Apples Under My Bed

Warm Chicken Quinoa Salad with Chilli Zucchini and Garlic Broccoli

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Happy Valentines Day, lovelies.

I promise I'm not about to shower you with lovey dovey notes about how much I adore my man, no I think I've been doing that enough lately ;) Instead I'm going to talk about another love of mine...barbecue chicken.

I hope you have some love in your life today, whether in the form of a bunch of flowers from a lover, a sweet little note from a nephew, a love heart chocolate from the elderly lady who lives next door or the sweet, comforting feeling you get from an always dependable piece of barbecue chicken breast. Each to their own, I say.

.....

I've been on a mad barbecue chicken run lately.

I have had the most severe cravings for it, and I have no idea why. I'm not pregnant, thats for sure. So maybe we'll blame the extremely hot weather we've been having on and off in Melbourne. Whatever it is, I find myself itching for barbecue chicken multiple times a week. Tearing a chunk of breast away from the charcoal coating and devouring it alongside homemade coleslaw and grilled corn on the cob is currently one of my great pleasures in life.

But then I got tired of coleslaw and corn.

So in looking for yet another way to satisfy my delectable desire, I created this salad. Any excuse to incorporate more barbecue chicken goodness in my life. Like I need it...

But that's not to say you have to use chicken. A nice salmon fillet, baked and flaked through this salad would be a lovely alternative. As would some beautiful grilled and sliced lamb backstrap or maybe even grilled cubes of marinated tofu. Or chicken. Yeah...chicken.

Warm Chicken Quinoa Salad with Chilli Zucchini and Garlic Broccoli

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

½ cup* dry Quinoa
½ cup Water
½ cup Chicken Stock (you can use vegetable stock if you wish, or replace the stock with extra water. The stock adds more flavour, so you may wish to add a pinch of salt to the quinoa when cooking if just using water.)
1/2 a Barbecue Chicken (from your local quality charcoal chicken shop, or your own pre-cooked chicken. I always try to go organic with chicken).
1 Red Onion
150g Broccoli (the florets off one small broccoli head)
200g Zucchini (one medium zucchini)
2 handfuls of Spinach Leaves
60g Feta (I use Dodoni Feta, it's delicious)
Spray Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon Dried Chilli Flakes (more if you wish, less if you don't like heat)
3 small cloves Garlic
Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Pepper
1 juicy Lemon, for the juice

* 1/2 cup dry Quinoa will make 2 cups cooked Quinoa, which is more than you need, however I always desire extra quinoa for salads during the week, so at the very least I always cook 1/2 cup quinoa. If you wish, use half the quantity and then half the quantity of water and stock.

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200 Degrees Celsius.

2. Cut the florets off broccoli, halving the large florets. Set aside to use in the next step, when you're cooking your quinoa.

3. Rinse the dry quinoa under cold water using a fine sieve, then put it in a pot with the stock and water. Bring to the boil then let it simmer down for ~15 minutes, adding more water if required. You will know it is cooked when the grain starts to separate and the water is mostly absorbed. While the quinoa is cooking, place a steamer over your pot and steam your broccoli for 2 minutes, until just tender.

4. When the broccoli is cooked, rinse under cold water to arrest the cooking process, then set aside.

5. When the quinoa is cooked, turn the heat off and pop the lid on for ~10 minutes to allow any remaining water to absorb. After 10 minutes, fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork, set aside and allow to cool.

6. Peel the onion and slice it in half, then slice each half into 6-8 long wedges. Add the wedges to the baking tray lined with baking paper. Coat the onion in a little spray oil, then add a scatter of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Pop the tray into the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, give your onions a stir and add a little more spray oil if it's looks a tad dry. Put the tray back into the oven and roast for a further 5-10 minutes until the onion is looking rich and sticky. Remove from the oven and set aside.

7. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add a little spray oil then add the broccoli. Stir frequently for 2 minutes, then add 2 cloves of crushed garlic and cook, stirring to coat all the broccoli in garlic, for an extra minute. Turn off the heat and set aside.

8. Slice the zucchini into half a centimetre rounds. Heat another large non-stick pan over medium heat, then add 2 teaspoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the zucchini rounds so that each round is touching the pan - no overlapping or over crowding. You don't want to stew the pan. You may need to do two or even three batches of zucchini and teaspoons of oil, depending on how large your pan is. Cook the zucchini for 3-4 minutes until golden, then using tongs individually flip each zucchini round (your patience will be rewarded!) and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden. If you need to cook another batch, remove the cooked zucchini to a bowl and then cook the remaining rounds. When all the zucchini is cooked, add some spray oil to the pan and then add all the zucchini back in, along with 1 clove of crushed garlic and the chilli flakes. Cook for 30seconds - 1 minute, stirring to coat the zucchini evenly in garlic and chilli. Turn off the heat and set aside.

9. Break up your chicken, discarding the skin. Set aside.

10. Now combine your ingredients in a large bowl! Start with the quinoa: fluff it again with a fork and then add 1/2 - 3/4 cup cooked quinoa to the bowl, depending on your hunger level and energy requirements. Next add the spinach leaves, broccoli and freshly squeezed lemon juice to the bowl, and gently toss to combine. Finally add the chicken along with the zucchini, onion and feta to the bowl. Give all the ingredients a final gentle toss to combine everything.

11. Serve into individual bowls and enjoy with a crisp glass of white wine. Yes please.

Heidi xo

Hen Party

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:00:00 +0000

There is nothing quite like a night out with your girlfriends. Getting yourself all dolled up, wearing your fancy pants, high heeling it and grooving the night away before heading home elegantly, maybe with just a slight stumble or two in said high heels. It's a beautiful thing.

The obligatory night out with your girls before you get married can be a little tired and cheezy, let's be honest. Luckily my girls are all class, we had a truly fabulous night. I found myself to be one very happy Hen.

I was incredibly spoilt by my bridesmaids. One of my amazing ladies handled most of the organising - from the activities to the decorations, including the Audrey Hepburn VIP passes. She came up with a brilliant idea that was fun for everyone and really true to who I am. I cannot thank Peta enough for this, she's truly one of the brightest beauties on this planet. I feel blessed to have her in my life and cherish her friendship.

This night made me realised how lucky I am to have such an incredible group of friends. Beyond my amazing bridesmaids, I find myself surrounded by intelligent, caring, stunning, hilarious ladies who enrich my life more than they'll ever know.

.....

Our night started at my house, where we delighted in Moët and Strawberries. It was a hot night, really sticky and muggy. Let me tell you, I am now officially against wearing my hair out on my wedding day.

We then had a mini bus take us to our destination, over the Bolte Bridge to factory land, where Harriet informed me that we were in fact getting our forklifting licences - win!! You see until I arrived, I had no idea what my girls had planned for the night. This made it such a fun mystery! Unfortunately we weren't getting our forklifting licences - that will have to wait for another girls night out. No, we were about to experience...

A Cooking Demo Dinner Party!!

Isn't that the best idea for a Hens night? I'm sure fellow foodies will agree. Raw Materials put on a great show - they were super relaxed and friendly yet very professional. I would definitely recommend this experience to others!

Peta had set up the table beforehand in a truly beautiful fashion. From the fresh flowers she picked up at Camberwell Market that morning, to the polka dot lolly bag place settings. Stunning. Perfection. We expect nothing less form Peta, though, she's divine (remember the dinner party she threw? Gorgeous).

Group shot!

We started with Sangria and Paella demonstrations...

Before heading inside for some Tapas: mushroom, chorizo and onion on toasted garlicy bread, with a prosciutto wrapped asparagus spear. Absolutely delicious. There were some other bites there, yet I found myself focussed on these two delights.

Clearly I was enjoying myself. I was thrilled to be able to satisfy my craving for chorizo, which I've had ever since tuning into Nigella Lawson, the goddess, before falling asleep at night. Nigella is a huge fan of this paprika log, and ours was pretty darn fantastic.

P.S. I had a sash. It was special.

Then the main event!

The Paella was jam-packed full of chorizo, chicken, fish, prawns and mussels! Plus a scattering of pretty, pert peas and vibrant capsicum. Such a feast for the eyes.

We ended on a perfect little pot of Creme Catalana, which is essentially a Spanish creme brûlée and was undoubtedly scrumptious. This was my first taste of this beautiful dish, and with prominent citrus hits, it was truly love. Love.

Tapas + girls night = a seriously fabulous, successful equation.

After dinner we did a little quiz. De, one of my beautiful bridesmaids, is still overseas and hence could not join in the fun. She did, however, create a little quiz for me. De asked Ben a variety of questions and if I got one wrong, I had to do a tequila shot. Tricky business, ladies.

It was all rather hilarious. When asked who his celebrity pass was (i.e. which celebrity he would have a 'free pass' to sleep with should they ever meet), Ben didn't quite understand the question. Believing a celebrity pass to mean 'which celebrity he'd love to hang out with', my man answered "Michael Jordan". True story. He cracks me up. So yeah, I got that one wrong. I got a fair share wrong, but luckily the shots were diluted. Clearly they feared I'd end up on the floor too soon.

Dinner, drinks and a quiz - how fun is that? And there wasn't a single hint of Penis Paraphernalia in sight.

Oh hang on, yes there was...in the form of a Penis Piñata. Ben jokingly sent an online link to Peta a while ago, and she ended up buying it. Awesome.

I broke the bat.

This guy was filled with mini Nerds and Freedo Frogs, score! I developed a new-found appreciation for mini nerds that night.

It was truly the best Penis Piñata a girl could ask for.

Here's a sneaky video for those of you keen to see my athleticism. As my friend Bear pointed out, all those years of Rounders in primary school came in handy. As did my shoe.

.....

