Wolfe du Jour

Chicken Casserole & Smashed Kumara

It is my cooking night again and I have decided to go with one of my Dad's famous in-house recipes. It is so simple and tastes extremely good so thought it would be a handy one to share with all those who want to impress with their cooking skills without really doing too much work.

I was also asked today to write an entry for another blog on my crazy obsession for the super spice Turmeric so I thought that I could show an easy way to tie in a spoon or two into your diet without cooking a curry which people traditionally think of when using this wonder spice.

Check out link below to see what I wrote at The Mind Body Connect:

https://m.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=376248009126953&__user=611785351

Happy Face :)

As I mentioned in a previous post my boyfriend Juan is from Argentina and his English is better than mine, but there are a few words that pop up now and again which are quite cute and make me smile - And so for the reasoning behind calling mashed kumara 'Smashed Kumara'. He thought all this time I was saying I was going to smash the kumara - LOL anyway I thought it was cute.

Once again I am cooking for my monster family of 6 so adjust proportions as you see fit! AND of course once again this is a dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free meal :)

Ingredients:
1Kg Chicken thigh cutlets
5 rashers of bacon
3 Onions
3 cloves of garlic (crushed or smashed hehe)
Couple of handfuls of mushrooms (these can be as much or as little as you want and of any variety of mushroom)
1 can of coconut cream
1/2 cup of chicken stock
1 tsp of Rice flour (to thicken)
1 tsp of Thyme
1 tsp salt
Pepper for seasoning

3-4 large kumara
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
2 tsp whole grain mustard
1/2 cup of Rice milk

Method:
 - Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius
1. Cook diced onions and crushed garlic with a little bit of oil (grapeseed is preferable)  in a large oven proof dish over the element on a medium-high heat.
2. Cut chicken to desired size (however if they are small enough cutlets I just put them in whole) and add with bacon to dish when onion has slightly cooked.
3. Also chuck in the mushrooms and cook everything until the chicken has seared lightly on the surface (you do not need to cook the chicken completely as this will be done slowly in the oven)
4. Add coconut cream and chicken stock so that the chicken and other ingredients are just covered by the liquid.
5. Add Thyme, salt & pepper and stir through all the ingredients.
6. Sprinkle the rice flour over top and mix through thoroughly and you will see the liquid thickens a little bit.
7. Take the dish off the element, place the lid on top and put in pre-heated oven for 2 hours. During the cooking time of 2 hours it is advisable that you take it out of the oven half way through and stir slightly.
8. While the chicken casserole is in the oven peel, cut and boil the kumara until soft.
9. Add all remaining ingredients and SMASH it all together!

I served this also with steamed beans & broccoli - Do NOT forget to eat your GREENS !

Happy Healthy Eating Everyone !

Blogged by: Megan

Top Electronic DJ & Producer for 2012 by Megan

It is no secret I have an alter-ego and her name is Piwi! When I am not blogging, cooking, working, looking after my nephew or aimlessly walking in the park I am in my bedroom (which is actually a garage lol) making electronic music! YES the BOOM BOOM TUKA TUKA kind of music!

This hobby stems from my recent history of living in Barcelona, where you can not avoid the insane party scene. Plus my boyfriend Juan is a developed DJ & producer originally from Argentina, and I seem to have that obsession of thinking I can do anything and try to do it better than the last. I feel sorry for Juan, it must be so annoying to be my partner haha.

Photo from Hotel ME, Barcelona 2011 - Piwi & John Late

Since moving back to NZ (temporarily!) I have found the scene for my kind of music does exist BUT it is very small and like any music world it is about networking and going out to meet people which I have to say here in Auckland is bloody EXPENSIVE! So for now while I spend my last few months in NZ  I am happy to lock myself in the studio and MAKE music like never before. Below I have added a link which will take you to an hour long set of music I put together from favorite tracks of September :)

Piwi Mix September

You can also follow me on Facebook:

Piwi Facebook

So with the Resident Advisor Top DJ poll for 2012 coming out soon I have made my selection of who I think the top 3 DJ's & top 3 Producers for 2012 should be.

Top DJ's for 2012:

1. Solomun

NB: I went to this party in 2011 - INSANE! Dancing on the beach by the airport with crazy aeroplanes flying over really low, a LOT of great people and the music just Top Dog! This is from the 2012 Off-Sonar party at Chiringuito Calamar (I have also played here once!! Lol claim to fame!)

