I’ve currently been in home quarantine for 7 days, so I’m halfway through after cutting my holidays early leaving Brisbane last week. My state (Tasmania) had just put in place that anyone returning to the state from overseas or the mainland had to self quarantine for 14 days as a precaution in case any of us had the Covid-19 Virus to stop the spread of this virus to the community. I like to remain positive so I have been keeping a diary on Facebook of what I’ve been doing & I have just loved cooking my way through the week.
I’m now in my 8th day of home quarantine and despite having a long list of things I have needed to do at home for quite some time, (I am very skilled at procrastinating!!) I have been watching some awesome, inspiring and fun live videos on instagram and facebook by some of my favourite Chefs. So I thought I would share my list so far and please let me know if you have anyone else to add to the list – I haven’t gone out of my way to search for these they came up on my feeds and I have started enjoying them and may be slightly addicted!! (I have barely watched netflix etc)
eloiseemmett.com has live cooking workshops with her kids about 3 times a week – visit her website to see what is coming up & you can even cook along – once I get some more ingredients I can’t wait to make some of the recipes!!
Massimo Mele has been sharing videos of his son cooking with him too and has more coming out soon.
UPDATE: I completed my 14 days in home quarantine only to continue into home self isolation. So not much has changed. I am unable to continue working at the gym and even though the gym is doing live stream classes to our members the Bodybalance class I teach has strict copyright laws, so members are still able to do all those classes on the Les Mills on Demand App and so am I. I am fortunate to be able to exercise at home even though it is not as much fun & my motivation is a bit low. I have a few bits of pilates equipment at home too so I have been enjoying a stretch on the roller too. We are allowed to go out to exercise and maintain social distancing and have no more than 2 people together (unless you have more than 2 in your immediate family). I try to go to my local dog beach once a day so my dog can get some exercise too and I take off my shoes and walk on the sand and in the sea water. It has always been my happy place and now even more so. I have had most of my food delivered and we are allowed to go out for essentials while maintaining social distancing.
Everyday I have a routine take a photo of the sunrise, go for a walk on the dog beach with bare feet & paddle in the water (as long as it is good weather). Choose cookbooks of the day to read – 1 non Thermomix cookbook and 1 Thermomix cookbook or cookidoo collection, I post these on my instagram stories and on my Facebook page. They are chosen in relation to facebook memories or what is going on at the time. Of course morning coffee, breakfast, lunch & dinner are very important parts of the day. Checking social media & posting food pics throughout the day. watching any live cooking videos that are on during the day and cooking along with any of the cookalongs. Saturday nights is virtual happy hour with my friends and Sunday nights are virtual family dinner night. There have been some great positives to come out of this time. I have slowly been ticking off a list of things I have always wanted to cook, some have been great and some not so great!! It is all part of the adventure.
We do Sunday Night Virtual Family Dinner via Facebook Messenger every week now – this is the Swedish meatball recipe from cookidoo.I love to watch the sunrise every morning – it’s a perfect way to start the day!!Saturday night Virtual Wine Time – I had some delicious grandvewe cheese and made the gourmet crackers & quince paste and my friends surprised me with a drop off of fresh oysters and Tasmanian Sparkling Wine that brought me to tears of joy!! We have continued a regular wine time and have a group chat every sat night at 6pm.DIY Atlas Dining Masterclass Week One VIETNAM – Fish Cake, Cucumber Salad – I have created a new post with all the recipes I am cooking from the masterclass here.So I had a crazy idea to do a live facebook video of me doing a cook along with Eloise Emmett’s live video – we thought it was hilarious!!Fresh Field Grove Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Quince Cupcakes – I ade 1/2 with steamed quince & half with my homemade quince paste.Immunity Boosting Shot from the Thermomix USA facebook page
Dalgona Coffee
