Killer Recipe: Crumble Mix For You!

Mark and I love eating crumble in Winter, in fact all year round! We used to buy it already prepared at Harris Farm and then it disappeared from the refrigerated section... which led me to thinking about creating my own crumble recipe.

It always seemed like such a hassle - then I remembered watching Nigella Lawson prepare it in larger quantities and store it in the freezer in ziploc bags... looked promising. This Guardian article on 'How to make perfect crumble' was also very helpful when I was thinking about making my own crumble mix.

So my research began, and like any good recipe, it took on a life of its own. Mark and I have been enjoying our own crumble for months, and now I must attempt to type it down!

When I make my crumble I like to use this small rectangular pie dish from Donna Hay - just A$6.95 each! Ikea also sell something similar (at time of typing).

CRUMBLE MIX by Laura
- This makes enough for 6 small dishes of crumble (approx 6 large dessert spoons of mix per dish, using the dish mentioned above)
- I store it in 3 ziploc bags in the freezer as 2 of us like to eat it at the same time
- You can include all sorts of nut and cereal scraps from your cupboard, so be creative!
- I tend to focus on a lower sugar, lower carb mix and this is why I use far less flour than more traditional crumble recipes, feel free to adjust to your taste.

Ingredients (I call this the 'three cup' method)
1/2 cup of rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 cup of mixed nuts (I tend to use slivered almonds, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds)
1/2 cup flour (I like to use coconut flour if I have it available)
1/2 cup sugar (can also be a mix of brown and white, sometimes I use less than this)
Small handful of dark chocolate chips
1 teaspoon of vanilla (I use Ovvio vanilla powder, the best!)
50-70g of butter (again, up to you)
1 dessertspoon of coconut oil (optional)

Method
- Place flour and sugar in a bowl and rub the butter through with your fingertips (similar to when you are making scones)
- Add all other ingredients and stir through
- Store in ziploc bags in the freezer

To prepare a crumble mix
- Peel and dice an apple (or any other fruit), place in small oven dish
- Take crumble mix from freezer, sprinkle over the fruit
- Bake at 180 degrees celcius until golden (approx 20min)

Update: In Summer 2020 I have LOVED making this crumble with peaches! https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-peach-crisp-vegan-gf/

Singapore.

Hello Singapore morning!

I felt a bit hesitant telling people I was taking a holiday in Singapore, it's not most people's first idea when they are thinking holiday! But there were frequent flyer points to spend and corporate hotel rates to be had, and Mark enjoyed a conference there last year... so we decided to take the big unspoken babymoon in a nice, safe, clean country with centrally located healthcare (how very grown up of us) - and we had a wonderful time!

To start out, I have a bit of a history with Singapore, as does my family. In the 1970s my Mum and Dad lived in Malaysia while my Dad worked, and Singapore was the logical destination to 'take a break' or access services. In fact, I think it may have been discussed that it was an option that I could be born there, but Mum came back home to Sydney for that (I understand Mum actually went into labour just hours after getting off the plane? Richards family myth?) Anyway, I have always had little reminders of Singapore in my life, like my love of spicy food and the small gold trinkets Dad's workmates bought for me when I was born.

Then in my early 20s I thought I was moving back and made two trips over to check it out for myself. With hindsight, the whole thing not working out was the best possible thing to happen, although I did have jangly nerves and a heavy heart the last time I departed Singapore. How life has turned since then!

I was so worried I would end up despising the place for life and just passing through would bring back the trauma! But never mind about that because this time Singapore, all was forgiven. What did we get up to? What were my thoughts on the place?

The Marina Bay Sands.

First we stayed at the Marina Bay Sands, a huge hotel / casino consisting of three towers and the world famous pool on the roof. The pool is infact the best and worst thing about the hotel, as anyone can visit to take photos and swim and this results in big tourist crush! We still enjoyed the beautiful views from our large room (probably bigger than our Sydney apartment, but that's not hard) on the 48th floor (we got lucky there) - the room service samosas were particularly tasty!

 There is no such thing as a holiday without holiday reading!

 Another view from our room.

We were very lucky to have clear weather for most of our trip, something I have not really every experienced during other trips to Singapore. That meant lots of nice photos and refreshing daytime swims under blue skies!

