tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55966965769281090962024-03-13T11:08:21.812+10:00I'll be there with a forkLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.comBlogger338125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-70402115260170227182019-06-16T10:53:00.001+10:002019-06-16T10:53:49.110+10:00Vietnamese moments and reminiscing <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Now that the recent holiday is fading into the distance, we've been talking about some of our favourite parts of it.</div>
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Mr Fork's aunty volunteers with a group of her friends to cook at a home for the blind on a regular basis. While we were there, we all went along too and helped out in the industrial kitchen. It was a bit of a social occasion with a good cause, and there was lots of chatter in amongst food preparation. While the picture below doesn't reflect scale well, that big paella looking pan in the background was well over a metre wide, and the 'smaller' pot at the front (with the vegetarian option) was half the diameter. There was a lot of food to prep and cook! It was also extremely tasty too. I want my children to grow up knowing that they are fortunate, and that not everyone has the same opportunities they do, and I think seeing how different countries live was an eye opener for them.</div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pnU3NsZjg9Q/XOHJkYjDyJI/AAAAAAAAKfw/-lUCgCzLQA82aBxCjPog_FlTZ5WTdbtvgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_7547.PNG" width="400" /></div>
One of my children's favourite parts was when they got to feed koi fish with joyous abandon from the top of an (artificial) lily pad. For 60c, we were given a baby bottle full of fish food pellets and when lowered into the water, the koi came swarming. My little girl tells me with good authority that koi fish eating en masse sounds just like the sound of thumb sucking.<br />
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My friend's home had her very own breadfruit tree in the yard. The trees can get huge and have a high yield of fruit. I don't really see them much in Australia, but these things enchant me. Looks like they should be sweet and juicy like a mango. In actuality, they taste and cook more like a potato.<br />
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The same friend above gifted me a pair of shoes when I commented that hers looked fabulous. I often forget about the sheer generosity of people over there, and I have to be careful to keep gushing praise and comments about pretty things to myself because they are so giving. If I so much as looked at food from a street vendor for too long, I ended up with a serving of it in hand (believe me, when it comes to fresh fruit and sweet treats it's hard to say no!) so I didn't complain too much (although my waistline protested when I came home). Anyway, I recently had a belated mother's day event with some other school mothers on a Sunday afternoon and what better excuse to frock up and wear the most glorious red heels?!<br />
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Vietnam, you are just glorious. Full of wonderful food, fabulous people and so much to see and do. I love the nightlife, the weather (my hair adores the humidity) and just quietly, I also love shoes and you deliver in spades (or heels?!). I love your crazy motorbike traffic, the availability of delicious fresh bahn mi and fruit with chilli, and the smells, sights and scenes we just don't get here. We will definitely be back!<br />
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It was a great holiday and a wonderful time spent introducing our children to part of their heritage and relatives we don't get to see every day.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-69205411128768581942019-05-20T09:25:00.000+10:002019-05-20T14:19:57.318+10:00How do you document real life? Food!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hello there! We survived the kids' first overseas trip, and we're back into the groove of regular, every day life. Our holiday already seems so long ago, so I guess that means it's time to start planning another one? It honestly went better than I'd imagined. The flights were fine - my kids were quite happy to spend hours at a time with uninterrupted screen time, and quite frankly, I also enjoyed being able to catch up on some movies too. The main downside of flying with kids, for me, was that they are too short to close the bathroom door latch on the plane, which meant that every toilet request required that I squish into the tiny bathroom with them... joys of parenthood. </div>
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There are many things I could talk about, describing our holiday. Like, how the kids were amazed at the number of motorbikes over there, and crossing the roads was a case of taking a deep breath, stepping out and hoping that everyone would swerve around. Or, how the kids had to be coaxed onto a bike at first, and then were naturals, hopping on and off easily while joining 5 other people on that same bike. Or, going to the beach and seeing what looked like pirate flags everywhere and finally realising as we left the water itchy after swimming that they were caution flags warning of jellyfish. Or the way my daughter (who speaks no Vietnamese) made friends with a little girl who spoke no English yet they became firm friends and bonded over clothes and that vile baby shark song (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX20kcp7j5c" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube link</a> for you lucky individuals who don't know it by heart).</div>
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We spent a lot of time with family over there, doing what Asian families do best of course - eating! It's how I mentally catalog many of my holidays - what I ate, and I think it's a great pictorial representation of a place. When we travel, I like to eat where the locals do, and in Asia, that tends to be street food, hawker style, where the food is fresh, cheap and some of the tastiest I've ever had. So here we go with some highlights!</div>
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Pho. A Vietnamese staple, this was from a tiny little store that was so fresh and tasty. Here's my bowl of vegan pho with tofu, faux meats, hoisin sauce and liberal doses of wonderfully spicy chillies on top.</div>
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And Mr Fork's meat version, with slivers of rare beef, and his favourite mix of chilli and hoisin sauces for dipping. He said I couldn't honestly document Vietnam and not include authentic meat pho. 6 giant bowls, tea and drinks, with unlimited soup cost us the equivalent of about $12 AUD.<br />
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Not a great photo, but one of my favourite drinks is fresh sugarcane, juiced in front of you, and mixed with fresh lime and sometimes mint. It's about 40c per glass. Surprisingly despite it's delicious sweetness my kids didn't love it, so I got to drink it all myself! My other favourite thing to drink is fresh coconuts, literally chopping a hole in the top and sticking in a straw. They also weren't fans, so I didn't have to share. Haha.<br />
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Bahn mi. I so love these things, and posted nearly daily pictures while we were away. There is a vendor just down the road who specialises in vegan bahn mi, making them to order. Stuffed with greens, cucumber, carrot, bamboo, tofu, chilli and sauce, on the freshest baked bread roll. They cost 60c over there, as opposed to an average $6 here, and there is no comparison.<br />
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Fresh fruits, with eager toddler hand. So cheap, so good, and so tasty. Here's a selection of some of our favourites - dragonfruit, pineapple, mango, guava and sour apple. In the middle is a dish of chilli salt which is amazing to dip the fruit in for a delicious contrast of tastes.<br />
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On the topic of fruit, we took the kids to one of the floating markets, where wares are sold from boats. Vendors will motor up, anchor themselves to your boat and offer samples of the day's offering to try to get you to buy. They have scales on board and you pay by weight. On the below boat are fresh papaya, jackfruit (yum!), durian (yum!), mango and avocado. I took special care to try to eat my body weight in jackfruit and durian over there. I can't get the same quality here, and certainly not the same freshness - I'm looking at you stinky durian! I know it's not to everyone's taste, but I love them, even if Mr Fork avoids me after consumption as he says he can smell the durian for ages *shrug*</div>
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Rambutan, sour apple, watermelon and longan.</div>
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I ate many variations of this filling salad. Near as I can tell, it's got bamboo, tofu, shredded vegetables, banana flowers, loads of fresh herbs and the dressing has citrus, loads of zingy spices and peanuts. It often came with vegan prawn crackers to use as a sort of salad scoop but often the kids ate those plain and I had the salad minus crackers. I recommend.</div>
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Have I said how much I love food? Look at this. It's fresh, colourful and delicious, going down far too easily. This was the vegan portion of a group buffet lunch (aka, all mine!). Clockwise from top right: glutinous rice and sweet potato, ubiquitous chillies, tofu and seasonal vegetable mix, turmeric pancake stuffed with bean sprouts and tofu, spring rolls, iced tea, soup. Not able to fit in the picture: cauliflower vegetable mix and fresh fruit to finish. I can honestly say I walked (rolled!) away from all my meals very happy.<br />
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I could go on and on, but maybe just one more. The plumpest, tastiest mushrooms I have had in awhile. Surprisingly (or perhaps not) this was at a seafood restaurant where the rest of the table had crab done in about six different ways. I had this - tasty shiitake mushrooms and ginger with greens, over rice. So simple, so good, and just delicious.<br />
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What a long food filled post. It was a wonderful holiday, so much fun, and a delicious way to introduce my children to a new culture. I think 'eat where the locals eat' is definitely the best way to digest a new place (see what I did there?!).Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-50555825132801077932019-04-07T15:52:00.000+10:002019-04-07T15:52:44.354+10:00Eco friendly yays and nays for me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For the past couple of years, my work has really been stepping up into the eco friendly spirit when considering employee gifts and activities. For <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2018/01/2018-reducing-single-use-plastic.html" target="_blank">Christmas a few years</a> ago I was given a reusable coffee cup and drink bottle, and a package of mesh produce bags.</div>
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My eco conscious little self loved those, and I use them all the time, so they've been a wonderful gift, and quite forward thinking since being eco friendly wasn't as big back then as it is now. Those were a total yay from me.<br />
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For the Christmas just gone, I was given a Rocketbook Everlast, which touts itself as the 'endlessly reusable intelligent notebook'. I don't have any pictures of me using it, so here is a <a href="https://getrocketbook.com.au/pages/how-rocketbook-works" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">link to the website</a> where they explain how it works. Essentially, you write on the pages, and then set up your phone so the symbols at the bottom of each page link to the Cloud somewhere - maybe Dropbox, OneNote, email, whatever you like. You then scan the page, and it's uploaded into the Cloud. It's even smart enough to be able to convert handwriting to text and name each upload appropriately as designated. You can then wipe the pages off and use them again and again. It's a super nifty bit of technology, and really, quite a perfect combination of eco friendly and tech. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me.</div>
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I tried, but I just didn't like how plastic-y the pages felt as I was writing on them. I also didn't like that I was limited to only certain types of pens (and yes, I could have gone out and bought more, but that would mean the stationery I have now was wasted too). I couldn't get used to searching for old notes electronically, instead of flicking through my paper notes, and I didn't like that I couldn't use my organisational stickers to mark days and give me a monthly overview (shout out to my wonderful friend <a href="http://www.decadethirty.com/" target="_blank">Decade Thirty</a> whose beautiful handwriting features on her organisational stickers I so love). </div>
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So... I've retired the reusable notebook and gone back to my favourite paper ones. I just find it so much easier to flick through them and add brief notes to my day, and I don't have to worry about adding things to a page that has already been uploaded and erased. Sadly, the eco tech notebook was a nay for me.</div>
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Finally, I just wanted to share another form of being eco friendly. We had our biannual company conference a week or so back. Often, I find that I walk away from conferences with a bag full of merchandise I don't really need (or want). So, I thought it was great that at our conference, we took a bit of a corporate social responsibility route and partnered up with a company called <a href="https://solarbuddy.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SolarBuddy</a> (created by a Brisbane man no less!). One of the conference activities was to have all 300+ attendees put together lights for children in energy poverty who don't have the same opportunities that having a reliable light source can offer. We built the lights and each wrote a personal letter; SolarBuddy will deliver what we built to kids in energy poverty around the world, giving them a light to study at night and a chance at a brighter future. Here's the light I put together:<br />
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Where does the eco bit come in given that this light is made of plastic and will be shipped across the globe? Well, this little light is solar powered, designed to be waterproof and have a life of 10 years. Each charge can last up to 10 hours and will allow the recipient to study, and replace their previous non-electric light sources, which may have been burning kerosene or firewood, both of which are definitely not eco friendly, or safe. I thought it was a great idea to have all the attendees do something nice, but even better, instead of putting money toward merchandising, going toward something that encourages children to learn by providing light, decreasing the burning of non-environmentally friendly fuels, and, who knows what the next generation will create given the opportunity to learn? Sure it's a company tax deduction, but I choose to look at the positives here too. On balance, yay from me. Does anyone else dislike the trend of excessive corporate branding and merchandising?</div>
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Anyway, I thought a blog post was overdue. It's school holidays now and after a much anticipated night of Tim Minchin this Thursday, we are flying off Friday for a family holiday in Vietnam. It's the kids first time overseas and I hope they love it. I am looking forward to having a break, seeing how everything has changed in the ten years since we last visited and consuming vast amounts of local food! </div>
