Banana Coffee Caramel Upside Down Cake

Words & Photography
by Melanie Lionello



I partnered with JURA Australia to create this delicious cake that I am *head over heels* for, using their gorgeous fresh espresso. It's sticky, sweet, morish and warming, and is perfect served warm with a dollop of cream.

Banana Coffee Caramel Upside Down Cake
Serves many

Ingredients (for cake)
1 and ¾ cup plain flour
1 cup brown sugar
125g butter
1 and ½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup JURA espresso coffee
2 level tbs milk (40mL)

Ingredients (for caramel)
75g butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
2-3 bananas, peeled and sliced in discs

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 160C fan-forced.
2. To make cake: place butter and brown sugar into a stand mixer fitted with the paddle.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and creamy. You may need to scrape down bowl. Add each egg one at a time, and beat until combined. Then add all remaining ingredients and beat until just combined.
4. To make caramel: Whisk together butter and sugar while butter begins melting until it thickens. Set aside.
5. Line a round 22cm cake tin with baking paper and place banana discs into the bottom. Pour over caramel. Then spoon in bake batter, smoothing out evenly.
6. Bake for 50-55 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Let the cake sit in the pan for 10-15 minutes before carefully turning out on a plate to slice and enjoy.
*You can make a double batch of caramel for extra topping if you like.

Fire Cider

Words & Photography
by Alyson Morgan



I’m feeling 100 times better today. Marshmallow root and rest did wonders for my sore throat and achy body. Today I woke up late but felt great. After dropping the kiddos off at school, I took to digging up some roots in the garden before the ground freezes and we get a big snow tonight.

Digging the roots and crafting my own herbal support feels like an act of resilience, resistance, and empowerment.

I dug up horseradish for this year’s batch of fire cider and another root I’ll share more about in a post to come. I adapted a couple recipes to make this batch. One from Herbal Academy and one from my favorite book The Modern Herbal Dispensary by Thomas Easley.

This fire cider includes:
+ fresh horseradish root
+ fresh rosemary + fresh ginger root
+ fresh turmeric root
+ fresh garlic
+ red onion from our garden
+ fresh jalapeño from a friends garden
+ fresh rosemary + fresh thyme
+ lemon slices + juice
+ creative add ins im experimenting with are a couple juniper berries + rosehips.
+ raw apple cider vinegar

I’ll let this concoction sit for 4 weeks, shaking everyday, and when it’s done  I’ll strain and add local raw honey from my dearest friend's bees. Fire cider is a wonderful cold and flu remedy. Digging the roots and crafting my own herbal support feels like an act of resilience, resistance, and empowerment.

A Paper Bag Star

Words & Photography
by Amy Stanford



Casually made a paper bag star, and then got carried away.
We dug out all the Christmas boxes and decided
this was the first room to get ready for Santa.
Kids make Christmas so much more special!

Your Five Senses

Words & Photography
by Yana Khostariya



Want to make your day instantly better? Let’s play a game. Wherever you are, make a quick list (on your phone, a napkin, or old receipt) of one thing you’ve perceived with each of your five senses today, that you’re thankful for! ⁣

⁣I’m currently in my dining room loving the smell of my coffee, and in the sight of a snow falling, and the sound of me typing on my laptop keyboard.

I’m currently in my dining room loving the smell of my coffee, and in the sight of a snow falling, and the sound of me typing on my laptop keyboard. This morning I was so grateful for my delicious avocado toast with scrambled eggs, and the feel of my comfy sweater. ⁣

What’s on your list?⁣

Almost Five

Words & Photography
by Kristina Nissen



At some point I can’t exactly recall, my baby stopped needing to be rocked to sleep. He stopped asking to be carried on my hip. It all just happened less and less until it no longer existed.

At some point I can’t exactly recall, my baby stopped needing to be rocked to sleep. He stopped asking to be carried on my hip. It all just happened less and less until it no longer existed. But now he spontaneously tells me that I’m beautiful EVERY day. He closes his eyes and holds my face when he kisses me. He makes me coffee mid-afternoon.

But now he spontaneously tells me that I’m beautiful EVERY day. He closes his eyes and holds my face when he kisses me. He makes me coffee mid-afternoon. He tells me stories and makes me special trinkets out of legos. Sigh...I couldn’t possibly choose which stage I prefer; I’m just so grateful for each moment. Here’s to (almost) five, little love.