Saturday, May 25, 2013
Sweetcorn, Parsley and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
Today, in fact, I'm more of a writer than a scientist, chilling out with Susan Sontag
. And my baby girl, of course. In cool sheets and sunshine.
Yesterday was a very excellent day - a night out with the girls, with delish pizza at West End's The Burrow and an Emma-Louise concert that kept me up way past my bedtime. I discovered a new Australian microbrewer (mmmm blueberry hefeweizen), and my friends and I celebrated some very good news ... the kind people at Tiny Owl Workshop selected my flash fiction story "Symphonic" to be printed on pillows for the Brisbane Writers' Festival in September. Meaning you, or me, or that writer/reader/editor/coffee-drinker over there could be leaning against my story, or one of 13 others! Pretty. damn. cool.
Worth celebrating with a night out, followed by a day in bed with books and a squirmy 5 year old. Don't you think?
And for lunch, a fully-stuffed sweetcorn, parsley and goat cheese quesadilla. A truly original idea of mine, which (I see, via Twitter) turns out to be an excellent pizza combo too ... though Sara and Hugh's version includes roasted chillies and cilantro, and might even be good topped with leftover esquites - if you don't manage to eat the whole bowl at once (like I do).
Sweetcorn + goat cheese = winner. Add smoked chillies, sour cream, parsley, rocket, or whatever - it only gets better from there.
Happy Lazy Saturday!
Amanda xx
***********
Sweetcorn, Parsley + Goat Cheese Quesadillas
serves 1
The time
10 min or so
The ingredients
1 flatbread or large tortilla
1/2 cup corn kernels (about 1 ear)
mozzarella
goat cheese
a handful of fresh curly parsley
tabasco, to taste
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
The process
1. Heat up a cast-iron frying pan or my fave - a sandwich press.
2. Flatten out your tortilla on the benchtop and pile half of it with corn, minced (or scissor-clipped) fresh parsley, and cheese - about half thin-sliced or shredded mozzarella and half crumbled goat cheese. Top with salt and pepper, to taste. Fold the naked side of the tortilla over the full side and gently slide onto the sandwich press. Close and cook till golden and toasty and melty and oozy. If you're using a frying pan, flip it halfway through cooking.
3. Serve with Tabasco or sour cream or whatever makes you happy.
The cost
I buy these flatbreads - made in Brisbane (I'll get back to you on the name) - for about $0.25 each. Seriously. Always have some in your pantry and/or freezer, because they make awesome pizza bases, too. As for the rest ... I had some parsley in the garden, for once! It's hard to judge how much these'll cost because it's up to you how much cheese you use ... but made as organic as you can get 'em, they should still run less than $2.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
The End of the World
Some bastard cut me off, halfway through the roundabout on the way to Nelle's school. The dining table lays unseen and unused below piles of drawings and mailings and scribbles and notes. My husband puts the wine glasses where they aren't supposed to be. My car is littered with dirty tissues and parking receipts. My suitcase lays unpacked beside my bed, which I spilled tea all over last night. The nauseating smell of air freshener sweeps across the coffeeshop. My child loses her school jumper within hours of purchase. The air outside weighs heavy. I'm angry and frustrated and dejected and scattered and I want to reset, rewind, do over.
These things pile up on me like the end of the world.
 |
| perspective? |
And 5 years ago yesterday I got into a scalding bath and closed my eyes and got cancer. I already had it, of course, but it was in that warm and peaceful moment that the doctor called, changing my world forever. I thought the world was ending, I knew it was ending, but it didn't end. I survived. Survived.
Survived.
I survived the end of the world. So fuck you, bad drivers and bitter coffee and gray skies. Fuck you, cancer. One breath at a time, I can make this life what I want it to be. I'm not stuck, I'm not overwhelmed, I'm me. I'm alive.
And I'm having a massage. This day will get right.
Love, Amanda xx
PS. Thank you for sharing this cancerversary with me, friends. This month is always an uneasy time of year for me - every fear and sadness seems amplified. But your support these last few years has really made my heart sing - what a journey we're sharing together. You're awesome xx
Monday, May 6, 2013
Cheat's Chocolate Croissants :: Mother's Day
Cheating's bad, right? Except when it's not.
Take, for example, chocolate croissants. I'm quite certain that the real deal involves more butter than I care to know about and several hours of rolling and folding and fridging and fiddling, and to be honest, I can't be bothered. I'd rather a) go to France and buy a fresh real one, or b) use puff pastry and cheat.
It's true, I enjoy making good food - that's part of the reason you're all here ... but I also enjoy my time spent living, and I know my limitations. (Which are, in no specific order: housework, pastry, primary-school-aged craft, and seeing my true reflection in mirrors). This is not to say that I will NEVER make pastry, but I'm disinclined to - barring extraordinary circumstances. Zombie apocalypse? Damn right, I'll make pastry.
Until then, I'm going to cheat - and I recommend you do, too.
I'm pretty sure any gluten-tolerant mum on earth would appreciate some chocolate croissants and tea or coffee delivered to her in a cozy, sun-drenched bed on Mother's Day (next Sunday), on a tray with flowers and/or artworks and/or vouchers for massages of the aromatherapeutic sort. I know this would make me very happy - and in fact, if you're in Santa Fe and want to drop by with a present or some croissants for me, I'd be very happy about it. I'm in town till Sunday for a science writing workshop that ends on Saturday, leaving me thus far grossly underwhelmed about Mother's Day on my own.
I'm thinking we should all postpone it by a week. Would that be ok with you?
Anyway, this isn't about me. This is about you, and whatever mum-like figure is part of your life and about some chocolate croissants so deceptively simply delicious you might never want/need to go to France again.
 |
| France, 2011. And please ignore what I just said about not going. Go. |
I'm not sure how much you'll hear from me this week, since I'll be workshopping with other scientific and journalistic types, but I wanted to share this recipe with you before Mother's Day - and remind you of the last cheat's bakery goodie I gave you, as well, just in case you prefer your breakfast open-faced.
Bon appétit, friends, and Happy Mother's Day,
Amanda xx
***********
Cheat's Chocolate Croissants
5-10 min prep + 15-20 min baking
The ingredients
The best all-butter puff pastry you can afford*
The best organic dark chocolate you can afford*
*I use Careme pastries (in the freezer of IGAs and good providores) and Green and Black organic chocolate
**Use jam instead of chocolate if you prefer fruity
The process
1. Defrost the puff pastry according to package directions - this may be overnight in the fridge.
2. When the pastry is softened and you're ready to go, preheat the oven and a baking tray to 200C/180C-fan forced (350F).
