What's shiny, silver and purple and goes really fast??

My gorgeous new mountain bike!

Can't wait to get out there and enjoy the many off road tracks around SE Queensland. It doesn't hurt that it will help me get fit and get fresh air in the process...excited!

Wouldn't want to be hauling these on too many road biking missions, but will be worth their weight in gold once I"m off road!

 

Not so convinced about the peddles yet...will see. At least they are easily replacable if necessary.

 

xxx

Lamb wraps

Not much of a recipe to this one (coz I couldn't find lamb mince...when I do I"ll post the proper recipe) but we had this as a quick, easy and so so tasty dinner after putting up the bookcase last week. Yum!

Lamb wraps

Ingredients
Lamb steaks
Salt
Pepper
Chilli flakes
Soft tortillas
Hummus
Rocket
Tomato
Mushrooms
Whole egg mayonnaise (store bought is fine but feel free to make it yourself)

Season the lamb to taste with salt/pepper and chilli flakes. Grill until medium well done (or to taste).
After resting, slice into, well, slices.
Heat the tortilla in the microwave for a few seconds and top with hummus (home made is definitely best!), rocket, sliced mushrooms, tomatos and lamb. Top with mayonnaise. Quick, tasty and fairly healthy light dinner or lunch.

Just as good without tomato for those who cannot partake of this lovely salad ingredient.

xxx

Organisation, decluttering and calming

In an effort to help declutter my life and my little unit, I finally got a bookcase last weekend!!! A momentous occasion - I'd been wanting to do it for a while but, as often happens to me, just hadn't gotten around to it. The previous weekend I'd cased out Ikea and chosen what I wanted, but too stingy to pay the $50 delivery charge, my wonderful parents came to the rescue and helped me get it home last weekend.

My mum and I then tackled the assembly on Monday. I'm sure it was a simple job. At least it seemed like it could have been a simple job. We eventually got there...with some perserverence, chai latte and a few bruises (oh, and the rubber mallet helped immensely!!!). Thanks Mummy darling for helping me! Literally, couldn't have done it without you :-) I'm loving the calm presence it now brings to the unit and it has inspired me to declutter other areas. It has also inspired me to read the books I have!!!

Instructions...simple (?!?).

Screw/bolt things...check.

Wall hangy bracket things...er...check.

Wooden dowel...check.

 

The absolute saviour of the day. No flat pack installation event should be complete without one.

This was me being all handy...

In progress....was so exciting to see it coming together...initially I was worried it would look quite empty...

But really, need not have worried...I've already filled it! I own a lot of books... now the daunting task, to read them all!!! Quite excited actually but wondering where I"m going to find those few extra hours in the day...

xxx

Rain rain stay away, at least for another few hours!!!

I love rain, especially when it gives you an excuse to snuggle up and veg, read a book, watch a movie etc HOWEVER I really really need a sunny day to get all my washing done, coz its been raining on my days off for a couple weeks now, plus I've been too lazy to do it when I get home from work. I'm on load six at the moment....

Do you think I"ll get it dry???

Eek!!!

xxx

Hot Quinoa breakfast

Phew...what a busy couple of weeks! I'm quite behind on my blogging, so looking forward to rectifying this over the next couple of days.

My wonderful parents came to visit last weekend, and I had the pleasure of cooking them breakfast one morning. I used to make this recipe quite a bit but then just got out of the habit. I"m not sure what prompted me to start again...actually I think it was seeing the quinoa box in Coles actually...but I"m glad I reminded myself of this yummy and intensely nutritious dish. I think I"ll be making this again sometime soon (especially since I"ve still got 1/2 a box left!). Quinoa (pronounced kinwa) is one of the ancient grains...a veritable array of all beneficial nutrients including protein, calcium and iron. It is also super yummy with apple and yoghurt :-)

Hot quinoa breakfast

1 cup quinoa (red or white) washed and drained
lemon zest/juice or citrus peel - to taste - I put in 2 tablespoons approximately
1 tablespoon raw sugar (once again, to taste)
a good shake of sultanas (or other dried fruit to taste)
2 cups water
2 apples, grated
yoghurt - natural is best - Bornhoffen is amazing!
assorted fruit - I had rockmelon, blueberries and nectarine
honey to taste
milk

I kept mine dairy free by omiting the yoghurt and substituting soy milk for the milk. You can pretty much do what you want with it...fruit and sweetness to taste.

