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I’ve had the good fortune recently of finding a fantastic nutritionist who specialises in pre-conception and prenatal nutrition. Even more fortunately, she has kindly agreed to developing recipes for the naturaltransition.com fertility, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, baby and mother care recipe base. So let me introduce you to Sophie Halls Anning from the very aptly named Broody Foodie. Sophie’s practice is in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney where she provides food based programs to help you prepare for pregnancy, birth and early parenting.

My 7 year old and  I took one of Sophie’s recipes for a test drive yesterday and I am pleased to say, it was a roaring success. We made some bran muffins with ginger, cranberries and walnuts. Only we forgot to buy walnuts and used pine nuts instead. They were absolutely delicious. The last two are currently being devoured by hungry boys as an after school snack.

These muffins are particularly suited to early pregnancy as they are high in folic acid and fibre, are mineral and antioxidant rich and contain ginger to help with morning sickness. Of course they make a healthy and delicious snack for anyone.  My 7 year old made them under my watchful eye, so they are dead easy to make.

Well then, enough talk. Here’s the recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• Canola oil spray
• 3 1/2 cups All Bran cereal
• 1 cup Boiling water
• 1/4 cup Canola oil
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Full fat milk
• 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
• 1 1/4 cups All purpose flour (Plain flour)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons Baking soda (Bicarb soda)
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Ginger, ground
• 1/4 cup Ginger, candied (Crystalised ginger, try Buderim- I used more like 1/2 cup, ’cause I love it)
• 1/2 cup Cranberries, dried
• 1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
2. Mix the lemon juice into the milk and allow to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
3. Place cereal in a bowl and pour over the boiling water, then set aside without stirring.
4. Whisk the canola oil and sugar together in a bowl, add the milk and egg and whisk again.
5. Add flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger and whisk well until combined.
6. Add the cereal, cranberries, walnuts & candied ginger and mix well, then allow the batter to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes
7. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with the canola oil or line with patty cases.
8. Divide the batter evenly amongst the cups or cases and bake for 20 minutes.
9. To test, insert  metal skewer into the centre: if it comes out clean, they’re cooked
10. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool slightly before tucking in.

Mmmm…

This recipe and many more will make up the recipe base on the new and improved naturaltransition.com. I am currently having a touch of trouble getting the new site finished but know that it will be ready very soon.  Watch this space and you’ll be the first to know when all the new goodies, including Sophie’s recipes are in place.

Leave me a comment? You’ll make my day

It was great to meet some lovely poeple at the Birth Choices Expo last night. Thanks to those who came and introduced yourselves!

I’m a little late in posting the winner of the Cushie Tushies Couture nappy and matching wet bag give away, but if we could have a drum roll while I lucky dip from the lucky elephant box…

The winner is Lucy Penhallow!

I’ll be in contact with Lucy on Monday and will also have some great news regarding naturaltransition.com

Have a beautiful weekend

xxx Julie

FRIDAY 5 MARCH 2010, LEICHHARDT TOWN HALL

It’s Birth Choices Expo time again and this time I’m going to be there with a table full of gorgeous natural pregnancy, birth and baby products for you to try out. Since the March Birth Choices Expo coincides the launch of Natural Transition’s new and improved website, I’ll be giving a free 1 yr site membership to anyone who places an order on the night. I’m not telling about the new additions just yet, suffice to say- I’m excited!

Birth Choices Expo aims to make information about pregnancy, birth & parenting more accessible so that you can make the right choices for you & your baby and experience the joy of parenting, just as you always dreamed.

Here’s a quick run down of the night:

I’ve had some very generous support from some lovely businesses in the lead up to the Expo, I’d like to say thanks to Cushie Tushies, Wotnots, Bottoms Up, Natracare and Agoo Australia. I’ll be demonstrating products and taking orders from these company’s and more on the night. See here to preview Natural Transition’s full catalogue.

I’ll also be taking bookings for my clinic services- Naturopathic consultations, pregnancy, post natal and remedial massage, baby massage instruction and labour massage instruction. Want to know more? See my clinic’s website to see what I offer.

For more info on the Expo visit www.birthchoicesexpo.com.au or become a fan on the Birth Choices Expo Facebook page

Tomorrow is a national day of action for birth choices in Australia. Although things are looking better for independent midwifery in the coming years than they have in the past, there are still some cracks in the proposed changes. Read the rest of this entry »

I have always struggled to get my babies feeding equally on both sides, talking with other mothers leads me to believe it’s a pretty common problem. Most if not all women have a different flow, different letdown timing, different nipple shape or a feeling of one side being more comfortable to feed from than the other. Sometimes, the baby prefers to be held on one side more so than the other.  All of these things lead to a preference for one breast and sometimes a rejection of one breast. Read the rest of this entry »