Bircher Muesli

I've decided I need to be healthier - lately I've been having way too many 'easy' snacks and justifying it as a way of coping with stress. Which is silly, because I know that I need to stay healthy, especially in times of stress, so I've loaded up the pantry and fridge with healthy ingredients and have a big pile of recipes all set to try.

First cab off the rank was this yummy bircher muesli. I got the recipe a few years ago from R, a former colleague, who had it in a hand-written recipe book. (As such I'm not sure if she developed it or if she copied out the recipe from elsewhere - in my reproducing the recipe below, no copyright infringements are intended, and I give full credit where it is due.)

This was totally delicious and a special way to start the day, considering my usual breakfast is a slapped together peanut butter sandwich. (Not that I'm in any way knocking peanut butter.)  ;-)

Here's the recipe, if you'd like to make it yourself:

Initial ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/2 cup yogurt 
1/8 cup sultanas/currants
1/8 - 1/4 cup slivered almonds (I like to use the bigger amount, for more crunch)
sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon
Combine ingredients in a large bowl and stir until combined. Refrigerate overnight.

Secondary ingredients - use some or all:
1/2 apple, grated with skin
1/2 banana, sliced
handful fresh/frozen berries
passionfruit pulp
dried fruit roughly chopped
chopped nuts
more yogurt, if required
Add a combination of any or all of the secondary ingredients and enjoy.

I added the 1/2 apple, a whole banana and some (defrosted) frozen blueberries. Tomorrow morning I plan to use some raspberries and cherries. Yum! Healthy and delicious.

Baby Surprise Jacket and I'm back:

I've been meaning to write more blog posts for the past several months but just haven't gotten around to it, as all the busy-ness of life has gotten in the way. I have, however, been getting a bit of knitting done, as well as buying a lot of pretty yarn on-line. As such, I've got some fodder for more posts so hopefully I will be able to get them uploaded (after we move house, which is happening next week).

Last week it was the first birthday of the little baby for whom I made the big purple baby blanket:

http://red-shoe-sushi.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/knitting-big-bad-purple-baby-blanket.html

In all my knitting blog reading of late, I've heard mention of Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket quite a few times, so I thought this would be a good occasion to make one. (Pattern available from http://www.schoolhousepress.com/patterns.htm )

This pattern was so much fun to knit - it's all knit in one piece and at first it looks like some weird manta ray shape:

Then using some knitterly origami, you just fold the bottom up, sew the shoulder seams and voila, it becomes a jacket:

It really is very clever and a great project. Given I am not very interested in sewing seams, this part of the project really appealed to me, and I loved how I could just keep knitting along and not make pieces - it uses decreases and increases to make the shape. The fact that it is in garter stitch is also great as it's the kind of knitting that you can do without concentrating too much.

The placement of the second colour determines where the stripes end up:

I have a strong urge to make another one of these but I have too many other projects I want to work on at the moment. I do, however, have two cousins who's babies both turn one later this year, so I will aim to get some made up for them as well.

For St Patrick's Day tomorrow - some Irish green yarn loveliness:

http://www.bluemoonfiberarts.com/newmoon/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=19_21_526