Category: breakfast

{Spencer Cooks} Vegetarian Mushroom Bao

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I love baos (steamed buns) of all sorts! It’s the one thing I would order when I’m at yumcha. So when I got saw a recipe to make these mushroom looking vegetable buns, I leaped at it!

Before having Spencer, I would never think about making the dough for the steamed buns. But it was just easy peasy and I loved how it turned out! Soft and fluffy, and these are perfect if you’re a vegetarian! I might or might not have stopped at one. haha

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How cute do they look? hehe You would not believe what is the ingredient that the buns are dipped into before steaming them. Any guesses?? COCOA POWDER! I was a bit hesitant to do it, as I wasn’t sure if that would turn the buns sweet. But they didn’t! I couldn’t really taste the chocolate at all. Magical! I was totally amazed!

So here’s the recipe. I hope you’ll try them and let me know what you think!

Vegetarian Mushroom Buns (Recipe by Janice Tung)

Ingredients :

For the filling:

15g vegetable/olive oil

2-3 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and diced (marinated with 2 tsp of sesame oil, 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp oyster sauce and 1 tsp sugar)

30g carrots

1 pc seasoned tofu, diced

80g turnip

30g chives, diced and marinated with 2 tsp of oil & a pinch of salt)

1/2 tbs dark soy sauce

salt and pepper, to taste

For the buns :

130g water

20g oil

20 caster sugar

1 tsp instant yeast

250g pau flour (you can get them from asian supermarkets)

pinch of salt

 2-3 tbs cocoa powder

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Method :

  1. To make the filling: In the Thermomix bowl, add the carrots, turnips and chives and chop for 4 seconds/sp 5/ MC on.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients of the filling and cook for 5 mins/ 120C/ Reverse Spoon/ MC on. Set aside. Wash and dry the bowl. IMG_6589-1
  3. To make the buns : Add the water, oil, caster sugar and instant yeast into the bowl. Mix for 1 min/ 37C/ Sp 2/ MC on. Add the pau flour and knead for 2 mins.
  4. Transfer the dough onto a Thermomat/ a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 16 pieces and form into round shapes. Roll into flat pieces. Place 1 heaped teaspoon of filling into each piece and pinch sides together.Wrapping the vegetable bao-1
  5. Have a bowl of water on the side. Dip the bun into the water and then into the cocoa powder. Using a sharp knife, lightly cut a cross (X). Place the buns into the Varoma dish and tray. Allow to proof for 30 minutes. IMG_6600-1
  6. Place 600g of water into the TM bowl, stack the Varoma into position and steam for 18 mins/ Varoma/ Sp 1.

Enjoy it immediately while it’s hot! If you are freezing these, just resteam them for 10 minutes and enjoy them for breakfast or tea!

Follow me on Thermolove to get more inspiration!

Remember to always cook and bake with love!  

Food For Families Campaign

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The Wesley Mission Victoria is holding it’s 24th annual flagship appeal to help Melbourne families that are in crisis. They help by providing nutritional food and household essentials during Christmas and throughout the year!

I’m happy to be part of this meaningful campaign and we should all try to do a little bit for those in need. Pay It Forward if you will! So what can you do? There are a few ways which you can go about helping out in this campaign!

  • You can register to receive a donation box for your workplace, school or community group. Your participant pack, including box/es is delivered and collected by a Wesley volunteer before Christmas. 
  •  Items that are most popular with families that visit the Wesley pantry include ready to eat meals, pasta/noodles and sauces, cereal, baby food and UHT milk. A full list of items is available on our website.
  •  If you are unable to contribute to a collection, you can also help by making a donation. Visit wesley.org.au.
  • Monetary donations are used to purchase fresh and frozen foods, including fruit and vegetables, to supplement the donated non-perishable food supplies.

If you want to know more please don’t hesitate to jump onto wesley.org.au for more information about the appeal and the different ways you can get involved!

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As a new mum, it is always a joy to see the little man enjoy his food, and I wish that every mum/parent could do the same!

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With your donations (be it food or money), you will ensure that families experiencing tough times can put food on the table this Christmas and throughout 2016!

