Orange F.O.O.D Week producers markets + the Agrestic Grocer

Yesterday I spent the day in the Central West. Some may say I am mad to have driven about 6 hours (round trip) just to visit the Orange F.O.O.D Week producers market, but I don't care! It was the most beautiful day and it made me appreciate farmers and producers even more than I already did.

F.O.O.D Week is on annually in the city of Orange NSW (roughly three hours west of Sydney) and I had been busting to get to one of the events. Some of the really popular events had already been booked out by the time I realised I wanted to go, so the producers market on Sunday was a must for me.

I read something on Facebook last week promoting people to shop at their local farmers market. Basically the post said if you were to stop shopping at your local supermarket they wouldn't notice the loss in business. If you in stead purchased your produce from a farmer's stall at the market you know where your money is going and are supporting the farmer 100%, your purchase might even save their farm.

I am in love with shopping up at farmers' markets. There is something about buying wholesome, fresh food and meeting the people who grew it.

Walking through Cook Park on my way to the markets. Such an enchanting park, don't you think?

So off I drove to Orange for the day with Trav's esky in tow. As well as heading to the markets, high on my list of things to do while in Orange was a visit to the Agrestic Grocer. I found their Facebook page through another blogger and they were also a part of the F.O.O.D Week events. I was expecting a quaint little cafe with some fresh produce and coffee but was blown away at how nice a business this was!

Located on the Wellington Road side of Orange (a little way from the centre of town), this restaurant is so beautiful and has the nicest, wholesome feel about it. I wanted to stay all day.

Plus, all of the producers I met at the market stock their products at the grocer so anybody from Orange (and visiting) can purchase home-grown goodness when ever they feel the need!

One side of the business is dedicated to the groceries and produce and the other side is the restaurant with kick-ass beer garden and live music! You can feast on locally made goodies and drink fresh brewed beer or coffee all day.

Everything about this place made me smile, I only wish we had somewhere like this closer to home! (A new business venture perhaps??! ha!)

This one trip to Orange to indulge in the gorgeousness they have on offer has made me really think about where I spend my money and how I want to live my life. Living more simply is something I am aiming for this year (and for the rest of my years) and if starting small and being mindful of where my food comes from and who I am supporting whilst buying it is a step closer to that, well then I am off to a good start!

E, x

A few of my favourite things

One of my favourite things about being back home in the country for uni holidays is getting the opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy the little things that country life has to offer.

One of these things is veggie gardening! I have had a love of veggie gardening for some time now and have never really had the space in either of my rentals that I have lived in to have a big veggie patch. Fortunately our family home is situated on a 5 acre paddock so there is plenty of room to grow gorgeous veggies!

Unfortunately this past summer has been a super hot one for our region so our veggies suffered. My parents also work a lot so they don't have a lot of time to put into the garden as much as they would like to.

Over the last week and a bit of me being home, I have made it my mission to bring the veggies back to life! So far I have managed to harvest some capsicums and an eggplant and I am trying my hardest to save our zucchini plant and get to the tomatoes before the bugs do!!

Our plot is only small at the moment but I have big plans if things keep going well!

Today's harvest from the Nelyambo (this is our house paddocks name) veggie patch also came from our lovely hens who I am glad to report did not get washed away with all of the rain we had last week! Still doing us proud and providing our family with plenty of yummy eggs.

I'm going to do some reading up on organic or alternate methods to getting rid of bugs from our veggies. Over the last week I had to resort to using an insecticide just to try and save what was left of the rotting and dying patch but I'd really like to start using organic alternatives to keep our veggies as healthy as ever!

Do you have any suggestions?? Any green-thumbs out there with some tips for me?? Please comment, I'd love to hear from you :)

E, x

Tried & Tested: Amazing veggo recipe!!

I follow a few blogs that post about food and amazing recipes. I am a bit of a foodie, and when I find the time and inspiration I like to try out new recipes for myself or my family and boyfriend (my guinea pig! lol)

This week I tried out the most amazing vegetarian dish by an awesome blogger called "The Good Plate".

Jackie posts lots of yummy recipes, and this is the second recipe by her that I have tried and have fallen in love with! Soooo yummy!

The recipe is called 'Haloumi and  veg couscous with Za'atar, pistachio and yogurt dressing' and it is amazing!

Here is the recipe link  .

Because of my location (living in the bush of NSW) our local supermarket didn't have all of the ingredients that the recipe called for so I left a few things out, but it still tasted super yummy.

 Yummy!!

Weekend Wrap Up!

This last weekend just past was a BIG one!

For starters it was my last weekend of the university holidays (boooo *sad face*) and Saturday night was the night for the big football/netball presentation night for my boyfriend and close friends footy and netball club (according to my boyfriend it is "the biggest night of the year" lol).

