Bake Bike Blog

A time for change

2012-02-17T18:36:00.001+11:00

Today is the official start of my maternity leave, where I have 2.5 weeks until my due date, and then another 7.5 until I start back at work part time, working from home.

That’s right. No more suits. No more stockings. And no more meetings. Well not in the foreseeable future anyway.

Unfortunately 'taking a year off' was not an option for our household (for financial and other reasons). Opting to return part time, working from home, is hopefully however, a great compromise. And, while I have certainly come across my fair share of doubters and eyebrow raisers when discussing my work plans, I strongly believe that the important thing is to do what feels right for our family. What is not right for one, might be just perfect for another.

The transition from office professional, to working stay at home Mum ought to be a challenging one, but I am hoping that it will also be a fulfilling one. For while I am keen to keep my career, I am also strongly determined to be a present mother to our daughter. Just how this plays out over the next few months remains to be seen, however I am rather excited about this next step - and where it will take us as a family.

(the gorgeous ‘farewell’ flowers from my colleagues)

I am so very lucky to have the support of my workplace, my husband and my family as we take this next step, and I will be sure to share with you the trials and tribulations that I have no doubt will arise over the next few months.

But for now, I possibly have 2.5 weeks until Baby BBB arrives, with very few things on my 'to do' list. I do, however, see lots of walks, baking, reading, home office decorating in my future - and would love to hear your ideas too!

The time for change is upon us!

Mint and bean dip

2012-02-16T17:56:00.001+11:00

I have been on a real bean dip kick lately.

I suspect this may be partly due to having an abundance of tinned beans in the pantry, and partly due to looking for interesting snack foods and sandwich fillers.

And just how this mint and bean dip came to be, was no different.

For Mr BBB and I had our second ante-natal class earlier in the week – which runs between the unfortunate hours of 6.00pm and 9.00pm.

Unfortunate for my appetite that is.

Knowing that there was no way I would make it to 9.00pm without eating dinner, but only having around 10 minutes to throw something together to take with us to eat, I raided our pantry with haste.

I had GF wraps. I had salad. I just needed a protein.

And it was a tin of cannellini beans to the rescue!

Cannellini beans, tahini, mustard and fresh mint. Whirled in my mini food processor…

And our “sandwich” filler was complete.

I would have been more than happy to pack this ‘dip’ alongside some rice crackers, if I was just after a snack.

But as I was looking for something more substantial, I piled spoonfuls of the dip atop a couple GF wraps, covered it in salad, and wrapped up dinner instead.

Creamy and minty…..Delish!

What about you? Do you have a favourite sandwich filler? Aside from bean dips, I love eggs in sandwiches!

Warm mushroom and spinach salad

2012-02-15T20:30:00.000+11:00

hello, I'm here! *waves*

Just a little overwhelmed by life at the moment.

Although I am very pleased to report that with only 2 days left at work things are finally starting to calm down and work their way into place.

So much so that Mr BBB and I even managed to get out for a much needed walk this evening.

(37 weeks tomorrow yay!)

It was rather slow, but ever so glorious. And most certainly missed after the busy week we just put behind us.

A little while ago I was approached to create a recipe for the Australian Mushroom Growers' Association as part of their Summer Mushroom Campaign.

Being both a mushroom fan, and keen to get a veggie-fied meal on the menu this evening, I figured there was no better time than the present.

On the menu...

Warm mushroom and spinach salad.

With only 2 main ingredients, mushrooms and spinach, and the help of a variety of spices, the dish came together in no time at all.

The ‘shrooms…

The spices…

And the spinach…

Simmered until soft.

And we had ourselves a rather tasty mushroom side dish indeed.

The mushrooms soaked up the various spices really well, providing a spicy hit with every mouthful.

And although we served these as a side dish to accompany some roast lamb…

I would have probably been quite happy to eat the whole plate by itself too!

Delicious! (oh and head over to the Summer Mushroom Campaign website for even more 'shrooms recipes!)