The Wesley Mission Victoria is aiming to collect 30 tonnes of non-perishable goods to distribute to the crisis centres nation-wide! And you will be surprised to know that you can cook nourishing meals from non-perishable food items alone!

I was lucky to receive the recipe from the ambassador of Wesley Mission Australia and ex-Masterchef 2015 contestant, Sara Oteri! Of course, I’m going to share with you one of them that I am going to try it for myself! Sounds too yummy to give it a miss, plus it’s always been something I want to try and make for breakfast!

Overnight Oats (Soaked Muesli) (Recipe by Sara Oteri)

Ingredients:

OATS

2 cups Oats

2 cups Soy milk or long life milk

2-4 tbsp honey

¼ cup passionfruit pulp

5- 10 prunes roughly chopped

Mixed seeds

TOPPING

Desiccated coconut

Tinned peaches (or any tinned fruit of your choice)

MuesliING

Steps :

  1. Put all the ingredients to make the muesli into a bowl, mix well, then leave covered in the fridge overnight.
  2. In the morning you should wake to a beautiful soaked muesli with just the right amount of moisture. If for whatever reason it’s too dry for your liking, simply incorporate a touch more milk.
  3. Finish with coconut flakes and some tinned peaches or any fresh fruit/frozen berries you have lying around.

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Easy, simple and nutritional! Best way to start your morning. So hop onto the website and help in any way you can! This would ensure that everyone can start their morning right and bright!

P.S. Thank you for this opportunity Wesley Mission Victoria, to help those people in need. This is something, indeed, really close to my heart and a campaign I really believe in.

Photo credits – Wesley Mission Victoria 

{Spencer Cooks} Gula Melaka Kaya

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For those who follow me on Instagram (@lianneelow) you would know I have a new baby. A machine baby haha My dearest mr has got me the dream machine of my life – A thermomix! I was so so excited when I placed my order and couldn’t wait for it to arrive! I have to admit, I’ve always wanted one. But gave it a pass cos of two main reasons – 1) the cost and 2) I already have a whole range of machines in my small kitchen. But having it for the past 2 weeks, I think I can now sell my other machines (besides my kitchenaid hehe)!

Spencer

So everyone, meet Spencer! (: Don’t ask me how I came up with the name. It just came to me when I got it. So Spencer it is! I’ve not stopped using it since it arrived! And don’t you worry, I will be sharing the recipes I’ve tried (and some original recipes, hooray!) with all of you! hehe

The very first thing I’ve made is  recipe I’ve been wanting to make for ages. I kept it in my “in case I get a thermomix folder” haha Gula Melaka Kaya (Coconut jam)! YUM! Living in Singapore, our breakfast staple is hot and crispy kaya toast with a cup of hot tea/coffee, with a side of half-boiled eggs! Seriously the best start to the day! So I was really excited to make it so we could have that in Melbourne too!

Piggy currant buns with kaya

Lochlan was super lucky and loved to get some delicious soft and fluffy piggy buns from The Bakeanista (check her blog out! She makes the most amazing bread!) and I too had some with the kaya that I made! Perfect combination! Mmmmmm (:

So here is the recipe for the Gula Melaka Kaya that Spencer made!

{Spencer Cooks} Gula Melaka Kaya (Coconut Custard Jam, Recipe from Thermomix Recipe Community)

250g Gula Meleka

3 egg yolks, large

1 whole egg

250g coconut cream (I used Kara carton)

3 fresh pandan leaves, tied into a knot

Steps :

Milling the gula melaka

1) Break the gula melaka into ice-cubed sized pieces before putting them into the thermomix. Mill the gula melaka, speed 10/10secs.

Milled gula melaka

2) Add egg yolks and egg, mix speed 3 until the sugar has dissolved. Using the spatula, scrape the base to make sure all the sugar has dissolved.

Add the egg and egg yolks

3) Cook for 10 mins/90 degrees/Speed 3.

4) Add coconut cream and pandan knot into the mixture, cook for 45 minutes/100 degrees/reverse/Speed 3. Leaving the MC out allowing the steam through.

