The lovely people over at Froothie were kind enough to send me one of their Optimum Nutri Force Extractors.
I have seen these Nutri Bullet machines around, my in laws have one, friends on Facebook use them and i always see the infomercial on TV.

Being a bit sceptical about it, I unwrapped it and i was surprised how sleek it looked. It was sturdy, clean looking and looked easy to use. Instantly i started brainstorming what i could use it for.

So whats it got? The Optimum Nutri Force Extractor has a powerful 1000w motor, which is great for all the blitzing and grinding it needs to do.
It very generously comes with 2 blade attachment lids, an extractor and a grinder, a large 1L cup and a regular 450ml cup. It also come with 2 lids, a drinking spout lid and a handle that fits on either cup.

Now the fun part.... using it!

The Optimum Nutri Force Extractor  is great for a variety of things....

• Nut butters
• Ice cream 
• Sauces
• Juices, cocktails, shakes
• and many more goodies!

The list is endless on what you can make in this machine. My husband loves to put some ice cream, milk, chocolate sauce and ice into it and blend to make a chocolate thickshake.

I have also blended together some cherry tomatoes, garlic, onion to make a quick pasta sauce. Brilliant for adding extra veggies to dishes without the kids noticing. 

I've only had my extractor for a few weeks but it is a product i use regularly, and its simple to clean (no big bowls to wash). It easy to use, add your ingredients to the cup and press a button, it really is that simple!

To purchase the Optimum Nutri Force Extractor CLICK HERE

Also keep an eye out on my Optimum Nutri Force Extractor tab under recipes for all the delicious things i make using it.
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If the Thermocook is the darth vader of cook appliances then the Optimum Induction pressure cooker is the Dumbledore! Seriously this product can cook anything! 

So first let me tell you a little bit about it. This cooker is a induction cooker meaning heat is being induced in the vessel then is transferred to the food via conduction. Unlike other cookers that heat up element first, and then direct heat to the cooking vessel and food. This means it uses less energy, and cooks food alot quicker.
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​The Optimum Induction pressure cooker comes with a deep fry basket, steam rack, rice paddle, ladle, measuring cup and anti-overflow cover (See above pic). 

Now when i say this machine can do a lot, i mean it. It has the following settings: 
slow cook high/low, simmer, keep warm, meat, white rice, stew, soup, porridge, steam, braise, cake, pizza, pasta, roast, deep fry, defrost and yoghurt.
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All these functions come preset to a default time, but the time can be adjusted and on some features the temperature can (deep fry and roast). It also comes with a delay function so you can  preset the cooker to come on later during the day when your out. A warm function that keeps food warm, a reheat function to reheat food and a midway addition function, this function allows you to keep cooking but release the steam so you can add other ingredients for example. If you were cooking a stew and wanted to add cream and herbs at the end this function would allow it.

With a bowl capacity of 5 litres its perfect for families. It has over 10 safety features, 7 pressure levels and a warranty for 2 years why wouldn't you?

The only thing i found frustrating was that it never came with a cookbook, so it can be a little confusing what to do on the functions other than slow cook, but i found a cookbook on the website that helped me. 

So far I've been able to make perfect white rice, a sponge cake (yes a cake!) stews, deep fried prawn toasts, a smokey chicken bacon stew and i have alot more i want to try! Follow me on facebook or instagram for further recipes.

​The Optimum Induction pressure cooker is a great piece of equipment for anyone, it can replace alot of cooking products. I would defiantly recommend it to everyone. 

For product information or to purchase your own induction multi-cooker please  click here

The Thermocook from Froothie - The darth vader of all cooking machines. With its shiny exterior and stainless steel interior it's like a modern day work of art - and it's nicely perched on my kitchen bench!  

The first thing people ask when they see the thermocook cook is 'isn't that like a thermomix?' and i always reply 'Better!'. 

Let me fill you in on some of the thermocook's awesome features:

• A 2L jug that comes with a blade and kneading shaft attachment
• A Stainless steel steaming rack and filter basket
• Butterfly mixer
• A separate scale (which suits me because i like to weigh all my ingredients out before i use them).

The thermocook has 10 speed levels, 84 temperature levels, can heat separately without the motor working, and  you don't need to set the timer before heating. The timer can be set in secs, mins and hours and you can adjust this to whatever you need up to 12hrs. A pause button that you can press if you want to check what you're making, then press again to continue the timer ( awesome for obsessed food checking people like me).
Its LCD screen make for easy reading and everything you need is on the one screen (see below).
 The thermocook has 15  preset programs and 3 diy programs. These are great for someone, like me, who is a novice at using such a complex cooking machine.
​What i love about the thermocook is its locking mechanisms, the screen shows me when the bowl is locked securely (see below) so i'm never guessing if the lids on properly (the machine will also not start if its not locked as well).
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The thermocook comes with a recipe book with over 100+ recipes. Its a great book for a starter, but it doesn't have much of the foods i like to cook, so ive thrown myself into adjusting recipes i would normally cook (and its actually not hard at all). This is where the pause button comes into play. You just pause the cooking process and check you meal.

I've been busy since i've received the thermocook and have tested most of its functions out from steamed rice to lemon curd, chicken soup to chocolate sauce for my cake batter. When making bread with the thermocook i was able to remove the chopping blade attachment and insert the kneading attachment which took seconds, this gave a much result than other products on the market which do not have interchangeable attachments. The options are endless with this product. Whether you want to chop, whip, mix, emulsify, mill, knead, cook, blend, stir, steam or whisk this product will do it all and really change the way you approach food.

