Babblewell.com

23
Apr
2015

Sweet or savory?

categories: Food, Food Pictures, My babbles, Recipe, Uncategorized

Sweet or savory, which one do you prefer? Or do you prefer both? Every now and then (or all the time) 🙂 we like to munch on a sweet or savory snack. When this happens to me I prefer to make my own snack. Yes it takes time to make your own snack but in my opinion the result is much more better and much more yummy.

Whenever I crave for something sweet, I make a simple sponge cake with just four ingredient, eggs, flour, sugar and vanilla extract . Sometimes I add pieces of apple which I lightly coat with some flour before adding it to the batter. Coating the apple with flour prevents that the apple sinks to the bottom.

This is a low fat cake since no fat is added but it does contain sugar. It only takes 5 minutes to make the batter and 30 minutes to bake at 180 degrees. You get the best result if all the ingredients are at room temperature. Easy sponge cake recipe:

Preheat the oven to 180 C or 350 F
Line an brownie pan with baking paper
For an brownie pan you will need 8 medium eggs
Weigh equal amounts of eggs, flour and sugar, start with weighing the eggs first
Cream the egg, sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for 5 minutes with your hand or stand-alone mixer
The mixture is done when the mixture changes to light yellow
Now spoon the flour through the batter but not overbeat. You want to keep the batter light and fluffy.
Pour the batter into the brownie pan and bake for 30 minutes.
Since all ovens are different, do keep an eye on the cake
You can check if the cake is done by inserting an toothpick or fork. If it comes out wet bake it for another 5 minutes
The cake is done when the toothpick or fork is dry
Let it cool ad enjoy

When I make this cake I decrease the amount of sugar by 25 to 50 grams. If you want to make an apple cake, add the apples after step 6 to the cake.

This cake is so yummy try it with homemade custard, blueberries, raspberries and whipped cream, see picture above. Yummy yummy, can you feel it into your tummy?

Next week I will post a yummy savory snack.

Happy baking.

14
Apr
2015

Do you get value for your money?

categories: Uncategorized

Is it value for your money when you go grocery shopping, for instance. Or do you just go grocery shopping, buy what you need and head home? It depends on what kind of product it is right? Is it a necessity product like rice or oil or is it a luxury good. Some necessity products are getting more expensive lately, like rice. We still buy it because we need it. We actually don’t think about the value of our money. Or we might, buying a cheaper brand of rice, because the brand you use to buy had a raise in price and we are not willing or cannot afford to pay for it anymore.

The other day I went grocery shopping. When I walked towards my car I saw trays of beautiful pansies in a pot for € 9.99, € 9.99 is about $ 9.25. There were about 4 pots of pansies in the pot. In my eyes this was just ridiculous! Too expensive! For that amount of money I could buy a tray (12 pots) of pansies and 2 or 3 pots of my own choice at the dollar store and even some soil! That is what I call value for my money.

You are right, that is value for my money through my eyes. I did not take into account how much time it would take to buy all the products, my labor cost if I would make the pots of pansies myself. But still I didn’t buy it, for that amount of money I could have 2 or 3 pots of pansies of my own choice. What more fun is there to create something yourself?

The lesson learned is that value for money is in the eyes of the beholder.

Am I a cheapskate?

Well, I don’t think so, I want maximum value for my hard earned money. I want 2 or 3 pots!

16
Mar
2015

How do you motivate your kids?

categories: family, My babbles, Tips

Motivating kids is not an easy task. It takes a lot of patience especially when they are not interested in what they are doing.

Most kids are not aware that education is an important part of their life’s. We cannot blame them, they are kids. As parents it is our task to motivate our kids to study. To keep them focused so that they can grow. Without pushing them too much. Yes, at times parenting can be a tough job.

Listening to our kids is important. What are their thoughts, what are they struggling with? Kids who are demotivated cannot just be motivated overnight. We actually need a happy child so that we can motivate her or him. Or, so that they want to be motivated. Just telling them they have to do homework is not going to motivate children. Explaining them the whys will make your job easier.