First, Singapore is now as expensive as Sydney, if not more expensive - the exception being cheap cabs and trains (oh to have an MRT in Sydney!) So no real shopping to be had, not much. I was glad to go to H&M and find the maternity section where they had a great sale rack, where I scored a few things under $20. I'm 26 weeks now and I'm definitely turning to the stretchy things for comfort.

I couldn't help but notice (like other places I have visited) that the rich are getting richer and the everyday people are holding their ground, if not sliding a bit. Singapore does a great job of keeping things clean, and as there is no minimum wage, it seems that everyone is in a job and maintains a sense of dignity.
But the rich... window after window in shopping centre after shopping centre there were $50,000 watches and multi-carat diamond jewellery. Serious stuff that gets tiring very quickly! The whole prestige thing at this level wears thin with me, one could say this factor contributes to the whole 'soul-less' nature and impression of Singapore.

But lucky for us I found some guides (thanks Design Sponge!) so we could check out a few pockets of interesting along the way, we were taking a short break after all and it doesn't take alot to entertain us. Our first stop was a store called Books Actually at No. 9 Yong Siak Street, Tiong Bahru (a $5 taxi ride from anywhere really).
Another helpful guide to the 'new Singapore' can be found here.

Yong Siak Street appears to be one of the new 'cool places' to visit in Singapore, I really hope it continues to build and grow. The store had authentic character, with a fantastic room out the back full of vintage Asian items. It was worth a good half-hour of browsing. Yong Siak Street might not match Sydney's King Street or Melbourne's Brunswick Street quite yet, but the fresh excitement is palpable.
We also visited 40 Hands Coffee just across the street afterwards for some yummy snacks and reading time.

The wonderful Books Actually.

Vintage Asian Glassware - we drank out of Anchor Beer glasses (on the right) at home for years, little did I know that they are now reselling for S$38 each! Amazing!

Vintage PEZ dispensers at Books Actually.

Mark checks out the reading selection.

Woods in the Books, a children's bookstore also located in Yong Siak Street.

Cool hunting aside, we decided to get down to some real tourist business. First stop was the Singapore Zoo.
We booked tickets online and went for the Orangutan's Breakfast. Bus trip, breakfast and hanging out with the Orangutans was the same price as just paying for entry at Sydney's Taronga Zoo, so it was excellent value!

Cocky friends, all around the world :)

Meerkats! My body shape is beginning to look and feel more this way, I can empathise with this meerkat mum.

Orangutans at breakfast.

We also made a trip to the Botanical Gardens, which is one of my favourite places in Singapore. We watched expat dogs swimming in the fountains, checked out the impressive Orchid displays and sat by the lake watching the turtles. It gets a bit hot but a yummy ice block in the shade can fix that :)

We ran into a lizard friend as we visited the swans.

These lilypads are huge, promise!

The famous bandstand, built in the 1860s. Wouldn't it be great if they opened it up for music events again?

The famous Raffles Hotel.

Of course I wanted to experience something a little special while in Singapore so I took Mark to High Tea one afternoon at Raffles in the Tiffin Room. Treat-wise it was probably the tastiest High Tea I've ever had, Singaporeans sure do know their cakes and pastry! I'm sure Mark thought the most interesting part of the afternoon was that little birds were allowed to fly in and out through the hotel, but either way he endured.

Other eating moments while in Singapore were not quite as exciting or memorable as other times I have visited, although I did discover the lovely tasting kaya. Kaya is a sweet coconut jam that is spread mainly on toast for a snack, I really enjoyed it and brought a jar home to remember the trip - I had no idea that toast is such a big deal in Singapore, there are toast restaurants (even chains of them) all around the place, I'm serious!

We also spent a lovely lunchtime with one of Mark's old work friends Jen, her husband Carlos, son Gabriel and new baby girl Carla! We met at Din Tai Fung and heard all about her experiences as a newish-expat and also as new second-time mum! (I'm getting the sleep diary ready!)

Feeling especially rotund after all those dumplings, or I could just blame the stripey shirt!

I was also hoping to take Mark along to some hawker food stalls ('Food Centres') that I had very much enjoyed when previously visiting Singapore. Sadly, it seems this side of things is beginning to suffer and the 'freshly-prepared' aspect of things especially seems to be lacking - I nearly cried when I saw almost every stall keeping tired-looking food warm in bain maries! It makes me smile to think that we decided to wait to get home to Sydney in order to go and eat our favourite rendang and roti chennai!

