You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. This was the saying I pondered as I watched six nerf gun battle-weary, soccer saturated boys devour lollies and lemonade at my son’s tenth birthday party. The low fat, high fibre, extremely economical, home-popped popcorn sat like a big white elephant on the picnic rug. The fresh strawberries and peeled mandarins fared slightly better but only after the lollies had almost gone. Despite being the middle of winter it was a glorious sunny day at the park right on Sydney Harbour. The boys were hot and thirsty but none wanted the water I’d brought. After a glass of half juice, half lemonade most of them wanted straight lemonade – unadulterated by anything remotely healthy.

What’s a health conscious mum to do?

This weekend Aussies and Kiwis have celebrated both Easter and Anzac day.The theme is the same. Jesus sacrificed his life so we can have peace in our heart and the Anzacs – Australia and New Zealand Army Corps – sacrificed their lives so we can have peace in our nation. We have a lot to be grateful for this weekend.

Having braved the rain to watch the Anzac parade march through Sydney city, my husband and son came home ready for a treat. What could be more appropriate than Anzac biscuits? It’s hard to make a healthy biscuit but at least these ones contain rolled oats for a token bit of fibre amongst all that sugar and fat.

The original recipe

Here’s my recipe for Hot Cross Buns. Today we had them for morning tea with freshly brewed coffee sitting on the balcony in perfect weather – not too hot, not too cold. We always invite family or friends to share them. Delicious!

1 teaspoon dried yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

325 ml warm water

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

500g (3-3.5 cups) flour  (I used a 7-grain flour from the health food shop)

1 tablespoon mixed spice

1/2 cup raisins or currants

Only a few days left before the hot cross buns disappear for another year. I know we are meant to eat them only on Good Friday but I LOVE them! The trouble is that right now I have my foot in a lumbering moon boot so the last thing my body needs is extra carbohydrate. I’m just not burning up enough energy i.e. exercising enough, to indulge in an extra 830kJ (200 calories) per hot cross bun. And that’s without any butter or margarine!

In my pantry is an opened pack of hot cross buns, mostly eaten by me, and an opened pack of marshmallow Easter eggs