Warm mushroom and spinach salad (serves 2 generously)

500g cup mushrooms, quartered
1/2 tsp mince garlic
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp dried oregano
1tsp curry powder
1 tsp paprika
100g baby spinach

Heat a little olive oil in a medium frypan, and add mushrooms.
Add the spices, stirring to coat well, and cook over a medium heat until the mushrooms have softened and reduced in size (they will release some moisture at this point).
Add the spinach, and continue to cook until the spinach has wilted and any moisture has evaporated.
Serve warm.

What about you? Are you a fan of mushrooms?

When working late…

2012-02-13T21:29:00.001+11:00

With one working week left until I start maternity leave, to say that things are a little frantic in my life (and my head?!) would be an understatement.

So much so that things like a home cooked dinner seem to be a luxury at the moment. As well as the furthest thing from my mind, when I find myself still sitting at the computer working after 9.00pm.

Luckily, however, Mr BBB came to the rescue this evening and supplied me and baby BBB with a tasty meal to keep the brain working. Or attempting to keep working, at least.

Beans on GF toast, with cheese and avocado.

Perfection!!

Now where did I hide the ice-cream…..

What about you? What is your “go to” meal when working late?

Pregnancy Update – Week 36

2012-02-12T08:16:00.001+11:00

What a lovely weekend it has been thus far.

Lots of friends and lots of laughs.

My sister in law and niece put on a wonderful baby shower, filled with a variety of games (some more challenging than others!) and some fantastic food (including the GF carrot cupcakes you see in the first photo…..most delicious!)

And I (and baby BBB) finished the day feeling positively ‘showered’ indeed!

But now, its time for another weekly update!

How far along? 36 weeks, 4 days. Ie. 3 days away from being considered "full term". Go baby BBB!

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

Now if only I knew what a crenshaw melon was?!

How I'm feeling? Excited. Really really excited to meet our little girl in only a few more weeks. I feel as if I have been pregnant for such a long time. And I guess when you take into account the couple years of "trying" and then the months and months of "treatment", pregnancy (or trying to get pregnant) really has occupied the better part of my last 2.5 years!

(Excuse the tired eyes…girl needs some concealer!?)

Weight? Not sure. It seems that perhaps I am one of those people who put on most of their weight in the second trimester, as comparatively I don’t seem to be putting on a great deal of weight in the third trimester. The belly, however, continues to grow, and I am hoping that I can squeeze into what maternity clothes I have for a few more weeks yet. Finishing up work at the end of next weeks ought to help, then it will be shorts / leggings / big t-shirts from then on after I suspect!

How I'm changing? With only one week of work left, I am starting to slow down, and looking forward to (possibly) having two whole weeks to myself before baby BBB graces us with her presence.

What I miss? Champagne! Trivial, I know, but a glass of bubbly at my baby shower yesterday would have been lovely. Instead, I lived vicariously through my friends.

Symptoms? No major symptoms spring to mind, although I continue to have a few Braxton Hicks contractions when I let myself do too much physically.

Cravings? Champagne. See above!

Highlights this week? Oh my – where do I begin. This was a wonderful week, with our first antenatal class on Tuesday, a tour of the hospital today, and of course, the gorgeous baby shower thrown for me by Mr BBB’s family. Baby BBB is most certainly so lucky to have such great friends and family also eagerly awaiting her arrival. Not long to go now!

Feelin’ Frenchy

2012-02-11T10:09:00.001+11:00

Happy Saturday lovely people!

After a few crazy hectic days, things are starting to slow down in the BBB household – a welcomed relief indeed.

My Mum arrived from Melbourne last night, and was a wonderful help in getting our house ready for 20 of my nearest and dearest to arrive this afternoon for my baby shower.

And, while I am shortly being kicked out of the house so they can finish setting up (in secret?!), I made sure that we started the day off right.

aka. French toast.

Oat sourdough, soaked in egg, and then cooked to perfection by Mr BBB – the French toast king!

Then topped with whatever caught my eye when I opened the pantry.

Peaches, coconut…

And a drizzle of maple syrup.

A delicious start to what is going to be a fun day indeed!

What about you? What is your favourite French toast topping?

