Natural yogurt, with flaxseed, almond and sultana cereal layered and topped with strawberries and flaked almonds

I know I skipped day nine... but I wasn't at home and unfortunately my camera died just before I needed it... so I'm going to attempt to recreate yesterday's breakfast another morning... anyway, this was just a quick, simple breakfast today - delicious however.

Can you guess what this is?

 

 

I used the recipe found here and didn't want to use ten eggs so I attemped to halve the recipe (or a bit more)... that didn't quite go to plan, but I did at least use up most of the egg yolks that I had leftover from the macarons... I think I ended up using a bout five eggs in this + some yolks... As I didn't have the recipe in front of me everything was pretty much just an estimate... and it turned out pretty well!

By the way... if you guessed a Baked Spinach and Tomato layered omelette.... then you're right.

RATING:

SIMPLICITY = 4 out of 5 stars

TASTE = 4 out of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this recipe... it took a fair while to prepare as you have to wait for the layers to cook before adding the next one... they seems to take a lot longer than the recommended 10 minutes to set.. also because I kept opening the oven to see if it was set. I really have no patience when I cook... ! 

I actually forgot to add the parmesan.. but it didn't make too much of a difference as the tomato pesto has quite a salty taste anyway... I felt that the tomato layers did overpower the spinach ones a little (I also forgot to season them). But it was still super delicious. All in all, if you want a simple recipe to impress, this is the one! Plus, it's vegetarian. 

day seven - croque monsieur

Day seven of the breakfast project - croque monsieur/grilled rye with camembert and double smoked ham (or a fancy way to say a toasted ham and cheese sandwich) 

Pretty sure you won't need a recipe for this one !

Sorry guys, nothing spectacular today... I spent the morning trying to make macarons... I made my first batch ever yesterday and without trying they turned out reasonably! However, I thought that they were supposed to have a little more crunch to the shell.. they were yummy but I feel as if I didn't get the shell right and also they were a bit burnt cos I didn't know when they looked properly cooked. Anywayyy, today I did them again, the mixture was perfect but the oven temperature was too hot and they cracked! ... I guess third time lucky and they'll be perfect (I hope)

Apologies for the lack of fashion blogging here.. haha I'm just so lazy... so this time I'm not going to make any promises I just hope to get something up soon!

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day six - boston baked beans on rye bread

This was a very simple and quick recipe for homemade baked beans.... well not completely home made as I added tinned beans and tomatoes to cut down cooking time. But all in all,  they were MUCH nicer tasting than the pre-made baked beans you get in cans.

The recipe can be found here ... I halved the amount of beans and other things, but chucked in the whole tin of tomatoes because I wanted to use them all up. I recommend not to do that, the diced tomato flavour ended up overpowering the beans which are the main feature to this dish... (the recipe is for baked BEANS after all)

I also added a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and of Worcestershire sauce for some extra flavour. 

RATING:

SIMPLICITY - 5 stars

TASTE - 3/5 stars

To be fair I wasn't a good judge of taste today, I didn't feel like eating much and also added too much tomato into the recipe which made it more sour than it should have been 
Actually, I take that back... had some for leftovers for lunch today (27/06) and it was yummm.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this recipe and try it out of yourselves - it's a very simple recipe and makes for a nice change to the tinned stuff you may be used to!

 

Also, my computer is still being a bitch... it annoys me to spend too much time on it! I think I'm going to head outside for a walk to get away from it....

day five - oats oats oats

Porridge with natural yoghurt and honey. (Or oatmeal for those of you who call it that) 

With little time this morning as I had to head off to work, I opted for oats. Porridge is pretty much one of my staple breakfast foods... it's easily done in the microwave, it's warm for those chilly mornings and it keeps you full. I soaked the oats in water overnight mostly just because I wanted to soften them for this morning. However, some say that they are high in phytic acid and need to be soaked to break it down or something... others say that's not true. Whatever the reason is, I just soaked them because I normally don't and wanted to see if it would make a difference in the texture. 

Answer: not really. I mean it doesn't take much to cover a bowl of oats with water the night before, but honestly it's up to you whether or not you do. 

Mine today were topped with natural yoghurt and honey (the cinnamon was only to make the photo prettier - usually I eat it with cinnamon too). The great thing about oats is that there is an infinite amount of toppings you can add to it - apple and cinnamon, berries, nuts, yoghurt etc. Also on the plus side, they are whole grain and are healthy for you - opt for traditional oats rather than quick oats or the flavoured ones if you're health conscious. 

Apologies for all the writing and the lack of photos... I didn't have time this morning and it wasn't bright enough to take very good photos. However, I am pleased with this one...

Also, I have been feeling very frustrated because my computer wouldn't boot today and I've stuffed things up trying to fix it. There was a simple way to and I thought I would be able to do things myself. Silly me!

