I Heart Chick-a-peas

Hi all

How are you doing this month? We are doing very well here at myprivatedining, despite picking up a few colds, we have managed a steady flow of visitors, outings, new projects and a few decent sized pots of curry. Every month I feel like we are finding better balance and flow as a still fairly newish family. Just coming more and more into ourselves really.

One of my new projects this month involves a ripper of an  interview with a friend (which I will post as soon as I can manage) about the cultural and food consumption changes she has been making in her own household recently. It’s a wonderful insight into the effort and challenges involved not only changing how you eat but changing the approach of the whole family. I’m really looking forward to sharing that with you.

I have also learnt how to crochet this month. Don’t ask me why, more just a desire to do something with my hands I think, and in all honesty I expect it to fall flat on its face at any moment. It’s just for a bit of fun really.

There are a few other things we are cooking up (excuse the pun) which I am very excited about, but I will share them with you later as they progress.

This month’s recipe is a simple one for you. If you are anything like me, you always have a can of chickpeas tucked away somewhere in the back of the pantry. I can’t get enough of chickpeas, they are cheap and easy and I throw them in everything. My husband even went so far as to ask if we could have a month long break from them some time ago, but, what can I say, he missed them more then he thought he would. So, he was very happy to receive them back into his life when I found a bag of dried chickpeas in the back of the cupboard last week. After a good soak, a little simmer and a somewhat therapeutic skin pulling session, we threw them on a bake tray with a little oil, a few spices and a good sprinkling of salt and into the oven. Before we knew it we were picking hot spicy chickpeas off the bake-paper and making windy noises with our mouths as we popped them down our hatches before they were properly cooled.

The only thing I can say is that you may want to eat them on the first day as the few we kept for later snacking really were a bit of a letdown.

Roasted Chickpeas

1 can of chickpeas, drained (you can grab a couple of handfuls of the dried and go the longer route as we did, but either is fine)

Cayenne pepper

Paprika

Punch Poron (seed mixture)

Sea salt

Good olive oil

Cumin

Lay drained chickpeas on a tray with bake paper, drizzle with oil and roll chickpeas around to coat them in the oil. 

Sprinkle with spices (according to your personal taste) and salt

Bake in moderate oven till they only slightly colour, you don't want to dry them out. 

I took them out a couple of times and shook the tray to make sure rolled around and didn't burn on the underside.

Enjoy warm :)

Wild Rice Salad

These days most of my cooking experimentation is aimed at just getting dinner on the table.

As much as I would love to be hanging out at local restaurants or hunting down the latest coffee joint and as much as I would love to spend a whole day making some ridiculously complicated cake, the little spare time I have is usually spent cleaning, re-organizing or laying somewhat comatose in front of the computer flicking through blogs and pretending to read them.

I am however submitted to that for now. Perhaps that is why the house has seemed so much quieter recently, because my soul has quietened. I feel a little more settled in this season. I know one day I will be released again, but for now, I may as well enjoy what this space of time has to offer me.

And so my creative outlet has not so much squashed as just refocused. 

One thing that has caught my interest is inserting more grains and legumes into our diet. I have always loved my g’s and l’s and with a tightening budget and bend towards simpler eating there couldn't really be a better platform for trying out more of these recipes.

So that brings me to a wonderful wild rice salad. My dear friend ‘Mina first introduced me to this one, I’m not sure where she got it from but over time it has changed a little, and it will probably continue to the more I make it.  

Admittedly the photo attached contains the more hip-pocket-savvy mountain rice, but if you are happy to spend the extra coin I really recommend you try the proper wild rice at least once. 

As with all salads, they are really quite flexible depending on your pantry or the season. But there are 3 elements here that really make this salad what it is. 

Firstly, the rice. These alternative rice’s add so much more flavor and texture than just plain white rice. 

Secondly, the dressing. 

And Finally, a handful of finely chopped crasins. I love finely chopping things that are full of sweetness or just bolder in their flavor. They make such an impact on the dish but in a much subtler way, so that it goes from an, 'ok' dish, to a, ‘Oo that’s so yummy, but what is that flavor I can’t quite put my finger on??’.

Everything else is pretty much rattle (the cupboard) and bake (whatever falls out)

Enjoy!

Wild Rice Salad (base recipe)

consider adding more seeds and grains to this recipe

Roast veg (I used sweet potato, cauliflower and mixed carrots, all chopped into small pieces and roasted with a bit of olive oil and seasoned well) about one baking tray full.

1 cup of wild rice

toasted corn kernels

1 can of chickpeas, drained

1 bunch of asparagus 

a handful of craisins finely chopped

coriander (leaves, stems and roots)

1/2 a lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon of honey

1 garlic clove

olive oil (for dressing), about 1/2 a cup (give or take)

1 teaspoon(ish) of salt

Cook rice as directed on packet

for corn fry kernels till they start to colour

Slice asparagus and place in a bowl, boil kettle and pour over, leave until asparagus brightens in colour then drain.

