Bake Bike Blog

Wrap it – bean and salad style

2012-02-02T19:00:00.000+11:00

Tonight Mr BBB and I are heading out with some friends for dinner.

Actually, when I look at our calendar for February, I can’t help but notice that we seem to be filling it with quite a few dinners and catch-ups with various friends.

Making the most of “couple time” before baby BBB arrives perhaps?

So let me share with you what one of my favourite lunches has been recently (aka. my attempt to stop buying lunch at work so often).

Bean and salad GF wraps.

Made all the more tasty by homemade bean spread.

Cannellini beans, parsley, tahini, lemon juice, almonds and salt.

Processed until smooth and voila.

A tasty healthy bean spread (or dip….)

I have been using this spread as a base for my lunch wraps.

Coupled with avocado…

Salad…

More salad and cheese…

Wrapped and rolled… and ready to pack to take to work!

The bean spread – with the creamy tahini, fresh herbs and hint of citrus, adds quite a bit of flavour to these wraps.

Not to mention packing lunch itself helped out my wallet ….

Gotta love a colourful pretty lunch!

What about you? Do you take your lunch to work? I find myself buying lunch most work days recently, although I always enjoy a homemade lunch when I remember to bring it.

5 things that have surprised me about pregnancy

2012-02-01T17:30:00.000+11:00

As my due date gets ever so closer, and conversations with friends and family inevitably turn to pregnancy and baby-related topics, I have found myself reflecting more and more on my experiences during pregnancy thus far.

Being my first viable pregnancy, I really don't have a lot to compare it to. And a part of me is certainly curious to know whether any subsequent pregnancies (if we are, of course, blessed enough to do this more than once) will be similar or completely different.

So bear with me as I get a little reflective on one topic I have put a bit of thought into lately.

5 things that have surprised me about pregnancy...

1. I am more laid back

Despite generally having a Type A 'must rush and organise this NOW' personality, I have found myself to be relatively laid back when it comes to planning and preparing for the arrival of Baby BBB. (I wrote about my theory for this here if you are interested). And, although I bought quite a few baby books when we found out I was pregnant, most of them remain unread, and I have found myself "going with the flow" far more than I ever expected I would.

(a nursery sneak peak…)

2. I did not get morning sickness

Before being pregnant, I just assumed that all pregnant ladies suffer from morning sickness. However, as the weeks progressed in the first trimester, and I had nothing aside from tiny fleeting moments of nausea, I realised that I was one of the lucky ones who wasn't going to be affected by morning sickness. I am really quite curious to see whether this remains true in any subsequent pregnancy, as many friends have mentioned having completely different symptoms the second time around.

(10 weeks pregnant and no morning sickness in sight!)

3. I miss my pre-pregnancy body

I want to start by saying that I am incredibly grateful for the wonderful gift that is being able to carry a child. Given our journey to become pregnant was a little longer than some, I figured that I would do nothing but embrace my pregnancy curves. However, if I am to be truly honest with myself, I do miss my pre-pregnancy body and the fitness it represented. It will come back, I know, but that's not to say I don’t miss it.

4. I forget that I am pregnant. All the time.

I am not kidding. Even at almost 35 weeks pregnant, with baby BBB regularly kicking and moving in my tummy, I forget that I am pregnant at least once a day. You would think the "oh my goodness there is a child growing inside me" realisations would have lessened by now, but they continue. And I really do feel sorry for the well meaning strangers who ask when I am due only to be met with a blank confused stare from me in response.

5. I am excited about labour

Before I was pregnant, the thought of labour was actually quite terrifying to me. However, as I get closer and closer to the 'big day' I find myself getting really excited. I am super curious to see how my body handles labour, and am feeling rather grateful that I get to experience labour at all.

Although perhaps Mr BBB will have to remind me of this philosophical outlook on labour a few hours in??

What about you? For those mummies ore preggy ladies out there - what surprised you most about being pregnant?

Lazy gal’s herbed quinoa and mushrooms

2012-01-31T20:33:00.000+11:00

Despite all appearances on this blog, I can assure you that some nights I find myself staring blankly in the fridge without a clue what to make for dinner. Throw in a long work day, an up and down pregnancy appetite, and the temptation to have a bowl of cereal instead of putting together a meal is ever present.

However, knowing that I am ‘eating for two’, I have made a conscious effort when these moments strike to delve into the crisper drawer and try to put together something a little more nutritious.

Tonight was one of those nights.

Back in the pantry went the box of cornflakes, and out of the fridge came a bunch of mushrooms.

Along with a bag of herbs, picked from a friend’s garden, and kindly donated to the BBB kitchen.

Into a pan, with a heaped spoonful of ginger,

And a pile of quinoa (that I had pre-cooked for 15 minutes or so, until fluffy).

Warmed through for a couple minutes, and this lazy gal's herbed quinoa and mushrooms was ready for the plate.

And, with the help of Mr BBB who was out on BBQ duty, our dinner was complete.

Herb-filled quinoa…

Served with a sausage and grilled zucchini.

And certainly worth the effort!

Delish!

What about you? What is your ‘fall back’ meal when the desire to cook is missing?

Our beachside getaway

2012-01-30T17:33:00.001+11:00

After 4 days spent by the sea, I would be lying if I said that heading back to ‘the reality’ of work was not a struggle this morning.

For although I live in a landlocked city, I love the calmness and peace that hearing and seeing the ocean inevitably provides. And our recent beachside getaway proved no different.

