Showering Baby Blue

A couple of weeks ago I was very blessed to have a baby shower thrown for my by besties J and K. I was a little hesitant as to whether I even wanted one, as even though I can be quite self-centred, I am just awkward with these things. My biggest fear around my birthday is: when people sing me Happy Birthday:

‘Where do I look?’

‘How should I stand?’

‘Where do I put my hands?’

Gahhh I am so hopeless!

Anyhoo, J and K were really excited to host my baby shower (I am so lucky) and knowing they would do it how I wanted without any of those horrible, horrible games put my mind at ease. We did play guess the baby’s name, and my favourite would have to be Miss C’s who has claimed #babybuchanan2014 as her own!

The afternoon was just delightful. The sun was shining (Perth doesn’t really do winter well) so we sat out on K’s deck with the most gorgeous Donna Hay inspired food, drinks and décor. #babybuchanan2014 was very spoilt with the most fabulous of gifts and a big shout out to R for the beautiful cake.

I must admit that since my shower I have been a little bit more excited about meeting my little man. Maybe as it has made impending motherhood a little more real. What I do know is that A and I are so lucky and thankful to have such supportive family and friends who will love love love our little man.

Hx

Recipe Recommendation!

 

I have been attempting to get back into the whole healthy cooking thing that seems to be taking over the world...and Instagram!

 

Thursday night, friend J came for dinner (and plenty of wine!) so I decided to hit up Taste.com.au for a fail-proof recipe. I typed in "healthy"and this is the recipe that got spat back at me.

 

Quinoa risotto with prawns, oregano and tomatoes

 

Ingredients

• 250g punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 long red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups (300g) quinoa
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 1/3 cup (80ml) white wine
• 2 1/2 cups (625ml) chicken stock
• 20 cooked, peeled (tails intact) prawns
• 1/3 cup oregano leaves

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Place tomatoes, cut-side up, on a baking tray and drizzle with 1 tbs oil. Scatter with sugar and salt. Bake for 25 minutes or until softened.
2. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tbs oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and chilli, then cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the quinoa, stirring to coat the grains, then stir in tomato paste and wine. Simmer for 1 minute or until wine has evaporated.
3. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Stir in prawns to warm through, then stir in tomatoes and half the oregano. Season, then scatter with remaining oregano and serve.

 

J and I loved it! A is not used to Quinoa so there was a bit of "WTF is this?" but I am sure he loved it!

 

This one is going in the recipe bank for sure!

 

H x

 

No additional charge for soy!

To be honest, every weekday morning can be a struggle to get out of bed, especially when T and I are snuggled up in our cosy bed.

As an added incentive I like to make sure that I get the best caffeine hit around before I can even think about facing the day, and a few months ago I discovered Kettle Cafe in the nearby suburb of Lathlain.

This gorgeous little coffee shop opened in February this year and is just so quaint, with it's mismatched vintage chairs, quirky prints, and old school decor.

The staff are always really friendly and the service is very efficient. I feel that it is important to support the small businesses in your local area, so I have made this my 'usual'.

And, can I just say, they don't charge extra for soy milk or decaf. Yes!

H x

Amazing wines!

A couple of weekends ago, A, sister K and friends K and C headed down for a long weekend of wine tasting, beaching (way too cold!), shopping and general laziness.

 

K squared and I managed to get through quite a list of watering holes in the four days, with these being some of the highlights. We visited Aravina Estate, Wills Domain, Ashbrook Estate, and Fermoy Estate Wines. Amazing!

 

I even manged to collect a wedding reception package from Eagle Bay Brewery (hint hint A).

 

I must admit that by the end I felt particularly toxic and full of preservatives, but boy was it a great weekend!

 

One of my favourite parts of the world.

 

H x

Nobu = the bomb diggity!

So last Friday friends L, C and I headed out on one of our regularly scheduled catch up dinners to Nobu. I was particularly excited as I love Japanese food and Nobu has been on my must try list since it opened last year.

We decided to start with a drink at Rockpool, another fab restaurant at the Crown Casino in Perth, and with these cocktails we were not disappointed!

 

 

Shortly afterwards we headed over to Nobu and were greeted by a lovely service team. Our waitress was really attentive, friendly and was able to help our not so refined culinary skills by giving us great tips on what to order, how to eat it and particularly how to even translate some (ok most) of the dishes! Here is the Beef Carpaccio which was divine. All of the food was delicious (some dishes with a South American influence), and we tried to make sure that we went out of our comfort zones - C even selected eel to finish the evening with!

 

Even though it would appear to be quite a pricey restaurant, Nobu definitely gives you value for money. After four courses, wine and sake we were definitely full of amazing food that was fresh, well cooked (or raw!) and impeccably presented.

 

Next time it is french! Can you say escargot?!?