Combine mixed roast vegetables, asparagus, corn, craisins, chickpeas, roughly chopped coriander leaves with cooked rice.

to make dressing place lemon juice, garlic clove, dijon, salt, honey and the steams and roots of coriander(you may need to pre-chop them a little first) into a food processor with oil and blend till smooth (you may need to add more oil and salt if it needs)

combine with salad.

Tarte a la Tomate

April

I have been very excited to bring you this month’s recipe. But first things first, if you've noticed that the top of my page has had a little change, well done, and I have to pass credit to my dear friend Eleta, who by chance has this great little online jewelry store (plug, plug, plug) and if you happen to live in Perth she also shows up at various markets around the city (thank you hon’ xoxo)

But back to food. I feel like I should have some wonderful story to share with this recipe, like a back story to place emphasis on just how special a recipe this is. Truth is I have squat. Nothing. I found the recipe, I tried the recipe, I slid the recipe into my ‘favorites’ file and there I think it shall stay for quite some time. It is simple, (or at least as simple as French gets) it is buttery, it is sweet and salty and something you want to eat with your eyes closed and a sultry French songstress wooing you in the back ground. It is Tarte à la Tomate. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Perfect for dinner parties, picnics or sneakily chowing down whilst sitting on the kitchen floor and hoping no one is looking so that you don’t have to share.

So without further delay, here she is…….

(Adapted from Food of the world’s The cooking of Provincial France)

Tarte à la Tomate

Pastry:

140 grams of butter

170 grams of plain flour

1 teaspoon of salt

3-5 tablespoons of cold water

Combine and chill for 3 hours

Butter and dust lightly with flour a false bottomed quiche or cake tin (8-9 inch) then roll out pastry (may need to take out of fridge for 5-10 minutes before rolling out) lay pastry in tin, cut off over hang and return to fridge for an hour

Topping:

Cheese: Combrè, Swiss or Gruyere (I’m sure you can put in whatever you like or can get from local shops) about 500 grams

2-3 large tomatoes (I used about 600 grams of cherry tomatoes)

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Fresh basil, about 4 or 5 leaves

30 grams of Parmesan cheese- grated

30 grams of butter

Slice tomatoes and sprinkle with a good amount of salt and leave to drain for 1 hour.

Bake pastry (using blind bake method) at about 200 degrees for 10-15 minutes depending on your oven, remove baking paper and weights, prick pastry with fork all over and return to oven for another 5 minutes.

Lay sliced cheese over pastry, then lay tomatoes on top.

Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle the Parmesan across and a little of the basil- finely chopped.

Melt butter and pour over top of tomatoes and return to oven for around 25 minutes till starting to golden.

Adorn with some freshly chopped basil and serve.

A Little More Time at Home

This month has been a little cooler and a little slower.

A big part of the ‘slower’ has been me trying to refocus my time. Less trying to ‘make more’ time for things as if I can possibly conjure up more hours in the day from deep within the earth and more ‘taking time out for things’, only a slight difference but a world of difference in my head.

Most certainly a more realistic approach.

So I am spending more time in the garden, which relaxes me somehow, having more coffees at home instead of braving cafes with an overly energetic toddler. Then there’s taking slow walks with the wee one around the block, (usually stealing flowers from the neighbors) instead of packing lunches and taking car trips to parks. I’m even allocating more time during the day to the basics like housework instead of trying cram it all in just before bed.

Mostly it’s just going out less and staying in more.

Oh, and then there is breakfast.

Yes, breakfast.

And by that I mean actually eating breakfast rather than just thinking about it.

While it is my favorite meal of the day it is also my most abandoned meal. But that’s motherhood right?

In an attempt to correct that though, I have joined in with those doing the Cooking Cure via the Kithcn, to push my home cooking habits back towards a healthier mark. I figure the only way to really stop my meal skipping is to get inspired again.

And so, I bring you granola.

Actually granola’s.

Plural.

Whatever the plural for granola is……granoli?

Ahem, I bring you two recipes for granola (better?)

The first is a raw sprouted granola from Green Kitchen Stories- but I need to add a note that I very stupidly overlooked. If you are from a crazy hot or humid climate, you may find that your sprouts, like mine, ferment very quickly.

Take two of this recipe was done in only four hours instead of the recommended 36-48 hours.

I think these guys are based in Sweden? Need I say more?

The second granola was less a recipe and more a pantry raid/sneaky appetite trick.

I know from experience that eating something small and sweet can kick start my appetite. I’m sure there is something scientific there about stimulating saliva glands, but that aside, the thought of something small and sweet can lure me into sitting down to a meal instead of getting distracted by other duties. For breakfast, it has to be granola. This recipe is a little loose, like I said it was more of a pantry raid than an actual recipe. Half packets of nuts, chopped and thrown together with handfuls of whatever else I could find floating in the cupboard and tossed with warm maple syrup and mixed spice, roasted and voila’! Homemade granola.

Now to work on lunches………..

Maple nut granola.

I love granola but can’t eat too much, especially first thing in the morning. A tablespoon or two on top of muesli and fruit or Greek yoghurt and fruit salad is my favorite way to eat it.

