Shrove Tuesday

2 Comments

Posted on March 4, 2014

Today is Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day. It is the day before Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of penitential season of Lent. Pancakes were traditionally eaten to use up the rich foods such as milk, eggs and sugar. You can read more about the origins here.

Despite eating a gluten-free diet I still managed to have pancakes for dessert.

I made a half quantity of the following recipe which made 4 nicely sized pancakes/pikelets. We drizzled a little lemon juice on them and topped with a sprinkle of sugar. Yum!!

BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES – The recipe is my adaptation of one from The Healthy Chef – check it out here.

160 g milk ( rice, almond, dairy, seed)
50 g buckwheat flour
50 g ground almond meal
20 g ground flax seed (linseed)
Half teaspoon bicarb soda (baking soda)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Combine the milk, buckwheat flour, almond meal, flax seed, baking soda and vinegar to form a smooth batter.

Heat a non stick pan with a little organic cold pressed coconut oil or macadamia nut oil and drop in about 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake. Turn the pancake over gently the cook for a further 2 minutes until the pancake is golden brown and cooked through.

Edging Closer

2 Comments

Posted on February 9, 2014

It is not a new year nor the anniversary of my blog but I am on the brink of a milestone. As I write this the statistics show that there have been 99,992 views.

Almost 100,000 views of my blog! Who would have thought when I started this almost 3 years ago that I would still be writing posts almost every day and that there would be people in well over 100 countries on every continent reading my blog. It is the knowledge that each and every one of you are interested in at least something that I write that keeps me going. Your comments and feedback are very welcome and thank you for visiting.

I’m So Proud

4 Comments

Posted on February 6, 2014

Today I want to share a story that my daughter told me. The words, “I’m so proud of her” were what she said at the end of the story.

Miss O, now 6, has just started Year 1 at school after having completed Prep last year. She is a bright little girl whom we all love dearly but she is very shy.

Talking has not been her forte and when she was at daycare there were times when the staff would bribe her to talk! Social interactions were a real challenge so we were all concerned as to how she would cope at school. She was lucky to have a brilliant and supportive Prep teacher who gently encouraged her.

As well as being at school Miss O goes to before and after school care and it was feedback from one of the co-ordinators that swelled her mother’s heart. Miss O is not only settled and comfortable in her environment but she has taken a couple of the new Prep students under her wing and is teaching them a particular card game at after school care.

It may seem a small thing but it such an achievement for her. I wonder if it is a bit of a case of ‘been there, done that’ and she knows how it feels and therefore has a real empathy for others who are feeling out of their depth?

We are all so proud of her.

2014 – A Clean Slate

10 Comments

Posted on January 1, 2014

Well, that is another year done and dusted.

I am pleased to be able to rule a line under 2013 with all of its ups and downs. Unfortunately, there were quite a few downs last year and I am hoping that this year will be brighter.

Thank you to all of my readers for your loyalty during the past year. I am grateful to you for your comments which really adds an extra dimension to the blog. I am considering the structure and focus of the blog for this year and would love to hear from you if you have any suggestions. Some of my thoughts include doing a series on a particular topic for a week or having a regular focus on a particular day of the week such as Project 333 on Monday, recipe on Tuesday etc. I could simply continue with my totally random posts which are based on whatever pops into my head. The other conundrum I am facing is whether to continue to post almost every day or perhaps only weekdays or perhaps 2 or 3 days per week. Please let me know what you would prefer.

Wishing you health and happiness for 2014.

A Christmas Table & Leftovers

2 Comments

Posted on December 29, 2013

Each year I review my Christmas catering efforts to see what worked, what didn’t and what could be changed.

As I have explained, this year was quite different as I catered for a small family gathering of 4 in an unfamiliar kitchen with limited ingredients. I shopped with a view to minimal leftovers as well as a very simple menu. You can see the menu in my previous post.

