[hazelnut dukkah]

Last weekend, Dan and I caught up with a number of our friends for a BBQ to celebrate the close of summer holidays.

For dessert, I put together a fresh fruit platter served with natural yogurt and my very own Sweet Hazelnut Dukkah.

It's a delicious way to spruce up a fruit salad or platter and is divine sprinkled over soaked oats for breakfast!

Sweet Hazelnut Dukkah

1 cup roasted almonds

1/3 cup hazelnuts

1/3 sesame seeds

1/4 cup black chia seeds*

2 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp Loving Earth organic vanilla powder**

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cardamom

1 tbsp organic maple syrup

Toast the hazelnuts and sesame seeds in a frypan

Cool slightly and place in food processor

Add the rest of the ingredients and process until chopped and combined

Voilà, sweet, fragrant and rustically delicious dukkah.

*if chia seeds aren't your thing, substitute for poppy seeds or omit

** can substitute powder for vanilla essence.


If you decide to try my dukkah recipe, I'd love to hear from you!
Tag me on instagram @ajaneday and #ajaneday
And be sure to let me know of any suggested improvements to the recipe - I'd love your feedback!

Happy summer!
Jx

[christmas day - part two]

Christmas day lunch was another small gathering held at Mum's place and this year's theme was Rustic Neon!

 

The table runner was a hessian piece I had painted little neon triangles on, or if you squint, little Christmas trees.

I reused our wedding ceremony candles added a little pink twine (rather than have them collecting dust), and you'll see scattered throughout, those little neon ornaments I'd given a facelift a few weeks back.

Place on a large oval mirror and throw in a few pinecones, tea lights, pretty pink flowers and holly and you've got yourself a table!



Oh and it was my first Christmas with my husband!!
Speaking of which, I'll be sharing with you our beautiful wedding photos very soon so stay tuned!
Jx

P.S. If you liked the look of the Garden Salad with Figs and Pomegranate, find it here. Don't tell anyone but it's healthy too ;)

[christmas day - part one]

On Christmas day we hosted a family brekky at our little unit.

Just a simple gathering of six.

After picking up this oh so sweet table cloth for a steal at Ikea, I thought run with it and go a little kitsch for the morning.

So sunny yellow, polkadots, paper straws and sunflowers it was.

And for the menu...

Lychee and apple juice

Red rooibos iced tisane

Fresh fruit salad

Ham, cheese and tomato croissants

Raspberry and vanilla coulis

Natural yoghurt

Homemade gluten free toasted muesli

The muesli was really delicious!

It was my first ever attempt at gluten free muesli and the finished product was a blend of a few different recipes I'd come across.

It was a big hit with the gluten intolerant folk!

Here's my version for those of you playing at home...

Gluten Free Toasted Muesli

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp all spice

1 cup quinoa flakes

1 cup rice flakes

1/4 cup pepitas

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/3 cup flaxseeds

1 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup macadamia nuts (chopped)

1/2 cup hazelnuts (chopped)

1/4 cup goji berries

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup dried apricots (chopped)

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.

Line a few trays with baking paper.

In a small saucepan, heat honey and oil over low heat until runny.

Mix in vanilla and spices.

In a large bowl, mix together the quinoa, rice flakes, nuts and seeds.

Pour over the spiced honey mixture and stir in well.

Divide amongst the trays.

Bake for 10mins, remove and mix and repeat until lovely and brown.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Stir in dried fruit.

And you're done!

Enjoy! Jx

Stay tuned for part two x

[the bridal shower]

Hi everyone,
Too busy to function (and blog).
My life has been consumed by wedding planning!
Here's a few little pics from my bridal shower (almost five weeks ago!)

(Sister, mum, and me x)

Five...more...sleeps!

Jx

[wedding cake flavour testing]

Last night we had ourselves a little cake testing session with our friend and talented little baker Brooke from Eat My Cake (and few fellow tasters to increase the study's sample size).
I made sure yesterday was a very light eating day in preparation for the evening's festivities but no amount of sparrow protein grazing could prepare me for this sweet sugar onslaught!

She baked mini individual sized cupcakes in five flavours to be mixed and matched with seven delectable icings and fillings.
She had even created little scoring tables so that we could keep track of our favourite combinations.

The standouts were:
- Peaches and cream cake with cream cheese frosting
- Lemon and poppyseed cake with the combination of lemon curd and lemon meringue
- Gluten free choc orange cake with cream cheese frosting (Dan's favourite)

This little exercise was to make choosing the flavour of the wedding cake easier.
Sadly we're no closer.
Just a little more full.
Jx

[divine way to start the day]

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Let me let you in on a little secret this fine morning...

I love breakfast.

Not just puppy love... the real deal!

I catch myself lying awake at night picturing what I'm going to prepare myself for breakfast the next day!

I may be delving slightly into obsessive territory.

This was yesterday's morning delight...

