My Life in Mono...

12 Dates: James Parker Sushi and Sake Japanese Restaurant

Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. - Henry Ford

This year, one of our goals for M and my relationship is to spend as much one on one time together. 2 weeks ago I opened up a little bit about my marriage and I am thankful that I did. I won't go as far and say that I am happy what happened happened because I am not happy BUT I am glad that it was the rock bottom of our relationship and there is no other way to go from rock bottom but UP.

One of the catalyst of the marriage hitting rock bottom is the lack of one on one time with each other.  Both of us are always busy with things and agendas and almost all the time we have our little girl with us.  Personally, I crave that one on one time because we get to be just husband and wife and nothing else. That is how I came up with the idea of 12 Dates.  We promised to go on one date a month.  It doesn't have to be at a restaurant or watching movies, it can just be the two of us alone in the house just spending time together without the distraction of social media, the phone and a child. I love my child to death but I think it is important that she see her parents bicker less and love each other more.  

On with the date.  This month we decided to try this new Sushi and Sake place in town called James Parker Sushi and Sake.  I have heard good reviews about this place and the foodie, in me just leapt at the opportunity to try out this amazing place.  Amazing doesn't even begin to describe the place.  We were seated at the Sushi bar and we got to see the sushi chefs at work.  They were amazing, see that word again, and I am not sure if they were putting on a show for us or that is how it is in Japan, but I was in awe with their knife skills and how they plate up each dish. 

The food was so good that M, who is a little apprehensive of trying new food especially when it comes to seafood, wanted to order almost everything on the menu. The sushi was so fresh and the wait staff was so attentive.  The restaurant was not particularly busy and packed so the atmosphere was perfect.  We ended the night with a light stroll down the street to San Churros for coffee and dessert. 

It was a great night.  We both thoroughly enjoyed our child free evening. 

 

 

 

James Parker Sushi & Sake

Shop 2, 182 James St, Northbridge WA 6003
Phone: (08) 9328 2525

Review: Whole kids

Eating is not merely a material pleasure. Eating well gives a spectacular joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill and happy companionship. It is of great importance to the morale. - Elsa Schiaparelli 

The Lil' Tiger is starting her formal schooling year this year. I went to met her class teacher right before the Christmas break and they had a table where they show the parents what is appropriate to pack for a school lunch box.  They say pack 3 meals.   One for morning tea, one main lunch and one sip and crunch.  

No problem I thought, we already do half of that for Montessori.  I usually pack her one main lunch and one morning tea.  I now just need to add a sip and crunch.  Took me a while to realise what a sip and crunch is.  I had to ask one of my school mum friends to tell me what it is.  A sip and Crunch usually a box of juice, that's the sip part,  and finger food, like cut up carrots or apples or other snacks, as the crunch part. OKAY.  Noted. 

I am thankful that I got to try the Whole Kids range right before school starts.  Whole Kids came about when a husband and wife duo wanted to look for snacks that are healthy and convenient.  Most "healthy" and convenient snacks out there are filled with junk. Whole Kids is wholesome, organic and is not full of junk. 

What Whole Kids is all about:-   

We are committed to living and breathing our social and environmental purpose every day by:

• Healthy products – we will make the most natural, wholesome and environmentally sustainable food for children and families.

• Healthy people – we will nourish and nurture the health and wellbeing of our customers and our people in a way that is respectful and responsible.
• Healthy planet – we will work to provide a sustainable environment for current and future generations, and to restore our planet’s health.

We are quite an active family so we are always on the go and I have included the Whole Kids snacks in our  packed picnic lunches and snacks to try and see if LT would love the products. I have to say, the reviews are awesome.  LT loves the frozen Frooshies and the Organic Nibble Sticks on the go.  

I think these will make awesome sip and crunch for the LT's school lunch. The frozen Frooshies will keep the lunch box cool AND when it is time to have it, it will have melted into this delicious icy snack. Perfect on a hot day.

As for me, I do have to say that I have found the Barefoot Bar, AWESOME for my running.  Now that I have longer runs, I take one Barefoot bar, which is tiny enough to fit in my hip belt, and have it as I run.  It taste awesome and chocolatey. YUM. 

 

 You can get Whole Kids at your local supermarket like Woolworth and Coles but you can also order them online via the Whole Kids website. These will be a staple in the LT's lunch box for school this year and also in mine. LOL. 

