homeward bound...

a moment caught just after Andrew crossed the line

Our Hawaii holiday has come to an end and tomorrow sees up flying home to chillier weather (but still beautiful) Gold Coast.

 

This has been an amazing trip, and although my 4th time to Hawaii it still dishes up the same feelings as the first.  The friendly people, perfect climate and cleanliness all add to making a holiday here hard to beat.  This was the first time with kids and we never seemed to run out of ideas or ways to keep them entertained.  (I'll keep that for another post).

 

On Sunday Andrew successfully completed what he has been training for and that was the Molokai crossing.   About 52 km from Molokai to Oahu on a double ocean ski with his training partner, Tony.  It was a journey that took just under 5 hours and in conditions that were not ideal.

 

Coming from a background that did not involve watersports makes it even sweeter and me proud as ever because I'll admit I had my doubts when he announced that it was on the cards.  I love to be proven wrong but knew they would do it easily as the preparation and training was perfect and no stones were left unturned.  A credit to them.

 

A beautiful sunset shot from the balcony

So back to reality and into the routine life brings.  It was nice to escape the groundhog feeling and we are feeling refreshed and full of new perspectives.  Now, what will our next little challenge be.....

Are fruit squeeze pouches just as good?

While I'm holidaying in Hawaii.... surfing, shopping, eating (lots) and watching silly cable TV shows I thought I would share a post I wrote for Kidspot Village Voices recently on the popularity of food pouches for our babies and toddlers.

Fruit squeezies, puree pouches, food bags with a spout – if you have had a child in the last couple of years you will know exactly what I am talking about and you will know that this type of baby/toddler food is quickly outnumbering food jars on the shelves.

Yep, sales of these ‘purees in a squeezy’ are on the rise and only due to popular demand. Convenient, mess-free, and healthy makes them sound like the perfect solution for busy parents but in the long run are they really all they’re cracked up to be?

In regards to nutrition, an apple-banana pouch is going to be healthier than say an ice-block but don’t let the convenience lull you into a false sense of security.

From the age of four to six months we begin the process of learning to eat. This has many aspects from chewing different textures to experiencing new tastes which improves with each repeated exposure. Once babies begin weaning it’s all about getting the hang of how to move their mouth and jaw muscles and accept food from a spoon. Learning to eat also builds up your baby’s oral muscles for speaking and they’ll need these for getting the hang of bigger pieces of food later on down the track. If you make the mistake of not challenging your babies jaw muscles with lumpy foods and different textures from about the age of nine months then other issues could arise.

So, although you might think a puree squeezy is as good as the real thing, it’s probably not. Imagine this scenario; your toddler is getting use to and enjoying their fruit pouch each day, but the moment a piece of food that takes skill like a crunchy apple piece or a strawberry with ‘bits’ is offered it will be foreign and rejected. Their jaws will be lazy, textures will not be welcome and the simple process of taking food to their mouth will be unknown. Not a lifelong skill we really want to be passing on to our children!

If you look at the ingredients of the pouches, a lot of the time vegetables are teamed with a fruit to add a sweetness to the experience or mixed with other vegetables. I really think we should be teaching our children separate tastes without the sweetness and accepting a fruit or vegetable for what it is.

Sure, I always have a few squeezies stashed in the cupboard for emergencies, they are great when you are out of fruit at the end of the week or travelling but ultimately, they are seen as an occasional treat only.

So, let’s not get caught up in the habit of nurturing a generation of lazy eaters, or dare I say it, lazy parenting. Surely we are never too busy to provide good nutrition to our children the way it should be; naturally.

 

 How do these food pouches make your life easier?

Olukai Maui SUP race 2013

at the start in Maliko gulch

Well, part of our family holiday was to partake in some ocean races while we are here.  How could we not make the most of this trip without getting out there amongst it all! 

Saturday saw me enter in what is quite possibly the largest downwind SUP race in the world on the island of Maui called the Olukai Maliko run and they sum it up beautifully by describing it as a "Celebration of the ocean and the cultures that surround it".

Last weekend was a prelude of sorts when I had my first taste of the Maliko run.  It begins at a gulch on the Northern side of Maui and finishes about 9 mile up the coast.  This place is all that because it simply is the windiest place on earth so as long as the wind is in your favor it is good times!

Molly and I paddling out to the start line and mens winner Connor Baxter on green board

With around 350 starters it was quite a site and I was pinching myself to just be there on the start line. I had been looking forward to this for quite some time.  My aussie friend, Molly was there with me and we couldn't wipe the grins off our face!

paddling out to the start 

It differs to Australian conditions as we don't get the wind strength that is generated in Maui.  Board lengths of 14 foot usually suffice whereas over here 17 foot boards with rudder systems are seen as the bare minimum. I stuck to what I knew and choose to paddle the 14 footer, which goes super fast anyways.

The girls watching from the cliff

Apparently it wasn't as good as it gets with the way the wind and swell were lining up but it was ok, tricky at times when there was refraction off the coast and coming in through the reef and waves was something I wasn't really ready for...(the helicopter above me got some get shots of some crazy girl taking off on a huge wave and stacking it half way down).

Coming into the finish

I finished 4th overall female, crossing the line first female to paddle a 14 foot board so super stoked to only be a minute or so behind second place on the larger boards. The womens winner Andrea Moller is a machine and knows this coastline like the back of her hand! Now I know the course I just want to get back out there and do better, go faster, but that will have to wait and I might be lucky enough to return again sometime soon;)

The presentations

Thanks to Naish for supplying me with boards on our travels, it would have nearly made it impossible without you!  Now it's over to Andrew and his turn to take on the ocean next weekend when he paddles across the channel of bones from Molikai to Oahu..YOLO and have a great week!x

Kids and fruit - what's the right amount?

pic via

With anything there are both ends of the spectrum and it’s no different when we are talking about kids eating fruit. You might think that being at the higher end of the spectrum is a good problem to have but excessive intake can cause issues.

