Gulp: Worst bloggers anywhere, ever

A shoe-in for this award I thinks ...

So a short err 4 months has rushed by.  Somehow this is my first attempt infront of our clunky old desktop where there are no awake children, the internet is working, and the job I came to do (check family assistance claim) took waaaayyy less time than I thought.  So with no content in mind, ignoring all my drafts Ive been busy concocting from my iphone (gee that burns my thumb-pad) I am writing. Just to say hi.  And to say we are all so excited to see you in six short months.  But mostly to update some pictures.  So without further padding on the chance that Owen is going to wake up vomiting again shortly (we have just washed 2 changes of bedding, beanbag, pillow and various stuffed animals) ..... here are our family in a few pics.

And do check out our (well, mine so far) Pinterest which has been sustaining my short attention span in bed nursing Gus most nights. If you can get past the awful spelling and the overload of wedding "inspiration" you may find some love.  Or not.  

And Andy wants to know if you'll be at Coney Island to see Kobiachi (?sp) in the hot-dog-eating contest?  I think it was the second reason he would consider getting on a plane for 2 days with 2 children < three years.

Owen being Elton-esque.  He still loves putting on a good concert. He is really into Justine Clarke and often comments on her good singing and guitar playing ability.  Dinosaur Roar is on repeat.

 

 

Mama is so clever: she made a fancy new dressing gown from that material bought 2-years ago but was forbidden to cut.  And I made dragon slippers for both Owen and Gus.  Both chuffed.

 

 

Shit. Busted hanging out on the dog's bed, removing the oh-so-gorgeous (but very effective) bubblewrap window insulation

This is a self-portrait from Owen.  He is thoroughly "in to" borrowing cameras and pointing and shooting.  Which I find hilarious seeing he is THE most reluctant subject.  Well 2nd most reluctant subject!  I will update a whole series of these as they are quite telling!

Asleep, together, in the big bed.  It still sometimes happens.  This (I think) was a few weeks ago when Andy was out and they both miraculously fell asleep before 7.30.  About ten minutes later one thumped the other and there were tears all around.  But the peace and beauty is lovely while it lasts!

This is a highlight of Owen's creativity.  Window crayons remain winners. These (with the exception of Andy's dodgy batman) are under-sea creatures.  See if you can spot the whale, fish, moray eel, manta ray?

Gummy Gus playing peek-a-boo with red material at the table.  That gum has continued to swell, split and recede for the past 2 weeks.  He will have top teeth any day, any day.

Hilarious classic Gus face.  This usually means there is a bad smell (often in his own nappy). Or that something tastes bad.  Or I have done something that meets disapproval. 

 

 

Forgive me my slackness.  I won't promise to do better, though perhaps now with a deadline??? I work well under pressure.

Also must discuss - lonely chicken version 2 for gifts this year?  I'm thinking yes.  Will workshop with you soon xxxxxxx

Love you to pieces

Happy IWD10

Happy iwd10

So 8th march flew past with not so much as a hiccough (or is it hiccup?) here. But it's still going where you are. So Happy International Women's Day. 

What should probably be more of a big deal than say mothers/fathers day, nurses/secretary/teachers day or even days of holiday in honor of a horse race, didn't rate a mention on my facebook wall, or blogroll bar Catherine . 

On of the kinder assistants was telling me in Russia it's a huge deal. The first public holiday of spring. Flowers are given to all women/girls. She had 8 bunches from her various males, her husband took the day off & vacuumed the house & took her out to dinner. How nice. 

I know we have it pretty good compared to some (?most) - access to education, healthcare, participation in workforce, participation in democratic processes.  But I couldn't help but, at the end of a particularly ordinary day ponder some of the inequities. 

"what are you doing with your day off?" ( having dropped Owen at kinder, involving getting 3 people fed cleaned clothed & a load of washing) 
Umm agh well the answer would be going home to look after my 7 mo old baby, hopefully fit in a vacuum & mop of floors, several loads of washing, get dinner prepared, sort through 9 boxes of clutter, feed  myself & Gus 4 times (roast beetroot, roast kumara, wholewheat bread, avocado & watermelon - def not beige!) 
On top of the looking after other needs of a small baby (gazing, playing, chasing) which, until I had another, was considered by most to be a full-time occupation. Some "day off". 
Or on the heady occasion of leaving the house without o & g "is Andy going to babysit?" Ah,  No its called parenting. 