Our trip away was everything that I had hoped it would be.

I traded office meetings for crosswords…

Paperwork for afternoons spent reading by the pool….

(ps this is a great book!)

And corporate attire for flip flops and a bumped up bikini (gasp!!)

Our evening walks around the suburbs were replaced with daily long walks along the beach...

And off the beaten track…

With coastal views being our reward.

My camera was all but retired for the trip away, although it did come out rather quickly when I saw a frangipani tree near our hotel room.

So very gorgeous!!!

And not a tree you see in the city!

And even though one day was a little rain sodden…

Meaning our picnic lunch had to be eaten in the car….

The others were nothing but sunshine!

Making for some spectacular views as we dined alfresco at Rick Stein’s seafood restaurant - a fancy meal to celebrate Mr BBB's birthday!

No photos to offer, but I can assure you that the service was impeccable and the food was nothing but delightful. You’ll just have to take my word for it

And so we returned from our beachside getaway refreshed and relaxed. And finding it a little hard to believe that our next trip away will be as a family of 3!

What about you? Are you a fan of the beach?

Pregnancy Update – Week 34

2012-01-29T14:38:00.001+11:00

Happy Sunday lovely people!

Mr BBB and I have just returned home after 4 glorious days spent close to the ocean. Our plan was to do a ‘whole lot of nothing’, and I am pleased to report that we stuck to that plan!

And, as we have just returned from our last holiday as a ‘couple’ before we become a ‘family’, it is rather timely that I’m due for another weekly pregnancy update.

How far along? 34 weeks, 4 days

How big is baby? This week baby BBB has grown to the size of a cantaloupe.

(I suspect it will be melon comparisons from here on…)

How I'm feeling? Confident enough (or perhaps it is indifference?!) to flash the BBB bump in all its blindingly white glory in a bikini while holidaying at a beachside resort these past few days. Here’s hoping I didn't scare too many beachgoers

Weight? No idea. And I have no intention of jumping on the scale after the indulgent few days we have just had.

How I'm changing? I am getting very excited now that we are most certainly in ‘countdown’ mode until we meet our baby girl. Now….if only we could decide on her name…..

What I miss? Shellfish! Dining at Rick Stein’s seafood restaurant the other night was delightful – but I am certain that it was not as delightful as it could have been had I been able to indulge in the various shellfish dishes on the menu.

Symptoms? I am very aware (and grateful!) of the fact that I have had a relatively symptom-free pregnancy, compared to some people, with my major current symptoms being the fairly standard aches and pains associated with a growing belly.

So I thought this week I would look at the symptoms that most pregnant women report suffering from, that I have been lucky enough to avoid to any great extent thus far:

swollen hands / feet. My wedding rings still fit. I for one am super surprised about this as my fingers had a tendency to swell before I got pregnant?!
no nausea or morning sickness
no real increased need to pee. I have heard that many women need to get up several times throughout the night, however I am able to sleep right through (most nights)
no sleep problems. I have always been a very good sleeper, and am very grateful that aside from a couple episodes of insomnia (mainly when my brain wont switch off), physically I am still quite comfortable when sleeping.

Hmmm…..here's hoping I have now not jinxed myself for the next 6 weeks!

Cravings? Shellfish. See above!

Highlights this week? Spending 4 amazing days with Mr BBB near the beach, during our last 'pre baby' getaway. Swimming, reading, sleeping, walking and generally luxuriating. It was bliss.

Replay: Taste of Australia

2012-01-26T17:04:00.000+11:00

Happy Australia Day lovely people!

While many Australians are gearing up for a day filled with BBQs, flip flops, eskies, beer, cricket and beaches, Mr BBB and I are on our way to spend 3 nights at a glorious beachside resort as our last getaway before Baby BBB arrives.

I think they call this a babymoon?

We have both been looking forward to this trip since November (when we booked it), and plan on doing a whole lot of nothing while away.

Nothing except for reading, sleeping, lying by the pool, swimming and eating. Of course.

So given we are most likely on the road by now, but in honour of Australia Day, let me re-share with you some of the “Australian” recipes that featured on BBB last year in my Taste of Australia series.

For Australia Day is also a great chance to get cooking and baking!

Part 1 - Kangaroo and Macadamia Salad

Part 2 - Vegemite scrolls

Part 3 - Lamington Cake

Part 4 – Damper

Part 5 - Homemade tim tams

What about you? What are you up to this Australia Day?

Baby things…

2012-01-25T19:14:00.001+11:00

Slowly but surely, Mr BBB and I are getting ready for the arrival of our baby girl.

But, for someone who is rather 'type A', I have actually surprised myself by the lack of rush on my part to get everything in order. I suspect that perhaps given our pregnancy journey was not as straight forward as some, and with my anxiety levels remaining pretty high during the first 20 weeks or so, a part of me didn't want to jinx everything.

A little silly right?

But as my body and mind started to relax, particularly in the third trimester, I have certainly come to accept that there is a very good chance that we will be welcoming a healthy baby girl into our lives in the not too distant future. That nothing will go wrong. Or even if it does, it is not something that I can control.

And with it, has come a renewed desire to start getting everything in order!

Over the last couple of months, I have received quite a few questions about our choices of equipment. So, for those who are interested, here is what we have chosen for some of our 'bigger items'.

