Recipe: Mushroom and lentil loaf

For 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!

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.

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?

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.

Mushroom and lentil loaf
printable link

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced (any will do, I tend to use button as they're so readily available)
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup carrot, finely diced
• salt and pepper to taste 
• 2 3/4 cup cooked brown rice/lentil mix
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce (Coles brand is vegan for Australia)
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard
• fresh parsley, finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs (mine was made from the stale crusts of my sourdough loaves)  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C degrees. Line a small loaf tin with baking paper and set aside. 
2. 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.
3. 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. 
4. 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.
5. 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. 
6. 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. 

Notes/Variations

• 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.

• 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.
• It's great if you happen to have gravy (everything is amazing with gravy!) but it doesn't really need it.
• You could leave out the Worcestershire sauce if you wanted, and maybe add a bit more soy sauce instead.

Recipe: Eggplant parmigiana

I recently posted about my eggplant glut and asked my Instagram followers for some suggestions to use up the harvest. Someone said eggplant parmigiana and I thought that sounded amazing.

It worked out well, because Mr Fork was craving chicken parmigiana so it was a nicely themed meal for everyone.

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!

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.

Vegan Eggplant Parmigiana
printable link

Ingredients

• 5 medium sized eggplants (or maybe 3 large ones)
• olive oil
• garlic, minced
• dried oregano
• 1 onion, diced
• tomatoes (I used a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, and maybe another 400g fresh ones, diced)
• fresh basil
• salt
• pepper
• nutritional yeast
• a large handful of breadcrumbs (mine was made from the stale crusts of my sourdough loaves)

Method

1. Slice the eggplants into rounds, and salt them. Leave that to sit for 10 minutes or so while you get the sauce going.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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. 
5. 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.
6.  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.
7. I baked it for about 30 minutes in a 200C fan forced oven until it was all bubbly and golden.

Notes/Variations

• 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.
• 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.
• 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. 

What will you be eating for Christmas festivities?

What's in my kitchen, January 2016

When I went to type the title of this post, my fingers immediately typed 2015. Then I backspaced, and typed 2015 again. Probably by the time it gets to about June I'll be well in the habit of using that 6! Happy new year! Mr Fork and I had a quiet new year's celebration with out little family. We had a nice dinner at home, tucked the kids into bed and then... slightly later, put ourselves into bed too! Haha, yes, this is what it has come to. We couldn't even muster the energy to go to our nearby lookout and watch the children's fireworks at 8pm this year. Since they also weren't showing on TV, we decided that we didn't need to see them badly enough to keep the kids up late and so, early nights all around it was! Having said that, this year has started off fabulously. We have continued with the food fest started at Christmas and it's been just lovely having everyone home from work/daycare and being able to have unscheduled days and plenty of time catching up with family and friends. And food, always lots of food... hurrah for home cooking, stone fruit and sugary festive treats!

In my kitchen is...

a Kikki.k "For the love of good food and paper" book, given to me by our family secret santa. With a large family Christmas lunch, often in excess of 30 attendees, we have (thankfully) moved to buying just for one person instead of for all present. This means that gifts are often perfectly chosen for the receiver instead of just a gesture as inevitably happens when you have to buy for so many people. This book is full of little food related paper items, such as recipe cards, cupcake wrappers, pretty food related printed paper, and even pre-cut tags and boxes for packaging food gifts. It's such a 'me' present, I'm so pleased with it.

In my kitchen is...

Another well chosen Christmas present of nested measuring cups. Each hen splits in half so that the bottom and top half are different sized cup measures, and reveal another egg or hen inside. I love them, particularly for all the puns I get to make (both out loud and in my head) about them.

You know, which came first, the chicken or the egg? Or when I get to 'crack' the egg. Every one needs a helping hen.

In my kitchen is...

The annual Christmas 'picky eater' loaf. I've mentioned that Christmas lunch is a big family affair to often morphs into dinner. It's a traditional meal too, with a turkey, chicken and ham with roast vegetables. As long as I've been attending, it's been my job to bring along a contribution for the vegan and 'picky eater' group. In my family, that's anyone that doesn't eat the roast meats, so I usually make my loaf vegan and gluten free to cater for everyone else. I also brought along my own jug of mushroom gravy so I was well fed.