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Life is good! Any last minute tips for travelling with small children or must see places in Vietnam?</div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-78405972165116690302019-02-02T05:00:00.000+10:002019-02-04T10:22:53.497+10:00Recent gardening and baking adventures, February 2019The recent heat has left my poor garden suffering a bit. While I have always subscribed to the theory that if a plant needs too much care then it is not the plant for me, I feel sad when circumstances such as weather conspire against my kitchen garden. I haven't planted anything new for awhile as the heat would shrivel anything I dared to put in. We haven't had rain in awhile so all my once prolific tomato and eggplants are stunted and fruitless. Having said that, I got out there one weekend and cut everything back and harvested what there was to be picked. I ended up with a bowl of hot chillies, a handful of shallots and some spring onions. They were all used and enjoyed, so I do feel a little joy in eating the fruits of my meagre harvest.<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
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Some of the cherry tomatoes that did end up surviving the heat were used in one of my focaccia loaves. Even these aren't immune from the heat and I severely overestimated my proofing times. I ended up with a very puffy loaf, which although it looked a bit odd, was still tasty and enjoyed. </div>
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After coming back from holidays over the Christmas break, I got back into the swing of baking with Lorenzo again. He's such a resilient starter, and I missed him while we were away. Shop bought bread just doesn't do it for me anymore, when I know that I can bake my own and make it just the way I like them. I think Lorenzo was happy to see me too. He put on a lovely performance for this bake. These loaves used up the very last of my beloved Trader Joe's Everything But The Bagel seasoning that a kind colleague from America brought over for me. I'm very sad about that as I haven't found another source and while I know Amazon have it, I cannot convince them to send it to Australia for me. There just isn't a comparible alternative seasoning I've found.<br />
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Although I usually shop at Coles, I find that Woolworths have really upped their game in vegan offerings of late. Over Christmas, they advertised a vegan loaf, and my philosophy is that if I don't support vegan offerings, they'll think people don't want it. So I ventured to buy one. It took me ages to find it, and I had to ask three assistants for help. Eventually we tracked it down. In the meat section. I see where they are going with that. The helpful assistant who found it also proudly pointed out the vegan patties and sausages too, located right next to the meat equivalents. The only way to tell them apart was the packaging was a slightly different green, and reading the label proclaimed they were plant based. I did try to find a link to the loaf, but it's disappeared from the site, so perhaps it was a seasonal special or others also found it hard to locate. Anyway, I saw them marked down after Christmas and bought another one to keep in the freezer. Here's what it looks like - the red thing on the bottom right of the plate. I think it was lentils, beets and a few other things. To be honest, it wasn't that great, and I probably wouldn't have continued to buy them, but I applaud Woolworths for trying (they constantly have new vegan and gluten free options advertised).<br />
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I served that loaf with maple carrots, peas (at the small man's request), some creamy potato bake (I use almond milk and haven't had any complaints). Also, gravy, loads of gravy because... gravy is delicious, but also, that loaf was <i>dry</i>.<br />
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Finally, I have been experimenting with some baked vegan donuts lately because I bought a donut pan and I'm not having it in the house if I don't use it! I'm not sure I like them. I find them a bit dense and more like donut shaped cakes than anything else. I think it's obvious here though from the small hand sneaking in to grab one because <i>he just could not wait</i> for me to take my picture, that the kids do like them. So I've been making batches when the oven is on (like for baking sourdough, also visible in the picture!), trying out various ingredients in the hope that I'll hit upon a fabulous mix, and freezing the experiments for school lunches. Miss E is in year one this year, and has quite liked taking a donut to school. By the time lunch rolls around it's defrosted sufficiently to be tasty I'm told. So at least the freezer is filling with school lunch possibilities.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">I am linking this into the monthly </span><a href="http://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/2018/06/in-my-kitchen-june-2018.html" style="background-color: white; color: #043e83; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;" target="_blank">In My Kitchen round-up</a><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">, hosted by</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"> </span><a href="http://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/2018/06/in-my-kitchen-june-2018.html" style="background-color: white; color: #043e83; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Sherry of Sherry's Pickings</a><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">. What's happening in your kitchen this month? Do you have any school lunch tips to share? Does anyone know where I can source more bagel seasoning? </span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-72873476525231492072019-01-21T07:52:00.000+10:002019-01-25T08:15:04.415+10:00I spark joy with upcyclingEveryone is talking about Marie Kondo, and the mantra that items should spark joy in order to have a place in the home. If an item doesn't spark joy for owning it, then it should be moved on and the result is a lovely decluttered home that is easy to keep clean and has wonderful energy because everything in it brings joy. I think this is a wonderful idea, once it's been put into practice.<br />
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Of course, this has inevitably meant that there has been a rush of people decluttering their house and moving things on - op shops in my area are turning away donations and the buy/swap/sell sites I follow are overflowing with items. I love the idea of only owning things that bring happiness. This is something that I have practiced myself for a long time - considerate buying, and thinking about whether the item I'm purchasing is a need or a want. Often, if I walk away and think about it, I realise that I don't really need it after all, or I have something already that will fit the purpose.<br />
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The frugal Asian side of me also delights in a bargain, in fixing things that others might discard, and reusing or repurposing what I already own. I like to hoard things, just in case they might spark joy come in useful in the future. With that in mind, here are two of my most recent projects:<br />
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<b>Dining room chairs</b><br />
Our dining room set was a bargain. A friend was going to send it to the dump because she was redecorating and it didn't suit her new decor. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the set, so I claimed it and we suddenly had a new (to us) set for free. It's a wonderful solid wood table that expands from seating 6 to 10 comfortably. It also had 6 wooden chairs with plain upholstery. These chairs serve us well, but as the kids grow, so too did the wear on the chairs. There were stains I couldn't get out and holes in the fabric that my small man has been picking at so they were no longer discrete holes but great gaping tears.<br />
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Mr Fork wanted to get new ones. I convinced him that they had good bones so instead to come to choose new fabric so I could re-cover them. For $5/m (on sale!) and half a day of labour unpicking staples and re-stapling (we already had one, and staple guns are fun!) we have chairs that look just like new again (if perhaps a little crooked on the pattern). $12.5 worth of fabric, a little bit of work and I saved 6 chairs being sent to waste, and having to buy new ones that would never match the table properly. Also, I love that no one else will have chairs like ours.<br />
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I even had some time to use the leftover fabric I'd bought to whip up a quick cover for the ottoman, and added some pockets for tv remote storage to help tidy things away. Win!<br />
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<b>Reuseable makeup wipes</b><br />
I just knew that my love of flannelette pyjamas and keeping my sewing scraps would pay off. As soon as I saw the tutorial on Fiona's blog for making <a href="http://www.tiffinbitesized.com.au/2019/01/12/reuseable-makeup-pads/" target="_blank">reusable makeup wipes</a>, I knew that was a project I could pull off. An hour later, and I had a tidy little pile of cute wipes. I won't go into the method as I pretty much just followed Fiona's guide. All my little offcuts and threads went into the compost heap so no waste here!<br />
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I've been using them for the past couple of days and they're just as good as the bought ones, and heaps better for the environment. I followed Fiona's tip to keep a delicates bag nearby and they go straight into that as I use them ready to be washed. During this process, I also remembered just how much I hate sewing curves though. If I make another batch, I'm doing square ones!</div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-52324691784165243182018-11-19T14:18:00.000+10:002018-11-20T06:28:27.900+10:00Life and garden notes<div>
It feels like the year has only just started, and yet, here we are past the halfway point of November. It's nearly Summer, and in a few weeks my daughter will have finished her first year at school. Where does the time <i>go</i>?!<br />
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On the days where I do not work, and it is just my youngest and I alone together, there is still a tangible empty space beside him that is quiet and missing a small person in it. He looks to me to fill the gap, to play with him, to lie with him, to be his childish companion and explore on the same level. Sometimes I can do that. Sometimes I am just so exhausted with the minutiae of life that it's all I can do to make sure he eats something nutritious for lunch and does something stimulating that doesn't involve lying in front of the television for long stretches.<br />
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Our days are bookended with school drop off and pickup. The mornings are a whirling dervish of packing lunches, checking that books, folders, hats, and everything necessary for the school day is packed into that overly large bag of hers. Afternoons are spent with a cranky child, tired from a long day of concentrating, yet bursting with so many new things to share with her brother and I.<br />
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School day evening meals are quick, where I have done the preparation in advance or meals so familiar I can cook them in my sleep so that I can have dinner on the table early, so she is fed, bathed and in bed with plenty of time to stock up on sleep for the next school day.<br />
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Days where I work are even more frantic as we leave earlier; I have the small man to drop at daycare, and we do before and after school care. She quite likes those days as she gets a second breakfast before school, and they feed her "better treats for after school snacks than you do mama". <i>Cough</i>.<br />
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This is my new normal. It is frantic, and new and sometimes so shiny that I'm afraid to grasp it with conviction in case it pops the fragile bubble that's working for us right now. The end of the school year is so close I can almost touch it, and is there anything full of more sass and exhaustion that a child near the end of term four? Maybe her mother...<br />
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I know in a few weeks we will have another new normal with school holidays starting, and the activity of the festive season. And then, the cycle, in all it busy-ness will start again, but this time it will (hopefully!) be easier and more familiar. In the meantime, I take solace in the garden - it's predictable, slower moving and not so much blink and you'll miss it. Here is my hedge flowering, and the beginning of an agapanthus flower in the background.<br />
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My geraniums just do their thing and continue to bloom and spread out happily. They're quite glorious to come home to and admire as I walk up the garden path.</div>
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My monstera grows new leaves in a delightful manner: a new stem grows along an existing one, then splits out separately and the leaf gradually uncurls from its tightly rolled light green shape, to form a darker green, more easily recognisable pattern. Now if only my children would allow them to unfurl in peace instead of trying to make it happen faster and ripping the poor fragile things (excuse my very dusty blinds!).<br />
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Speaking of gardening, I've talked before about the (free!) <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2017/01/how-does-your-garden-grow-january-2017.html" target="_blank">Science of Gardening</a> university unit I did awhile back. I did a follow up unit as well which I immensely enjoyed, and I've since learned that the University of Tasmania is again offering the (online) unit starting again in December. You can learn more about it <a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/sciences-engineering/science-of-gardening" target="_blank">here</a>. Applications close on the 1st December and the course starts on 3rd December.<br />
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Since it's online, you can work at your own pace. I don't get anything from mentioning this, but I will say I really enjoyed the two units I studied and had my brain stretching in ways that it hadn't had to in some time! It saw me investigating the role of climate and soil in shaping which plants grow in different regions. I mapped my garden on drafting paper to scale, taking into account soil type analysis and acidity, land slope, sun angles and block positioning, as well as localised predators (e.g. possums), pathogens and friendly garden critters. There is so much that I just never considered when planting my garden out - how it has ever survived my wilful neglect is a wonder! I'd love to hear about it if you do sign up.</div>
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Is it just me, or does life seem to be travelling in the fast lane at the moment?Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-85547900493878386102018-11-02T16:27:00.001+10:002018-11-03T20:07:11.665+10:00What's in my kitchen, November 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Forgive me readers, for I have been a bad blogger. I have nothing to say except that life is what happens when I'm trying to keep a bunch of balls in the air. I tend to be quite the perfectionist. If I can't do something well, then I like to not do it at all instead of putting in a half arsed effort. So blogging slips while I do my paid job, and while I do the thankless (but necessary) unpaid tasks that go along with raising a family. We have been busy at chez Fork. There have been birthdays and school events, there have been hospital visits (not me, but all is fine now!) and lots of follow up appointments to make sure that everything heals as it should (seems to be ok). There has been lots of family catch ups, lots of friends catch ups, and plenty of my usual baking adventures.<br />
If this month seems a bit heavy on the processed foods, well, it is. For some reason, vegan food products have become much more prevalent in the supermarkets. It's easier than ever to walk down an aisle and find vegan products centre stage, not just pushed into a little hidden corner. And I have this thing where, if I see a vegan product that looks decently appealing, I need to buy it, because I feel like if I don't support them, they might stop making it and that would make me sad. So! Lots of (new-to-me) prepackaged things this month, although it does make my little <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2018/01/2018-reducing-single-use-plastic.html" target="_blank">eco-conscious</a> heart sad too.<br />