3. Cut the pastry into small foldable rectangles - the size and number is really up to you. I tend to make rectangles of about 2x3" or 2x4" - but really all you need is a rectangle you can fold over a piece of chocolate.
4. Fold the pastry rectangle over a piece of chocolate - I tend to use one square per pastry, but obviously use more if you're cutting the pastry larger or just want more chocolate. Press the edges together. Poke the centre so the chocolate doesn't explode - or don't. It doesn't really matter because exploded chocolate croissants taste just as good and look even more exciting (see above, because I didn't - uh - poke my pastries).
5. Place the croissants on the heated baking tray - using parchment or baking paper so they don't stick. Bake for 15-20 minutes (if they're small, like those in the picture), removing them from the oven when they're puffed and golden. Cool for at least 10 minutes, or you'll get a mouthful of molten chocolate, which kinda hurts.
The cost
Not cheap, because we're going for QUALITY here. You will taste the goodness of the pastry, and the goodness of the chocolate because there are only two ingredients and you eat them practically naked (the ingredients, not you, unless you want to). I used 1 large Careme puff pastry sheet ($11) and most of a 100g block of Green and Black's 70% dark chocolate ($3) and made ~16 or so little pastries. I have no idea what happened to the rest of the chocolate.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Flight Recorder
My first solo flight since Nelle was born, and a Pacific Ocean's worth of time for me me me. To read, write, watch, eat, flick through magazines, sit idly, do whatever the hell I wanted. And what did I do? Over-think my life. Oh yes, indeed. Where else better, than an economy seat on an international flight where you're stuck with yourself and only yourself for 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 hours? I blame all you writers out there for giving me things to read. And think about.
i
And breathed life into a story of 300 words.
ii
I read essays about remembering, and elk hunting,
And loved and hated Eve Ensler's memoir
.iii
I (finally) watched Silver Linings Playbook and damn right
Jennifer Lawrence deserved that Oscar.
iv
I missed Robbie and Nelle and Robbie
and Nelle and didn't sleep anyway.
v
I congregated illegally near the toilet, but
justified it via vriksasana. Trees don't congregate.
vi
It became suddenly, vividly clear to me
how much I blame myself for getting cancer.
vii
My mind got stuck on mothers, damaged by tsunamis
or Congolese militants
or inexplicable and unfair things.viii
So I had to watch The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and 5 straight episodes
of Big Bang Theory to quiet my mind, and pull it somewhere happier.
ix
I dozed to the sounds of Stephen Fry reading me Harry Potter,
and I can't even remember which book it was - it really didn't matter.
Thank you JK. Thank you SF.
x
And then, the wheels were grinding down and the plane was wobbling
onto the runway and we were here. LA. The land of stopping over
And warm showers. And getting my head back together.
And coffeecoffeecoffeecoffee.
See you soon in Santa Fe.
Amanda xx
Friday, April 26, 2013
Sourdough Here, Sourdough Gone :: The Fallacy of Multitasking
Remember that awesome organic sourdough culture I spent a week making? You may have seen it in the last post, bubbling merrily in its homey jar. Yeah, well, I accidentally dropped it on our kitchen tiles last night, in one of those movie-worthy, car-crash/slow motion moments, where you see tragedy unfolding before you, but are helpless to prevent it. Sourdough here, sourdough gone.
I picked up the shards of glass, and the precious culture, and binned them.
Time to start again.
But let's reflect on this. What was I doing at the time I dropped it? Too much. My arms were full of stuff, my fridge was full of stuff, and I was "multi-tasking" - which, by the way, researchers have now shown to be a fallacy. We don't multi-task at all - our brains just switch back and forth between tasks, and quite inefficiently. We tell ourselves we can do it, but according to researchers at the University of Utah (who conducted this interesting study) our views of our own multitasking abilities are "significantly inflated."
I love that. Significantly inflated. What a nice way of saying bull shit.
So ultimately, I wasn't concentrating. I lost focus. And it's not the first time this has happened ... I drop things all the time (Remember this time? Or this lovely set of shards? Or the time I over-scheduled myself for a holiday and panicked and grounded myself?)
And at the moment, my brain is cycling between all my various living, breathing offspring: my research babies, my written babies (including this blog!), my sourdough babies, my real baby. They're all important to me, in different ways - in defining who I am and who I want to be, and the mark I hope I'll leave on this world ... but seriously, woman. One thing at a time.
ONE. THING. AT. A. TIME.
Today, I'll start with this: this letter to myself and you, reminding me to focus. Reminding all of us that it's ok to forget things, even things you keep reminding yourself of over and over again, because life is a process. Then, I'll start my day again - focusing on one thing at a time. Yoga? Laundry? Book proposal outline? Park with Nelle? Essay on sustainability? The Rubens at the Tivoli? They're all going to get my undivided attention, one by one by one.
Everyday, we get to start again.
In life and sourdough.
Amanda xx
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Rustic Barley Soup with Kale and Sweet Potato
This week, I made babies.
It was a week of newborn cultivation - changing and feeding and watching expectantly ... and then, yesterday, there they were. My own yeasty, sourdough babies. I'm not even going to pretend I know what I'm doing with them, but they're sitting in the fridge right now, and they've already provided us with a lovely (tasty but dense) little loaf for dinner last night.
So, you could say I've been thinking about bread a lot lately. And by lately, I mean for the past 10 years. It all started with a couple trips to Europe, some intensely-disappointing local baguettes, and this book
- which inspired my current sourdough project (and some amazing pretzels!). I'm lazy, which has hindered me on the bread-making front ... even after years of trying, I'm happier meditating for 10 minutes than tinkering with gloopy dough on my benchtop, regardless of its meditative qualities. But I really, really like bread that a) tastes like something, b) doesn't contain strange non-bread-like flours or oils (see my post here about that) and c) doesn't go instantly stale. According to Daniel Leader
- my go-to bread guru - artisanal sourdough overcomes all those issues. Hence, baby-making.
But this isn't a post about making sourdough. I recommend a good book on it, or you can check out these posts at the Kitchn or Nourished Kitchen or Joy the Baker. Nope, mine is a post about SAVING your precious bread once you've got it. Making use of stale bits, or crusts your child has convinced you to cut off, even though (seriously, child) they're the best part. It's a post about using every last crumb of that awesome loaf of bread you punched into shape with your own two hands, or spent $7 on at the market.
