All Good Things Issue 28
Potato Fishcakes + Plum Crumble Cake + What To Cook This Week
Afternoon lovely friends!
I'll start by talking about what we have seen unfold in horror over the past couple of weeks and something that stays with us through every waking moment - Ukraine. I know that everyone has been trying different channels to express and action their support. Olia Hercules (Uk-based Ukrainian chef and author) is the fulcrum for vital information and actionable links/organization for providing aid in Ukraine - See #CookForUkraine on how to hold bake sales to aid the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Chef Jose Andres's World Central Kitchen is at the borders providing meals for fleeing refugees. Check out their Instagram to stay informed, donate and mobilize chefs/restaurants/supplies. Please also have a look at Save The Children's Ukraine Crisis Appeal (I have been with them for 16 years and the work they do is invaluable, especially in light of thousands of children fleeing the war zones with their families displaced or missing).
Back home here in Australia, the devastating floods in QLD and NSW have been life-altering for thousands of displaced people. We have been fortunate to only have minor flooding on our property and a few active roof leaks and lots of mold (that has meant moving to other parts of the house and sleeping on an air mattress and me slipping and falling and injuring my knee ). I have identified three great organizations that can mobilize funds/supplies to flood-affected zones/people and help with the recovery and cleanup - Givit  | Red Cross Australia | Salvation Army Flood Appeal.
Right now, it may seem that everything is dire and the whole world has gone nuts. It probably has, but I wanted to remind you that darker days are followed by brighter days no matter how long it takes. We have to believe that things will get better.
I wanted to end my little note by thanking you all for being part of my little newsletter world and for all the heartfelt, lovely messages you send me after every newsletter. I read through every single one and I have started collecting your beautiful messages and comments for posterity hoping to share some of those beautiful messages with the community. Thank you!
 New Recipes This Week »
Easy Potato Fish Cakes
An easy Potato Fish Cake recipe packed with herbs that can double up as a fish burger when you need to have a quick lunch. These herb-packed Potato Fish Cakes with Mediterranean flavours can be cooked on a pan or in the Air Fryer (I show you both methods). The Fish Cake mix can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for a couple of days too. Super handy!
Plum Pecan Crumble Cake
This cake is more than a tongue twister - it is a celebration of the end of summer and the promise of autumn. Plum Pecan Crumble Cake, is a rustic afternoon tea cake that would make your grandma proud. Delicious lemon-scented, almond-rich golden cake topped with slices of tart red plum and crunchy buttery pecan crumble. Must have with a cup of tea!
6 EASY DELICIOUS MAKE-AHEAD BREAKFASTS
A little breakfast prep goes a long way when you want to free up your mornings for early work starts or to squeeze in a walk or workout. Here are my top make-ahead breakfast recipe ideas - both hold and cold.
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1. APPLE TART OVERNIGHT SLOW COOKER OATS
I call this my "Ugly Delicious" breakfast! Whack some oats, applesauce, milk of choice, spices etc ... in a slow cooker and let it cook overnight. When you wake up, the house smells like warm apple pies. And when you put a warm spoonful of these delicious oats in your mouth, they are velvety and soft as clouds and so incredibly delicious, you want to cry!
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2. SPINACH GARLIC BUTTER BEANS
Imagine biting into a perfectly toasted sourdough slice topped with warm, smoky and garlicky butter beans tossed with mustard and spinach and fresh avocado slices kissed with lime! Imagine if all you had to do was pull out a box of these cooked beans and just warm them for breakfast! Perfect right? These take only 10 minutes to make and you can store them in the fridge for days!Â
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3. VEGAN SCRAMBLED SPICE EGGS (TOFU & SPICE SCRAMBLE)
Garlic, leek, peas and chilli caramelized in a pan before adding crumbled tofu, heaps of spices and herbs! No need for bread here as you can roll up the delicious vegan scramble in baby cos lettuce leaves, add a dash of hot sauce and enjoy the crunch and freshness of a light breakfast!
