Yes we have no bananas

06.20.2015 by Trish // 2 Comments

….but we do have banana stalks! Nahn, one of the stall holders at the Sunday Railway markets, is not only gorgeous butalways has something I have never seen before and is happy to answer my millions of questions- what is it, what you do with it, do you cook it, what should it look like like, what should it taste like, she is so patient! Last week I spied a piece of smooth green trunk which of course I grabbed immediately and launched straight into my usual questions . It turned out to be a piece of banana stalk and when I turned it around and saw that gorgeous pattern on the cross cut I was immediately in love! I couldn’t wait to get home and start playing with it.

Chopped banana stalk and half a lemon — Chopped ready for adding to massaged kale salad

The green outer skin is quite tough so I peeled it off, and as per Hahn’s instructions, sliced it and popped it in water. It was so beautifully white at first but started to go brown quite quickly, I added some lemon juice but that didn’t seem to stop the process. Maybe another time I would have the water and lemon juice ready to pop the slices in straight away. Not that it looked too yucky, it’s just that the white would looked amazing

When I first tried it I really liked the fresh crunchiness, but there wasn’t much taste to it. Nanh said to use it in salads so I chopped it it into my massaged kale salad, it added a great texture.

I was interested to see what happened when you cooked it, so I tried it in a simple kale and chilli stir fry, and was pleased that the crunch stayed, just like the crunch of water chestnut.

For a more substantial meal I added corn and kimchi, it was so yum, I love kimchi and the chopped banana stalk still had that crunchiness, but by now it was starting to absorb flavours. I found that after a day it kept it’s texture but was like a sponge soaking up all the flavours around it.

Stir fry with kimchi and chopped banana stalk

I kept it in the water for a couple of days, it stayed lovely and crunchy and I did find that it had a subtle taste of it’s own . I wanted to do something with these rounds, maybe top them with prawn and avocado in a creamy cocktail sauce, something to contrast the crunch, but I didn’t get around to it and just ended up using the rest in salads and stir fries.

How many more times I can use the word crunchy in the same post?Well, let’s see. I’m hoping banana stalk will be available again because it’s something I’d like to keep experimenting with, mainly because of it’s ability to absorb flavours while still retaining that crunchy texture!!

Any thoughts on different ways I could use banana stalk? I’d love to hear them!

A morning to nourish the body and soul

06.07.2015 by Trish // 2 Comments

I love my Sunday mornings, they are mornings to nourish the body and soul.

What nourished my soul today and made my day glow bright?

An early morning walk (Why was I out walking? Watch this space!!!!!!)

A daughter who gave up her Sunday morning sleep in to pick up her Mum at the markets

Coffee at Skeetas

Plans for new adventure with another daughter

Hugs, chats and laughs with friends

And what nourished my body?

Pomegranate Granola and a hug from Robbie at Red Lime Jones granola stall, both equally as nourishing

A Nourish Bowl from Tarts and Co. So delicious – quinoa (I think there was hint of cumin?), haloumi, poached egg and pesto.

Because they are so awesomely yummy they ran out before my daughter could get one, so I had to keep half and make another poached egg at home.

Bone broth from Tarts and Co for my lunchtime soup pots this week

How can your day, indeed your week, be anything but wonderful when it starts like that? Love to hear what nourishes your body and soul.

Vegemite chocolate? The jury is still out!

06.03.2015 by Trish // 2 Comments

“We’re happy little Vegemites as bright as bright can be” Or are we?? I couldn’t let this Vegemite go by without comment could I? Actually I almost did because Liz and I had eaten about half of it before it occurred to me that I should be having a chat to you about it!

Vegemite Chocolate - weird or wonderful? — Vegemite Chocolate – weird or wonderful?

The last time Vegemite was involved in anything as controversial as this creation was the short-lived release of it’s creamy cheesy spread, sadly named iSnack 2.0. Kraft chose to listen to Aussies all over the world who felt that jumping on the iT bandwagon over something you put on your toast was just a bit weird, and after 4 days changed the name to Cheesymite. I love the title of this article written at the time “iSuck 2.0: Unhappy little Vegemites”

The Chocolate Vegemite announcement was released last month via Twitter, and social media comment has ranged from love it to hate it and everything in between

“I think its amazing. Salted caramel with a touch of vegemite. It is a perfect balance and I really enjoyed it.”

“….the Vegemite chocolate is… quite good. It’s like the consistency of caramel, with just a lick of the Vegemite taste. I’m not opposed.”

“I have a whole block minus one piece sitting in my drawer in my room. ITS DISGUSTING.”

I love reading online comments about anything , I particularly love how in the space of a few comments any topic can get high jacked by someone pushing their own little band wagon.

“Well done ABC News Breakfast today for providing free advertising to Vegemite and Cadbury’s. Both brand-lines owned by the revolting multi-national company, Kraft foods. Personally, I dislike the taste of vegemite, noting there are much better-tasting Australian-owned alternatives. A final note – being Australian is inconsistent with eating Vegemite!” Personally, I take offence at his last statement, but stopped short of replying and calling him a “hate-filled bag of spew” which I read in an online reply this week.

