they're back!

the penguin on a iceberg bookmarks are back!

if you are thinking they are a little different you are right, good spotting!

still just as gorgeous, the new lampwork penguin beads are a little chubbier with a more distinguish tuxedo look and a cute red scarf . 

the every popular frogs on a lilypads, ladybirds on a autumn leaves and otila bookmarks are still available. browse CERIosities shop here.



[photo credit | ]

let's celebrate with something sweet!

did you know it's coeliac awareness week [13-20 march 2011].  no, i wouldn't have either had i not been diagnosed with coeliac disease late last year.

it's a bit cooler here today, the grey clouds have come over and i feel like a cuppa. i think we need a sweet treat to go with a cup of green tea while we listen to the soundtrack to one of my favourite films 'amelie' i've got playing in the background.

how about we make some really easy gf [gluten free] coconut macaroons inspired by a recipe from donna hay's modern classics book 2.   these macaroons are gf by the nature of the ingredents.  i'm going to try replacing the sugar in this recipe with xylitol a 100% natural sugar free sweetener [low gi and low carb] and decorate them a little bit of melted gf chocolate.

ready! let's don our aprons and make some gf macaroons.......

coconut macaroons recipe

preheat oven to 180˚c 
2 cups disiccated coconut
1/2 cup caster sugar or xylitol 100% natural sweetener
2 egg whites
mix all ingredients to combine
pack mixture into a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon
place on a baking tray lined with baking paper
cook until golden brown aprox 10 mins

the xylitol worked extremely well, they were still sweet as macaroons are meant to be but not as sweet as when caster sugar is used.  i perferred the sweetness of the xylitol but i tend to go for savvy over sweet, so if you have a sweet tooth and don't mind the calories then use the caster sugar.  it binded equally as well, baking time was the same, they may have gone a bit more golden. the only difference was they crumbled a bit when eaten,  now that could be due to the different sugar or it may have been the humidity because once they were stored in an airtight container for a while they they were perfect.

if you make these macaroons, drop me a comment i'd love to hear from you.

enjoy the weekend......

ps. as defined by the coeliac society of australia, coeliac disease (pronounced seel-ee-ak) is an autoimmune disease. autoimmune means the body mistakenly produces antibodies that damage its own tissues. it is a permanent intestinal intolerance to dietary gluten. a number of serious health consequences can result if the condition is not diagnosed and treated properly. further details here at the coeliac society of australia.

[photo credit | coeliac society  ceri muter [moi]

messy, destructive, perfection...

it's no secret i'm a big fan of keri smith. i love her books mess, wreck this journal and how to be an explorer of the world, it is always fun and a well needed mindset shift to play around with her creative destructions / experiments.  you should try it some time....

i've coloured in a t-shirt with a rotten lemon, played with glue and sand to create a lovely textural design, got messy with clay from a beach side cliff, drawn endless colourful circles and an continuous drew line until the page was full. you can see the outcome of these experiments above and here.

on sunday night david and i decided to try our local korean restaurant ma ba sa, and i ordered the bi bim bap as my main meal.  just look at the pile of rice with the perfectly cooked egg placed on top and the slight bit of snow pea sprout, the perfect garnish, doesn't it just look perfect.  then there are the vegetables, again look at all the perfect piles of tasty colour all perfectly presented with the chilli in the centre, perfect!

stick with me here.....  there is a reason i've jumped from creative destructions / experiments to food and just used the word 'perfect' 6 times! in one paragraph.

as it turns out, my dinner date with david turned out to be one of  keri smith's destructive experiments with food.  keri is all about making a mess in every way possible, i on the other hand have to admit i like neat, tidy, organised, clean, undamaged......etc.etc. i know... i know...! :-)  the way in which you eat this dish is to chop up the egg, mix all the veggies with the rice and egg until you have a delicious 'mess'.  and delicious it was!!!

i'm going to share a little secret with you.  i sat and admired my brand new, perfect, keri smith books when they arrived and wondered how am i going to bring myself to mess or wreck these......  now i have i would love to do it more often, however finding these sorts of 'experiments' in everyday activities is just as fun!

it is interesting though how the completed  'mess' or 'destruction' always turns out perfect...!

[photo credit | ceri muter ]

notation #1 | rhonda of the the dainty baker has a great blog post / review ma ba sa and her photos are much better than mine.

notation #2 | i order my bi bim bap without soy sauce, so if you decide to try it yours may vary slightly.  i'll explain in an up coming post.