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First of all, while not strictly in my kitchen, it was on my plate and it was delicious, so I can't resist sharing this amazing vegan from <a href="http://toddandpup.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Todd and Pup</a>. It's not on their new menu (sad face) but it was a tofu benedict liberally topped with a spiced cauliflower hollandaise sauce. It was delicious, filling and looked beautiful on my plate. I hadn't ever thought to make a vegan hollandaise before, but I can see that it would be appealing in a whole host of meals.<br />
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While I was with my in-laws at Costco, I spied this big tub of vegan cheddar cheese style slices. My eyes lit up with thoughts of melty burgers and toasted sandwiches. I had to have it. Sadly, it's very disappointing. It doesn't melt. It has an odd texture. It tastes weird... maybe too much coconut or something. However, I paid I think $15.99 for this 625g of sliced cheese approximation, and I will make it my mission to finish it because I hate waste - physical and economic. Its not too bad if I hide it in things and don't make it the feature of a meal. Buried in a sandwich with homemade pesto for extra flavour, or layered into a lasagna or under the potato of a lentil shepherd pie... well, then it's not <b>so</b> bad. Won't buy again.<br />
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One thing I <b>can</b> recommend is this Coles coconut spread. I've repurchased it several times now and I like it. There was another brand that brought out something similar at the same time, and it was almost double the price. I couldn't justify that, and this Coles version is good. I've had it on toast, in sandwiches and it also is good in baking. I had to send some dairy, nut, soy and egg free cakes to daycare for my kids birthdays (so many allergies in classes these days) and I used this spread instead of butter or Nuttelex. I made vegan cakes although neither of my children are vegan, but it was just easier to cater for the class allergies. They were a hit. Also, the spread is amazing.<br />
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As you can tell, I've done lots of broswing in the cold foods sections lately. Possibly because the weather has been extremely warm. Those fridges are awfully tempting. Sheese! I've heard lots of good things about it, so when I spied some, it was in my trolley quick smart! I'd tried the Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese before and didn't really rate it so I was slower to open this tub than I was to buy it. I shouldn't have been. As far as cream cheese alternatives go, this one was pretty good. I had it on fresh baked sourdough english muffins, sprinkled with some of my precious and adored Everything But The Bagel seasoning (on that, please come to Australia Trader Joes so I can have a regular source!). So good. I also tried it with some of the <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2018/06/whats-in-my-kitchen-june-2018.html" target="_blank">Ikea seaweed balls</a> I'd shared on a previous IMK. Good Sheese.<br />
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For a sweet treat - coconut milk chocolate mousse. Thank goodness these come in small containers because otherwise I'd eat my own body weight I think. Spread out over several desserts so I didn't feel greedy eating it all in one sitting, and served simply with some fresh berries, my sweet loving tastebuds were happy. Winner!<br />
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We had some friends over for dinner one night. I really wanted to feel included on the cheese board Mr Fork put together, so I found this tomato and basil vegan cheese to put on for me. Served alongside crackers, quince paste, pears and the other cheeses, I was a happy girl. While the cheese was <i>ok</i> it was definitely an obvious cheese substitute. It retained it's shape and while it had cheese intentions, it didn't quite make it. Regardless, it was nice on crackers and topped with sweet things. I can't remember how much it was exactly, but for the occasional treat if a cheeseboard is happening, I'd repurchase it.<br />
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I was also going to include Halloween goodies in my post, but funnily enough, the pickings looked quite sparse when I went to photograph them. I see my children have also inherited my sweet tooth! Christmas things are out in the stores and the year seems to have gone by all too quickly. Soon I'll need to start the Christmas baking. Lucky I don't make fruitcakes otherwise I can see myself sharing the liquor quite well with the cake! Then again... who needs the excuse of cake?! Happy November!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">I am linking this into the monthly </span><a href="http://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/2018/06/in-my-kitchen-june-2018.html" style="background-color: white; color: #043e83; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;" target="_blank">In My Kitchen round-up</a><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">, hosted by</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"> </span><a href="http://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/2018/06/in-my-kitchen-june-2018.html" style="background-color: white; color: #043e83; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Sherry of Sherry's Pickings</a><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">. What's happening in your kitchen this month?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><edit></edit></b> I've had real trouble getting this post to format correctly and be viewable this month. Please just let me know if it looks or behaves oddly for you so I can (attempt) to fix things!</span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-39741090131437745132018-09-24T07:18:00.002+10:002019-02-04T10:56:26.394+10:00Oh hi! Or maybe O Mai!I know, I know, things have been very quiet here on the content-front. It's not strictly a planned thing, but I find that although I have lots of time to scroll through other people's content, it's really hard to keep up with my own.<br />
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I've been busy, and real life just gets in the way of online life sometimes. Of course, there has still been lots of eating, and baking, and interacting with my small people going on. I just haven't felt the need to blog in detail about it so much.<br />
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However, recently (as in, a few months ago now), I dragged Mr Fork and the smalls to a new-to-us pho (pronounced 'fur') place for lunch while we were out and about. We liked it so much, that we took his parents to eat there the next day and they were impressed. I may not have mentioned it before, but Mr Fork's parents are Vietnamese, so for them to give this place a tick of approval means it's pretty darn tasty. So I thought I needed to tell everyone about it, because good pho deserves to be shared!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">O Mai!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.cafeomai.com.au/" target="_blank">Cafe O Mai</a> and <a href="https://www.phoqueue.com.au/" target="_blank">Pho Queue</a> (love those pun names) are located side by side and are owned by the same family. We like them both and they serve pretty much the same pho - O Mai is a little bit rustic and casual and opens earlier so you can indulge in pho for breakfast if you choose (it's delicious!). Pho Queue is a bit fancier, opens from lunch through to dinner time, has a glorious open dessert kitchen to sticky beak into and produces some wonderful French desserts. Mr Fork has a preference for Pho Queue because they offer normal washable chopsticks instead of wooden disposable ones, and he prefers to eat with those so we probably frequent Pho Queue slightly more because of that. They also offer baby pho at reasonable prices, which are smaller sized bowls specially for the kids, so my children love that they can order their own bowl and not be overwhelmed by adult sizes.<br />
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Another feature that I love is that both stores practice sustainability where possible. Straws are reusable metal ones and in an effort to reduce wastage, bean sprouts, basil, chilli and fresh lemon are all available (free) pho additions, but won't be served unless they are asked for. I'm all for being <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2015/08/little-ways-to-save.html" target="_blank">eco friendly</a> and <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2018/01/2018-reducing-single-use-plastic.html" target="_blank">reducing single use plastic</a> so I'm fully supportive of this practice but you better believe I'm piling those additions into my pho! Now if only O-Mai would get rid of the disposable chopsticks...<br />
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I should also mention that both stores serve a delicious Bahn Mi, the Vietnamese crusty bread roll. There is a dedicated bahn mi station where they bake the baguettes onsite between the two restaurants and it's always busy. I get the lemongrass tofu option (minus the mayo and pate), but Mr Fork raves about the traditional pork one. I have no pictures of those because they get devoured far too quickly but take my word that they're amazing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pho Queue branded bowl</td></tr>
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From my perspective, I'm impressed because they also have a completely vegan pho option made on a super tasty mushroom broth. You can choose to have it with tofu and vegetables (regular), or with a medley of gourmet mushrooms and crispy soy pieces (deluxe).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6565573536080919282" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hHbKoPB0tM4/Wx2aWFzO-vI/AAAAAAAAFaM/41rhe6JyndcFZ5k2_JmIqPZGRpce0ufgQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_5213-711482.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Regular vegan pho</td></tr>
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I'm hard pressed to choose my favourite but maybe I'm leaning ever so slightly to the deluxe mushroom medley because a) I love oyster and enoki mushrooms and b) the crispy soy tastes amazing after absorbing the broth and it gets that wonderful texture where the inside is soggy and delicious but the outside is crackly and perfect.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deluxe vegan pho</td></tr>
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If you're ever in the area, I 'pho sure' recommend stopping in for a delicious bowl of pho, vegan or not.<br />
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/brisbane/pho-queue-annerley" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Pho Queue, Annerley and other Restaurants in Brisbane"><img alt="Pho Queue Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18604859/minilogo" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-83848963930993433732018-06-11T08:47:00.001+10:002018-06-11T12:46:42.244+10:00What's in my kitchen, June 2018 <div>
I know people who aren't in Queensland scoff when I say it's getting cold. For example, today, the temperature is expected to range from 8 - 22 degrees (Celsius) and was a chilly 12 when I was up making breakfast. My colleagues based in Melbourne often laugh at me when we are having video meetings and I'm encased in a woolly jacket and scarf while they are still walking around in t-shirts in much colder temperatures. What can I say, I'm thin blooded and feel the cold more! So, with that in mind, something that is back in my kitchen now that the weather has cooled down, are my old trusty Ugg boots... I do so appreciate toasty toes!<br />
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Leading into the end of financial year time, work starts to get very busy and the hours longer. I always have a snack drawer with various bits and pieces in it to tide me over, but of late I've noticed lots of sweets creeping in along with the porridge sachets and soup mixes. It feels like I hadn't had gummy anything for ages (due to gelatine) but lately I'm noticing lots of vegan friendly gummy things... like these highly addictive Sour Patch kids. It's hard to stop at one or two, but they're great for a sour/sweet sugary hit.<br />
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While grocery shopping, I like to walk methodically aisle by aisle, just looking at all the things available. My kids saw this in the jelly crystal section and couldn't walk past the glitter. Surprisingly, it's also another ninja vegan product, with no gelatine in it either. I didn't eat any, but both my children highly approved of it as a treat.<br />
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I had to pick up a few bits and pieces from Ikea recently, and as usual, I walked out with what I intended to get, and a haul of things I didn't know I needed but obviously did (hmmm). I like to look through the food hall after shopping and spied this vegan-friendly imitation black caviar. I had to have it, even though I've never eaten caviar in my life. I just like to support vegan friendly products when I see them, and the novelty of it tickled me. I don't actually know how to consume it - any suggestions?<br />
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While meeting a friend for a catch up at a vegan friendly bakery, the little man and I shared this piece of vegan carrot cake. I really loved that the cake was so moist and appropriately carrot and walnut packed. My child was rather taken with the icing more than the cake, although it's fair to say he also ate his share of the cake too. A definite winner. Cake is good anytime, but I especially appreciate it when served with coffee and eaten with friends.<br />
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I have wanted to try spaghetti squash as soon as I heard of them. They have always seemed illusive, and I thought it was just one of those things that wasn't to be had in Australia. However, I happened to be near a fruit shop I don't usually frequent and popped in for a look. They had half of a spaghetti squash for sale (and for a bargain 99c!) so I snapped it up. I scraped the seeds out, sprinkled it with a bit of olive oil and roasted it cut side down for about 40 minutes. I then used a fork to scrape the inside and all these glorious little strands resulted. I was pleasantly surprised at just how much flesh there was - it all easily detached from the skin. I served these little squash strands topped with a quick mushroom stroganoff sauce made with cashews for creaminess and it was delicious, but I think that was overkill. If I get my hands on another one, I think it would be best served more simply, maybe as a side dish with some good olive oil, salt and pepper.<br />
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I'm not-so-secretly hoping the seeds sprout from the compost. Mr Fork does not like me growing pumpkins on purpose as he is very proud of his lawn, and the pumpkin vines do tend to sprawl out of my garden space and take over whatever they touch. If one was to grow *accidentally* of course... well, it's like it was meant to be, right?!<br />