This was the entree – grilled asparagus and prosciutto-wrapped haloumi. There was a roasted capsicum sauce to accompany it.

Here is the table set for the main course with grilled salmon, chestnut and cranberry stuffed chicken roll and 3 different salads.

It was very enjoyable and there is nothing that I would change. The menu could easily be used for a bigger group with minimal additional effort.

We visited relatives on Boxing Day so the leftovers had to wait until the following day when I used them to create a main meal salad. I do not have a photo but here is the ‘recipe’.

Potato & Salmon Salad

6 tiny potatoes
1 small piece of grilled salmon
1 stick of celery
1/4 red capsicum (bell pepper)
Herb mayonnaise

Boil the potatoes until just tender. Cool and cut into small pieces. Flake the salmon and add to potatoes. Add finely sliced celery and diced capsicum. Toss ingredients and stir mayonnaise through. Chill and serve on a bed of salad greens with tomato wedges.

The recipe is based on exactly what I did and it served 3 adults for lunch.

What creations have you made with leftovers during the festive season?

The Christmas Menu

6 Comments

Posted on December 24, 2013

As you know we are staying in a holiday apartment so Christmas this year is a little different. I do have access to some basic oils and condiments, however, the full range of pantry ‘essentials’ that I take for granted at home are not all here.

On Sunday evening I finally made some effort to plan our Christmas Day menu but it was still really flexible when we went shopping at the Queen Victoria Markets yesterday. The plan evolved as I found various items. Today I went to the local shops to pick up the last few things I would need and I have started the preparation.

Here is the menu.

NIBBLES

Cracker biscuits and vegie sticks with dips – beetroot, pumpkin, carrot & coriander and 1 other which I can’t remember.

ENTREE

Grilled prosciutto-wrapped haloumi and grilled asparagus with roasted capsicum salsa

MAINS

Chicken roll with spinach and pinenut stuffing
Seared Atlantic salmon with lime and cucumberPotato salad with herbed mayonnaise dressing
Roasted balsamic pumpkin, red onion and feta salad
Rocket, avocado, tomato and capsicum salad

DESSERT

Berry meringue smash

It is designed to be a simple yet special meal which I can prepare in an unfamiliar kitchen with minimal extra ingredients. I have made the pumpkin salad, cooked the potatoes, wrapped the haloumi in prosciutto, roasted the capsicum and made the salsa.

Tomorrow I will assemble the other salads, roast the chicken and make the dessert. The Duke will cook the asparagus, haloumi and salmon on the BBQ.

I am looking forward to sharing a relaxing day with my family.

A Quiet Christmas

2 Comments

Posted on December 17, 2013

You may or may not have noticed the lack of posts about getting organised for Christmas. That was because I really have done very little. We are going to be travelling interstate so it will be somewhat different to most years.

Things I have done:

Made a cake
Organised gifts for our children and granchildren
Attended the annual Christmas drinks with neighbours from our road
Sent a small number of cards and emails
Had a BBQ with my mother and siblings before we all head in different directions for Christmas

Things I have not done:

Put up a tree
Rushed around buying gifts for lots of people
Attended work Christmas functions
Planned a huge feast

This evening we called in to visit our daughter and family and give them their Christmas presents. The highlight was explaining to Miss O and Izz that we will be going to Sydney on New Year’s Day to see “The Lion KIng” for their Christmas gift from us.

The Duke and I will not be exchanging particular gifts but instead we are saving towards our planned trip to the UK later next year.

We will be spending Christmas Day with my mother and our younger daughter in Melbourne. We are staying in rented accommodation so I will decide on a menu based on the weather and also availability of kitchen equipment/utensils. We will have access to an excellent of fresh food from the market and we will enjoy creating a special meal without over-indulging. A laptop and the internet means that I will be able to use virtually any recipe I could possibly want.

I will spend some time reflecting on the year that was. 2013 has had some challenges which we have survived and I am looking forward to a fresh slate – 2014!

What are your plans?