I was a big night! A big, fun, tonnes-of-dancing-and-drinking kind of night! I loved getting all "dolled up" for the occasion and spending time with my close friends.

I even got to fake tan my legs (the first fake tan of the warmer seasons!! lol My poor legs needed it BAD! They were a little ghostly to say the least!)

Here are some happy snaps of my outfit and the lippy I chose to wear! (See my last post for details!)

I went for the coral lippy (a little more subtle with my outfit - it doesn't look as bright in this picture as it did on the night. I still love the colour though!)

Unfortunately I have my jacket on in these pics so you can't see my dress fully but you get the idea :)

My sister did my hair in a Lauren Conrad inspired up-do for the evening and I loved it! I don't often wear my hair up when I go out so it was a nice change! 

Sunday was a late start (maybe a tad too much wine the night before, cough!) and of course it was Fathers Day!! My family celebrated by having a BBQ lunch with my aunt, uncle and their three kids plus my Pop and my mum and Dad of course. We ate soooo much food and I made some yummy dessert treats for after (mini pavlovas and cream brandy baskets with fruit!)

Today I had to drive 500kms back to the Riverina to start uni again for term 4! I am hoping to smash the next 7 weeks so I can get this uni year wrapped up, then I only have one more year to go and I can graduate!!! Fingers crossed I can put my head down and bum up!

How was your weekend?! 

Skinny Smoothie

Boy do I love Pinterest.

Its been an obsession of mine since I signed up early this year. So many awesome ideas, trends and inspiration to be seen and re-pinned!

I was scrolling through some pins yesterday and saw this recipe for a "skinny oatmeal smoothie" via Lauren Conrad's pins. The recipe comes from here originally and is a perfect morning brekkie substitute for your usual cereal or eggs if you're trying to eat a little healthier!

Recipe includes:
1 cup ice
1/2 cup frozen raspberries or strawberries (I used mixed frozen berries)
1/2 cup low fat yoghurt (I used natural greek yoghurt)
1 banana
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup coconut water or another liquid (I used a small splash of almond milk)
1 tbsp of honey

{ Blend all ingredients until smooth }

Yummy! I think this recipe is such a good one because I usually have all of the ingredients at home which make for a quick whip up and its done!!

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Eating clean

This week I am feeling a little under the weather... AGAIN!!

I don't know what it is about this winter but this is the THIRD time I've been sick! Thats totally not normal right??

Anyway, despite feeling a little lousy and getting back into uni study, I am determined to stick to my "eating clean" plan as I mentioned here.

I tried a new recipe from the Clean and Lean book and it was delish!

I adapted the recipe a little according to what I could get at the supermarket and what I like etc (can you believe it that on a tuesday there were no spring onions in Woolies??! I mean I live in a decent sized city, this is something we get used to in the bush, not the city!)

Any-who, the recipe is called the Chicken and cashew stir fry and its a winner in my books.

Before I started cooking a lot I used to whip up quick stir fry's using frozen veg mix, some chicken thighs and chuck on a heap of Master-foods marinade for flavour because it was an easy meal and it was impossible to stuff it up! This recipe has no sauce or marinade as such in it but is so full of flavour it doesn't need it! I'd never go back to my old ways of making stir fry now that I've tried this.

Instead of shallots I just used half a brown onion and I added in green beans and only one chilli because I thought it would be quite spicy but I think it actually could have done with the extra chilli, I couldn't really taste a "hot" sensation, it was a good spice.

I definitely recommend this! Drop me a comment if you want the full recipe!

Clean eating = yum!

Cutting the CRAP

Its an all new term at uni starting next monday and that means a few new things around here.

One. New subjects to study, new classes, new assignments and new people to meet.

Two. New "kick-start" into a healthier lifestyle.

I'm cutting the crap from my life and by crap I mean CRAP - Caffeine, refined sugar, alcohol and processed foods.

Some of you may have heard of the "Clean and Lean" diet or eating plan. Well its kind of new to me but I am diving right into it and enriching myself with new, healthy knowledge on how to change my life and become a healthier and better version of myself.

Clean and Lean is a book written by James Duigan and you can purchase it here.

Ever since I started reading through this book it got me thinking more consciously about what stuff I have been putting into my body and the damage some of the junk could actually be causing. Of course, for me some of the "changes" mentioned in the book that need to be made are pretty drastic and I am going to attempt to attack this in the most sensible and realistic way possible but most importantly, I am going to try and stick to it for a long time.

This "diet" isn't really a diet, its about a lifestyle change and its an exciting one!

Have any of you attempted the 14 day kickstart program by James? I am thinking its time to tackle this one and see if I can get results and ultimately a healthier and leaner body!

I'll be updating more info soon, stay tuned, or join me! Grab a copy of the book from a store, online or from your local library and we can cut the "crap" together!