The pram

It was choosing the right pram that caused me the most grief during our baby preparations. I found the ridiculous amount of brands, options, styles and prices thoroughly overwhelming, and just didn’t know where to start. So Mr BBB and I spent quite a few hours discussing what we considered to be our 'must have' features when it came to the pram, and slowly but surely we got a better idea of what we were looking for.

On the list -

Could be fitted with a car capsule instead of a bassinet when baby BBB is a newborn
Could fit a car capsule and a toddler seat (should we be lucky enough to have another baby down the track)
Was of good quality
Was easy to use and fold

With these 4 'must haves' in mind, I was then able to go to our local baby store and drill the sales assistant for a good 1.5 hours until it became clear that the Baby Jogger City Select was the pram for us.

While it was rather expensive, it ticked all the above boxes, and we are hoping that this pram will be suitable in the future should there be further additions to our family.

The car capsule

To go with our chosen pram, we opted for the Maxi Cosi car capsule.

This capsule clicks straight into the pram (we had to also purchase an adapter in order to do this), meaning that Baby BBB can be transferred from car to pram without having to be taken out of the capsule.

(Our pram fitted with the capsule)

I won't bore you with how long it took us to realise that a part was missing from the box, however, in order to install the base into the car. Let's just say that after 2 hours, we were feeling rather flustered that we couldn't work out how to install the carrier. Turns out we didn't have all the pieces!

Carriers / wraps

While I am yet to purchase any slings, I have my eye on the Baby Bjorn active carrier as well as the Hug-a-bub sling. Mr BBB and I are hoping to get at least one sling / carrier that we can both use, although given he is 6'3 and I am 5'7 - this may be easier said than done.

Well comfortably at least.

Nappies

We are planning on using disposable nappies initially, while bubs is a newborn, but then hope to switch to cloth after 6 weeks or so. I have heard some glowing reviews about both Bonnibuns and Itti Bittis, so are looking at giving both types a try to see what suits us and baby BBB best.

So there you have it – some of the bigger items we have crossed off our list thus far. I am really curious to see how each item goes once bubs arrives – as the ‘baby item’ industry certainly seems to be a big one…there is so much choice (and so much ‘sales spin’)!

Now all that is missing is a baby to test them all out

Any ‘must have item’ recommendations for a first time mum?

Lemon meringue cheesecake

2012-01-24T19:00:00.000+11:00

Mr BBB celebrates a birthday later this week. And, as we will be away on his actual birthday, we decided to hold a birthday dinner with his family a little early.

Our favourite local Thai restaurant provided the scrumptious main meal, but we headed home for dessert.

For we had birthday cake awaiting us. And not just any old birthday cake….

But a cake that was inspired by Mr BBB’s favourite sweet treat – lemon meringue pie. Adapted to be gluten free, and made into a cheesecake.

ie. a lemon meringue cheesecake!

The base was rather easy – owing to these GF biscuits I found at our local grocery store.

Crushed, and combined with melted butter.

Then pressed into the base of a lined spring-form pan.

Topped with the cheesecake layer – made with cream cheese, eggs, sugar and lemon rind.

Baked for 1 hour, and finished with a thick layer of lemon curd (store bought….I cheated).

And set in the fridge overnight.

On the day of serving, all I had to do was finish the cake with a layer of meringue.

Egg whites and sugar, whisked until firm, then piped on top the cheesecake layer.

Baked for a further 10 minutes until the meringue had browned slightly…

And our lemon meringue birthday cheesecake was complete!

Between the buttery base…

The creamy cheesecake and tart lemon curd centre…

And not to mention the fluffy sweet meringue….

This cake ended up being quite the lovely adaptation of an old classic.

Minus the hassle of attempting GF pastry!

The slices we served were certainly well received for dessert, so I am calling this baking experiment a win!

Although, can you really go wrong when lemon and meringue are involved???

I think not.

Lemon meringue cheesecake (GF)

250g GF biscuits
120g butter, melted
500g cream cheese, softened
Rind of 1 lemon
3/4 cup + 1 cup caster sugar
2tbs lemon curd (make sure it is GF)
3 eggs + 4 egg whites
1/2 tsp cornflour

Preheat oven to 160C. Lightly grease a round spring-form cake pan, and line base with baking paper.
Process biscuits until they resemble fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, and pulse until combined. Press the biscuit mixture into the prepared tin, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat 3 eggs and 3/4 cup caster sugar, until light and creamy.
In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese and lemon rind until smooth.
Add the egg mixture to the cream cheese mixture, and continue to beat until smooth (do not overbeat!).
Pour atop the biscuit base, and bake for 50 minutes. Turn off the oven, and allow to cool in the oven with the door ajar.
Once cooled, spread the lemon curd over the surface of the cheesecake, and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
To make the meringue – beat 4 egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add 1 cup of sugar, a little at a time, whisking until they become stiff peaks and the sugar has incorporated.
Fold through the cornflour, and spoon the meringue into a piping bag. Pipe rounds of the meringue onto the top of the prepared cheesecake, until the surface is mostly covered.
Place in a hot oven (220C) for 10 minutes, or until browned lightly.
Remove and allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before serving.

Cauli potato mash

2012-01-23T19:00:00.000+11:00

Aww thankyou for all your sweet comments about yesterday’s post. You really do know how to make a preggy gal feel good about herself (and her blindingly white baby bump!?).

Want to know something else that was blindingly white?

This simple side dish that I want to share with you.

One that was rather random in its creation, but ended up being rather tasty.

Just cauliflower and potato, steamed until tender.

Mashed with a little butter, a dash of milk and a ‘throw in’ of grated cheese.