We then piled back into the mini bus, lolly bags in tow,

and headed to The Night Cat and then LuWow on Johnston St for dancing! LuWow was all kinds of awesome - with Hawaiian decor, a screen playing retro movies and Go-Go dancers on pedestals, I found myself in a very happy space for the short while we visited. I am so keen to head back there - pure Hawaiian retro fab. It doesn't get any cooler than that.

And with that I headed home, with a stash of mini nerds in my clutch and without a hint of a stumble. Ok maybe just a little.

To all my ladies, in particular my beautiful bridesmaids and notably Miss Peta Gorgeous Face, thank you. A million times, thank you. I'm the luckiest Hen there ever was.

Heidi xo

A Love Letter

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Today I have a short post for you about a lovely, lithe little letter. Small it may be, but it's surely sweet, nonetheless...

A few hours before my Hens night, Ben gave me a love letter. In a capsule. That's just the sweet guy he is.

A pretty poetic parcel.

Isn't that the cutest idea for a love note? Ben bought it in Balaclava one day, but I found this link for you online - share the love. Inside the capsule is a small scroll, where he had written his note. Très adorable.

He's pretty darn wonderful, my man. I'm all for individualism and keeping your own identity when in a relationship, but at the same time I am buzzing that in just over 2 weeks I will be Mrs Ben. And he'll be Mr Heidi. I think I'll insist we legally change our names to the same. For love, you know? I'm sure he'll be down with that.

Giddy.

Mrs Ben xo

Breakfast in Bed

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Tick, tock, tick tock...

Once the big hand hits seven I am invariably woken from my slumber. Even on the weekend, my body refuses to allow me to continue as I was, happily dreaming. Apparently it's time to get up. And so I oblige.

Ben, on the other hand, can sleep for hours and hours, and then some more. And so it often goes that I wake, make myself a comforting cup of hot lemon water or tea and settle on the couch to read and blog. Sometimes, if Ben is feeling particularly sleepy, I end up having both a hot lemon water and a cup of tea... Tick, tock, tick, tock. On these particularly sleepy days, I am left with a conundrum. Twiddling my thumbs, I find myself debating whether or not to be kind and let Ben continue to sleep, or be selfish and wake him up in the hope of spending more time together.

More often than not, I let him sleep in. Is that true? I'd like to think so. Maybe not... But anyway, recently I was feeling oh so generous and let him sleep in for a loooong time. A really long time. A great many hours had ticked by, during which I entertained myself with blogging, reading, going for a run and watching a movie. But still he slept. And so I decided it was time for breakfast in bed. In my logic, I felt that if I were to start cooking, he may in fact rise with hungry enthusiasm, ready to start the morning (read: afternoon). It worked.

Breakfast in Bed.

On a shopping trip last month, Ben informed me that he was going to purchase Cocoa Pops, as it was the holidays and, well, that's what you do in the holidays. Yep, just like when you were five. On this sleepy day, a small bowl was in order. Just like a chocolate milkshake only crunchy. Indeed.

To go with his cereal I cooked an egg, spread some pesto over rye toast and finished it with a shaving of parmesan. Simple, savoury, scrumptious.

Breakfast in bed. It's what you do for your loved ones, right? The crumbs may be annoying, but at least it will ensure they wake up... and your friendly little wake up call will be delicious and attentive, if not a tad cunning. How sweet is that?

Heidi xo

Farro, Chickpea and Kale Salad with Roasted Purple Carrots and Goats Fetta

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Kale is such a delight. It’s rich and crunchy and lean and assured. It’s also pretty fancy. I don’t see it at my grocer as often as I’d like. I think it likes to play hard to get. So when I do spot a bursting bunch, I snap it up quick smart and use it to my heart’s content - simply sautéed, oven roasted or even plainly steamed. Accompanied with a little sea salt and maybe some garlic, chilli and lemon, it’s deeelicious, and a real favourite in my household.

…..

Let me ask you this… what do you think about purple carrots? Do you love them? Have you tried them before?

I first tasted purple carrots a couple of months ago, and was not much fussed with the flavor. However I recently decided to give them another go, and as soon as I forgave them for their lack of sweetness, the winning characteristic of their orange brothers, and embraced their earthier, grittier tones, I became quite enamored. They’re much more like their root vegetable brother from another mother, beetroot. And I can certainly handle more beetroot likeness in my life, can’t you? Especially when you don’t have to dirty your fingers in any peeling prerogative.

…..

This salad contains both kale and purple carrots, so that’s just fabulous. But then throw in farro, a grain similar to brown rice and freekeh, goats cheese, chickpeas and sticky, sweet roasted red onion and I’m head over heels. To make things even more special, we add a pomegranate molasses dressing. Sold? I hope so. I sure am.

Farro, Chickpea and Kale Salad with Roasted Purple Carrots and Goats Fetta

Serves 10 as a side salad

Ingredients

1 cup Farro
1 cup Stock (chicken or vegetable stock, depending on whether you’re feeding any vegetarians)
1.5 cups Water

3 Purple Carrots (you could use orange carrots or even beetroot if you wish)
2 Red Onions
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Freshly Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt, to taste

Spray Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large bunch of Kale
½ tablespoon Garlic-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil (if you don’t have garlic-infused oil, use ½ a small garlic clove, crushed, mixed with regular extra virgin olive oil)
Juice of ½ a juicy Lemon
Sea Salt, to taste

1.5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3 tablespoons Pomegranate Molasses - from Gourmet Delis. I use this one (link). (quantity used depends on how sweet you like your dressing! Taste at 2 tablespoons and add more if you like it sweeter.)
Juice of ½ a juicy Lemon

420g canned Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
120g Goats Fetta (I used Dodoni this time, however Meredith Goats Fetta remains my favourite)

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 Degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.

2. Place the farro, stock and water in a pot on the stovetop. Bring to the boil and then simmer down for 20-30 minutes, until all the water is absorbed and the farro is cooked yet still has a nice bite to it. Keep an eye on the pot and add more water or stock as needed. Once cooked, put the lid on and set aside.

3. Dice the carrots into 2.5cm chunks, slicing the thicker pieces again down the centre, and place on the baking tray. Peel the onions and slice them in half, then slice each half into 6-8 long wedges. Add the wedges to the baking tray. Coat the carrots and onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a little sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Use your hands to ensure they’re evenly coated – it’s the only way. Pop the tray into the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, rotate the vegetables with tongs, adding a little spray oil if everything looks a tad dry. Put the tray back into the oven and roast for a further 5-10 minutes until the carrots are cooked and the onion is looking rich and sticky. Remove from the oven and set aside.

4. Dice the kale into 2cm chunks, removing any of the very hard, end pieces. Wash well. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat, add a little spray oil and when hot, dump the kale in, using tongs to rotate and cook the kale. Add water by the tablespoon if the kale starts to look a little dry. It will take 3-5 minutes to cook though. Be careful not to overcook the kale, as you still want it a little crunchy and you certainly don’t want to lose it’s beautiful vibrant colour. When cooked, turn the heat off and drizzle the garlic oil and juice of ½ the lemon over the top. Scantly scatter some sea salt and then toss to combine. Set aside.

5. In a small cup or jar, combine 1.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses and the remaining ½ lemon juice. Taste and add another ½-1 tablespoon molasses if you like a sweeter dressing.

6. Fork through the farro to break it up, and then combine the farro, carrots and onions, kale and drained/rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl. Add ¾ of the dressing and gently toss to combine. If you think you need more dressing, add the remaining ¼.

7. Crumble the goats feta over the top and give one final gentle stir.

8. Serve alongside grilled meat, chicken or fish.

Heidi xo

Friends, Barbecue, Australia.

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

How was everyone's Australia Day? This year Ben and I decided to take true advantage of the public holiday and host an Australia Day Barbecue. We absolutely love having friends over, and I can tell we're going to be doing a lot of hosting in the future. With themes. Themes are good.

Our theme on this day, despite it being Australia Day, appeared to be deliciousness, as opposed to the more topical 'all things Australiana'. But that was fine, people were happy. Plus, there was certainly some Australia love going on...

Nothing says you're proud to be Australian like balloons, let's be honest.

It was a load of fun hanging out in our little backyard with friends, feasting and drinking, and eagerly counting down the Triple J Hottest 100. It was nice, really nice.

.....

Salty Dogs to start, which are made of grapefruit juice and vodka, plus a salt-rimmed glass (recipe link). Usually I do enjoy a rimmed glass, however I wasn't in love with the salt addition here. I think I'd prefer a plain glass, an unseasoned dog, if you will. A salt-rim is so pretty, though, like delicate little crystals hanging from your glass.

Sometimes aesthetics outweigh taste...

We also nibbled on sliced Watermelon,

Chicnuts (love),

and Olives.

.....

After a little while it was time to cook, starting with...

Mushrooms and Meat!

We also had Corn. Favourite.

We slathered the corn in Ben's Chilli Butter, which was highly praised. He simply melted light dairy spread in a pan then added diced birdseye chilli. It certainly packed a punch. We agreed that some fresh lime juice would have been nice too.

Yum.

Potato Prep. I had three trays of these babies on my kitchen floor, raised by bricks - pre-cooked, ready to be re-heated, which worked quite well.

Salt and Vinegar Potatoes (recipe link). Favourite.

Peta's beautiful Rocket, Pear and Walnut Salad.

My Farro, Chickpea and Kale Salad with Roasted Purple Carrots and Goats Cheese (recipe to come!).

Lovely.

Yeah, feeling a little guilty that we didn't buy VB, but sometimes taste outweighs patriotism...

.....

I was quite happy with how the countdown turned out, especially with the large number of local acts highlighted. Go Australian music! It was nice to reminisce on the music of this past year and hear so many fabulous songs in one looooong hit.

It's a humble little space we have out back, and I'm quite in love with it. It was really lovely spending the evening chilling out there.

Hang on, what's that you say? It's time for something sweet? Sure thing.