Anyway, I digress! Liz and I saw the chocolate in the supermarket, you couldn’t miss it, there were mountains of it and decided why not, we’ll give it a burl. (I actually don’t go round saying things like “We’ll give it a burl” I don’t even know how to spell it! So I am not sure why that popped into my head, but it did so it’s staying!) First impression, it is very gooey and almost impossible to eat without getting it all over body parts and clothes. I was actually driving home from the supermarket when I had my first taste, so I got it all over the steering wheel as well!! Putting it in the fridge helps though.

We both liked the first taste, the chocolate and caramel is lovely, of course, and then the Vegemite gives it a real salty kick. After that I wasn’t so fussed, and I gave it to Liz so I didn’t just keep eating it because it was there and it was chocolate. Liz on the other hand…well I’ll let her tell you what she thinks.

[wpvideo CW1Mudyx]

My favourite way of eating vegemite is on a fresh white roll and yes I know we shouldn’t be eating white bread, but vegemite just isn’t right with anything else

So, who’s had a taste of Vegemite Chocolate? What do you think ? and what is your fave way of eating vegemite?

Serendipitous Baked Eggs with Hummus

05.23.2015 by Trish // Leave a Comment

I remember the first time I tasted hummus, it was probably about 20 years ago and the only place you could get it was from the the Middle Eastern caf in the arcade, both now long gone. I had truly never tasted anything like it, and it certainly surpassed the French Onion Soup mix and cream cheese dip that was beloved all over Australia. How exotic and worldly I felt the first time I served it as nibbles with drinks, probably with Jatz cheese crackers or Saltines!!
Of course it is available everywhere now and although I still enjoy it, it is not something I buy or make all that often. So recently when a friend discovered it for the first time and was loving it, I thought it was time to revisit. It is so easy to make at home, very healthy and full of protein, in fact there are lots of health benefits of eating hummus…and you know I swear I can’t tell the difference between hummus made from scratch with the dried peas and that made from a tin of chickpeas.
I don’t usually use a recipe now to make hummus, I have made it so often that I just know how much of everything to use. If you haven’t made it before here is a basic recipe and you can adjust to suit your taste. I like to serve it with strips of roasted red capsicum and sprinkled with deliciously tangy sumac. Many recipes sprinkle with paprika to give that gorgeous contrast of red with the creamy hummus.

BASIC HUMMUS

INGREDIENTS

1 400g tin chick peas, drained. (I love Macro Organic) Keep the drained juice
1 clove garlic crushed
1 Tablespoon tahini (I often use home made nut butter instead)
Lemon juice, start with about half a lemon then adjust to taste
Pinch of salt

METHOD

Blend all ingredients until smooth, adding juice from chickpeas if necessary
Taste and adjust flavours such as lemon and salt to taste
Serve in a bowl with pita crisps

GARNISH

Sprinkle with olive oil
Add some texture such as reserved chick peas, strips of roasted red capsicum
Sprinkle with red spice such as sumac or paprika

Hummus with sumac and roasted red capsicums

Computers are amazing things really. I had just finished looking at basic hummus recipes for this blog and decided I would look for something for my daughter for our special Saturday breakfast. I fancied eggs baked in something so I Googled baked eggs (now that Googled is a word in it’s own right, should one use googled with small g instead of a capital? Hmmmm…) and in the first few results I saw Baked eggs with Hummus….so tell me, is that just coincidence, or did Google remember I had just looked at hummus recipes? It’s a bit scary really isn’t it?

Anyway, apart from scary, I think serendipitous is a good word to describe my finding this dish, so I decided to go with that, and it was yummy. I think yummy might be my most commonly used word in my food blogs, but delicious is a bit formal and I can’t think of anything else really…and yummy is just right. Any thoughts there?

Anyway I am going to call this my Serendipitous Baked Eggs with Hummus and I have to thank Teresa Boyce, a nutritionist at ninemsn Coach, for her recipe

SERENDIPITOUS BAKED EGGS IN HUMMUS

INGREDIENTS

Serves 2

1 cup hummus
4 extra-large organic/ free range eggs
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, diced
½ cup of olives, diced, black ones add a nice contrast in colours
1 teaspoon of parsley, finely chopped for garnish
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Wild rocket or baby spinach to serve (optional)

I added strips of roasted red and green capsicum before cooking, and sprinkled with sumac when serving

METHOD

You will need individual ramekins or a baking dish to hold 4 eggs for this dish
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius

Oil each of the four ramekins or baking dish with olive oil
Spread hummus into the ramekins or baking dish, making an indentation for each of the eggs
Crack an egg into the indentation
Sprinkle with diced tomatoes, olives and roasted capsicum
Place in the oven for 15-18 minutes (depending on the desired consistency of the yolk)
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and sumac or paprika
Serve with spinach or rocket and enjoy while still warm.

Just on 15 minutes I went to take it out of the oven and the phone rang. I should have spent those few extra seconds to take it out because just a few minutes longer in the oven did mean that the yoke was not as runny as I would have liked, but still, it was ….well….yummy!!

I know there are lots of variations of hummus, would love to hear any about any that you make.