Daisy Chains and Picnics

A tasty homemade cracker that is perfect with dips or enjoyed on a cheeseboard with various cheeses, chutney, meat slices and fruit. Parmesan can be added for a great tangy flavour. Various flavoured sea salt flakes can be added for seasoning, I used sea salt flakes with chilli and herbs. Get the kids involved in making these, Cerys enjoyed eating what she had created. Ingredients 1/2 cup natural almonds 1 cup seed mix with pine nuts 2 tbsp chia seeds 30 g Parmesan, grated (optional) 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 3 tbsp olive oil 1 egg, lightly beaten 1/2 tsp baking powder sea salt to season Method 1. Preheat oven to 160°C fan forced. 2.  Place almonds, seed mix, chia, Parmesan ( if using), oregano and paprika into a food processor. Pulse until almonds are finely chopped. 3.  Add oil, egg and baking powder and pulse again until mixture comes together. 4.  Spoon half the mixture onto a sheet of...

I was making pan fried pork medallions for my birthday tea and thought I would "posh" it up a bit. I had some leftover prosecco in the fridge, hence the lemon prosecco sauce. Doesn't make for the nicest looking photo, but it turned out delicious and went very well with the pork.  Ingredients 1 shallot, finely chopped 1 Tbsp baby capers, rinsed, chopped 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Tsp lemon zest 1/2 cup prosecco 1 Tbsp warmed cream 1 Tsp cornflour Method 1.  Heat some oil in a pan over a medium heat, add shallot, cook until softened. 2.  Add lemon zest, capers, season with a little salt and pepper. Continue cooking for a few seconds.  3.  Add prosecco and lemon juice. Bring to the boil, lower heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by about half. Stir in warmed cream. Add cornflour, stirring well to combine, continue to simmer for 1 minuted or until thickened. Enjoy

These ingredients will boost the goodness in your diet, simply add these to your plate to romp up your nutrient level in seconds. Flaxseed.... Also known as linseed, these are a rich source of micronutrients. Just 1 tsp sprinkled over yoghurt or soup, added to a sandwich or salad, or blended in your favourite smoothie will provide a dose of omega-3 healthy fatty acid which have powerful health benefits for the body and brain. Flaxseed also adds dietary fibre, manganese and vitamin B1. Dukkah.... This Egyptian seed, nut and spice blend adds flavour to roast veggies, salads and dressings or as a dip with olive oil and bread. It often contains roasted hazelnuts, which are high in protein, essential fats and vitamin B. The blend also contains magnesium-rich sesame seeds, and a mix with added chia seeds provides omega-3 fats. Spices such as coriander seed and cumin give it anti-inflammatory properties. Fresh Chilli... Chillies are antimicrobial, kill bacteria, enhance weight loss...

We have been having a few worrying stressful situations to cope with lately with some sleepless nights which hasn't gone unnoticed by Darren who thoughtfully invited us out to have dinner at a lovely Japanese restaurant last night just so we could 'chill' and get away from things for a couple of hours. We met Darren and Hannah at the restaurant at 7.30 pm, where we were shown to our table, we chatted and ordered our food, ate and chatted some more. For starter we shared salmon sushi rolls, crunchy lotus root crisps and deep fried eggplant topped with sweet miso sauce. Crunchy lotus root crisps   salmon sushi rolls deep fried eggplant For our main course I had mixed seafood in garlic butter, Scott had charcoal grilled slow-cooked pork belly, Darren had Sukiyaki (wagyu beef slices, Udon noodles, tofu and vegetables in a homemade broth) and Hannah had the vegan sushi roll. mixed seafood in garlic butter slow cooked pork...

Fancy a change from the usual egg sandwich, try this omelette tortilla roll. I made a plain omelette as Cerys is not keen on anything added to her omelettes.  A variety of ingredients can be added to jazz it up a bit like cheese, mushroom, capsicum or spicy chilli. Ingredients below is for one large tortilla roll so double up when needed. Ingredients 3 eggs 2 tbsp cold water salt & pepper to season  1 tbsp oil tortilla wraps spinach Method 1.  In a bowl, whisk the eggs and water with a fork until combined, season with salt and pepper. 2.  Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat until warm. Add oil.  3.  Pour egg mixture into the pan, tilting pan so eggs cover the base. Using a spatula gently drag cooked egg edge into centre and tilt pan so uncooked egg spreads on base of pan. Cook until set. Remove from pan. 4.  Place washed spinach over tortilla. Add omelette, roll up quite tightly into ...

Pickled eggs are a great accompaniment to a cheese and pickle board. They make a delicious snack or chop some up for a tasty egg salad sandwich, also ideal at picnics and barbecues. Also a great way to use up surplus eggs. I bought a pack of 12 eggs reduced as their best before date was looming, so took the opportunity to pickle them. I looked up pickled egg recipes and all the ones I found used equal parts water to vinegar. After 1 week in the fridge, we tried one to see how it tasted but to our dismay they were very bland, not much of a pickle taste at all. So I drained the liquid from the eggs and used just vinegar and spices this time, most recipes called for boiling the vinegar prior to pouring them over the eggs so that was what I did. On asking my mum how she used to make pickled eggs, she used either white vinegar or pickling vinegar, cold with some mustard seeds and poured over the eggs, so I will be trying this next time...Let the pickled egg recipe debate...

I love avocado, funny really because I didn't like avocado when we lived in the UK, I don't know, maybe Australian avocados are different some how. I thought maybe my taste buds had changed so when we were back in Scotland last year, I bought an avocado just to try it, but it was the same thing, I didn't like it, very waxy tasting. I am so glad I like avocados here because these beauties are chock full of healthy fats and super nutritious.  Ingredients 1/2 cup frozen peas 1 avocado 2 tsp lime juice feta cheese 2 slices grain bread Method 1.  Cook peas according to packet directions, cool in iced water and drain. Transfer to a medium bowl and lightly mash. 2.  Remove peel and stone from avocado, cut into small chunks. Add to peas with the lime juice, season with salt and pepper, mash lightly to combine. 3.  Toast bread, top with pea and avocado mix, crumble some feta cheese over the top and sprinkle with chilli flakes...

The Tasmanian Whisky week brings together a spirits showcase from over 20 Tasmanian craft distilleries for tastings, food and education. Here you get the chance to chat to the makers in person about their spirits, how they are made, the ingredients etc, a definite must for any whisky/spirit lover. This was the first time Scott and I went to this festivity as we were lucky enough to win 2 tickets through Instagram from Hobart and beyond so naturally we grabbed the chance to visit and partake in many tastings and delicious food that was on offer. The tickets are approx $90 each so we were very fortunate to win these, although it was great value for money, each session gave you 3 hours to make your way around the many bottles of locally made whisky, gin, vodka and rums on offer for tasting.  On arrival you get a Tasmanian Whisky Week show bag which included an engraved Glencairn crystal whisky glass and a notepad and pen. There was also a delicious...