11 things…

2012-02-08T19:00:00.000+11:00

Tonight Mr BBB and I are making a late night trip up “the Hume” for a meeting I have in Sydney tomorrow. We opted to drive up (as I am now too pregnant to fly?!) rather than miss the meeting all together. We just have our fingers (and legs!) crossed that Miss BBB does not decide to make an early appearance during our time away - or it could be quite the adventure indeed?!

A little while ago the lovely Liz tagged me in her "11 things" post. So while we wish away the couple hundred km of road before us, I figured what better time to respond! Although, I am breaking "the rules" a little and won’t be passing the chain on...*gasp*

Liz's 11 questions for me...

1. What song on your iPod are you most embarrassed by?

Oh goodness, where do I begin. My IPOD playlist is actually filled with all the songs our guests chose to have played at our wedding so there is everything from Beethoven to the Beatles.

Let me explain.

We asked each guest to pick 3 of their favourite songs and list them on their RSVP. We then added these to a playlist, and played it throughout our wedding reception.

With guests ranging from ages 3 to 93, the music choices were quite varied to say the least! But they sure filled the dance floor in no time at all.

2. What was your first concert?

I think the first concert that I voluntarily went to was Blink 182. And I loved it!

3. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

Somewhere warm and sunny. Northern Queensland perhaps?

4. What would your last meal be?

A glass (or 4) of a great red wine and some fantastically stinky soft cheese.

Oh how I miss both right now.

5. What’s your favourite flavour of ice cream?

I had a peanut butter fudge gelato the other week that would hands down have been one of the best flavours I have ever tasted.

(not the one that I had the other day…but you get the idea)

6. Do you still have a t-shirt from high school or college?

This isn't something that my high school did, although I do still have a couple tshirts from uni.

7. Is your computer a laptop or a desktop?

I have both - although I much prefer my desktop. My laptop is so very painfully slow.

8. What would your dream job be?

I have always dreamt of opening an allergy friendly cafe / patisserie - which offers non-dairy milk (soy, almond, oat) for no extra charge. Yes, paying extra for soy milk is my biggest gripe when it comes to cafes lol

9. What is your favourite holiday?

Mr BBB and I have been fortunate enough to take some rather wonderful holidays. Although my favourite would have to be the 6 weeks we spent in a campervan travelling around Europe. It was most certainly a trip of a lifetime!

10. Did you go to college in a different state than where you grew up?

If by college you mean uni....yes! I grew up in Melbourne, but came to Canberra for uni.

And, here I still am 13 years later!

11. Do you dread going to the doctor?

Doctors are fine.

But going to the dentist on the other hand........

What about you? What would your dream job be?

Meatball madness!

2012-02-07T17:22:00.001+11:00

A little while ago, Mr BBB and I went out for dinner and I saw a big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs being taken out to a nearby table. Ever since, a craving for meatballs has lingered in the back of my mind (and the pit of my stomach!), so last weekend I was determined to turn craving into reality.

I used a mixture of ground meats as my base...

Organic beef, veal and pork. Combined with an array of other tasty additions...

Egg, oregano, GF breadcrumbs, red onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Rolled into balls...

And oven baked for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

While they may not have browned off in the way that meatballs cooked in the frypan do, they remained wonderfully juicy and were not dry at all.

To finish them off, I dropped ‘meatballs for two’ into a mixture of passata, fresh basil and garlic…

and allowed them to simmer for another 10 minutes…

Until they were covered in the rich tomato sauce.

(while I also had the GF spaghetti cooking).

And with that, dinner was done.

This recipe makes about 24 medium/large meatballs, so we had plenty leftover to use the next night(s).

I think they would also freeze really well, making them a good dish to prepare in advance, and reheat at serving time.

But for now….meatball craving satisfied!

BBB meatballs (makes 24) - GF

500g beef mince
250g pork mince
250g veal mince
1 red onion, diced
1/2 cup GF breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1tsp cracked pepper

Preheat oven to 180C, and line 2 trays with baking paper.
Sautee onion in a little olive oil for 5 minutes, or until translucent. Set aside to cool slightly.
Combine all ingredients (I use my hands for this!), until well mixed, then roll mixture into 24 balls (about 1/4 cup each). Place on the prepared baking trays, and spray lightly with oil.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.
Serve with your favourite tomato or pasta sauce.