Apologies for the lack of replies to comments as well! I'm usually pretty quick but since my computer hasn't been working properly, replying has taken a backseat until I can fix it! Sorry guys...

day four - dutch baby

  

Day four of the breakfast project... today's recipe was inspired by the photo I discovered on simplybreakfast.

I followed the recipe found here and halved the amount of butter.

 

Straight out of the oven.

 

A morning glow...

 

RATING:

Simplicity = 5 stars

Taste = 3/5 stars

Dutch babies are also known as German pancakes however the texture and taste were similar to pastry with a custard centre. Nice tasting could have done with a heavier dusting of icing sugar and perhaps more fruit to accompany it. You could even add a bit of sugar to the batter to give the pastry a sweeter taste.

 

 Perfect start to the day... or possibly afternoon... with my boyfriend 

:)

day three - boiled, fried, poached, scrambled, how do you like your eggs?

Day three of the breakfast project

On the menu today: Eggs Florentine

It's hard to believe that something that looks (and tastes) this good took me five minutes to make. Gotta love the microwave. Although, it's probably not as healthy for me to cook my spinach that way.

This set of photos was inspired by simplybreakfast. A photographic diary of Jen Causey's breakfast every day. The photography is gorgeous - check her out !

Recipe? There wasn't one today but you can find a recipe for eggs Florentine here.

That's made with bacon as well but of course bacon is optional.  

My way of doing it: 

Step 1: Put a handful of spinach in the microwave for approximately two minutes or so and then season with salt and pepper. 

Step 2: Boil some water for poaching the egg, pour it into a mug and crack the egg in. Leave for a couple of minutes.

Step 3: Pop the mug with the egg into the microwave for 10 to 20 second increments on low power - depending if you want your yolk runny or not (mine was cooked).

This is seriously the easiest way to make poached eggs - you don't lose any white AND they come out perfectly round!

Step 4: Top some toast with the spinach, the egg and some hollandaise sauce (I used a premade one - we had some leftover) but you can easily make your own following the recipe above or in the microwave using the recipe here. Hollandaise is easy to get wrong on the stove top - if you overcook the egg, the butter will separate and it'll end up lumpy.

I'm in love.

Peppermint is my favourite tea at the moment (well, besides green tea). This was one from an assorted pack of T2 teas that my Mum was given as a present. Although I've been the only one drinking them. You really can tell the difference between the cheap stuff and something more expensive like T2. The smell of the peppermint is incredible. As you drink it you can feel clearing the sinuses - great for when you're sick! It also reminds me of having mints or mint lollies but without the calories.. oh, and another plus side is that it's caffeine free!

 

 All gone.

Well, it seems that this is turning into more of a food blog than a fashion one - which wasn't my intention when I started it. Oh well, I'm enjoying it immensely anyway... I just think it's easier to take pictures of food when I can look through the viewfinder and see what I'm shooting, whereas taking pictures of myself is a bit of a pain. My best friend and boyfriend have both offered to take photos for me and their exams are over now so perhaps you'll be seeing some higher quality fashion shots in the coming weeks! 

Also, I changed the layout - I've been mucking around with it a fair bit and I'm not quite sure what I like..  I think I'm satisfied with this new one for the moment. What do you guys reckon? 

day two - mexican desayuno

We didn't seem to have a lot of ingredients for me to be creative with on day two of the breakfast project BUT I did manage to use some of the leftover food from a salad I put together last night than went along with the rustic beef and veggie pie I made.

So this dish is tortilla and egg scramble with avocado and it's similar to the Mexican dish "migas" but the only difference is that here I used corn chips as opposed to corn tortillas. 

And before we start with the images, I have to say a big thank you to everyone who's commented and is following me!  I only started this blog a week ago, so it's you guys who are keeping me going! Comments are always welcome - I love knowing that you guys are enjoying what you're reading and checking out your blogs too :)

EAT ME.

Go on, you know you want to.

What I love about this photo is that the colours are so striking... makes me want to go to Mexico and enjoy the cuisine first hand.

Mr. Avocado face man.

Okay, I tried. I think he's kind of ugly. But hey, I still had fun making him.   

(Also, my friend pointed out that he looks like a sad clown haha I see it now!)

Now, would you like a recipe?

           

Should be pretty simple to make... just follow this diagram I made !

Step 1 - Chop avocados

Step 2 - Chop onion and capsicum and add to pan with oil

Step 3 - Beat six eggs with two tablespoons of coriander and 3/4 tablespoon of hot chilli sauce (whatever kind you like - I used Nandos hot sauce that I found in the fridge)

Step 4 - Add the egg mixture to the pan and let it scramble! (Season to your liking)

Then add crushed corn chips and some grated cheese on top (if you wish - I forgot this step)

Step 5 - Top scrambled eggs with avocado and Buen provecho! (enjoy your meal as they say in Mexico)

Serves 4 people

RATING: 

Simplicity = 5 stars 

Very easy dish to make! I recommend trying it :)

Taste = 4/5 stars 

Definitely a great tasting dish for such a simple recipe ! You can choose to add a side of sour cream (I did because I found some in the fridge - and also to make the pictures look pretty)

If you want an actual copy of the recipe, you can find it here.

