If I was really busy then I could always pop in and visit my mum and dad who would at least feed me. When I was living interstate, a family would adopt me and I would eat with them once a week or so....or I would whip up something quick and easy, there was no time for extravagant eating.
I felt I was just too busy with my work, my social life, events, holidays that needed planning, trips away for the weekend and let's not forget shopping for shoes, bags or outfits. I had to squeeze it all in.
And then I had kids. Why ever did I think I didn't have time before? These days the laundry is a never ending pit. Just when I've completed one cycle here comes another. The kids need to be fed nutritious meals. Two minute noodles will not do. Then there is cleaning the house. Once a week. What? Not any more...try about 4 times a day. I just finish vacuuming and bang something gets spilt or knocked over. The shopping needs to be done, dinner has to be cooked, kids toys need to be put away and I need to fit in a toilet break....Not for the kids but for me!!!. Then I have to provide entertainment, My baby girl needs her bottle, sleep time, and constant nappy changes. My son wants a DVD, or a game to play or a drink.
Usually its the late evenings when everyone is asleep, and the dishwasher has been filled I can actually sit down and write this blog or read. Every morning before the kids wake up and while I am getting my day ready, I try and read a bit of the news and check my emails. I do this at the end of the day too. I check all other social media on my phone while doing other things.. I miss those days when I could read the papers on a Sunday for hours just relaxing in bed in my pajamas. These days its me reading to my children and its usually a story of some far away land.
I have learnt through all this to at least cook food that is nutritious and doesn't take up too much of my time. I'm not a fan of junk and I don't like giving it to my kids. Z and I are not getting any younger so its important we look after ourselves. I will share some of my go to recipes for you today. These are the meals I cook when all I have is about half an hour or less. They taste great, are easy to make and most of the time I have the ingredients in the pantry, fridge and freezer. I sometimes vary the recipes depending what on what I have.
Always keep frozen fruit and vegies on hand so you have back up when the fresh stuff runs out. Staples such as rice, cous cous, Quinoa, pasta, polenta, potatoes, lentils, soup noodles, sauces, diced tomatoes, stock, condiments and dried herbs.
We may all be busy, but no reason for us not to eat, take a breath and enjoy our surroundings.
Quote of the day: "Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going to fast-you also miss the sense of where you are going and why."
--Eddie Cantor
Green or Red Curry Prawn Stirfry
1/2 Kilo of Green Prawns tails on
2 large tablespoons of Green Curry paste, you can buy Red or Yellow depending on the level of hotness you like. Green being the hottest.
I can of light coconut cream
I bunch of Baby Buk Choy
1 small can of sliced waterchesnuts
1 carrot sliced thinly
I can of baby corn spears and stems
1 small bunch of broccoli
4 mushrooms sliced
2 packets of noodles. Any of your choice will do. Or Jasmine rice.
Vegetable Oil
Sesame Oil
1 teaspoon of Fish Sauce
2 or 3 dried Kaffir lime leaves. (or you can get these in a jar at the supermarket).
1 or 2 limes.
( You can use any vegetables you have for this. The more you use the better)
Method:
Slice up all the vegetables. In a small girdle pan sear the prawns for 30 seconds on each side with some salt and pepper and remove immediately.
In a wok add two tablespoons of oil, Add carrots, waterchesnuts, cook for a minute. Add mushrooms, cook for a minute. Then add the baby corn, cook for another minute add the broccoli. Cook for another minute. Add the 2 tablespoons of curry paste, cook another minute. Add the coconut cream, 4 drops sesame oil, I teaspoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of lime juice, and a couple of Kaffir lime leaves. Add the prawns and simmer for a minute. Add the baby bok choy. Turn stove off and let flavours combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if you wish. Meanwhile cook rice or noodles as directed on the packet. Using bowls, add the rice or noodles with the Prawn Curry on top. Garnish with some lime wedges.
Thai San Choy Bow
1 Cos lettuce
500 gms of turkey mince or chicken mince.
1 brown onion diced
2 cloves of garlic diced
6 small mushrooms diced
1/2 cup of cooked peas (optional)
I shredded carrot
1 long red chilli (take out if your serving to kids)
4 spring onions sliced into small pieces
1 tomato diced or 6 small cherry tomatoes quartered
1 tablespoon of Light Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon of Ketchap manis
1 tablespoon of Coriander ( from the squeeze jar in the salad section of the supermarket)
1 tablespoon of lemongrass
1 teaspoon of ginger
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 teaspoon of lime juice
1 cup of chicken stock ( or one stock cube with one cup of hot water)
salt and pepper to taste.
Method:
Mix together light soy sauce, sesame oil, ketchap manis, coriander, lemongrass, ginger, lime juice, chilli, garlic. Place to the side.
In a pan pour 2 tablespoons of oil of your choice. When heated add the onion and carrot and cook for about 2 minutes on high heat. Add the mushrooms cook for a minute then add the mince salt and pepper to taste and break up with a wooden spoon. When half cooked add the marinade mixture you made and stir. After a minute add one cup of the chicken stock stir and leave to cook on medium to low heat for about 5 to 10 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes add extra pepper and salt if you wish. Add the peas last. Salt may not be needed as soy sauce is salty.
Tear apart lettuce so they form cups. Wash, pat them dry and line them up on a chopping board. Place two to three tablespoons of the mixture in a lettuce cup and garnish with the spring onions. Eat with hands and enjoy!