Watermelon, Raspberry and Mint Popsicles. Well, more like little popsicle niblets. I had trouble releasing these icy babies from their kung-fu grip casings. I suppose it serves me right for grabbing super cheap moulds at the last minute. And clearly I need to research 'popsicle releasing techniques'. No-body likes a popsicle niblet. Although my friends were still complimentary, enjoying the refreshing, fruity flavour. I'll post a recipe shortly, once I figure out how to release them nicely and get a pretty picture. Everyone likes a pretty picture.

We also snacked on Dark Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries. Mmmmmm, such a winner, thanks, Amy.

And lastly, Lamingtons. I'm so pleased that Jess brought these Patriotic Poppets. They went down a treat and I felt very Australian indeed.

Friends, Barbecue, Australia. All things wonderful.

Heidi xo

Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraîche and Tarragon Pasta in Red Hill

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Last weekend Ben and I headed down to Red Hill for a Simple Sunday Session. It had been a whole month since we'd been down, which is absurd. Far too long.

Dusty roads and sunshine.

Simple Lunch Fare

After arriving at my parents' house we promptly settled in for a spot of lunch outside. It was a glorious, dramatically sunny day. It truly felt like Summer.

We grazed on Caprese Salad, Olive Bread, Mum and Dad's homemade Chutney, leftover thinly sliced Roast Beef and Dad's homemade Fetta.

With local Apple Cider.

I don't mind if I do!

A Sublime Swim

After lunch Ben and I ducked out for a swim at Point Leo beach. It was placid and peaceful and so completely what I needed. I implore you all to take advantage of the Summer while it's here and embrace the beauty that is diving into the salty sea. Ahhhh it's sublime. I remember spending entire days at the beach during the Summer, playing with friends, swimming and catching ten (read: one) metre waves until every inch of my being was utterly exhausted. I miss that.

I need more beach in my life.

Salmon for Supper

After our swim we did a little Wedding planning with the folks. This coming weekend we're on for a bit of a Wedding Working Bee, all fun little tasks like cutting name tags, making signs and getting our music playlist together. No doubt we'll be fuelled by more deliciousness.

For dinner, Mum and Dad made a beautiful pasta dish. It's now firmly favoured in my mind as the dish for a weekend or dinner party treat. The flavours were gorgeous, and it was supremely light. You know how some dishes just sit so nicely? Yes. True soul food.

Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraîche and Tarragon Pasta (recipe link).

Mum and Dad used half the quantity of crème fraîche (which was more than enough!) and they were brilliantly generous with the tarragon. And as a final touch, they topped this beautiful dish with some dill. Lovely. Oh, and they used this pasta below, after a recommendation from some true Italian foodies. It was perfection. Pappardelle makes my heart sing.

Spoons were required for a final scoop of Wedding Eats research...

I think we’ve found what we’re looking for, however I think I'd best continue my research. Just to make sure I’m absolutely certain...

Heidi xo

Weekend Breakfast Snapshot

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Here, have some pancakes. It’s Monday and I have the sneaking suspicion they might make things a little easier on you.

How was your weekend? Mine was rather great, thank you. The Wedding countdown continues (less than 5 weeks to go) and Saturday we spent part of the day at Chadstone searching for a few goodies. We also met up with my parents and Dad bought himself a Wedding Day outfit. I’m beyond impressed, he looks so damn cool and classy. Dad’s not a shopper, he’s just not. And even though he was utterly out of his comfort zone, he found himself a new jacket, a pair of pants, a belt and a shirt. Bam. Well done, Dad. Ben and I ended our Saturday at The Australian Open with friends, watching Serena Willaims and then Leyton Hewitt play on centre court and progress to the next round. T’was quite awesome.

But first…first we made pancakes. Well, actually, first we went to the gym. Ben and I seem to have started the year off brilliantly - our Mount Buller getaway really put us in a beautiful, healthy space and we’re feeling super fit and energetic. Don’t you love that?

Ok enough already, here you go... your pancakes. Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes.

You’re welcome.

I fell in love with Heidi Swanson's recipe for Buttermilk Pancakes nearly two years ago (recipe link), and it is still very dear to my heart. I omit the butter and add a dash more buttermilk when making my version, however, and I don’t add quite so much sugar. I’ve only once made the blueberry syrup, instead I tend to gravitate towards Pure Maple Syrup and fresh fruit as a topping. Ben likes his with Ice-Cream. He's such an ice-cream freak. Give him ice-cream for breakfast and he's happy. Me? I love these pancakes.

They’re pretty great, lovelies, get on them. Buttermilk continues to rock my world. Oh, and Mum and Dad, I took these roses from the clinic when at work last Wednesday. I hope that’s ok. I might do the same this week too…just so you know.

My new love, Russian Caravan Tea. It tastes a little dirty, so it was not love and first cup. But this rich, gritty brew has grown on me, and now I find myself frequently craving a cup.

.....

If you’re not such a pancake lover, a) What’s wrong with you, b) Let me present you with offerings from our Sunday spread, maybe you'll find something there that grabs your fancy and c) I apologise for my tone in point a). That wasn’t nice.

Boiled Egg...

and *the best* Rainbow Raspberry Jam for her…

Omelette with Spinach Leaves, Cherry Tomatoes and Parmesan for him.

Both with Rye Toast, both with Berries and both with the Sunday papers.

There you go, my weekend breakfast snapshot. How about yourself? Did you delight in anything particularly delectable this past weekend?

Heidi xo

Diner Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Was it really 6 months ago that I went to The States? Apparently so. This trip really blew me away. It was so fabulous, so full of wonder and excitement, new sights, tastes and sounds...it all feels like a dream. I was so fortunate to meet up with two groups of beautiful, beloved girlfriends on this trip, spend two incredible weeks in New York City, and also be part of a dream Wedding. I also had some blissful alone time - four long, glorious days in San Francisco, where every step took me from one delectable bite to the next. Lucky.

You know how they say that some things are too good to be true? Well sometimes it feels as though that is what happened here, as it can all easily become a blur. A blissful blur, but a blur nonetheless. Whenever I feel this way I look at my pictures, I settle in to my couch and scroll back over my blog posts. And then, in a brilliant, frenetic rush, it all comes flooding back. Those surreal, foggy images instantly sharpen and I'm there. I'm back. It's real. And it's fabulous.

These next pictures bring me particular joy. It feels right to end my USA posts on this note. With me and my Diner Girls.

Two days before Denita and Tim's New Hampshire Wedding, we went out to a Diner to celebrate Denita's birthday. Our little contingent of Australians prompted the venue choice, no surprises there. We were so well taken care of, American friends were phenomenally accommodating to all our whims and wishes, even when they appeared to be a little mundane and somewhat perplexing - like our excitement at seeing a chipmunk whilst eating pumpkin ice-cream (I know, I know, it's far too terrifically American to handle!). And to us eager Aussies this was a truly fantastical moment. For on this beloved night we became Diner Girls. Well, for one meal anyway.

Malted Milkshakes

Cherry Cokes

Cheeseburgers and Fries

The novelty factor was unabashedly high.

Harriet and her girlfriend, Marilyn.

Embarrassing De with a "Happy Birthday" chorus.

We turned up thrilled for the experience, we were certainly not expecting a five star meal. Yet the food was surprisingly good - not at all as greasy as I had imagined. How happy I was. I had tried my first real onion ring, I sat in a booth and sipped a malted milkshake, and for one hour I was in a Diner with my girls. We were Diner Girls.

If only I had room left for pie. Oh well, I'll guess I'll just have to visit The States again soon. So I can get myself that slice of pie...

Heidi xo

A Little French Brunch at Madame SouSou

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Is there a happier way to start the weekend than meeting girlfriends for brunch? Giggling and gas-bagging over glorious coffee and eggy goodies? I think not.

My girls and I have placed particular importance on brunch and dinner dates recently, as in six weeks time Peta is moving to France. Of this, I am completely supportive, yet at the same time I am completely sad to see her go. I am also endlessly envious. France? Really, Peta? It's too much. It's just far too fantastic.

So where should three ladies brunch in anticipation of one of them leaving for France? Madame SouSou, of course.

Oui, Madame!

As soon as I saw the darling cane French Café-style chairs in neat little rows out the front of Madame SouSou, I felt like I was back in Paris. It truly is a beautiful sight, one that sends my heart aflutter. As I stepped through the double doors and onto the classic black and white checkered floors, I positively new I was back in Paris. It's terribly charming.

Anyone who loves Paris will find the decor absolutely intoxicating. Allow yourself to sink into the sublime setting and you'll truly feel as though you've been transported to the City of Lights, just casually grabbing a coffee and croissant before heading out for a spot of shopping and frolicking in the Jardin Du Luxembourg. So it's best to dress nicely while visiting Madame SouSou. You'd hate to find yourself unkempt in Paris. Tsk tsk..

Lovely Coffee, silky smooth skinny latte.

French Toast for all three of us...

Pain Perdu: Almond, Raisin, Chocolate Brioche with Poached Pear and Fromage Blanc. This was divine - soft and balanced, with the sweet, cinnamon-kissed flavour of an escargot pastry and the creamy, yielding texture of a bread and butter pudding.

Heavenly.

I cannot wait to have another little French brunch at Madame SouSou. And after further perusing the menu I'm lusting after a French dinner...just a little Bistro love one of these nights. A little taste of Paris, perhaps. Yes I think so.

Oui, Madame.

Heidi xo

A Little Wedding Planning Peek

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

I'm all Wedding at the moment. It's all I can think about. But in a good way. I'm just so excited. In six weeks time my man and I will be getting married. Six weeks.