Bring the quinoa and water with the sultanas and lemon/citrus of your choice to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the water is absorbed. Once it is absorbed, fluff the quinoa with a spoon and serve topped with yoghurt, honey and fruit of your choice. Pour milk over as you would a cereal. Simple, easy and super tasty. Enjoy!

xxx

Goodbye

Today we said goodbye to a very special man. A grandfather, not through blood, but through choice. 

You were known by many things. We preferred Uncle Bert, or if we were being cheeky (which you always were up for), Uncle Berty-boy.

Descriptions today extolled such virtues as generosity, caring, giving, loving. You have left my grandma heartbroken, wishing for days with you that will be no more.

You were a gentle, peaceful man, giving freely of yourself whenever it was needed. You and Grandma helped shape my love of food and cooking. Your fish cakes, corned beef and christmas cake were second to none.

I am so thankful that your suffering is over. You fought a good fight but now you may truly rest in peace. I'm glad your pain is over.

I will miss you so very much.

It's a long straight road and the engine is deep
I can't help thinkin' of a good night's sleep
And the long long roads of my life were a callin' me

These rough old hands are a-glued to the wheel
My eyes full of sand from the way they feel
And the lights comin' over the hill are a-blindin' me

It's a long tough haul from a-way down south
A man's gotta find a little bread for his mouth
And a home for a girl as sweet as my honey can be

So it's down through the gears, she's a-startin' to pull
The gauge on the tank is a-showin' they're full
And the lights comin' over the hill are a-blindin' me

There's rain on the road and I can feel the load start a-shiftin'
In a dance
Too late, I see the post and I haven't got a ghost of a chance
Ah-hah-hah-no

The windscreen wipers are a-beatin' in time
The song they sing is a part of my mind
And I can't believe it's a-really happenin' to me

Oh, but I'm over the edge and down the mountain side
I know they'll tell about the night I died
In the rain when the lights on the hill were a-blindin' me
Hey!

There's rain on the road and I can feel the load start a-shiftin'
In a dance
Too late, I see the post and I haven't got a ghost of a chance
Ah-hah-hah-no

The windscreen wipers are a-beatin' in time
The song they sing is a part of my mind
And I can't believe it's a-really happenin' to me

Oh, but I'm over the edge and down the mountain side
I know they'll tell about the night I died
In the rain when the lights on the hill were a-blindin' me
In the rain when the lights on the hill were a-blindin' me

~Slim Dusty~

RIP Uncle Bert. RIP.

xxx

The best dip ever

A family favourite, this dip pops up at every special family event - Christmas, birthdays, funerals. Super simple and so so tasty, it will surprise you just how amazing it is!

Rhi's dip

1 packet frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 packet spring onion soup mix
3-4 spring onions
1 tin water chestnuts, drained
1 cop bread loaf, preferably white

Now, it really is best to go with the full fat versions of the sour cream and mayonnaise. Trust me.

Add all ingredients (except the bread) to a blender and blend until desired consistency. I prefer my water chestnuts to still have a little crunch left to them, so to achieve this you may need to roughly chop the spring onions.

There is some simple, delectable pleasure in harvesting the food you are about to cook. My beautiful sister grew these spring onions in her wonderful pot garden...

Washing the soil off the spring onions...

Ready for mixing...

 

You won't be able to resist licking the bowl clean either...

Hollow out the cob loaf and use bread and the lid of the cob loaf as the conduit for scooping out the decadent green deliciousness. You will not be able to stop at one piece. Just remember, its healthy, its got spinach in it :-)

Bon appetit.

xxx