Blog Love: What I'm Reading

Not that I have a lot of time for reading - so mostly I am currently looking at blogs with a lot of pictures and also blogs that are written by mothers.

Here is my current reading list:

A Bowl Full Of Lemons

I thought that I had a stationery problem - it's not looking so bad now.  This site is the stuff of dreams - I have never seen anyone so organised or colour co-ordinated in my life.  If you are looking to do some culling and organising or thinking about how to set about your finances, pantry, emergency supplies or anything else for that matter, this is the site for you.

The Japanese Vegetarian Kitchen

My Mum put me onto this site - it is written in English by a Japanese speaker as a way to practise her English.  All the recipes here have step-by-step photographs, few ingredients and taste amazing.  There is not posting schedule but there is plenty in the archives to keep you in the kitchen.  Many of the recipes are also vegan, and if you have trouble finding ingredients, Izumi often lists alternates that you can use.

Mamacino

This blog is written by an Australian Mum, Kristen who is interested in "kids, food, travel, life" but the bit that interests me most of course is the food.  The blog features advice on everyday life as well as featuring recipes and links to other great resources (hello the world of probiotics).  The photography is also amazing and the styling to-die-for.

 

Wild Fermentation

I know this title sounds a bit weird but I, like everyone else, seem to be hooked on probiotics and making them myself (not that I have actually done anything about it yet).  This is a resource blog - not too many pictures.  If you want to know how to make something like kimchi or some type of fermented vegetable this is your mecca.  Written by American Sandor Ellix Katz who looks on fermented foods as an important part of healing the body.

Blog Love

I thought that I would do a round-up of all of the blogs that I have been loving lately.  As you would expect, as an expectant mother, most of them are blogs that belong to other mothers that I admire.  Most are vintage in theme or focus on cooking and/or eating!


Retro Mummy

This fellow blogger is an Australian who is getting a lot of (very well-deserved) attention for her blog and parenting activities.  I have no idea how she finds the time to update her blog/twitter/facebook etc so often.  She is also the online Mum that I tweet when I have a question about something baby-related!

She has recently revamped her blog after her fifth (!) child and it looks amazing - as do all of her babies and not-so-babies.  With headings such as blog, family, bake, sew, quilt and a few others, her site is a great resource for any new Mum!

Corrie - aka Retro Mummy.  From here

Annabel Langbein's Blog

I adore Annabel.  From the husky way she introduces her TV episodes, to the advice she gives about growing your own in her cookbooks - she is brilliant!

Annabel has two children (I think) that are mostly grown-up now but continues to feature family friends children and her own family in her TV episodes and cookbooks.  Annabel is such an inspiration for me, as a woman who has achieved that work-life/ family-life balance doing what she loves and not compromising on her standards.

As someone who wishes that they were a bit of a Francophile I can see a lot of French influence in the way that Annabel approaches life.  I believe that she does have quite a few French friends and has spent some time there.

In Australia, her new book Simple Pleasures has just come out but the TV series has not started yet.  I have flipped through her book in the bookshop and am hoping to find it in my Christmas stocking as it looks jam-packed with new recipes and ideas.  Are you listening husband?

The many pleasures of sharing - from here

Sprouted Kitchen

This blog has the most stunning photography going - ok I know that there are many others up for that prize!  This blog is authored and photographed by husband and wife team Sara and Hugh Forte (what a good musical name).

The Sprouted Kitchen features recipes designed around wholefoods and they have just released their first cookbook Sprouted Kitchen: A Tastier Take on Whole Foods.  The blog also features discussions on food trends (such as ingredients and new coffee making methods), travel and reviews of other cookbooks.

Sara and Hugh Forte - from here

Supercharged Food

Lee Holmes (another Aussie) is probably not a new name to you but I had to include her website in my list.  Just loading her page makes me feel like being a healthy domestic goddess.  Lee is a health coach but graciously offers a lot of information and advice on her website for free!

Lee's website has recipes for food, recipes for natural cleaning products, tips on dehydrating food, links to cooking videos (mostly raw food), a online shop and is all done in the most enchanting, retro-fairy-princess style imaginable.

From here

Elegant Musings

This is another blog that you probably all know about already but as she is expecting her first child - she is going to be the most stylish mother going!  And how cute will her baby look in all those hand-made outfits. 

Casey Brown blogs about sewing projects, daily outfits, recipes, things she finds thrifting, crafting and she also has a great section of tutorials for sewing and crafting items.  In the past she has hosted sew-alongs with great results - it is my goal to complete one of these one day.  Casey is also great at updating her blog regularly with her maternity wear and for my next baby I will certainly be stealing her style.

Outfit: baby packing mama - from here

The Vintage Wife


This is a blog that I have been following for awhile from Stateside and it is written by a lovely vintage lady named Cedar.  It features her beautiful daughter Lucy, recipes, vintage fashion (for Mother and child), vintage decor, sewing patterns and some great parenting tips.

From here

Linking with The Glamorous Housewife

Inspiration for a Tuesday (as yesterday was public holiday!)

Amazing blueberry and buttermilk muffins

Lately I have been doing a lot of reading online.  I find this unusual for me, because usually once I start reading a good book I do not want to do anything until I have finished it (and get annoyed when I am interruppted).

Most of my online reading concerns food.  What a surprise!  But, it has mainly been about sugar.  Now that I am pregnant you think that I would want to eat the best possible foods that I could for the little one etc.  I would like to have that philospophy but I just don't seem to be able to pull it off.  While pregnant so far I have had McDonalds, too much cheese and chips, chocolate, not enough vegetables and too much tonic water.  The blogs that I have been reading are mostly about giving up sugar, not how wonderful it is.  I thought that I didn't eat that much sugar as it is, but I guess I do when you look at the above list.

Raspberry, Coconut and Lime Friands

Sarah Wilson's blog, which I think I have mentioned before is the place where she advocates a pretty-much paleo diet (for people with her health issues).  I love reading about all of the natural therapies and alternate treatments that she explores on her blog but I cannot agree with the non-vegetarian thing.  Normally blogs that feature meat recipes don't bother me.  I cook meat for my husband and handle it for the cat, and I am totally open to my child deciding what they would like to eat.  It seems that there is an attitude on there and more often in the comments section - that most people are vegetarian because it is a health choice.  For me, it is not a health choice but because I love animals too much. 

Anyway, Sarah's blog features her e-book How to Quit Sugar.  I haven't bought the book, mostly because of some delusion that I do not need help in identifying what foods have sugar in them, but also because ... well this sounds really childish.. I don't like her.  And I could be a bit cheap!  So here is a link to Sarah blog and some of the others that I have been reading that link to quitting sugar and generally being healthier. 

Sarah Wilson Blog
http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/



Scandi Foodie
A beautiful blog about food - mainly vegetarian/vegan
http://scandifoodie.blogspot.com.au/

Bread and Butter Pudding

Path to Wellness
A website dedicated to wellness written by a nutrionist
http://pathtowellness.com.au/category/blog/




Eat Your Freaking Vegetables
A personal blog by a nutrionist with lots of great recipes
http://eatyourfreakingvegetables.blogspot.com.au/


Crash Test Mummy
A blog with reviews about trying new things.  Find sugar-related posts under Sugar Crash.
http://www.crashtestmummy.com.au/