Combined… and voila!

Cauli potato mash – creamy and delicious.

Served with scotch fillet and sliced zucchini (both seasoned with a sprinkle of bush spice blend and grilled on the BBQ).

Finished with fresh parsley, and dinner was served.

If you find mashed potato a little heavy going, particularly in the warmer weather, this might be the side dish for you. I found the cauliflower ‘lightened’ the mash a tad, while being a rather tasty accompaniment to the steak.

Delish!

What about you? Do you have a favourite vegetable mash combination?

Pregnancy Update – Week 33

2012-01-22T13:16:00.001+11:00

Happy Sunday lovely people! I hope that you are having a fantastic weekend. Ours has been lovely thus far – and with a lemon meringue cheesecake baking in the oven as I type….well it looks like it will be finishing on a rather sweet note too.

But is time for another weekly pregnancy update.

How far along? 33 weeks, 4 days- aka - 45 days until my due date.

How big is baby? This week baby BBB has grown to the size of a pineapple.

How I'm feeling? Tired. But happy. While I am still generally sleeping wonderfully (lucky I know!), and feeling rather energetic during the morning, come mid afternoon I am well and truly hitting a wall. To compensate for this, I have been trying to schedule my more 'complex' work tasks for the morning, and leaving the easier work tasks for the afternoon. It seems to be working so far....

Weight? Up 0.5kg this week. Back on track after a small loss last week.

How I'm changing? This week I had my first 'please slow down' moment with respect to time (when normally I am asking it to 'hurry up'!) With only 3.5 weeks of work left until I start maternity leave, there seems to be so much to do, and not a lot of time to do it in (particularly when the afternoon fatigue hits - see above!)

What I miss? Having my family nearby (they lives interstate). While we email / chat as often as we can, it is just not the same as being able to sit down and catch up face to face. And, with that in mind, I am certainly getting excited about seeing my Mum in 2 weeks when comes up to Canberra for my baby shower!

Symptoms? Aside from more braxton hicks contractions during each of our evening walks, this has been a fairly symptom-free week. Baby BBB has been quite the mover and shaker, although I suspect she is starting to run out of room as her movements are less like kicks and more like big thuds and rolls as she changes position (I am guessing).

Cravings? Blueberry and banana pancakes. And yes, I indulged. And yes, they were delicious!

Highlights this week? The biggest highlight for me this week was Mr BBB (and baby BBB) getting the all clear after a rather dramatic day for the both of us. There really is nothing like a scare to remind oneself how precious their loved ones are. I still get teary just thinking about it.

Warm cab-apple salad

2012-01-20T19:30:00.000+11:00

Let me share with you one of my favourite meals from this week.

A dinner that was inspired by a recipe in a recent edition of the Healthy Food Guide, which remains the one and only magazine that I subscribe to.

The recipe was for lemon and thyme pork with a cold cabbage salad.

And while the idea of a cold cabbage salad didn't have that much appeal to me, a warm cabbage salad with a few extras thrown in on the other hand, did!

My warm version came together very easily, using some tasty produce from our crisper.

Cabbage for substance, carrot for colour and apple for sweetness.

Into a pan with a splash of olive oil, lemon juice and some dijon mustard. Finished with sunflower seeds for crunch…

And some fresh parsley. Too easy really!

I followed the recipe when it came to flavouring the pork fillets.

Just lemon zest and fresh thyme.

Grilled on our trusty grill for 5 minutes or so.

All together now!

And, you know what?

Although the pork was lovely and tender, I would have also been quite happily to have eaten the warm cabbage salad all on its own.

It was sweet, and crunchy, with just a hint of spice from the mustard.

Definitely one to be repeated.

PS - I really don't' understand why cabbage has such a bad reputation. It can be jazzed up with spices and flavours so easily, that it really doesn't have to be bland or boring at all.

Warm cab-apple salad (serves 3-4 as a side dish) adapted from HFG

1tbs olive oil
1/8 green cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, grated
1 apple, grated
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbs sunflower seeds

Heat oil in a frypan over a medium heat.
Add the cabbage, carrot and apple, and cook until the cabbage has softened (stirring as required).
Add the lemon juice and dijon mustard. And stir to combine.
Add the parsley and sunflower seeds, and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes.
Serve warm.

What about you? Are you a cabbage fan?

The power of pancakes

2012-01-19T18:30:00.000+11:00

Both Mr BBB and I thank you for all your well wishes after the crazy day we had yesterday - you guys really are too sweet :)

And, I am pleased to report that today was 'drama free'. Mr BBB is feeling happy and healthy, and it was a relatively normal day all things considered (for which we are very grateful). I too am feeling rather more human after a wonderful night's sleep.

Or perhaps it was due to the power of pancakes???

Because pancakes is exactly what we had for dinner last night.

We cheated and used a pre-mixed GF batter, with blueberries thrown in for some colour and flavour...

Add some bananas that I grilled with a little butter and brown sugar....

And our 'recovery' dinner after a rather crazy day was complete.

Times this by 2 - and I had one happy belly.

I haven’t had pancakes in ages, even though I have been meaning to. And these little blueberry pancakes were just delightful.

Light, fluffy, sweet and delicious.

And, although I used to be all about the lemon / sugar combination when it comes to pancake toppings, the grilled banana and blueberries in this version just might have me converted.

I think all that was missing was a sprinkle of toasted coconut. Next time perhaps?

What about you? What is your favourite pancake topper?

