Golden days

Maisie finally had her first official stay at childcare this week, official in the sense that I could actually leave the building. She wasn't such a fan and refused to eat her lunch. I can't blame her though, she knew that mum's homemade tuna casserole was waiting for her at home. The rest of the afteroon she spent permanently attached to my leg, just in case I was planning on doing a runner.

These were my books from when I was little. Maisie is loving sneaking off to her room, pulling them off the shelf and chatting to the characters on the pages.

Here's a nice easy mid-week meal recipe courtesy of Real Living mag.

Lebanese prawn and fish salad

2 large Lebanese flatbreads

Olive oil spray

1 Lebanese cucumber

1 green or red capsicum de-seeded and roughly chopped

3 vine-ripened tomatoes chopped roughly

1/2 red onion, sliced thinly

420g tinned cannellini or butter beans rinsed

1 small handful parsley

3 tbsp roughly chopped mint

1 small handful coriander leaves

2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Cracked black pepper

200g fish fillets of choice (I used swordfish)

200g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined, leaving tails intact

1 tsp sumac

(Plus I added sliced radishes)

Dressing

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp lemon juice

100ml extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 150 degrees. Separate each flatbread into 2 then tear into 3cm or 4cm pieces. Spread single layer of bread in baking tray and lightly spray with oil. Bake for about 15 mins or until golden brown and crisp.

Meanwhile toss cucumber, capsicum, tomato, onion, beans, parsley, mint and coriander in bowl.

Make dressing by bruising garlic clove with heavy knife. Mix with lemon juice and olive oil.

Coat fish and prawns with olive oil and some salt and pepper in clean bowl. Pan-fry over medium heat until coked to your liking (fish should flake when tested with a fork).

Flake fish into large pieces, leave prawns whole and add both to salad, along with toasted bread.

To serve, remove garlic from dressing and pour over salad. Sprinkle with sumac and toss well.

Tickling the ivories

Wow, what a weekend! Check out the amazing breakfast Maisie's papa cooked for me yesterday. Delicious corn fritters with an avocado and coriander salsa. And this was just a little something to get us energised for the very BIG present pour moi. Yep, a HUGE present, one that requires its very own truck to deliver and possibly requires its very own room in the new house...a spanking brand new piano. Soooooooo excited...What a thoughtful and generous husband I have. The piano is on layby and ready to be delivered whenever we move. Actually, I'm not sure if I actually gave an update, but the Year of the House has started in earnest. We have listed the house for sale in April and the tidy-up has commenced. I'm dreading the cleaning required for the open for inspections, but hell it's only four weeks of pain. Four weeks closer to getting my piano. Ahh, the piano..

Purging the days away

The pretty little menace caught pulling books off the shelf, then kicking back on the couch.

The weather was gorgeous on the weekend and I wasted most of it wishing the days would end. I woke up at 2am Saturday morning sick..literal Exorcist-style sick, and this horror-show purge continued unabated for the next hideous 12 hours. Thanks to my husband for going above and beyond with cleaning duties and for looking after the rascal so I could recover. Blagh...the idea of food still makes me squirm.

So, I've been meaning to suggest some places if you're in the mood for a day trip. I'd suggest scooting down to Flinders which has some great tucker and treats. Curio and Curio which was recently opened by Nick Young and his partner Clair (who is a stylist for Real Living mag) is a very cute place. Nick's name has come up a bit lately, with features in Home Beautiful, Real Living and the Design Files. I like hearing about people who kickstart a new career despite a lack of experience in their new chosen path. Also in Flinders, you can get the most beautiful coloured German pencils and some lovely clothes at Flinders Shed. The pencils are cheaper than the clothes, so I'll pick some up next time to share with you...I just need to learn how to draw...

Happy half birthday

Maisie celebrated her half birthday on the weekend and was clearly so exhausted with the effort that she slept through the night on Monday. Sadly her fatigue was short-lived and now I am exhausted after a tedious night of a crying baby. The good news is that her love of books is paying dividends. She is behaving like The Hungry Little Caterpillar that I have been reading to her about and is slowly munching her way through my vegie patch. One day she will turn into a beautiful butterfly...and sleep peacefully...I hope.

Dizzy and deaf

For six days now I have been deaf in one ear. An inner ear blockage has rendered me sans hearing in my right ear (save for the constant internal ringing), and experiencing the occasional dizzy turn. Such a delightful experience. But, clearly this wasn't debilitating enough. I have now been inflicted with a spasming back that has made the general act of movement near impossible. Thank the universe for osteopaths and a considerate husband who picks up little miss from her cot at whichever hideous hour she chooses for a feed and delivers her straight to her personal milk bar.

Just thought I'd share a couple of new treasures...a rocking horse that was well loved when I was a wee little 'un and already of great intrigue to Maisie...and a new print for mademoiselle's abode courtesy of Belle and Boo. Oh and this salad recipe....delish!

Haloumi, green bean, lentil and baby spinach salad

200g haloumi, broken into bite-sized pieces

200g green beans, trimmed

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 eschalot, finely chopped

400g tin lentils, drained and rinsed

50g baby spinach leaves

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 240 degs (220 degs fan-forced). Place the broken haloumi and beans onto a lightly greased baking tray and cook for 10-12 minutes or until haloumi is golden. Meanwhile, place the oil, lemon juice, mustard, eschalot into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the lentils, spinach, cooked haloumi and beans. Toss to coat in the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

Chickpeas and babies

So sad the weekend is over!! We had a nice and relaxing, yet quite productive weekend. It was certainly more productive for my sister though...Maisie scored herself a brand new cousin with little Harvey born in a hurry last night, just one day after his due date. Very cute.

We went to a first birthday party, caught up with some friends and got a lot done around the yard (not that I had much to do with that..) As promised Lucy, here is the Kylie Kwong recipe from Friday night. Yummo...and a pic of two little monkeys playing..

Stir-fried chickpeas with black bean & chilli

1 cup (200g)

3 tbsp peanut oil

2cm piece ginger, finely shredded

2 cloves garlic, roughly diced

2 tbsp salted black beans

1 small red onion, finely sliced

3 tbsp shao hsing wine

2 tbsp tamari

1 tbsp brown rice vinegar

1/2 tsp sesame oil

2 spring onions, finely sliced

1 long red chilli, finely sliced

Soak chickpeas in plenty of cold water overnight. The next day, drain chickpeas, place in a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then simmer over a low-to-moderate heat for approx. 45 minutes or until tender. Allow the chickpeas to cool in their cooking water, then drain. Set aside. Heat peanut oil in a wok until surface shimmers slightly. Stir-fry ginger, garlic, black beans and onion for 2 mins or until fragrant. Add chickpeas and stir-fry for 2 mins. Pour in wine, drizzling it around the sides of the wok in a circular motion, then add sugar, tamari, vinegar and sesame oil and stir-fry for 3 mins to create a rich sauce. Toss in spring onion and chilli, then serve immediately.