Here and There on a Monday.

My single aim on this week off I’m having is to enjoy the simple things in life. Waking up on a Monday morning and not having to join the peak hour commute (which depressingly occurs in near darkness on account of winter) but rather waking up with the day. Slowly and without any pressure to be anywhere by a certain time on order for other things to happen.

Mr SSG got sent on his way to work with a serve of last night’s cauliflower and prosciutto pasta. Donna Hay seems to have the touch when it comes to making over vegetables and her recipe for this pasta dish (from the current June/July 2012 issue of her magazine) is one of my favourites. The pasta tasted like cauliflower cheese for adults or if you’re a bit strange like me, a kind of winter’s Caesar Salad.

It didn’t take long at all to get the prosciutto to crisp in the fry pan and it was very easy to crumble by hand. The frying sharpened the taste and it does look more glamourously waif like than crumbled bacon.

The bulk of the dish came from a combination of cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Even if you’ve been scarred from childhood by having to eat either of these vegetables over cooked, it’s well worth working through the trauma and giving this recipe a try. Did I say that the sauce is a combination of cream, egg yolk and parmesan? Does that help?

The morning flew by with a bit of breakfast television (which always puts a smile on my face) before I hit the yoga mat. I’ve been following sequences from Geeta Iyengar et al’s ‘Iyengar Yoga for Motherhood’. It’s really a fabulous resource because the modifications for each stage of pregnancy are clearly explained with detailed written instructions and photographs. There are both general sequences and ones specific for pregnancy ailments. I got my copy from Amazon.

In other baby related news, Baby SSG received their first gift today from my super stylish friend A in Perth! Her adorable gift featured two things no baby can do without.

Animal print booties.

And a snuggly faux fur onesie with ears. I think this officially gives me licence to start on Baby SSG’s wardrobe myself. The plan was (is, Mr SSG, is) to hold out until the 19 week scan first week of August but I can feel my resolve fading fast.

Thank you again, A! It was such a lovely surprise to receive this morning.

After opening Baby SSG’s gift, the rest of the day just went by really. I went down to the supermarket to get the latest in gossip magazines. TomKat haven’t made it there – yet. But it is only Monday.

And then the early afternoon winter sun beckoned. It’s such a magical time of the day. For me, it’s one of the best things, weather wise, about winter. It’s not too cold and you can feel the gentle sun on your face. The sun also bathes everything in a golden haze.

Because it’s the school holidays here, the foreshore was more busy and full of life than usual. Tiny bodies rolled down the embankments at speed whilst others carefully fed the ducks and made sure that each little group got their fair share of the crumbs. Barking and racing between the groups were some of the neighbourhood’s canine residents. Even as a passive observer, it’s hard not to pick up some of their energy and vigour.

Before I go, I’ve had a request for the recipe for the braised chicken from the weekend. I’ve copied it from the newspaper clipping I have from last week.

Enjoy!

Chinese Braised Chicken
Recipe by Caroline Velik
From the SMH’s Good Living supplement, June 28 2012.

Ingredients:
– 2 T plain flour
– 1 tsp five spice
– 1 size 16 jointed chicken (I used around a kilo of drumsticks)
– 60ml vegetable oil
– 1 onion finely chopped
– 4 garlic cloves, sliced
– knob of ginger, peeled and grated
– 1/2 bunch green onions, finely sliced plus extra to garnish
– 1 long red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
– 2 T brown sugar
– 3 T Chinese rice wine
– 3 T dark soy
– 500 ml chicken stock
– 1 cinnamon stick
– 2 T hoisin sauce

Method:

Mix flour and five spice and use to coat the chicken pieces.
Heat oil in a heavy based pot and brown chicken in batches, set aside.
Add onion, garlic, ginger, green onion, chilli and cook for a few minutes.
Add chicken and remaining ingredients and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat, cover pot with lid and simmer for 40 minutes or until chicken is tender.
Garnish with extra green onions and serve with steamed rice and greens if desired.

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