Yet this stuff often falls to Womens work (though I know I have it better even on this superficial level- A can cook & does so maybe 2x/week, and "helps" with the tidying up/dishes (his words, not mine, usually preceding an argument). 



So anyway, enough venting. Just wanted to say to one of the awesome women in my life- have a happy day (or night) And congratulations on following your talents & dreams & not settling for mediocrity. 

Love me x

It's all beige (alternative title: I should've known it could never work)

Well little sis, I don't think shocking neglect is what I would dub it ... though I was reticent to update again before you, initially, particularly as there is not much going on here, and well compared to you, my life looks rather beige (as has been kindly pointed out by some kind people). And then you go to Lego land and impress with your amazing photos, and potential fella at Rockefellar Centre (which you should totally stalk with your new red hair and fringe).

But seeing in your earlier post you updated on what meals you've been cooking, I guess the gloves are off.  I am cooking at least 2 meals each sitting, twice a day, plus breakfast, afternoon tea, elevensies, afternoon tea, and bridging snack/appetizers before dinner ... and yes, one of those meals is baby moosh.

This free photo collage customized with Smilebox

The kid LOVES it - insane.  So far his absolute favorites are pieces of cucumber, lamb cutlets, pureed pear, and whole plums.  He grabs the spoons, bowls and attempts to feed himself, and has a love too of flinging everything over the edge of his new ikea highchair. Obie frigging loves it.  He also tries to snatch food from others (including fistful of tinned spaghetti from Owen this week, and pizza from my plate. Proves it's not all organic home-cooked food around here! And he's not fussy. Huzzah!)

So what else?

• There's been a fair bit of falling out of bed on Gus's part (oops - even with our industrial sized bed-rails.  Owen used to wail on waking where I think Gus wakes, mucks around quietly so no-one is the wiser, then thinks he should find us again). and accidentally whacking his head on doorjambs as I walk through the house with him permanently attached to the hip.  No serious damage yet (I hope).
• We had a Thomas bonanza at Puffing Billy last week with mum, dad, brother, nephew Dircks (Gratuitous Cross-Post for pictures)
• We've been entertaining insurance people and tradies cashing in on the repairing of flood damage (which was remarkably minor considering, though Andy is pissed off someone has told him officially that gutters do need cleaning - I guess once every 5 years is not so bad, right?).  Apparently we will need to manage without a laundry for a few days *minor breakdown and breathing into paperbag*
• We had a kinder welcome picnic and were embroiled in a child-missing affair (I think I told you about that, right?)
• An Ikea trek last week to get Gus's highchair, where O discovered meatballs with little Swedish flags in the top and fruit salad in a cup - he was in heaven.
• There's been a zoo visit for our brother's birthday (stop me if I'm repeating myself)
• There has been a remodeling of "The Wall" - they now have the old record shop all cafe-i-fied. Will have to pop down there again with camera in hand in the name of research!
• Ah Damien and Lisa have announced baby due in September so much excitement among the clan. Owen wants to know if its a sister or brother & has been getting pregnant and birthing babies in bed/bath/everywhere actually.  He told me my big tummy is just boobs so there is no baby inside - nice. Do you think it's time for pilates?
• Owen is keener than ever to come visit now he knows that the city is made of Lego (that's right isn't it?!)  We had a discussion about winter here (no, it will not snow) and summer there and he is kind-of up for it, though at the current time our bank balance is not.  So we are instigating Money March whereby Andy will finally be paid his salary by the month's end (only like ah 15 months later?) and I am working out our family budget in real life where we are not running at a loss before eating.  I'll let you know how we go.
• And finally I may have gorged this week on a whole pillow-sized block of Cadbury chocolate and the newest TN6 from Jasper.  Did you know they have a Fforde Fiesta in Swindon?  Just saying .... So now a painstaking 8 months before Dragonslayer 2 released in UK and then a WHOLE YEAR before Shades of Grey sequel and then ANOTHER 365 days until Nursery Crime # 3 ... and no TN on the horizon, at all.  I need a new author of awesomeness.  I feel a bit cross with myself for not doling it out in rations, and a bit sick too.....

On that note, dear sis, apologies for being the crappest sister this past 2 weeks ... feel like I'm swimming through mud at the moment. Will do better. Promise.

x L

Worth a thousand words?

So these pictures will perhaps make up for my shocking neglect updating this blog?

