DIY Muesli from the Melbourne Age

Who would have thought! In my so far relentless e-search for delicious breakfasts, without white or refined sugar, I came across this great recipe in the e-version of the Melbourne Age. I read the Age most days, or have a glance and then settle into the moderate difficulty e-sudoku.
500 g rolled oats toasted
100g slivered almonds
half cup of organic saltanas or currents
half cup shredded coconut
half cup of sunflower seeds
half cup of gogji berries
half cup ofpuffed quinoa
Half cup of flax seeds or sesame seeds
and half cup of anything else delicious you want to put into this
Serve with almond milk or coconut milk, a dollop of coconut yoghurt and fresh fruit. Simply delicious, and extremely healthy.  

http://www.goodfood.com.au/good-food/cook/hot-food-diy-muesli-20140412-36j9p.html    Peter Ray photo Melbourne age

Hankering for thick dark bread, and there’s a baker in the house

Friday night and we head for the farm. Cher and John are staying at the apartment. We will have dinner together on Sunday evening. I am restless. My achy back isn’t improving, and I feel worse for wear. My Friday session with the physio reveals I may have a slipped disc and pinched nerve. A few weeks ago, I didn’t take him seriously when he said do these exercises 5 times a day. I do now. From yesterday, I have my phone timer set at two hourly intervals, and every two hours I am up and about I do 3 exercises 10 times each. 

 So with all this in mind, we head for Masterton. All I want to eat is thick dark bread. We stop off at Countdown and head for the organic section. Found. Pumpernickel. Friday dinner is pumpernickel smeared with avocado, and topped with fresh tomatoes. Dinner was deeply satisfying. Who would have thought? 

First thing this morning, David is up and make mixed grain bread! Kibbled rye, wholemeal flour and oat flakes. Pip and Pete gave the bread maker to David a few years ago, and recently some of his bread hasn't mixed well and has come out rather firm and definitely stodgy.

Top L: Rising, cut the cross on the loaf, the loaves have risen! DB testing (20 mins at 190C), the loaves!
 These mini loaves are great. Moist and delicious and fun to eat!
My work for the weekend is to make a dish for to go with the bread. I decide on green beans in tomatoes. My friend Maria from Tuscany taught me this dish a couple of years ago. Gently simmer one diced onion in olive oil. Remove. Add the whole green beans minus their tops and tails. 
Move them around gentle until they soften slightly. Add the simmered onions, two or three handfuls

of chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, pepper, a fresh red chilli (my addition), ground pepper and simmer together. When soft and lush, add 1 – 2 cups of vegetable stock. I’m using Rapunzel organic vegetable bullion from Commonsense Organics via Germany. This one is low salt. Put the lid on, and simmer for 20 minutes, take the lid off and simmer until the juices are thick. This final bit takes between 5 – 20 minutes, depending on your taste preferences. Cool and reheat when you are ready to serve. Goes well with crusty bread, and off course lamb!  (which I don’t eating any more). I’m appreciating a lot I like mucking around in the kitchen. And appreciating I have the time in the weekends to do this.

On Thursday night David and I went to The Grand Budapest Hotel, a Wes Anderson movie. A Christmas gift from Pirimia and Darrin were vouchers for the Roxy. It was a great fun movie. Exquisite visually and rather ‘dark’. We both really enjoyed it. I was lucky enough to have an almost vegan dinner, a bit of butter here and there, and I didn't mind a bit!

Arancini with mushroom and parsley, followed by pumpkin and sage ravioli with sage butter and pumpkin seeds. So it was only the butter, and sage butter is close to heaven especially with pumpkin ravioli! This is the second time I have had butter in 4 weeks. Not so bad.

Much to my surprise, being (almost) vegan is not so difficult. As with any food preferences, one of the secrets is to have a well stocked pantry and fresh staples in the fridge, and some prepared frozen meals.