 

H x

Easter Craziness

Sorry I have been a bad blogger lately! Times have been cray busy with work and the Easter long weekend.

 

A man and I received the first draft plans for our renovations on Thursday which was very exciting. We decided to hit a few bathroom and kitchen shops for inspiration, and we did surprisingly well with agreeing on various colours and designs. Can I just say that I never realised how many options there are!

 

Friday saw me hosting Supper Club with friends J, K and T. Everyone brought a dish, with the only rule being that you have to make something you haven't made before. Here is my attempt at an asparagus salad and lamb with feta and eggplant from Donna Hay's Fresh and Light cookbook.

On a trip to the Barossa Valley last March with K and J, I entered a competition and won this magnum of delicious Shiraz. It was absolutely amazing!

 

Saturday and Sunday involved gathering with family and friends on several occassions, eating and drinking waaaayyy too much, resulting in most of Monday being spent doing nothing more than this.

 

 

Now after five days off I am back in the slammer, dreaming of my next getaway!

 

H x

Green goodness

So I have been going a little green crazy lately. Being the year of the 'dirty thirty', friends K, J and I have vowed to look our best when the clock strikes midnight.

 

I hit up colleague E for a good recipe and the pics above are some of the products (no they have not been scraped off a pond!). I have been trying combinations of:

• Kale
• Beetroot
• Citrus fruit (usually orange)
• Berries
• 1/2 Banana
• Celery
• Carrot

With the additions of:

• Magnesium powder
• Silica compound
• Psyllium husk
• Chlorophyll (that stuff is nasty!)

To be honest, I am yet to find one that I love, but I am definitely improving! And I must admit, they are a great way to get more veges into my diet.

 

In light of this change (and other issues...there are many!) I decided to also visit a naturopath as recommended by J, Sam Botica, from Perth Natural Medicine Clinic. AH-MAY-ZING! The woman is a godsend. I have been feeling a bit stressed and overwhelmed lately and she has given me a couple of different herbs to try and help me out. I have only been on them for a few days but will let you know how they go.

 

I am also trying to up the water and drop the coffee/alcohol intake (this will be in reverse on the weekend with what friend L and I have planned!).

 

Bring on 30!

 

H x

Mish's Chicken Sang Choy Bow

A and I have been trying to eat quite healthy food lately so I decided to give this recipe a go. I increased the portion of mince and added a chilli for a bit of a kick. Can I blow my own trumpet and say that it was very successful!

 

Note: this is not a 'first date' meal - never had I experienced so much messy goodness!

 

 

Chicken Sang Choy Bow (Serves 2)

 

Prep 15 Minutes

 

Cook 10 Minutes

 

248 cal per serve

 

INGREDIENTS

1 large iceberg lettuce
olive oil spray
220g lean chicken mince
2 shallots, finely sliced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 red capsicum, diced
3 teaspoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons salt-reduced soy sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 handfuls bean sprouts

 

Select the best lettuce leaves and if necessary trim them with scissors to make at least 6 large ‘cups’. Place in a large bowl filled with iced water to crisp.

 

Lightly spray a wok with oil and heat on high. Stir-fry the chicken and half the shallots for 2 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the carrot, celery, capsicum, sauces and garlic. Stir-fry for another 4 minutes.

 

Transfer immediately to a serving bowl. Scatter the remaining shallots.

 

To serve, arrange the lettuce cups on a platter with the bean sprouts. Spoon a little chicken mixture into each leaf, top with several bean sprouts and fold the lettuce over to enclose the filling. Eat with your hands.

 

Enjoy!

 

H x

I heart icecream...

One of our favourite rituals when we head to the great South West is top head to Simmo's Icecream shop. We have been there countless times on a hot summers' afternoon and sampled many of their fabulous flavours. From Rum and Raisin to Mars Bar to Mascarpone and Fig, there is something for everyone. Great, now I am craving a scoop and it's not even lunch time!

Cousin S sent me this photo of her Dad, brother R and our Grandad having a cheeky cone or two. Delish!

 

I highly recommend!

 

H x

Recreating 12wbt...

So the festive season may have caught up with me and I am rehashing some of the best Michelle Bridges 12wbt recipes.

 

My stand out favourite was Caramelised Pork with Sweet Potato Mash and Apples. Here it is!

 

I cannot get over how tasty yet healthy it is. A even loves it (but his portion size would not be approved by Mish) and I highly recommend you give it a go!

 

H x

Healthy (not boring!) snacks...

One thing I really struggle with is trying to find convenient, healthy snacks. Often pre-packaged foods are laden with calories not to mention uber amounts of preservatives and other additives.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love a good old Big Mac, but I am trying to eat a little healthier and explore more options with food in general.

 

On Facebook I follow a women's personal training group, Babes on the Run. This great pic came up on their feed.

