Me, Sis and Littlest Nephew went swimming in the swimming pool in their apartment complex. He sat in an inflateable chair, he jumped (from sitting) into the pool (in his mum's arms) while sining Humpty Dumpty, and he swooshed around in mum's arms while singing "(Daddy)'s coming round the corner".
Much, much fun!
Makes it into my BEST category, for sure. Photos to follow eventually....!
Monday, December 14, 2009
78. Go to the movies once a month for a year, alone if I have to! (1/12)
December 12th, 2009
Me, Doug and his mum,
2012
Who does't love an end-of-the-world movie? The special effects were very, very special. The movie itself was a little long.... But we're already waiting for it to come out on dvd so we can watch it on our big TV with surround sound. (We watched it in a very old, small cinema!!)
Me, Doug and his mum,
2012
Who does't love an end-of-the-world movie? The special effects were very, very special. The movie itself was a little long.... But we're already waiting for it to come out on dvd so we can watch it on our big TV with surround sound. (We watched it in a very old, small cinema!!)
51. 6 fiction books written by women, (1/6)
The Reinvention of Ivy Brown - Roberta Taylor
My sister read this book for a book club, but didn't end up going to the book club. On my visit home (UK), she lent it to me for the journey home (Canada).
It was OK. Only OK. Some parts, I just loved, but overall - OK.
I loved the poor 1960's London, I loved the crazy cold, the Babycham, hot water tanks for the baths, the clothing. I loved the descriptions and really believed I was there, too.
But the "amazing" twists and turns, and jumping from 1960's to 1980's, they were uncalled for. There was enough in the novel without having to turn to far fetched coincidences to give it meat.
My sister read this book for a book club, but didn't end up going to the book club. On my visit home (UK), she lent it to me for the journey home (Canada).
It was OK. Only OK. Some parts, I just loved, but overall - OK.
I loved the poor 1960's London, I loved the crazy cold, the Babycham, hot water tanks for the baths, the clothing. I loved the descriptions and really believed I was there, too.
But the "amazing" twists and turns, and jumping from 1960's to 1980's, they were uncalled for. There was enough in the novel without having to turn to far fetched coincidences to give it meat.
45. Knit a gift
I knit my mum a version of Mustard Scarf in black Patons Silk Bamboo.
Slinky, soft, drapey, lovely.
I left my camera in England, so don't have any photos of it right now, but they will follow eventually....!
Slinky, soft, drapey, lovely.
I left my camera in England, so don't have any photos of it right now, but they will follow eventually....!
61. Visit home
I have just got back from a 10 day, last minute, pre-Christmas trip home!
Highlights include:
lunch at Selfridges, drinks in Trafalgar Square and Canary Warf, dinner at the Gaylord, customary trip to Asda, Sunday dinner with Dad, loads of time with Sis and The Kids, Karaoke, Fake Christmas Chinese Takeaway, swimming with nephew, meeting friend's new baby, catching up with friends not seen for YEARS.
Lowlights include:
Mum in hospital, Step-Mum sick, nasty immigration on way back home.
Also, camera left at mum's house, so photos will follow eventually....!!
By FAR my best 101 thing yet!
Highlights include:
lunch at Selfridges, drinks in Trafalgar Square and Canary Warf, dinner at the Gaylord, customary trip to Asda, Sunday dinner with Dad, loads of time with Sis and The Kids, Karaoke, Fake Christmas Chinese Takeaway, swimming with nephew, meeting friend's new baby, catching up with friends not seen for YEARS.
Lowlights include:
Mum in hospital, Step-Mum sick, nasty immigration on way back home.
Also, camera left at mum's house, so photos will follow eventually....!!
By FAR my best 101 thing yet!
Monday, November 23, 2009
31. Healthy food, week 2
There has been A LOT of cooking going on in this house over the past week. Not so many pictures taken, but a lot of cooking! Healthy, homemade goodness - yumm!!
1. Mini Quiches
I made 9 phyllo mini quiches, based mostly on wererabbits' recipe.
For filling I used what I had on hand - onion, ham, spinach. If I'd have had mushrooms too, it would have made a GREAT addition, but these were lovely as is.
I had to persuade myself to step away from the mini quiches, because other wise I'd have eaten them all! I managed to freeze a bunch, some which were defrosted and heated up for brunch this weekend.
Yum!
2. Chickpea and Spinach Curry Based on a recipe from Cooking Light's Superfast Weeknight Dinners.
This "curry" was more of a delicately spiced dish rather than the robust flavours of what I think of as a curry. If I had have served it with rice, the flavours would have been lost. It made a delicious and light dinner. I loved it!
There were leftovers, too.
1/2 a red onion, mini chopped to a mush
1-2 tbsp mini chopped ginger root
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp Thai red curry paste
1 can chickpeas
1/2 can chopped tomatoes
most of an 8oz/225g bag of baby spinach
1/2 cup of water.