 

*All reviews are based on my opinions. No payments were offered or received.

Thermomix Recipe: Toasted Granola (Base Recipe)

BREAKFAST.  The most important meal of the day.  Eat breakfast like a King. Never skip breakfast.  These are the things that people often tell you.  Though I never skip a meal, breakfast is one that I struggle to eat every morning. I usually want something hot and savoury in the morning. I much prefer Sarawak Laksa or a plate of Kolo Mee but alas, living in Australia means a bowl of delicious laksa or Kolo Mee is hard to find. 

I am trying to make everything from scratch and eat less processed food, I tend to stay away from store bought cereal or muesli.  These usually contains high sugar and numbers.  Also, I tend to get things I don't like in the cereal or muesli, like dried fruit.  I am not a big fan of dried fruit in my cereal.  It's chewy and I don't do chewy. :) 

The base of my recipe is adapted from this Thermomix Recipe from the recipe forum.  You can completely tailor this toasted granola to your own taste.  I prefer mine with less or no fruit and loads of sunflower and pepitas seeds.  I know my sister prefers them with less coconut oil and used butter instead. 

You can of course make this the normal way using a food processor, a bowl and a spatula. :) 

Ingredients

• 150 grams whole almonds
• 75 grams pepitas seeds
• 60 grams sunflower seeds
• 40 grams walnut
• 100 grams pistachios 
• 50 grams dried fruit - your choice-sultanas/dates/prunes/apricots/apple/pear
• 50 grams dessicated coconut
• 200 grams rolled oats
• 100 grams coconut oil
• 180 grams honey

How to

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line some large trays with baking paper
2. Grind almonds on speed 9 for 10 seconds - leave in bowl
3. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix  reverse speed 3 for 15-20 seconds until combined
4. Add honey and coconut oil. Mix  reverse speed 3 or 4  for 20-30 seconds till combined well - use spatula through lid opening to assist  if needed
5. Spread out on baking trays as a thin layer and bake 5-10 mins, take out, stir so it bakes evenly
6. Spread out thinly again and bake for another 5-10 mins till golden in colour.
7. Will crisp on cooling. Store in airtight container.
8. Usually takes 3-4 batches in the oven (depending on tray sizes)

Thermomix Recipe: Coconut Jam aka Kaya

Growing up, I have had my fair share of store bought and homemade coconut jam sandwiches also known as Kaya Toast for morning or afternoon tea.  Even now, on my annual pilgrimage home, I will stop by Singapore airport and have their famous Kaya Toast.  It is always accompanied with a small bowl of soft boiled eggs and a mug of ice cold milo. 

The combination of pandan leaves (screw pine leaves) and coconut is totally divine.  I love the smell of anything with coconut in it. Yum. I have always wanted to make this version of coconut jam and after reading several recipes, it requires me to stand over the stove for an hour string it so the eggs won't curdle.  I was discouranged and only would have my Kaya Toast fix whenever I am in Singapore.  

When I got my Thermomix, mum told me that I could make a decent jar of Kaya in it.  Curious, I asked her for the recipe that she used and had success on the second try. (Don't ask me what happened on the first try, it disastrous).  The recipe is fairly easy to follow and the best thing is, I can set and forget.  No standing over the stove and constantly string worrying about if it is at the right temperature.

So this is a recipe that I have adapted from the original post on the Thermomix forum.

 

Ingredients

• 100g palm sugar also known as Gula Melaka. (available at any asian grocer)
• 200g Coconut Milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 5 pandan leaves (this is also available at any asian grocer)

 

How to

1. Add palm sugar in the bowl.  [MC / 2 seconds / Turbo]
2. Insert the Butterfly attachment and the rest of the ingredients.  [ 45 minutes / 90 degrees / Speed 2]. 
3. After 45 minutes, remove the pandan leaves and the butter fly insert and blend until smooth.  [MC / 30 seconds / Speed 0-4]

Serve with hot toast and a mug of tea.  :) 

 

Thermomix Recipe: Kari Kapitan

I flew home a few weeks ago to celebrate Ngiling Tikai. Ngiling Tikai literally means Rolling of the mats.  Ngiling Tikai marks the end of the Gawai aka harvest festival.  Usually it is celebrated as much as Gawai itself but now a days, not so much. This year dad decided to celebrate Ngiling Tikai and offerings for my late grandad.  The Lil' Tiger and I flew home for 4 days for the celebration.  It was an exciting add tiring adventure.

