Saturday 3 October 2015

What's in my kitchen, October 2015

October sort of snuck up on me this year. I was happily plodding through September, and before I knew it, it was a whole new month! Early September was my birthday, so there were celebrations for that, and then late September was Ellie's birthday, and that turned into a bit of a birthday extravaganza. We had a weekend away to go to see LahLah in concert (my favourite of all the children's performers!), lots of cake, and extended celebrations what with immediate family, extended family, friends and daycare. Then I blinked, and it was a whole new month!

October has brought an obvious change in weather, with lovely hot sunny days. Of course, it means early sunrises which means the children wake earlier, but it's easier to leave the bed when it's light and warm. It's also school holidays and while that doesn't affect me yet as my children are too young for school, it means parks are more crowded, parking is harder to find at shopping centres, and the sounds of children playing are everywhere through the neighbourhood. It's a lovely time of year.

In my kitchen is...

Fresh eggs! Yes, two of our four chickens have finally become productive members of the household. On Ellie's birthday, we got our second ever egg (the first was a few days prior) and since then we have regularly gotten one egg a day, recently increasing to two. They are averaging about 53g, so slightly smaller than regular eggs, but they certainly (I am informed) make up for it in flavour.
In my kitchen is...

Fresh made, rustic looking banana bread. Made with the first egg our chickens laid (a double yolker no less) and the black bananas I rescued from the fruit bowl at work. I loathe bananas and I don't eat egg, but Jimmy and Ellie loved this loaf. Half of it is still in the freezer, sliced up and ready for when I don't have any fresh baked goods to give them.
In my kitchen is...

Moon cakes! Not the traditional type though, instead these ones are handmade for me by my mother-in-law. They are vegan friendly, made on a seaweed (agar) jelly and filled with bean paste. No egg yolks in sight. When I regularly travelled for work there was a lady in Sydney who would make me the most delicious vegan moon cakes, with layers of flaky pastry surrounding a bean or taro paste. I can't find any commercial ones like that locally, so I've missed out for a few years. Not this year though!
In my kitchen is...

Birthday cakes! Ellie had two this year... one was a puppy cake that she'd insisted on ever since she saw them at Bread Top. I'm all for it if I don't have to make it for her! This was the cake we shared with family and friends.
She also insisted on taking a chocolate cake to daycare to share with her class (I think she just wanted to extend the birthday celebrations). A simple mud cake decorated with smarties. It was a bit of a hit with the other 2 and 3 year olds in her class I'm told. A friend of mine told me afterward her son asked her if he could bring a cake "with buttons" for his birthday. Ellie overheard him and apparently corrected him, with much attitude that, "those are not buttons, they are decorations". My three year old with attitude.
In my kitchen is...

Vegan meringues. Finally I jumped on the aquafaba bandwagon and tried some meringues. While they were a success, I'm not sure I'll make them often as I found them super sweet.
In my kitchen is...

Coconut yoghurt, by Nudie. I'm super chuffed with this find. It's quite new and only available in Woolworths at the moment, but it's very affordable (6.99 for 500g) compared to other brands. It's also not too sweet, so I can make savoury and sweet dishes with it. There are currently 3 flavours available (natural, vanilla and blueberry) but hidden in the vanilla and blueberry "natural flavourings" is honey, so only the natural flavour is vegan friendly. Nudie have said they will look into making the others vegan friendly, perhaps switching to rice malt syrup instead. Yay for companies that listen to their consumers!

I am linking this post in with Celia of Fig Jam and Lime Cordial's monthly In My Kitchen event. Go have a peek through other kitchens around the globe!

What's in your kitchen this month?

27 comments:

  1. love how you date your eggs! must be wonderful to have 'home grown' eggs! those moon cakes look so gorgeous - how generous of your mother in law to make them! love all the cakes and am interested in the coconut yoghurt - tried coyo and it was really rich but would love to find a vegan yoghurt I like.

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    1. I agree I find coyo very rich. The nudie one is actually closer to a neutral flavour I think. I hope you do find one you like!