Here's my plate, with the loaf and gravy, assorted roast vegetables and a felafel on the side in case I felt the need of it too. Surrounded by family, food and presents, it really was a great day.

In my kitchen is...

A bit of a cheat as it's not technically in my kitchen, but I did snap the pictures while shopping for things to go in the kitchen... so that sort of counts right? My local Woolworths (and Coles too, but I don't have a picture of that) have put up a display stand with free fruit for the kids to eat as they go through the store. Healthy food distraction for the win! I was able to get them both through most of the supermarket minus any demands for sugary snacks and was even asked to buy a few extra pieces of fruit as they looked so tasty (but weren't in the free fruit box) so we had to get some for eating later.

As can be seen here, Jimmy is an enormous fan. He loves his fruit and even finished off the remainder of Ellie's pear once she'd eaten all the tasty bits!

In my kitchen is...

The memory of Christmas supper. We had some dear friends over on Christmas eve for nibbles and drinks. Mr Fork and I even cracked open a bottle of Moet that we were given when Jimmy was born (and let me tell you, with the heat on Christmas eve, it went down very well!). We served plenty of dips and crackers, some cheese, lots of fresh fruit and there was even some homemade felafel balls and turkey sausage rolls as well. It was a lovely relaxed way to usher in Christmas, and for me, that was when it started to kick in that we were on holidays and things were starting to feel festive... just sitting down and sharing some drinks and food with great people. It helped that the children were on their best behaviour in anticipation of Santa visiting, and were very excited (and cute) putting out some carrots for the reindeer and a cherry ripe for Santa before turning in with their Santa sacks.

 In my kitchen is...

Another Christmas gift, a crumble dish. Notable for several reasons. It's pink! A pink baking dish, how delightful! It's for crumble. I love crumble and should I ever forget the recipe, it's printed right there - in the dish. Finally, the brand is Suzy Home Baker. I do so love a good pun! And a useful pink dish is a winner too.

Happy 2016 to you. I hope that it's off to a glorious and delicious start.

I am linking this post in with Maureen of Orgasmic Chef who is hosting the monthly In My Kitchen event for the first time. Thanks Maureen! Head on over to have a peek through many other kitchens!

What's in your kitchen this month?

Christmas lunch and 2015 starts to wind down

Christmas has come and gone. To be honest, our house didn't feel very festive this year as we didn't have a tree set up. With Jimmy being a mobile destructor, it was much safer and less frustrating for me to avoid having to redecorate the tree every time he'd walk past and pull it down/everything off it. So we just didn't. It was bad enough having to do that at every low hanging tree we walked past while shopping! However, Christmas with children is always a joy, especially now Ellie is really starting to understand it. Both of the kids were utterly spoilt with gifts, and Mr Fork and I also had a few small packages to open - as it should be really.

For me, Christmas is all about the food anyway. I've eaten my body weight in stone fruit and I intend to continue while I can get them! Christmas lunch (which morphed into dinner too) was spent with family. Despite the heat there was a proper feast - plenty of turkey, chicken, ham and roast veggies. I brought along a vegan mushroom and lentil loaf, and my own jug of mushroom gravy, so I was well fed as by now everyone is kind enough to cook the vegetable separately. Here's my plate, with a felafel on the side in case I felt the need of it too. Surrounded by family, food and presents, it was a great day.

I thought with the holidays, I'd be able to write a bit more frequently but, life is busy! I find lately that I have been blogging much less than I would like... not through lack of content, but more through lack of time. I have decided that this is not necessarily a bad thing, as when I write now, it's because I want to, it's something I wanted to share so badly that I consciously made the time to sit down and publish it. I'm still out there blog stalking and reading but my own content may be a bit sporadic!

2015 has really been a great year. Sure, a year of sleep deprivation, but a year of watching my children grow and really start developing their own individuality. Jimmy has learned to walk and discovered solid food with a vengeance. Ellie is learning logic, and having conversations with her is a real delight as I'm never really sure just how she is going to respond.