Whenever I cut crusts off nice bread, or nice bread goes stale on me, I cut it into 1" pieces and pop it in a tin in the freezer. It keeps there, happily for at least a month or more - unless you accidentally leave the freezer door ajar and they defrost and then refreeze and taste like cardboard. But those are exceptional circumstances. Usually, they taste amazing even after they've been frozen.
My recommendation? FREEZE BREAD CUBES + CRUSTS. Do it.
Then, you can use your rescued bread for:
Like this one, which I'm hoping warms you like a hug.
Have a great rest of your week,
Amanda xx
This
soup is organic food at its thrifty, market-fresh best: make it with
whatever deep, rich greens you've just bought (I used kale, from my favourite Sunday market)
and you can substitute pumpkin or even carrots for the sweet potato if you prefer. Barley is one of the cheapest of organic ingredients, and
we're using bread or crust cubes saved from the bin ... so this soup is particularly budget-friendly - as well as healthy, warming and self-affirming. Self-affirming? Of course it is.
The time
10 min prep + 1 hour sauteing/cooking
The ingredients
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
+
1 cup pearl barley
2 cups cubed, peeled sweet potato (~1 large one)
8 cups water or stock
+
2 generous Tbs butter (omit, if you want to veganise)
2 cups stale or frozen bread cubes
2 cups of the greenest kale you can find - destemmed, rolled and sliced* (~ 1/2 bunch)
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
*Check out the NOTE below to see what I mean. And buy organic when you can, particularly for the greens.
The process
1. Saute the garlic, onion and dried thyme in olive oil on medium heat until soft but not coloured. Add the barley and sweet potato, and continue sauteing for another 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
2. Add the water or stock, bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered for ~45 minutes or until the barley and sweet potato are soft (but not mushy).
3. Five minutes before serving, stir through the butter, bread cubes and kale, and season to taste. Enjoy!
The cost
My organic batch of soup cost me less than $1/serve, using rescued bread.
NOTES:
- which inspired my current sourdough project (and some amazing pretzels!). I'm lazy, which has hindered me on the bread-making front ... even after years of trying, I'm happier meditating for 10 minutes than tinkering with gloopy dough on my benchtop, regardless of its meditative qualities. But I really, really like bread that a) tastes like something, b) doesn't contain strange non-bread-like flours or oils (see my post here about that) and c) doesn't go instantly stale. According to Daniel Leader
- my go-to bread guru - artisanal sourdough overcomes all those issues. Hence, baby-making. 
But this isn't a post about making sourdough. I recommend a good book on it, or you can check out these posts at the Kitchn or Nourished Kitchen or Joy the Baker. Nope, mine is a post about SAVING your precious bread once you've got it. Making use of stale bits, or crusts your child has convinced you to cut off, even though (seriously, child) they're the best part. It's a post about using every last crumb of that awesome loaf of bread you punched into shape with your own two hands, or spent $7 on at the market.
Whenever I cut crusts off nice bread, or nice bread goes stale on me, I cut it into 1" pieces and pop it in a tin in the freezer. It keeps there, happily for at least a month or more - unless you accidentally leave the freezer door ajar and they defrost and then refreeze and taste like cardboard. But those are exceptional circumstances. Usually, they taste amazing even after they've been frozen.
My recommendation? FREEZE BREAD CUBES + CRUSTS. Do it.
Then, you can use your rescued bread for:
- recipes that call for bread crumbs (just blitz them)
- bread pudding like this one (with blackberries, peaches and pecans) or this one (with apples and dark chocolate - and no, you don't have to make so much you use a dozen eggs in the process. Make one just for you!
- Thanksgiving-style stuffing (my fave)
- bread salad, middle-eastern style or Italian-style (also known as panzanella)
- Skordalia - a Greek walnut- and garlic-infused bread dip
- adding that certain je ne sais quoi to stews or soups
Like this one, which I'm hoping warms you like a hug.
Have a great rest of your week,
Amanda xx
***********
Rustic Barley Soup
with Kale and Sweet Potato
with Kale and Sweet Potato
serves 4-6
The time
10 min prep + 1 hour sauteing/cooking
The ingredients
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
+
1 cup pearl barley
2 cups cubed, peeled sweet potato (~1 large one)
8 cups water or stock
+
2 generous Tbs butter (omit, if you want to veganise)
2 cups stale or frozen bread cubes
2 cups of the greenest kale you can find - destemmed, rolled and sliced* (~ 1/2 bunch)
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
*Check out the NOTE below to see what I mean. And buy organic when you can, particularly for the greens.
The process
1. Saute the garlic, onion and dried thyme in olive oil on medium heat until soft but not coloured. Add the barley and sweet potato, and continue sauteing for another 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
2. Add the water or stock, bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered for ~45 minutes or until the barley and sweet potato are soft (but not mushy).
3. Five minutes before serving, stir through the butter, bread cubes and kale, and season to taste. Enjoy!
The cost
My organic batch of soup cost me less than $1/serve, using rescued bread.
NOTES:
- I always try to buy the deepest green of greens at the market, and the fresher the better.
- Since kale can be chewy, I like to roll up the leaves and slice them finely along the roll - giving them a thin, shredded look and immensely improving their cookability.
- This recipe was inspired by a soup in my favourite country Italian cookbook, Cucina Povera
.
- The butter finds the bread, inside the soup. I swear it's true.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
6 Great Tips for Getting Natural Probiotics into a Sick Child
Being a mum is way harder than I imagined. Even now - even when she's sleeping long hours and pulling her own food (and often, more) out of the fridge. We can hold actual conversations, and she expresses opinions other than 'NOOOOOOO!'
(Sometimes)
But when she's sick, she's my baby girl all over again. Suddenly, being a mum (her mum) inundates everything - dishes, dinner, grants, books - because all she needs is me to be close. It's challenging and sweet, to feel loved and needed. Needed. Not in the same way the world needs my research, or my recipe for mayonnaise or my poems. Because do they really? Not in that way, her way.
And when I remember to reshuffle my priorities, there she is. All there is in this world is her.
Nelle had a throat infection recently, which didn't stop her incessant talking but which did require antiobiotics and rest. Lots of Dora the Explorer, and cuddles in bed. And probiotics.
