Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Uh-oh, I baked… you've been warned!


The discovery that I have been baking is generally met with about the same enthusiasm as the discovery that one needs a root-canal – mostly dread and trepidation. Oh and a pain in the mouth! That’s fine, I’m the first to admit that I’m not a natural baker. However embracing my role as full time mum, I feel it’s time to step up and don the apron, so to speak.

It seems my problem is in following recipes. I can’t. It’s not that I can’t read and follow simple instructions; it’s that I don’t want to - mostly because I’ve just read how many cups of sugar are actually in a batch of cupcakes/cookies/fudge! Ignorance is such a nice place to be at times, but alas, once I’ve discovered the truth, it’s hard to continue on with the recipe as is. There in lies my problem. Personally, I like to see it more as my creativity and pro-activeness towards living a healthier lifestyle, but it seems my pasty chef partner would disagree. You see, I then feel obliged to find a healthier alternative to the ingredient that I have taken exception to, be it sugar, white flour, 3 blocks of melted chocolate. You get the idea.

This is when things start to get a little, ahem, off the beater's track, shall we say. Apparently with baking, you need to be precise (and bloody perfect) and that is just not my style (the precise bit, not the perfect bit :o). See the thing is, not only do I swap ingredients from the naughty list for healthier options (or simply halve the amounts), but I often start to make something without first checking the pantry for what I'll need, only to discover half way through I’m missing 4 key ingredients. Silly of me, I know, however I do this because baking is rarely a premeditated task (why would I subject my family to such pain), but instead more of a spur of the moment decision that often leaves me cursing into the pantry (and others running for cover).

But I’m a positive person so I try and make do and let my creativity run riot. I liken my baking style to my approach to life – I tend to jump headfirst into things, I’m not much of a planner - I’m more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kinda girl (if you don’t get the movie reference, shame on you!), I don’t much like being told what to do and I think I’m pretty pro-active when it comes to leading a healthy, more sustainable lifestyle. While these qualities can be seen as positive in life (well geez, I like to think so), sadly, the end result of my baking is not always so.

Today I baked gluten free Coconut Cupcakes – the recipe wasn’t for gluten free, but true to style, I swapped half the ingredients for healthier options and for what I actually had in the pantry. The end result is, hmmm, how shall I describe it? Um, perhaps Coconut Rockcakes would be a more accurate description. And being a waste not, want not type of gal, I’ll have to force someone to eat them. Sadly for my yoga-mums group, it will be their unfortunate fate this week! But hey, they’re healthy and you can feel good eating them knowing that they won’t rot your teeth and you can avoid that root-canal. That’s gotta make you happy!

 Yum, my coconut rockcakes - they won't rot your teeth, but they may break them!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Goodbye Ciao Meow... hello mum-mum


Well it’s official – Ciao Meow has closed up shop and is online no more. Meow. Yes I’m feeling a little sad, however it’s time - I'm ready to close that chapter. Funny how things happen… Ciao Meow had been my sole focus for so long that while I was pregnant, all I could think about was how I would fit a baby in around it. Then a beautiful baby girl arrived and suddenly I was wondering how could I fit Ciao Meow in around my baby! My perspective and priorities changed in such a drastic and unexpected way that it literally left me floundering in limbo – unable to make a decision either way about what direction to take. 

So it feels great to finally make the decision to move on. Apart from not having the time to really dedicate to the business (particularly in a tough retail economy), one of the deciding factors was that I suddenly felt very disconnected from my own business. Ciao Meow was all about gorgeous designer fashion, silk cami’s and perfect little dresses for every occasion. Which was a pretty perfect reflection of my previous life as both a single and then later attached woman in her 20’s and the fabulous social life that went with it – Friday night cocktails, brunch with the girls on Saturday, shopping trips, dinner dates and trips to the movies any time I felt like it. Ahhh the freedom!

My life is now very different - silk anything is well and truly out the window, as is party dresses and well, actually dresses in general. They just don’t cut it when it comes to crawling round on the floor with babies or bending over prams in public (I'm really not into showing random strangers my knickers). Plus sticky pumpkin fingers and gooey, half chewed rusks mean anything that needs to be hand-washed or dry cleaned is well and truly on the out. This new wardrobe reality has given me incredible insight (and frustration at times) - I've realised that a key part of letting go of Ciao Meow was in letting go of the past and fully embracing the present, which is my new life as a mum. 

 Silk party dresses don't really go with my new social life :o)

So while there are moments when I think longingly of frocking up and going for cocktails, these moments now seem few and far between in comparison to the many special moments with my little girl – her big wide smiles, her funny little chuckles, that tiny little voice calling out “mum-mum” and her arms stretching out to cuddle me – these are the moments I cherish every day and fill me with a level of happiness that literally leaves me speechless. 

So thank you and goodbye Ciao Meow – you were a wonderful chapter of my life – at times challenging, but also fun, full of personal growth and great times – I let you go with love in my heart. 

And I embrace my new life with open arms - I can hear a little voice calling mum-mum – I’m off for some cuddles…