Mid-Autumn heat wave and cakes.

There has certainly been a delay with blogging in the last few weeks and that is because I have found myself ridiculously busy working my 'real' job and setting out a plan for our return to Barcelona. I have to say with these beautiful and hot sunny days it is hard to imagine the winter is coming here in New Zealand, everything seems so alive! I walk out of my bedroom (garage) into the garden and all around me I am surrounded by bright bursts of colours throughout the garden. The flowers are going bonkers and the herb garden is bushy. It has been so dry but I always manage to water the garden with left over water from my nephews swimming pool (probably with 1/2 litre of his pee too, grosse I know).

Anyway - continuing on in our summer fashion we have been having many BBQ's and dinners with friends, enjoying the warm afternoon and drinking a beer or two.

Last weekend I made a classic Edmonds banana cake with Lemon & Coconut icing.

Expect this week a blog entry or two for the next BEAUTY UPDATE. I have lots of potions to make before I set off to Spain. Considering the water quality in Barcelona is so crap and full of pretty much everything I want to make sure I take some great oil mixtures and moisturisers to really protect my hair and skin.

Have a lovely week everyone!

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