The gorgeous TWG Tea Shop at Marina Bay Sands. Fifteen teabags for $30, anyone?

I very much enjoyed this way of carrying around a cup of tea!

Finally, I think Mark and I would both agree that our very favourite part of our trip was our experience at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. I think this is how I imagined hotels would be when I was a little girl. Entering this hotel is like opening a jewel box, all dimly lit with stunning orchids, hushed voices and exotic golden artworks on display.

Yes, it involved an upgrade to the top floor and amazing levels of service - combined with beautiful weather and a luxurious cabana by the pool! I wont say much else because it would be showing off - all I will simply say is, if you ever have the chance, stay at the Mandarin Oriental in Singapore!

The spa - yes, we treated ourselves to massages here!

Possibly the most beautiful pool I have ever had the pleasure of swimming in!

So should you visit Singapore? Definitely! In my heart I know it will lure me back in another few years (it always does!) so treat yourself to a stopover or short break sometime (what a shame Qantas has just made Dubai their hub) and enjoy the hospitality!

Killer Recipe: Jam Donut Muffins

First, thanks to Nigella, then my friend's flatmate Jen for passing on this recipe. After visiting Brisbane recently I was reminded of this very tasty treat and thought it time to get it all typed down properly.

JAM DONUT MUFFINS - LAURA'S WAY
Makes 6 (I would probably double this recipe, to be honest!)

2 cups plain flour (I try to use organic)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
4 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
A few shakes of cinnamon
1tsp Ovvio Vanilla Bean Powder (this stuff is amazing, look it up!)
1 cup milk
1/3 cup oil (I say use coconut oil if you have any, it really adds to the flavour)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs jam (I use IXL Raspberry, mainly because the jelly-like consistency stops the muffins from 'bursting' as they cook)
100g unsalted butter, melted, for brushing

 METHOD
- Preheat oven to 190°C and line a six-hole large muffin pan. T
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl.
- Stir in the sugar, coconut and vanilla bean powder and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the milk, oil, egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones. Mix until combined, but don’t overmix.
- Fill each of the cases about 1/3 full.
- Carefully add about a teaspoon of jam on top of the mixture in each case. Then carefully cover until the cases are almost full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cakes are golden on top and spring back when you touch them.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly.  Remove muffins from the tin.
- Put some caster sugar and a few shakes of cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
- Brush the tops of the muffins with melted butter and then press them into the caster sugar mix

Enjoy!

On being pregnant - part 2

So after my first post on pregnancy I didn't think I'd be writing much more, guess this is why there are so many 'mommy bloggers' out there; when you suddenly find what you need you feel like you should be sharing the good news with the world! More in my case I want to remember all of this so I will have meaningful gifts to buy when friends get pregnant, or if someone out there needs some advice without trawling the internet for hours (like I have, but I've sort of enjoyed it :).

I was really much more excited than I expected this morning when I received a package from Hatch Collection. My wardrobe is almost fully stocked with loose fitting or maternity clothes now, but it was recently my birthday and my mother offered to buy me a cardigan. Thankfully - Hatch had just gone on sale (otherwise it was a big NO). When the package arrived this morning the quality of the clothes were GORGEOUS, I can't wait to get home and hang them up!


Now that I am feeling in good health I can deal with a bit of fragrance again, but mostly still of a natural origin. This 'nourishing baby oil' by Burts Bees smells divine (like the ripest, fresh honey) and I love rubbing it on after a hot shower. I'm not sure if it prevents stretch marks or similar, but it would be such a lovely gift, I can't recommend it enough!



 














So... pregnancy pigmentation. It hasn't been as bad for me (so far) as what I thought I might be in for, and any makeup is a big effort for me - I rarely wear 'real makeup' anyway. Then my good friend Rebecca showed me this wonder product, I'm sold! It's a tinted moisturiser called 'In a Good Light SPF 30+' and you can get it from Mecca Cosmetica, perfect for all skin in my opinion! Thanks Rebecca!