I always love travelling home.  It means that I can be in the kitchen with mum.  She is my inspiration in the kitchen and in life as a mum.  I now appreciate everything she has done for me and my family.  She has taught me everything that I know in my life including cooking. Mum recently taught me how to make my current favourite curry and also our traditional sweet sticky dumpling  aka Ang Ku Kuih.  

Today, I am going to share a recipe that we used while I was home.  This is a Thermomix version but you can use a normal food processor. I cooked it on the stove but prepared the curry paste in the Thermomix as I prefer to cook my chicken until it falls off the bone.

 

Ingredients

4 pieces Chicken Maryland chopped into bite sized pieces seasoned with 1 tsp salt + 10g sugar 
100 g Tamarind, mix with 500g water to extract the juice
100 g coconut milk

Ingredient for the Curry Paste

4 pieces Kaffir Lime Leaves
20 g Lime Juice
15 pieces Soaked Dried Chillies
5 medium sized Shallots
1 cloves Garlic
2 stalks lemon grass
20 g Belacan or shrimp paste
5 g Turmeric
5 pieces candle nuts
100 g Cooking Oil

THERMOMIX RECIPE'S PREPARATION

1. Add Ingredient for the Curry Paste into TM bowl to grind. 
[ MC / 20 seconds / Speed 10 ]

2. Saute until fragrant (Add additional time if desired)
[ MC / 20 seconds/ Varoma / Speed 1 ]

3. Add in chicken to cook. Last 3 minutes, add in Tamarind juice and lime juice. Lastly add in coconut milk, leave in TM bowl for 5 minutes before serving. 
[ MC / 12 minutes / Varoma / counterclock image / soft image ]

STOVE TOP PREPARATION

1. Add ingredient for the Curry Paste into your food processor. Process for a few minutes until everything is mixed together to form a paste. 

2. Add oil in a pot and saute the paste until fragrant. 

3. Add in the chicken until it's half cooked and add in Tamarind juice and lime juice and cook until chicken is soft and tender. Add coconut milk 5 minutes before serving. 

Serve with hot rice.

 

 

Meal Planning

I am a planner.  Well at least I think I am.  I do it because so I know what is expected of me and I know what needs to be done.  I also do it to reduce my anxieties of the unknown.  Sure sometimes, I am flexible enough to change plans at the last minute or  do spontaneous things but I always revert back to planning. 

I have been meal planning since the beginning of last year and now I am some what semi pro now :) Being a full time working mum with limited time to cook, planning ahead cuts down the question lingering in my head of "What to cook for dinner tonight?". Meal Planning not only saves you time, it also saves you money as you have a shopping list to stick to.  This also helps with less food wastage as you only buy what you need and not what you might need. 

 The process use to take me a few days but now I have narrowed it down to 1 hour every Saturday or Sunday night.  Usually when my daughter is asleep and the house is quiet. I turn on soft music, have my plethora of cookbooks on the floor with either my iPad or macbook with pinterest on it. 

Planning

I have a few cook books that I often go to and have my favourite recipes.  On Sunday afternoons, I browse through them to see if I fancy anything from the book.  If not, my next go to place to look for recipes would be Pinterest and Buzzfeed Food, this one I just discovered last week, they have a lot of "30 dinners you can make in 15 minutes" styled posts which is perfect.  I usually have a notepad, as in pen and paper and also on my computer for online recipes. 

As I have all my appointments and day to day activities on Google Calendar, it's easy for me assign meals.  On days that we eat out, usually Fridays, or on days that we have a party or dinner with friends, I won't plan to cook a meal. On days I know that I will finish late from work, the meals I plan is usually simple, 30 minutes or less. I have also included lunches on the weekends because we are usually at home.  

I use Google Calendar because M has access to it as well and will know what to expect for dinner.  

Once that is done, I then make a shopping list.  I usually use the Reminders app on my iPhone as it allows me to create multiple shopping list and also you can tick it off as you go.  I always misplace my paper shopping list AND I always seem to not have a pen with me when I go shopping.  By using the Reminders app on my iPhone, I also have the opportunity to add notes or reminders to my list.  For example, if I couldn't find Broccoli at the local supermarket, I can set a reminder to remind me to get it from the supermarket near work on the day that I need it.  Simple no? 