At the moment we're shopping around for wholesale florists. I'm lusting after cream flowers, a pre-requisite being nothing ridiculously expensive. We're pretty open to whatever will look lovely. The above flowers are just a bunch I picked up at Prahran Market, they're not Wedding inspiration. I just love having fresh flowers in the house, that's all. We are thinking possibly a few different style of blooms at the Wedding, including white hydrangeas (we're aware they wilt easily in heat and require water!). Any flower suggestions are very welcome, please send them our way. I know Ben is absolutely itching to know what blooms we'll settle on...

No, really, Ben is wonderful. I'm so lucky to have a partner actually interested in all the details. Perhaps it's easy for him because we truly are just throwing a big party, full of everything that we love.

I will share all the details after the wedding, which is six weeks away, remember? Six. Yeah, I have a lot to do. Luckily I am surrounded by my gorgeous man, supremely beautiful, supportive bridesmaids and friends, positively perfect parents and truly wonderful future in-laws to help me out. I'm so spoilt. But you know what? They're all so genuinely happy to help, and truly seem just as excited for the festivities ahead. And we have a lot to look forward to! Starting with our Hens and Bucks nights, then onto some girly fun like a Kitchen Tea and a Bridesmaids Sleepover (bridal movie night!). And then of course the Wedding, as well as a small Brunch the following day...

I'm just so incredibly excited I can hardly contain it.

Time for some pictures? I thought so. Here's a snapshot for you. Only a little wedding planning peek because I don't want to spoil anything for my friends and family attending. But here we go nonetheless, a fun little look...

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Our Save the Dates, created by the lovely and talented Vicky. She's only into small jobs at the moment, it's not something she does a lot of. So we were incredibly lucky. I find them to be very adorable.

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Our Wedding Invitations, also printed by Vicky, all packaged-up, and with a little sweet inside to boot. We handed most of these out to save on costs. I'll show you what they looked like after the wedding - otherwise I'd have to cover up the details and, well, that would just be nowhere near as pretty. And what's the point then?

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There will be many Jars at this Wedding, that's for sure. I bought 90 jars off the divine Merowyn from Blithely Unaware. I feel comforted by the fact that there will be so many lovely jars to fill with beautiful flowers and candles. Pretty pretty pretty.

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There will be lots of Brown String...seriously, I seem to be planning on using it everywhere.

There will also be Candy. Naturally.

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My Wedding Shoes. Simple, pretty flats.

These flats are from Witchery, and I know quite a few people who have them. I've been trying to wear them in so they're super comfy on the big day. I always wanted to wear flats because although Ben is a good 6cm taller than me, I feel that heels often make me feel a bit too tall. Nothing against girls who are taller than their man, I'm just going with what makes me comfortable.

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Our Planing Board, complete with codes and spelling mistakes. It's helpful and cute at the same time. What's not to love?

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So that's where we're at. After flowers, perfecting the menu will be on my mind - the good stuff. Mum, Ben and I are also busy scouring op shops for certain goodies. And I have a full hair trial on the 6th, which I am incredibly thrilled about. I was previously thinking of wearing my hair half up, however now I'm dreaming of an elegant 'up do'. We'll see. I quite often fall asleep planning my wedding hair...And then I think of the food. The good stuff.

I hope you enjoyed this little snapshot. I wish I could show you more, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer. Just six weeks, remember? Ok, I need to stop tormenting myself with this countdown.

Heidi xo

A New York City Love Affair

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:26:00 +0000

What can I say? New York, you’re beautiful.

I was not prepared to fall this far in love with New York City. And so fast. But it happened. It happened and I don’t quite know how to get it out of my mind.

It’s not an unrequited love, New York was incredibly warm and generous with it's affection. It enveloped me with it's charm, perpetually teasing me, enticing me to stay and leaving me with no doubt about it's true feelings.

Yet it is a love that is separated by a grand distance. It’s not like it could never be…one day in the future maybe we’ll be together. But for now, I’ll have to settle on these memories. Snapshots of a beautiful time, my Summer romance with New York City. I will forever be in a New York State of Mind. And that’s just fabulous.

Heidi xo

NYC Mash-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:55:00 +0000

What to do with random snapshots of your NYC travels that don't quite warrant their own post yet you're positively itching to share?

Put them all together in one post and give it a flashy name. So here you go, my NYC Mash-Up! Bam.

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Porchetta Rolls and Key Lime Pie at The Brooklyn Flea. A fabulous market full of cheap vintage finds - definitely visit this market when you're in NYC. And eat pork and pie.

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Lunch at the Taco Truck... I long for more quality Mexican here in Melbourne - we do have Mamasita and Bluecorn, but we need more, people! Definitely smaller joints like this. This Fish Taco was delicious!

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Mac and Cheese and Home. Dim lighting so no pics but definitely worth a visit for homely (he he) Southern fare.

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Takeaway mixed salads at Wholefoods! Terribly overpriced but terribly delicious and fresh.

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Grabbing a Taco at Snack Dragon, a little hole in the wall joint, before seeing a Poetry Slam (wow, amazing).

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Brunch at Pastis. As you do. I had granola and yoghurt, not memorable hence no pics. Perhaps I should have been more adventurous with my order. But the interior was just gorgeous, see?

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Pinkberry! We need more frozen yoghurt in Melbourne. Or at least, a great shop closer to me... Can someone please fix this problem?

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Pork Buns at Momofoku. All the rage right now. Honestly, very likely too much information about to be shared, but the fatty meat was just too much for my system to handle. Yep. I can appreciate that they're well made with beautiful technique and flavours. But yes. I'll leave it at that.

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Wholewheat Pancakes at The Little Owl (aka the cafe below the Friends building and where No Reservations was filmed). This was my second last day in NYC. We dragged everyone out of bed early for pancakes, french toast and home fries (which are just cubes of potato, fried). Little Owl is a really cute place.

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Late night dancing and Cheerios. Cereal never tasted so good.

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Ben and Jerry's Taste Testing. All vastly different opinions, but Chubby Hubby gets my vote.

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Jazz at Cornelia Street Cafe in The Village followed by dinner at The Spotted Pig. The Jazz was fantastic, a real highlight. And the dinner was great too, from what I can recall... I had a delicious calamari salad, which photographed very poorly due to the non-existant lighting inside. I believe we also ate pie but that may have been a dream...

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A little bit of a random mash-up, but a lot of awesome memories for us girls and I hope it provided some entertainment for you, lovely readers who indulge my food ramblings and travel nostalgia. Only one more NYC post to go. I don't think I'm ready to say goodbye...

Heidi xo

Chilled Breakfast Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Fact: It's Summer.

Fact: Pudding is delicious.

Fact: In Summer, pudding should be chilled.

In case my astonishingly articulate above three facts weren't convincing enough for you, let me present my Chilled Breakfast Pudding. This recipe is completely self-indulgent, made with ingredients that I love and adore. Hence it was a dream to create for Melrose…and sample... many, many times. You know, just to make sure it was perfect.

So yes, it is made solely with ingredients I love. But it is also very nourishing, which is why I knew it was a keeper, one to share. That makes me feel less self-indulgent. And I did show some restraint, I didn’t include my beloved nut butter in the recipe. But now that I mention it, I totally could…

Chilled Breakfast Pudding is popping up on my breakfast table more and more these days. This makes me happy. I particularly favour this pudding after a workout, when my cheeks are still flushed ruby red from morning exercise. Yes, it's chilling effect is very welcomed then.

While this pudding is confidently nourishing, naturally flavourful and refreshing, it’s also a bit different, possibly using some ingredients you’re not familiar with. If coconut oil is foreign to you, I’ll give you a crash course right now (just FYI, “coconut oil” is when it’s in it’s liquid state, “coconut butter” is when it’s in it’s solid state. Same same, but different). Oh, and go for the unrefined coconut oil. The refined stuff is more for cosmetic use, and does not have the coconut flavour.

Nutritionally, coconut oil is high in Saturated Fat, and yes this is the bad fat. However the fat in coconut oil metabolised more efficiently than regular Saturated Fats (such as fatty meats and butter) - this is related to the length of the fatty acid chains. Many dietitians are anti coconut oil because, when it comes down to it, it’s still a Saturated Fat. And this is true. My view is this; having a very healthy diet overall, I feel fine to use it in small amounts every now and then. I would not go about using multiple tablespoons a day, which certain supermodels profess to doing, yet a drizzle here and there on salads or in a smoothie is fine by me. Use it sparingly.

Ok, now to the practicalities. Unless your kitchen is very warm, your coconut oil is likely to be in it’s solid state. So to allow it to liquefy, I sit the jar in a cup of hot water. Soon enough you’ll be able to get a liquid portion out of the jar.

What’s fabulous about coconut oil is that when you drizzle the liquid on something cold (like this pudding), it solidifies and turns rock hard - just like Ice-Magic! Remember Ice-Magic? Ahhhh childhood memories… It also helps to place the bowl in the freezer for a few minutes, to help this solidifying process along and get better results. It’s a lot of fun, and the texture change makes the eating process even more enjoyable. I love to play with my food.

Now the other ingredients: chia seeds swell when combined with liquid, so they’re really in their prime here, helping to create a delightful pudding texture. Rolled oats and flaxmeal provide a bundle of beautiful nutrients including fibre to help keep you full. I’ve said it before, but get rid of quick oats - nutritionally, rolled really are superior.

And there you have it!

Feel free to play around with the recipe to suit your preferences. You may like to add more oats and chia seeds if you like a thicker pudding. You might like to stir your flaxmeal through with the oats at the beginning rather than having a portion on top. I just love the flavour of flax, so that is why I left it on top.

All in all, I am rather in love with this recipe. It refreshes like nothing else, is truly nourishing and leaves me with a feeling of brightness and life. That’s totally my kind of recipe.

Chilled Breakfast Pudding

* This recipe requires a Blender and a pre-frozen Banana. For the frozen banana, peel and wrap a ripe banana in glad wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours before using. I always keep a few in my freezer, they’re great in smoothies and of course, this recipe!