Did you know there is such a thing as a Sleep Bra? I wish I had known months back! One of these clever items has gained me an extra hour or two of serious sleep per night since buying two about 3 weeks ago! Better still, they are not expensive. It sort of feels less like wearing a bra and is not quite as tight as a sports crop top, but it holds everything in place very comfortably. For some reason I was very against wearing a bra to bed, so here is the perfect answer!



I have been exercising throughout my pregnancy, not in the crazy way, just walking a few times a week and going to a pregnancy gym class twice a week - I've really enjoyed it so far. So here we go again, all about bras... but I recently replaced my sports top and this is the one for a pregnant body (or a large large chest)! If you visit the LuluLemon store in Sydney, they actually have a changeroom where you can 'test one out' on a mini-tramp! I have to laugh, the style is called 'ta ta tamer.'



I guess by now you may have realised that being pregnant means shopping a bit like crazy, but now that all of these special things are beginning to fit and come in handy, it's starting to be alot of fun :)

On being pregnant.

So here I am, with child! I thought I should make a collection of items and thoughts that have helped me along so far, so I'll split it into a few categories to move things along. I need to say outright pregnancy is not just about buying things, but I did find it really hard to get people pointing me in the right direction, so that's why this post has a product focus. I need to emphasise that pregnancy is different for everyone, so these things may not work for you! 

Reading.
I haven't been reading much and a lot of that is on purpose. I tend to simply access the internet when a question arises, using some websites that my GP gave me. That said I have really enjoyed reading 'Great With Child' by Beth Ann Fennelly - you can get it delivered to Australia for free if you buy it at the Book Depository.

Blog wise, I also very much enjoy reading the motherhood posts on Cup of Jo, the daily challenges of motherhood and running a freelance business on Sweet Fine Day, and the regular child-related posts on unruly things.

On the more official side of pregnancy blog reading I tend to go for Babble Pregnancy, which surprises me a bit considering it's owned by Disney!

Underwear.
I think this comes first in terms of taking care of yourself. I can hardly blame anyone for 'not telling me' but I was sore up top very, very quickly. Things were (and still are) ahem, growing very fast. So buy yourself a bra, just one or two, as quickly as possible! These are my favourite, they are by a brand called Cake Lingerie.

I was a bit freaked out they are 'nursing bras' but I did like the fact they are designed to grow with you, and grow with me, they have! They also wash very well and still look new after over three months of weekly wear, so I consider it excellent value for money (even though they are around A$50 a pop!)



I also bought one of these bras by Berlei recently and hope to buy a few more - a much more traditional bra that unfortunately wont be growing with me, but they are a little more unobtrusive than the Cake bras above.  

 














I also ended up some of these, aherm, nipple covers. I was in pain there for a few weeks, I wont say much more. If you end up pregnant, you will work it out!

Being Sick and Feeling Off.
I did feel sick, I just wasn't throwing up in public enough for anyone to care too much. I have been lucky in that when I do feel sick it's never for more than 15-20 minutes.

The main thing I needed to do was lie down and get cool (pretty hard at work!) I found ginger helped me the most. At first I was drinking ginger beer (it was convenient and available, but also very sugary) but then I started making my own drink by grating raw ginger into a cup and adding a lemon juice ice cube and some Pellegrino water. Much more healthy.

12 weeks in I also visited the wonderful Anthia Koullouros at Ovvio Organics. I had a 'Healthy Pregnancy' consultation, she really put me at ease and gave me some direction around my eating and lifestyle during pregnancy. It would be a lovely gift if you wanted to buy something meaningful for someone in early pregnancy, I considered it a little indulgent but well worth it.

I also really enjoy drinking Wort Organic soft drinks, when I am able to find them!

I am at 18 weeks now, and at this point it seems two things still make me ill: heat (as in walking around in the Sydney Summer for more than say, 20 minutes), and pure sugar (as in lollies or sweets). I still do the above if I feel that way and it seems to be what works for me. I feel tired (like 3am tired) every day or two still but again that doesn't garner much sympathy as most people feel tired these days, for one reason or another!

Clothes.
I should say straight up that I am not the 'normal body with a bump on the front' kind of pregnant lady, I look more like the Russian Doll that ate too much pudding. It's difficult not to be hard on yourself when you are pregnant but I knew from watching other members of my family with child that this was the way it was always going to be. So anyway, clothes!