There's growing scientific evidence that our lives are really run from our guts - all those gazillions of bacteria down there can affect our moods, immune function, and may even be linked with health issues such as obesity. So when we're sick, and we take an antibiotic - which nails everything - it's important to make sure those native microflora populating our digestive systems can rebound.
There's growing scientific evidence that our lives are really run from our guts - all those gazillions of bacteria down there can affect our moods, immune function, and may even be linked with health issues such as obesity. So when we're sick, and we take an antibiotic - which nails everything - it's important to make sure those native microflora populating our digestive systems can rebound.
That's where pro-biotics come in - and no, you don't need special pills from the pharmacist. Many of the foods we eat everyday contain 'happy' bacterial cultures that improve gut health. I've been using many of these this week to help Nelle recover from a throat infection ... and I thought it might be a helpful list for all of you out there, too.
And - these are easy, kid-friendly foods that you can make in those 5 minutes your child lets you leave her bed.
Happy probioticking,
Amanda xx
***********
All-Natural Probiotic Round-Up
Tip #1 :: Go with cultured, fermented or algal foods, which naturally contain gut-happy bacteria:
- natural yogurt 'with active cultures'
- miso
- fermented veggies - sauerkraut, kimchi
- kefir
- spriulina
Tip #2 :: Don't get your hopes up on new foods for sick kids.
My daughter doesn't like the sourness of fermented veggies (like sauerkraut), so I tend to stick with smoothies and soups of the yogurt, spirulina and miso variety. And plain yogurt? Forget it. Stir through honey, jam, maple syrup or whatever works.
Tip #3 :: Recipes for making and using natural yogurt:
- homemade yogurt
- apricot and ginger lassi
- mango lassi
- extra-thick banana smoothie
- bircher muesli
- labneh - strained yogurt - my new favourite thing ever
Tip #3.5 :: All the things you can do with labneh
- smear it on toast with jam
- drizzle it with honey for a creamy dessert
- stir through toasted sesame seeds and salt to accompany Middle Eastern meals
- stir through minced cilantro (fresh coriander), mint and cucumber to accompany Indian meals
- substitute for heavy cream on pancakes, cakes or pies
Tip #4 :: Recipes for making and using sauerkraut/kimchi/kombucha/kefir:
- sauerkraut
- kimchi (on My New Roots)
- in fact, check out Sarah's post, which rounds up a number of great fermented food recipes
- flavoured kombucha (on Deliciously Organic - you'll need a starter)
- kefir (on Crunchy Betty - you'll need a starter)
NOTE: these fermented goodies take time, and may or may not require starters. Try to keep them as a regular part of your diet, and you'll always have some on-hand.
Tip #5 :: Recipes for using spirulina:
- superpower smoothie
- add 1/2 - 1 tsp spirulina + 1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon to your batch of emergency ice cream
Tip #6 :: Recipes for using miso:
- avocado, tahini and miso on toast
- mushroom and miso soup
- miso pumpkin soup
- miso soup (on 101 Cookbooks - omit the onions and extras for sick-picky eaters)
- carrot miso soup (on Smitten Kitchen)
NOTE - normally I don't do soy ... the research shows it may or may not affect breast cancers like mine, but I'd rather not take the risk. I no longer use soy milk and I only have tofu now and then, and I watch out for soy flour in breads and soybean oil in store-bought foods (where we're often getting soy without even knowing). But I do use miso a few times a month. It's a beautiful, deep flavour and makes an awesome vegetarian broth - just don't overcook it, or it'll lose its full benefits.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
4 Weeks of Lunchbox Inspiration
This may seem like just five options, but here's the thing. You can make a big batch of muffins, a big batch of nut-free banana bread, a big batch of quesadillas, a big batch of puff pastry pies, and a big batch of meringues, AND FREEZE THEM. You could even do a couple variants on the muffin/quesadilla/pie theme, should you have the energy. But, in my opinion - the same-ish lunchbox, once a week? Not a biggie.
Do this today - before school starts again, for us Queenslanders - and you are set for April/May. You can use all your newfound time to catch up on yoga in the morning, or coffee, or see if you can nail a tree-pose-with-cappuccino.
Make lunches, and time.
Amanda xx
Make lunches, and time.
Amanda xx
 |
| 1 - banana bread :: chicken + pea pies :: dried apricot :: grape "eggs" in alfalfa sprout "nest" |
 |
| 2 - brown sugar meringue :: red capsicum (pepper) :: cheese quesadilla :: kidney beans |
 |
| 3 - cocoa butter + coconut ball :: dried cranberries :: poppadoms :: sushi balls :: orange slices |
 |
| 4 - zucchini muffin :: carrot flowers :: raisins + cheese :: tomato |
 |
| 5 - steak :: pasta shapes :: apple slices :: roasted sweet potato |
Here are the ideas and recipes, but the key is to go with what your child eats! This isn't meant to be
prescriptive, but a guideline to keep you sane when you're trying to
pull together lunches for the whole family. For these ideas, I'm assuming your child's lunchbox can be kept cool via a fridge or cooler pack. Always use your best judgement! :)
Just so you know, Nelle's class has a mid-morning fruit snack and morning tea - all before lunch, which is why I don't fill up the lunchbox too much. You can vary quantities according to your child's appetite. NOTE: for mid-morning, I usually send grapes or a banana, depending on what she's been eating for the rest of the week; and for morning tea she usually gets toast, crackers, or yogurt.
Lunchbox 1:Just so you know, Nelle's class has a mid-morning fruit snack and morning tea - all before lunch, which is why I don't fill up the lunchbox too much. You can vary quantities according to your child's appetite. NOTE: for mid-morning, I usually send grapes or a banana, depending on what she's been eating for the rest of the week; and for morning tea she usually gets toast, crackers, or yogurt.
- Banana bread - recipe here
- Puff pastry pie - I don't usually follow a recipe, but all you have to do is fold small rectangles of puff pastry around cooked fillings you know your child likes (like meat/veggies/cheese/tomato). Crimp the edges with your finger, to keep the fillings from oozing out, and use a knife to poke a few holes in the top of the pie to prevent explosion. Bake in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and flaky. Cool and slice. NOTE: I try to avoid cheese in these pies, because I know she'll have it a couple times in her lunches later in the week.
- Large dried fruit - Whatever's your favourite, but mix it up week-to-week. Try apricots, dates, mangoes or figs.
