Monday, October 31, 2011

Good Things Spring 2011

(pearl barley and aduki bean salad with char grilled asparagus and salsa verde dressing)

This salad, adapted from the book pictured below. This book is so amazing, I feel like stopping people in the street to tell them.    Brilliant warm salads, lots of wonderful baked vegetable dishes and everything in between.  You do not need to be a vegetarian (I am not).  But if you want to reduce the amount of meat in your life (I do) and need decent interesting recipes this is the book for you.  

For example, quinoa with parsley pesto, cranberries, toasted hazelnuts and mushrooms, a divine raw vegetable and avocado soup, parsnip and rosemary rolls, baked red onions stuffed with toasted, spiced couscous and oven baked pea, barley and broad bean frittata.  She also has instructions for making your own sprouts from any seed (sprouts are a great super food), labne, yoghurt and tofu.    Buy it! 




This Phillip Treacy hat worn by Dita Von Teese to Derby Day, in defiance of the black and white rule of Derby Day.   I like Dita, but I have to ask: why do we Australians persist in importing celebrities from 'overseas' to the Spring Racing Carnival?  Are we so insecure that we need validation by a non-Australian?  Or does it make it a truly international day?  The imported guests over the years have ranged from a charming Rex Harrison to a very bored Paris Hilton.    The celebritizing of the races generally is part of the reason I gave up our Victorian Racing Club membership this year.  Read Francesca Cumani's take on it here.  



This house at 58 Millswyn Street, South Yarra.    I played in this house as a little girl when family friends owned it. It is now renovated and on the market for (no doubt) A Bomb.


Beetroot cheek and lip tint from Ere Perez.  Yes beetroot.  Better on the cheeks than inside the tummy, raw, I think! Great organic Australian makeup.  I also have their mascara. 


This fondue set.   Doesn't ship to Australia, sadly.

(from Jenna at Etsy)

This artist.  I love her.  She makes me feel like a little girl again.    And who wouldn't like a tame fox sleeping on their head? 

(Marisol Spoon on Etsy)

I think I am officially the last person on the planet to get Etsy.  I have browsed many times of course but never bought.   In a possibly fruitless attempt to de-plasticise my life I have bought some non plastic lunch bags for the children.  And sandwich bags.  And snack bags.   Coming from all around the globe, and all really good value. I will show you when they arrive. 


Oh, one more thing.  The children are obsessed with Star Wars at the moment and in a moment of idle googling I came across many people with a similar obsession. To wit:


(sorry couldn't find source)




At that moment, TK-788 and TR-114 made a pact to never speak of this day again to anyone (from legomyday.wordpress.com)



xo 

7 comments:

Jane said...

Oh Jane, loving this ramble ☺. I am most intrigued about the book - quinoa has been on my 'to try' list for a while.

I completely agree about the OS celebrities. We can do better than that.

That house is just divine. You lucky duck to have played in it. I bet it's had a fortune spent on it since.

I'm so glad you've found Etsy. I adore the place. I've been staggered at the sheer amount of inexpensive loveliness which has flooded my mailbox from the world over through this brilliant site.

And yes, the Stars Wars bug has hit here or more properly, 'Clone Wars'. I am ignoring it, hoping it will go away while Mr PB is fuelling the passion with gusto! J x

Maxabella said...

I'm with you on importing B List celebs to every event - even the Logies (supposedly a celebration of Aussie TV) drags one or two out. It's shameful! x

Millie said...

I cringe, I really cringe at our inability to ditch the o/s celebrity stuff, save me! Yep etsy is a fave, a truly beautiful parcel of exquisite handmade soaps arrived here at The
Hedge last week from Sweet Petula, do take a squwizz at her store. The paper she uses to wrap these little bars of loveliness is worth the order alone. We are on the raw food kick here so your book recommendation is spot on, thanks sweetie.
Millie xx

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Hi Jane,
I love the look of the pearl barley and aduki bean salad......and, I am so into edamame beans at the moment. That book looks amazing. Over the last few months I have drunk too much wine and eaten too many bad things so I'm into detoxing and eating healthily at the moment so this book sounds just the ticket.
Hate this world of celebrity and often wonder why Americans have to play the parts of English characters.
Love that house....want that house but, unfortunately, we haven't got a bomb ( have given it all to our children !!)That reminds me....have you found or bought your beach house yet ?
Love natural cosmetics and those Star Wars pictures are wonderful. I must show my son. He is now 32 but loved Star Wars when he was young. He had all of the figures, space ships, Ewok Village but, we gave them all away !!! Probably worth a fortune now and might have bought us that house !!!! haha
Have a lovely week Jane. XXXX

Mise said...

A timely post for me, as I've eased off a lot on meat this year, only having it when it is cooked for me at dinner parties. I like the look of Alice Hart and have ordered her book.

JMW said...

It's funny you say that about the Australian Derby, because it's the same with the Kentucky Derby. Some of these celebrities come to town and I'm left asking, "Why? Why do you get a special invitation when so many more worthy people could attend?" Love the painting from Etsy - so wonderful! I was thinking of you the other day and hoped things were going well for you and that you're are feeling okay.

Lucy said...

Thanks for this recommendation, I am vegetarian and definitely need some ideas.

Related Posts with Thumbnails