 

Fruit is healthy so it’s hard to believe that if your children are tucking into fruit whenever they are hungry then it could be the same as not eating enough. I don’t want to discourage you from teaching your kids to enjoy their fruit because I know it can be a tricky issue but as parents it’s important to be aware of this.

 

You definitely won’t get fat from eating too much fruit – not straight away anyway, and it’s definitely a better option than sweet lollies or cakes but we have to remember it all has to be part of a balanced diet.

 

Fruit is high in natural sugars, so there should be mindful caution with the amount on any given day. It’s becoming a problem when the third banana for the day is being eaten because it may be taking the place of a high protein/carbohydrate snack such as a cheese on crackers which is low in sugar.

Dental decay, Osteoporosis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, skin and behavioral problems as well as a  lack of overall variety of nutrients in the diet can all stem from too much fruit intake.
 

So , how much fruit should our children be eating?

 

In a nutshell it is best to aim for two serves daily (this is relevant to adults as well). This of course varies in the portion as your child gets older and requires more energy.

Here is a basic rundown:  2-3 year olds – 1 cup,  4-8 year olds – 1 1/2 cups
 

Examples of portion sizes for children are:

 

 

Table and stats obtained from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

 

So, hats off to you if your child does enjoy their fruit. It means you must be doing something right, but if it comes the point that two serves have already been eaten that day, try offering some vegetables to complete the rainbow or other healthy snacks.

For the rest of us, what are your tips to get kids enjoying their fruit?

 This post first appeared on Kidspot Village Voices where you will be sure to get lost for a few hours with some great reads and tips on parenting.

Hello and an update from Waikiki

Wow it's been a whirlwind couple of days since we landed in Hawaii.  It always takes a few days into a holiday to wind down doesn't it, and yes I've already lost track of what day it is!

Arriving after a night flight was not so good and we felt the effects for a good day or so.  The girls did well on the plane sleeping for a few hours which was a few uncomfortable hours for us as Andrew and I dared not move to wake them!

Our first stop is Waikiki where we are staying in amazing accommodation with a to die for view.  I guess you could call it a condo, with two bedrooms and a full size kitchen to prepare meals so we don't have to bare the cost of eating out or worry about trying to find something remotely healthy.



That's me, yellow board from the bottom

Yesterday I left the family in Waikiki and flew over to Maui for a the Imua Camp charity SUP paddle from Maliko Gulch back to the harbor (about 9 mile).  There were about 120 starters and it was amazing with clear blue water and turtles to dodge!

The girls have been non stop swimming, sightseeing and watching hula girls which is so sweet to watch.

  

In Hawaii there are a lot of people that share a passion for the ocean. It's what draws us here so we love spending time at the Outrigger Canoe Club and my good friend Cara is a member of the Elks club next door.  The ocean is at your doorstep (where your board is stored) and it's just the best atmosphere to sit, relax and have a chat with other ocean lovers.

 

View from the OCC and Elks club Waikiki.





Cara and I enjoyed a surf to catch up on the years that have passed by since we last saw each other, and even though it was raining we didn't care (it just meant we had our break to ourselves).  Yep, can't wipe that grin off my face over here...Til the next update Mahalo and have a great week.x

4 ways to do a breadless sandwich

Sandwiches are great for throwing some of your favorite ingredients in between two pieces of bread and munching away. BUT if you're looking for a lighter lunch, watching your energy intake or after gluten-free options, it's easy to replace the bread and still feel like your having a sandwich... a sandwich without bread,... or is that an unwich?

 

My favourite bread-less sandwiches

+ The lettuce burger - Instead of a big kilojoule dense bun try lettuce leaves instead. The outermost leaves that are unbroken work best and you can have as many as you want. You'll be surprised at how much tastier a burger is when it's not covered in bun.

+ Cucumber sandUNwiches - I made them here. These are super yummy and have a nice crunch to boot. Lovely with low-fat cream cheese, chicken, tuna, tomato, relishes or avocado  Keep the skin on the cucumber so it stays in shape better and dab them with a paper towel before adding the toppings, that way they will be nice and crisp.

+ Rice cakes - My main lunch staple. Let your imagination run wild and create what ever takes your fancy. I can never go past avocado, tuna, tomato and sweet chilli. Taste bud explosion!

+ Nori rolls - Quite often while the family is having mexican tacos in soft tortillas, I'll pop out the nori for myself and fill it up with lettuce, tomato, carrot and mince. It's a low-carb, gluten-free option that's full of protein and dietary fibre.

My other fave ways to enjoy a breadless sandwich

Cabbage leaves - Wrap them around vegetables, rice and mince then bake in the oven
Eggplant - Roast large slices of eggplant and use them to form the base and top layer of a sandwich
Rice Paper - Make rolls filled with lettuce, carrot, cucumber, coriander and seafood for an Asian-style lunch

This post first appeared on Kidspot Village Voices

 

Using coconut oil from the outside in

I admit, I actually used coconut oil on my hair way before I even considered using it in my food.  Now that I'm using it mainly in my food, I'd forgotten how good it is to use on your body...until I saw this infographic on Pinterest via here .  It smells fantastic and has some amazing properties which are far better than a lot of the chemically laden counterparts!

 

How about you, have you tried coconut oil on your face, hair or body?