Ok.  So here is my meal plan for the next week.   Links to the recipe at the bottom of the page. :) 

 

 

Spinach Lasagna

 

Garlic Mushroom Pasta 

 

Ginger Beef Mushroom & Kale Stir Fry

 

Mapo Tofu

 

Sweet Potato Hash

 

Garlic Rice with Shrimp

 

 Egg Korma

 

 Ghurka Style Pork Curry

 

 

Avocado Pasta

This dish is a favourite in my house hold. It is very easy to make AND quick. :) 

 

Ingredients

• 1 bag of your choice of pasta. 
• 2 ripe avocado (flesh only)
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1 bunch of fresh basil
• 2 cups of baby spinach
• 1 ripe tomato (cut in half)
• 2 strips of bacon (cut into tiny pieces)
• 1 cup mushrooms of choice (sliced thinly)
• Olive oil for cooking

 

How to

1. Cook pasta according to the instructions on the packet and save a mug of the boiling pasta water.
2. In a frying pan, add bacon and fry till it is crispy.  I usually do not add any oil as the bacon would have enough fat in it.
3. Add mushrooms. 
4. In a food processor or thermomix, add Avocado, garlic, basil, baby spinach  and tomato with a little bit of olive oil.  Blend till it becomes smooth and creamy. 
5. Once the pasta is cooked, transfer it into the pan with the bacon. 
6. Add the creamy avocado sauce and let it heat through. 
7. Serve while it's hot. YUM. 

The perfect brew

I love drinking tea.  Green tea and black tea are my favourite kind. I am on a mission this month to find the perfect cup of tea.  I went to my favourite tea shop the other day and came home with something called Buddha's Tears (pictured).  One of the best teas I have tasted in my life.  I also learnt how to brew a good cup of tea.  One that doesn't taste bitter when it's cold.  

I was told that to achieve a non bitter taste green tea, the water must be at least 80 degrees Celsius. If you are one of the lucky ones that have a kettle that can boil water to this temperature, then you are lucky.  If not, this is what you do...

Fill your tea mug or tea pot with 1/5 cold or room temperature water and fill in the rest with boiling water. 

Once you have done that, add your tea leaves and brew for 8-10 minutes. That's it! Pretty simple right? I have not had a cup of bitter tea since. 

Next, to find the perfect brew for black tea. Do you take yours with milk and sugar? 

10 Minutes Cookies...

There is no doubt that I love the River Cottage Series.  I often day dream that I live in a small sustainable self sufficient farm.  I would make everything from scratch. Eat what ever I got from the garden that day and get fresh chicken eggs from my chooks. One day.  One day it would come true. 

Until that day comes,  I will just browse and look through my favourite cook book from him.  River Cottage Everyday.  One of my favourite recipe from this book is his 10 Minute Chocolate Chip Cookies. Perfect for days when you have cravings for something sweet. 

Over the weekend, I had one of those cravings.  I was craving cake, but I ran out of milk.  So I made these chocolate chip cookies instead.  I tweaked it a little because I didn't want it too sweet. 

My ever so eager baker's apprentice helped me today.  It's such an easy recipe to make with kids.  I think her favourite bit was to lick the wooden spoon at the end and of course the end product. 

Ten-Minute Chocolate Chip Cookies (Adapted from River Cottage)

Makes 14-16

125 unsalted butter

25g organic stiva (I use Natvia) but if you dont have it, 100g of castor sugar*

70g light brown sugar

1 medium egg

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

155g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of seasalt

100 dark chocolate, chopped up into small chunks (you can use milk chocolate)

1. Pre heat oven to 190 degrees C
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. I prefer it a little burnt so I leave it longer.  
3. In a bowl mix flour, brown sugar, stiva, baking powder and egg.  
4. Pour in cooled butter and mix well. Add Vanilla extract.
5. Your mixture should be on the sloppy side.  Now add the chocolate. 
6. Line your cookie tray with baking paper and teaspoons of the mixture on. 
7. Bake for 10 minutes until pale golden brown.  Carefully cool them off in a wire rack. 

  

.::Stills: A Weekly Collection::.

//Mum is here so we have been baking A LOT.  She doesn't really follow a recipe, she just "feels" but her cakes comes out beautifully. I wish I had the knack for doing so. 

Linking with Emily from The Beetle Shack.