I am most fortunate to have a friend living in the US who owns the 'Lil Shoppa international shipping service (you can use it too!). So far, the majority of my maternity wear has come from GAP Maternity, which is still not available in Australia - when I recently spoke to a sales consultant in the Sydney store they said it could be another 5-7 years!
Catch them during a sale and you wont be sorry - I just had 6 items delivered, including GAP maternity jeans and some leather shoes for A$115.

Some other items I really really like:

Bassike items in jersey - the T-Shirt has a longer tail and the pants (well, I never thought I'd be that attracted to the poo-catcher style!) are super for hanging out at home. It's all machine-washable and nothing seems to lose shape or colour. They are a little more expensive but I figure I'll still be wearing these items 5 years down the track regardless of the state of my body.

Ripe Maternity are online as well as stocked in some Myer stores so you can go in and try things on. I particularly like their seamless tank (fancy singlet) which washes beautifully and dries so quickly! It doesn't seem to roll up over the hips either, so don't be put off by the slightly more expensive price.

I also have a few cheaper T-Shirts in fun colours from Seed Heritage and some stretchy black dresses from Blue Illusion, both brands seem to cut quite sympathetically to the pregnant form!

Queen Bee seems to be the place to shop for lovely items and if a special occasion arises I'll be shopping there.

To be truthful, besides buying some new gymwear and a few larger cardigans in the coming weeks, I will be trying to not to buy too much more in terms of maternity wear - I am already half way there, after all!

Beauty.
I'm not a make-up girl and the main reason I'm writing about this here is that strange artificial smells from various toiletries were part of my nausea, particularly earlier on in the game. I mean, I could not even wash with palmolive soap without heaving! I found natural or basic fragrance worked best for me, and I've enjoyed the change. I'm not saying it would be the same situation for anyone else out there, but it needs to be said, I had to switch things around a few times before getting it right for me. Here are some yummy items that have really helped me along:

Aesop. Aesop anything really, particularly this Coriander body cleanser that smells nice and peppery!

L'Occitane Gentle Lotion. After 12 weeks this smell was sort of fresh and like baby powder, and I didn't find it too thick or greasy (I'm not going to discuss pregnancy and sweating, but yes, it happens!)

American Crew Citrus Mint Range. It's more expensive in Australia, but I particularly found their Cooling Conditioner good and minty for the hair! I found it at a local Barber - apparently it's a men's brand but I say it's for everyone.

I'm not going to say much about eating and drinking because that topic's way too touchy for so many people, but I've mainly been approaching this how I like. I have found that the stuff everyone tells you to worry about seems to happen naturally without much effort. For example 'Don't drink any alcohol' became so much easier a few weeks in when it seemed my tastebuds had changed and I just wasn't thinking about it anymore. A local listeria scare scared me off soft cheese. Although I'm a lifetime tummy sleeper as I have been growing I've been sleeping in other ways without much conscious effort at all - so no real need for big panic.

So enough about me although I might add to this from time to time... I'm guessing the next post will be all about baby! x

Knitting: Whelk Stitch

I use New Stitch a Day to learn new knitting stitches.
Here is the 'Whelk Stitch' which I have been knitting this weekend.

I have added photos of each row to help when I make mistakes!

Row 1 (RS): K3, *sl 1 purlwise, k3; rep from * to end.

Row 2: K3, *yf, sl 1 purlwise, yb, k3; rep from * to end.

Row 3: K1, *sl 1 purlwise, k3; rep from * to last two sts, sl 1 purlwise, k1.

Row 4: P1, sl 1 purlwise, *p3, sl 1 purlwise; rep from * to last st, p1.

Repeat rows 1 – 4 until you have reached your desired length.

Knitting: Little Pyramid Stitch

I use New Stitch a Day to learn new knitting stitches.
Here is the 'Little Pyramid Stitch' which I have been knitting this weekend.

I have added photos of each row to help when I make mistakes!

Row 1: k5, *p1, k5; rep from * to end.

Row 2: k1, *p3, k3; rep from * end with p3, k1.

Row 3: p2, *k1, p5; rep from * end with k1, p2.

Row 4: p2, *k1, p5; rep from * end with k1, p2.

Row 5: k1, *p3, k3; rep from * end with p3, k1.

Row 6: k5, *p1, k5; rep from * to end. Repeat these 6 rows until you have reached your desired length.