Since we last blogged, I made muffins...

Superfood Muffins - see recipe below

Started classes...

Self portrait - first day of school

Saw squirrels on campus...

Made bolognese...

Made lamingtons.... And forgot to take photos.

Drank beer while watching the superbowl...

Made bread...

Whole wheat sourdough - recipe from EcoMILF

Thought about dying my hair red...

Thoughts? Feelings?

Got bogged down in work and made a mess...

How did this happen? I arrived here less than 2 months ago with NOTHING!

Made homemade pizza...

But still craving a really average Capricciosa...

Got homesick...

Found something to take the edge of homesickness...

Coopers Pale Ale - found in a New Zealand restaurant near South Street Seaport, NYC

Super Food Muffins

Blueberries, yoghurt and oats are all commonly listed as Super foods and in a bid to convince myself that eating treats could lead to better health, I decided to make muffins that combined these 3 ingredients. Sometimes I throw in a bit of LSA mix or put walnuts, which are supposed to lower bad cholesterol, on top. Adapted from a million different yoghurt/berry muffin recipes nabbed from the internet and tried and tested until this very easy recipe was settled on.

1 cup oatbran	1 cup yoghurt
1 cup blueberries	2 tbsp oil
1 cup flour	1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarb soda	pinch salt
½ cup brown sugar	1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

1.       1. Coat berries in dry ingredients. 

2.       2. Mix together wet ingredients. 

3.     3.   In muffin tins 180 degrees 12 – 16 minutes.

A brand new beginning - hi ho, off to kinder we go ....baking Egg-/Nut-free all the way (Oat Crunch Biscuits, Lemon Chia Biscuits, and Apple/Banana Muffins)

This week is little Owen's first at kinder. We had orientation last week, but this morning, packed up with his bento lunchbox in hand, hat & sunscreen to guard against the 39 degree (that's 102 for you up north) heatwave and a lump in my throat.  The kinder seems just lovely - the staff are friendly and respectful in their interactions with the children and families, the space is light-filled and set-up with wonderful natural play areas.  And there is a sandpit bigger than our backyard - that's the winner for Owen.  His eyes haven't stopped sparkling as he proudly will tell anyone who listens about his kinder.

So the past week has been working towards today - not that it's a super big deal, but I'll admit the organised gene rears up from time to time...

Sheltering from the heat I re-purposed Daddy's torn messenger bag to become Owen's for kinder ...
Pic to be inserted once charge the stuffing camera battery.

I found the cot sheets that we never got to use with our co-sleeping kiddos.  Just the thing for use on a nap mat.
I labeled lunchboxes & food containers that have been slowly collected over the past year - we are plastic-free thanks to some good online stores out there (Biome & AshnJuls particulalry).

I labeled clothes. 

 
And then somehow found myself ironing his sleep sheet.I kid you not. And then I freaked out. I've become our mother (well no, that's not true she had a mountain of ironing that never got done til outsourcing long after I'd left home). Maybe channeling my MIL whom I'm reliably informed ironed underwear. Whereas our iron is currently exclusively used for interfacing & pressing seams, only if & when I'm being thorough. Andy & I bonded over the shared understanding of ironing just the collar & sleeves if wearing a vest or collar only if wearing a jumper that wouldn't be removed. 

There has also been some serious baking (yes, in the heat, and yes in our tiny grill oven which does not fit a biscuit tray).  
Most of the efforts are egg and nut free (kinder policy) and the result of some serious web surfing of allergen-free and vegan cooking sites.  Which there are some kick-arse ones around (more later)

Ingredients and helping hands at the ready

The first out of the oven (Oat Crunch Biscuits) sung Anzac to me, however they are softer than my usual chewy Anzac biscuit forays, and there is none of that satisfying fizz when you add the bicarb to the butter/syrup mix. That said they taste  pretty amazing and were lucky to last the 5 days from cooking to lunchbox, even hidden on the top shelf. Andy reckons they are better without the chocolate (??? I know - WTF?!)