- Grape nest - The presentation is key here: make it look interesting, and it will become imminently more edible. Just 4 grapes on alfalfa sprouts, and Nelle thinks it's the coolest thing ever.
Lunchbox 2:
- Meringue - recipe here
- Crunchy raw veggies (not carrot) - Whatever's your favourite, just not carrots - we'll have those later in the week. Try capsicum (peppers) or snow peas.
- Quesadilla - Simply fold a tortilla over cheese (and meat or jam) and cook in a toastie maker or on a hot griddle until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden. Cut into wedges. I usually make extras and freeze them.
- Beans - We like kidney beans, black beans, lentils or baked beans - sometimes plain, sometimes with a little tomato puree stirred through. Don't forget a spoon if it's saucy!
Lunchbox 3:
- Small dried fruit - We like raisins, cherries or cranberries.
- Cocoa butter balls - Remember that notebook I lost? I'm pretty sure this recipe was in there. Damn. I think they had cocoa butter, toasted shredded coconut, buckwheat flour and rapadura sugar, but I'll have to tinker to get that recipe back. In the meantime, you can sub in your favourite wholesome cookie. (Here's mine)
- Crispy poppadoms (Indian lentil-flour chips - find them at the supermarket and microwave according to packet instructions)
- Fish-Free Sushi - recipe here
- Fresh fruit - Go for seasonal colour here, to balance the whiteness
Lunchbox 4:
- Veggie muffin - Use whatever you've got ... zucchini, carrot, sweet potato ... but go nut-free.
- Raw carrot flowers - It's easy to make carrots pretty, just slice off the ends and make 5 small "v" shaped incisions along the length of the carrot, removing the "v" material. Then slice into flowers. I've experimented with love-hearts, too, but if you have a boy you might have to get creative with robots or something ...
- Dried fruit - Try something you haven't used already this week
- Cheese - I try to vary this, too - sometimes she'll get a cheese stick, other times slices or cubes of different sorts.
- Antipasto - I used raw tomato here, which can hardly be called antipasto ... but I often mix the tomatoes with olives, and it just sounds better that way. Am I right?
Lunchbox 5:
- Meat - Use whatever you have leftover from dinner. For us, that's usually steak or lamb. I don't send fish - it's too potentially messy/stinky on her school uniform.
- Pasta - I almost always have made-up pasta shapes in the fridge for kiddie emergencies. Nelle *loves* them in her lunch! Go for shapes that are easy to eat, and add sauce if you like.
- Fruit slices - We like apple or pear, but brush each slice with a little lemon to keep it from going brown.
- Roast veggies - Again, go with what you've made for dinner. Ours usually include roasted sweet potatoes, pumpkin or potatoes.
Happy lunchboxing!
Friday, April 12, 2013
Amaranth and Basil Pesto
I am seriously hoping this pesto calms my nerves. It's not what I usually turn to, at times like this ... but my whole body is fizzing with stress right now. Like soda water. Or live wires. I can't think, and I'm thinking GREEN stuff might help.
Here's the deal. Nelle loves school, she loves day care, she loves holiday programs. What she can't handle is me leaving. I don't know what's happened over this last year - it was never like this before she started school - but oh, the soul-wrenching tears at drop-off time. The clinging, the mummy please don't go, the pleading look on her face. Having to pry her white knuckles off my leg, turn my back on her and just go. (No looking back, don't do it, don't look back)
It absolutely crushes me.
There's nothing like feeling you're abandoning your child to get you in the mood for productive, efficient work ... So I start the bulk of my day feeling like shit, shaking with anxiety. Knowing that she's fine and happy and has likely already forgotten me doesn't make me feel any better.
I feel like turning to chocolate, or wine, or Vicodin. But those are short-term fixes, am I right? No good. Nope. Today's all about green tea, homemade pesto over rocket, an hours' yoga and a long bath (with purifying face mask) in the silence of my empty house. I need a re-set. I need my body to do work for itself, on itself.
And let's be honest. I'll be having chocolate, too.
Amanda xx
***********
Amaranth and Basil Pesto
makes 2+ cups - for eating now, freezing + giving away
Amaranth is a purple/green leafy plant with bright, protein-rich seeds often used as a grain substitute or a natural pink colourant. (I love to pick them straight off the plant and sprinkle them across salads). The leaves are rich in vitamins A & C, as well as calcium. I use young leaves in salads, and cook larger ones as I do spinach. If you grow just one herb and one leafy green in your garden, I recommend basil + amaranth. Both are tolerant and pretty much take care of themselves once you get them started. A great way to vary your diet!
The time
10 minutes
The ingredients
4 cups loosely packed basil leaves - washed and patted dry
4 cups loosely packed amaranth leaves - washed and patted dry
1 cup almonds (or substitute other favourite nuts)
1 - 2 organic garlic cloves
1 + 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil (+ extra, for storage)
1 cup shredded parmesan or percorino
1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
4 cups loosely packed amaranth leaves - washed and patted dry
1 cup almonds (or substitute other favourite nuts)
1 - 2 organic garlic cloves
1 + 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil (+ extra, for storage)
1 cup shredded parmesan or percorino
1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1 small red chilli, optional
The process
1. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor
2. Immediately freeze half in ice cube or mini-muffin trays, and transfer to an airtight container (in the freezer) when frozen.
3. The rest, store in a jar in the fridge, covered with olive oil. It should last a week or two ... and when it's gone, remember the cubes you have in the freezer!
The cost
My batch of pesto was 100% organic, and cost ~$5. That's about $0.60 per tablespoon-ful. I grew my own amaranth and basil, but market-fresh greens probably won't increase the cost much.
NOTES:
- Use organic when you can - particularly for the leaves. Also, fresh organic garlic tends to be smoother in flavour than imported or major-supermarket varieties. You'll notice the difference, and love it.
- Smear pesto across toast and top with poached or boiled eggs
- Add 3 Tbs cream to 2 Tbs pesto and stir through 2-3 serves of pasta
- Dilute 1 tsp pesto with 2 Tbs macadamia oil (or olive) and 2 tsp white wine vinegar and drizzle over 2 salads
- Add to tomato soups, sauces, or whenever you need basil and don't have any fresh
- A small jar of homemade pesto makes a great gift for friends. xx
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Esquites
I felt like Alice all day yesterday, upsidedown a rabbit hole somewhere. My body groaned, my head muddled, my priorities mixed up. I spent far too little time with my daughter and moped in bed for a good part of the afternoon about things out of my control. What to do? It was just one of those days.
