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FoodBytes
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25.01.2022 The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend we eat two serves of fruit per day. But it doesn’t stipulate that your fruit can’t be eaten as part of a cake So to keep up my fruit intake, this week’s #coronocake is an insanely moist and delicious mandarin cake from the @mondaymorningcc gals. And even better when eaten with a dollop of cream....now could that count as a dairy serve too?
23.01.2022 This may look like a photo of my regular weekly challah baking, but it’s actually a photo of kindness. Traditionally we bake two loaves for each Shabbat, but for the past month I have been baking three, sometimes four loaves and have given them away to friends, neighbours, sister in laws and mother in laws (not my immediate family who live interstate unfortunately). Now before you jump to conclusions, I am usually not this kind so please don’t put me on an undeserving pedesta...l. In fact, if anything, I think I have become more self involved over the years since raising young children and having to grow my own business. But the critical thing that I have learned from this Covid pandemic is that in order to survive and get through each day, you need to give and receive kindness. For it is thinking of others that gets us through...thinking of others who have so much less than me and still survive, thinking of how I can be kind to someone else whether that is simply trying to smile with my eyes whilst wearing a mask, or dropping off a home baked challah on a neighbour’s doorstep or a text message just to say hi. Kindness is an interesting thing. I have been touched by some who have reached out just to say hi and see how I am doing...often from people that I would never have expected. There have been those that possibly had good intentions when reaching out yet all they could do was say how lucky they feel that they are not in a lockdown and rattle off all the things they have been enjoying which are forbidden for those of us in Victoria. There are a few kind souls that regularly reach out with simple gestures and have truly taught me what it really means to be consistently kind and not just tick a box. Food has always been a way that I choose to express love for others and my weekly ritual of challah baking will forever be a reminder for me of the essential need for humans to be kind. #shabbatshalom See more
22.01.2022 Tonight we tried the @fablefoodco plant-based braised beef which was sooo good. It didn’t taste a lot like meat, but rather shitake mushrooms that it is made from. But was super delicious and even pulled a set like regular beef brisket. We ate it in burritos with loads of veg and homemade mango chutney.
22.01.2022 This weekend’s #coronacake baking with the kids was a real good one. A few weeks ago, we luckily managed to sneak in a visit to the beautiful @thegrampians in between the two lockdowns. We stumbled across a little farm store (called Five Ducks Farm) where they make their Own amazing produce. We sampled many unusual jams and chutneys and curds and ice creams before choosing which ones to purchase. One of the jars we bought was a passionfruit curd made with the eggs from the du...cks that roam the farm. So this weekend the kids and I baked a Victorian sponge cake with a layer of the curd in between and O-M-G it was damn gooood!! And the best part...this little farm are now selling their products online (they had to innovate when local business shut down from Covid) so I can order more of this deliciousness...which is just as well since I have been eating this curd by the spoonful directly from the jar Do yourselves a favour and look up these guys online and order a bottle (or ten) of homegrown de-luscious goodness. See more
22.01.2022 Summer is the best time to make passata from the ever-ready supply of juicy, sweet tomatoes. It’s really easy - just lather with EVOO, whole garlic, any fresh herbs (or dried) and slow cook in a not-too hot oven. Remove skins once cooled (if you can be bothered), blitz until smooth and place in sterilised jars to have on hand for future cooking. It makes a great Christmas gift too.
21.01.2022 Ten business lessons from an unforgettable year! http://www.foodbytes.com.au/12-business-lessons-from-an-un/
21.01.2022 On Saturday I visited our local @melbournefarmersmarkets which is located five minutes from where we live. The dog, the husband and the kids came too for what felt like a novel adventure, given our farmers market was one of the few that shut up shop during Victoria’s second wave of Covid. It was so good to stock up on fresh seasonal produce, chat to the farmers and enjoy a cup of coffee on a crisp spring morning. We have been enjoying these delectable goodies the whole week...more details in my stories.
18.01.2022 Going to @bakerbleu is like going to IKEA, I never leave with only the items I had on my shopping list Early this morning I went to buy just a fresh country grain and left with an additional spelt loaf, a couple of croissants, a pistachio pastry thingy and a chocolate croissant. I just couldn’t help myself and the kids were very pleased with morning tea items for recess.
18.01.2022 Merry Christmas!
17.01.2022 A veg frittata is the perfect summer Sunday night dinner. It’s a great way to use up leftover veg that have been lurking in the bottom of the veg crisp drawer - my version tonight includes leek, asaparagus, corn and zucchini. This recipe was inspired by @inpraiseofveg to use fresh thick cuts of tomato as they sure are at their best at the moment.