Flu Fighter Chicken SoupEloise Emmett Braised Octopus with Weston Farm smoked paprika fresh pasta & olivesI ordered Frogmore at Home & it was so delicious more pictures to follow – I put a dress on and even some earrings for our wonderful date night at home.Fish Croquettes from Eloise Emmett’s live workshopChilli Mussels from the basic cookbookHot Cross Buns – recipe from the Basic CookbookOctopus recipe from the Tasmanian Pantry cookbookDani Valent’s recipe for Soft-bake Choc Chip CookiesLamb Tagine adapted a recipe from the Cornersmith cookbookHot Smoked Salmon & Feta Steamed OmeletteA friend dropped off a truckload of quinces so I made Quince JellyHomemade Pita (recipe on cookidoo) with Charlie Carrington’s signature Hummus recipeHamish Blake & Ben Shewry did a fun cookalong on instagram – 2 courses for a romantic dinner – We were given our list of ingredients to have ready and then 5000 people watched and cooked along!!I used frozen prawns and adapted the dessert recipe and made it in the thermomix lucky I had extra bowls!!Flambe Prawn Pasta was so delicious!! Also it was my first time doing Flambe!! Heaps of fun!!I didn’t fully melt my chocolate for the chocolate mousse so mine was a choc chip mousse but it still tasted delicious!! Hamish’s mousse look a bit like this too!! We made these 2 recipes in 1 hour with Ben instructing us – it was seriously the best fun ever!!Belated Easter Isolation Truffles – Orange, Cardamom & Pistachio Truffles from the Dani Valent siteIt doesn’t look pretty but it is Dani Valent’s Hungarian Grandmother’s Goulash recipe served with sweet potato mash.Chicken SoupRhubarb Champers – for some reason while in isolation I have decided it’s the perfect time to try all the recipes I have been meaning to make – this one is from the Devil of a Cookbook.Elaine’s Chocolate Cake recipe from Ben Shrewy’s grandmother – I was meant to go to a Masterclass at Attica so this was the next best thing.I made a delicious hot chocolate with the leftover ganache and my facebook followers gave me permission to eat cake for breakfast.I did an ANZAC slice cookalong facebook live with my customers I always like to put chocolate on top. I made a hot chocolate to clean the bowl YUM!! My pop is the one in the top far right in this picture.ANZAC morning spent on my front deck – we will rememberIt was such a special treat to have my favourite Sushi at home from Masaaki’sNico Moretti Recipe for Tom YumDani Valent recipe for Pasta with Burnt Butter and SageDarren Purchese Recipe for Canele’It’s been fun making my favourite weekend brunches at home while supporting local bakeries & producersNico Moretti recipe for Orecchiette con BroccoliApple Chilli JellyLittle Missy Patisserie at HomeNico Moretti’s Butterflied Roast Chicken with Herbed Lemon & Garlic ButterTakeaway Ramen from Panko ChanDani Valent Crumpet recipePineapple Pisco SourHuon Crab Apples dropped off to me from a friend’s treeHamish Blake & Ben Shewry’s TransTasman instagram cook along Fancy Fish n ChipsHamish Blake & Ben Shewry’s TransTasman instagram cook along Hot PavPumpkin Soup with Virtual Bacon Dust – my favourite Pumpkin SoupHumming Bird Cake I made for my friend’s birthdayISO Birthday Survival KitLittle Missy Patisserie EclairDarren Purchase recipe for Ched Bundy – Serial GrillerTried making the Aloft mushroom dumplings but they were not as nice as the Aloft ones!!Rosemary GimletCorn Custard with Chicken Congee from the Dani Valent site – recipe by Victor LiongHomemade tonic waterSpicy Tan Tan Ramen from Panko ChanTruffled Scrambled Eggs on Pigeon Whole Bakers home baked croissantPisco Sour – I used Pisco in the Atlas Masterclass for the Peruvian menu so I had to made some cocktails with the leftovers!!Pierogi – with homemade quark filling insideWe had a DIY Dark MOFO Winterfeast at a Friend’s house I made Bloody Mary Oyster Shooter’s with Bruny Island Oysters & Cape Grim VodkaChilli Mustard Prawns with Fresh Pasta
As you know I love a bit of a cookbook challenge and my cousin also has a love of cookbooks like I do. So when I visited her in Melbourne in February, we had fun just flicking through the pages of her cookbook collection and I fell in love with The Cook’s Table by Stephanie Alexander. I already have a few of her cookbooks but I love that this one has 25 fun themed menus and photos for every recipe. And the recipes look great too of course!! So my cousin & I decided to do a Julie & Julia style challenge in March to cook as many recipes as we can in this month. I feel like I’m cheating because I have a Thermomix LOL!! I promptly purchased a copy for my self and put rose petals in vodka to make the Rose Petal Liqueur _ It had to steep for a month. I will be going away towards the end of the month but I will take my cookbook with me!! Feel free to join in our challenge it’s going to be delicious fun!!