What about you? Do you have a “secret” ingredient when it comes to making meatballs?

And so the crazy week begins…

2012-02-06T20:19:00.000+11:00

Tonight is the only evening this week that Mr BBB and I have to ourselves at home.

For tomorrow we have our first antenatal class, Wednesday we will be driving interstate, Thursday we will be arriving home late from interstate, and Friday my Mum arrives in town Throw in my baby shower (which is on Saturday), and a birthday dinner for a family member on Sunday, and I am sure you will all agree that I should be using the small amount of free time I have tonight to get our house clean and ready for the weekend (and not sitting at the computer!)

Oh well.

In reality, I had two simple goals this evening:

go for a walk
make a home cooked dinner

Both of which we wont be able to do again until Friday night. And both of which, I am pleased to report, we completed.

After taking our evening walk (which might be getting a little slower, and a little shorter these days), I got to work on the second item on our list.

Make a home cooked dinner.

Luckily it was rather easy, and came together really quickly, with the help of some fresh produce in the crisper drawer.

The base: a big salad, with rocket, carrots, chickpeas and cucumber. Dressed in a combination of lemon juice, olive oil and cracked pepper.

Finished with some baby beets (the tinned variety).

That I had simply drained and quartered.

Next – the protein!

A chicken breast, cooked on my trusty grill, and piled high on the salad.

And dinner was complete.

I am in love with how colourful this dinner turned out to be. Not to mention the different textures. And the baby beets??? Oh so tasty!

Who said salad has to be boring?!

What about you? Are you a fan of beetroot?

Pregnancy Update – Week 35

2012-02-05T08:18:00.001+11:00

The sun is shining, and I see homemade French toast in the not too distant future. Combine that with plans to finish off the nursery, take a walk and perhaps do a little baking, and it is looking like it could be a rather lovely Sunday in the BBB household.

But right now, its time for another pregnancy update!

How far along? 35 weeks, 4 days. And somehow the fact I am two weeks away from technically being 'full term' is so very real.

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

You guessed it….another melon! This time a honeydew.

How I'm feeling? This was a weird week from a sleep perspective. For some reason, despite barely being able to keep my eyes open during the afternoon / early evening, come bedtime, I can't get to sleep, and when I do, I wake up only a couple hours later? I suspect this is a sign that my brain is not switching off as I am normally a really good sleeper. Or perhaps this is my body's way of getting me used to the many sleepless nights that await me in a months time?

(hmmm time to retire the horizontal striped dress I think. Looks ok from the front, but not so much from the side?!))

Weight? About the same as last week.

How I'm changing? I find myself becoming more and more vague, which I am told is quite normal during pregnancy (“baby brain anyone?!"). So while I am trying really hard to remain focused and ‘switched on’ at work during these last few weeks, by the time I get home, I can barely string a proper sentence together.

Actually, I seem to get all the right words in my sentence, just in the wrong order. Resulting in some very confused looks from Mr BBB as we chat throughout our evening walks.

What I miss? Being able to sleep in (see above!)

Symptoms? Clumsiness - and I'm not kidding! I have dropped so many things recently. Add my ever growing belly, in all its "can't bend over" glory, and I have quite the frustrating combination going on. Let's just say there have been many exacerbated looks from me as I drop another thing on the ground and realise that I have to actually bend down and pick it up somehow (unless Mr BBB happens to be nearby….!)

Cravings? Nothing particular springs to mind, as my appetite continues to be a little up and down. I’ve noticed that some days I am ravenous, while others I am not really hungry at all. So as for cravings, there haven’t really been many lately.

Although, on second thought, I do seem to recall a soy chai latte particularly ‘hitting the spot’ while out shopping the other day ….

Highlights this week? Another OB appointment, in which baby BBB got the ‘all clear’ as she continues to grow and thrive in utero.

Next week is looking like a rather exciting one too – with our first antenatal class, a road trip to Sydney, my Mum arriving from Melbourne and my Baby Shower. Can’t wait!

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?