Feed the Birds, Tuppence a Slice

While on an excursion doing research for the upcoming Chow Down to Eurovision 2014,  the group was offered some stone age bread.

Bread with no flour? What is this crazy talk??

It was like a scene from my Big Fat Greek Wedding come to life, What you mean you don't put no flour in the bread?.........ok I use spelt?

I'd never heard of it, but loved the nutty deliciousness.

So no flour, just seeds and nuts, which makes it fit into the Paleo diet (if that kind of thing floats your boat)

The chef's reply when asked for the recipe was "Google it!"

So after some Googeling, recipe comparison and testing, this is my take on the Nordic nut bread.

There are more seeds than what I found traditionally which I think gives a better firm multigrain bread texture rather than one of crispy seeds.

I'm not one for trendy diets but for me this bread is a perfect breakfast as 1 slice will keep you going for hours....and that's just the chewing! (kidding)

The only down side is it's best not to quickly grab a piece before meeting people unless you like the blacked out tooth look.

Nordic Nut Bread aka Stone Age Bread

• 100g slivered almonds
• 100g walnuts
• 100g linseeds
• 100g sunflower seeds (kernels)
• 100g pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 50g sesame seeds
• 50g black sesame seeds
• 50g poppy seeds
• 50g black and white chia seeds (or just 1 or the other)
• 2 1/2 tsps. sea salt flakes
• 5 eggs
• 100ml olive oil

Method

• Preheat oven to 150°C
• Line a medium loaf pan  (25.5 x 14.5 x 6cm)
• Add all the seeds and salt to a mixing bowl and combine well
• Add eggs and oil to a jug and whisk with a fork
• Pour egg mix into mixing bowl and stir till the seeds and liquid is very well combined
• Pack into the lined loaf tin
• Flatten the top of the loaf and make sure there is no excess liquid (it will just be cooked egg and not look great)
• Bake for about 1 hour and 15minutes.
• It will be oily at the bottom
• Remove from the tin and place on a wire rack over a tray to cool, and release any extra oils
• When cooled it isn't oily but moist with a nutty texture
• Enjoy with cheese, salmon, poached eggs, avocado or just on it's own for that long lasting breakfast
• Some recipes use whole almonds but I think the slivered give a better end result as the nuts cook all the way through
• It will make another appearance with a slight variation when the Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 heads to Copenhagen, so watch out for that! #eatus 

Heaven is a place on earth.....with blue cheese and quince paste.

Operation Work Lunch: Polka dot chickpea salad

It's time to reignite the war on terrible food with Operation Work Lunch ready for deployment.

I revisited the café where the war began and I truly have no idea how it is possible but I think it is even worse than before.

Looking at the dry brown shrivelled objects that were labelled "warm healthy salad" I almost shed a tear for the wasted potential of these poor brutalized vegetables.

While being at such a stage of hunger it would justify eating your frozen rugby teammates I did however order a ham and cheese toasted sandwich.

Not to be overly dramatic......

I would never have thought it possible to get a toasted sandwich wrong but by the time the coffee was made the sandwich was not only flattened not to less than an inch of it's life but was so squished that it could have slid under a door.

So that's it! Never again!

The key to the success of this mission is preparation, make your lunch the night before so that in the morning you only need enough time to stumble to the kitchen to pour yourself a cup of ambition.
Who doesn't love a bit of Dolly Parton?

 

Polka dot chickpea salad
Ingredients

• 400g chick peas
• 1 red onion finely sliced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 red sweet chilli or capsicum roughly chopped
• 1 large zucchini rough chopped
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin seeds 
• Black sesame seeds ( just a many as you like)
• Olive oil

Method

• In a mixing bowl add the chickpeas, onion, lime juice, sweet chilli
• In a fry pan on high add a good splash of olive oil (this will also be the dressing)
• Add the zucchini, ground cumin and cook till tender.
• Remove from the heat and let cool for about 15 mins
• Add zucchini to mixing bowl
• Add black sesame seeds in and mix through

Note on chickpeas, you can use canned or do the whole soaking over night and boiling method either works great.
Now that lunch is so much healthier, tasty and a hell of a lot cheaper!
We will win the war!!