Saute onion and ginger mush.
Add sugar until caramelised.
Add curry paste until fragrant.
Add chickpeas and tomatoes. Cook for a while until flavours meld.
Add spinach and water, cook until wilted.
3. Chicken Satay Wraps Based on a recipe from Cooking Light's Superfast Weeknight Dinners.
When I tasted the satay chicken in the cooking pot, it seemed a little too rich, and I wished that I hadn't have added so much peanut butter, and the 2 tortillas didn't look like they'd fill me.
But after eating it, I found I was very wrong! It's richness carried the raw veg, it was very satisfying, and very delicious!!
It's a keeper!
About 4 cups broccoli-slaw veg, divided
2/3 cup light coconut milk
1 tbsp soy
1 tbsp white vinegar
3 tbsp peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 huge chicken breast, cooked and shredded
6 mini wholegrain tortillas
Saute 2 cups of broccoli slaw veg until beginning to soften.
In a bowl, combine coconut milk, soy, vinegar, curry powder, cayenne and peanut butter. Pour over veg until warmed through (not boiling).
Add chicken, cook until hot (not boiling).
Put a handful of raw broccoli-slaw veg in tortilla, top with 1/2 cup chicken, roll, repeat with 2nd tortilla, enjoy.
4. Balsamic Sesame Chicken with brown rice and yummy veg. Using justbento's RECIPE
Unfortunately we wolfed down this delicious dinner before I got a chance to take any pictures, so here's a picture of my leftovers plate!
Plus brown rice,
plus broccoli slaw + diced yellow and green bell peppers + edememe + sweetcorn + drizzle of teriyaki sauce.
Other cooking done this week:
5. Chunky Vegetarian Chilli, again adapted from Cooking Light's Superfast Weeknight Dinners. Which was a little on the HOT side. I didn't have any sour cream, so I ended up taming the heat with a splash of milk and LOTS of shredded cheese.... It was also a little on the ugly side, too. Won't be making it again. What a disaster.....
6. Mini Burgers and Mini Meatballs, based on just bento's recipe. Went straight to freezer.
7. Repeat of last week's Pork with Curried Mango Sauce, plus potatoes, plus green beans.
1. Mini Quiches
I made 9 phyllo mini quiches, based mostly on wererabbits' recipe.
For filling I used what I had on hand - onion, ham, spinach. If I'd have had mushrooms too, it would have made a GREAT addition, but these were lovely as is.
I had to persuade myself to step away from the mini quiches, because other wise I'd have eaten them all! I managed to freeze a bunch, some which were defrosted and heated up for brunch this weekend.
Yum!
2. Chickpea and Spinach Curry Based on a recipe from Cooking Light's Superfast Weeknight Dinners.
This "curry" was more of a delicately spiced dish rather than the robust flavours of what I think of as a curry. If I had have served it with rice, the flavours would have been lost. It made a delicious and light dinner. I loved it!
There were leftovers, too.
1/2 a red onion, mini chopped to a mush
1-2 tbsp mini chopped ginger root
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp Thai red curry paste
1 can chickpeas
1/2 can chopped tomatoes
most of an 8oz/225g bag of baby spinach
1/2 cup of water.
Saute onion and ginger mush.
Add sugar until caramelised.
Add curry paste until fragrant.
Add chickpeas and tomatoes. Cook for a while until flavours meld.
Add spinach and water, cook until wilted.
3. Chicken Satay Wraps Based on a recipe from Cooking Light's Superfast Weeknight Dinners.
When I tasted the satay chicken in the cooking pot, it seemed a little too rich, and I wished that I hadn't have added so much peanut butter, and the 2 tortillas didn't look like they'd fill me.
But after eating it, I found I was very wrong! It's richness carried the raw veg, it was very satisfying, and very delicious!!
It's a keeper!
About 4 cups broccoli-slaw veg, divided
2/3 cup light coconut milk
1 tbsp soy
1 tbsp white vinegar
3 tbsp peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 huge chicken breast, cooked and shredded
6 mini wholegrain tortillas
Saute 2 cups of broccoli slaw veg until beginning to soften.
In a bowl, combine coconut milk, soy, vinegar, curry powder, cayenne and peanut butter. Pour over veg until warmed through (not boiling).
Add chicken, cook until hot (not boiling).
Put a handful of raw broccoli-slaw veg in tortilla, top with 1/2 cup chicken, roll, repeat with 2nd tortilla, enjoy.
4. Balsamic Sesame Chicken with brown rice and yummy veg. Using justbento's RECIPE
Unfortunately we wolfed down this delicious dinner before I got a chance to take any pictures, so here's a picture of my leftovers plate!