What a dramatic day…

2012-01-18T19:00:00.000+11:00

Well today was not as expected.

After what we thought was a small mountain biking fall last night, but which had resulted in some nasty cuts, Mr BBB gave me the fright of my life this morning when he collapsed onto the bathroom floor while brushing his teeth.

Luckily I was nearby, and able to sort of catch all 6'3 of him as he fell, but he was out cold and non-responsive for a good 15 seconds during and after the fall.

And I don't think I have ever been so scared in my life.

5 hours at the hospital later, under the care of some wonderful and compassionate doctors and nurses, he has been given the all clear - thank goodness! It seems that his body may have just been in a bit of shock after the fall last night, combined with a little loss of blood overnight, but thankfully there was no head injury.

And slowly but surely my blood pressure and stress levels are starting to come back down to normal.

Actually, I felt as if most of my day was spent surrounded by doctors.

For, not only did I spend a good part of the day with Mr BBB at one hospital, I had a pre-planned obstetrician appointment this afternoon. Perfect timing really - for given that I also ended up on the bathroom floor after catching a rather heavy husband, I wanted my specialist to do a thorough check of baby BBB. She had been wriggling most of the day so I wasn't too worried, but I wanted to be sure....

Luckily it was good news all round, with baby BBB continuing to measure spot on and with a strong and healthy heartbeat.

It seems that it is just her mum that remains a little frazzled after a rather dramatic day indeed. Although one that certainly has a happy ending.

So my words of wisdom for the day???

Go hug a loved one.

That’s what I will be doing tonight

Maple banana cake with passionfruit icing

2012-01-17T17:41:00.001+11:00

Oh my, this gal is rather tired this evening.

And not due to any pregnancy-related reason, but rather just due to a bad night's sleep caused by (a) spending too much time on the computer before bed last night, (b) dwelling on some outstanding work matters which resulted in (c) lying wide awake at 3.00am. But hey, at least I got some more reading in.

Even if it was at 3.00am?!

Fatigue aside, as I alluded to over the weekend, my baking mojo finally returned!

And not a moment too soon, when I was asked to bring dessert to a family dinner.

With 3 bananas sitting in our fruit bowl, I had one dessert flavour in mind.

Banana.

Maple banana cake with passionfruit icing to be precise.

Just mix, pour…

And smooth.

Baked for 1 hour...

Filling our house with wonderful aromas of banana, maple and sugar.

The icing itself could not have been simpler.

Just icing sugar, a little butter, and some fresh passionfruit.

Combined then poured over the banana cake that I had allowed to cool.

So very luscious indeed.

I was really pleased with the texture of the banana cake, that was spicy and moist, and packed with banana flavour.

The passionfruit icing also added a nice 'zing' to the cake.

Delish!

Maple banana cake with passionfruit icing (can be made gluten free*)

1 cup white spelt flour (*of GF flour if making this GF)
1 cup GF plain flour
3 tsp GF baking powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp bicarb soda
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed well
2 eggs
1/3 maple syrup
1tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
70g melted butter, cooled
1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp soft butter
2 passionfruits, pulp only

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a loaf tin, and line the base and sides with baking paper.
Sift flours and baking powder into a large bowl. Sift again, with xanthan gum, bicarb soda, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together banana, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla. Add sour cream and butter, and whisk to combine.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir to combine.
Pour into prepared loaf tin, and bake for 50 – 60 minutes (or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean). Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing: Combine the icing sugar, butter and passionfruit pulp in a mixer, and beat until smooth. Pour / spread over the cooled loaf.
Slice and serve.

What about you?How do you like to ‘switch off’ to ensure a good night’s sleep?

Mango rocket salad

2012-01-16T20:05:00.000+11:00

Thankyou for your helpful comments re yesterday's post. The more people I talk to about my 'walking pains', the more I am becoming certain that they might be braxton hicks contractions. Who knew!They are certainly not too painful, just annoying more than anything.

Pregnancy talk aside, after a big late lunch today, I did not feel like a heavy dinner. Just salad and a bit of protein was what I went in search for when we returned home after our evening walk.

And, the world's largest mango proved to be the perfect ingredient for a summer salad.

Just 4 ingredients.

Mango, rocket, feta and french vinaigrette.

And with a few (oh how very Australian) rissoles on the side, dinner was complete.

I loved the freshness of the salad, which had a nice mix of sweet (from the mango), salty (from the feta) and pepper (from the rocket). I am really loving fruit in salads at the moment!

What about you? Are you a fan of fruit in salads?

Pregnancy Update – Week 32

2012-01-15T13:26:00.001+11:00

Happy Sunday lovely people!

Mr BBB and I have had quite the productive yet relaxing weekend (which appears to be theme of our weekends of of late). More baby items were purchased, many white hot chocolates were consumed, the house was cleaned and I am just about to give Mr BBB a haircut.

I also caught up with a dear friend for brunch this morning, who just happens to be pregnant with a little girl (due 3 weeks after me!). It really was lovely to chat all things ‘babies’ over eggs and toast, without fear of ‘boring’ my brunch companion. Not to mention knowing that we will each have a “coffee and chats” buddy when we are both on maternity leave at the same time in a few months!

How far along? 32 weeks, 4 days (meaning there is only 50-something days to go!)

How big is baby? Apparently this week baby BBB has grown to the size of a jicama….whatever that is. Although during month 8 she will grow to the size of a melon.