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  2. oh those moon cakes are beautiful! I'd love to try vegan versions :D

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    1. They are certainly colourful! Not as rich as the traditional ones, but I'm always chuffed to be thought of and they are delicious :-)

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  3. Lisa, September truly did feel like it was here and gone this year! Hope you had a fun birthday. Looks like Elle did! I was tickled by her "decorations" declaration. :)

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    1. My three year old with so much attitude Kim! I think the year has really flown by!

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  4. I loathe bananas too but I'm also always baking banana bread. I haven't jumped on the aquafaba bandwagon yet but it's only a matter or time.

    My favourite of all children's performers.... he he he

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    1. Funny isn't it. I can't stand them and people think I'm odd. Glad I'm not the only one! I held off on aquafaba as long as possible before caving!

      Hehe, if I have to attend performances, it's much better if I like the people we are going to see (don't get me started on the quality of children's entertainment!) :-)

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  5. Collecting a single egg can make you feel like a queen! Never lost the excitement of seeing an egg in the box after nearly 60 years :)

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    1. Yes! That's what it feels like exactly! :)

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  6. Bam! Aquafaba! I too have dabbled, but overcooked my 'mounds'. I must try little kisses like yours. I totally agree with you that the recipe made them far too sweet. I'll cut back the sweet stuff in my next batch, but hopefully that won't change the structure of it. Nice find with the coconut yoghurt! I could imagine that in an Indian curry. Cheers, Kirsty

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    1. I'm going to try cutting the sugar too. I hope that it still makes something relatively edible. Funny about the curry thing... it's what jumped into my mind too when I found it wasn't a sweet yoghurt!

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  7. Lisa, don't you just love the attitude and honesty of three year olds! Made me smile :0) Happy October

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    1. Happy October. Three year olds have no filter... I really have to watch what I say around her!

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  8. what stunning moon cakes - so pretty. how lovely to have your own eggs. and i agree- me no like bananas:)

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    1. I know! I'm always sad when cafes only have banana bread and cake - glad I'm not the only hater :)

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  9. That coconut yoghurt sounds like a great find. It also sounds like a great last month in and around your kitchen - happy birthday to Ellie as well as you, and vegan moon cakes sound fantastic. I've never had them, vegan or not!

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    1. Thanks Kari! I think the cakes are an acquired taste. They are very rich... best eaten in slivers so they last forever!

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  10. Home grown eggs are such a treat. My babies (point of lay pullets) have just started laying too. We have other mature, productive hens too, but it's cute to see the first little eggs against the mega eggs our other girls lay. Oh, and the birthday cakes are lovely.

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    1. Thanks! These are the first hens I have ever had. Even though I don't eat the eggs, collecting them makes me so happy :)

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  11. So sad that you can only pick up the yoghurt in Woolies as I am boycotting them. But so nice to know that they are becoming available.

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    1. I applaud more available vegan foods for sure! What is wrong with Woolies?

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  12. I so wish we could have fresh eggs but our neighborhood doesn't allow it. What a fun birthday. Our five year old extended his birthday in September as well with a party with friends, dinner and dessert with family, cupcakes to school and then the actual birthday was actually pretty quiet since we had so many activities that day. Now we have another birthday this month...

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    1. Oh that's sad. We are so lucky our council lets hens (not roosters!) pretty much unregulated. Birthday parties seem so much more exciting when a child, don't they?! :)

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  13. Your banana bread looks delicious Lisa, do you have a recipe by any chance? I'm yet to find a banana bread/cake recipe I love and I'd love to try your please :) I'm heading to the shops tomorrow & I will have to get some of that coconut yoghurt - I hadn't seen that before & I'm so glad you shared that with us. Thank you for the great inspiration this month for #IMK Lisa

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    1. Oh, I didn't write the recipe down, but I'll make sure to take notes next time I make it and post it up soon! I don't eat bananas though, so I sort of have to judge by feel and smell and appearance. My toddler and baby eat it, but I don't know if that's a sound endorsement!! Thank you for visiting! :)

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  14. Happy belated birthday gorgeous girl! I don't eat bananas either - I won't let them in the house as I can't stand the smell! I'm so glad you were able to find mooncakes you liked! :)

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