 

These snack ideas are more innovative than simply 'having a piece of fruit'.

 

I'm off to find edamame!

 

H x

 

PS - I think I just love saying edamame. Edamame edamame edamame.

Last minute decorating...

I was quite excited to be hosting Christmas Eve with the family. A's Mum P flew over from Sydney, and my parents and sister K made our party up to six.

 

A and I had a test run of the paella we intended to make the week before with friends N and V. It was suprisingly easy! We used this recipe from Poh's Kitchen with a few personal tweaks to make it just how we like.

 

I had ordered some bits and bobs from Lark to decorate the table. I chose bunting (I'm in love), classic red and white napkins, and vintage jars with the hope of picking up some pretty flowers on the day. I was super excited to have a chic setting.

 

But the order never came! So this is what I came up with last minute.

 

I did feel quite proud of myself, and lisianthus are my new favourite flower. Divine.

 

H x

Donna Hay Asparagus Tart

A couple of weeks ago school friend K offered to host Supper Club before we went out on the town. Her and friend J are amazing cooks (I think I missed that gene) and I am constantly inspired by what they serve.

One of the gorgeous menu items on offer was Donna Hay's Asparagus Tart. K changed the ingredients slightly and it was delicious! I was so inspired that I hit the supermarket the next day and whipped one up.

 

Clearly I am not a food stylist, but it was delicious just the same.

 

Who inspires you when you cook?

 

H x

Oktoberfest...expectations v. reality

On Saturday J, K and I donned our traditional German dresses (some more skanky than others - online shopping fail) and headed to Oktoberfest in the Garden for an afternoon of beer and dancing. Here we are waiting for the bus (trying to look inconspicuous).

Gorgeous!

We arrived at the Supreme Court Gardens about 30 minutes after the event started to be faced with a massive queue. We were still buzzing after a nice lunch of salad and vodka, but this was soon killed after an hour long wait in the line. Blaahhhhh!

Once inside we skipped jollily to get a beer, stein in hand. Well that thought was quickly crushed by another hour long wait in the line just to get a drink.

However, after we managed to get a few beers into us the day turned out to be quite fun. We drank, laughed, ate roast beef rolls and K managed to find a nice man friend for the evening.

It was a shame about the poor set up and organisation, and I definitely won't go again, but I loved dressing up and hanging with my girlfriends.

What did you get up to?

H x

Getting our skinny on...sort of.

So school friends K and J and I are relishing the last year of our 20's (this is code for, "I must be hot by the time I turn 30") so we have jumped on the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation (12wbt) bandwagon. I must admit that I was fairly skeptical, thinking "there is no way in hell I can do this for 12 weeks". We all love our cheeses, cured meat and WINE and somehow I didn't think these would fit into Mish's plan.

The philosophy behind the program is fairly simple. You pay $199 for access to the 12wbt website, you put in your measurements, set some goals and Mish spits out a nutrition and exercise plan. You get 1200 calories per day (300 per meal and 300 for snacks/drinks) and an intense six day workout plan. 

So the day before we kicked off I got the horrid flu that is going around (the one even takes out women) so I didn't feel like eating. Win! Week one consisted of me drinking sugar-free lemonade and sleeping, so I managed to lose a few kg's. Double win! Even though I wouldn't say it was strictly successful, the end result was good. 

Week two proved to be more difficult. You see, I am a little piggy at heart. I love chocolate, cake and biscuits. I eat even when I'm not hungry - I eat out of boredom, I eat out of habit, I eat as a sport. The 12wbt has taught me to be more aware of what I am putting into my body. It makes you question yourself - do you really need a giant cookie and a Mars Bar at 3pm to survive? Old me would have said, "hell yes!", but having paid nearly $200 for this, new me says, "try a yoghurt". 

We are now in week four. To be honest I have not stuck to the exercise plan (I am hoping the fact that weight loss is 80% diet will work in my favour), but the real winner has been the recipes. They are (mostly) delicious, but to stick within the calorie intake the portion sizes are small. Here are some samples of what I have made so far.

Lamb chops with mint peas

Beef and vegetable pies

Ok - just kidding! I wish!

In terms of exercise, I like to do my own thing. Doing a million burpees in the park is not my idea of fun, so I have been mixing it up with running, group circuit classes, Body Balance and Zumba. K left us both for dead and was in the gym bright and early on day one and has stuck to her program. By the end of week two J had read her exercises, but was yet to put on her runners. Love it!

To be honest, I think the program is fabulous. I guess I could try harder, and maybe I would see results quicker, but I also want to have a life. I like to go out for dinner, I like to drink wine. So I figure if I can stick to this 90% of the time, then it might be a lifestyle change, and less of a fad diet.

I'll keep you updated on how we are going. Who knows, maybe I'll post my 12 week bikini photo on here!

H x