Adding coconut cream and pandan knot

5) Check the consistency of the kaya, it should be thick, glossy and smooth. If it’s not thicken, repeat step 4 for another 10 minutes. Allow it to cool then place into glass jars/jam jars and keeps well  in the fridge for 2-3 weeks!

Kaya ready!

I was surprised that it wasn’t the deep dark brown kaya I was looking for. But it was still thick, glossy and absolutely delicious! I have also collected more kaya recipes and will be trying them again soon! So stay tuned for the comparison!

Piggy currant bun

Remember to have it with some toast/bun and a cup of hot coffee/tea! (:

Have a great Hump Day everyone and remember to always cook and bake with love!

Savoury Oats with a Twist!

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I’ve got a new obsession. Savoury oats! All along, I’ve been having my oats with honey, fruits and even with the addition of Milo (OMG it’s super good haha) but I’ve been trying to see if there are other ways to cook oats and make the little man like it as well!

So i found the recipe from Martha Stewart and I just had to try it out. It had the ingredients that Lochlan loved – cheese & egg – so it must be a winner, right? RIGHT! hehe He absolutely loved it and could finish it all. Of course, his egg was cooked through and I kept mine runny, cause it adds a sauce to the oats, and it’s just absolutely delicious!

Savoury oats

So using Martha Stewart’s recipe as the base, I did added more savoury ingredients that I thought would pump it up! And this morning, I made a winner. With the addition of crispy bacon bits! I mean, how can I not? Bacon makes everything yummier right? ABSOLUTELY! hehe

So here’s the recipe for my favourite version of the savoury oats. You can pretty much add your favourite ingredients and it would taste yummy! hehe

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Savoury Oats with Sunnyside Up, Bacon & Cheese (Adapted from Martha Stewart, Recipe for 2 adults, 1 toddler)

1 cup quick oats (I used Macro Quick Oats)

3-4 large eggs (depends on how many eggs each person eats)

3-4 tbs shredded cheddar cheese

1-2 slices of bacon, chopped finely

1-2 tbs chopped chives

1-2 tbs fried scallions

Maggi seasoning (Optional, for adults)

Tamari (Optional, for toddlers)

Steps :

1) In a medium size pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the quick oats and simmer till oats are tender, about 5 minutes.

2) While thats cooking, heat a frying pan and fry the bacon bits till crispy. Pour onto a kitchen towel to absorb the oil. Then using the same pan, fry the eggs on a low heat, till all the egg whites are cooked, leaving the yolk runny. For toddlers, flip the egg and cook the yolk through.

3) To serve : Pour the oats into 3 bowls, top with the shredded cheese, then sprinkle some bacon. Top with the sunny side up egg and season with a few drops of maggi seasoning/ tamari. Then sprinkle a bit more bacon, chopped chives and fried scallions. ENJOY!

Savoury oats with runny yolk egg

Let me know what your favourite combinations are! Would definitely like to give them a go (:

Remember to always bake and cook with love! Till the next post, xx!

{Travels} My Guide Around Surry Hills, Sydney

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About 3 weeks back, the Mr and I decided to surprise my sister-in-law and brought her to Sydney for the weekend as her birthday present! Needless to say, the smile on her face when she opened the envelop containing her printed air ticket was priceless! It has been a long time since we went to Sydney as well, so I was super excited to go!

We were so lucky to be able to stay at Cambridge Hotel that is located at the heart of Surrey Hills. Everything was just a stone-throw away! In this post, I will be sharing with you the different places we dined at that were all located in Surrey Hills, and a walkable distance from the comfort of our hotel!

First stop : Devon Cafe

Devon Cafe

Of course, to maximise our stay, we took one of the earliest flight out and arrived early in the morning! haha As we were too early to check in to our hotel, we decided to stop by one of the cafes that has been on my list for the longest time for breakfast! Plus it was close to the hotel too! (:  We were greeted by the most enthusiastic and friendly staff which instantly brightened up our morning!