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Finally, talking of gardens, ripening on the windowsill of my kitchen (and visible behind the spaghetti squash above) are homegrown tomatoes. I'm not sure what variety they are, they are smaller than a roma but bigger than a cherry variety. They grow like a truss and are sweet and delicious with a good flavour. I think they might be from a heirloom variety I threw in and have just sprouted randomly. I am picking a handful daily and they make a nice addition to winter salads or just for snacking. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">I am linking this into the monthly </span><a href="http://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/2018/06/in-my-kitchen-june-2018.html" style="background-color: white; color: #043e83; font-family: inherit; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">In My Kitchen round-up</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">, hosted by</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"> </span><a href="http://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/2018/06/in-my-kitchen-june-2018.html" style="background-color: white; color: #043e83; font-family: inherit; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Sherry of Sherry's Pickings</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">. What's happening in your kitchen this month?</span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-10052211472226841992018-06-02T05:00:00.000+10:002018-06-02T05:00:03.918+10:00Vegan snack exchangingAfter the success of my previous <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2018/04/i-did-snack-exchange-thing.html" target="_blank">snack exchange</a> I couldn't help but let out a squeal when I saw talk of a random vegan snack exchange. In fact, I don't think I've ever been more excited for an exchange theme. As the only veg*n in a family of meat eaters, it's very rare that I get vegan goodies unless I make or buy them for myself, or explicitly point out what I want, which does sort of ruin the surprise.<br />
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The random part of the exchange was also fun. Random being, you sign up for it and then when sign up closes, all participants are randomly assigned a match. The person could be in a different country and the only caveat on the whole exchange was that anyone was welcome to sign up, but anything sent had to be vegan. As there is no option to communicate directly with your giftee in this case, all participants had to fill out a short questionnaire about allergies, preferences and whether they were happy to accept home made snacks. The exchanges don't really specify a budget but say that most participants usually spend about $20-25 (excluding postage), although you are welcome to spend more as you like.<br />
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I watched the statistics and analytics on this exchange quite avidly. Many of the people who signed up were vegan or vegetarian, but others were not although were curious to try. When gifts are received, many people post a picture to a gallery and there were lots of surprised comments about how some foods were unexpectedly vegan (Oreos! Pringles! Hummus! Skittles!). There were also a few disappointed posts about how they could tell their match had tried, but just wanted to point out that a selected snack had beeswax, or milk, or gelatine in, so wasn't considered vegan. I'm sure these were honest mistakes though, as I remember how hard it was to read labels when I started to vet my food in the beginning too.<br />
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Anyway, in the spirit of sharing again, here's what I sent my giftee:<br />
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<li>BBQ flavoured broccoli chips</li>
<li>French onion flavoured chickpeas</li>
<li>Spinach and wholegrain protein crunch bar</li>
<li>Sweet carrot rice chips</li>
<li>Roasted pumpkin seed munch snacks</li>
<li>Lemon 'jelly' crystals (made from agar)</li>
<li>Salted caramel mylk chocolate</li>
<li>Chia seeds</li>
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I had a lot of fun picking out what I'd send. My giftee told me their preference was for savoury snacks and things that weren't too commonly found so I think I got it pretty right. I'd also baked a batch of herbed sourdough crackers to include, but somehow Mr Fork and the kids managed to consume them in between baking and the postage deadline, so they didn't make it in.<br />
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Here's what I got back. I really think my Santa went above and beyond with my gift. Everything was individually wrapped and carefully packed with bubble wrap (I did not get a picture of this unfortunately as my kids were all.... wrapping! bubble wrap! and deconstructed it all while I was mid blink admiring it all).<br />
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There was also a hand written note describing all of the thoughtful inclusions, and even suggestions for using them. I am really looking forward to making those patties...and eating the cacao spread... and, well, everything!<br />
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I was also really spoilt with some non-snacky things - a reuseable bag as a little love note to the environment (perfectly handbag sized and great timing with the major supermarkets discontinuing single use plastic bags!) and even some vegan Lush goodies.<br />
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I am so, so happy with my exchange. While some of these products I had tried before, some of them are also new to me, and I really appreciate all the thought my gifter put in.<br />
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I really love getting mail, and I love seeing the thought that all the participants have been putting into this exchange. I'm keeping a list of all the delicious things that pop up that I need to try! So many ideas and regional favourites I'm learning about! What would be in your package if you sent a food exchange to someone?</div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-18598617150317999282018-05-28T08:31:00.000+10:002018-05-28T08:31:32.898+10:00Busy, not busyJust recently as I was leaving the office on the last day of my work week, a colleague told me to enjoy my time off. It really ground my gears. What is this ‘time off’ thing they speak of?! <div>
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It was on the tip of my tongue to start a rant about how I actually work full time (and then some!), I just get paid a part time wage, but then I bit off my words and swallowed them back. I know that my days off aren't spent loafing around idly. I'm pretty sure my husband and family appreciate all that I do when I'm at home too. I guess that's the important thing, not what the people at work think (so I won't rant here about gender stereotyping or making assumptions or accepted inequalities).<br /><br />Instead, here’s some of what I did on that “day off”. I woke up and made everyone breakfast (naturally, no one wanted the same thing as anyone else). I made nutritious school lunches - no pre-packed food either, not that there is anything wrong with that, but everything was homemade (although to be honest, I did retrieve some baked goods from the freezer). I washed and hung out a load of laundry, before making sure bags were packed and doing the school drop off. </div>
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After that, I came home, cut out some pants from old clothes which Mr Fork had worn through. I had time to pin them together and start sewing before the small man and I left to meet a friend who needed to talk. I entertained and distracted small man while there so I could chat, then came home to harvest and tend the vegetable garden. A friend was dropping by to pick up some kombucha scoby, so I brewed up a fresh batch for me and portioned some out for sharing. I also needed to write detailed instructions for booch brewing. </div>
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After that, small man and I went and volunteered for an hour in preparation for my preppies upcoming school fete. After an hour, I got a message that our afternoon guests were running early and they'd be over shortly, so we came home to make lunch for said unexpectedly early guests that I wasn't expecting to feed. Hurrah for always having homemade bread because paired with lots of odds and ends, it made for delicious sandwiches that hit the spot for everyone. The kitchen was tidied, and then I entertained small man for awhile since he refused to nap. We then returned back to continue the school fete preparations for a few more hours and stayed there until it was time to pick up the school child. </div>
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We came home and I made afternoon tea. Folded the freshly washed laundry and started the dinner preparation. Oh, and I also finished whipping up those pants for everyone (I'll note here that both kids got a new pair of pants, and Mr Fork had his favourite jeans extensively mended and patched, so everyone except me got clothing out of it).</div>
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At this point, it was nearly time for Mr Fork to come home, so I stopped specifically noting my activities, but that certainly wasn't the end of my day. There was the usual night routines of dinner, cleaning, bathtime, reading etc etc.</div>
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Days off are so exhausting!<br /><br />Here's a bonus picture of a focaccia I made on the weekend for a dinner party. While weekends are still busy (and also technically "days off") I'm particularly happy with how this bread turned out. I made two loaves, this one (grated haloumi, sun-dried tomato and oregano) and one plain - and therefore less photogenic! They were mixed in between swimming lessons, grocery shopping, errand running, a birthday party and various other tasks. The colder weather threw off my schedule so they also required some babying along with their own personal wheat packs to get some rise happening. Regardless, it was a delicious pre-dinner snack to share with friends. I've said it before and I'll say it again... I'm so grateful for the ability to make fresh bread and how with a little planning, I can easily fit the mixing and baking of it into my busy (not busy!) days.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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Modern life is so busy, but things like fresh bread and good coffee are small treats that I always make time for. Do you have tips to share for coping with everything that needs doing?</div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-81436449830420385602018-04-23T08:30:00.002+10:002018-04-23T08:30:28.497+10:00Recipe: Fire CiderSome time ago I went to a fermenting workshop and got to try a whole bunch of fermented goodies brewed by the workshop facilitators. One of the things I tried was a Fire Cider, and I remember at the time thinking it was amazingly delicious. I took my booklet of recipes home, and promptly put it aside, making nothing more exciting than my constantly-on-the-brew kombucha.<br />
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Recently I was chatting to a fellow school mum and she mentioned that she'd just put on a new batch of fire cider to ferment away. I remembered my workshop, went home to dig out my notes and made a few jars as soon as I collected all the ingredients. I posted about it on my recent <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2018/03/whats-in-my-kitchen-march-2018.html" target="_blank">In My Kitchen post</a>, and I had a few questions about it so I figured I should post about it all by itself.<br />
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Google tells me that fire cider is rooted in folk medicine and is a great remedy for winter colds and ailments. Packed full of good things, it's a great immunity booster, helps with digestion, and is delicious all in it's own right. It does take about a month to six weeks to ferment fully, so now is a good time to get started if you want a batch. Many people take a tablespoon or two daily throughout Autumn and Winter as a preventative, and more often if actually ill. I also like to personally have it as a tea (added to hot water) or a salad dressing, and dilute it in a little juice for my smalls.</div>
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It's very flexible, so please just use the below as a guide and adjust to your tastes.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fire Cider </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/view/withaforkrecipes/home/fire-cider" target="_blank">clickable link</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<b>Equipment</b><br />
Jars (sterilised)</div>
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Baking or waxed paper</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
<div>
1/2 cup peeled and shredded ginger</div>
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1/2 cup garlic</div>
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2 large white onions, diced</div>
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4 lemons</div>
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4 chillies (the hotter the better in my opinion, I like jalapenos), diced</div>
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1/4 cup peeled and diced turmeric</div>
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peppercorns</div>
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sprig of rosemary</div>
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1/2 cup peeled and shredded horseradish (optional)</div>
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Apple Cider Vinegar</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Method</b></div>
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Add everything into your jar. You can dice it, slice it, shred it, arrange them prettily if you like. For the lemons, I peeled two of them and use the zest and juice of those, then slice the others and arrange them (skin and all) in the jars. Pack everything down semi firmly and top off with the apple cider vinegar. You want everything to be under the vinegar so it doesn't go mouldy - either use the heavier roots at the top to hold everything down, or put a weight on the top (the herbs and chillies tend to float so arrange accordingly). Keep in mind that some of the roots will expand during the process, so top it all off well. </div>
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If you're using a metal lid, line it with waxed paper so the vinegar doesn't rust it. That's it, you're done. Pop those jars somewhere out of direct sunlight and leave them alone for a minimum of 4 weeks.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_6mlDukUkq0/Wpt9g5h4wBI/AAAAAAAAFSY/1DCvopuyJ5I98HNKPiFg40gfcp4xPf0-QCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4872-750209.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It does look all pretty fermenting away in the jar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When they're ready, give the jars a shake, then strain everything out through some cheesecloth. Store the liquid in the fridge and consume as needed. You can add sweetener to taste, but I don't bother.</div>
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Just a note here. I'm all about <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2018/01/2018-reducing-single-use-plastic.html" target="_blank">reducing waste</a>, and this cider is so packed full of goodness I didn't want to throw away all of those veggies and roots after I'd strained them - <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2015/04/reduce-food-wastage.html" target="_blank">what a travesty</a>! After some thinking, I decided to blitz them up in the food processor. There was a lot of it, so I portioned it out into my old <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2013/04/wean-meister-freezer-pods.html" target="_blank">pods</a> that I used to store baby food in. This one comes with a silicon lid so it reduces the potent smells that might take over the freezer. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Blended fire cider pulp" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6547388011418865330" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ie_qNscv1O4/Wtz-tPNFzrI/AAAAAAAAFXE/tfXRaNkG1mgdtgVt_Hftp4JtKheJr4eOACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_5059-762563.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Blended fire cider pulp" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smells so good all blended up - glorious colour thanks to the turmeric</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Here are some other suggestions that I have in mind for using the pulp up:</div>
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<ul>
<li>It was delicious added into a minestrone soup (although it did add a serious kick so was not at all kid friendly)</li>
<li>Shaken up with a bit more vinegar and used as salad dressing</li>
<li>Use as a flavouring for stews or lentil loaves</li>
<li>Mixed into smoothies</li>
