Crocodile Crochet Stitch

I saw this particular crochet stitch on the web and totally fell in love with it.

 There are some fabulous sites which teach you how to make the Crocodile Crochet Stitch, and it may look complicated, but actually, once mastered, it's easy and so beautiful.

Inspired, as always, by the fabulous Meredith of One Sheepish Girl.

Currently, I am making a cushion, but there are endless possibilities.

Perhaps a sweater for Nina?
(I will let you in on a secret, as I have already started on one, bright forest green, which I will share anon)

Oooo how exciting.

I love the process of learning/mastering a new stitch.

Especially one that has such an effective outcome.

x

Wheat Free Cookies

As part of this new health kick of mine, I have been discovering a bunch of fabulous recipes that have no wheat or dairy in them (though sugar is hard to leave out, when making cookies... right?)

Here is the recipe:

200g Margarine

125g Caster Sugar (or Coconut Palm Sugar, which is amazing)

335g Gluten Free Flour (Doves Farm to a great one - you can also add a little Corn flour/Semolina or Rice Flour to give the cookies an added crunchiness)

2 Large Egg Yolks

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven: 180°C, fan 160°C, 350°F, Gas 4

	1. Mix the butter and sugar together until they are well combined.
	2. Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract and mix well.
	3. Add the Gluten Free flour (and Rice Flour/Corn Flour if you fancy) in stages,mixing it into the other ingredients well before adding more gluten free flour. You will find that you will have to use your hands to incorporate the majority of the flour as the dough will become quite stiff.
	4. Lightly flour a surface with gluten free flour to roll the shortbread dough out on. Roll out the dough to a depth of 5mm (¼").
	5. Cut cookie shapes out of the dough (I used Fred's Letter Press Cookie Cutters) and place on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Re-roll the trimmings so that you can make more cookies with the remaining dough.
	6. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the edges of the shortbread are turning golden. Remove from the oven and leave for a few minutes on the baking tray, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Let me know if you can taste they are Wheat Free.

Even the kiddies had no idea.

A healthy New Year

A new year, a new start and a new health kick for me.

I'm on a detox (health probs I won't go into) which means I have to cut out wheat, dairy, sugar, tea, alcohol, soya and more...

Booooorrriiinnng!

For the month of January ONLY I hope.

We'll see...

In the meantime I've gone health-mad.

Both in the kitchen and with my hook and yarn.

 

I'm planning a whole larder of goodies for Nina and Luca to play with, if I manage.

So far only a Carrot, a Tomato and a Pear have emerged.

Here's to more vegetables in my life!

(Cooked not raw, for the moment, alas...)

 A better complexion.

Clear head.

More energy.

Vitality and joy of life!

x