Plus brown rice,
plus broccoli slaw + diced yellow and green bell peppers + edememe + sweetcorn + drizzle of teriyaki sauce.
Other cooking done this week:
5. Chunky Vegetarian Chilli, again adapted from Cooking Light's Superfast Weeknight Dinners. Which was a little on the HOT side. I didn't have any sour cream, so I ended up taming the heat with a splash of milk and LOTS of shredded cheese.... It was also a little on the ugly side, too. Won't be making it again. What a disaster.....
6. Mini Burgers and Mini Meatballs, based on just bento's recipe. Went straight to freezer.
7. Repeat of last week's Pork with Curried Mango Sauce, plus potatoes, plus green beans.
Monday, November 16, 2009
31. Cook healthy dinners everyday
My first week of healthy dinners have been really tasty! No kitchen disasters, just lovely, healthy, homecooked-with-love dinners. Because I'm worth it! Just because I'm cooking for one through the week, doesn't mean I shouldn't look after myself! I know the veg is a little repetitive, but I really needed to go grocery shopping, and had to make do with what I had on hand!!
This week's highlights have included:
1. East Asian Pork Strips, noodles and veg (Red pepper, sweetcorn and edememe.)
This was totally yummy, 7.2 grams of fat per serving, (but I had more than one serving!!) Chopped onion, rye whiskey, pepper, pork loin, vinegar, soy, sugar, lots of fresh grated ginger, cornstarch, honey. Mmmmm!
Next time I'd change the cellophane noodles for more substantial noodles. (These noodles should stick to being in soup or spring rolls!!)
2. Favourite Omlette
2/3 cup frozen hash browns, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, GENEROUS handful of sweetcorn, GENEROUS handful of edememe, finished off under the grill with a sprinkling of grated cheese.
What can I say, my new fave veg combination is sweetcorn and edememe!
3. Quinoa scramble
Thanks for the recipe, NotExactlyBento.com! Made with the ingredients I had on hand:
1 cup mini-chopped Trinity Veg (onion, carrots, celery,), generous handful sweetcorn, generous handful edememe, chopped garlic, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 1 cup quinoa. (Because I didn't have any stock on hand, I gave the quinoa flavour with a sauce made from sake, soy, ginger, brown sugar.)
So, very, good!
4. Roast Pork with Curried Mango Sauce and Potato and Carrot Mash
This was a big cheat of a meal - I used a bottled sauce!
Roasted a centre cut pork loin roast in the oven with salt, pepper and a spritz of Light Olive Oil.
Meanwhile, boiled equal parts potatoes and carrots. Mashed them together with a little skim milk and a Laughing Cow Light cheese triangle.
Meanwhile, warm up Memories of Bengal Curried Mango Sauce, spoon over slices of pork.
Drool, drool!
Also eaten this week:
Mother In Law's Turkey Noodle Soup
Coconut chicken curry with rice made from Spicy Sweet Potato Soup / Curry Sauce
Steak-for-the-first-time-in-months and green beans
This week's highlights have included:
1. East Asian Pork Strips, noodles and veg (Red pepper, sweetcorn and edememe.)
This was totally yummy, 7.2 grams of fat per serving, (but I had more than one serving!!) Chopped onion, rye whiskey, pepper, pork loin, vinegar, soy, sugar, lots of fresh grated ginger, cornstarch, honey. Mmmmm!
Next time I'd change the cellophane noodles for more substantial noodles. (These noodles should stick to being in soup or spring rolls!!)
2. Favourite Omlette
2/3 cup frozen hash browns, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, GENEROUS handful of sweetcorn, GENEROUS handful of edememe, finished off under the grill with a sprinkling of grated cheese.
What can I say, my new fave veg combination is sweetcorn and edememe!
3. Quinoa scramble
Thanks for the recipe, NotExactlyBento.com! Made with the ingredients I had on hand:
1 cup mini-chopped Trinity Veg (onion, carrots, celery,), generous handful sweetcorn, generous handful edememe, chopped garlic, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 1 cup quinoa. (Because I didn't have any stock on hand, I gave the quinoa flavour with a sauce made from sake, soy, ginger, brown sugar.)
So, very, good!
4. Roast Pork with Curried Mango Sauce and Potato and Carrot Mash
This was a big cheat of a meal - I used a bottled sauce!
Roasted a centre cut pork loin roast in the oven with salt, pepper and a spritz of Light Olive Oil.
Meanwhile, boiled equal parts potatoes and carrots. Mashed them together with a little skim milk and a Laughing Cow Light cheese triangle.
Meanwhile, warm up Memories of Bengal Curried Mango Sauce, spoon over slices of pork.
Drool, drool!
Also eaten this week:
Mother In Law's Turkey Noodle Soup
Coconut chicken curry with rice made from Spicy Sweet Potato Soup / Curry Sauce
Steak-for-the-first-time-in-months and green beans
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