Friday 25 May 2012

In my Kitchen: May 2012

It is a wet cold day.  Not enough time to write up some recent recipes.  Instead, let's have a look at some of the food and fun that has graced my kitchen recently.  Above are some retro soup bowls that I found at a local op shop.  They look just right with Split Pea Soup and a slice of Babka Vegetable Bread.

I have recently jumped on the chia seed bandwagon.  So I was excited to see that Vita Wheat have these crackers with sunflower seeds, oats and chia seeds.  They are delicious but they are big.  I sometimes wish they came in smaller portions.

Another favourite snack is ChicNuts Roasted Chickpeas (sold in Woolworths but not Coles supermarkets).  They are crunchy and terribly moreish.  I love the boxes of eight small bags of chickpeas.  Not great for the environment but so handy to throw in my bag when we are out and about.  Particularly as Sylvia loves them.

Sylvia has suddenly taken an interest in numbers and letters.  She knows that 3 is her number (because it is her age) and now recognises it.  I did this sticker sheet of numbers for her for fun.  My aim is to get her to learn the numbers on the clock so I can speak to her about the time (eg we are leaving the house when the big hand is on the 3 so you need to get ready!).

I have recently fallen in love with Whittaker's chocolates.  Usually we buy the dark one but occasionally we get this coconut block that reminds me of the circles of coconut rough that I loved as a child.  Strangely enough it is only recently that I have recognised and embraced my love of coconut.

The stags head is a new fridge magnet.  E and his father love to joke about stags heads, "he must have been going at some pace when he came through that wall".  This is as close as E will get to having a stags head in the house.  (I think the note is Sylvia's shopping list.)

Sylvia chose this Go Natural Apple Apricot and Banana Popcorn and Fruit Bar.  (Is that title long enough?)  She had half a bar this morning.  As you will see from the apple in the background, she often fails to finish what she starts.  They are better than I expected.  The popcorn is sweet and soft but the dried fruit is really chewy.  I quite like the textural contrast.

One of my favourite places for a decadent purchase is Gewurzhaus in Lygon Street, Carlton.  It is a beautiful shop to browse.  I love smelling all the amazing spice mixes.  My favourite is French Lavender Salt.  They have a set of weathered wooden drawers where I found ground wattleseed.  I have this Viennese Christmas Sugar that seems too precious to use and yet it is too gorgeous not to be used.

And lastly here is tonight's dinner.  An eggplant and pepper paste stew that my mum brought me (along with some lovely fig and walnut bread).  I added a tin of beans and a little tahini.  We ate it with rice and green beans.  Delicious!

I am sending to this Celia of Fig Jam and Lime Cordial for her In the Kitchen event.  I am also sending the split pea soup at the top of the post to Jacqueline for her National Vegetarian Week recipes.  That is the British National Vegetarian Week which runs from 21-27 May 2012.

28 comments:

  1. Ok, now I want to try everything, but I bet it will be nigh on impossible here. oh well :)

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    1. Thanks Jac - I have swithered over if I share this sort of local food but hopefully it interested you even if not in your shops (and you know I love all those uk products that I can't get here)

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  2. retro soup bowl = totally rad:) haha...sorry i couldn't resist! but seriously, it's really cute! and roasted chickpeas! yum!! thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks Gluten Free happy tummy - the bowl is so cute - and we even have s similar sort of saucepan to go with it

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  3. I love that retro soup bowl! It brings back memories-I think a friend's parents had them in their kitchen :D

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    1. thanks lorraine - how cool that you can actually remember ones like this - I just have seen them in cookbooks

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  4. I love the retro soup bowl as well! And the roasted chick peas are a reminder of my youth - apparently I was addicted to these when I was little. You have some very cute things on your fridge.. :)

    Thanks for playing, Johanna! I hope you'll join in next month as well! :)

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    1. thanks celia - glad to finally do an in my kitchen post - funny that you loved roast chickpeas as a child - I don't think I had heard of them but my sylvia loves the roasted chickpeas - I figure that they are better than chips

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  5. love those chickpeas! although I have portion control issues when I open the bag! just cant stop munching on themlol

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    1. Thanks Lisa - I love the little bags of them because it stops me eating so many - they are very moreish

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  6. That coconut bar looks really good!
    As do the chick peas,
    and the crackers.
    I think it all looks good.
    Thanks for sharing.

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    1. thanks Heidiannie - who can resist good food starting with C :-)

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  7. Oh, I didn't realise Gewurzhaus was a shop, I thought it was a chocolate company because I've recently been sent two of its chocolates from my brother and Bryan! :)

    P.S. I adore chicnuts, and don't let myself buy them often because I eat them too quickly :P

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    1. Thanks Hannah - put Gewurzhaus on your list for your next visit to Melbourne - it is an amazing shop. Will look forward to your review of those chocolates!

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  8. I loved this post - so many gorgeous foods and things. I do enjoy those chickpea snacks (have you tried the tomato flavoured ones too?) and will have to look out for those lunch slices with chia!

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    1. Thanks Kari - haven't tried the flavoured chickpeas but I have tried the roasted corn and the roasted broadbeans - the chickpeas are my favourites. I find the lunch slices with chia make great snacks at work - quite filling.

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  9. Just adding your soup to my National Vegetarian Week roundup now. Only one left to add. Some fabulous recipes too. You will have to come have a look x

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    1. Thanks Jac - love the round up - great idea for National Vegetarian Week

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  10. Love seeing what's in your kitchen this autumn. Lots of delicious looking food and lovely bits n' bobs!

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    1. Thanks Caroline - glad you enjoyed - I had thought of sharing the autumn leaf in the kitchen (that sylvia picked up) to make it more autumnal but didn't quite have the image right!

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  11. I live this peek at your kitchen! The retro soup bowls are fab. Those fruit bars have a crazy name. I now want to go to Gewurzhaus, once I am back from leave and my leg is more fully recovered - it sounds like my kind of place.

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    1. Thanks Cakelaw - I was excited when I saw the soup bowls - and I highly recommend a visit to Gewurzhaus - but when you are feeling flush as you will want to buy up on spices and cute kitchen stuff (the stags head magnet is from there) and even aprons

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  12. This is fun Johanna, I do enjoy having a nosy around other people's kitchens and love these In My Kitchen posts. I really must get around to doing another one. Reading about your ground wattleseed find, reminded me of wattleseed shortbread - mmmmmm, so delicious. That coconut chocolate looks delicious too.

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    1. Thanks Choclette - I love a neb at other kitchens too - isn't the internet great for this! Must try making wattleseed shortbread - am excited to have some wattleseed again - and the coconut chocolate is great - Whittakers is a NZ company so probably not common in the UK

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  13. I have recently jumped on the Chia bandwaggon too, I add it to my breakfast porridge and into the bread that I make. Love the blog.

    Shirley http://themakingofparadise.blogspot.com.au/

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    1. Thanks shirley - I try and put chia seeds in my bread and baking though too often I forget - I don't eat porridge but I like the sound of chia seeds in it anyway

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