How I'm feeling? Physically, this has been a rather unusual week. During a couple of our evening walks I developed some rather annoying pains / tightness in my lower abdomen, which seemed to stop whenever I stopped walking. Round ligament pains perhaps? I am not sure whether it is due to baby BBB's size, or perhaps her position, but everyday tasks are starting to become more uncomfortable (and more comical) and I can only imagine what it will be like in another 6 weeks!

Weight? My weight was actually down very slightly from this time last week, which I must say was rather unexpected. My weight does have a tendency to fluctuate a fair bit, however, so I am not too worried. Particularly given that I am still towards the top end of average weight gained for this stage in pregnancy and baby BBB is still measuring right on track.

How I'm changing? I am starting to feel "ready". And not just because I have purchased most of the big baby items, but ready in the emotional sense. This week I really noticed a shift in my thoughts from “I still don't believe this is happening” to “omg I am so freakin’ excited and getting so very impatient to meet our daughter”.

All in good time.

What I miss? Being able to lick the bowl when making a cake. Raw eggs = no bowl licking

Symptoms? More stretchmarks - this time on my lower belly. And yes, I vainly and quite unreasonably almost burst into tears upon their discovery (much to Mr BBB's disapproval / frustration). It seems that no amount of oiling and moisturising are going to stop these little buggers from making their appearance.

Cravings? Chocolate. Reese’s peanut butter cups in particular. Can’t. get. enough.

Highlights this week? Continuing to feel our baby girl move and roll inside me, which I swear, never ceases to amazes me.

Oh and getting my baking groove back. There is a banana maple cake in the oven as I type….

Plate of random – take 4

2012-01-13T20:07:00.001+11:00

I am no stranger when it comes to creating a 'plate of random' for dinner.

see here
and here
and here

These plates generally seem appear when stocks in our fridge are getting low, or when there are leftovers that need to be eaten but those leftovers are not enough to create a full meal.

Such as tonight.

Haloumi.

Asparagus and zucchini.

Brown / white rice.

And ... cornchips???

Yes, cornchips.

Poppy seed and cheddar cornchips to be precise.

For no other reason than the bag was open, and I find them rather delicious.

A tasty, albeit random, dinner indeed!

What about you? Eaten anything 'random' lately?

Costco finds

2012-01-12T17:14:00.000+11:00

I am not opposed to Costco, as such.

But when I was informed that I could not even enter the recently opened Costco without being a member, well it really had no appeal to me. For why would I spend $90 on a membership before I even knew whether the store was something that (a) I would like and (b) that I would actually frequent?

The concept just seems so counter-intuitive to me.

However, over the weekend I relented on my rather uninspiring Costco protest when an opportunity to have a ‘gander’ at the store with my sister in law arose.

And let’s just say I did not walk away empty handed.

Returning home with some ‘essential’ items, but also some ‘not so essential’ items

M&Ms for him, peanut butter for her.

Some of my favourite muesli bars, and a rather large bag of quinoa.

Laundry supplies…

Baby wipes and newborn nappies (which we plan to use initially, then switch to cloth).

And, in a moment of pure indulgence, a ginormous bag of my favourite sweet treat.

I could not resist.

So what did I think of Costco?

Truthfully, it was ok. Suitable and useful for a purpose, but probably not somewhere I would frequent all that often. Although, it was rather busy when we were there, suggesting that the broader community is enjoying the opportunity to buy in bulk.

What about you? Are you a Costco fan?

Stir it, fry it

2012-01-11T20:07:00.000+11:00

That was certainly my mantra for dinner this evening.

Mr BBB worked late, then we wanted to fit in our evening walk, so a quick and easy dinner was a must.

Rather unsurprisingly, we turned to a stir fry.

Starting with rump steak, sliced and marinated in mixture of GF soy, rice wine, garlic and ginger.

For I am trying to include more red meat in my diet after finding our that I am slightly anaemic during my OB appointment the other week.

Stir-fried with broccoli..

And served with a brown / white rice combination courtesy of our rice cooker.

Topped with green onions. And our dinner was complete.

To time save - we had put the rice cooker on, and had the meat marinating, while we were out for our walk.

Then, when we got home, it was just a matter of throwing the beef and vegetables into a wok and voila.

Dinner in a flash.

What about you? Are you as in love with your rice cooker as we are? We bought the one pictured above using a gift voucher a while ago and I am smitten. It has a timer function and will cook my porridge to perfection (a big improvement on our last rice cooker that would leave half uncooked and stuck to the pot!)

My first Arepa attempt

2012-01-10T19:02:00.001+11:00

Arepa (ah-ray-paz): A Venezuelan or Columbian grilled corn cake that is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Often halved and filled with meats, vegetables, cheese or butter.

I had never even heard of arepas until I visited a quaint allergy-friendly cafe in San Francisco during our USA travels last year.

Pica Pica, also known as the “Maize Kitchen”, turned out to be quite the champion of Venezuelan cuisine, offering these darling little corn breads with a variety of fillings for lunch.

During our visit, I wasted no time in selecting an arepa filled with tofu, black beans, plantains and avocado.

And I loved every mouthful.

So it should come as no surprise that when I came across this bag of ground corn flour at our local Asian grocer (of all places?!), I grabbed it with the intention of trying my hand at making arepas at home.

And a lazy Sunday last weekend provided the perfect arepa making opportunity.

Corn flour, mixed with water, milk, baking powder and salt.

Rested and formed into a soft dough…

Kneaded and divided into balls…

Then flattened using wet hands.

