I remember the very first time I made these for Mr B he was rather sceptical. But now, months later, he considers it a treat meal and last night he even said they're just as good as eating a burger! This says a lot coming from a meat lover! My take on the tasty and wholesome falafel is a little healthier than some versions as I only lightly fry them as opposed to deep frying. I like to cook them in advance as they taste even better once they've had time to sit a little. They can be kept in the fridge for a number of days and I can't see why you couldn't freeze them but they never last long enough in our house! Falafels make such a great lunch or dinner (and a super quick one if you've prepared them in advance!) and you can really serve them with whatever takes your fancy. My favourite way is in a wholemeal wrap with baby spinach, a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce and a dollop of tzatziki (pictured below)... yum! Happy falafel making my friends :)
Home made falafels
Ingredients
2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1 brown onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup fresh coriander, chopped
1 cup fresh continental parsley leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup plain flour
1 eggwhite
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Yoghurt or tzatziki, to serve.
Method
- Place chickpeas, onion, garlic, coriander, parsley, cumin, flour, eggwhite, salt and pepper in a large bowl and toss ingredients together.
- Place mix into food processor in batches (I find it's much quicker this way and stops your food processor from clogging up) and process until smooth.
- Using floured hands, shape the mixture into 2cm thick patties and place on a plate. I usually get about 10 patties out of this recipe but I guess you can make them as big or as small as you please.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook patties for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through and slightly browned.
- Serve with salad and yoghurt or my favourite way is in a wholemeal wrap with baby spinach, a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce and a dollop of tzatziki.
- Enjoy!
Being a busy, full-time stay at home Mumma of two, at the end of most days I feel like I've run a mini marathon (heck, sometimes I feel that way and it's not even lunchtime!) and I know there are many of you who can relate to this! Some mornings, finding the time to piece together an outfit seems almost impossible and after pulling clothes on and off again only to feel 'blurgh' in most of them, I find myself reaching for my trusty leggings and a comfy tee. And who am I kidding, they are more comfortable than anything else in my wardrobe and much more practical with kiddies and all that pram pushing anyway! BUT, who says the 'bummy mummy' option can't also mean the 'yummy mummy' option! You can most definitely feel both comfortable and stylish if you invest in just a few staple items.
So, I thought I'd share with you a few keys pieces in my 'bummy mummy' wardrobe! It pays to invest in a pair of runners/sneakers that are not only comfortable but a pair that you also get excited about wearing! My Mizuno's are by far my favourite pair of runners I have ever owned (both comfort and aesthetically) and the colours really jazz up an otherwise pretty boring outfit. I am also loving my new Seed metallic sneakers! They seem to go with absolutely everything and are super comfy and so easy to slip on when you are rushing out the door! Sports caps are great for those days where I haven't had time to wash my hair and my roots are looking a little oily. The last item on my 'must have' list are my trusty Topshop leggings... they are seriously THE comfiest leggings I have EVER owned (I think I have about 8 pairs) and they are the ONLY leggings I will buy now.
What better way to embrace Australia Day than to support local Australian brands! 
Some of you may already know that I am a huge fan of the fabulous Australian Brand '
Go on... what are you waiting for?! Go and check out Indiana by Freda's 
I don't get out at night all that often these days, so when Mr B and I locked in date night to celebrate Valentines Day, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to wear my new Casablanca 'Animalia' blazer by 
Mr B and I will often enjoy a piece of fish (we both love salmon!) served with a yummy salad for dinner. After cooking my
This is has to be the easiest and quickest recipe I have ever posted. And one with the least ingredients... two ingredients my friends, yes, only two! I was doing a clean out of the fridge and had half a packet of dates left over from some baking which was uncanny because it was only just yesterday that a friend of mine who has a very fussy little eater who's favourite food is chocolate (isn't it all of ours?! :P) told me of her sneaky way to get some extra fruit into her daughter. You know I'm all for tricking our little ones (do you remember my 
I'm not one to shop online all that often as generally I like to see the product in the flesh first. But, back in January I was ordering a couple of new Nike gym tees from 
Teamed with shoes and accessories I already owned, I wore the 'Orange Sheath' dress to a wedding last month and the 'Floral sheath' for a special dinner with friends last Saturday night. Unfortunately I think both have now sold out BUT I have compiled a few of my other favourites below (of which a couple were amongst my second order) all available from The Iconic. Most dresses from the Ezra collection are priced between $30- $40 so the whole collection is definitely worth a good look! 