Eventually, I made pasta - and ate it - at 5pm. I was in bed by 5:30 (with tea and cookies), and had enticed my family to join me by 6:00. And things were okay. Not great, yet, but okay.
And today, things have been better. I've drawn lines between the things I need to do and the things I really need to do. I've simplified.
I'm also having a nap.
Nighty-night.
Amanda xx
***********
Esquites
serves 3 as a main-ish, 6 as a side
Esquites is (according to Fiona Dunlop's Real Mexican Food
) Mexican street food at its charred, spiced, mayonnaised best. I made my own version for lunch today, subbing sour cream for Fiona's mayo and goat cheese for her feta, and chipotle for chili powder. My oh my, the world was almost turned back upside down again. Lucky for me, I ate it in bed.
The time
15 min
The ingredients
3 cups frozen corn, cooked and drained and set aside
1 Tbs olive oil
1 red onion, minced
1 Tbs fresh parsley, minced (or substitute fresh coriander/cilantro)
2 heaping Tbs thick sour cream (I love Barambah)
a crumbling of crumbly goat cheese
a pinch or two of smoky chipotle powder (or substitute smoked paprika)
sea salt, to taste
The process
1. Saute the onion + parsley in olive oil over medium heat until soft (but not browned). Add the cooked, drained corn and cook for another 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and stir through the sour cream. Dish into bowls or cups or open mouths, top with goat cheese, chipotle powder and sea salt.
The cost
I always have a bag of frozen corn on hand, but you could also use fresh (which would probably be the cheaper way to do this organically). My batch cost me around $3, done with non-organic frozen corn + organic everything else.
NOTES:
Another big special thanks to Charity at Foodlets for putting together a great muffin competition that saw my sweet potato muffins awarded Best of the Year! I'm so happy everyone loved them :) xx
) Mexican street food at its charred, spiced, mayonnaised best. I made my own version for lunch today, subbing sour cream for Fiona's mayo and goat cheese for her feta, and chipotle for chili powder. My oh my, the world was almost turned back upside down again. Lucky for me, I ate it in bed. The time
15 min
The ingredients
3 cups frozen corn, cooked and drained and set aside
1 Tbs olive oil
1 red onion, minced
1 Tbs fresh parsley, minced (or substitute fresh coriander/cilantro)
2 heaping Tbs thick sour cream (I love Barambah)
a crumbling of crumbly goat cheese
a pinch or two of smoky chipotle powder (or substitute smoked paprika)
sea salt, to taste
The process
1. Saute the onion + parsley in olive oil over medium heat until soft (but not browned). Add the cooked, drained corn and cook for another 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and stir through the sour cream. Dish into bowls or cups or open mouths, top with goat cheese, chipotle powder and sea salt.
The cost
I always have a bag of frozen corn on hand, but you could also use fresh (which would probably be the cheaper way to do this organically). My batch cost me around $3, done with non-organic frozen corn + organic everything else.
NOTES:
- use organic when you can, particularly for the dairy. Happy cows = happy milk.
- make this with barbecued corn (cut off the cob) for an extra-special treat
- this makes a great side dish for guacamole + chips, and meat, fish or beans
***********
And a big special thanks to Babble.com for naming me in their Top 100 Food Blogs of 2013 - and #5 in the Health-Conscious category. They wrote some really nice things ... I think I'm still blushing. Another big special thanks to Charity at Foodlets for putting together a great muffin competition that saw my sweet potato muffins awarded Best of the Year! I'm so happy everyone loved them :) xx
Sunday, April 7, 2013
The Week That Was :: Paddington Bear + Pesto + Mountain lions + Sweet potato muffins
This week,
We drove back from Sydney, listening to Stephen Fry read us Paddington Bear stories on audiobook. It was just about the greatest thing ever.
Nelle lost both her front teeth, purely naturally {but she's still so little!!}, and I did a bit of research and writing on nanoparticles, telomeres and sex addiction. And no, it wasn't that kind of research.
We drove back from Sydney, listening to Stephen Fry read us Paddington Bear stories on audiobook. It was just about the greatest thing ever.
 |
| the New England Highway, through NSW |
Nelle lost both her front teeth, purely naturally {but she's still so little!!}, and I did a bit of research and writing on nanoparticles, telomeres and sex addiction. And no, it wasn't that kind of research.
I had a dream about a mountain lion attacking a cow, and woke up feeling like it must mean something. But what? Honestly, I question my brain sometimes.
 |
| pesto + eggs on toast |
The garden was bushy and overgrown from all the rain lately, so I gave it a trim and made basil and amaranth pesto from all the leaves. We've used it all week for pasta, potato salad and eggs on toast. {Recipe coming soon!}
I finished - and loved - The Casual Vacancy
, and had to start another Steinbeck
to keep my heart happy.
I also read the article 'How to Cure Cancer' in the latest TIME magazine, and wondered if they'd get about doing it sometime soon {please}. I wondered if the dream-team style of research might inspire creative thinking and progress in almost any field, and whether I should invite a bunch of seemingly-random scientists to dinner sometime ...
I booked my {solo!} flights to San Francisco for this conference, which will get me home precisely 5 days before we all fly to Thailand + Sri Lanka for holidays. Whew.
I made Heidi's labneh recipe and Deb's hummus recipe {peeled chickpeas and all} and this zucchini cake - which featured in Nelle's lunch twice. {I also froze a bit, for when school starts}.
My sister in law made us baked strawberry cheesecake, which we doused in marcapone and washed down with gin and tonic.
My sweet potato muffins won Muffin Recipe of the Year over on Foodlets, and the blurb Babble.com wrote about my blog made my heart sing.
Nelle singing along to Pink's Just Give Me a Reason in the car also made my heart sing. I may have joined in, once I stopped crying.
And that was my week - I hope you had a great one, too!
More to come, soon.
Amanda xx
, and had to start another Steinbeck
to keep my heart happy.I also read the article 'How to Cure Cancer' in the latest TIME magazine, and wondered if they'd get about doing it sometime soon {please}. I wondered if the dream-team style of research might inspire creative thinking and progress in almost any field, and whether I should invite a bunch of seemingly-random scientists to dinner sometime ...
 |
| working + coffeeing |
I booked my {solo!} flights to San Francisco for this conference, which will get me home precisely 5 days before we all fly to Thailand + Sri Lanka for holidays. Whew.