Channelling Kingston - Oat Crunch Biscuits: originally from Melanger to mix

180 g butter (or if you want dairy-free, then substitute with oil spread/marg)	60g rolled oats
90 g golden syrup	120g Demerara sugar (though I substituted brown sugar)
1 tsp bicarb soda	150g plain flour
60g dessicated coconut	150 g chocolate to melt (we used a sad wilted Santa “bunny” egg with some Lindt nubs left from last Easter– both were nut free, but could go dark dairy-free chocolate if that way inclined)

1. Cream butter, sugar and golden syrup in mixer (or by hand) until pale and fluffy
2. Add dry ingredients and combine (I did this by hand)
3. Drop teaspoon (and I mean teaspoon - keep them small) mixture onto lined tray.
4. Bake in pre-heated oven, 160C degrees for 12-15 minutes, until golden (they tend to keep cooking, and are too bendy to move off the tray immediately, so adjust cooking time accordingly).
5. Remove to cooling rack using spatula (I actually used the Barbie-Mate to prevent dark brown bottoms).  
6. Once cooled, sandwich two biscuits together using the melted chocolate.

I can't make the picture work - I'm giving up tonight and will return tomorrow. I bastardized the recipe this time, adding extra oat-bran, chia seeds and more oats ...

The second cab of the rank was cracking open a pack of Chia Seeds - brand new addition to my kitchen, and this recipe from a lovely blogger, with just about the best name going ... Darling Lemon Thyme ... go have a browse for the recipe for her delicious Lemon Chia Biscuits (which having both nuts and eggs are destined for my mouth only ... mwahahahaha). I did manage to take a couple of happy snaps of them and will warn you to err on the side of caution with heat, as the bottoms got burnt (admittedly in a toaster oven, sitting atop an upside down roasting pan) and they are quite firm by the end anyway.

Lemon Chia Biscuit

Egg-free, Nut-free Banana & Apple Muffins

And finally, this recipe, again I must attribute origins, and then admit to not following the recipe very closely - I made this second batch with half measures (resulting in perfect 6+1 large muffins into silicon trays, sans paper, thus meeting the waste-free lunch principle.  I substituted half wholemeal flour, used less sugar (about 100g or so), kept the same quantity of bananas, but halved the apples.  

This was the only dish to escape chia seed additions today.  Though we did decorate with dried fruit faces (which then burnt to buggery, but live and learn heh?)

280g self-raising flour	125g caster sugar
½ tspn salt	1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 ½ cups milk	2 large ripe mashed bananas
2 apples, peeled, cored and grated (though apple puree would probably be fine too)	1 tbsp orange rind zest
1 tsp vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Grease muffin tin, or line with muffin paper cups
2. Stir together flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon
3. Separately combine milk, banana, apples, orange rind and vanilla extract
4. Mix lightly and spoon mixture into tin
5. Bake 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown and cooked through when skewer test

Apple & Banana Muffin

And that is more than enough baking for anyone.  I think the next week's lunch-fillers will be these, using chia seed gel, rather than traditional egg-replacer

Aside from that, we have been staying indoors because of the heat.  A visit here and there for swims.  A first movie in err 7 months for Andy and I (True Grit) leaving Augustus for the first time at home with grandparents for 2 hours.  

And of course we've loved learning to skype my dear sister, who has made her nephew's day by taking her laptop into subzero outdoors to show off the snow.  And even writing his name in it ...He has a few times this week answered the phone, and mistaken friends for you, and told them (you) that we are saving our money to visit (he gave me a 50 cent piece the other day for the trip, rather than stashing it in his moneybox!)

The disaster zone after cooking

Baby, It's Cold Outside

In the last few days I have been registered and oriented at my university.
I would have taken some pictures of the grounds, because for the most part it's a beautiful campus full of old worldly charm, but firstly, I didn't really think of it and secondly, I would have had to have taken my hands out of my coat pocket and that would have been unpleasant.


I'm resolved not to be one of those people who perpetually states the obvious and moans "It's cold!"  so I've been putting on my best stoic face and responding to anybody who complains in my vicinity that the weather is fine provided you dress appropriately.
This dressing appropriately has seen me wearing 2 thermal tops and a t-shirt underneath a woolen jumper with a thick woolen coat over the top, thermal leggings and thick knee high socks under my jeans (which don't fit so well with the thermal leggings underneath - or possibly my thighs and stomach since eating ribs and discovering my love for American candy - gym opens this week, I'll be there), beanie and ear muffs (which don't fit well with my glasses meaning I have to sacrifice my vision for the sake of warm ears) and then my leather gloves.
In all that garb, it is still possible to be cold.
It's -19°C outside right now.


