Back to reality

So long, farewell, la la la la la la... Where to begin. The past few weeks have been crazy busy. I'm so glad I managed. I've been filleting and cutting fish, baking cakes. It's been pretty full on. On the other hand, I did not have much time to cook- threw some salad here and there, but overall did not eat properly. I feel best when I am eating what I cook, knowing what ingredients I'm using. I'm still fine with dining out, but it does not bring the same after-feeling. It only feels good when you eat it at that time. Anyway, busy time called for hasty grocery shopping, quick and easy dishes, No fussy fancy meals. Just a balanced meal is ok. Well, I should get back on track, with Christmas looming.

Snack time

Let's take a moment and have some snack time. Who doesn't like snacks? Crisp chips, sweet crunchy and melt-in-the-mouth biscuits, chocolate, amongst others. I love my snacks and I always have many snacks on hand, which is, I know, a bad habit. Like the saying goes, though, you live only once, so why not? I love snacking on chips and chocolate. They have recently introduced sweet potato chips and I am seriously enjoying them far too much. Otherwise I am really into matcha sweet. There is something so special about green tea flavour. Also, popcorn has become the 'new' snack it seems. I mean they are quite nice. These are recent snack findings. I find it so funny how some brand always come with new flavours. I mean what's not to like, but some taste really bad or strange. Anyway keep snacking. #smallpleasuresoflife

These roll cookies are crisp, light and very addictive. 

Matcha goodies- chocolate and cookies- YUM

Sweet potato chips and chia crisps - all super nice

New flavours of the month:

Magnum with amaretto- I love the icecream flavour, but the chocolate coating was too thin to my liking

Throwback Thursday

It's officially Spring! I cannot believe the last time I posted, we were in the middle of Winter. Rest assure, it is still cold, but I can feel the warmth coming along. I have been so busy- literally speaking. The good thing though is I have been managing quite well with everything (not including posting ;p). I'm so glad we made it through winter. I did get a sore throat last week, but it is easing up. I was so happy of not catching a cold and bam. I had plenty of honey and ginger tea. Yes, I am a ginger convert. 

Since I have been overwhelmed with work and what not, I have not been cooking a lot. I tried baking pork meatballs or had my hand a vegetable pickling- easy process. Other than that, I have started pastry classes and learning a few tricks here and there. 

As per usual, these are few snaps of meals I cooked last month.

Pan-fried salmon with minty pea puree and roasted cherry tomatoes

Steak with sweet potato and salad

Chunky vegetable and bean soup

Steak, polenta, asparagus and sweet potato chips

Steak with mushroom, sauteed spinach, sweet potato and garlic bread

Caesar salad

Vegetable pickling:

Carrot, white and purple cabbage and red radish.

Food for thought + Tea time

We are officially in the middle of winter and man is it cold! I have been 'chilling'. I have made a lot of soups and been eating plenty of fruits, to keep the vitamin C up and running. Since new semester began, I have not been home cooking a lot since I am not free in the evening. Nevertheless, I have been baking and trying a few recipes from last semester. This is the best feeling ever- being able to produce a dish that you made in class and it actually tastes amazing. It goes to show that practice and patience are the key to become a good cook. I regularly watch cooking shows on SBS food network, and sometimes watching the competition ones give me hope. Many of these chefs did not really dream of making it, but managed, and are making a living out of it. Many of the cooking patterns, techniques are familiar to me. It is amazing. I still cannot believe that I am enrolled in a cooking course. 

Since the weather got cooler, I have been drinking a selection of tea. My latest favourite is the sencha tea. This is probably the best tea I have ever drank. I love the subtle aroma and the light flavour. It also smells so nice. It was actually an accidental purchase, but I am so glad I did it. Besides, I am loving brown rice tea and rooibos tea. 

Twinings has been introducing new tea flavours. I enjoyed the peppermint & spearmint combination. However I have to admit that the peppermint & Lime tasted quite weird.  

Well, time to make some more tea. Enjoy! 

Flashback Friday

Back to some basic Asian cooking. I will have to explore more variety of cooking. I mean I am aware of the vast universe that food encompasses, but it is hard to try and incorporate all. Essentially, everything always goes back to basics, but then there a few key ingredients which completely changes and lifts a dish. I guess there is no right or wrong in cooking, so long the flavours work. Taste is important. 

Beef capsicum and mushrooms

Veg stir fry with herbal chicken soup

Miso-glazed tofu with veg stir fry and carrot ginger coriander soup

Meefoon

Chicken korma with rice and cucumber

Fried rice

Miso soup with spinach, and gyoza with edamame

Chicken bok choy and mushroom

Dessert time

After everything that's been happening lately, one needs sweetness in their life. I am always reminded of the quote, 'when life gives you lemon, make cake', just to say that when life gets bitter, turn it into something sweet. So, I have been baking. I love chocolate, macarons and enjoy making them. I'm also into gluten-free cake at the moment, making cakes using almond meal instead of flour. This gave a more nutty consistency to the cake, which I like a lot. I have just started my second semester, and oh does time flies. It's been such a constant ride since the beginning of the year, but experience drives learning and I am trying my best to sink all in. 

So here are a few of the desserts I have produced over the last couple of weeks. Note that I have been using lemons and of course, my favourite combo right now: matcha and red bean. I also made a dessert in a glass which I have always wanted to. Let's not forget chocolate brownies because they are simply pure decadence. 

Smiley face lemon macaron with lemon buttercream

Lemon cake with lemon drizzle and candied lemons

Poached mandarin and kumquat with spiced syrup and yogurt and nut

Chocolate brownie

'Lego' Birthday cake I made for my cousin

Matcha greentea swiss roll with red bean filling

Matcha macaron with red bean filling

Flashback Friday

Words cannot express what I went through over the last month. It's been crazy and literally overwhelming. I mean so much happened and I had to deal with a lot of things I was not prepared for. However, I'm not complaining or anything since I know that experiences, good and bad, make us grow. I am slowly getting into the habit of cooking again. I enjoy cooking and it's one of my passion. I should do what I love and cook the food I like. 

A compilation of last month's cook off.

Stuffed turkey leg, with roasted pumpkin salad and roast potatoes

The turkey with spinach, grape tomato and avo

Veggie burger sandwich with fried egg, and beetroot, spinach

Lasagna and curried egg sandwich with avo, and beetroot and mixed salad

Crumbed chicken breast with roast vegetables and salad mix

Quinoa salad and pumpkin soup

Salmon parcel, fennel salad and baked sweet potato chips

Cream of mushroom soup

Panfried salmon with salad and  baked sweet potato chips

Smoked salmon sandwich

Pork steak, pommes boulangere, baked sweet potato chips, crispy kale and salad mix

Sardine avo cherry tomato sandwich