A rustic, nutty little salad I make often. I had something similar once, a packaged salad I purchased in my lunch hour from work and thought, I could make this. It’s a healthy salad with lovely sweet and savoury flavours; great for work or a healthy dinner.
I just love and am a long time reader of simply breakfast, breakfast being my favourite meal of the day and was inspired to throw together this easy but lovely dish on the weekend.
I always feel going out for breakfast is so much more luxurious than going out for dinner. I guess because for most people, the mornings are for staggering out of bed all sleepy, brushing teeth and fixing yourself something quick and simple before you rush out the door to work, uni or taking kids to school or wherever. Sitting in a cafe drinking frothy coffee watching everyone else going to work or lugging around shopping is so decadent and lazy, how could it not be enjoyable? I really don’t do it enough.
I’ve grown up slathering some avocado on wholemeal toast but this tasted even lovelier – creamy, buttery avocado on toasted, plump bread with a hint of spice and fruity olive oil. Delicious and so healthy.
I saw this on Jamie’s Naked Chef show years and years ago and thought how brilliant; instead of using a million pots and pans, worrying about the timing of different things and getting all hot and flustered and resentful, not even enjoying your breakfast fry up, use one giant pan instead.
Technically this isn’t a fry up as such, more of a roast up but the general idea is still there … everything somehow cooking perfectly nestled in amongst each other. You won’t regret trying this.
I’m taking a few liberties here as I don’t have the original recipe but it really is so simple it doesn’t need one particularly, however you can read on to see how I went about it.
I don’t think there’s any movie quite as inspirational or entertaining as a classic road movie. There’s a little bit of tough guy, underdog hero, on-the-run, camaraderie in the face of adversity in all of us.
Here are my personal favourites which unintentionally happen to be from 5 different decades:
1. Thelma and Louise
I saw this 1991 movie about female solidarity when I was a teenager. I remember how much I loved it the first time I saw it and even now, it’s one of my favourite movies. I’ve seen it countless times and never tire of the ending.
Thelma: “Let’s not get caught …… let’s keep going.”
2. The Blues Brothers
This iconic, funny movie made in 1980, which inspired a lifetime obsession with Ray Bans and rhythm and blues for a lot of us, still cracks me up.
Elwood: “It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses.”
Jake: “Hit it.”
3. Easy Rider
A counter-culture, quintessential bikie road movie from 1969 which likely inspired many road movies made since then. This movie was a sign of the times like no other, it depicted a journey and a definitive ending. I’ve seen it a few times and like most people of my generation, I’m fascinated by that time in history which symbolised so much change.
Billy: “I never really thought of myself as a freak, ya know…but I love to freak!”
4. The Motorcycle Diaries
Ernesto Che Guevara’s ironically westernised iconic status has been talked about and written about for so long it’s difficult to remember he was once young and idealistic. Che was a medical student when he decided to travel through South America by motorbike with his best friend a month before graduation. This 2004 movie was a touching and entertaining portrayal of Che’s adventures and his confronting observations of South America’s poverty and disease which led to his becoming the revolutionary he is known for.
Ernesto: “What we had in common – our restlessness, our impassioned spirits, and a love for the open road.”
5. Badlands
This 1973 movie (I believe) inspired the 1994 movie Natural Born Killers however in my humble opinion, was infinitely superior.
It’s an unsettling rather than shocking movie – I say this because it implies violence more by showing reactions and body language rather than the in-your-face aggression of Natural Born Killers, made some 20 years later. Sissy Spacek’s teenage character narrates the movie; her curiously flat, expressionless voice and sweet, innocent face at odds with the horrendous acts she and the young drifter, played by Martin Sheen, carry out.
Holly: “He was handsomer than anybody I’d ever met. He looked just like James Dean”
Movie images and stills from:
Thelma and Louise, 1991, MGM, USA
The Blues Brothers, 1980, Universal Pictures, USA
Easy Rider, 1969, Columbia Pictures Corporation, USA
The Motorcycle Diaries, 2004, FilmFour, Argentina
Badlands, 1973, Badlands Company, USA
I spied this loaf recently on a lovely blog called FoodBabbles. It’s an Ina Garten recipe (I love her!) and I decided to bake it for afternoon tea on the weekend.
I’ve made lemony baked goods before but have never tried a lemon syrup poured over – it really is gorgeous. This is a really moist cake and the zesty lemon soaked, soft crumb pairs really well with the sweet berries.
We were very French today and had cherry clafoutis and coffee for breakfast.
This lovely dessert (or breakfast) is similar to a pancake but baked in the oven. The velvety soft and creamy texture pairs well with sweet little bites of cherries.
I loved these rustic, sweet pancakes. They were served with butter melted over the hot pancakes and cinnamon sugar sprinkled over the top, like cinnamon toast. I used a bit of wholemeal spelt flour for texture, if you don’t have that, use all white flour.
Was having a wander over at Stereogum and found this song by psychadelic band Pond, Sunlight Cardigan. It’s very 70s and kind of upbeat in a mellow way (think David Bowie or Elton John around that time). I liked it a lot.
Album cover from: Stereogum
Blondies are becoming so diverse now with many different flavours; butterscotch, toffee and pecan, cherry and white chocolate, and now, peanut butter. I don’t need much of an excuse to use peanut butter – slathered between fresh bread for an impromptu lunch is fine by me and has been since I was little. Peanut butter just makes my day better.
So. When I saw these little morsels by the lovely Rachel Allen I just had to make them. I did have a moment of wondering which type of peanut butter I should use – the ongoing battle of natural peanut butter with no additives -v- the sugary, salty kind. I think you bakers will know which one I used, it’s obvious really (I always have both on stand-by for this kind of moral dilemma as I can’t commit to either one).
I had one of these not too long out of the oven with a cup of coffee and it was delightful – nutty and fudgy with sweet bites of white chocolate.