I get the feeling that in the warmer months this is going to be a great little town to get around.
I'd like to get a bicycle and just scoot about the place. At the moment however, this is one town where you need a car and being neither the owner of a car or a person legally entitled to be in control of a car, I'm a bit screwed.


I ran out of dinner type food yesterday and knew that would mean I had to walk to the supermarket or order in something greasy and the size of a steering wheel to be delivered.
You will be pleased to know that I chose the former.


Donning an additional thermal layer for safety, I headed out into the brisk air and as I was walking the 1.2 miles to the supermarket, it was crystalising in my head that I wanted something warm and stew like and quick to cook.
Once in the warmth of the supermarket, I saw these 

Mmm... Sausages.
Being Australia Day this week I have been thinking about sausages and the people I usually share them with on that day and it has been making me feel a bit sad.


So with my handy handheld scan as you go scanner I scanned them and popped them in my shopping bag.
A few aisles later and I came across legumes and I decided to make Sausages and Lentils.


One thing I have to show you, is how I bought my carrots.
I fear that these carrots might incur the wrath of my dear sister, who would disapprove of something so natural being so processed.
I'm sticking to them though because you cannot buy loose carrots in the supermarket so my options are these or a bag containing enough carrots for a family of 12.
And I like carrots (as you might be able to tell by the bag already being opened before getting home) but not enough to devote myself to an entirely carrot diet. Plus, whenever I go to the fridge, I tend to shove a few of these in my mouth which is healthy and fills me up and stops me eating more Reece's peanut butter cups. For at least 5 seconds.


Now that we've cleared that up, back to the Sausages and Lentils.
Sausages and Lentils is a dish we thought was dreamed up by our brother Nick until it appeared all fancified in the recipe book Apples for Jam but this could also just be a case of universal consciousness.
We were in disbelief that a recipe so simple could be so totally delicious.
The recipe is so simple in fact, that when your brain is partially frozen and you blank on some of the key ingredients and then you're distracted by taking photos of your cooking and miss a few steps, it still tastes delicious!


Lentils and Sausages

Good sausages	Olive oil
Tin of brown lentils (or cook 1-1 ½ cups green / brown lentils)	1 garlic clove
½ onion finely chopped	Tin chopped tomatoes
(optional) chopped carrot, celery	herbs of choice – parsley & oregano are favourites

That's the official ingredients list.
Here's what I ended up with in my addled state;

Good sausages	Olive oil
1-1 ½ cups of the only lentils in the supermarket. Look like puy.	0 garlic cloves (forgot to buy them)
3 spring onions - forgot to buy brown onions	What I thought was a tin of   chopped tomatoes but was actually stewed tomatoes so contained sugar and bell peppers and other stuff
chopped carrot and celery	herbs of choice – parsley & coriander were what was in the fridge

Step -1. Drain and rinse lentils, put in a pot with enough water to cover, bring to the boil then simmer 10-15 minutes until tender

Spring onion, not brown onion

1. Fry off vegetables. 

2. Separately cook sausages in a fry pan.

3. Chop up all your herbs

4. Throw them in the pan with the vegetables

5. Throw the lentils in too

6. And the tomatoes with a bit of stock or water

7. Once the sausages are cooked, slice them up

It was important for me to check the flavours at this stage (gobbling up pieces of sausage)

8. And chuck them in with the veggies

9. And then you eat it

Don't know why I'm wasting my time studying writing when clearly my talents lie in food photography!

In search of... what?

First blog from the Big Apple.
A morning of feeling frustrated by the cold and deprived of coffee and I decided to head in from Queens where I've been staying these past few days (another story - perhaps not fit to publish on the internet) and find Culture Espresso which is apparently a Melbourne-style espresso coffee joint.

Upon entering, I was overjoyed to see the words 'flat' and 'white' strung together on the blackboard menu.
The joy turned to disappointment upon delivery of said flat white. Watery and with scalded milk; the resemblance it bore in appearance to a flat white made it all the more distasteful.

Consulting my trusty iPhone I searched the New York city map for something in the surrounding streets that might interest me and get me out of the cold and that is how I find myself here, right now in the New York Public Library.
Like everything else I've encountered in New York, it seems overgrown and confusing to navigate.
And of course the hardest thing is, I don't even know what I'm looking for. If I knew that there was a reading room or a particular book here that I wanted to find, then I would be able to concentrate my efforts on finding that particular thing. But until classes start on the 24th, I'm really just a lost soul, wandering the streets of New York or the halls of this library.