I'm on holidays from work and it's been great to have uninterrupted time at home. We haven't done anything all that strenuous, but just being able to have a quick middle of the day nap while Mr Fork watches the children, or catch up on the pile of books and magazines I've been setting aside for later all through the year is a good thing.

With that in mind, I hope your 2015 ends with a bang (hopefully a lovely firework-y one for those who can stay up that late!!) and 2016 brings lots of good things. If I don't post again before year end, I'll see you all in the new year!

Santa sack

Nearly two years ago, I posted about how I'd made Ellie's Santa sack.

I know that it's Jimmy's second Christmas this year, but I was in newborn sleep deprivation hell last year and didn't even think about his. In fact to be honest, I'm not sure I got him a present anyway, although quite frankly, sustaining him with milk two hourly round the clock was a pretty great gift I think!!!

Anyway, I finally got inspired and finished of Jimmy's sack last week. I bought the fabric from Spotlight (a pre printed Santa sack and 75cm of some contrasting Christmas fabric) and followed the instructions from here. It's about the size of a pillowcase, plenty of room for whatever Santa might deliver (which in Jimmy's case this year, I strongly suspect will be daycare necessities and maybe a new toothbrush)...

I think it turned out pretty well. Sure, I got distracted talking to the kids and had to unpick a few seams, and while I was re-sewing I wondered (as I always do when my sewing projects go awry) why I didn't just buy the silly thing. In the end though, I'm glad I persevered. 

How's your Christmas preparations going?

In My Kitchen, December 2015

Cue shocked exclamations about how it's December already. But seriously, how is it December already? Summer has just started and if it continues on the way it's begun, it's going to be a long, hot season. Probably an expensive one too as we will be getting heavy use out of the air conditioning and blow up pool. I suppose that seems odd for my Northern hemisphere friends to think of a festive season with scorching heat. One of these days, I will experience a white Christmas. It's definitely on my bucket list! Perhaps when the kids are older and can appreciate it more...

In my kitchen is...

A selection of Nestar and Miss Sweetie vegan chocolates I won from a competition on veganopolous. I'm super pleased to discover an Australian based (in Melbourne) chocolatier that likes to source locally where possible. They make a mix of fruity and nutty chocolates (not pictured here is the ginger version, which was in no fit state to be photographed as it was ripped open for consumption immediately!). Everything I've tried so far has been delicious - the perfect blend of filling and chocolate. Thanks for introducing me to this fabulous brand Faye! I think a few packets will be finding their way into Christmas stockings in a few weeks... both other people's, and my own...

In my kitchen is...

Minimal ingredient vegan gravy, mainly to make a dinner of potato gems seem less 'thrown together' and more 'I put some actual effort in'. I love gravy. I'll be taking a modified mushroom version of this to Christmas lunch with the family, along with some kind of loaf as usual, to cater for the vegans and "picky eaters" as my family calls them (aka gluten free).

In my kitchen is...

Cuttings! In the small bottle there are some mushroom plants that I've been carefully nurturing. They started as just bare sticks and have now grown leaves and small roots. These are a fabulous plant - growing low to the ground and clumping to make a nice ground cover, the leaves smell and taste faintly of mushrooms. You can eat the leaves and stems as is in salad, or cooked in a stir fry.  This is my sole stock of the plant at the moment as my naughty chickens breached the protective fence around a garden bed and demolished an entire crop of corn, tomato, pumpkin and other edibles.

I also have a small sweet potato that those same naughty chickens unearthed from the sweet potato patch, but I managed to save it before it was consumed. It seemed silly to eat such a small specimen especially as it was a bit pecked, so I thought it would be a nice science experiment for Ellie to see it grow. We impaled it on some toothpicks and left it to sit in an ex-candle jar with water. It's now got some tiny little roots and some healthy looking leaves. She was quite impressed but now seems to have lost interest as it isn't really a speedy grower. The impatience of toddlers!

When I chicken proof my garden bed again, these will all be off into the outside again but for now they decorate my window sill.

In my kitchen is...

