A VERY SPECIAL OCCASION

Phew! We've just returned from Sydney where we spent a week to celebrate the marriage of our son Brett to his lovely partner, Sarah.

(The view from our apartment of Hyde Park)

The wedding took place in the courtyard of the Mint, the oldest building in Sydney.

It was a lovely occasion with the weather being very kind - not too hot or cold, morning showers clearing so that the outdoor ceremony could take place as planned in the late afternoon.

The bride looked absolutely stunning.

So did the groom !

With both of them around 6 foot they made a very handsome couple don't you think ?

Mum and Dad made the trip down from Hervey Bay with my brother and his partner making the trip possible for them.

It was a lovely, happy family occasion.

The celebrations continued the next morning with a lovely ( guilty) brunch in the Sydney Botanic Gardens. 

Yum !!!

Back home now and back to the diet !

Cheers.

A HEALTHY WINTER BREAKFAST

Here's a recipe for you to try on those chilly Winter's  mornings ( or when Summer forgets to happen !!) when something warm is what you need to get you moving.

And guess what? It's good for you too!

In fact it's full of healthy goodness and you'll sail through the morning till lunchtime without those mid-morning cravings.

The secret is in the preparation - set it to cook for 3 or 4 hours in your slow cooker on Saturday. Package up and freeze in portions and you're ready for the week ahead.

No more rushing, breakfast will be delicious and  a breeze.

Brown Rice Porridge   (a recipe stolen from Sally !)

1 cup brown rice rinsed

2 cups reduced fat cream

2 ½ cups water

1 cup coconut milk (~1 tin)

1 tablespoon mixed spice

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Handful of desiccated coconut

½ cup raisins

2 tablespoons linseeds

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1 tablespoon goji berries (optional,  but sooo good for you they're worth the effort of finding)

2 tablespoons brown sugar or similar amount of organic maple syrup (to taste)

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* Cook on high in slow cooker for ~ 3hours until rice is soft and cooked ( mmmm the smell that begins to waft through the house as it cooks !)

* You may need to add more water at the end of cooking if the rice is not quite cooked and has absorbed all the liquid.

* Portion into zip lock bags to freeze – (weigh them out and anything from 100 to 200gms is great per serve, your choice ). Freeze.

* Defrost and warm in the microwave as required – you might like to add a little milk after defrosting.

Perfect !

Cheers.