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 Frozen Banana
3-4 tablespoons Low-Fat Vanilla Yoghurt (larger bananas will require more yoghurt, smaller ones will require less)
2 teaspoons Chia Seeds
1 ½ tablespoons Rolled Oats
1 tablespoon Melrose Organic Golden Flaxmeal
1/3 cup Berries (fresh or defrosted from frozen)
½ tablespoon Melrose Organic Coconut Oil (in it’s liquid state)

Method
1. Unwrap and then thinly slice your frozen banana. Add it to the blender along with 2 tablespoons of the yoghurt. Be careful to not add too much yoghurt to begin with, as adding too much will result in a thinner mixture. Blend (you might need to stop the blender and stir the ingredients to get it blending smoothly). Add your extra tablespoon of yoghurt, stir and then blend again. Blend until smooth (adding a fourth tablespoon of yoghurt if you need to). Once the mixture is smooth and thick, pour into a small, deep bowl (allowing room to add ingredients on top).
2. Add the chia seeds and rolled oats to the banana/yoghurt mixture, stir to combine. Pop the bowl in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes.
3. While the pudding is chilling, place your jar of coconut oil in a bowl of hot water - this will help the oil to move from a solid to liquid state (do not microwave it!).
4. After 10 minutes, remove your chilled pudding from the freezer. Top it with the flaxmeal and berries, then drizzle the liquid coconut oil over the top. Place your bowl in the freezer for 2 more minutes, to allow the hard shell to form. Enjoy!

Heidi xo

Mount Buller Getaway

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

How was everyone's New Years Eve? I hope you all snagged a little time for fun with loved ones.

Ben and I were lucky enough to spend the long weekend at Mount Buller with my girlfriend and her man - he has an apartment up there, and it turned out to be the perfect spot for a mini getaway. How lucky are we?

Three days and three nights of nothing but chilling out with friends, beautiful views, reading, hiking, cooking, watching movies and fashioning helmets out of watermelons.

It was completely wonderful and completely what I was craving. Thanks George and Alex, you're beyond amazing.

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Is there anything better than waking up in the morning and straight away diving into a cup of tea and a book? I don't think so.

Saturday morning. Yoghurt, Rolled Oats, Banana. The Snowman. George and Alex have both read this book, and so I was keenly exclaiming details to them whenever anything juicy happened. Book obsessions are such fun to share.

Walking up to the Summit.

Many people believe George and I to be twins, or at the very least, Sisters. Teachers would always mix us up and we'd be sent home with the other's report cards. We've known each other since we were babies. She's one of my bridesmaids and, well, she's pretty fantastic.

It may be my recent obsession with BBC adaptations of Jane Austen novels, but I truly felt like I was strolling the English countryside in 1795 - getting, as they say, some ever so beneficial exercise. Except whilst wearing leggings. Not quite 1795 attire.

We went on two hikes during our stay. Neither too strenuous for an outstanding length of time, yet always beautiful.

Saturday Afternoon. Never wanting to leave this spot.

New Years Eve Celebrations.

Learning how to play Big 2. Often losing, sometimes winning, always competitive.

Vita-Weat Crackers, Smoked Almonds, Chicnuts.

Pimm's.

BBQ. Salad with Goats Cheese, Corn on the cob, Mushrooms, Salt and Vinegar Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes, as well as butterflied Lamb.

Did you know it's good luck to make Watermelon Helmets on New Years Eve?

True story.

But maybe don't look that up.

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New Years Day.

Potato Rosti, Scrambled Eggs and Avocado. A sign of good things to come in 2012? Why, yes, I believe so.

Picnicing by the River. Stream? Creek. No, river.

Slippery rocks, a fairly strong current, a rock throwing contest (George won) and completely divine, cooling water. Bliss? Yes, bliss.

Salad Sandwich: avocado, cucumber, tomato, spinach leaves, leftover sweet potato rounds and goats cheese. On Multigrain.

And my book. Naturally.

Back at the apartment, all that watermelon was put to great use. A Watermelon, Vodka, Mint Cocktail with a touch of Ginger Beer. Bravo, Alex.

Plus some Gin-Spiked, Mint-Dressed Watermelon Cubes. Too cute.

Dinner. Pasta with Tomato, Garlic, Basil and Mascarpone Sauce. Red Wine. Happy.

Drunken, Caramelised Banana with Chocolate Liqueur and Mascarpone. A random kitchen experiment due to George's sweet craving.

Movie. Bed. Sleep. Slumber. Rest.

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Milk run in the morning.

Breakfast on the balcony. Yogurt, Rolled Oats, Watermelon. Never ending watermelon.

Tea.

I could stay here forever.

But alas...

I was lured to the car and away from the magical mountain by the promise of a Frosty Fruit.

Lunch. Moroccan Lamb Pie in Yarck on the way home. The Tea Rooms in Yarck are supposed to be excellent, just FYI.

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Home. Swimming in the sea. My skin was given that rejuvenating salt-kissed bath it so craved. Summer. 2012. An incredible start to the year. Excitement.

Heidi xo

Ticking Off That List

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:00:00 +0000

I'm a list girl. This is true. I just love the make them (preferably using a brand new, fresh, pretty pad and pen - are you with me?) and I love the pleasure that comes with ticking things off. Or crossing them off....either way. But let's go with ticking. I find ticking to be that little bit more satisfying. Tick! Done. See?

Ok, so do you remember my post from the start of the year - the one where I ever so loudly proclaimed, without too much trepidation, that 2011 would be the year that I conquered some of my food fears? Here is the link, if you need a refresher.

Who would have thought that cupcakes and pastry were scary? Well, they were to me. And, my friends, I can proudly say that I did it. It has been done. Tick!

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As I looked back on my little list last month, I found that all of the items (except one) had I ticked off quite naturally, without a lot of planning nor reference to said list. Well how do you like that? I had actually used these ingredients or made these dishes that for so long eluded my dining table. Marvellous.

Pastry was made early in the year, when I made a Rhubarb and Ricotta Tart - tick! And then it was made again. And again and again, during my pie phase. I am still a little obsessed with pies. Blueberry, blackberry, apple and chocolate cream, with spelt crusts or sour cream dough - it's an incredibly romantic notion to me. And in all honesty I don't see myself falling out of love with pies any time soon. And I'm fine with that. Give me a pretty apron and a rolling pin and I'm a happy lady.

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Valentines Day was the perfect occasion for a romantic meal involving Clams and Mussels - tick! Spaghetti Vongole is truly one of my favourite meals, Ben's too, so I thought it would be the perfect Valentines surprise. And it was. Although I did learn that next time I would purchase pre-cleaned mussels (gah). We've cooked with clams and mussels in this similar, rustic Italian style quite a few times this year, and I'm getting better with each go. However I am yet to make that bouillabaisse. Maybe next year...

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Come Easter I put my serious, big girl apron on and used Yeast for the first time - tick! I made Cinnamon Buns, and it was one of the happiest kitchen experiences I can recall. I feel slightly perturbed by the fact that I have not used yeast since, as I truly adored this baking process. I do wish to become even more acquainted with yeast in the future. I'm sure we'll be great pals.

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Roast Chicken - tick! One of my main issues with roasting foods was that previously, my oven was....shit. Yet since moving apartments I have been blessed with a beautiful new oven, one that cooks roast potatoes to perfection. And chickens too, it would seem. I took Maggie Beer's tip of ensuring that you have a room temperature bird, so that it cooks more evenly, and it worked so well. And yes, it seems that every roast chicken I shall make will be showered with garlic. What?

I do recognise that I need to experiment more with cooking whole birds and large pieces of meat, and I shall endeavour to do so in the future. I must say though, Valli Little’s Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic still rocks my socks as the most delicious, moist and (importantly) easy Roast Chicken recipe. I've made it numerous times again this year.

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So what does that leave?.....Oh yes, Cupcakes. Sweet, dear little cupcakes. Who ever would have thought that out of the above foods, cupcakes would be the one that I leave off my list and never once think to bake this past year. In all honesty I have never been much fussed with cupcakes. I appreciate mini ones from quality stores, yet I never yearned to bake them myself. I prefered canelés or macarons for my sweet treat (neither of which I have made myself, either, but let's move on...).

If I'm honest, I believe I thought I was above the cupcake craze of late. How elitist of me. Yet to ensure I completed my list I realised that even if I never made cupcakes again, I would have to make them at least once this year. And so I did - tick! Gingerbread Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream.

And then something amazing happened...

I fell in love with cupcakes. Or maybe it was the buttercream? Either way, I'm now completely in love with the idea of these darling, little cakes - deciding on a flavour, combining the ingredients, popping them in the oven, creaming the butter and then having fun decorating. Oh, and the eating part too, of course.

Who would have thought it? I was certainly shocked. I suppose it's a little similar to way we can feel about children. They're all very lovely, but until you bake your own (sorry, I couldn't help myself) you don't fully appreciate them. And then you think that yours are simply divine, clearly better than anyone else's. Don't get me wrong, I love kids, but it's not until you have your own that you really understand that beautiful parent-child (baker-cupcake) connection. Well, I imagine this is the case, anyway. It certainly resonates with me and my newfound feelings towards cupcakes. But maybe we'll just leave it at that...

*note: for this recipe I added 1.5 times the amount of nutmeg and doubled the quantity of ginger. I recommend doing so if you enjoy a prominent spiced cake.

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And there you have it. My List. All ticked off. Done.

What does next year hold? Perhaps another list...I'll see. I find comfort in the fact that I completed most of my list rather naturally, without much fuss at all. This may mean that I am quite driven and ambitious in my cooking desires, or perhaps that I pick my aspirations wisely so as to not set myself up for failure. Or maybe both. Either way, I'm happy. I made pastry and pies and cinnamon buns and spaghetti vongole. And I surprised myself by falling in love with cupcakes. And Buttercream - less of a surprise there.