Treats for those undeserving chickens. With the weather so hot lately, I've taken up my old tradition of making icy treats for the animals which I distribute for them before I leave for work in the mornings. For the chickens, I put small pieces of vegetable scraps in an old container, top up with water and leave in the freezer overnight. They get all the fun of pecking frozen treats out of the ice cube the next morning. Yay for them! This ice block (seen from the side, below) has canned corn in it as I'd opened it to use half but forgot about the rest of it until making chicken treats.

The puppies get a similar block, sometimes I just use plain water and add a huge ice block to their water bowl, other times I'll freeze some of their dog biscuits into the middle (although where vegetables sink, the dog biscuits float so the sneaky puppies just wait for the cube to melt enough and then snaffle their treats from the top).

In my kitchen is...

Dried sourdough starter from Lorenzo, son of Priscilla. I have been making extra starter every time I make bread, drying and bagging it all up ready for this December post. Mr Fork is just about over the little plates of starter I have been spreading all around the kitchen. I'm going to restrict postage to within Australia only (sorry!), but I have a few packets to give away so if you'd like one, please let me know. 

I am linking this post in with Celia of Fig Jam and Lime Cordial's monthly In My Kitchen event. As an aside, this is the last month that Celia will be hosting the event before it moves over to Maureen, the orgasmic chef, and I'd like to give her my sincere thanks for creating such a marvellous online kitchen tribe!

What's in your kitchen this month?

Recipe: Simple vegan gravy

Some times, all I want is a quick and easy dinner. From a nutritional standpoint, this meal probably won't win any awards, but from a taste and satisfaction perspective, it's a winner.

After a long hot day spent with visitors, then dragging two tired children around grocery shopping and heading to a work Christmas party that was outside in the heat, no one was in much of a mood to cook anything complicated.

Enter, the oven bake. Turn on the oven, load up with lots of goodies then load the kids into the bath while dinner cooks itself. All I wanted was potato gems, but the husband also baked up some chicken kiev for him (and a few bites for the kids).

For me though, it was all about those potato gems (all about the gems, 'bout the gems, no chicken...). Ahem... smothered with a quick and tasty homemade vegan gravy and other assorted toppings, it was a quick and easy dinner that was delicious. Be still my beating heart.

Anyway, here's the gravy recipe. It's hardly worth posting as it's just so simple, but a good home made gravy makes all the difference, and might just come in handy coming up to Christmas meal time!

Made with simple ingredients, you can make this as easy or complex as you want.

Tasty Vegan Gravy

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups vegetable stock 
• 1/4 cup flour
• seasoning of your choice (1 teaspoon or so)
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Add all ingredients to a saucepan on medium heat, and stir until the mixture boils and starts to thicken. 
2. Check seasoning then lower heat and cook on a simmer, stirring constantly, until the gravy is at your desired consistency.

Notes

• The gravy in these pictures is made using a Massel vegetable stock cube instead of anything homemade. It worked out fine
• The 2 1/4 cups of stock can be made up of a mixture of stock and milk to make it creamier
• I like adding nutritional yeast or some mixed herbs as my seasoning to make the gravy richer and more complex
• You can add a bit of pizazz by adding onions or mushrooms to the gravy, sautéing them before adding the rest of the mixture

This and that

Trying to encourage Ellie to stop sucking her thumbs by making them pretty...

Thought I'd test out making my own thumbs pretty too...

I bought a pair of sparkly purple sneakers. They were half price, I'm guessing because not too many other adults want sparkly purple shoes. Or they don't have kid sized feet. My benefit!

Ellie and I got our hair cut, and she insisted on having a picture taken and sent to daddy from the salon (by the by, thank goodness my hairdresser is understanding about my two children causing havoc while she does my hair!)

We had my work Christmas party. There was a face painter there. Serious debate was had about whether a dragon or a butterfly would do. My suggestion to have both was poo-poohed, and the rainbow butterfly option proved a winner. Another selfie, this one she insisted be sent to Grandma...

Jimmy is really enjoying his new found ability to walk. This stage, where they are still learning to balance so stumble around like little monkeys? I love it so much.