 A definite purchase for anyone from a novice to a michelin chef, the thermocook will change you life.

For product information or to purchace your own thermcook please visit www.froothie.com.au 

I was rolling away on my instagram TheFoodieMum i came across something unusual and fun that instantly grabbed my attention so i clicked on the link and up opened a company called Dreamfarm.

Dreamfarm is based in Brisbane, Australia created by a guy called Alex. Alex went to a local market inspired to show off his new invention and a kitchenware owner saw the sheer brilliance in alex and his product and from then dreamfarm have had huge success all over the world.

So what do they create you ask? well Dreamfarm make all these wacky inventions that are super convenient and totally awesome (most are kitchen gadgets which i love)! Scrolling through their pictures on instagram was the one that caught my attention to start with the 'Levoons'.

The amazing Jacinta was kind enough to send me a few products to trial so here's what i think of the Levoons and the Supoons....

The levoons are are measuring spoons that have a little scraper on top that when you squeeze the spoon it levels and gives you the accurate measure. I could help to think why did someone not make this sooner! The levoons come in a set of 4 including a 1tbsp, 1tsp, 1/2tsp and 1/4tsp and are all clearly marked. They snap together for low storage and come in all different colours. It's so handy when baking to be able to be able to self level the spoons with one object instead of getting a knife and scraping the extra ingredient off. These are a definite item you need in your kitchen as not only do they look cool but they are practical (and don't take up much room).

The next item i got to try with these things called 'Supoons' by now you must be aware that dreamfarm like to make things sound fun as well as look cool and these supoons are not different. A supoon is a spoon that scoops. Its got two measures on it 1tbsp and 1tsp and not like its already got enough in its favor it also sits up when resting on your bench so no nasty drips! How cool is that! I used my supoon to make some amazing sugar cookies for xmas and it was amazing! no only did i use to scrap my bowl down at the end (which worked better than any other spatula i've had) but i mixed and measured ingredients with it too... seriously when can you do all of that with one kitchen gadget! 
The supoon comes in all different colours as well and i was lucky to have the bright orange (which will look awesome in my new white kitchen) but you can also get the supoon in the mini versions called (what else) but a mini supoon! Both great for all aspects of cooking and anyone who has or getting one will get great use out of them. 

Dreamfarm also have some amazing products i've yet to try but i cannot wait to 'Scizzas' which are pizza scissors and the 'teafu' Tea infuser. But i can guarantee anything you purchase from them will be useful, colourful and a great conversation starter. 

Thank you to the team at Dreamfarm your products are going to revolutionize not only cooking but all aspects of daily life. 

You can find Dreamfarm on the following links
Website - www.dreamfarm.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/Dreamfarm
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Dreamfarm
Twitter - https://twitter.com/WeAreDreamfarm
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/DreamfarmMovies

Tucked away in perth hills lies the beautifully picturesque award winning CORE CIDER HOUSE. Even though it's just 35 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Perth City, it feels like you're in the countryside and far away from suburbia.

The Core Cider House originated in 1939 by a guy named Giovanni Battista Della Franca or better known as Jack. He planted the first apples at the highvale orchard.
In 1957 Jack's Son 'Charlie' planted a vineyard and started experimenting with different wines. 
In 2005 Jack's grandson John created the Core Cider which i cooked with today.

The Core Cider House do a variety of ciders including my favorite, apple! They also do a pear and an apple and pear mixed cider. All are great for a refreshing drink but also great to cook with. (As they say always cook with something you would drink)

When i think of cider instantly i think of apples (of course!) and what goes with apple's more than a nice piece of local pork belly. The dish i thought would most compliment this crisp cider would be a braised cider pork belly, with creamy cauliflower puree, grilled pumpkin, red apple slices and a cider jus. 


For the recipe click here


When cooked the cider infuses a sweet perfume of apples. Cooking the  pork in the cider also made it tender and perfectly seasoned. The cider 'jus' (fancy word for making a sauce with the cooking juices) was also definitely a winner in our household too! It had a creamy, velvety texture and hint of wholegrain mustard. I used the juices from the pork that had stewed into the cider and created a perfect base for the sauce, it was soooo yummy! It is definitely a dish i will create again! It just goes to show you what you can achieve in the kitchen with fantastic produce (and you don't have to do much to it).

From the location to the beverages (and the smell of the food as we walked thru the venue) i cannot wait to go back, take the family and enjoy good cider and a bite to eat on a sunny day! A great cider to cook with and even better that you can drink it while the smells of it cooking on a sunday arvo make your mouth salivate!

www.corecider.com.au 

Hello fellow foodies!!

I have had alot of intrest in my cooking on social media and i think its time to branch out into this product reviewing stuff. ( I do love to know where my food comes from don't you?) 

I love cooking with local produce and supporting my community in Perth and I am happy to share with you the produce i use and where you can buy it from too.

Please join me in supporting our local growers and suppliers to benefit them and also ourselves with the great produce they provide. (Because lets be honest, it tastes so much better when it's fresh, doesn't it?)

I cant wait to start, keep your eyes open for our first review! If you would like me to blog something or somewhere that you have found please contact me thefoodiemum@hotmail.com

thanks and have an super day!

The Foodie Mum