Life has been particularly delicious this past year. I'm quite certain that next year will be scrumptious also.

Heidi xo

Christmas in Red Hill

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:23:00 +0000

We started with Christmas Eve Lunch...

...before moseying onto Christmas Eve Dinner. Dad used his wok to make Tea-Smoked Salmon, which we served with a simple Salad, a Guacamole of sorts (simply to used up some avocado) and more of his homemade Ciabatta.

Ben and I bought some Moet and the four of us (Jackson was working) enjoyed a lovely light meal in the hours before Santa comes. It was light, fresh and truly delicious. A new favourite way to cook salmon? I think so. Keep up the great wo(r)k, Dad!

After such a satisfying dinner, Ben and I settled in the tv room, wrapping presents and catching a little of Carols by Candlelight. We then went to bed, popped Love Actually on the computer and fell asleep to this favourite festive movie. I adore Love Actually's score, by Craig Armstrong. It can make me cry like that *snaps fingers together*.

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Waking up to the smell of overnight pork in the oven...I like to park myself on the kitchen floor, inhale the heavenly, intoxicating aroma and picture the deliciousness that awaits. It's quite certainly too much to bare.

Before opening presents, and before the boys were up, mum handed me some pretty plates and I assembled our traditional Christmas Morning Fruit Salad. This year it involved strawberries, pineapple, cantaloupe, oranges, blueberries and mint.

Coffee was also had.

And then it was time for presents. Mum (I mean, Santa) still spoils us, with things that are really wonderful and useful, things we truly covet. Santamother was particularly brilliant this year, with gifts of vintage bottles, spoons, stamps and gloves, and a gorgeous vintage French baby's feeding bowl (someone's excited for grandchildren!...I'm not pregnant). She also gave me a gorgeous set of plates and cups and a copy of Larousse Gastronomique from the op shop!

My parents really surprised each other this year. Amongst other things, Mum was given an ipad (awesome) and Dad was given a pasta drying rack, which was very necessary after a quite haphazard drying expedition a couple of weeks ago...They're truly beautiful. It's so nice to see them together, having as much fun as they did when they were first married.

Oh, and remember that '$20 present limit plus one creative gift' thing I was going on about in this post? Well, I bought Ben a model plane, breaking the budget slightly by $4.95. Ben on the other hand, smashed the budget out of the ballpark and bought me a gorgeous dress from Veronika Maine. It's a stunning raspberry colour with a thin black belt around the waist - completely Mad Men style. And I love it and he's so sneaky but that's ok because now I have a beautiful dress.

Lastly, in terms of edible gifts...the best Peanut Butter...best. Santamother found it at Mornington Main Street market.

After all the giving gaiety we dispersed to do our own activities. I went for a run - I'm a firm believer in exercising well throughout December, including before meals of indulgence like Christmas. It helps negate some of the damage and, importantly, it revs up my metabolism so that I have the appetite to take advantage of the wonderful food! I take this last point very seriously - throughout December I feel like I'm in training for Christmas lunch.

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It was a small Christmas this year, just my parents, my brother, my Ben and then my grandparents and great uncle. As they arrived we headed outside to enjoy a beverage.

Red Hill Beer from Santamother for the boys.

Christmas Lunch. Love.

Our menu was very similar to last year - we wouldn't dare let mum change it! So I shall link to that post (here!), and also include links to any recipes as I type out the delights. And it was all delightful. Particularly so this year for some reason. Mum is phenomenally talented.

In the large dish we have Jamie Oliver's Overnight Pork. You need to make this pork. Like, yesterday. But don't worry if you didn't, today will suffice. Tomorrow would also be fine, I guess, but that's really a stretch...

Carrots, peas, potatoes, pumpkin and parsnip. We forgot the onions, though - oops! But there were no tears... he he he.

Stuffing. After years and years of not understanding it's appeal, it is now a true love of mine. I rate it almost as highly as the pork. Almost.

Our de-boned Turkey was wrapped in Prosciutto, which kept it incredibly moist and also allowed for a plate of prosciutto scrumptiousness. Snap.

Crackling. Not a true love of mine. I greatly dislike it, which greatly pleases everyone else (more for them).

Ok, the Gravy...............sorry, I just had a little moment there. We had two kinds: one that mum had made by cooking chicken wings with vegetables, plus wine and stock (recipe link). Ooooooh. And we also had the gravy from the overnight pork.

And lastly, just in case we needed more pork products, we have some beautiful Maryborough Ham, sliced off the bone. Dad bought it from Peter Watson in Collingwood. A somewhat modest amount in comparison to last year's 9kg worth of pork purchases, which he somehow rationalised.

Sparkling Shiraz, as always at Christmas.

It was all perfect. Perfect.

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After lunch we retired to the chairs outside and Ben worked on the model plane I bought him.

Come fly with me...

Success.

It was then Pudding O'Clock, my favourite time.

Mum's Plum Pudding with Booooooooozy Sauce. I made a double batch of Boozy Sauce. It's necessary.

It was truly a beautiful Christmas in Red Hill.

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I tried to sleep in on boxing day, I honestly tried. But come 7:30 I was awake, and so I nestled into my parent's couch, as Dad made soda water using the SodasStream we bought them - refreshing! Then with a cup of lemon water I started more honeymoon research - we'll be off to Europe in July next year, and my current project is renting a Parisian apartment in the Marais district. Tough gig, I know.

My boxing day breakfast was decidedly modest in size, due to, well, all of the eating above. I found comfort in a small bowl of leftover Fruit Salad and a Rosemary Butter Cookie, which mum made a couple of days ago. They were absolutely delicious. Mum sprinkled Malden Sea Salt flakes over the top and that delicate little movement really made them. They could even do with a touch more rosemary. I think it'll be a great recipe to play around with. It's heavy on the butter, but great for special occasions.

We then headed to our friend's house for a Boxing Day lunch. This has become a new tradition, and one I am very fond of. And I ended the night at a girlfriend's house, sipping wine and nibbling on salads and turkey and pudding.

I feel very lucky to have so much love in my life. It all becomes quite apparent around this time of year. I hope you feel just as lucky and thankful and loved as I do. There are a lot of distractions in life, and you can easily find yourself dragged further and further away from what really matters. Christmas encourages us to reflect on what is important to us, personally. To centre us a little. Life is short. Do what makes you happy and be who you really want to be. And make this pork.

Merry Christmas, love Heidi xo

Christmas Eve Lunch

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 07:15:00 +0000

To my dear, lovely readers,

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas.

Wherever you are and whatever you're doing, I hope it involves good food, warmth, laughter and love. I will absolutely be sharing all our Christmas fun with you in the coming week. There will be lots of wonderful eats to report back on, you can count on that. Starting with mum putting the pork shoulder in the oven overnight....oh yes. I can hardly wait.

But for now, a nice introduction to a weekend of family fun and festive eats. It began with a lunch of Dad's homemade woodfired Ciabatta, Pizza, Wine and Macaroons.

Dad's Ciabatta was just superb. His best bread creation yet, absolute perfection.

Especially when drizzled with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and sprinkled with Rosemary and Smoked Sea Salt.

Pizza Love.

A simple Potato and Zucchini with Parmesan and Rosemary.

Into the oven!

And another of Goat Curd, Asparagus, Crushed Walnut, Truffle Oil and Egg.

To finish: David Lebovitz's Coconut, Chocolate Macaroons (recipe link). I'm not a macaroon fan, but could appreciate these as very good macaroons!

.....

Merry Christmas, lovelies. Love from Walter, the birdie, and me.

Heidi xo

The Deal with Biscuits

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:00:00 +0000

When I first heard about people from the USA eating biscuits with chicken, I thought that it was just one of those weird American things.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not hating on America. They've got some great culinary badges - Cornbread and Gumbo spring to mind. But to me, biscuits are sweet little things, like Tim Tams or Teddy Bear Biscuits.

And let's be honest, some of America's food is a little...strange. Case in point, the Thanksgiving favourite, Sweet Potato and Marshmallow Casserole. And too, or so I believed, biscuits and chicken.

But you see, the deal with biscuits is that they're actually...delicious. Kind of like a savoury scone, when done well they're absolutely fantastic. And indeed very welcome with chicken stew, soup, scrambled eggs and more. They absorb flavours beautifully and provide a nice change from sometimes boring, occasionally bland toast. As it turns out, biscuits: not so strange after all.

.....

While in the States this past August, I tried three types of biscuits:

1) The first was at Brooklyn's Smorgasburg. Sometimes a biscuit needs to be quiet, like this one. This biscuits was really light and subtle in flavour, serving perfectly as a vehicle for the confidently delicious fried chicken, salty bacon and creamy ranch dressing. Quietly confident.

Other times a biscuit likes to stand alongside the other ingredients, vying for your attention. Sometimes this works, other times it doesn't...

2) The second biscuit was served alongside scrambled eggs and bacon during brunch one Sunday. As a side note, this was the day I first had grits (!!!).

This biscuit was certainly confident, but it really needn't have been so assured. Ouch, way to shoot a biscuit down. Despite being wonderfully flaky, it was a little stodgy overall. Stodgy and meh. It just didn't wow me. It could have done well to stand back a little and improve itself - work on it's posture, or something.

But the third biscuit...that was beautiful.

3) It too liked to stand alongside the other delicious bites on the plate, positioning itself super straight, unabashedly attempting to be that much taller than the other meal components. But this time it's confidence was warranted. It really shone. And without arrogance too. Well, maybe just a little...it so knew it was hot stuff.

Vicki and I visited Cookshop for breakfast on our very last day in New York City. We loved it so much the first time, when we had ooooh so delicious pancakes and Summer fruit, so we knew it would be the perfect place to enjoy our last breakfast in this incredible city.