In a bar I went to on New Years Eve, I met a guy who asked me what it was I had come to New York to find. I was stumped by this one. I think that the focus of my studies had led me to consider 'going to New York' to be an activity to undertake, like a project.

But perhaps deep down I held a belief that this really was a magical city where I might find something I've always wanted, but couldn't dream of finding in the mundane environment of home; true love, outrageous success, the key to my eternal happiness.
I remember as my plane flew in over Long Beach to JFK airport, I was looking down at the streetlights which are orangey-yellow here, not the white I'm used to back home. The weaving path of jewelled streetlights sparkled and I thought to myself that maybe the streets here really are paved in gold.

Perhaps what I'm searching for is an answer to what I want to find in my life.
In an environment such as I'm in now, where everything is unfamiliar - every street corner, every logo and package in the supermarket, I will be forced to examine what's around me more carefully. I will have to think about what I really want and try to seek that out.
So wish me luck on this extraordinary game of seek.

And of course, I miss you too dear sister.
So much so that sometimes my chest feels like it will burst.

Welcome summer

Yesterday was a day I missed my sister.  And even though in good company throughout the day, there was a gap.  We flew kites and took the balance bike for it's first ride, and picnicked on the grass in Central Park (Malvern).  It made me think of the "real" Central Park and what you might be looking at (snow mostly).  Later in the day while dancing our sillies out the Rainbow Connection came onto the iPod and I was taken back to a car sing-along in Margaret River, WA while on holiday 18 months ago and we were driving towards a rainbow (Owen's first).  There may've been a welling.  Mum told me you got a cell-phone number.  I felt jealous she knew.  Was then frozen by choice when I wanted to contact you - would a text work? Should I facebook? Email? Call?

But today has been a good day. 

Sunshine, 30 degrees, slight breeze.  People were smiling.

A tram ride into the city with running commentary from Owen, Gus happily making eyes at the other passengers and lulled to sleep by the rickety rocking. The tram driver even left his seat to help lift up the pram!

A dumplings lunch at Camy. A game of making the alphabet with the chopsticks while we waited. $7 for 3 people, thanks for coming.

A 10-minute shopping expedition for bathers as my 6-year old faded saggy workhorse pair didn't survive their last wash. I ended up with a black & white spotted tankini in deference to my saggy tummy which didn't survive last pregnancy.

Onwards for an afternoon swim in the sunshine with our brother & nephew.  We saw Owen get over his (shared with me) tendency not to try anything unless sure he'll be successful.  He swam with a noodle.  He went under water.  He splashed. He leapt. He clung to Andy's neck and stayed in until his lips were blue and teeth chattering.  He looked more like Monty Burns than humanly possible.  Gus had his first swim and as expected this waterbaby loved it. ALOT.

Omlette and sandwiches for dinner at 5pm infront of Shrek 3  to keep someone awake (yep, still not returned, must be a gazillion $ in fines).  Ice-cream and black fruit salad (of blackberries, cherries, black grapes, currants, raspberries and blueberries) and a slab of the most delicious muesli bar in the world with a cup of Roobios tea while blogging. (And I just found a facebook album full of your photos- hurrah!)

This muesli bar would be awesome for kinder next week, were it not for the peanut butter ... thinking of trying tahini as a substitute ... will report back.  But do try this recipe ....

(and still no photos, no camera, universe are you listening?!)

Chewy Seedy Oat and Apricot Bars

300 g (3 ½ cups) rolled oats	100 g pumpkin or sunflower seeds (or a mix)
50 g desiccated coconut	50g (1/3 cup) plain flour
200g butter, chopped	200g golden syrup
150g (1 cup) brown sugar	150g dried apricots, chopped
125g (1/2 cup) crunchy peanut butter	1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.
2. Line a slice pan with baking paper (recipe calls for 18cm x 28 cm, but does anyone really measure / check theirs? I used a roasting tray).
3. Mix oats, seeds, coconut and flour in large bowl.
4. Melt butter and golden syrup together in saucepan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, and then mix in sugar, apricots, peanut butter and vanilla.
5. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix.
6. Press into pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until golden and slightly firm.
7. Cool in tin, remove still on paper and slice into bars / squares.
8. Store in airtight container for up to a week, or freeze (apparently they freeze well, but uh we ate ours).