Muffins, pastries & burgers

If you wanted something light or quick, they had a good range of savoury and sweet on display! Croissants, muffins, brioche and tarts! Especially if you wanted something to pair with your coffee-on-the-go! hehe

Our usual cuppas

We started our breakfast with our usual hot cuppas! Chai soy latte for me, latte for the mr and hot chocolate for Melissa!

Chai soy latte

I absolutely loved the pot used to serve my chai latte! hehe It was so japanese inspired and wanted to smuggle it back! haha Of course I didn’t, I still wanted to head back to Devon Cafe when I am traveling in Sydney again. hehe

Chick n Chips

There were so many things on the menu that we were drawn to. Everything just sounded so delicious! Melissa was tossing between sweet or savoury, but decided on the Chick n Chips! When it arrived, the smell was AMAZING! I was salivating just inhaling the smells. haha It had a chicken sausage, crispy confit wing smoked potato, fried egg, jus gras, chicken skin and chips! Yes, crispy chicken skin! DELISH!

green eggs and ham

The Mr ordered the special of the day, and I could totally understand why! It’s a play on the typical green eggs and ham but definitely elevated to a whole new (and better) level and everything the Mr loves! Thick cut bacon, Jerusalem artichoke puree, 63 degree eggs with wild mushroom, parsley & garlic cream and topped with crispy Jerusalem artichokes! Absolutely delicious! The plate was close to being licked clean!

Devon's granola

I wanted to start the trip with something healthy, as I knew how indulgent I will be for the rest of the day! haha So I decided to order Devon’s granola! How pretty is it? hehe It has house made granola, vanilla yoghurt, poached pear and freeze dried raspberries!  Loved all the different colours and how the freeze dried raspberries just pop!

Devon's granola

Seeing how pretty it is is making me itch to make my own granola and have it for breakie!! Think I just might! (: So after a filling and satisfying breakfast, we decided to head over to Cambridge Hotel to check in!

Front Desk of Cambridge Hotel

(Photo credits : http://www.cambridgehotel.com.au/)

When you enter the hotel lobby, you’re greeted by the smiles on all the faces of the staff! It took less than 10 minutes to get us all checked in and headed up to our room!

our room

How inviting are the rooms? Really spacious for the 3 of us too! This was the premium twin double room and our room had stunning views too!

Welcome chocolates

And how thoughtful are the staff at Cambridge Hotel? A box of handmade chocolates to warmly welcome us to our room and Sydney! Isn’t it the little things that really count and make an impact to your holidays? Love it!

Second Stop : Bourke Street Bakery

Address : 633 Bourke Street, Surry Hills

Opening hours : 7am – 6pm (Mondays to Fridays)

7am – 5pm (Weekends)

Bourke Street Bakery

After taking a short break (aka taking a power nap haha) we decided to walk to Bourke Street Bakery! I was so happy when I realised how close it was! Just a 15 mins slow walk brought us to this amazing bakery! It’s always pretty packed and there is always a queue, but it moves pretty quickly and trust me, it’s worth the wait!

Pork and fennel sausage rolls

Before going on to the sweets, we decided to have their sausage rolls! So glad we did though cause it was so so so so good! The pastry was flakey and buttery and the pork and fennel filling was absolutely delish! We shared as we wanted to have space for the sweets which we already aimed or while we were ordering the sausage rolls! hehe

Sweet pastries

The mr really wanted a croissant, but they only had the plain ones left! It was still really good though! No regrets getting it! hehe We couldn’t resist ordering the famous ginger creme brûlée tart, especially since the mr loves creme brûlée! And just when we were about to pay, a tray of freshly baked rhubarb frangipane tarts came out of the oven, so I had to get one! Trust me, nothing is better than a piping hot tart, fresh out of the oven!

Ginger creme brûlée tart

The ginger creme brûlée tart was nothing short of amazing! The short crust pastry was buttery and absolutely love how creamy and luscious the filling was! There was also a good hit of ginger, which the Mr absolutely adored! We may or may not have bought 2 more to bring back to our hotel. haha

Third stop : RoboCog Cafe

Address : 249 Riley Street, Surry Hills

Robo Cog

I absolutely love how the hotel is surrounded by small cafes, and all of them have something that would draw you in! Just down the road was a cute little cafe called Robocog which I had a cuppa with the gorgeous Heather (:

The inside of robocog

The interior was really warm, cosy and inviting. Their menu was in a shape of a robot (but I didn’t get to snap a shot of it, oops!) They had quite a spread food wise, but we were just there for coffee and to catch up!