I ordered The Cookshop Scramble - scrambled eggs with caramelised onions, creme fraiche and chives (love), with a buttemilk biscuit (love) and Applewood smoked bacon (love). Love.

Oh yum.

This biscuit was, as I mentioned, made with buttermilk. And in my very very limited biscuit eating experience, I've decided that buttermilk is the key to a good biscuit. Perhaps I shall start baking my own so that I can say such statements with some actual credibility. But for now I can happily recall my three biscuit experiences, and delight in my delicious learning curve and development of true biscuit appreciation.

Yep. True biscuit appreciation.

Especially buttermilk biscuits.

Heidi xo

Eataly

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 20:00:00 +0000

One of my favourite places when I visited New York City this past August was Eataly. What is Eataly? A place where you can Eat....in Italy? If you're anything like me, this is what I was first thinking, and hence I was excited, hungry and confused all at once.

Many people were speaking highly of Eataly before I left for NYC, imploring me to visit. Some mentioned a restaurant, other mentioned a market. All raved. It wasn't until I visited myself that I realised it was indeed a restaurant and a market. On a grand scale. It's pretty much Heaven. Of course it is, it's the work of Mario Batali.

Welcome to food, food and more food! Beautiful produce, cured meats, cheeses, chocolates and more.

Yep, I told you...Heaven.

See this post (link) by Emma Stirling, fellow NYC obsessed Dietitian, for information on what a Vegetable Butcher is. It's a great concept!

In terms of eating at Eataly, an activity I highly recommend, you go about it as follows:

1. Select a station - would you like to eat vegetables, gelato, pizza, seafood, antipasti, pasta? Too much choice? I know. Here's a tip, close your eyes and go wherever your heart desires most. But open your eyes before you walk.

2. Wait to be seated - they don't like you to take your own seats (this was the case everywhere in New York, it would seem). Just FYI. Neglectful and slightly resentful service may ensue if you dare take a seat yourself.

3. Order away! This is the hard part, as it all sounds so divine. It's a trouble I'd love to be burdened with more often though. It would be my pleasure.

.....

On my first Eataly visit with the girls, we ate at the vegetable station - Le Verdure.

Oh here we go...the best bread I tasted while in The States. Pure Bliss. Heaven.

Along with beautiful Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic.

We selected a Caprese Salad (our favourite!)...

...and Fritto Misto. These fried seasonal vegetables were incredible. The batter was very light, peppery and just gorgeous.

.....

My second visit to Eataly was a solo affair. Peta was about to board her flight home, Vicki was seeing a matinee of Wicked, Bhey was napping at home and I had just braved the rain to visit Moma. Afterwards I sought refuge from the downpour in Eataly. On this day I was in the mood for some seafood, and so I placed my soggy little umbrella at my feet, perched on a stool at Il Pesce and settled in to enjoy my lunch - a Frutti Di Mare Salad with Sautéed Summer Squash. In other words, Heaven. Simple seafood like this is undoubtedly one of my most favourite dishes in the world. If not served atop an al dente twirl of pasta, I will settle for beautiful bread to soak up the juices. But preferably both.

See? Heaven.

Heidi xo

Christmas Muesli

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:00:00 +0000

It's Christmas time!!! Just in case you didn't already know.

I absolutely love to give presents at Christmas. I think I get that from my mum. She still does the full Christmas morning, with stockings and presents and "Santa was here!!"...even though us kids are all grown up. But I love that. We all knew Ben was officially part of the family when mum got him his very own Christmas stocking.

This year, as Ben and I are busy saving for our Wedding in (wow) 2 months, we're looking for thrifty ways to spoil our loved ones at Christmas. For our gifts to each other, we've set a $20 limit and a requirement that something has to be made. Nothing says love more than a homemade gift. Ben is a fabulous drawer and writer, so I have no doubt I'll be receiving some sort of short story. Usually his stories involve talking vegetables. I assure you it's both hilarious and adorable. Me? I think I'll have to get crafty soon...

I won't be handing out drawings or songs to friends and family, however. Somehow I don't think they'd be as psyched and supportive of my lame efforts as Ben. Instead, I'll be giving them a batch of my Christmas Muesli.

.....

I developed this recipe in the hope of creating something that was a) delicious, b) light (as this time of the year can be overloaded with cookies and chocolates and pudding) and c) not too expensive. While I heart granola, it's not as healthy nor cheap to make as it's untoasted counterpart, muesli. And so I went with muesli. Lovely.

To add a little of that sweet, toasty, crunchy granola goodness, I toasted the almonds and pepitas before coating them in maple syrup and cinnamon. You'll be surprised how much deliciousness this adds! I tried to find dried cherries to include in this recipe, as this is a Christmas Muesli after all and in Australia, Christmas time is when cherries are at their best. Alas, my search was fruitless - pun very much intended. And so I went with craisins instead - a happy fallback. Lastly, please ensure you don't settle for a bran that tastes like cardboard. Choosing a delicious bran as I do (and I promise it does exist) will make such a difference.

Christmas Muesli

Ingredients

½ cup Slivered Almonds
½ cup Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
4 teaspoons Pure Maple Syrup
2/3 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 ½ cups Rolled Oats
1 ¼ cups Vogel's Ultra Bran (Soy and Linseed) - you can use other brans, but I love this one as it's delicious. Be sure to pick a yummy bran/bran flakes!
½ cup Craisins (sweetened dried cranberries)
3 tablespoons Dark Chocolate Chips

Method

1. Toast the almond slivers in a large non-stick pan over low heat for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan to ensure even toasting.
2. Add the pepitas and toast for an extra ~3 minutes until the almond slivers are lightly browned and fragrant.
3. Turn off the heat then add the maple syrup and cinnamon to the pan, stirring the almonds and pepitas to ensure they are evenly coated in syrup and spice. It will sizzle a little, that's just part of the fun. Set aside and allow to cool.
4. In a large bowl, add the oats, bran, craisins and dark chocolate chips.
5. Once the almonds and pepitas are cooled, use your hands to break up any pieces that are stuck together and add these to the bowl.
6. Mix everything together and then transfer to a jar or airtight container. Enjoy with milk and some fresh, sliced banana if you wish.

This recipe makes a big batch but trust me, you'll want it all! It could serve as one generous gift or two smaller ones. I hope my friends and family enjoy their Christmas Muesli. Ben is already requesting more. I have a feeling that this recipe won't be restricted to Christmas time in our house.

Heidi xo

Ben's Birthday Lunch at Red Hill

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 03:30:00 +0000

Last weekend we carried on Ben's Birthday celebrations with a beautiful little party for four at my parent's house. It was perfect. We spent a casual lazy five hours in Red Hill, watching my parents cook food and pretending to help. As it was the day after Ben's work Christmas party, I was most definitely lacking in sparkle. Tracksuit pants and the couch helped me along. As did a beautiful meal, Christmas Tree decorating, plum pudding prep and cocktail sampling (hey, the hair of the dog!).

Oh Christmas Tree...

Although Christmas is a hard time for our family (we lost my brother 4 years ago, 3 days before Christmas), we all still cherish this time of year. Being together. It's all that matters.

Mum always makes sure that I'm there to help with decorating the Christmas Tree. I love that she saves it for me.

My favourite decoration, my Plum Pudding.

Although when I made it at school I had no idea what it was supposed to be... and so I added eyes and a nose and made a face. Naturally. He's kind of adorable.

Mandatory dancing with tinsel to Christmas Carols. Yep, I'm one of those people who absolutely love Christmas Carols. My favourite this year? She and Him.

Time for food? I thought so...

.....

The Eats

May I present, my Dad's homemade fetta. That's right. He's been to Cheese School (cute!) and now makes his own cheese. Who knew it was possible for him to be even cooler?

For entree we delighted in Toasted Grainy Bread topped with Smashed Homegrown Broadbeans and Dad's Fetta. This was so so so delicious. Favourite.

And for the main event?...Rabbit Ragu with Homemade Pasta (recipe link). Mum and Dad really outdid themselves. This ragu was cooked for 6 hours. Mum added a mirepoix (onions, carrots, celery) to the base, and cooked it in oil and a little butter until soft. She felt this added a real depth to the base, and I agree. It. Was. Beautiful. Truly beautiful.

A simple Salad made festive with fresh red currants off their bush.

.....

Hey there, Puddin'

Each year I eagerly anticipate Mum's Plum Pudding. Last year I documented her making it (see the post here), and this year I watched her again. Perhaps next year I'll be more hands on, but honestly, I love sitting back and watching Mum do her thing. The recipe was passed down to mum from her Aunty Daphne, who was given the recipe from her Great Aunt in England. Special. This year we made the pudding a little late, but mum compensated by soaking the fruit in alcohol for longer. Bring on Christmas Day, when we'll combine this perky pudding with Boozy Sauce. Favourite.

.....

Woks, Mulberries, Cocktails and Cake

For Dad's birthday in November we bought him a wok plus some cooking accessories. He's keen to smoke, stirfry and steam! Ben helped him with seasoning the wok following this video (link).

Later on we sampled some Cocktail Creations. We're searching for a second cocktail for the wedding. I didn't fancy the Old Fashioned as much as I'd hoped. Any suggestions for a great, old school, non-fruity cocktail? I'd love to hear some.

Freshly picked Mulberries. Favourite.

To end our day? A Birthday Brownie. A leftover Salted Fudge Brownie to be precise.

Thanks for a gorgeous day, Mum and Dad. You spoil us so much, every time. You just can't help it. But we hope you never stop. Being spoilt by good food, family togetherness, homework in the form of cheese, laughter, bad carol singing and dancing and long lazy lunches is the epitome of happiness to me.