I took myself on a date to see Les Miserable. It was a last minute ticket purchase and this is where I got to sit. Third row back. I was so close I could see the orchestra pit and the spit whenever the actors were especially passionate or enthusiastic. A really great production and one of my favourite musicals.

Happy Monday to you all x

Post tongue and lip tie, a timeline

For the first part of Jimmy's tongue tie diagnosis and revision, see here

Last time I talked about tongue tie, it was one week post revision, and things were still tough.

Week two:
It still hurts to nurse, Jimmy clamps on me and still has horrible suck blisters. Although the revision sites under his tongue and top lip are healed beautifully, we still have lots of tie symptoms despite doing rigorous stretches and following all post care instructions.

Two weeks after revision, I couldn't take the pain anymore, and at 2am in the morning, I emailed a private lactation consultant to come and see if she could offer any additional tips to get Jimmy to have a deeper latch. Luckily, I was able to find one who had an interest in tongue tie, and she was able to fit me in within a couple of days. I guess they're used to dealing with stressed out mothers who need help sooner rather than later.

Week three:

The consultant was lovely. She gave me some attachment tips, and it was great to have someone to chat to and be told that we were doing all the right things, even though there wasn't an immediate improvement. Sometimes, that's all I need to hear as a mama - that I'm doing a good job, that I'm doing all I can, that my baby is fine and that someone is willing to help me.

The bad news was that she thought he had further ties, which was why his latch was still bad and his muscle tone and suck ability were a bit woeful. I have to be honest, my heart just dropped. I don't think I could do it again, the stretches and the healing process is brutal. I felt like I was back at square one with the feeding process, as it was like having a new born again and training them how to feed properly.

I got in contact with the dentist who did Jimmy's revisions and told them what the consultant and the physiotherapist had said, as the physio also thought Jimmy was making slow progress and was still tight with low muscle tone. The dentist was a little cranky that I was questioning her work I thought, but still fit us in, which was nice of her, especially in the before Christmas rush. I just wanted to know what I was in for... but I am one of those people who need to know where I stand so I can take action.

The dentist stated there were definitely no further ties. She observed a feed, and wouldn't you know it, Jimmy latched perfectly and fed like an absolute angel with no fussing, no clamping and no spitting. The stinker! I was told that he just has a short tongue and that continuing with his stretches and exercises would help.

It was also suggested by the lactation consultant at the dentist, that Jimmy was feeding so often because he could. Like, he was snacking constantly and therefore never getting a full tummy because he had access to milk on demand. I was told to try wearing him (already on that!) and to have Mr Fork settle Jimmy after a feed so he couldn't smell milk on me and want more feeding because of that.

Dark eye bags are so 2015

Obviously, I should feed him if he is screaming, but really it's clear that he is having no shortage of milk, and is doing really well and looking healthy. I'll say - I have tendonitis in my wrists from having to hold him up to feed all the time!!

Week four:
We are pushing through. While the revision was not the immediate improvement that I wanted, it has made life easier and I keep reminding myself that this too shall pass. Jimmy is just lovely... and if I have to breastfeed him exclusively because he won't take a bottle... well, he is likely my last baby and I will enjoy the special bonding time we get. If I have to wake to feed him every two, three or four hours? It won't last forever and then he won't want me anymore and I'll miss that too no doubt. I will just live in the here and now and enjoy the moments.

My Christmas elves - it's obvious he's growing beautifully!

Week five:

If I am fair, there are probably more good latches than bad now. However, we still wake and feed quite frequently, and I still have to often correct his latch mid feed. Despite trying multiple bottle types, Jimmy still can't take one so I'm still the only food source, which is a little frustrating for me. Mr Fork feels he doesn't get to bond with Jimmy the way he did with Ellie as he does not get to feed him - nappy changing and burping aren't the same as providing food I know. I admit it would be lovely to get a little extra sleep or be able to go out alone for a little while without the pressure of needing to feed him too.

I do have to say that Jimmy is still continuing to gain weight beautifully and meet all his developmental milestones. This is partly because my supply is still hormone driven and so rather plentiful without him having to work for it... and partially because we feed so often that he gets his nutrients regardless! Look how smiley he is!