There's been something I have been looking forward to trying.  Corn bread. So into the range of flour we now have. Vegan corn bread http://vegetarian.about.com/od/sidevegetabledishes/r/cornbread2.htm  Just like the recipe! You may notice there is a lot of baking and

carbohydrate eating in our house now. I am quite amazed in that over the past few years, we had both 'given up' bread, rice, pasta, and anything with white flour. I've taken baking on with a vengeance. The recipe was pretty firm, and the bread crumbly (no gluten), however just what I imagined. So into the freezer half of it goes.

Farm work this weekend - cutting the lavendar, planting broad beans, digging the red onions ready to dry, and David straighted the weeping birch. (Its an obsession of his)

In praise of Gilli Bassan, and an experimental salad

One of my favourite dinners even pre this whole food extravaganza was Gilli Bassan’s pumpkin and chickpea tagine. You can find something similar at http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/vegetarianmaindishes/r/moroccan_carrot_chickpea_tagine.htm

If you make this one, use lots more spices than recommended. I double the amounts.

And both carrot or pumpkin are delicious. One of the great things about this dish is that it is likely you would have all the ingredients in your pantry, and it takes about 25 mins total, including preparation.

Tonight I made a new salad. Using our super duper peeler; finely peel one fresh zucchini, toss in lemon juice and olive oil, sprinkle lots of dried dill and chopped fresh mint. Add some finely sliced iceberg lettuce, and just before serving add speedily boiled fresh green peas. As we grew the zucchini, mint, lettuce, lemon and oil , you can see why I liked it. The peas were Watties baby minted peas.

End of week 2 – a little bit of everything

I have eaten a lot of whole food this week. I have cooked lots of it too. I am eating a lot more carbohydrate than usual particularly with brown rice and buckwheat flour. Most dishes have a number of spices emphasizing different flavours in the food.

Breakfasts:

• Rolled oats with almond milk, stewed fruit
• Corn fritters, avocado and tomato salsa
• Warmed Quinoa with stewed plums, maples syrup, almond milk, cinnamon and slivered almonds
• Banana-blueberry pancakes with maple syrup
• Tomatoes on toast sprinkled with savoury yeast, or homemade pesto
• Banana and blueberry smoothie with almond milk, pea protein and cinnamon 

Lunches

• Hummus on buckwheat wafers with sliced tomatoes
• Miso soup
• Falafel with hummus with raw carrot
• Tofu with peanut sauce
• Warmed leftover corn fritters
• Apple and pear juice with ginger
• Lettuce, tomato, avocado and cumin spiced grated carrot corn bread wrap

Dinners

• Roasted vegetables with tomato and red pepper
• Thousand jeweled quinoa
• Warmed tortillas stuffed with chilli fried beans, lettuce, tomato and avocado 
• Aashe
• Carrot and avocado soup with coconut and cashews
• Carrot and chickpea tagine
• Babganoush, hummus, guacamole with carrot sticks

Snacks

• Apple slices with smear of almond butter
• Bliss balls
• Banana
• 2 x Omega plums
• Walnut and banana buckwheat and brown rice flour Mini muffin with chia seeds
• Mini carrot cake fritters with many spices and maple syrup

 

Most exotic meal: Shahla’s made two of us dinner using traditional family recipes from her Mum – Aashe (pronounced Oosh), then Iranian crispy rice with saffron syrup, broad beans with garlic and dill,

Shahla serving dinner

The blitzed walnuts after an hour and before being cooked 

walnut sauce with eggplant and pomegranate molasses. 



Everything was absolutely divine. I learned to make the walnut paste you pulse and grind the walnuts for an hour! A true labour of love, and a memorable evening. 

Most delightful surprise meal: the salads at Charlie Nobles, beautifully constructed, delicious and nutritious and fabulous tastes; and carrot and avocado soup with coconut, coriander and cashews.

Weirdest meal: carrot cake fritters with maple syrup for breakfast!

Most Over-rated: Savoury yeast! this does not taste like cheese at all. I have realized eating cheese is an experience - texture, taste, smell, visual delight, memories. Eating savoury yeast is nothing like that.