Just some more pictures... I know they're all pretty much the same.

Anywayyyy, I didn't get around to taking any outfit shots because 1. the weather is terrible and 2. I just bummed at home in my trackies and uni hoodie all day. Sorry for the laziness, hope to post one soon!

the breakfast project - day one

After stumbling upon this Japanese photographer's flickr here, I decided that a breakfast project could be an easy way to brighten the mornings and also add variety to my food. Seriously guys, click that link - the food faces are so cute and whimsical - it was hard not to be inspired by it!

How does the breakfast project work? I'll be blogging most (or some) mornings a photo of my breakfast for the day whilst trying to be as creative as possible!

So this is what I had for breakfast on Tuesday morning 21 June ... 

(Pancakes, raspberry jam, butter, philadelphia cream and juice)

What are you smiling about ey?

It was so much fun standing on the table to take this shot!

 

(Pancakes with honey and icing sugar)

 (With strawberries)

Eating the pancakes... this shot was a lot more awkward than it looks, I had it on self  timer and held it underneath my chin - I was soo close to dropping it!

  

Dad was questioning what I wanted when I bought Mum these irises AND offered to cook last night... I just thought it was a kind gesture... I saw them at Coles - they weren't expensive and fresh flowers always add a nice touch to the dining table. 

 

Source bamsesayaka's flickr

How cute is that? I also love the wooden cutlery. So adorable!

Mine looks like nothing in comparison... 

 

Mr. Flat faceee (Yes, I named him)

 Hehe.

His smiling face makes me giggle. I'm such a kid.

The Australian Women's Weekly - The Country Table

I actually used a recipe for these pancakes for once... Usually I don't, but as I normally make my pancakes thin (almost like crepes) I decided to follow a recipe to see if I could improve mine. And I did! They were thicker, but not too thick, cooked superbly and were all reasonably uniform. Normally I find some lumps in the batter and I never sift the flour, but I used a whisk to mix it and it was perfect :) Grumeaux free!

Also, the photos in this book are gorgeous. My cousin and his wife gave this to me for Christmas last year. At first I didn't understand why anyone would want a cookbook comprising of such simple dishes (scrambled eggs, pancakes, porridge, sauteed mushrooms etc) but looking at it again now I appreciate the simplicity of such tasty dishes and the photography makes it all look divine! I think I'm going to have to make more from this book... So watch this space for new recipes :)

Inside - porridge recipe

I thought this photo was gorgeous even though the recipe is only for making porridge... I mean seriously? I question what this recipe is doing in a cookbook. There's nothing fancy about it either. 

Do you have a favourite pancake topping?

 

 Honey, jam and cream, savoury, ice cream, other?

Outfit post coming soon

¡Terminé los exámenes!

 So... my exams are officially over! (even though I've been acting like I was on holidays for the past 10 days anyway...) This is what I wore today to my Spanish exam... and to my other exams in the past few weeks. This became my default outfit - comfy, warm and quick to put on for those early mornings!

Spanish went quite well today considering my study was flicking through the textbook at midnight last night.

 (JAG denim jacket - thrifted, my boyfriend's hoodie, BDG high waisted jeans - Urban Outfitters, knit turban - ASOS) 

 

Currently reading (left to right, top to bottom): 

1. STA travel brochures for Europe

2.  July 2011 SHOP til you drop

3. May/June 2011 Frankie

4. Imagina - my spanish textbook which I thankfully no longer need until next semester

5. DK eyewitness travel guide to France. 

6. August 2006 TaBLE magazine my nanna gave me

7. July 2011 Super food ideas

As the brochures and travel guide may indicate, yep I am planning on heading over to Europe. In six months time I will (hopefully) be packing my bags to explore the French campagne and visit the ciudades of Spain.  Can't wait!

I have to admit, along with baked goods and shopping, buying magazines is another guilty pleasure of mine. I don't have a very large collection of magazines as I've always thought that they're a complete waste of money. I flick through them and read half the articles and then I'm done. Yet there's still something that compels me to buy them.... (Food magazines on the other hand I can look through a million times and still won't get bored)

The current issue of super food ideas has 10 different self saucing pudding recipes! The mocha self saucing pudding pictured in the right bottom hand corner looks so cute made in coffee cups - I think this is going to have to be next on the dessert menu!

 

One last photo of the dinner that I made tonight! Dahl and naan bread... This was the first time I cooked something Indian as we never have it at home. I was only planning on cooking this as a side dish but this was surprisingly satisfying so I couldn't be bothered with a main. I mostly followed this lentil dahl recipe found here but also modified it with a recipe featured in the TaBLE magazine pictured above. 

As I can't even remember the last time I had dahl (if ever before) I have nothing to compare this to... it was nice but I still found the flavours a little bland - unless that was just me, my mum seemed to enjoy it!