Its been suggested to me that most revisions take at least 6 weeks to recover from, which makes sense really. The later they are done, the longer the recovery too - you are essentially training new muscles and creating new neural pathways, which naturally takes time. I'm holding out for that six week mark, but honestly, if we are one of those duos that don't get a 'perfect' breastfeeding relationship post revision, at least it is 'good enough'. I know that I will have tried everything I could.  No one could ask for more.

What's in my kitchen, January 2015

First of all, happy new year! Here's to a bright and shiny new year and all the fabulous possibilities it brings.

In my kitchen is...

Leftover Christmas luxuries that have still to be eaten. We have some lovely red pepper paste, some quince paste, some crackers and some dukkah. Every year, Mr Fork gets a ham from work for Christmas, and so every year, he has cheese and ham toasties until he can't look at another toasted sandwich for some time. Cheese also calls for a cheese plate for when guests drop by and hence, some quince alongside!

In my kitchen is...

Festive chocolates! Who can say no to some festive Merryteaser goodness?  This box was a gift to the family. When Ellie ripped off the wrapping, I don't think she recognised what was inside, and handed it to me with a dismissive, "here mama, you have it!". Don't mind if I do darling! She then turned to the many Peppa Pig goodies she was given instead. Priorities!

In my kitchen is...

A vegan grain loaf. Christmas traditionally is a simple breakfast at our place while Ellie (and now James) opens presents. We then go to the relatives for a conventional Christmas lunch, with turkey, ham, plum pudding and all the trimmings. It's been my job to bring the vegan option (which, to cater for unexpected diets, I also make gluten and dairy free as well). This year I tried something new, and made a barley and cous cous spiced loaf. While it was delicious, it didn't carve up into slices the way I would have liked, so it turned out more of a casserole I suppose. It was definitely tasty though! Shown here served alongside roasted root vegetables, simply done with some rosemary, salt and olive oil.

In my kitchen is...

Bubbly sourdough starter, courtesy of Celia's Priscilla. I have named my starter Lorenzo, son of Priscilla. I have attempted a couple of sourdough loaves, but they are too shameful to blog about yet. Possibly in a future IMK post...

In my kitchen is...

Some anaemic looking scones, baked for morning tea with a friend. They weren't particularly delicious, but the thing that makes them notable, and therefore worthy of a feature is that Ellie insisted on mixing the dough and pressing out the scones herself. "I do it mama!" I was told. And so, instead of the automatic no that wanted to escape my mouth, I found myself saying yes to my two year old. The look of delight on her face was priceless, and the concentration on her face as she (over)worked the dough and (took forever to) cut the scones melted my heart. So yes, they are a little floury, a little tough and more than a little rustic... but these scones were made with love. I will note that they were also choked down with much love, bless my guests.

In my kitchen is...

Speaking of love, this boston bun was in my kitchen this month, brought over by a friend to have with tea. It's from a chain bakery, Baker's Delight, and I'm including it because when I took it out of the paper bag to serve, I was tickled by the decoration on top and I have to wonder what the baker was thinking! Is it a heart? Do I have a dirty mind??

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

What's in your kitchen this month?

Recipe: Barley and cous cous bake

It's a Christmas tradition that even though we are guests for Christmas lunch, as I am the only vegetarian, I supply the vegetarian main. Gradually, this has morphed into me being responsible for all the 'picky' eaters - that is, the vegans, the vegetarians, the gluten free and those who want a healthier option. I therefore always play it safe with my contribution and make it relatively spice free and appealing to most palates and diet types.

This year, I wanted a change from my usual mushroom and sage loaf, particularly as we are still in a delicate stage with Jimmy's feeding, and sage tends to dry up breast milk supplies, something I really didn't want to inflict on my baby on a day when he'd want the extra comfort of nursing with all the new people around him.

I decided that I would make a spiced grain bake, flavoured with spices and some lemon juice to keep it fresh as it was a hot Christmas this year. It turned out quite tasty, although not as 'sliceable' as my loaf option, so there were no perfectly cut portions, more of a delicious heaped serving upon plates.