Quickest meal: Anything Mexican

Not sure yet: Pea protein in smoothies.

Favourite meal: crunchy corn fritters with tomato salsa and avocado; Gilli Bassan’s carrot or pumpkin and chickpea tagine. 

Can’t wait to try: coconut yoghurt made with probiotics, making my own corn bread

Best finds:

Pear Jelly, made from our pears, and chelsea white sugar!

• Vogel’s gluten free 6 seed bread
• Mountain breads corn wraps
• Corn tortillas
• Almond milk
• Black coffee with cardamom
• Smoothies for breakfast

Things I miss a little bit

Pear paste (cooked with sugar!) on blue cheese (verboten). I can still eat the walnuts though 

Left: I don't shop in this section of the supermarket any more!

PS. I have not put on any weight this week. 

Myths and riddles with B12 and making traditional pear jelly

One of the things in eating whole foods is that they don’t contain Vitamin B-12 (aka Cobalamin). B-12 is one of the largest and most complex vitamin currently known, and its central source is meat, eggs and fish. A slight deficiency of vitamin B-12 can lead to anemia, fatigue, mania, and depression, while a long term deficiency can cause permanent damage to the brain and central nervous system. Spooky stuff.
Read more at http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-vitamin-B12.php#slu8O7eUfquc7azH.99

 I had thought I would get my B12 from a supplement. I have second thoughts. Supplements seemed an odd choice as they are processed, manufactured,  and the whole aim of whole foods is to avoid processed foods.  The more I read about health food supplement producers they are linked to making synthetic drugs and performance enhancers so not so much my cup of tea, so to speak.

Super red berry oats with almonds

More B12 facts. An average daily intake for an adult is 2.8 micrograms (mcg). The supplements I looked at were 50mcg each which seems a bit odd for daily intake. Having read quite a bit more research,I see soy, rice, and almond milks per cup,each have 1mcg. So with breakfast smoothie or almond milk and oats, I get half what is needed each day.

Thai fish curry: aka B12 for DJ

I am not keen to fret over micrograms I have decided it is easier to eat fish once a week  or an egg here and there. Here’s the Thai fish curry I made on Friday night.

 There have been big winds during the week, and sadly I have lost yet another olive tree branch. I hate seeing this happen so I am glad I wasn’t here. So out with my trusty saw and pruning paste. Heartbreaking as this branch was laden with olives, one of the few in the North Olives of about 40 trees. Oh the pain of being a horticulturalist!

 This weekend I have cut back the raspberries and planted kale. There are still lettuces, chillies, capsicum, courgettes, herbs, lemons, mandarins and one last strawberry.  Autumn is here.

The last of our pears

Pear Jelly

I have made pear jelly using a Christine Ferber recipe via www.shesimmers.com using four of our pears. I decided to use sugar! This is an indulgence cos sugar is definately NOT vegan. So far the jelly hasn’t set even after boiling for half an hour with pectin.   So its more like pear honey! I do have this dream of making crystal clear pear jelly, where you can spoon it our of the jar - not pour it. I made it once and cant for the life of me recall what I did!

Batch number two with our final five pears. This looks better but doesn't look likely to set. Note for next year.....make like strawberry jam,use juicy pears and don't add water! Or maybe juice the pears and go from there.

Heading off to Minerva with the shovels

 The other excitement this weekend, is Minerva has at last found her feet! I made Minerva shortly after I met David and she stood proudly on our back deck. During the rennovations she was knocked over and her hair fell off, and her base broke. That was over ten years ago. At last she is standing by the eucalyptus tree with an infrastructure of concrete going down 500cm! Thank you David. 

David putting final touches with Minerva

During spring I plan to plant red poppies at her feet so in summer she will really be on show. 