Explaining the whys to older children can be done over a cup of hot cocoa and cookies. Sit down with your child and ask them what their goals are? What do they want to do in the future. Explain to your child that school is important if they want to achieve their goals. Let them know that you are there for them when they face difficulties doing their homework. That you want to help them. Comfort your child with your words. Let them know that they are not alone, that you as a parent want your child to succeed. Let them know that you want to help them whenever they are struggling with school. But at the same time you have to let them know that they have to do the actual work. They have to take action.

If you as a parent are having difficulties to help your child with homework you need to solve that problem. If for instance fractions are difficult to you, you need to learn it. YouTube has some great tutorials on math. Like this one:

Or you could ask a friend, relative or any other person whom you trust (and who understands the subject, this goes without saying) to help your child with their homework.

When your child doesn’t get it, by any means do not call your child stupid. For a child it is important that their parent have faith in them. Remember, practice makes perfect.

How do you motivate your kids?

24
Feb
2015

Store bought or homemade yummy salad dressing?

categories: Food, Recipe, Tips, Uncategorized

Picture this: you just washed some crunchy fresh salad leaves. Added a handful of diced fresh carrots and chucked some garlic olives along with some fresh cherry tomatoes in the bowl. Now it’s time to choose your protein, grilled chicken, some grilled tofu or some kidney beans maybe?

You walk towards the fridge to get your favorite store bought salad dressing to pour it over your homemade salad. And then you stop and start to think. I made all the effort to make a lovely homemade salad. Why am I going to pour store bought salad dressing over my salad?

Salad dressing is really easy to make. I make this salad dressing from “Eugenies kitchen” (see video below) all the time. Eugenie’s recipe is my basic recipe. Sometimes I add some dried herbs to the dressing or some extra garlic. I just make the dressing and keep it in the fridge.

Want a more creamier dressing? Make your own mayonnaise or buy a really good one. Add a tablespoon of mayonnaise in a bowl and add a few drops of water. Whisk it till the mixture is combined. You could add some dried parsley, some finely chopped onions, some garlic maybe (yes I love garlic!).

Lots of us choose the easy way because it is convenient or it didn’t came up to make our own. It goes without saying that when you make your own food from scratch it is (usually)much more healthier. In this case the salad dressing has no additives, thickening agent or artificial flavors.

By the way salads are really easy to make you can add anything you like. Baby spinach, roman lettuce, onions, cabbage, beans, corn, mushrooms, walnuts, almonds, leftover protein from last night meal (chicken, tofu, beans, fish or any kind of meat), leftover pasta, cheese, some fruits maybe? The options are endless.

Store bought salad dressing or homemade salad dressing?

13
Feb
2015

How many empty calories did you had?

categories: Food, Food Pictures, My babbles, Tips

Did you had any empty calories this week? You might have…..

Empty calories are calories which supply little or no nutritional value. A few examples of empty calories are candy bars, cookies, a hot steaming caramel macchiato, a blueberry muffin, potato chips, sodas. All the yummy stuff people crave for (most people) when the days are getting colder, when you are having (or going to have) your period, when you are bored……….

Should we ban foods with empty calories then? The question is, how often and how many empty calories do you consume. If you are having empty calories on a regular base it might be time for some change. By the way empty calories have another side effect most of them are bad for your teeth. Did you know that a Kit Kat of 43 grams contains about 220 calories and a Snickers bar of 57 gram contains about 273 calories. A Grande Caramel Macchiato contains about 240 calories. And a large blueberry muffin contains approximately 385 calories?