Barley and cous cous bake
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Ingredients:

• 1 cup pearl barley
• 1 cup pearl (israeli) cous cous
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tin green lentils
• 1 tbsp ginger, chopped finely
• 1 tbsp garlic, chopped finely
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp tumeric
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 small carrots, grated
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C and line your baking dish with baking paper
2. Cook the barley and cous cous in boiling water. Just before the water is completely absorbed, remove from the heat and leave it to sit, covered, for an extra 15 minutes
3. While the grains are sitting, saute the onion in the coconut oil until softened
4. Place all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste
5. Transfer the mix into your prepared baking dish and press down firmly
6. Bake for 45 minutes and allow to sit an additional 15 minutes before serving

Notes:

• You could easily use other grains if you prefer. Quinoa would be nice and give it a slightly nuttier flavour. I think brown rice would also be delicious
• Feel free to switch up the spices and even add herbs for a different taste. I played it safe and omitted chilli, but if it was just for me, I would have added it in
• This was super easy to prepare. In fact, I made it the night before I needed it, then just removed it from the fridge, allowed it to come to room temperature and then baked it on the day I needed it. I think this really helped the flavours to infuse throughout too

How was your Christmas? What was on the menu and are you still eating the leftovers?

What's in my kitchen, December 2014

As my final IMK for the year, I'd like to take the opportunity to send out season's greetings. 
I look forward to visiting other kitchens redolent with the smells of the festive season and drooling over kitchen creations, something that my kitchen is currently lacking!

In my kitchen is...

A box of ready to eat meals, courtesy of my awesome baker friend and her man. Yes, its a bit of a terrible picture as Mr Fork was grabbing for stuff as I took it... but this box is jam packed full of delicious things, both vegetarian and meaty so that Mr Fork, Ellie and I can just reheat and be eating something scrumptious in seconds. I am in awe of the sheer love, effort and thought that went into this box of gifted goodies... and my stomach thanks them every time I eat a meal that isn't takeaway! This is a fabulous present for anyone with a new baby! Or anyone really...

In my kitchen is...

Chocolates from local markets. Delicious dark chocolate with figs or with nuts and chilli to be exact. They are amazing, and I am spacing out the eating of them as otherwise I will indulge far more often than is healthy...

In my kitchen is...

A ginormous blueberry muffin, courtesy of another friend who stopped by to visit Jimmy, and kindly brought his ever-hungry mother some sustenance as well. I shared this monster muffin with Ellie when she came home from daycare so that I didn't feel such a greedy eating machine.

I should add that Mr Fork has gone back to work now, so it's just me watching Ellie and Jimmy during the days. I didn't really appreciate how much work a newborn would be with a toddler as well, and I'm thankful for the generosity of my friends who make sure that I have plenty to eat, even if I can't always find the time to eat it!

In my kitchen is...

A Merryteaser Reindeer (or several). I didn't think it could get better than the MaltEaster Bunnies, but turns out there is a Christmas version too. Oh happy days! These little fellows are harder to find in stores than I'd expect, but Coles sometimes has them in their seasonal aisle. I have to hide from Mr Fork and Ellie when I eat one, as I swear those two have a special extra sense for seeking out the crinkling of chocolate wrappers...

In my kitchen is...

A pile of spinach. Fresh from the garden, I think it'll be the last of my planted spinach as the heat is starting to make it all look a little sad and past it's prime. I hustled out before the day got hot to harvest this bunch, as well as one ripened eggplant that the possums missed. The spinach was then separated into leaves and stems, blanched, cooled, bagged and labeled ready to freeze as I'm just not enthused enough to cook with it right now but I didn't want it to go to waste.

I'm thinking when I get my cooking mojo back in force, I will use the spinach leaves to create a pie I've been pondering lately, and the stems will find their way into various stews, stocks and soups.

In my kitchen is...

An apple tea cake, baked especially to help use up some of the sad looking apples from my fruit box. This is a simple recipe which freezes beautifully and which Ellie and I enjoyed for both morning and afternoon tea one day.

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

What's in your kitchen this month?