<li>A marinade (I'm thinking tofu and eggplant would just soak up the flavour!)</li>
<li>A sandwich condiment</li>
</ul>
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I'd love to hear if anyone else makes fire cider, and how you use it (and the leftover pulp!)</div>
</div>
</div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-49772485955968586782018-04-10T19:39:00.000+10:002018-04-10T19:39:14.813+10:00I did a snack exchange thing...<div>
Recently I took part in a snack exchange through a site I participate in regularly. Basically, you respond to someone's post asking for an exchange partner, agree on a dollar amount of food that you are willing to trade (excluding postage) and then exchange boxes of local food. Sure, it might be cheaper to buy the exchange items off Amazon or whatever, but it wouldn't be nearly as much fun or mystery.<br />
<br />
My exchange partner was from Texas, told me that her birthday was coming up and she wanted foreign snacks to enjoy. She had no preferences or dietary restrictions, but liked gummy things, chocolates and hadn't tried anything from Australia so was happy for me to choose a selection (she wasn't enthusiastic about Vegemite or I'd have popped a small pack in too). We agreed on a budget of $15USD for snacks, which worked out to be just under $19AUD. I think I got a pretty good representation of Australian snacks!<br />
<br />
I always like seeing both side of an exchange, so here's what I sent:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>French Fries</li>
<li>Chicos</li>
<li>Allens Party Mix</li>
<li>Twisties - both cheese and chicken variety</li>
<li>TimTam - gelato messina choc mint and cherry coconut varieties</li>
<li>BBQ shapes</li>
<li>Pods - snickers variety (because Americans are all about the horrible Tide Pod challenge at the moment and I thought it would be funny to send actual edible ones)</li>
<li>Chicken salt - surprisingly, this is a uniquely Australian seasoning and even more surprisingly is ninja vegan! Who knew</li>
<li>Not pictured - half a container of a Favourites selection that I used to fill the gaps - Cadbury mini cherry ripes, moro, boost, dairy milk, crunchie, turkish delight, flake and dream bar</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6538231858584644194" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wsocdndLmZ4/Wrx3O_4UamI/AAAAAAAAFWk/ysMxHMUgPdMucNOROPfZ5ewUw6-B0LGMACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4973-729308.PNG" width="400" /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I wrote a note explaining each item, explained the TimTam Slam and why she should try it and told her I'd love to know what was her favourite item once she got through them all (Pods are the winner at the moment but she hasn't tried everything yet).</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Here's what I got back in my box. I hadn't provided any dietary restrictions because I figured if I wouldn't eat something, Mr Fork or the smalls would. The only thing I said was that I would prefer not to get any American chocolate (I think it's not very nice) and when asked I said I was happy to have spicy snacks! Every single thing she sent was totally new to me and if I'm honest, I don't even know what half of it is!<br />
<br />
Lots of it is spicy and some of it I think are Spanish or Mexican sweets so the ingredients lists aren't in English at all.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6538231838065558530" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9tt_jSL8Ztg/Wrx3NzcMBAI/AAAAAAAAFWc/FgtETNUwTtw9iu2hRcZmR08UVJzM_9T1wCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4972-726171.PNG" width="400" /> </div>
The bright lollipops on the right are watermelon flavoured and then coated with spicy coating (I think they're amazingly delicious). The colourful chain of lollies underneath are spicy tamarind coated things which are delightfully spicy and sour at the same time.</div>
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Interestingly, the twizzlers (root beer and cherry flavoured) are both ninja vegan and SO GOOD! I haven't had a gummy sweet in a long time and these were good (I wasn't sure initially but I quite like the root beer flavour). The Laffy Taffy (watermelon and guava flavour) is also a ninja vegan product and I found it a chewy, fluffy sort of starburst type thing. It was good.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
My smalls liked the milky (real milk!) lollypops, and there were also some soft caramels which Mr Fork tells me were amazing (but very milky... he thinks maybe goat milk). Mr Fork also claimed the spicy Fiesta mix and warhead worms as soon as he saw them. </div>
<div>
<br />
It was a super fun thing to do - I had fun picking snacks and then the anticipation of trying something surprising and new-to-me was half of the excitement, and then it was like opening a box to get a glimpse of someone else's favourite snack culture.<br />
<br />
I'd definitely do it again in the future, and Mr Fork is already putting in requests for exchange locations to keep an eye out for. I certainly have some places in mind I'd like to try snacks from... I've even seen some posts pop up where people are looking for vegan or healthy snack exchange partners too which seems fun.<br />
<br />
So I'm interested to know, if you could choose a location to exchange snacks with, where would you pick? And what would you send in an exchange that was representative of your location or your favourites?</div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-54597147410424634662018-03-27T05:00:00.000+10:002018-03-27T05:00:25.477+10:00BreaditationEver since I was gifted my sourdough starter four years ago (thanks <a href="https://figjamandlimecordial.com/" target="_blank">Celia</a>!), I have been baking bread. I'll admit it, I've had some shockers during my bread baking journey - and yet every single loaf I've turned out I've been ridiculously proud of. I still can't believe that I thought learning a new hobby with a newborn would be a smart idea. Actually, now that I think about it, I also can't believe that my little Attila the Bun will be four this year... not so little and bun-like anymore!<br />
<br />
So years later, I'm still baking regularly. I can say with complete honesty that my loaves aren't perfect - they're rustic and not at all fancy, but they're edible and friends ask me to bring them when we have gatherings so I must be doing something right!<br />
<br />
I like making regular sourdough loaves and I'm a big fan of fruit and nut loaves (I recently posted a <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2018/03/whats-in-my-kitchen-march-2018.html" target="_blank">pineapple and date loaf</a> which I'd love to make again with some hazelnuts included). I can also do a decent focaccia which seems to be a hit.<br />
<br />
Lately, I've started making extra discard on purpose, and using it to branch out from just regular *bread*.<br />
<br />
Here are some sourdough crackers that I made using the King Arthur flour <a href="https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-crackers-recipe" target="_blank">recipe</a> as a base. They turned out great and way better than store bought crackers. I can't believe it took me so long to make them when I've heard so much about home made crackers. I love to go really heavy on the herbs and not be shy with the salt on top. These are a huge hit with everyone I've shared with.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6536995260154530562" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eT2YFR2dcds/WrgSjfvsSwI/AAAAAAAAFVk/iiWwzfIc1REoMpLU_6OUlcPmqx7TBmMTQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4951-711562.PNG" width="400" /></div>
Here's another shot with them next to some simple chia loaves that I baked to take to work. My co-workers have been asking for a loaf for awhile so I was happy to oblige!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6536995273294683458" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wIhHq-RJ4mM/WrgSkQsjHUI/AAAAAAAAFVs/BXACPS5yCds0HCOFRBuK2lzTf-RdttY-ACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4952-714892.PNG" width="400" /></div>
Finally, this is my latest creation - sourdough English muffins. I was so ridiculously excited to bake these that I got up at 4am on a weekday, snuck out of bed so the kids didn't realise I'd left (they are very snuggly, clingy and warm so this was hard) and crept into the kitchen to finish off the baking after letting them rise overnight. I didn't use a single particular recipe for these, but an amalgamation of a few that I found online.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6536995294266293138" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f3VZ7NXXELw/WrgSle0ke5I/AAAAAAAAFV0/_RSlaGWCQaMCOXNrmpO5AL8iyoF16pBvgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4953-719061.PNG" width="400" /></div>
I didn't want to use dairy milk so I subbed in almond milk instead and I think they turned out pretty good. Next time I'll cook them a little longer so they brown more, but I didn't hear any complaints when I served them up warm for breakfast. I'm sticking all of the leftovers into the freezer so I don't eat them all, they are that tasty!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lv6N0eIbniE/WrgSl8taXiI/AAAAAAAAFV8/YvoBczx2Z-kVwefMgJ_BJwu68BpfvPQiQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4954-722664.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6536995302289333794" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lv6N0eIbniE/WrgSl8taXiI/AAAAAAAAFV8/YvoBczx2Z-kVwefMgJ_BJwu68BpfvPQiQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4954-722664.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
So, to all the bloggers who have been so generous with their knowledge and inspirations... literally thank you for giving me my daily bread. Thanks for what I've taken to calling my breaditation moments - when I sneak out of bed early, when the house is all quiet and still and I can knead and shape and bake in the silence. Then, if I've managed to do it quietly enough, I can enjoy a cup of coffee while the house is still asleep and watch the sun rise while the baking bread smell wafts from the oven. It's my favourite part of the day!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-21470368955835679212018-03-05T05:00:00.000+10:002018-03-05T06:33:09.351+10:00What's in my kitchen, March 2018 <div>
It feels like the year has only just started, and yet, here we are at the beginning of March. It's <i>Autumn</i>! Where did all the time go? I feel like I can no longer say that my daughter has <i>just</i> started school. The year has no longer <i>just</i> begun. Where does the time <i>go</i>?! Having said that, I'm looking forward to the onset of colder weather. We have been having an unusually long spate of hotter than usual weather, which is playing havoc with my sleep, my garden, my laundry schedule (due to lots more storms than usual), and my moods. Cold weather to me means lots of comfort foods, not waking up in a sweaty heap, and fun snuggly clothes. Anyway, here are a few of the things that have been occupying my kitchen lately.<br />
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<b>In my kitchen is...</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
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Scrolls for my preppie's lunch. We've had some <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2018/02/recipe-magic-apple-cinnamon-muffins.html" target="_blank">trial and error</a> packing her school lunches, but these seem to be a consistent winner, and they're super easy to make. I have Ellie help me make them too, so I think that provides extra incentive for her to eat them since she had a hand in their creation. They're just store bought puff pastry (because I do not have the time or patience to make my own), spread with filling, rolled, sliced and then baked until puffed and golden. She is a particular fan of this version, which is pizza sauce, diced ham and shredded cheese filling. Her second favourite is a simple vegemite and cheese filling.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6528950033708531858" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OqNNd3efgMM/Wpt9drt4wJI/AAAAAAAAFR4/MA46-co5BAMEI_vLs64izjCW3FQf0iblgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4868-736434.PNG" width="400" /></div>
<b>In my kitchen is...</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div>
While on the topic of school lunches, these biscuit bars have also been a hit. I found the recipe in a recent Coles magazine that was a lunch ideas special. Ellie was immediately drawn to the sweets pages (typical!) and as soon as she saw these, insisted that they needed to be made. They are not vegan, as they have egg and milk in them, but they seem to be a hit. I tweaked the base recipe slightly, reduced the recommended sugar, subbed in some healthier options (some wholemeal flour, swapped the brown sugar for coconut sugar etc) and then added some mini m&ms and dark chocolate buttons (her request). I cut them smaller than the magazine suggested, so I got 24 biscuit slices from a single batch. They freeze well and are super easy to pop into lunch boxes too. </div>
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<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6528958374117606930" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kv4V0WeEJ9Y/WpuFDKKXhhI/AAAAAAAAFS0/wnEW3ZO9kbUo0tjd1hoZgLkyU6TZVgGewCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4873-777870.PNG" width="400" /></div>
</div>
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<b>In my kitchen is...</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Pierogis! My friend invited us over for a pierogi making session (yes, that's also the bottom of a wine glass in the background, because, wine!). Pierogis are Polish dumplings and, I can say from personal experience, are absolutely delicious. We made a huge batch with two different fillings - cheese potato and truffled mushroom with cabbage. My favourite ones were the mushroom ones, but both versions were amazing. We cooked and ate some fresh after making many trays, and I was sent home with a doggy bag of leftovers and some frozen for later consumption.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6528950045275280770" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kqZ9QmSKPjk/Wpt9eWznVYI/AAAAAAAAFSA/SbssoEtM-nMD2U4lQqLrff27dK3w5gbxQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4869-740437.PNG" width="400" /></div>
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Yum!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6528950061777786962" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o9YVXCXtlac/Wpt9fUSHmFI/AAAAAAAAFSI/tJfMNLejK7I8fs5e1ZpaSNpBKogh-imngCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4870-743687.PNG" width="400" /></div>
</div>
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<b>In my kitchen is...</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
A fruity loaf of sourdough that I experimented with, not really expecting that it would turn out as well as it did. I cleaned out the pantry and unearthed some dried pineapple and dried dates that needed to be used. I added these to the mix, as well as some mixed spices and it turned out absolutely amazing... not overly sweet, but very fruity and a little reminiscent of hot cross buns due to all the spices I added. If I make it again, I think some nuts, maybe hazelnut, would be an awesome addition.<br />
<br />
It's delicious served plainly with Nuttelex - who needs to go out for breakfast?!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6528950077300554722" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zM4nncVQB10/Wpt9gOHCO-I/AAAAAAAAFSQ/zS9th8EogXI0HJFI-_W9PYQlBvQE9PFKQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4871-746985.PNG" width="400" /></div>
</div>
<div>