You might be consuming empty calories without even being aware of it. Why not substitute those empty calories for nutrient-dense foods. (This is the opposite of empty calories.) Here is a list of nutrient dense foods:

Dry fruits such as dates, prunes, cranberries, raisins, apples, apricots
Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, pistachio, cashew (have a handful)
Carrot sticks
Any Fruit: apple, banana , pineapple, mango, pears, kiwis
Rice cakes
Instead of soda have some water with lime and mint leaves
Instead of a fancy coffee have black coffee or coffee with skimmed milk with sugar (in moderation!) or sweetener
Hot steaming tea with fresh mint leaves
Homemade salted popcorn with NO butter (read: no microwave popcorn)
A small piece of dark chocolate
Fresh fruits with a little dot of whipped cream
(Vegan) Yoghurt with some muesli and fresh fruits
What would you recommend?

Have empty calories once in a while but remember in MODERATION is the keyword.

What is in moderation according to you?

06
Feb
2015

Do you have time for personal development?

categories: Get organized, My babbles, Tips, Uncategorized

Name at least one skill you would like to develop.

We all have skills we would like to develop. Whether is it learning a language, learning how to bake, how to do presentations or maybe even an crochet class. These are only a few examples of the many skills we can develop.

Personal development is an important part of our life. Many people think about it and only a few take action. Then there are those who want to but have no time. Everyday life is hectic. Work, mortgages, family, kids, the gym…..

I myself wanted to learn how to crochet. And NO, crochet isn’t just for old ladies! Since I did not had time (and I did not feel like leaving the comfort of my own home, to be frank) to join a crochet class I learned to crochet by watching YouTube tutorials. I can now crochet blankets, shawls and am currently working on a clutch.

Time. If we don’t have time to develop ourselves we should do something about it. How busy is our daily schedule really? We need to find out. The best thing to do is write down what we really do on a daily basis. Don’t forget to write down how much time you spent on work, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat, surfing the internet, watching TV, games, folding laundry, doing dishes, cooking, helping the kids with their homework, household chores, commuting and so on. Once you have written everything down it is time to “sacrifice”. (Hmmm, now you know what your daily schedule really looks like).

Which activity would you “sacrifice” to develop yourself, to learn or improve a new skill? Please note: you do not have to sacrifice hours of your time. Half an hour or an hour, 3 times a week works. Let’s say, your “sacrificing” half an hour, surfing on the internet time for learning French. How and when are you going to do that? Are you going to follow a course on the internet, are you downloading an App, will you hire a teacher….? Once you have determined the “how and when you are going to do it” it is time to take action! Block your calendar and now it is all comes down to discipline, willpower and how much you really want it.

What skill would you like to develop? Please leave a comment.

22
Jan
2015

Maharadja’s eczema caused by a food allergy

categories: family, Food, My babbles, Tips, Uncategorized

My little Maharadja eczema was caused by milk and the additives in our food.

Just before Maharadja turned two we went on a holiday to dream destination Mauritius. We booked our accommodation and trips thru Island Explorer & Tours (www.islandexplorertours.com), I highly recommend them :-).

During the holidays Maharadja had milk for breakfast which he gulped down much to my surprise. At home he did not want to drink any milk. I was one happy mom. Because they say milk is healthy, right? I was wondering why he did drink the Mauritian milk and hated the milk at home. I took a small sip and tasted the milk, it was sweeter then what he got at home. Now I understood why he drank the milk without any tantrums.

At the end of our holidays he started to scratch severely . But there were no sign of eczema. When we got home the eczema appeared. He started to scratch but little did we knew that the dairy, sugar and food additives were the culprits. So I kept feeding little Maharadja cheese and yoghurt drinks, which he loved.

We took our Maharadja to the doctors. They prescribed him hormone creams. Since these creams have many side effects I refused to use them for my two year old. I am surprised that doctors are not interested in what causes the eczema.

