It's delicious that way I know but what we want here is the nutrition it carries :)

Let it cool and then blend the anchovies a little bit at a time

Will post more on what the breakfast looks like tomorrow :)