<b>In my kitchen is...</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Some jars packed full of all kinds of things, hidden away for six weeks or so to turn into fire cider. As well as sourdough and kombucha, I've started fermenting other things as well. Fire cider is something I saw at a fermenting workshop many months ago, and was recently reminded of again. I thought it would be something nice to have on hand as an immunity booster coming into the colder months, so I finally got all the ingredients and put it together. In my jars are garlic, ginger, onion, chilli, peppercorns, rosemary, tumeric, lemons and galangal, all topped off with apple cider vinegar. I'll update how it works out in a month or so, but if the initial smell is anything to go on, it will be <i>delicious</i>!!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6528950088955904018" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_6mlDukUkq0/Wpt9g5h4wBI/AAAAAAAAFSY/1DCvopuyJ5I98HNKPiFg40gfcp4xPf0-QCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4872-750209.PNG" width="400" /></div>
</div>
I'm sending this to Sherry, of <a href="http://sherryspickings.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Sherry's Pickings</a> for linking in to her monthly <i>In My Kitchen</i> link up.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-86115282486606060492018-02-06T05:00:00.000+10:002018-04-23T07:53:23.709+10:00Recipe: Magic apple cinnamon muffinsFirst off, a disclaimer, these aren't really <i>magic</i> apple muffins. However, if I called them "use up the leftover apple from my school child's lunchbox" muffins, they don't sound as appealing.<br />
<br />
I like to think of that old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon when I'm making these... watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat... nothing my my sleeve. Except in this case, I have half apples that my daughter has brought home (her school sends home all uneaten lunch so we can track what gets consumed) with various reasons so far:<br />
<ul>
<li>She was too busy playing to finish it</li>
<li>Biting the apple made her teeth hurt</li>
<li>She remembered she didn't like apples anymore</li>
<li>No one else was eating an apple</li>
</ul>
I smile, grit my teeth (because of course when helping me plan her lunches before grocery shopping, she told me apples were what she <i>really</i> wanted so we bought them) and resolve to use them up somehow because I hate waste.<br />
<br />
I figured muffins would be a good addition to lunch boxes, and who would honestly turn down a muffin right? So, previous days half eaten apples now get grated up, mixed with pantry staples and turned into delicious lunch box friendly snacks that freeze perfectly, and seem to be a lunch box hit. Winning!<br />
<br />
I've made these both with and without sugar, and honestly, I like them better with a tiny amount of coconut sugar added. The spices make it extra flavoursome, so I think we're onto something here - at least I haven't had any muffins coming home!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6518902261409925170" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ntd-RsojHWM/WnfLEXDUSDI/AAAAAAAAFRA/yhflsJqKF_cEJRnOzLq-nbPWHNNL0uWhQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4754-707563.PNG" width="400" /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Magic apple cinnamon muffins</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(makes approximately 18 mini muffins)</span><br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/view/withaforkrecipes/home/magic-apple-cinnamon-muffins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">printable link</a><br />
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</div>
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li>approximately 2 apples, skins on, grated coarsely</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups self raising flour (wholemeal or plain)</li>
<li>1/2 cup desiccated coconut (shredded would also work well)</li>
<li>1/4 cup coconut sugar</li>
<li>3/4 tsp cinnamon </li>
<li>1 cup milk (I like almond, but any would suit)</li>
<li>splash of almond essence (or vanilla)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Method</b></div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 180C degrees. </li>
<li>Add everything into a mixing bowl and combine.</li>
<li>Spoon mix into a mini muffin tray.</li>
<li>Bake for 10-15 minutes until cooked.</li>
<li>Let them cool slightly before popping them out of the tray and allowing them to cool.</li>
<li>Store in an airtight container.</li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6518902294189662946" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zg0-Tw8vEWA/WnfLGRKnYuI/AAAAAAAAFRQ/KU7Jvz5nYJwTsFMdyqbjqy5FjfgovcaEwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4756-716178.PNG" width="400" /></div>
<div>
<b>Notes</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>You could mix up the spices, and add some ground nutmeg and/or ginger. I've also used some pumpkin pie spice, just because I have some on hand.</li>
<li>I know vanilla essence is more traditional, but the almond essence is yummy.</li>
<li>I like using wholemeal flour because I like to squeeze in more fibre when I can. I think it would also work with plain and maybe a couple spoonfuls of wheatgerm or bran flakes instead though.</li>
<li>For a richer muffin, you could add in a tablespoon or two of coconut oil, but I honestly don't find it necessary.</li>
<li>These muffins freeze really well - I just wait for them to cool and then freeze them in a container, separated with baking paper (or reusable equivalent) so I can grab one and pop it in a lunchbox as is. I try not to use any glad wrap or plastic when making school lunches.</li>
</ul>
</div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-45267210965129288242018-01-13T09:23:00.000+10:002018-01-13T09:23:40.712+10:002018: Reducing single use plasticI am unashamedly frugal, sometimes to the embarrassment of Mr Fork. I take great pride in being eco conscious and reducing the impact that I personally have on the environment. Now that I have children, it's important to me that they learn to be respectful of our planet as well. Two years ago, I put up a list of <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2015/08/little-ways-to-save.html" target="_blank">ten things I do to help the environment</a> (and you know, also save money). This year, I'm going to step it up a bit and try even harder to reduce my household waste and single use plastic items.<br />
<br />
There are so many things that are simple to do, and don't even have to cost much, if anything at all. Here are some more of the things I already do, and some ideas that I'm working toward as well.<br />
<br />
<b>Say no to consumables.</b> Who needs plastic straws, paper napkins or utensils when there are awesome glass or metal straws, fabric serviettes, and cute reusable utensils out there? I've had my glass straw for years, and I love it. I've been reading a lot about beeswax wraps and I really want to find a good source of local beeswax so I can start making my own (and you know, maybe use up some of my fabric stash while I'm at it!).<br />
<br />
<b>Avoid plastic shopping bags. </b>Similar to the above, but it needs saying again. Our two major supermarkets have plans to <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-14/woolworths-to-phase-out-plastic-bags-around-the-country/8709336" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">phase out plastic bags</a> this year, which I think is a great idea. It's easy to put cloth bags in the car boot, and I always have a small fold up bag in my handbag for incidental purchases. I've also embraced bringing along mesh bags for my produce shopping so I can avoid those thin plastic ones they offer. If I have a choice between pre-packed produce, or picking my own and using my own bags, it's a no brainer.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6510304623991859794" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SPR4LCbWqd4/Wlk_j_yeKlI/AAAAAAAAFQQ/RtwbrRxaMi807kw9dJQmceZL_KzVpkNewCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4657-713580.PNG" width="400" /></div>
I got these ones as a Christmas present, and they come with their own handy little bag to stash them in when not in use. They're so simple to make though that I'm going to whip up a few more with some of the mesh material I have in my stash.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<pic></pic><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6510304628882938498" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gvJOUwonCFA/Wlk_kSAmGoI/AAAAAAAAFQY/hLs8PQweuPsABppbw7-E3OvgpGHhxSEZgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4682-716331.PNG" width="400" /></div>
When I get my produce home, I can also prolong it's life by storing it in my fabric <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2016/12/review-swag-reuseable-produce-bags.html" target="_blank">Swag bags</a> (which are awesome by the way!)<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6365173245719904162" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j2fDSbaDc1k/WFWjV8T0f6I/AAAAAAAAE-o/d6lOUriAWx4G55koqls8xtFGAsfPMa2oACK4B/s400/IMG_3024-782342.PNG" width="400" /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'm also lucky enough to have some bulk health food stores near me. These stores let you scoop and weigh your own produce (like nuts, flours, salts, beans etc) from bulk bins and either use the brown paper bags in store (which are compostable) or bring your own container to hold them. </div>
<br />
<b>Use reusable bottles and cups.</b> It's important to stay hydrated, but not at the cost of all the litter it generates. A friend of mine recently moved to the beach and has been telling me horrifying statistics about the amount of plastic that ends up in the ocean and on the beach. There are so many bottle options out there - foldable ones for the space conscious, insulated ones to keep your water cold (or hot!), glass, and ones with <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2016/07/whats-in-my-kitchen-july-2016.html" target="_blank">super cute covers</a> like my beloved BBBYO ones! (the 'bits' below are barley from when I brewed up barley water to soothe a chest infection)<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m8_C7xzRJnI/V3oDCh1DrGI/AAAAAAAAEvs/erq8e4N_CAcvqWOaDYPbevohOV6sw67_gCK4B/s400/IMG_2005-759708.PNG" width="300" /></div>
I'm also a huge fan of reusable coffee cups - I have one at home and one at work for ultra convenience. Many of the coffee shops near where I work even offer a small discount for bringing your own cup. I've heard statistics that it can take more than 500 years for a plastic coffee cup to break down, which is horrifying.<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6510304605402714178" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tggm3q9yhSk/Wlk_i6ieUEI/AAAAAAAAFQI/J7tdLxh2bFkidub_jmgKfdjr6-TF_9-OwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4656-710645.PNG" width="400" /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I've noticed a huge shift in awareness when shopping, and many shoppers now bring their own reusable bags as a matter of course (could be that some shops have started charging for terrible quality plastic bags as well). Where I used to get odd looks for bringing my own coffee cup to a cafe, now I'd say from my own observations that there are more BYO cups than not. This is definitely a movement I'm happy to get behind and so pleased to see individuals and businesses taking up.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Do you bring your own bags and cups when out and about? What are your tips for reducing plastic consumption?</div>
</div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-49781649307401530632017-12-30T04:30:00.000+10:002017-12-31T12:51:21.646+10:00Recipe: Mushroom and lentil loafFor nearly 10 years now, I have brought a version of this loaf along to our family Christmas lunch. I'm very lucky that my family makes many of the festive sides vegan-friendly, but if I want something substantial to eat, I need to bring it along. For awhile, one of my cousins was vegetarian, so I became the default supplier of the main part of the meal for the 'picky eaters'. I don't mind, and over the years, people have started to ask for portions of the loaf too - no more serving myself a slice then putting it away to save room on the table, no sirree!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6504804225176036354" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8VQOo3s0oHE/WkW0-pcT5AI/AAAAAAAAFPQ/J6OXIzczHLwPee_NNXGrd-zudfYT4vV3ACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4638-753059.PNG" width="400" /></div>
I posted a couple of my practice meals online in the lead up to Christmas, and had quite a few questions so I thought I better finally type up the recipe. It started from a long ago recipe I found online, but I have since tweaked what I do so much, it wouldn't be recognisable in any way to the original.<br />
<br />
It's delicious, scales well, is very flexible and forgiving, and best of all, can be made ahead and then just popped in the oven on the day. Winning! I often make multiple at the same time because if I'm going to do one, I might as well make a few, and who doesn't like to share food right?<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6504804165092444882" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lTe6IUAlvB4/WkW07JnRCtI/AAAAAAAAFOw/s5g8U3sBLcU53g_K1CGVrXHZLls4B626QCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4634-739407.PNG" width="398" /></div>
The original recipe called for a specific ratio of cooked brown rice and cooked French lentils. I have since simplified that for myself by mixing equal amounts of the uncooked and rinsed grain/pulse in the rice cooker and then using the amount I need once cooked. I think it tastes equally good this way and makes my life easier too.<br />
<div align="left" class="m_2871542806776212595m_-225227528800199274style18" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Mushroom and lentil loaf</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/view/withaforkrecipes/home/mushroom-and-lentil-loaf" target="_blank">printable link</a></span><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li>1/2 cup tomato paste</li>
<li>3 tablespoons soy sauce</li>
<li>1 tablespoon molasses</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke</li>
<li>4 cloves of garlic, minced</li>
<li>olive oil</li>
<li>1 large onion, chopped</li>
<li>1 cup mushrooms, sliced (any will do, I tend to use button as they're so readily available)</li>
<li>1/2 cup celery, diced</li>
<li>1/2 cup carrot, finely diced</li>
<li>salt and pepper to taste </li>
<li>2 3/4 cup cooked brown rice/lentil mix</li>
<li>1 1/2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce (Coles brand is vegan for Australia)</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon mustard</li>
<li>fresh parsley, finely sliced</li>
<li>1 tablespoon cornflour</li>
<li>3/4 cup breadcrumbs (mine was made from the stale crusts of my sourdough loaves) <span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> </span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6504804211522183650" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xemQxUT_q3c/WkW092k-oeI/AAAAAAAAFPI/1QEV_vf4QJ8veeznRv-0WrdJ9uSe0mxnwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4637-749991.PNG" width="400" /></div>
<div>
<b>Method</b></div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 180C degrees. Line a small loaf tin with baking paper and set aside. </li>
<li>In a small bowl, combine the tomato paste, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, molasses, liquid smoke, and about 1/3 of the minced garlic. Set aside.</li>
<li>In a fry pan over medium heat, add some olive oil and 1/2 cup onions. Sauté 5 minutes, then add the mushrooms, and sauté for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Add a little more olive oil to the pan, and sauté celery, carrot, the remainder of the garlic, salt and pepper over low heat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. </li>
<li>In a food processor, pulse rice and lentils until they combine nicely but are not complete mush (about 10 times), then transfer to a large bowl. Again in the food processor, pulse cooked vegetables, Worcestershire sauce, remaining soy sauce, mustard, parsley, cornflour, and 1/3 of the tomato mix about 10 times, then add vegetable mixture to rice and lentils. Fold in reserved sautéed onions and mushrooms, breadcrumbs, and the 1/2 cup raw chopped onion. Check seasoning and adjust to taste.</li>
<li>Assembly time! Press half the mixture into the loaf pan and spread with half of the tomato topping. Add the rest of the mixture into the pan and press it down (wet hands help) and coat with the remainder of the tomato topping. Cover with foil. At this point you can stop, and put it in the fridge to be cooked later. If you do this, let it come to room temperature first. </li>