Its been seven days now

And whole foods all the way. No dairy, eggs, fish, animal or bird products have passed my lips. No salt, no white flour or white sugar either. How about that! What have I noticed? Several things;

·      I am really enjoying this new way of eating

·      I have 0.5 kg lighter. Unintentional but good

·      I feel good and have lots of energy

·      I don’t have cravings and don’t feel hungry

·      I am liking eating Iranian and Turkish foods and am loving finding recipes

·      I am beginning to get a handle on the different food groups and how they go together nutritionally

·      I am enjoying black coffee!!! After being a dedicated latte drinker for many years

·      I am drinking less wine and less often

I am trawling whole food websites and collecting whole food recipes of things I am looking forward to making, and eating. This weekend I am trying a roasted tomato soup recipe Maddy had published in the Nelson Leader; go Maddy http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/communities/9849151/Make-the-most-of-tomatoes

I think I am becoming food obsessed.

View from the cottage door

Friday night at the farm. We arrived a little later than usual this evening (6.30pm) to a beautiful still clear light autumn evening. All our hard work of the past seven years was on display. Proud moment. Here, with pictures.

the vegetable garden

Produce from the garden

Dinner is to be couscous with roasted vegetables.

the bbq chef at work

Veges roasting in the bbq

the Kale and zucchini went in last

the chopped mandarin and mint (both from the garden) ready for the couscous. I toasted some almonds, stirring all the time. The turned the heat off and added the saltanas, to warm them.

Couscous ready to eat

The onion skins were all that was left!

The roasted vegetable

A still Wairarapa evening

So far so good

I am aware of more produce in the fridge that we are ever likely to eat. Hmmm. Fresh green beans, kale, carrots, onions, an array of dips, lettuce and courgettes (from the farm), and of course the full to overflowing freezer. I am aware too that I am not eating so much. I feel full rapidly. This is a good thing, cos portion size has been a challenge for me. I get a distinct feeling of being deprived – goes back to the days when Mum served a teaspoon of scrambled egg on half a slice of toast and that was our ‘cooked’ school breakfast. When ever I am faced with a small portion of food I have felt deprived. Broken that one at last.

The good news is that I have retained my weight. I was nervous I would put on weight with all the carbohydrates. So far so good.

I have been having a series of health checks recently. Eyes, clear and good. New frames though. Teeth….no fillings. Very glad. However, my blood test have shown I have a degenerative inflammation in my left sacroiliac joint. This explains the intense back pain I have had for the past year. The good news is that all the exercise I have been doing, and now this new eating regime, are going to assist. It won’t disappear, but I can do some things to ensure it doesn’t get worse. Very pleased about that! Also assisting is this whizz of a physiotherapist a friend recommended, Stephen, who is out in Johnsonville. So I am seeing him twice a week too. In six weeks we will see if the pain has lessened. Other elements of managing this is to have super duper posture. This means two new chairs for the farm. I am looking into this! No more slouching for me!

Buckwheat pancakes with blue berries and banana

On the food front, I am grappling with how to have fresh veges for each day, yet not have to shop often. Still working that out. I have discovered three new breakfast recipes in case I get sick of the rolled oats. One with Quinoa, one with buckwheat, and one with brown rice. 

Here we go: recipe from Ohsheglows

Dinner at Charlie Noble’s. This is one hot spot. Newly opened in Wellington’s Huddard Parker building, ex tenant being the NZRFU, Charlie Noble’s is a plan, elegant, and humming with people even at 6pm. http://www.charleynoble.co.nz  This was a christmas present from D and P, so we decided to make an evening of it. They arrived around 6m and managed to get a table; a banquette so slightly away from the groups that were warmly engaged with one another as the evening progress. Five of us had gathered and began with Italian prosecco. By 6.30pm we had caught  up enough to look at the menu, and the many delightful things on offer. I could see I could immediately there were several things I could eat without asking for this or that not to be included. Phew.

I chose FENNEL salad with radicchio, whitloof, hazelnut, and pear dressed in micro-greens, then had the PIGS TAIL (without the pigs tail) which was walnuts, blueberries, mandarin, currants, faro. Both were divine. Obviously there were secret dressings which I didn’t even try to work out. Fine food and a good evening with family and friends. These dishes were beautifully presented so I now have some ideas on presentation.