Marinated Salmon, on Potato Mash, with Wilted Spinach and cherry tomatoes.
Recipe:
For 4
4 Salmon Fillets skin on
9 potatoes
1-2 tablespoons Olive oil for the mash
Splash of Milk
Salt and pepper
3 cups of baby spinach
garlic
Olive oil (tablespoon)
salt and pepper
Marinade:
Coriander, Lemongrass, Ginger ( from the squeeze tubes in the salad section of supermarket) Use approximately 2 teaspoons of each.
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce
A splash of sesame oil
2 thin slices of palm sugar ( or a teaspoon of brown sugar )
1 teaspoon of lime juice or rind. ( you can use both if you like the flavour)
Mix well together in a bowl.
Method:
Place Salmon or fish in the marinade coat evenly. Wrap bowl in glad wrap and leave in fridge for approximately 30 minutes or 10 minutes if your time poor.
Meanwhile cut potatoes into small cubes and boil for about 20 minutes till soft. Drain put back into saucepan and olive oil and some milk, salt and pepper mash and stir. Or make the mash how you like it. I have made mine on the lighter side for this recipe.
Remove Salmon from fridge, slightly heat pan ( griddle pan is the best ) add a tiny amount of olive oil and add salmon skin side down. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. If you like it well done cook it for an extra minute. Make sure you don't dry it out. Once done put aside to rest.
Cut garlic into small pieces or dice. Add to a saucepan with the olive oil and heat. When garlic starts to sizzle add the 3 cups of baby spinach and let wilt for 2 minutes take off stove.
Cut about 10 Baby Roma tomatoes in half. Add some salt and pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar
Arrange mash first on plate, add salmon then spinach on top. Arrange halved tomatoes around your plate. Use left over marinade on top as a sauce.
Tastes fabulous with a good White Wine. Preferably a Semillion Saugvinon Blanc. Even Moscato will do.
Enjoy!
30 minute Quiche.
1 brown onion chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 cups frozen mixed peas carrots and corn
4 Mushrooms sliced and quartered
2 x Chorizos quartered. ( You can use left over ham, bacon, chicken if you prefer.)
6 eggs.
1/2 cup of milk
2 tablespoons Olive oil
3 drops sesame oil
2 tablespoons of soy
Dried chives
Salt and pepper Optional.
Method:
Rinse frozen vegies pour into a microwave dish fill with water, Just covering the vegetables. Microwave for 8 minutes
Meanwhile pour olive oil in pan cook onions for two minutes on high. Add Chorizos cook for another minute. Add garlic and mushrooms cook for a minute. Rinse and drain the microwaved vegies add to the pan along with sesame oil and soy. Cook a minute take off heat. Turn oven on to 180 degrees C. Using a rectangle baking dish lightly oil and add baking paper.
Pour cooked vegetable and meat mixture in pan lightly flatten with a spatula to keep even. Beat the eggs, add milk and chives, beat some more and pour into dish. Meat and vegetable mix should be just covered. Cook for 20 minutes or until set. You can add shredded cheese on top if you wish. Serve with a salad.
Enjoy
Scrambled Eggs and Vegies
This makes a terrific breakfast on toast or can be eaten as a side accompaniment to other dishes.
Recipe:
1 small brown onion
Half a large Red capsicum
1 tomato
1 cup of baby kale or spinach chopped
2 cloves of garlic
6 eggs
Half a cup of milk of your choice.
Salt and pepper to taste.
2 tablespoons of Olive Oil.
Chives.
Method:
Chop all the vegetables to roughly the same size. In a large pan on medium heat 1 one tablespoon of Olive Oil add the onion cook for about a minute. Add red capsicum and tomato cook again for a minute and then add the chopped garlic turn heat to low. Add some more Oil. Beat the eggs and add milk and chives. You can use fresh or dried. Add salt and pepper to taste and pour into pan and at the same time pour in your kale or spinach or both if you prefer. Cook until eggs are just under done and moist. Serve with a light salad, on toast or eat as it is.
Oysters Kilpatrick
Recipe:
1 dozen Oysters in shell.
Diced or shredded Ham or bacon bits.
Worcestershire Sauce.
Salt and Pepper
Lemon Wedges
Rock Salt
Parsley
Method:
Heat oven to about 180 degrees C.
Using an oven proof rectangular dish pour in the rock salt till its about 1cm high and the base is covered. Arrange oysters. Pour in a little Worcestershire Sauce into each one. Add some salt and pepper. Add small handfuls of the ham or bacon. Put in oven turn grill on and grill for about 5 minutes. Take out of the oven. Add some more Worcestershire Sauce, Garnish with parsley and cut lemon into wedges. Eat as is and enjoy..!
Berry Smoothie:
When you don't have time to cook there is always a smoothie. Healthy, delicious and will keep you going.
Ingredients: Serves 2
I big glass of milk of your choice. I have used Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 handful of Frozen strawberries and raspberries. ( You can use any berries you wish)
1 banana.
1 teaspoon of honey
2 teaspoons of LSA
2 teaspoons of Psyillium Husk
1 teaspoon of chia seeds
Few blocks of ice
Method:
Blend all ingredients together in a blender. Pour in a tall glass or sports flask. Can hold in the fridge for a day.
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