Twenty Six

I remember my 16th birthday quite clearly. It's hard to believe that it was ten years ago today. But when I think of all the things I've done and achieved in the time between then and now, I wonder how I fitted it all in!
I think the best thing about it, is that all the friends who were there with me that birthday in 1999, are still my friends today, which is pretty special if you ask me.

Banana and Strawberry Loaf

Rather a grey and rainy day outside today (can anyone say "New Zealand Summer"?) A perfect day for baking!

Banana and Strawberry Loaf

1 cup plain flour

1/2 cup wholemeal flour

1tsp baking powder

1tsp baking soda

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup castor sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 bananas

1 cup sliced strawberries, as ripe as possible

1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius, grease your loaf tin.

Sift the dry ingredients together. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs, beating well after each addition, then add the milk. Gently mix in the lightly mashed bananas and strawberries, then carefully mix together the two mixtures.

Bake for approx 45 mins, or until a knife inserted comes out clean. This loaf goes quite brown on the outside before it is ready, but it takes a lot to burn it! It stays fresh for 3-4 days and is moist and delicious-no butter needed. It also freezes well. In Winter, replace the strawberries with walnuts-just as good!

Light Fantastic

I've been tidying things up a bit over at my flickr
Being the height of Summer here in New Zealand, the light is wonderful at the moment.

And being on holiday, I can take the time to look, appreciate and capture the beautiful, the unusual and the precious all around. Like this crab shell, which looks like a smiley face-of all things!

Unexpectedly, I've discovered a new joy. Looking.

Term One starts on Monday, and so normal routine resumes-busy, fun, at times tiring...

But, in those inevitable moments of stress that the year will bring, I'm going to do my best to take a few secconds just to look.

Yoghurt Berry Pudding

I've been neglecting my Speckled Egg Recipe Book lately, but yesterday, in my desperation to entertain a somewhat-bored-and-missing-her-cousin-who-went-back-to-Auckland Isla, I stumbled upon this gem of an idea. I still had a box of Jelly crystals left over from Christmas Trifle time, and this recipe was on the back of the box. Simple, effective, child-friendly. Fabulous.

Berry Yoghurt Pudding

1 box blackberry jelly crystals

2 150gram tubs of yoghurt

1 cup fresh or frozen berries

Dissolve the jelly crystals in 500ml boiling water and refrigerate to cool. Once cooled, mix in the yoghurt and the berries, then pour into four ramekin dishes and refrigerate until set.

They were quite delicious! And I was pleased because in the past my experiments with adding things to jelly have always produced disastrous, watery results! But these set perfectly in a couple of hours. I also love the colour.

Hello 2009

Hello 2009

You're still very new, just 5 days actually.

But you're off to a great start.


This year I intend to;

Learn to follow a sewing pattern.

Tell my husband and children that I love them, every day.

Purchase a piano and re-learn how to play it.

Do more bush walks.

Do more yoga.

Drink more water.

Laugh as much as possible.

Remember to take my camera with me.

Quinoa and Tuna Salad

I've just met Quinoa and I think I'm in love. Being a breastfeeding Mum, I'm all about protein at the moment. Being Summer, I'm all about cold food, salads of every kind, and meals where you can throw in whatever fresh vegetables are in the fridge. This was what we had this evening, and it was pretty good if I do say so myself! Next time I will add some red capsicum I think...

Quinoa and Tuna Salad

2 cups of quinoa, rinsed

2 tuna steaks, or 1 tin of tuna

1/2 a cucumber, cubed

2 tomatoes, diced

12 sticks approx of fresh asparagus

1 bunch spring onions, chopped

half a lemon

Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill, put aside to cool.

Boil the quinoa until cooked, then place in a sieve and run cold water through it until cool.

Quickly poach the asparagus in salted water.

Flake the tuna, and combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl, add a squeeze of

lemon juice.

I think the colours look quite Christmassy, don't you?