2. Damian Lazarus
3. Art Department

Top Electronic Producers for 2012:

1. Maceo Plex

NB: Maceo Plex also with DJ alias Maetrik is seriously my IDOL. a LEGEND.

2. Soul Clap
3. Lee Foss

I am finishing off a couple of tracks in the next few days to be released - Watch this space so you don't miss out!! A lot of 90's rap inspiration coming through in these past few months with of course the tech-house flavors!

Blogged by: Megan

Wolfe du Jour

Treatment for Rosacea

 
Recently a middle aged man in my life (daddy-dearest) asked me to do some research on Rosacea and the treatment of this skin disorder through natural remedies. He does not necessarily have Rosacea himself but does experience some redness and dryness in his upper cheeks, like myself, so I set about some research on the web and created a face-paste (similar to my Tumeric face mask) as well as a night cream.

Symptoms and signs of rosacea include:

• Areas of redness on your face
• Small red bumps or pustules on your nose, cheeks, forehead, and/or chin
• Small blood vessels on your nose and/or cheeks (called telangiectasia)
• Tendency to flush or blush

Resource: http://altmedicine.about.com

Worsening Symptoms of Rosacea:

• Sun Exposure
• Stress
• Hot weather
• Drinking alcohol
• Spicy foods
• Exercise
• Wind
• Hot baths
• Hot drinks
• Cold weather 

Resource: http://dermatology.about.com

Below I would like to share with you the two quick recipes I cooked up :)

1. Tumeric face paste - Helps to reduce redness and soothes skin

To be applied daily to problem areas, left on for 10-15 minutes then washed off with a hot face cloth.

1. Put 1/2 cup of water to boil
2. Once boiling sift 1/8 cup of Tumeric to boiling water
3. Constantly stir till a thick paste is formed (Can take around 5-10 minutes)
4. Then add 1 Tbsp of Virgin Coconut Oil and mix through
5. Sift through 1 tsp of Rice flour to thicken

NB: Remembering to constantly stir is the key here!

Why Tumeric is useful in treating Rosacea:

Although the exact reason behind onset of Rosacea is not yet known, doctors claim that inflation of facial blood vessels initiates the unusual redness of skin. The pimples are caused due to clogged skin pores and bacterial infection. Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial qualities of turmeric fight these skin problems and regular use of it checks the relapse of the skin disease. Hence, use of turmeric is a safe and handy method for controlling rosacea.

Resource:http://www.ifood.tv

2. Coco Butter & Jojoba skin protector - creates a protective barrier on the skin to keep moisture in
To be applied daily before going to bed

1. Put 100g Cocoa Butter and 50g Beeswax pellets into a double boiler
2. Stir until both ingredients have compeltely melted.
3. Stir through gently 100 ml of Jojoba Oil
4. Pour into glass jar and leave lid off till completely cooled

About the ingredients

Beeswax. Beeswax acts as a humectant and is found in numerous body and lip balms. It helps lock in moisture in the skin and provides protective coating from the environment, making it a great alternative to petroleum jelly. It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties and is often used with other skin care ingredients to treat eczema and psoriasis.
Cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is a centuries-old treatment for dry skin. It is considered an occlusive that provides a coating on the skin, creating a protective barrier and slowing the natural escape of moisture from the skin. It also helps relieve irritation and inflammation of the skin and therefore is good for conditions like eczema. Cocoa butter is often used to fade scars and stretch marks.
Jojoba oil. Jojoba oil, which is similar to human sebum, acts as a humectant and creates a protective coating over the skin to help keep moisture in. It is used quite often in aromatherapy because it doesn’t go rancid like vegetable oils. It also doesn’t clog pores and is not greasy. Jojoba oil contains vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects against free radical damage, a cause of premature skin aging. It helps improve skin elasticity and has been used for skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis, and  Rosacea.

Resource: http://multiculturalbeauty.about.com

The Best Ever (no chocolate) Brownie!

I can't claim this one, but had to share!

Whoever has gone to make chocolate brownie and discovered they had no chocolate in the pantry will love this one. I made this for a morning tea and had two recipe requests and two people comment that it was the best brownie they had ever eaten! I was so proud, but I really just think its a great recipe!

The original recipe adds chocolate drops and you can access this via the link at the bottom, however, I swapped this out for coconut and think it gives it that extra something!

This makes a HUGE batch, so you can halve it if you wish.

