Weekly Wrap Up

Howdy folks and happy Wednesday to you all, it’s all downhill from here. The markets this week yielded a generous haul for a mere $30. Leafy greens continue to rock my world and provide fresh, raw veggie hits through winter. We’re really digging on the fruit lately, I’ve discovered these red navel oranges for only $2 a kilo and they are divine. Heavenly scented, full of juice and just a joy to eat. Rockmelon and strawberries are also pleasant to gobble on at the moment. A bag of avos gives us a flavourful spread for our toast in the mornings, and these long wands of corn made a great lunch time snack after a light boil. Positively bursting with sweetness. It really isn’t hard to be healthy when everything is this good!

Today finds me celebrating my final day of Dry July. Yup I did it, an entire month sans booze. I thought I’d be updating you throughout the month with cravings of a cheeky glass of shiraz, or a frothy mug of ale, but surprisingly I’ve barely even noticed the omission of alcohol. Not only that but I’ve also been feeling pretty tip top physically and mentally. I wouldn’t class myself as a boozehound mind you. I indulge in the odd drink during the week if I’ve had a particularly stressful day and on the weekends we usually have one night that involves more than a few bevvies, which whilst fun, can have lasting effects for the next day. I don’t miss that at all and hope to keep it a little reined in moving forward. Naturally Mr Market Basket will be happy to have me back on board the drinking train, bath time just hasn’t been the same with only him partaking in a glass of red. This is the second year I’ve done Dry July and I highly recommend it to anyone, just for a good cleanse to the system, and to know that you can do it!

I’ve deliberately waited a few months to share this with you as I wanted to be confident. A little while ago I heard about Royal Jelly. Basically it’s this wunderbar stuff that worker bees create for their queen bee which means she lives for about seven years while they only live for a few weeks. Apparently it’s jam packed full of great stuff and has a lot of health benefits. After doing some research I decided to give it a go. I bought a big jar for about $30 and we have been having our daily dose of 2 capsules for nearly 3 months now. I’m not going to make any promises here, I don’t sell the stuff  but I will make a couple of observations. First of all, I am feeling uber healthy lately. Admittedly this is probably a combination of regular exercise, eating well, and my recent Dry July. Nonetheless, every winter, when the cold bug flies through the office and infects everyone with the sniffles, coughs and aches, I invariably fall victim without fail. This year though I sat amongst several people spluttering their germs in my vicinity and nothing. Zip. I did not falter! Health prevailed. Similarly, Mr Market Basket has been fighting fit. I’ve also noticed that my sleep has improved. I’m sleeping like a log, it’s wonderful. Maybe it’s just a coincidence and has nothing to do with the Royal Jelly but I’m suitably convinced to buy a second jar when this one runs out. I don’t have a preference for brand, this just happens to be the one I found at my local pharmacy. Important though – if you are allergic to bees or asthmatic, you’re not supposed to take this as it could be harmful. I’d be interested to hear if anyone of you have experience with Royal Jelly and if you rate it or not.

Blog love. A fellow blogger recently commented on a post of mine which inevitably led me to go and have a gander on their little piece of the interweb, Lucent Imagery. I fell in love, their blog is so pretty. A collection of beautiful pictures, poetic words and a bit of whimsy thrown in for good measure. I can very much relate to her thoughtful reflections and observations. Not only that, this blogger is legally blind which makes it even more impressive. I’m a big fan and have added it to my faves.

If you’re a food lover, or curious about flavours and how they work together, then this book is for you. The Flavour Thesaurus is a veritable treasure trove on the world of flavours and possible combinations. It’s been on my bedside table for a few months. Like a spoonful of a decadent dessert, I like to treat my mind to a chapter here and there. Just as the food described, the writing is sumptious, evocative and clever. It’s truly inspiring for cooking, writing or both! I love this book and consider it essential for any writer, particularly those passionate about food.