14.01.2022 Who would have thought a $20 crepe maker from @aldiaustralia last year would become our favourite weekend kitchen gadget. Most Sunday’s our household enjoy the most delicious crepes for breakfast (thanks to @heidiapples for passing on the recipe) and despite the huge sticky kitchen mess, it’s got to be one of the best breakfasts ever. In fact so much so that my kids prefer home made crepes to restaurant pancakes....perhaps it’s got something to do with eating them whilst still wearing pyjamas
14.01.2022 Feels like we’re up to about cake number 89 in this #coronabaking life. Today’s was a goodie, a simple# cinnamon cake from the @mondaymorningcc gals.
14.01.2022 In times like this, food can provide more comfort than ever and my favourite citrus season having started has made me more excited than usual. I really love blood oranges. Mainly for the flavour but they happen to give a double health kick too as the red colour comes from an antioxidant called Anthocyanin, which is commonly found in berries, so you get double dose of citrus and berry-like benefits! The skin can be used too (like all citrus). I like to dry mine out and slowly caramelise with sugar on the stove. It’s a great snack on its own or even better crushed into vanilla ice cream.
12.01.2022 So good to have the @cityofboroondara farmers market back up and running and have everyone out and about supporting farmers and locally made produce. How good to these giant @aussieasparagus look, can’t wait to enjoy these fresh spears.
08.01.2022 @ottolenghi inspired cauliflower, pistachio and pomegranate salad.
08.01.2022 When life gives you lemons but you have already drunk all the tequila in the house....squeeze the juice and freeze in ice cube trays for perfectly portioned serves of lemon juice for future cooking. Oh, and grate the citrus peel too as lemon citrus peel will take all your iso cooking to a new level. Disclaimer: if you still have tequila at home, discard all the info above and start making shots...at any time of the day.
07.01.2022 I made a batch of preserved lemons today with the gorgeous lemons gifted to me by @marnienitschke . These yellow beauties will be ready in about a month...let’s hope The rest of us Victorians get out of lockdown before they do! #isocooking
05.01.2022 I received my copy of @inpraiseofveg by @aliceinframes last week and have been loving going through the colourful pages deciding which vege recipe I want to try first. The lucky winner was this outstanding carrot top pesto with rigatoni. I don’t think I have ever eaten carrot strips with pasta and I am now sold! I have shared some if the recipe details in my stories.
04.01.2022 When I arrived in Australia almost exactly 20 years ago to the day, within a week I attended my first Aussie backyard barbie and tasted a delicious wombok salad complete with Mr. Chang’s fried noodles and the famous soy dressing, which I soon realised was a standard feature at pretty much every good Aussie BBQ event. So when I spotted a slightly different version of this salad in @inpraiseofveg (yay for adding crunchy radishes!) I had to give it a go. This version uses a plum sauce dressing which I think I prefer, and I replaced the honeyed cashews with toasted sesame seeds.
04.01.2022 Today I attended a fabulous virtual cheese masterclass hosted by @australiandairy and @louisekeats with engaging presentations by @doctimcrowe and @pennyscheeseshop . Whilst there was great info about cheese making and the dairy matrix, by far the highlight was tasting THE best Australian cheeses I have ever eaten. They were luxurious, velvety and just pure cheese perfection. Thanks @harperandblohm for delivering a great box of goodies that allowed my creative juices to flow and make a decadent cheese board. Together with a glass of vino, I think that’s dinner sorted!
03.01.2022 Today is the launch of a very exciting report that I have been working on with the amazing team at @foodfrontier_aus . The report provides a deep dive into a study done looking at plant-based alternatives to conventional sausages, burgers, shnitzels, etc. The aim of the study was to address the key consumer question as to whether or not plant-based alternatives are a healthier swap. The findings were very positive and plant-based meats on average, were found to be nutritionally superior or comparable to their similar conventional meat equivalents. If you interested in the categories we looked at and the detailed analysis, you can get a copy of the report (and a consumer guide with recipe ideas) at foodfrontier.org or check out the link in my bio above.
03.01.2022 As close to perfect dinner plates as possible - packed with an assortment of veg and just enough space on the plate for a small amount of protein. Of course the glass of vino achieves the state of perfection
02.01.2022 The ultimate sign of summer. #australianmangoes