The Best Ever (no chocolate) Brownie

320g butter, melted
1 1/4 cups cocoa
7 eggs
3 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 - 1 1/2 cups coconut
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Frozen/fresh raspberries (optional)
Icing sugar (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 160C.
2. Line a large baking tin/roasting dish (I use a 24x34cm rectangle dish)
3. Melt the butter in a large bowl (there's lots of ingredients to fit in here) in the microwave, or in a large saucepan on the stove.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat cocoa into melted butter.
5. Add eggs, sugar, and vanilla, and whiz with electric mixer for 3-4 mins until the mixture begins to whip up in volume (about double).
6. Using a wooden spoon/rubber spatula, mix in the coconut.
7. Sift flour and baking powder in; stir until fully combined.
8. Pour into lined baking tin; give it a gentle shake to even out the mixture.
9. If using raspberries, dot these evenly on top of the mixture, gently pushing them just under the surface.
10. Bake in oven at 160C for about 1 hour, until an inserted skewer comes clean.
11. Leave to cool in tin for about 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool further.
12. If you want to make them look extra fancy, sift icing sugar over the top.
13. Enjoy warm, cold, with some whipped cream, with some hot coffee, or even with a sneaky wine!

Amount	Cooking Time	Prep Time
approx 50 brownies	about 1 hour	15-20 mins

I recommend under cooking this slightly - check at 50 minutes and definitely don't cook over the one hour. If it is still a little gooey in the middle, this is good! It will semi-set and this is what gives it such a fantastic texture (crunchy outer and gooey inside!)

Enjoy!


http://nzfavouriterecipe.co.nz/recipes/desserts/349-the-ultimate-chocolate-brownie-with-raspberries-if-youre-feeling-extra-flashy

Wednesday BBQ Dinner

Hump-day woohoo! And Wednesday is also known as 'My Cooking Night AGAIN'. 

Tonight I decided with the awesome weather we have been having (minus today - so average!) that a BBQ was definitely in order. SO I whipped out a few favorites that abide the gluten-free, sugar-free, no simple carbs, dairy free combo that my family require - phew what a mouthful!

On the Menu tonight:

Soy & ginger lamb kebabs with a spicy peanut sauce

&

Lentil & spinach salad

Soy & ginger lamb kebabs:

Ingredients

600g of Lamb leg steaks

3 tsp finely grated ginger (fresh)

1/4 cup of soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp of Honey

1 Red pepper

2 Zucchini

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 Tbsp Soy sauce

1 Tbsp Sweet chilli sauce

1. Cut the lamb into small pieces - cubes approx. 2 cm by 2cm

2. Put into a mixing bowl and add ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and honey

3. Mix all together and put in the fridge to marinate for 4 hours

4. Once marinated long enough take out and prepare the kebabs by putting a mixture of diced red pepper, cubed zucchini and marinated meat onto skewers.

5. this recipe should make approximately 12 skewers.

6. Chuck on the BBQ on a medium to low heat and cook about 2 mins on each side.

7. Mix the boiling water, peanut butter, chilli flakes, soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce in a small bowel and mix till a smooth sauce forms.

8. Serve the kebabs and pour the peanut sauce on top - YUMMY!

Lentil & spinach salad:

Ingredients

Salad - 

1 x 300g of Brown lentils (drained and rinsed)

1 x 300g of diced beetroot (drained and rinsed)

1/2 bag of fresh baby spinach

1/2 red pepper

1/2 cup of cut dried dates

1/2 cup mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower & poppy)

Dressing - 

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp Apple cider vinegar

1 clove garlic

1 Tbsp whole grain mustard

2 tsp honey

1/4 cup of grapeseed oil 

1. Mix all salad ingredients in a large serving bowl

2. Put all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and blend together with stick blender

3. Pour dressing over salad and toss to serve

Wolfe du Jour 28.11.12

Addicted to Sweatcamp!

I used to think of the concept of Bootcamp as ex-army buffs screaming at you as you trudge through tires, belly crawl under nets, drag weighted objects through swamps all while the rain is pouring down and chilling you to the core. However after finally accepting I had put on a little extra padding than I would have liked to over the winter, and the gym just not cutting it anymore, I decided to give it a go. Needless to say I was definitely nervous turning up to my first session of Sweatcamp where I discovered the reality was a lot less scary. Now three months in, and 5kgs lighter, I am hooked!

Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I head along to our “sweaty sessions” where our trainer Anna puts us through a variety of different exercises each time that challenges yet another part of our body. One week we even played Cardio Monopoly!

This variety along with sound nutritional advice, support of your fellow campers, Anna's constant positivity, fortnightly fitness tests and even motivational updates on their Facebook page has made Sweatcamp such an enjoyable and awesome experience. Best of all I am getting results! Added benefits I have noticed include sleeping so much more easily, increased energy, better balance and of course meeting a great group of people. I have also ditched the hungover visits to the golden arches and dipping my hand into the always full lolly jar at work, talk about will power!

Enjoying a mini treat after a particularly sweaty cardio session!

If you want to find out more about Sweatcamp NZ, visit their website: www.sweatcamp.co.nz and remember to never let your fears stop you from trying something new!

Beach-ify Your House

We recently moved into our new house and with a new house comes new furniture. I decided to choose a beach inspiration for my home.

The first step was to to buy a table and chairs. We chose a whitewash wood table from Freedom called the Cancun Dining Table. It is 1.8m long, so long enough to seat a comfortable 6 people, or 8 at a squeeze.

 We decided to look for Wicker or Rattan chairs, as these give such a beachy feel, due to their sandy colour and flax-look fabrication. We were lucky enough to score these quite cheap from Trademe, as thesekinds of chairs usually retail for around $250 each. As you can imagine, there is quite a bit of labour involved in the weave.

An extra bonus with these chairs is that they are super comfortable, which came as a complete suprise, considering they have no cushions!

The next step is to find some centre pieces for the table. When we first got the table home, we were a bit unsure as it was quite long and that Whitewash makes it, well, oh-so-white. It really does need something in its centre to tie it to the chairs and the rest of the room.

We were lucky enough to have found this wicker runner, in the same size weave and colour as our chairs. We bought the white vase and faux grasses as the centre piece, which helped tie the table into the scene of our home - matching back to the lovely foliage our house is set amongst.

We had two vases and candles which helped fill some more space and add a homely and warm touch to the table. I can't wait to dine here with the sliding doors open on Summer evenings and light the candles once the natural light eventually subsides.

I love this carving slash painting which we found in a gift store in Whangamata years ago. It matches back perfectly with the Whitewash wood of the dining table and has such a peaceful aura to it. I am also a sucker for anything gold and white together.

Next up is our new Xmas tree. I got this from work and have only got a few decorations on it so far, so its a little bit sad. It's also a very sparse tree, so would recommend spending a litte  extra for a better quality tree.

 I thought white with silver and red for a minimalist feel. Add brown paper-wrapped presents (these are actually just brown boxes, but you get the picture) and you have a modern take on the Christmas tree. The butterflies are clip on, so easy to place anywhere on the tree.

The final step, which I had to add in is my new lounger! I managed to score this from work in a sample sale for peanuts and already I can see myself spending a LOT of time in it come summer. And the best thing is the extendable drink tray!! Perfect for cocktails, books, sunscreen or whatever!

Check out the Ezibuy website if you want one :)

Wolfe Magique - Wolfe du Jour

Domestic Leopard - The Bengal Cat

Three years ago, I bought myself a Tonkinese cat. Now, I say 'bought myself' a cat, as my partner was very against the idea. He even went as far to say he was allergic to cats... but I knew that he would grow to love the cute little guy, so picked the cat up while he was away in Sydney :P

Enter Prince - the most nutso, stubborn but loyal cat. He is known to fetch, roll over on command, bite his own tail, comes away on holidays with us and chills on his leash like a dog. He is also very photogenic....



So now, three years on and I figure every cat needs a friend, right? Cue my new obsession: The Bengal Cat!

Derived from breeding Asian Snow Leopards with the domestic cat, they carry leopard spots (rosettes) or marbled markings and grow into massive cats! The closest thing you will get to a wild cat. Amazing.

As long as they are three generations down from the original cross with a wild leopard, the Bengal will have the  loving nature of a domestic cat.

                                              

Check out this picture, to get the idea of scale:

Snowy kitten

This is the Asian Snow Leopard the Bengal is bred from:

Of course, with any elite breed of animal, the price is high for Bengals. You will be looking at between NZ$750-1200. Sadly, they are also one of the most stolen breeds of cat (probably due to the high price people are willing to pay for them)

So maybe for now, adopting a kitten in need from the SPCA might be the best option :)