I made Heidi's labneh recipe and Deb's hummus recipe {peeled chickpeas and all} and this zucchini cake - which featured in Nelle's lunch twice. {I also froze a bit, for when school starts}.
My sister in law made us baked strawberry cheesecake, which we doused in marcapone and washed down with gin and tonic.
 |
| Suz's awesome cheesecake |
My sweet potato muffins won Muffin Recipe of the Year over on Foodlets, and the blurb Babble.com wrote about my blog made my heart sing.
Nelle singing along to Pink's Just Give Me a Reason in the car also made my heart sing. I may have joined in, once I stopped crying.
And that was my week - I hope you had a great one, too!
More to come, soon.
Amanda xx
Thursday, April 4, 2013
How to Feast :: A Vegetarian Middle-Eastern Menu + Recipes
Feast, according to the Oxford English Dictionary:
a large meal, typically a celebratory one
a plentiful supply of something enjoyable
Life gets busy, and full of commitments - not all of them marital. Our kitchens get messy, and our floors even more so. We rush around between work and the greengrocer and ballet class and soccer, and try our best to create healthy, homecooked meals that won't just be eaten - but loved. We put pressure on ourselves, too much pressure, and panic at the thought of entertaining.
But let me tell you something.
Sometimes we all need a good feast. A celebration of everything and nothing, an excuse for food and friends and who gives a shit about how many dishes pile up in the sink? No panic, or fanciness, or showing off ... (maybe just a little showing off) ... but a feast for showing your friends and family how much you love them. Through ample, enjoyable food.
A feast ... for feasting.
 |
| feast (top) :: tzaziki (middle) :: baba ganoush (bottom) |
A feast isn't - in my opinion - about being stuck in the kitchen listening to your friends talk and laugh across the other side of the house. What's celebratory about that? To me, the best kind of feast is the one that can be prepared ahead of time and that involves everybody in some way. Make what you can ahead of time, fire up the grill, and show your guests how to make things like mayonnaise or tortillas or felafels or affogatos. Get everybody to join in, cocktails in hand, and have. fun.
We have a feast at least once a month ... sometimes for family, or friends, sometimes breakfast, or dinner, sometimes for special traditions like our very own Anzac Day/Thanksgiving hybrid. I'd like to promise you that I'll post a feast here regularly ... but to be honest, writing about them seems to be more work than making them! But I'll do my best ...
Last month, we had a Middle Eastern-inspired feast with Robbie's cousin Donna and her sweet family - and I want to start here, because this genre of food makes a great start for a feasting tradition. That's why we chose it for our wedding reception. Based on fresh produce and pulses, with cheeses and lamb cutlets thrown in if you're that way inclined, it's thriftier than it looks, and can easily accommodate gluten free (gf) or vegan (v) diets. And, crucially, you can do so much in advance.
For this particular feast, it was the end of summer, and Robbie grilled lamb, and we ate mostly dips and salads and things to spread across flatbreads. Perfect for outdoors.
And here's how to do it.
Amanda xx
And here's how to do it.
Amanda xx
The menu:
Dips and spreads (recipes below)
- Baba ganoush :: smoky eggplant puree (v, gf)
- Tzaziki :: herby yogurt dip (gf)
- Hummus :: lemony chickpea spread (v, gf)
- Marinated feta :: creamy peppery cheese (gf)
Things to dip (recipes below or linked)
- Lemon-roasted potatoes or crisp-roasted potatoes (v, gf)
- Baked cauliflower felafel bites :: herb and chickpea balls (v, gf)
- Flatbreads
- Grilled haloumi, drizzled with lemon and chilli (gf)
Salads (recipes linked)
- Quinoa tabouli (v, gf)
- Lentil and apricot salad with cumin + chilies (v, gf)
Dessert (recipes linked)
- Fresh figs, plump dates, almonds, walnuts (v, gf)
- Almond filo rolls (v)
//
The timing:
Up to a week ahead :: marinated feta
Up to a day ahead :: baba ganoush + tzaziki + hummus + lemon-roasted or crisp-roasted potatoes + felafel + quinoa tabouli + almond filo rolls
On the day :: flatbreads + grilled haloumi + lentil and apricot salad
//
The recipes:
Baba ganoush :: makes ~1 1/2 cups
:: Baba ganoush is a smoky eggplant puree, crafted from eggplants whose insides have been completely, utterly melted at high heat. I never salt my eggplants before using ... any bitterness seems to melt away when they're cooked like this. Slather baba ganoush on sandwiches, tuck it into flatbreads with marinated feta and fresh tomatoes, drag roasted sweet potatoes through it.
:: Prick the skins of 2 large eggplants or 1/2 dozen small eggplants and roast (or grill) them at 200C (400F) ~30-40 minutes until the skins are starting to crispen and the insides are melty (charred is ok) :: remove from the oven and set aside :: when cool, press out any juices and scrape out the soft flesh into a food processor :: blend till smooth with 2 tsp organic garlic + 1/2 tsp ground cumin + 1/3 cup lemon juice + 2 Tbs tahini + 1 1/2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil + sea salt, to taste :: spoon into a serving dish and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or use regular paprika)
:: keeps for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge
//
Tzaziki :: makes ~1 1/4 cups
:: Tzaziki is a cool, yogurt-based antidote to heat and smoke - often freshened with the flavours of fresh coriander or mint. I like mine with a dash of spice, and add a chili - a
gentle one. (Do NOT accidentally use a green-but-scalding habanero, thinking it's a jalapeno, like I did last time). Drizzle tzaziki over meat and rice and salad, dip roasted potatoes or skewers of meat or veggie burgers into it.
:: Blend 1 bunch coriander (aka cilantro), washed and derooted (save the roots for the felafel!) + 1 chopped scallion + 1 fresh chilli (hotness is up to you) + 3/4 cup unsweetened Greek-style yogurt :: transfer to a serving dish and stir in 1/4 cup Greek yogurt + pinch of sea salt + squeeze of lemon (optional)
:: keeps for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge
//
Hummus :: makes ~1 3/4 cups
:: I can't go past Smitten Kitchen's 'ethereally smooth' hummus recipe - and she, and my sister in law, were the first to clue me in on why my previous hummus attempts came out far less than creamy. IT'S IN THE SKINS. Or, as it may be, the absence of them. Take the time, do some meditation, and pop off those chickpea skins. It'll be worth it, promise.