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4. ORANGE BIRCHER MUESLI
A bowl of chilled overnight Orange Bircher Muesli topped with fresh fruit is the kind of healthy decadence we all need. Creamy, delicious, citrussy and full of protein, fibre and spice, this muesli is the perfect refreshing start to a great day! Just mix and pop in the fridge. Lasts for days!
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5. ZUCCHINI & SWEET POTATO SLICE
I bet if you have a tray of golden-baked, nutrition-packed Zucchini And Sweet Potato Slice in your fridge; your mornings will become a whole heap easier. Just warm a slice of this delicious Zucchini And Sweet Potato traybake for each member of your family for breakfast or wrap in parchment paper and pack along with salad for lunch. This recipe has bacon but I have included easy vegetarian swaps too.
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6. BLACKBERRY OVERNIGHT FRIDGE OATS
It's like eating ice-cream for breakfast!! Make the delicious berry-yoghurt base in the blender in mere minutes, add the oats and chia, mix it up and pop in the fridge. Done! Probably the best overnight oats you will ever eat and don't forget all those glorious blackberry health benefits!
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My Cooking List From The Interwebs This Week
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Green Bean Curry
Roasted Tomato Sauce Sandwiches With Sourdough Foccacia
Easy Vegan Cashew Cheese
Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice Toastadas
Gooey Lemon Butter Cake
Spicy Crab Sushi Bake
Cabbage Steaks
Tepache (Fermented Pineapple Drink)
Spinach Feta Brownies
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Our little Cooking Club on Facebook Cook Republic Cooking Club is up and running! We have a few hundred members who are cooking, sharing, chatting .. so much inspiration and fun! Thank you to everyone who has joined so far.
The cookbook of the month for March 2022 is Ottolenghi's OTK - Shelf Love. We are tackling recipes with new techniques from this cookbook every week. This past week, we all made Pita with a beautiful Green Cannellini & Tahini Dip and some Confit Tandoori Chickpeas. Yum!Â
This week we are tackling Biang Biang Noodles with Numbing Oil & Creamy Tahini Sauce. It will be fun making these hand-pulled noodles!Â
So, come along and join us. Ask questions, post pictures, hang out and have fun!
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Baking is really soothing my soul right now and am enjoying these two new additions to my cookbook collection.Â
The Comfort Bake - Sally Wise
Baking With Fortitude - Dee Rettali
Food For Thought » Recent world events have probably seen everyone's mind plunge into turmoil with thoughts racing and stress increasing. I have something that might help.
Trataka - It is a Sanskrit term for "concentrated gazing" or "candle gazing", a form of meditation that involves staring at a small dot or the flame of a candle to purify your eyes while calming your mind. When you stare at an object without blinking, your eyes tear up purifying them and strengthening eye muscles. Closing your eyes and focusing on the "third eye" (spot between your eyebrows) aligns your mental balance. Our breathing patterns and vision are directly attached to our mental focus (upto 80%) and so practising breath and vision brings stillness and calm to the mind.
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How?
Light the candle and place it at eye level, ensuring it does not flicker
Sit in a comfortable meditative posture with the hands on the knees. Set an intention or simply breathe slowly to relax the body and develop stillness.Â
Close the eyes, and eventually open them, gazing at the center of the candle flame, just above the wick. Try to keep the eyes steady without blinking.
Gaze for as long as possible without straining the eyes, and then close them when you need to
With the eyes closed, turn the gaze up to the center of the eyebrows. Try to keep the image of the flame in your awareness for as long as possible, focussing upon it and studying any colours that may appear
When the image eventually disappears, repeat the process, continuing for 5-10 minutes
If the mind wanders, focus upon the breath, imagining the breath flowing in and out of the eyebrow center.
Robert Irwin talking about anger management and how it is okay to feel what you feel (while an angry bird keeps pecking at his finger) is priceless! His amazingly patient attitude and thoughtfulness is what we all need.
Have a Math whiz in your family? Check out Nerdle!
Do you know of shower bouquets?
Sarah Millican will crack you up when she talks about When Her Husband Changed The Bedsheets!
That's all folks! See you next week with more good things xx