I tried every cream and gel on the market. I walked into every store which sold creams to find a solution. And I tried a lot of creams and oils. Maharadja turned 3 and I was searching the internet for a solution. Meanwhile I did find out that if he had sugars and foods with additives (like a stock cube which contains MSG or a juice with additives or sugars or both) he started to scratch right away. So these foods were banned. I also introduced spelt bread into his and our diet. I used and still use hemp oil and coconut oil and neutral crème the doctor prescribed. Maharadjas clothes were and still are washed with a perfume free detergent. We also got him perfume free soap. Then right after his 4^th birthday I found the culprit by accident. One night I was watching some videos on YouTube about eczema. By accident I stumbled upon a documentary about eczema and allergies. There was this one boy who had a dairy allergy and severe eczema. Once these foods were removed from his diet the eczema started to disappear. The next morning I removed all dairy products from his diet and in the next few days, he stopped scratching! We were so happy for our Maharadja. He slept through the night. Usually he woke up because he was itchy. We told our Maharadja that he cannot have any dairy products due to his allergy and he understands now.

By accident we found out that my Maharadja can have sheep cheese. So he is one happy Maharadja because he just loves cheese soo much! He is a real Dutch boy ;-)!

Cookies and cakes I make myself. When I go to a birthday party I make a cake for my Maharadja and take it along. For his 5^th birthday I made dairy free muffins which the kids could decorate. I found out that he can have chocolate as long as it is 72%. White bread is a no-no and so is white flour. Sodas are also a no-no. Maharadja drinks water and 100% apple juice. He can have real butter. The culprit is the milk protein in dairy products. If you have a good brand of butter there are hardly any or no milk proteins in it. I buy organic food as much as I can. I do read the labels because some organic products contain milk protein or even palm oil! I am one lucky lady, I buy organic flour at an authentic Dutch mill. I bake pancakes with coconut milk or almond milk.

The eczema is disappearing now, Maharadjas skin has to heal over time.

Do you have any experience with eczema?

18
Jan
2015

How to get tasks done

categories: family, Get organized, My babbles, Uncategorized

We all have tasks to do. Some are easy and a necessity (unloading the dishwasher). Some are fun(baking a cake for your grandma’s birthday party or crochet a scarf) and some tasks are somewhat more difficult (writing an essay). Some people do their tasks immediately without any postponement. And then there are those who postpone them. Tomorrow . And when tomorrow is there , tomorrow or next weekend. Does this sound familiar?

Why do we postpone our tasks? The answer is simple. Because we just don’t feel like doing them (now or ever). Not only the tasks around the house are being postponed. Work related tasks are also being postponed. That dreadful presentation you have to write, paperwork that needs to be filed or _____ fill in the blank.

Let’s face it. We will never like doing certain tasks. We just have to them. When your garage is all piled up with boxes you have two options. You can leave the boxes forever in your garage or you can start now and organize your garage. Once the task is done you will feel better. One task you don’t have to think about anymore. Moreover it declutters your mind.

Same goes for work related tasks. Do not postpone, it will cause stress when the deadline is there. So why put yourself into that situation? Or are you one of those people who like to work under pressure?
You are aware that stress can lead to health issues right?

How to get tasks done whether is it work related or personal related. Make a to do-list. A personal to do list and a work related to do list. Write down the most 5 most important to do’s and start doing them. Please note: By just writing them down they aren’t done, you really have to take action. If you have the urge to do a task, do it right away. Because within a few minutes the “I don’t feel like doing it” will crawl into your mind. With the end result that nothing has been done. And will be done for a long time.

Are you one of those people who think that making notes in a notebook is ancient. There are lots of Apps you could download like Evernote, Springpad, Simple and the list goes on.

What is on your to do-list?

11
Jan
2015

What happened to your New Year’s resolution?

categories: My babbles, Tips, Uncategorized, Working out

Did you had any? Did you chuck them in the bin or are you sticking to your New Year’s resolution? If you did chuck them in the bin. What was the reason? Was it too hard to stick to them?

Making changes to your lifestyle is challenging. Changing your lifestyle will not just happen overnight. It will take time.

It actually comes down to how much you really want it, the change.