Vanilla Quinoa Porridge with Apricots and Pistachios

(perfect serve for one)

about 1/4 cup quinoa

(I used the leftover quinoa from dinner the night before)

1/4 cup soy milk

a dollop of honey

about 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

a dash of vanilla essence

stewed apricots

(or get lazy like me and use pie apricots)

chopped pistachios

Bring to boil 3/4 cup water with the quinoa (the rule is 1 part quinoa to 3 parts water)

Simmer for about 10-15mins covered

Add in the soy milk, honey, cinnamon and vanilla

Stir until it's a lovely porridgey consistancy

Top with apricots, pitachios and finish with a glossy drizzle of honey

***

I made mine the night before, refridgerated overnight and heated her up in the morning with a little water.  Add your toppings right before you serve though.

Such a lovely healthy way to start the day (323 Cal says MyFitnessPal)

You really must try - I know you will love it!

And don't forget to let me know how you go!

Happy breakfasting! Jx

[risotto and a natter]

Just shy of a week ago now, I escaped to lovely Louise's home to share some delicious risotto and a mutual disinterest in the football.
We shared family stories, our creative plans for the future and a wine or two, while I had a sticky around her apartment at her stylin' additions (including her own very sweet watercolours).

Nothing quite like a relaxed girls night in.

Don't do it enough!
Jx

[our little balcony garden]

Our long weekend is done and dusted but not even the wind and rain could stand in our way of having a fabulous time!

The highlight, of course, was witnessing our very close friends tie the knot yesterday in the very chapel that Dan and myself will be married in later this year.

Today's weather was no different and definitely called for a soup night.

An opportunity to sample some of our home grown herbs!

I'm a shocking gardener (see here) so I was thrilled to have managed not to kill these little guys.

Apparently giving them a good drink now and again and sunny days helps them to thrive.

Funny that!

Have a happy short week ahead!

Jx

[mother's day brunching]

Happy Mother's Day Mum!!!

This was how we celebrated this morning...

Jenny Jenny's

Mother's Day Brunch Menu:

Spinach, Basil and Parmasen Mini Muffins

with Light Philly

Warm Roast Pumpkin Tarts

with Persian Feta and Olives

Homemade Toasted Muesli

(My complete and utter favourite!)

with Natural Yoghurt and Cinnamon

Baked Cinnamon Ricotta with Honey Drizzle, Berries and Fresh Figs

served with Warm Mini Brioche

As well as a splash of sparkling

and a cup or two of Melbourne Breakfast tea.

Hope all you wonderful mothers out there are having one fabulous day! Jx

[so frenchy dinner party]

Last night I had myself a little dinner party with some lovely girlfriends of mine.  I love any opportunity to get creative with table settings.
I was attempting french cuisine for the first time and wanted the table to tie in with the menu.

 Lucky for me our Ikea cross-back chairs look a little french provincial.

 I found these very sweet shallow bowls at a great price at Target which added a vintage feel.

I used a strip of cream hessian from Lincraft and frayed the edges a little for a table runner.

 I picked up these amazing Dahlias from the local market.

The small stems looked so sweet in Nan's bud vases!

 And now for the food...

Entrée

Goats Cheese Soufflé

with Spinach and Walnut Salad

Main

Slow cooked Lamb Shanks

with Tomato, Cannellini Beans and Thyme

Dessert

Warm Cherry Almond Clafoutis

served with Creme Fraiche

They were all really delicious and easy recipes to follow!

Find them here, here and here!

We also made sure to have a drop of Champagne as yesterday was 6 months until our wedding day!

Speaking of weddings, I'm off to one now.

Best start getting ready! Jx

[midweek barley risotto]

There's is nothing I hate more than having food reach it's used by date in the back, unloved corner of my pantry and having to be unceremoniously tossed out.

I had a bag of pearl barley nearing this predicament so Taste.com to the rescue.

 Pearl Barley & Rocket Risotto with Pumpkin

Twas a delicious meal with the cherry on cake being the avoidance of "unnecessary waste guilt".

Next on the "must use v. soon" is polenta and Israeli couscous.

What can I say, I get excited at the supermarket.

Jx

[our fabulous friday]

You know those days when you're exceptionally busy but each element of the day is just... happy.

Yesterday was one of those days. 

Wedding dress shopping.

Lunch date...

...and the sun was shining.

An afternoon decorating cupcakes for our engagement party.

My party dress.

Following our busy Friday festivities, we have a weekend of nothing.

Which is perfect because the rain is falling outside and all I feel like doing is lounging about in my pyjamas, reading a book and maybe having a little play with my watercolours. Happy days! Jx

[my midweek bircher brekky]

I've tried oh so hard to be as organised as can be this week.

With guests popping in and out over the next couple of days, we both cleaned the unit from top to bottom last Sunday and I've tried my darndest not to mess it up - there, it's in writing, I'm the messy one.  Most of it I could put down to my wardrobe indecisiveness and my love of cooking dishes with unnecessary amounts of different ingredients - it makes me feel gourmet without having any genuine skills!

I wrote the weekly menu, made lunches the night before and I even preprepared tonight's dinner after yesterday's dinner.

Oh and I made this....

Fig Bircher Muesli

Find it here.

Jx