:: Buy yourself a tin of organic chickpeas and process them according to SK's instructions :: to the de-skinned and dry-blended chickpeas, add 1/2 cup tahini + 2 Tbs lemon juice + 1-2 cloves chopped organic garlic (I prefer the lesser) + 1/2 - 1 tsp sea salt, to taste, and blend again :: then, while the food processor's still going, add up to 4 Tbs water (1 Tbs at a time), until hummus has the desired texture.
:: keeps for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge
//
Marinated feta :: makes ~ 2 cups, including oil
::This is feta at its best - smooth and peppery, flavoured with herbs and citrus. A stunning addition to almost any table (particularly if you can find pink peppercorns), or tucked into a picnic basket for smearing on baguette.
:: Buy yourself a tin of organic chickpeas and process them according to SK's instructions :: to the de-skinned and dry-blended chickpeas, add 1/2 cup tahini + 2 Tbs lemon juice + 1-2 cloves chopped organic garlic (I prefer the lesser) + 1/2 - 1 tsp sea salt, to taste, and blend again :: then, while the food processor's still going, add up to 4 Tbs water (1 Tbs at a time), until hummus has the desired texture.
:: keeps for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge
//
Marinated feta :: makes ~ 2 cups, including oil
::This is feta at its best - smooth and peppery, flavoured with herbs and citrus. A stunning addition to almost any table (particularly if you can find pink peppercorns), or tucked into a picnic basket for smearing on baguette.
:: Rinse the brine off 200-250 grams of feta and place it into a large jar :: add 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil + 1/2 cup sunflower oil + a handful of bay leaves + 1 Tbs dried Greek oregano + 1 Tbs peppercorns + zest of 1 lemon + 1 minced chilli (optional) :: marinate in the fridge at least 2-3 hours, and bring to room temperature before serving
:: keeps 1-2 weeks in the fridge, as long as the feta stays submerged in the oil
//
Baked cauliflower felafel bites :: makes ~20 little balls
:: I've never quite made a felafel from scratch that tasted right, so I buy a high-quality mix - look for organic brands, or at the least, ones with no additives or fillers. I'd never considered putting cauliflower in, but what a great match. Feel free to just make the felafel according to your packet's directions, if you want to do the standard. These are often fried, but I prefer the crispiness (and reduced oiliness) that baking imparts.
:: In a food processor, blend up 2 cups cauliflower florets + 1 bunch of coriander (cilantro) - roots only + 1 cup falafel mix + 3/4 cup water + 2 organic eggs :: form into balls and bake on an oiled tray in a preheated oven at 160C (325F) for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown :: cool on the tray and serve warm or at room temperature :: if making ahead of time, store in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the oven before serving
:: keeps for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge
:: In a food processor, blend up 2 cups cauliflower florets + 1 bunch of coriander (cilantro) - roots only + 1 cup falafel mix + 3/4 cup water + 2 organic eggs :: form into balls and bake on an oiled tray in a preheated oven at 160C (325F) for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown :: cool on the tray and serve warm or at room temperature :: if making ahead of time, store in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the oven before serving
:: keeps for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge
//
Grilled haloumi, with lemon and chilli :: serves 4-6
:: You'll start out wanting to make this as a kindness for the vegetarians ... while you and the others chow down on lamb cutlets or whatever. But the vegos at your feast better be prepared, because everyone's going to want some of this melty, squeaky, charred cheese. To prevent fights, make extra.
:: Slice ~300 grams haloumi into strips or large flat pieces, keeping a 1-2cm thickness :: place onto a very hot grill, and turn after 1-2 minutes :: remove to a serving plate when the haloumi has taken on a deep golden cast, ideally with char marks :: drizzle with freshly squeezed lemon juice + minced chillies (optional)
:: keeps a couple days in the fridge, in an airtight container
//
Notes ::
- The baba ganoush recipe was adapted from The Essential Mediterranean Cookbook
- The cauliflower felafel bites were adapted from a recipe on the box of felafel mix - an Australian biodynamic company called Mount Zero Olives
- Sometimes I use mint instead of coriander in the tzaziki. Toss in peeled, seeded, minced cucumber, too!
- Always use organic when you can, particularly for eggs, dairy and meat.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Roadtripping :: Brisbane to Sydney
Oh, I've got a feast for you friends ... but I left my baba ganoush recipe back in Brissie, so sadly you'll have to wait till after Easter. {Note: here it is!} In the meantime, a roadtrip. A long stretch between Brisbane and Sydney, with motel-room breakfasts and rest-stop picnics, music and audiobooks on the stereo.
Before we left, a dash to the supermarket, for roadtrip food:
- Banana bread, from the bakery
- Seeded rye loaf
- Small jars of strawberry jam + marscapone
- Crunchy peanut butter, in a monster tub
- Fresh-ground coffee, regular + decaf
- Tea, black + green
- Tetrapack milks, with straws
- Fresh, washed grapes + bananas + pears
- A tin of baked beans + a tin of sardines
- Seaweed rice crackers + oat crackers + olive oil crackers with rosemary + sea salt
- A small round of organic brie
- A bar of Green & Blacks milk chocolate
I packed up clothes + toys + regular things ... but also (what I consider to be) essentials for coffee-drinking + picnicking:
- stovetop espresso maker
- Vietnamese coffee makers (2)
- stainless-steel coffee mugs
- tablecloth
- biodegradable, unbleached plates + napkins
- sustainable cutlery
- homemade hand sanitiser
We also may have done sprints across a grassy field ... because that's what our legs wanted ...
I packed up things to do, between and during stops:
- the scooter + soccer ball
- the iPad, drawing pencils, paper, and books
- a tub full of small plastic animals and dolls
- library-borrowed magazines
- my camera, my lenses, my new notebook
Off we went ... Nelle in the middle in the back, Robbie driving, me in the passenger seat with my feet tucked up. We sang and we dozed (not Robbie, of course), we listened to Stephen Fry read Roald Dahl stories and we watched the scenery change from north to south. We stopped for the night in a town we love, in a hotel I'd forgotten the name of but that we eventually found. (oops)
We stopped and started, giving ourselves a couple of hours between places as we wound our way over patchwork country roads through little towns with sweet names, like Glen Innes and Walcha and Uralla and Glouscester. Until we hit the city ... Sydney. The lanes narrowed, the houses and trees grew tall, and the clock wound up closer and closer to the time we'd told Nelle we'd be there.
And then, we were.
Happy Easter weekend!
Amanda xx
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