My New Year’s resolution is to shed the extra weight I gained during the Holidays. I ate in moderation but did not work out. (Too much calories + no work out = gaining weight. ) In my opinion the best way to tackle the weight resolution is too start right away. After the holidays (which was January 5^th for me) I started with banning all the food which contained sugars and fats. I substituted them for lots of fruits, veggies, tea, water, low calorie sandwiches and a proper meal. For me a proper meal is important. It satisfies me and keeps me from snacking. Sometimes I have a rice cracker or some fruits if I really crave for something more. The first few days are always the hardest. Your body has to adjust to your eating habits. So don’t give up! It is all about willpower. And it doesn’t mean you can’t have any snacks. Learn how to make healthy snacks or desserts. Ever tried baked banana with cinnamon and honey? How much do you really want it, the change?

Exercising of is good for the body and the mind. For a workout you really don’t have to go to the gym. You could easily do it at home. If you have discipline that is. You could go for a walk or a ride on your bike. You could go for a walk on the treadmill or for a bike ride on your bike trainer. In the comfort of your own home in front of your own TV.

Even for Pilates classes you don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home. YouTube is a great channel to follow classes of any kind (Zumba, Insanity, Yoga et cetera) . I just love the videos from Cassey. Her YouTube channel is named Blogilates. I have my own personal trainer in the comfort of my own home.

So pick up your New Year’s resolution whatever that might be and remember it is about how bad you really want it.

Just so you know: Rome wasn’t built in a day.

08
Jan
2015

New Year’s resolution: Losing weight and how to save money

categories: Uncategorized

Do you have any New Year’s resolution? I do. Mine is too shed the extra weight I gained during the holidays. For a lot of people this is their New Year’s resolution.) You will achieve your goal if you really determined to do so. Just take it step by step.) Please see my blog post “Losing weight is hard” https://babblewell.com/losing-weight-is-hard-part-1/.

Let me introduce another New Year’s resolution: How to save money in 2015. Here are just a few tips:

Turn off the lights when you leave the room. (I really have to teach myself to do that)
Stock up on long shelf life bargain items like laundry detergent, body lotion, dishwasher detergent, body wash, tissues and so on. By stock up I mean stock up.
Cook your own food. Cooking your own food has two major benefits. A, it is ealthier and B it saves you money. Need some tips: www.babblewell.com/5-easy-dishes-cook-dont-feel-like-cooking/
Make a grocery list and stick to the list! If you’re buying an item that is not on the list ask yourself, do you really need it? And when will you use it, make it? Don’t forget to check the grocery deals. Stock up on long shelf life items.
Declutter the attic, garage, the play room or any other room. Have a garage sale or sell the items online.
If you are thinking about spending money on an item you don’t really need, stop yourself. Don’t rush to the store. Wait two weeks. If, at the end of the two weeks, you still want the item, buy it.
Ban your credit card. Learn not to spend money you don’t have.
Take your own lunch to work. Make sandwiches, salads, meals et cetera a day in advance. This avoids the morning stress the next morning. Don’t forget to pack some fruits, snack and drinks! Keep a stock of crackers, drinks, snacks or anything you like at work.
Take your own coffee or any hot beverage to work. Spending dollars or euros on coffee is outrageous! You can save 100 dollars or euros per month! If you spend 5 euro or dollar every workday, that is. How much do you spend on beverages?
Going on a road trip. Pack your own food, drinks and snacks. This will save you a lot of money! Make your shopping list a week in advance.
Do not go shopping for fun. There are lots of other activities you could do.
Like to go to museums or the cinema? Did you know that most museums and cinemas have discount times?
Host dinner parties at your own place instead of going out to a restaurant. It saves you a lot of money! Don’t have time to cook. Ask your guests to bring something along.
If you haven’t been to the gym for more than two months, cancel your membership. Just face it. You will not go to the gym in the next few months. Find other ways to exercise like going for a walk.
Save money by buying potted herbs instead of buying bunches of herbs.
What are your ways to save money?