Pumpkin Scones from the Afternoon Tea menu
Christine’s Rose Petal Liqueur from the Valentine’s Day menu
Yoghurt Flatbread with Garlic and Herb Butter and Guacamole from the Teenagers Birthday menuSticky Pork Ribs with Barbeque Sauce from the Feeding a Crowd menuRadicchio White Bean Walnut and Pecorino Salad with Torn Croutons from the feeding a crowd menuChicken in Saffron Sauce served with Potatoes with Chorizo from the Andalucia menu.Jam & cream-filled sponge cake with rose-geranium leaves from the Afternoon Tea ChapterLemon Verbena Ice Cream
YAY!! Thermomix Australia have revamped the 28 Day Challenge – there are 2 to choose from the 28-Day Fresh Start Meal Plan and the 28-Day Savings Meal Plan. I have decided to do the Savings Meal Plan with some of the new recipes from the Fresh Start Meal Plan included because I have made most of those recipes last time I did the challenge. I will be doing a live facebook video of each recipe everyday (if i miss a day I will make up for it on a different day – I promise!!) And I will be posting a photo of the finished recipe on my instagram, facebook business page and also in the 28 Day Meal Plan facebook group. So who is up for the challenge? It’s a fun way to try new recipes!! I have had to start the on a Friday instead of a Sunday as I will be away towards the end of the 28 days!! Sign up here for free. The recipes are on cookidoo and you can sign up for a 30 day free trial of cookidoo too.
Day 1: Creamy Mustard Chicken Stew – I used sweet potato instead of the potato & I would definitely make it again it was yummy quick and easy!!Day 2: Lentil Bolognese – the recipe uses lentils from a tin – I cooked my own before starting the recipe.Day 3: Chocolate ‘feed a crowd’ CakeDay 4: (Meatless Monday) Vegetable Curry with Cauliflower CouscousDay 5: Barley Bacon & Chorizo SoupDay 6: PastitsioDay 7: Pork Meatballs with CouscousDay 8: Fake Away Friday – Quick Chicken CurryDay 9: ShakshukaDay 10: Chicken and Cashew Stir FryDay 11: Meatless Monday Smoky Beetroot and Black Bean Sliders with Soused Cucumber – served on Buckwheat and Almond Slider Buns.Day 12: Beetroot Salad with Raita DressingDay 12: Texas-style Lovely LegsDay 13: Apricot Chicken RisottoDay 14: Kangaroo Harissa Polpette with Lentils and KaleDay 15: Fake-away Friday Gozleme
Day 16: Health by Chocolate Torte (Skinnymixers recipe)
Day 17: Gluten Free Flour MixDay 18: Smashed Potatoes with Rosemary SaltDay 19: Corned Beef with Mustard SauceDay 20: Chopped Asian SaladDay 20: Open Fish BurgersDay 21: Coffee-rubbed Beef with Fennel SaladDay 22: Nasi GorengDay 23: Hash Browns with Chive Cottage CheeseDay 24; Chicken, Leek and Corn PieDay 25: Meatless Monday – Pulled BBQ JackfruitDay 26: Chunky Bolognese -Skinnymixers recipeDay 27: (My last day) Chocolate Cream Pie – I added cherries on top of the chocolate custard!!
What a wonderful relaxing way to spend an afternoon – eating and drinking, learning about flavour combinations and secrets to success for homestyle cooking. See all the official photos of the day here. Lee Ho Fook meaning translates as ‘good fortune for your mouth’ and it certainly was!!
We were greeted by Dani Valent & Victor Liong and introduced to the other 8 guests. We were given a fig leaf iced tea to try (I’m going to try to make that recipe soon too) and some fried wontons to get us started. Victor talked us through our Asian sauce tasting, so we could understand the importance of balancing the flavours and we were given a ratio chart along with our recipes too. We tasted Victor’s signature dish Steamed Barramundi with Ginger & Spring Onion Oils. Victor said he bought a Thermomix just to make the Spring Onion Oil – because it is so easy to make with the Thermomix. It’s a great way to use up all the green parts of the spring onions and check out the awesome colour too!!
Steamed Barramundi, Ginger and Spring Onion – recipe by Victor Liong
After a tour of the restaurant, we had a stir fry demo 2 ways – restaurant verses home. Both delicious, but it’s a little slower for us at home not having the same equipment as the restaurant.
Next we had our Martini masterclass, where we watched the Lee Ho Fook version of a Vesper Martini being made and then we had to taste test it too!! Tough day I know!! As we said our goodbyes, we were given our goodie bags with take recipes, asian dipping sauce, vesper martini and Lee Ho Fook Tea. As you can see I had lots of fun recreating the easy, delicious and adaptable recipes at home.
Stir Fried Rice Noodles with Garlic Stems and Beansprouts ( I couldn’t get Beansprouts!!)Vesper Martini
There have been a few versions of The Basic Cookbook which comes with your Thermomix – each time it gets bigger & better. There are so many great base recipes from this book so I thought I would share some photos of the recipes I have made from this book. As the name suggests they are basic recipes so play around and add extra chilli, extra cheese or whatever takes your taste buds fancy.
ANZAC BiscuitsPot Set Yoghurt
Homemade Butter
Banana BreadVegetable Stock PasteFocacciaChilli Mussels with Thyme and TomatoVanilla Custard
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