The first stage of the cooking the arepas involved pan frying them in a little oil on both sides, until golden brown.

This, I am told, creates the ‘crunchy’ outside that arepas are known for.

Then, it is into the oven for 25 more minutes, to allow the dough itself to cook through and the arepas to puff up slightly.

I decided to keep the fillings relatively simple, opting for a somewhat “Italian” mixture of avocado, fresh tomato, basil, mozzarella and some sliced ham (heated).

And, I was pleased to find a nice doughy interior when I sliced into the arepa, another ‘feature’ that they are known for.

Time to fill!

I really enjoyed this tasty little sandwich, that is a perfect gluten and wheat free alternative to sandwich bread.

And, although there was a bit of effort involved in bringing the arepas together, I wouldn’t say they are difficult to make.

I personally loved the crunchy exterior, and doughy inside…

And the options for fillings really are endless!

Thankyou Pica Pica for inspiration to make these tasty arepas at home. And, given how big the bag of corn flour is that I bought, I suspect we will be making a lot more of these in the future too.

Arepas (makes 4) – gluten and wheat free

2 cups masa lista ground corn flour (*I found some at an Asian grocer)
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm milk
1 cup warm water

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with foil, and spray lightly with cooking oil.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
Add the milk and water, and mix well until combined. Let rest for 10 minutes, covered, then knead until smooth (the dough will be relatively soft so do the best you can).
Divide into 4, and shape into balls.
With wet hands, flatten each ball into a pancake shape, using the palms of your hand.
Heat a frypan over a medium heat, and spray with oil. Place shaped arepas into pan, and cook for 5 minutes on each side (or until you develop a nice golden brown crust).
Transfer the arepas to the prepared baking tray, and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven, and slice through to serve.

What about you? Ever tried an arepa?

5 lessons I learned today…

2012-01-09T17:00:00.000+11:00

1. White hot chocolate is far superior to regular hot chocolate. In flavour that is.

It is, however, quite horrific when you spill an entire large hot cup of it into your lap and all over your work desk, resulting in some rather soggy and sweet smelling pants.

And desk.

And carpet.

Work afternoon fail.

2. Uploading photos into Picnik.com to make photo collages, without resizing them first, is not a good idea. And by “not a good idea” I mean “will undoubtedly use up all allotted monthly internet downloads in one hit”.

The result? A very slow computer until the next billing cycle and a very cranky husband.

Not to mention a very frustrating afternoon working from home instead of the office (occasioned by the soggy pants referred to in lesson #1 above).

3. Those regular soft rhythmic thuds I have been feeling in my lower pelvis recently are baby hiccups! So very cute indeed. And an instant mood improver when lessons #1 and #2 seek to dampen the day (excuse the pun).

4. I am officially in love with our new lawn, in all its green, luscious glory. Not only has it survived the Summer heat (thus far), it also had its first haircut (aka mowing) yesterday.

I am seriously a proud lawn mother. Tragic, I know.

5. When all else fails, a ginormous bag of Reese’s peanut butter cups, purchased during a recent Costco excursion, will generally save the day!

Although it will serve to freak Mr BBB and I out when we realise that Baby BBB currently weighs more than this bag. She weighs around 1.7kg at this point, and this bag weighs 1.58kg….or should I say “did weigh 1.58kg”

What about you? What ‘lessons’ have you learned recently?

Pregnancy Update – Week 31

2012-01-08T15:21:00.001+11:00

Happy Sunday lovely people!

Today has been just as most of my recent Sundays have been. A little sleep in, brunching with Mr BBB, followed by some pottering around the house. And trying to muster the energy / motivation to tackle one of the bigger jobs on our list (cluttered messy garage….I’m looking at you!!!!)

But Sunday also means…time for a weekly pregnancy update.

How far along? 31 weeks 4 days

How big is baby? This week baby BBB has grown to the size/weight(?) of 4 oranges.

Kinda makes me feel awkward about having freshly squeezed orange juice with brunch this morning

How I'm feeling? This week was a hot one, with temperatures reaching in excess of 35C. And, while I had heard that being pregnant during Summer can be quite uncomfortable, being someone who loves Summer I didn't think much of it.

However, the horrified stare Mr BBB gave me when he arrived home from work last Tuesday and found me looking rather "hot and bothered", has made me think that am not perhaps coping with the heat as much as I thought I would ;)

Weight? Up, but on track.

How I'm changing? I can most certainly tell that baby BBB has had a growth spurt over the last couple of weeks, with the extra weight weight resulting in a slower pace during our evening walks. I am so happy that we are still getting out for walks most evenings, albeit slow ones, covering between 2 – 5 km depending on how I am feeling and how much time we have.

What I miss? Running and bike riding! While walking is nice, it is not the running and bike riding that I love so much. I really can’t wait to get back into them!

Symptoms? The tiredness of the first trimester is starting to creep back in, which is quite usual during this stage of pregnancy apparently. By mid afternoon I find myself craving a nap (which is fine on weekends, but not so fine during the work week).

Other than that, I am continuing to feel very well and healthy, with no problems sleeping or the like.

Cravings? Again, I am still loving freshly squeezed juice! The fresher and the colder the better.

Highlights this week? Continuing to prepare for our daughter’s arrival has certainly been a highlight of this week.

We are now the proud owners of our very own pram, and I must admit that seeing it sitting in the corner of the room is both exciting and scary at the same time!