Heidi xo

Mushroom and Corn Quinoa Salad with Sweet and Spicy Sunflower Seeds

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Mushrooms are always such a treat. Although they’re not the prettiest morsel out there, they’re undoubtedly scrumptious (and nutritious to boot!). I find myself constantly surprised by the humble shroom; stirred into a risotto with wine, pecorino and stock, they are pure and light; grilled on a barbecue, they provide an earthy balance to meat and salad; and when simply sautéed with garlic and thyme, oh they make me weak at the knees.

As a Dietitian, I am all about the veggie love. Vegetables are an incredible source of a wide range of micronutrients. They’re high in fibre and non-starchy vegetable are super low in kilojoules. So they’re all-round marvellous, really. Including a wide range of colourful vegetables in your daily diet is a golden health tip, and most people simply do not eat enough. The recommendations for adults are 5 serves of vegetables a day, with one serve being ½ cup cooked vegetables or legumes, or 1 cup salad vegetables.

So, with all this in mind, when I was approached to create a Summer Mushroom recipe for Australian Mushroom Growers and their Summer Mushrooms Campaign, naturally I jumped at the opportunity to summon my shroom love and get creative in the kitchen. Anything I can do to inspire people to eat well, including eating and enjoying vegetables is fabulous.

I am really pleased with this salad - it’s tasty, it’s healthy and it’s exciting! I am quite in love with the way the creaminess of the goats cheese balances the kick of the sweet and spiced sunflower seeds (and they are spicy!). Then you have the supremely nutritious quinoa (which is such a favourite of mine) and mouthfuls of delightful, bursting sweet corn kernels. And it’s all finished off with smooth, sautéed mushrooms. Perfectly smooth shrooms. Ain’t that grand.

Mushroom and Corn Quinoa Salad with Sweet and Spicy Sunflower Seeds

Serves 2 as a main
or
Serves 4 as a side dish, alongside some lean grilled lamb or other meat.

Ingredients

For the Mushroom, Corn and Quinoa Salad:
4 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic
1 Red Chilli (½ is required for the recipe, or more if you wish)
220g Button Mushrooms
2 medium Corn Cobs (~200g Corn Kernels)
½ cup dry Quinoa (I used black quinoa in this recipe, but you can use white or red if you wish).
½ cup Water
½ cup Chicken Stock (you can use vegetable stock if you wish, or replace the stock with extra water. The stock adds more flavour, so you may wish to add a pinch of salt to the quinoa when cooking if just using water.)
2 handfuls Spinach Leaves
2 tablespoons Goats Cheese (I love Meredith Goats Cheese with all my heart, try this brand found at grocers and gourmet food shops. I always have at least one jar in my fridge to jazz up salads, omelettes, pasta dishes).
1 juicy Lemon, for juice and 1/3 teaspoon rind (see Sunflower Seeds below)
4 teaspoons Garlic-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I use Cobram Estate garlic-infused oil (found at Woolworths among other places). If you do not have access to garlic-infused oil, a) you should, and b) simply mix 1 clove of garlic with regular extra virgin olive oil).

For the Sunflower Seeds:
1 tablespoon Sunflower Seeds
2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
½ teaspoon Dried Chilli Flakes (reduce to ¼ teaspoon if you dislike spice)
½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
¼ teaspoon Salt
1/3 teaspoon Lemon Rind

Method

Cook the Quinoa:
1. Rinse the dry quinoa under cold water using a fine sieve, then put it in a pot with the stock and water. Bring to the boil then let it simmer down for ~15 minutes, adding more water if required. You will know it is cooked when the grain starts to separate and the water is mostly absorbed. Turn off the heat, pop the lid on and let it absorb any remaining water for ~10 minutes. Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork, set aside and allow to cool.

Cook the Sunflower Seeds:
2. In a small non-stick pan, toast the sunflower seeds over low heat for 3-4 minutes, until lightly toasty and golden. Add the sugar, spices and salt and stir until the sugar melts and the sunflower seeds are well coated in sugar and spice (~1 minute). Transfer the sunflower seeds to a sheet of baking paper and separate the seeds as best you can. Add the lemon zest over the top and leave to cool.

Cook the Mushrooms and Corn:
3. Slice the mushrooms around half a centimetre thick (i.e. not too fine, not too thick). Place in a bowl and set aside.
4. Remove the husks and hairs from your corn cobs and rinse under water. Place your corn cob on a chopping board, standing up vertically. Using a sharp knife, carefully shave down to remove the corn kernels from the cob. Repeat with the remaining corn cobs, then place the kernels in another bowl and set aside.
5. Thinly slice your chilli until you have the required portion – ½ tablespoon for moderate spice, more or less as you desire.
6. In a large non-stick pan, heat 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil over low-medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for ~3 minutes until soft. Transfer them to a bowl and set aside.
7. In the same pan add another 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil, then add the chilli and corn kernels and cook for 2-3 minutes until the corn turns a vibrant yellow colour. Add the garlic and stir through, then add the mushrooms and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring to ensure the garlic coats the mushrooms and that the corn and mushrooms are well cooked.

Assemble your Salad:

8. Place your quinoa and spinach leaves in a bowl - one large serving bowl or separate bowls per person, whatever you desire (assign ½ - ¾ cup cooked quinoa per person, depending on appetite).
9. Squeeze the lemon juice and drizzle the garlic-infused oil evenly over the top of the bowl(s) and toss to combine.
10. Top with the mushroom and corn mixture and the goats cheese, then finish by sprinkling the sweet and spiced sunflower seeds over the top.
11. Serve, eat and be merry.

Heidi xo

Salted Fudge Brownies for Ben's Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:00:00 +0000

This past year I've totally jumped on the salted sweets bandwagon. I'm quite happy to be a sheep and follow the hungry flock if the flock is onto something good. It turns out they were some crafty sheep. Sweet + Salt = Ingenious.

There is just something supremely sublime about a smooth, rich saccharine base plus a sprinkle of sharp saltiness... combining, contrasting and ultimately vivaciously dancing the jive together as you take a bite. It's a glorious thing.

Glorious it may be, nevertheless it's a demonstrably foreign notion to me practically, as a cook. Lately I've been itching to change this fact. Last Thursday was Ben's Birthday, which I deemed the perfect occasion to try out a salted sweet recipe I've been lusting after. Salted Fudge Brownies (recipe link). Oh yes I did.

Do you know Lindt Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt? (if you don't you should). Well these brownies are like that but intensified. They're really very dreamy...rich, incredibly fudgey and perfectly poised to make you get up and jive. The zing of the salt against the deep cocoa fudge will do that to you. Just beware of this fact, in case you eat them in public.

* Note: I cooked my brownies for 25 minutes, not the 35 minutes recommended. I suggest you test them early if your oven is efficient like mine. Overcooked brownies are a crime.

.....

We celebrated Ben's Birthday with a group of friends, enjoying a casual dinner at Rock Kung - a Classic Chinese Restaurant located in Glen Waverley (Ben's hometown). Ben and his family would frequent this place when he was growing up, so it was an easy, nostalgic choice of venue. My favourites were the Steamed Fish with Soy, Shallots and Coriander and the Garlic Snow Pea Sprouts. Clean, fresh, favourite. And for dessert...Salted Fudge Brownies, cut into bite sized pieces. Salted sweet love.

.....

Happy Birthday, gorgeous. You're the sweetness to my saltiness. Hang on.... that's not right. Correct sentiment, let's try that again...

Dear Ben, Happy Birthday. I love you and I love our life, filled with adventure, excitement, comfort, love and importantly: Salted Fudge Brownie happiness-induced dancing.

Heidi xo

Egg-Free Egg Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Heidi) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:34:00 +0000

Egg-Free Egg Salad.

Those of you who eat eggs are probably thinking, “…yes, but why”. Trust me, there’s totally a place for this recipe.

Us egg-eating individuals often forget that there are people out there who can’t eat eggs, for reason of personal preference but also due to allergies. Allergies and intolerances can be frustrating, especially when first learning how to deal with them. A favourite blogger of mine, Rebecca from InTolerant Chef inspired me to create this recipe. Her blog is incredibly warm and her knowledge of cooking for individuals with food intolerances is superb.

When I was handed a jar of Melrose’s Organic Egg-Free Sunflower Mayonnaise, I initially just could not stop thinking of eggs – go figure. And then this little nugget of an idea popped into my head. An egg-free egg salad. Yes.

And so it was done.

Tofu and Butter Beans provide the textural replacement for eggs, and nutritionally they’re giving you a protein hit (which you need if excluding eggs from the recipe!). The Corn I included because visually I wanted to have something yellow in there to replace the egg yolk. And the rest is just what you’d want in any old Egg Salad. Add Curry Powder to suit your preference. Personally, I love it! It reminds me of my Mum and Grandpa, cooking up Curried Baked Beans on toast or Kedgeree. Egg Salad falls into that same nostalgic food category for me.

I hope you like this recipe, and enjoy it as a change from your regular Egg Salad or perhaps make it for someone who doesn’t eat eggs. They should most definitely not be excluded from any Egg Salad fun.

Egg-Free ‘Egg’ Salad

* This recipe was created as part of my work with Melrose

Ingredients

Serves 1

40g (1 heaped tablespoon) Butter Beans (canned and rinsed)
50g firm Tofu (just be sure that it is not super hard or super soft)
½ tablespoon Red Onion, finely diced
1/3 teaspoon Keen’s Curry Powder (or less if you’re not keen on the flavour of Curry Powder)
½ tablespoon Melrose Organic Sunflower Mayonnaise
20g (1 tablespoon) Corn Kernels
½ tablespoon Chives, chopped
Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Pepper

Method
1. Add the butter beans to a small mixing bowl and mash roughly with a fork.
2. Add the tofu and roughly break it into chunks (being careful not to mash it, you still want some chunky texture).
3. Next add the diced red onion, curry powder and mayonnaise to the bowl, and gently stir with a dessert or tablespoon to combine.
4. Add the corn and chives and gently stir once more.
5. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
6. Serve and enjoy!

Heidi xo