Approx. 2 cups of mixed nuts (I used mostly hazelnuts, with some almonds and pistachios to mix it up)

Half a cup of coconut

A third of a cup of sesame seeds

Mixed spice to taste

Half a cup of pumpkin seeds/mixed seeds

Half a cup of oats

Two tablespoons of brown sugar

8 tablespoons of maple syrup

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt to taste.

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees (Celsius)

Soak pumpkin seeds and coconut for one hour

Roughly chop nuts, mix with sesame seeds, mixed spice, oats, brown sugar and drained pumpkin seed mix.

Heat maple syrup and oil in a saucepan until combined

pour over and stir through granola mixture. Spread mixture out on baking tray and put in oven and roast till golden (stirring regularly) 

Remove and season- allow to cool before breaking up and storing.

Everything is Gold (Yogurt and date smoothies and link to raw choc raspberry tart)

>Spiced stone fruit on yogurt with fresh raspberries and toasted pistachios

>Chocolate raspberry tart with (an attempt at) dairy free chocolate

>Princess Squirmy 'gardening', aka moving dirt from one pot to another and back again (can keep her quite busy for some time with this)

>Kale smoothie

Everything is gold.

I feel like, somehow, I have been transported to the outback with its hot dusty winds and its vast golden paddocks. Except that I’m not in the outback, I’m in suburbia- Inner city suburbia I might add, and that beautiful wheat gold is actually a collaboration of streets and streets of dead lawns. Summer is here and in full force!

The last few nights we have moved all our bedding downstairs onto the tiled lounge room floor (the only room with air-conditioning) The port-a-cot is now a fixture in the entry way, and all our bedding has been rolled up next to the couch with a throw rug tossed over for effect.  Each night we roll our doona-swag, and toss a coin to see who gets the couch and who settles for the floor.

I believe my point is this: I am really just making more excuses as to why I haven’t been cooking. It’s too hot!

That said, it’s not too hot to BBQ! And boy do we love a webber meal in this house! It’s also not too hot for yogurt with spiced-cinnamon-stone-fruit. Nor is it too hot for green smoothies, date and yogurt smoothies, (well actually any sort of smoothie really) watermelon icy-poles, homemade muesli’s, spoonful’s of hummus or green-olive-chimichurri on everything, and it is never, NEVER, too hot for raw cake!

It’s my personal opinion that raw cake could and should take over this town. It is just perfect for Perth. It’s healthier, super tasty and it’s at its best served straight out of the freezer! And because of that great freezer element, you can chop it up and store pieces in your freezer taking out only as you need. No wasted stale cake! At this point I’m wondering if I should be selling the stuff. I’m not trying to do that here. Honestly. I’m just in-love with the stuff.

If you haven’t had it before and are a little cautious, think of it as more of a no-bake slice. Technically, it’s nothing new- perhaps just the name? I know my Grandmother has been making versions of it for years. However I think with improved home kitchen appliances, the recipes too have improved.

I have linked a raw-cake recipe below, but if you have any great recipes you would like to share with me, please don’t hesitate too! I've also shared the date and yogurt shake I have been having a lot of recently. It’s been a wonderful power-pop for when I can’t get to a proper breakfast/lunch, which is, at this stage of the motherhood game, still far too often.

Enjoy!

Chocolate and raspberry tart. (Thank you to Kellie for introducing this one to me)

Date and Yoghurt Smoothie

1 cup of Greek/plain yoghurt

1 cup of milk

4 ice cubes

12 pitted dates

1 tablespoon of ground almonds

Throw it all in a Thermomix or good quality smoothie blender until smooth.

New..

    

There hasn't been much kitchen action around here the last couple of weeks, at least nothing worth writing about. 
Eggs on toast. 
A few shamefully bad curries. 
Twice a day muesli. 

Moving house, Christmas Banquet for 160, a fundraising event to oversee and just the general hoo-hah of Christmas business all round. It's been an exhausting end to the year. 

Not to mention that Summer is peaking. I glisten all day long and not because I am a vampire but because it is 30+ degrees and I can not handle the heat the way I did pre-pregnancy (one of the odd side effects of baby-creating). 

Lord knows how I will handle it when we work up past the 40's. 

On the upside, the webber has come out in full force! 

Before we left the last house we celebrated with a couple of pear ciders,  a packet of mixed vegetable chips and Chimichirri on steak cooked to perfection the way the webber always does. It was a wonderful way to farewell that house and the season we had there. 

As far as the new place goes, life has moved forward as if nothing really has changed. Princess Squirmy has adapted to her new environment with much ease- mostly I think she just loves the new staircase- and now that we are meeting the end of the unpacking, the place is already starting to feel like a home. It's smaller, but better designed, there is not much garden, no grass, but some terrific parks close by and an enclosed courtyard that P.S. Can run around in relatively unsupervised which is a new and wonderful experience for me. 

I dare say I am ready for 2014 now. Finally. 

Wrap-star

Almost here!
I get very excited about wrapping presents. 
Almost more excited about the wrapping than whats inside. I just find that something simple, wrapped beautifully- sings so much more to me than something extravagant wrapped in supermarket paper.......
I guess that is just the odd way I can be sometimes.
I like the simple pleasures.