<li>Bake in the oven for 45 minutes covered, then 15 minutes uncovered until the top is browned. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 20 minutes before serving. </li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6504804200401796514" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cg4uU-gR10U/WkW09NJq_aI/AAAAAAAAFPA/_cr9Y1VyrF070GqkrR2vORyuDztJY5PLACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4636-746067.PNG" width="400" /></div>
</div>
<div>
<b>Notes/Variations</b><br />
<ul>
<li>This is one of my favourite dishes and always makes me think of Christmas. Served hot from the oven and cold as leftovers for lunch, both ways are delicious. When I can't face eating it anymore, I freeze individual slices ready to pull out for making sandwiches or quick meals when needed.</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6504804181693051682" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dqN_4TG77nk/WkW08HdKMyI/AAAAAAAAFO4/tYi4hU6s7jcyKNM5i_-dhzR1PVtQ5EunwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4635-742905.PNG" width="400" /></div>
<ul>
<li>It's very forgiving - you can add more carrot and celery or change the ratio of rice/lentils if you prefer. Sometimes I've been lazy and just mashed with a fork instead of getting out the food processor and that works well too.</li>
<li>It's great if you happen to have gravy (everything is amazing with gravy!) but it doesn't really need it.</li>
<li>You could leave out the Worcestershire sauce if you wanted, and maybe add a bit more soy sauce instead.</li>
</ul>
</div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-41203793326543686212017-12-20T05:00:00.000+10:002017-12-20T05:00:05.292+10:00Recipe: Eggplant parmigiana<div>
I recently posted about my <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2017/12/urban-trading.html" target="_blank">eggplant glut</a> and asked my Instagram followers for some suggestions to use up the harvest. Someone said eggplant parmigiana and I thought that sounded amazing.<br />
<br />
It worked out well, because Mr Fork was craving chicken parmigiana so it was a nicely themed meal for everyone.<br />
<br />
It was such an easy dish to make, very flexible and uses simple staple ingredients that I generally have on hand. I grew the eggplants and the basil used in it, I made breadcrumbs from the crust of my sourdough, and I got to include a few sneaky extra vegetables in the sauce. I was so happy with how it turned out, I thought I'd share. I think this would be great for a festive meal, and I know it's going to be fabulous as leftovers for work lunches this week too. Everyone wins!<br />
<br />
In my opinion the key to making this dish especially delicious is the tomato sauce. I made mine from a mix of tinned and fresh tomatoes that I cooked up with onion, garlic and other seasonings, let it reduce until it was thick and concentrated, and then added fresh herbs to really jazz it up. You could always use pasata and add your own seasonings as well.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6500278091621374482" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uWwP2GR9mnY/WjWgfABYmhI/AAAAAAAAFOE/n4CygdD0l4QNVnviGfAiw6HoGnuqu8OLACK4BGAYYCw/s400/design-730886.png" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Vegan Eggplant Parmigiana</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/view/withaforkrecipes/home/eggplant-parmigiana" target="_blank">printable link</a></span><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li>5 medium sized eggplants (or maybe 3 large ones)</li>
<li>olive oil</li>
<li>garlic, minced</li>
<li>dried oregano</li>
<li>1 onion, diced</li>
<li>tomatoes (I used a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, and maybe another 400g fresh ones, diced)</li>
<li>fresh basil</li>
<li>salt</li>
<li>pepper</li>
<li>nutritional yeast</li>
<li>a large handful of breadcrumbs (mine was made from the stale crusts of my sourdough loaves)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Method</b></div>
<ol>
<li>Slice the eggplants into rounds, and salt them. Leave that to sit for 10 minutes or so while you get the sauce going.</li>
<li>In a saucepan, add a little olive oil, the garlic and onion, and a shake or two of dried oregano. Fry that up until it gets fragrant and then add the tomato. I also added a little water to mine, but you may not need to do that - you want the sauce to be thick and not too watery. Cover and let it simmer away for 15 minutes or so.</li>
<li>Rinse the eggplant rounds and then fry or grill them. I did them in batches in a fry pan, putting the done ones aside on a plate while I cooked the next lot.</li>
<li>Check on the sauce and season it. It should be reduced, and the tomatoes should be broken down - I added a little salt, pepper and a bit of red wine vinegar. I also stirred in some fresh basil and some baby spinach leave that needed using up. </li>
<li>Time to assemble! I used a square dish, about 25 x 25 cm. I started with a thin layer of sauce, then a sprinkling of nutritional yeast, then a layer of eggplants. Keep going in that order: sauce, nutritional yeast, eggplant until everything is used up. Finish with a layer of sauce then a sprinkling of nutritional yeast.</li>
<li> In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with some dried oregano, salt, pepper and olive oil. I also added a bit of fresh minced garlic, but I know that's not to everyone's tastes. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the dish.</li>
<li>I baked it for about 30 minutes in a 200C fan forced oven until it was all bubbly and golden.</li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6500266239055483266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J8my4eIqdsw/WjWVtFxd0YI/AAAAAAAAFNs/Ol53YxqqhZgOD5QtzWNOyxMsTYSvDA1vACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4533-771247.PNG" width="400" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<b>Notes/Variations</b><br />
<ul>
<li>This was so good. Served hot from the oven and cold as leftovers for lunch, both ways were delicious. I plated it topped with torn basil on my plate, and little pieces of mozzarella for the kids.</li>
<li>If you wanted, you could sub parmesan for the nutritional yeast, but I wanted a vegan version. You could also mix cheese into the breadcrumb layer as well.</li>
<li>Next time for more protein and to help absorb a bit of the moisture from the eggplants as they cook, I will add some quinoa into the sauce to help thicken it up a bit. Also, I think sliced mushrooms would be a great sauce addition. </li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6500266226729824050" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QM3b6uuxjeM/WjWVsX2zLzI/AAAAAAAAFNk/r0YjqqmYB6szY2Nt7qHACIfPwGw86YgFQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4532-767449.PNG" width="400" /></div>
</div>
What will you be eating for Christmas festivities?</div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-38754196796156063522017-12-17T08:20:00.000+10:002017-12-17T13:58:20.449+10:00Urban trading<div>
My eggplants are producing far too prolifically for me to eat and enjoy them all at the moment. Here's a picture of this week's harvest alone - eleven good sized fruits, and many more nearly ripe still weighing down the plants.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6500266187758466642" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KggGPTNgUjQ/WjWVqGrTdlI/AAAAAAAAFNU/RUx_8_nqPDIuwU2OEqlHXu1tAvrLNrPswCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4530-758785.PNG" width="400" /></div>
</div>
<div>
I mentioned my dilemma to a colleague and she said that her lime tree was doing the same. We just looked at each other and brought in a bag of produce to swap the next day! I enjoyed those limes as salad dressing, with gin, in soda water and numerous other ways. Limes are amazing!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Speaking of salad, I traded more eggplants to another colleague for some cucumbers and a lettuce. I generously ended up with too many cukes to use while they were good so I traded some of them plus eggplants for a pawpaw (which was delicious, and I'm hoping some of the seeds will sprout for me).<br />
<br />
I have not yet properly learned the art of planting in appropriate amounts or staggering my planting, so soon I’ll have oodles of chillies to play with... anyone interested? </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6500266257081971938" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eVQ1G3orNMY/WjWVuI7UNOI/AAAAAAAAFN0/x23oA0FMN68ngv9SicnFYtttxehZAREUQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4534-774841.PNG" width="400" /></div>
<div>
Gosh I love my gardening friends. Who says that the bartering economy isn't alive and well?!<br />
<br />
Do you have a group of like minded people you trade with? What's a hot commodity for you right now?</div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-11732907621092006832017-12-06T12:09:00.000+10:002017-12-06T12:09:21.602+10:00Resilience <div>
Today, my (little) big girl has her kindy graduation. Next year she starts prep at 'big' school and will attend 5 days a week. Until now, she has attended daycare 3 days each week and spent the other two at home with me. We fill our time with extracurricular activities (swimming, acrobatics), social catch ups with friends and learning through doing regular every day activities like library visits, cooking, gardening and playing.<br /><br />It will be strange to hand over the bulk of her days to someone else. I used to think having one child was hard, and then I had a second and wondered what I complained about. Now as I prepare to have days with only one child again, I wonder how I will cope. How he will cope without his big sister and constant companion. How she will cope at school without me. Have I laid a strong enough foundation for her to build on? I hope so.<br /><br />I was harvesting my neglected garden recently. It's a bit sad - the basil is defiantly dry and crispy, the leafy greens are present but wispy and bug eaten and the rosemary is looking rather brown. Surprisingly though (or not) because of all the drenching rains we've had lately, my eggplants are thriving. The other herbs are lush and green, and the onions that sprouted in my pantry are pushing through green growth and developing seeds in an effort to preserve themselves and give me future onions. If I'm honest, if I cut the basil back it will come back better than ever. The greens are seeding and when planted will be so strong and healthy. The rosemary will come good with love. I guess it's the compost and chicken poo I lavished deep in those beds paying off for me.<br /><br />I even have a little self seeded marigold, standing proud next to those previously mentioned onions and doing it's best to repel pests and bring in bees. </div>
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<img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iWz0cPH9uRE/WidDWa-49RI/AAAAAAAAFM8/9I93IL0PEg4NkFYzV3zZmwMW0TRBQY3UQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4441-783753.PNG" width="400" /></div>
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What I guess I'm getting at is, gardens, just like people, are resilient. Putting in early work and enthusiasm and love is so worth it, and even with a little distance there, the things you grow and reap are wonderful surprises.</div>
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She'll be fine. And so will I. </div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-4758379146083158212017-10-30T08:23:00.003+10:002017-10-30T14:44:42.859+10:00Oh... hi there!Well would you look at that… it feels like forever since I’ve updated this blog. In fact… oh my, eight months or so (thank you domain registration reminder for giving me some incentive). I haven’t been completely absent, I’ve been reading other blogs and infrequently commenting, but I still remember when I wrote more regularly, so sorry about that readers! (Do I have any readers left?)<br />
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What’s been happening in my life of late?<br />
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<b>Work</b><br />
I’ve been working more hours and taking on more responsibilities. I mean, I’m technically still part time, so I’m accruing flex time at alarming rates, but I love my job and we are doing so many new and experimental things and I just want to be involved. I’m loving that I get to stretch mental muscles and have deeply intellectual conversations about concepts that don’t even exist properly yet because we haven’t built them. It give me nerdy chills! Of course, it also means I have less time to do other things, but I make time for the important stuff.<br />
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<b>My 5 year old with attitude </b><br />
Ellie starts Prep next year. It feels like just moments ago I held her for the first time in my arms, barely 2.5kg of weight. Now, she still looks tiny, dwarfed by her school uniforms which I bought big so she could grow into them (it’s the frugal Asian side of me). The one thing that isn’t tiny is her attitude and sass. She’s such a wonderful little person who can have conversations with me and looks after her little brother with equal amounts of love and exasperation. She’s so smart, and so confident and so full of pizazz and cheer. I know she's going to blow us all away one day.<br />
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<b>My newly minted 3 year old </b><br />
Jimmy turned three yesterday! Remember when <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2014/11/he-is-here.html" target="_blank">he was born</a>? I do! We had some drama with his daycare and I wasn't happy with them anymore, so I went through the (long, drawn out) process of moving him a few months ago and he seems to be settling in and thriving now. He is talking so much and becoming his own person. And just for the record in case I start getting mushy and thinking about wanting more children…. toilet training. Oh my word I hate it so much… and that says a lot because remember I’m the mama who did <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2013/10/things-i-wish-id-known-about-cloth.html" target="_blank">cloth nappies</a>!</div>
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He loves to be carried and held close, so I still carry a wrap for those moments where he just needs to be <i>up</i>. One such moment happened at a shopping centre lately... he was just losing composure so a sloppy wrap job later and he was snoring onto the back of my neck. J weighs almost a third of what I do these days, so I cherish these little moments while I still can.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4FNtNg2-Uqs/WfZR7vU1yuI/AAAAAAAAFMU/YblNffF2lEE-Uawkpbn2lJjBPEklM4mpwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4283-752776.PNG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6482458800404417250" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4FNtNg2-Uqs/WfZR7vU1yuI/AAAAAAAAFMU/YblNffF2lEE-Uawkpbn2lJjBPEklM4mpwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_4283-752776.PNG" /></a></div>
<b>Extracurricular activities </b><br />
Ellie started acrobatics this year and while I was signing her up I noticed an adult tap dance class. I’ve never tapped before but I’ve done dance of some sort most of my life so I was intrigued. I started with a bunch of other like minded adults and I love it. Admittedly, it’s a new style for me so I’m still messing up all the time, but it’s such fun! I go once a week and quite frankly… it’s an amazing stress buster and I get to kick the floor and take all my frustrations out on it while dancing my (unfit) heart out. Win!<br />
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I'm also continuing pottering in my kitchen garden, and the recent rains have done wonderful things for all the plants I must say! </div>
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After work, and family and cooking and life in general, I find myself sitting down of a night and just wanting a quiet activity. I've been reading a lot lately, both Kindle and paper books as the mood strikes. There is something to be said for turning paper pages and smelling a book (is that weird?) but I also appreciate the sheer convenience of eReaders too.<br />
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<b>Diet</b><br />