Having been either pregnant or breastfeeding the previous two winters, this year I am trying to embrace items that I already have in my closet (many of which I was unable to wear the previous two winters) before heading to the stores to shop the latest trends. Last night Mr B and I headed out for dinner with my brother-in-law and his lovely partner and I decided to wear this Arthur Galan khaki pleated frock I picked up on sale when I was pregnant with Anya back in 2012. It is unlike any other dress I own (and not a style I choose to wear all that often) but teamed with the Robert Robert 'Diavolina' boots my Mumma bought me for my Birthday last year, my trusty Arthur Galan mongolian fur vest, some gorgeous, deep berry lippy (perfect for the cooler months!) and a low, slick pony, I felt like I put my own twist on a style that I wouldn't usually feel myself in. In fact, I have only ever worn this dress once before and I wore my hair down with a slight wave. I felt too overdone, frumpy and 'not me'. So last night, simply by opting to go with the slick pony (again, not a hairstyle I often embrace) I felt like I got it right this time! Seeing as all of the items that make up this outfit are no longer available in stores (and a little hard to source similar products) I thought I would instead share the tools of the trade used to create the beauty element of this look and the products I will most likely be turning to this winter for those winter nights out on the town!
I have had many questions over the months about how to bake and ice the perfect cupcake so I thought I would share the recipes that I use to make basic, fuss free cupcakes along with my buttercream frosting... yum! This is a great go-to recipe when you need to whip some up quickly as the ingredients involved are generally ones you always have in your pantry and fridge and they are just SO simple to make. Now, as for my secrets, well it's pretty simple... get to know your oven and don't be scared to use your better judgement! Whilst cooking times are essential (especially for those who are new to cooking or baking) I don't always believe in following a recipe and it's cooking time exactly. I have lived in several different homes now and have found that even if each oven was set to the exact same temperature, they don't necessarily cook the same. When baking cakes and cupcakes there is a very fine line between being undercooked and overcooked. For example, this recipe suggest cooking the cupcake for 15 minutes. I would suggest you check them with a skewer from the 13 minute mark. If they still seem really runny in the middle don't be fooled as they turn very quickly. Check them again in another minute or so and you will often find that they are almost done. Another thing you need to remember is that they will continue to cook slightly once you remove them from the oven and often this is where the overcooking occurs, resulting in dry cupcakes! As for piping the icing, I'm planning on sharing a video tutorial once we are settled in our new place in Chicago but if you are desperate for some tips in the mean time I'm sure there are plenty already available on youtube ;)
It's no secret that animal print is a staple in my wardrobe and this 'Sage Pink Leopard Print' shirt by 
Earlier this year I did a post called '
As for the shoes, go for bold! Choose something fun and punchy to dress up an otherwise boring pair of black leggings or if you are brave enough to have the leggings be your statement piece, than invest in a neutral shoe, black, white and grey is always a safe bet!
Eastbay has an enormous range to choose from so I always like to browse online and once I have found a shoe I like I search for stockists that are closest to me. Can you tell I gravitate towards pink, green and orange runners?! ;) 
1. 'Hydrangea Prana' pants from 
Earlier in the year I had gotten into the habit of making my own muesli, however, with packing up our life in Sydney and then spending two months with family in Melbourne before arriving in the US, let's just say home made muesli was not on the top of my list of priorities! ;) However, now that we are relatively settled here in Chicago, I am turning my focus back to a healthier lifestyle for all of us! The main reason I was keen to go back to home made was due to the breakfast products (and food products in general) in the supermarkets here. Without going by what is written on the side of the box and judging with your taste buds alone, the foods are either ridiculously salty (and that's coming from someone who loves salty foods... shhhh) or beyond sweet or BOTH (if that's even possible)?! And given breakfast is the most important meal of the day and can often set our 'eating' tone for the day, you can't beat home made and healthy! This recipe is, quick, super yum and so adaptable so you can tailor it to your personal taste adding or subtracting ingredients as you please, And the best part is knowing exactly what goes into it! I serve this up each morning with fresh fruit, a couple of tablespoons of greek yoghurt and just a splash of low fat milk for a little extra moisture! Oh and this recipe made two medium sized jars (picture below).
With the sudden onset of the much cooler weather here in Chicago (seriously, it was 30 degrees one day and an icy 13 degrees the next... um, hello Melbourne! hee hee), I was craving some good old homemade chicken noodle soup! Growing up, my Mum would make variations of this soup including one recipe where she would make her own egg noodles and another recipe where she would replace the noodles with home made semolina dumplings... yum! As a child, I particularly loved the dumplings and they were always the first thing I would ask for if I was feeling a little under the weather. It's also one dish that makes me feel a little closer if I am missing home :) I decided to replace to traditional noodles with mini farfalle because they are simply just easier for the girls to spoon out themselves (and because us 'Bouws' love our bows) ;) Keeping in mind that I had the girls to consider, I kept this recipe pretty simple but you can add other veggies if you please (i.e. parsnip or onions etc.) along with any other herbs and spices that take your fancy! Oh and I also cheated today and bought a roasted chook from Wholefoods instead of cooking my own (I usually use around three chicken marylands). I just love having a big pot of soup in the fridge as it means I usually get a couple of dinners out of eat (or maybe a lunch or two) and don't have the stress of cooking and cleaning up at the end of a busy day! Plus, homemade soup really is food for the soul isn't it :)