I feel almost ashamed to say it, but today was another one of those golden days. Not a cloud in the sky, the sun just gently warming our backs. A day so picture perfect we had to have lunch outside. And lucky me, I still had a tub of yummy pumpkin soup in the fridge for just a day like today...

We are addicted to garlic bruschetta at the moment and go through so much sourdough bread. The one we get here is from "Sprout", the local artisan bread maker. Just divine, like the ones I used to get in Switzerland. Rustic, with a good crust.

Miss E is back at school. Our day's rhythm is a bit calmer, with only the boys at home. They do play well together, hardly needing any input from me, only the occasional arbitration. I needed that. The last week was very intense. I didn't have any reprieve and started to feel a bit frustrated by the things around me. The children getting into more arguments. The vacuum cleaner breaking down. The washing machine playing up and leaving the clothes dripping wet. Little, ordinary things becoming big, troublesome boulders in my life.....

I guess I just need a tiny little break, a change of routine, a breath of fresh air and new ideas.









And then we made our favorite Beetroot Chocolate Muffin .....did you know how good beetroot is for you?



The boys haven't got any prejudice against Beetroot yet. The way they tasted this earthy vegetable hasn't scarred their taste buds. One of our favorite dips these days is Beetroot dip, a stunning looking blend of beetroot, spices and yoghurt and lemon juice. And one of our favorite muffins around here is the chocolate and beetroot muffin I mentioned on on a previous post. We made it again (and again) and it just gets better. Moist, fudgy and almost rich....because the beets give it this moistness and the cocoa the darkness, your brain thinks it must be some kind of rich chocolate mud cake....only it isn't.....

The boys like to help and stick their fingers into the mix. They are fascinated by the grater, the luscious red shavings of beetroot. Eagerly taking turns sifting the flours, adding a little bit of this and a little bit of that. They pay attention and are starting to learn the processes of baking...it is lovely to watch them and imagine their passion for not only learning, but also for food and tastes, grow with them into adulthood.

One of my favorite memories from my childhood is licking the bowl clean with my fingers after my mother made a cake.

I now enjoy watching my children create the same memories from our times baking together.