I also framed some pictures for the nursery, and am just now waiting on a chair and some shelves to arrive before I can put on the finishing touches.

Roasted kipfler, pea and feta salad

2012-01-06T20:03:00.001+11:00

Between the lamb cutlets and duck that have graced our dinner table lately, I was looking for a vegetarian dish for dinner this evening to balance out the week.

And with this Christmas present again providing inspiration…

It wasn’t long until I came across a dish that sounded oh so appealing.

Roasted kipfler, pea and feta salad.

First, the stars of the show…

The kipfler potatoes! Washed and sliced….

Drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt.

Then roasted for 40 minutes until golden brown.

Combined with blanched green peas, crumbled feta, fresh mint, and dressed simply with olive oil/white wine vinegar/dijon mustard…

And we had ourselves quite the tasty warm potato salad.

To add some protein to the meal, I sliced some firm tofu…

And raided the pantry for a “tofu” flavour. When I came across this tomato jam, well I couldn’t resist.

Spooned atop the tofu, and grilled until golden.

All together now!

This ended up being one of those random dishes that you enjoy so very much, and vow that you will make it again sometime soon.

Even if the dish itself is far from ‘photogenic’

The clear taste winner for me were the waxy kipfler potatoes, which worked rather well with the fresh mint and blanched peas. Not to mention the creamy feta.

'twas most certainly a dish worth putting the oven on in Summer for!

And a lovely vegetarian end to the working week.

What about you? Do you have a favourite type of potatoes? I really do enjoy the waxy varieties, such as kipfler.

Crispy duck and noodle salad & nesting

2012-01-05T20:30:00.000+11:00

Donna Hay again provided inspiration for tonight's dinner, in the form of a crispy duck and noodle salad.

Funny thing is, like the lamb cutlets we had the other night, duck is also one of Mr BBB's favourite meats - but certainly not one of mine.

I think someone is trying to win the 'best wife' award ;)

My grand plans for this duck salad were initially thrown into disarray when a search of my local shops and butchers revealed none of the star ingredient.

That is, no luck on the duck.

An emergency dash into Civic proved successful, however, and I returned home with two little duck breasts, all set for their salad glory.

The duck was sliced thinly, then coated in a mixture of water chestnut flour, salt and pepper. Given my chilli tolerance is pretty much non existent these days (thanks to pregnancy?), I left out the ground chilli that the recipe called for, and added some extra ground pepper instead.

While Mr BBB gave the duck a quick shallow fry in the wok, I finished up the remaining salad ingredients.

Rice vermicelli noodles, sliced carrots...

And an abundance of fresh herbs...

Basil, coriander and my favourite....mint!

Combined, and dressed simply with a mixture of lime juice, sugar and fish sauce.

Classic flavours really.

Piled high...

And finished with fresh lime and some sliced chilli (that I promptly picked out after sampling one mouthful....too spicy for me!).

This was a delightful summer salad that although being light on ingredients, was packed with flavour.

Funny thing is, Mr BBB thought he overcooked the duck and wasn't the biggest fan. I actually preferred our version to how it comes normally, as a lot of the 'fatty' flavour that duck traditionally has had melted (?) away.

Another bonus being how quickly this dish came together - less than 15 minutes from start to finish.

A winner indeed!

ps. want to know what else a gal who is 31 weeks pregnant decides to do when she gets home from work?

Re-oil the front and back decks it seems…

nesting much?

What about you? Are you a fan of duck?

Quince lamb cutlets

2012-01-04T18:20:00.000+11:00

After feeling rather hot and bothered in the 35C+ heat yesterday, I was a little relieved to be spending today back in the "comforts" of my air-conditioned work office. And, with most people taking this week off as holidays, the office was so very quiet, allowing me to ease back into the working year.

ps. 6 weeks until I start maternity leave. Crazy right!?

With the heat of the day still lingering, last night I went in search of a dinner recipe that would require minimal oven time (our BBQ being out of action until the fresh varnish on our back deck dried).

What resulted was more of a Mr BBB dinner, rather than a Lisa dinner. For while I love roast lamb, lamb cutlets are a little fatty in taste for me, so they are generally not my cut of choice.

Mr BBB, however, is quite the fan of lamb cutlets, which is perhaps what inspired me to try a recipe for quince lamb cutlets I found while flicking through one of the recipe books I was given for Christmas.

And, with the lamb recipe only having 2 ingredients, it really was an easy dish.

Just lamb cutlets and quince paste. Oh and a sprinkle of salt and pepper - so I guess that is, more correctly, 4 ingredients.

The recipe also called for grilled blue cheese polenta. However I opted to change it slightly to make it pregnancy friendly - substituting grated cheddar cheese in place of the blue cheese.

Just instant polenta, cooked then allowed to set in the fridge. Cut into slices, topped with grated cheese, and grilled alongside the lamb cutlets for 10 -15 minutes or so.

Finished with a handful of salad leaves, and our dinner was complete.

While I enjoyed the sweetness of the quince paste, I was not overly fussed with the lamb itself (as expected, it was a little too fatty in flavour for me).

Mr BBB, however, kept commenting how much he loved the lamb, which highlights how different our tastes can be sometimes!

I personally loved the polenta, that was firm and cheesy, and a nice change to the usual soft variety that I make.

Overall – I was glad this dish kept the man and his tummy happy.

For I suspect once bubs arrives, our meals may be a little less experimental, and a little more 'toasted sandwich' ;)

What about you? Are you a fan of lamb cutlets?