As my kids get older, they get more definite with what they will and won’t eat. They have a few meals they always love (pasta, rice and stir fry, chicken nuggets, pancakes and sweets) but I long for them to love vegetables and be flexible with their food preferences. It seems that what was a favourite last week is off the menu the next. Maybe they are following in their daddy's carnivorous influence and not my healthy choices.</div>
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I find myself often cooking wonderful (meat free) meals that they’ll taste and then turn up their noses at even though they'd eaten them last week, so I portion it out and freeze it to try again another time. I have a freezer full of meals that only I seem to eat now… no matter how many time I present my lovingly prepared and often <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2017/01/how-does-your-garden-grow-january-2017.html" target="_blank">home grown</a> creations. Kids! Still, it means that I have fabulous lunch options and no excuse for takeaway on nights when I just can’t be bothered! I'm all about the silver linings.<br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-53982194717523662102017-02-06T13:57:00.000+10:002017-02-06T18:10:28.788+10:00What's in my kitchen, February 2017<div>
I'd originally intended to talk about what I've been cooking and eating lately, but I had some other photographs ready, so this is more of a hybrid between a proper in my kitchen crossed with what's growing in my garden. With the weather being as hot as it has been recently, I've been loathe to plant anything new in the garden. I grow most of my produce from seeds, and it's far too hot for brand new seedlings to be outdoors. That, and my brand of gardening means my plants need to be hardy enough to thrive on careful neglect means I don't have the time to baby along new plants.<br />
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I do however like to see things grow and I thought in the interests of being scientific and letting the smalls get involved, that we might put a few things in water and watch what happens from the relative cool of my kitchen window sill, where we can easily top up the water as it evaporates.<br />
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When avocado prices dropped a few months ago, I was on those little green/black morsels like a pig in mud. Eventually, I got tired of just throwing the seeds into the compost... they take so long to break down so I thought we'd grow one. I admit, I was spurred on by an ad that seems to be appearing regularly on my Facebook page, where someone has invented a sort of floating mini boat to put an avocado seed in and grow. I thought that it seemed a bit ridiculous to need a specific device so I determined to do it armed with nothing more than a tall glass and some toothpicks.<br />
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I peeled the avocado seed, then impaled it on a trio of toothpicks and submerged about half of it into a glass of water. A monokuro boo glass as a matter of fact; I love those little black and white pigs! I digress. It took some time, but eventually, we saw progress. This seed has probably been growing for at least 6 weeks, possibly a bit longer.<br />
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It has shoots and roots, and the interesting thing in my opinion is that as that shoot grew, it cleaved the seed entirely in half! The only thing holding it together now is the shoot/root structure. I don't know whether it's providing any fuel or its now purely decorative, but it's sure interesting. The kids are more interested in the fact that if they turn the glass around, the shoot will orient itself to point out the window toward the light. I'm debating where to plant it in the garden when it gets big enough. I'm not sure how long avocado trees take to produce fruit but I suspect a long time.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6383830344236529666" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DPYbmYsDrt0/WJfr4AaT-AI/AAAAAAAAFGc/XSTfWm4-w4wog2Wk_V_q3tNcQSwUUr62ACK4B/s400/IMG_3375-726560.PNG" width="400" /></div>
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I saved the top of my <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2017/01/how-does-your-garden-grow-january-2017.html" target="_blank">tiny piney</a> and let it dry out a little after scraping off the bulk of the flesh so that it didn't get smelly. When it was dry, we strategically placed some toothpicks (left over from a cheese tasting from the look of them) to stop it from falling into the jar, and left the bottom part submerged in water. A few weeks later we have tiny roots growing (you can see one at about 7 o'clock in the jar), and the top is getting a bit taller as well. When the root system is better established and the days are less hot, I'll relocate this little baby into the garden. While we likely won't get any fruit for at last two years, rough leaf pineapples are so delicious and the chickens decimated my last bed of pineapples so I'm starting over.</div>
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We've also been saving the roots of spring onions and planting those directly in the garden, and re-establishing a sweet potato patch from a sweet potato that was neglected and sprouted in storage. These have gone directly into the soil in the hope that I will <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2015/03/when-pick-sweet-potato.html" target="_blank">again have thriving sweet potato vines</a> to use for cooking (turns out the chickens were huge fans of them as well).<br />
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I guess this post demonstrates that I've been growing a lot of things on my kitchen windowsill lately, which is true. In the heat, I've tended toward not cooking as much as possible, so many of our meals have been simple, fast and not very photogenic. Hopefully as summer rolls to a close, I will start posting more food posts!<br />
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I'm sending this to Lizzy, of <span style="color: #0251ae;"><a href="http://www.bizzylizzysgoodthings.com/blog/in-my-kitchen-october-2016" target="_blank">Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things</a> </span>for linking in to her monthly <a href="http://www.bizzylizzysgoodthings.com/blog/in-my-kitchen-october-2016" target="_blank">IMK</a> roundup.</div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-90689850493759271592017-01-23T07:36:00.000+10:002017-01-23T09:04:50.486+10:00How does your garden grow, January 2017I've had the most glorious gentle beginning to the new year. It's been a very slow pace, and very unstructured. There has been lots of catching up with family, lots of feasting and festivities, and lots of cheer. There has also been plenty of time to potter around the house and garden doing all the little things I always put off during the busy-ness of the year.<br />
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I regularly sign up to do courses online as I hate feeling like I'm stagnant and not learning anything new. My most recent course is called <i><a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/science-engineering-technology/science-of-gardening" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Science of Gardening</a>, </i>it's actually a HECS scholarship unit offered by the University of Tasmania, which means that domestic students don't incur any tuition fee or debt for the unit. It actually counts toward the UTAS Bachelor of General Studies, but I'm just taking it for the fun of it (nerd alert!). UTAS often do HECS scholarship units and I find it a good way to keep my brain ticking away.<br />
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I'll just steal the explanation about the course and leave it here:<br />
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<i>Important and interesting questions for gardeners include why are plants arranged into families, and what features do they share? What are plants made of, and how do they grow? How do seeds know when to germinate, and how does the environment shape the way they grow? What are the crucial factors determining when plants flower and set seed? Why does soil type and nutrients affect plant health? Answers to all these questions and more when you study Science of Gardening.</i></blockquote>
It's actually a really interesting learning curve for me. It's completely online which is fine, but although it's called the <b>science</b> of gardening, I didn't really think I'd be delving into the chemical composition of soil, admiring the biological cross sections of plants, or re-learning the periodic table and how to recognise deficiencies or toxicities of soil and then diagnose how to correct them.<br />
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It's made me look at my garden in a whole new light and consider how I might tweak my gardening practices to make my plants more productive and happy. I appreciate just how much effort these little clumps of cells go to just to end up on my plate!<br />
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All that said, here's a peek into my garden right now.<br />
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I grew a tiny pineapple and it was delicious, if extremely small (dirty looking Sophie the Giraffe for comparison). It was so sweet and the acid was barely there at all. It was just enough for a morning tea for the smalls and me.<br />
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My eggplants are producing prolifically, <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2015/03/glut-of-eggplants.html" target="_blank">as they usually do</a>. My soil must be appreciated by eggplants. Although these two are different sizes, the right time to harvest eggplants are when they are plump and glossy. I have taken a batch over to my mother in law's house so that she can use them for Chinese New Year dishes. Yum.<br />
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Here is a picture of my sad looking lemon tree. I had an assignment where I had to diagnose citrus deficiencies, which was interesting. As my tree has healthy new growth, and the yellowing is mainly on the older leaves, I suspect magnesium deficiency, which is easily adjusted by watering in some epsom salt. I think there may also be a minor zinc deficiency also, which could be adjusted with a kelp solution spray. It's a sad tree, there is also some leaf miner activity, but it has improved of late, so there is still hope.<br />
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The chilli, eggplant, and what I'm 90% sure is a pumpkin are doing well, despite the recent heat. Mr Fork has been putting the water from his fish tank onto my garden when he does water changes, and they seem to appreciate all the fish poo.<br />
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One of my assignments also involved testing the ph of my soil. It's something I never really gave much thought to, but now I know that my soil is definitely on the acidic side. I suppose that means I should stop dumping my coffee grounds directly onto the soil and compost them instead. I also need to get some dolomite lime and see if I can raise the ph a bit for happier plants.<br />
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Our girls went rogue and built a secret nest under the house where it's lovely and cool. They were sneaky about it, continuing to lay in the regular box too, so I just thought they were slacking off in this heat. It's such a pretty nest, lined with bits of purloined sugar cane from the garden and dried grass. Sneaky things. These will be the last of our eggs as Mr Fork has gotten sick of cleaning chicken poo from the deck and has promised the chickens to a friend who has a large garden, doesn't care about chicken poo and swears not to eat them. I think perhaps it's an unlucky move, especially so close to the Chinese New Year when it switches over to the year of the Rooster, but who am I to come between a man and his BBQ-ing space. Especially when I don't eat eggs myself!<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6378548608083455554" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J-g9FJ2jnBs/WIUoKf9gbkI/AAAAAAAAFEM/aiUmusnCLnYlU4HPJptWMS8ELARm0eKSQCK4B/s400/IMG_3232-775643.PNG" width="400" /></div>
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How is your garden growing?</div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5596696576928109096.post-6555514812662681562016-12-23T05:00:00.000+10:002016-12-23T05:00:11.063+10:00Review: The Swag reuseable produce bags<div>
Recently I've been using something new to keep my fruit and vegetables in. We've never been a family that produces lots of waste, and even if we do, I'm very <a href="http://www.withafork.com/2013/11/eco-heroics.html" target="_blank">eco conscious</a> and odds are it will end up being eaten by the dogs or the chickens, or the compost heap will get it. However, I am also conscious of the amount of plastic that is used these days too. It particularly irks me when I see fruit and vegetables pre-wrapped or portioned into plastic containers, and I will deliberately go out of my way to choose to fill my own (reusable) bag with the portion I want to buy.<br />
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<a href="https://www.theswag.com.au/index.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Swag</a> is an Australian product for storing produce. It's made of three layers of natural unbleached cotton - the outer layer protects the fruit and veg and stops the water in the middle layer drying up. The middle later absorbs and holds water, but draws moisture away from the inside produce, therefore increasing the storage life. The inner layer is a dry barrier which sits against the produce but allows them to absorb the water and air through the fabric too.<br />
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I have them in a few different sizes - the green one is a longer size which is great for things like celery and spring onions. The white one is the large size, and pretty much anything fits in there. The red and blue ones are small bags, and I love that they're colour coded so I can identify individual bags in the fridge.<br />
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They're super simple to use, and in fact, the instructions are sewn onto the bag! All you have to do is make sure the swag is a little bit wet, but not dripping. Put the produce in and then store it in your fridge. Make sure the Swag is a bit damp and there you have it! I need to sprinkle them with water every few days but that's not a big deal for me at all.<br />
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I don't even have to separate different types of veggies and fruits, in fact, I find it convenient to store all my veggies together, all my fruits together etc. I even use one of the bags to store my potatoes in (but that one lives in the cupboard, not the pantry, and isn't kept damp at all).<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j2fDSbaDc1k/WFWjV8T0f6I/AAAAAAAAE-o/d6lOUriAWx4G55koqls8xtFGAsfPMa2oACK4B/s1600/IMG_3024-782342.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6365173245719904162" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j2fDSbaDc1k/WFWjV8T0f6I/AAAAAAAAE-o/d6lOUriAWx4G55koqls8xtFGAsfPMa2oACK4B/s400/IMG_3024-782342.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
I've been using my Swags for a little while now and I love them. Here's some carrots stored in one of the small bags. They're just loose in there, but they're perfectly happy and still crispy and good. I definitely think that these bags are helping to prolong the life of my fresh produce - and actually, my mushrooms are quite happy to be stored in a Swag as well (although like potatoes I don't wet their bag). <br />
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I'm very happy to be cutting down on plastic storage bags, saving money by not having to discard food (although the chickens might not agree!). I think it's a great product. <br />
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Note that this review is not sponsored, I just love the bags and wanted to show how I keep my fruit and vegetables fresh for longer.<br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790788516788938079noreply@blogger.com2