Decaf cappuccino

I ordered the decaf cappuccino which had quite bold flavours but was smooth to taste! It’s been a while since I had coffee but still enjoyed it! I really love meeting up with people after only communicating over emails/instagram/twitter! Was an absolute pleasure!

Forth Stop : Chat Thai

Address : 20 Campbell Street, Haymarket

 Chat Thai

I know this isn’t exactly located in Surry Hills, but it’s a short 5 minutes drive or a 20 minutes brisk walk from the hotel! Chat Thai has been on everyone’s lips when they do head to Sydney and we didn’t want to miss having it! So off we went, in the cold, and walked there for dinner one night!

Cute lights

Although we went around 615pm (which I thought was quite early), we still had heaps of people infront of us and we waited for a good 40 minutes for our table! Fortunately there were a few thai supermarkets which we could pop in to have a walk or when we felt too cold to wait outside! When it got colder, the staff brought out the gas heater, which definitely made the waiting less painful!

papaya salad

We started our meal with a bang! A huge chilli hit! The papaya salad (som dtum) was so spicy I could only have one portion! Don’t get me wrong, it was delicious, but just too spicy for me. I think we could have let them know the level of spice, but we didn’t and we were given the maximum one! haha

Grilled pork neck

This was my favourite dish of the night. Grilled pork neck (khor mhu yaang) with smoked chilli and tamarind relish! The pork neck was so tender and the sweet & sourish relish complimented each other really well. A must order dish if you ask me! (:

Thai green chicken curry

When we have thai, it’s a must to order a bowl of green curry as well! This was the thai green chicken curry with apple egg plants, kaffir lime leaves and basil! So fragrant and just the right amount of heat! Could easily finish a bowl of rice just with the curry gravy! Mmmm!

dtom yum goong with king prawns

The dtom yum goong with king prawns had the most intense and amazing flavours! Every sip tasted like prawns! SO GOOD! We couldn’t stop saying WOW. haha In fact, we were still talking about it the next day!

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The last savoury dish we ordered was the crispy fried whole snapper with a roasted chilli and garlic sauce. When it arrived, we all thought we were in for another spicy journey haha But it actually was a good balance of sweet & spicy! The fish was also cooked perfectly. NOMS!

Durian sticky rice

We were so stuffed by the time we polished off the savouries, but the Mr couldn’t resist ordering the durian sticky rice! We did want the mango sticky rice, but mangoes weren’t in season. So durian it is! Many might not like this King of the Fruits, but we absolutely adore it! Creamy and sweet, we finished it too quickly! hehe

Fifth Stop : Bills

Address : 359 Crown Street, Surry Hills

Bills

Last and definitely not the least, Bills. I remember the first time I came to Sydney, the only place I wanted to try then was Bills. This time was no different. Bills was still on my to-go list and one thing I wanted to have was the fluffy ricotta hotcakes! We went around 1030am and had to wait for a good 45 minutes. But is it worth the wait?

Ricotto hotcakes with banana and honeycomb butter

ABSOLUTELY! Look at how fluffy the hotcakes are??? Piping hot with bananas and a honeycomb butter and a drizzle (or a heap haha) of maple syrup! YUMMO! I just couldn’t stop eating!

Ricotta hotcakes

Oh my gosh. I’m having some serious hotcakes pregnancy cravings this instant! hehe They are seriously amazing. You definitely have to make a trip there when you are in Sydney or around Surry Hills! Head there early if you want to reduce the queueing time!

Bills

The place was constantly crowded but the staff still wore smiles on their faces! Love it!

Hot chocolate

I was so excited about the hotcakes I forgot to talk about the drinks we had! Melissa ordered the hot chocolate and boy was it good! It was made by coating the bottom and sides of the glass with chocolate buttons and pouring hot milk in! Ooh lala! She was definitely one happy girl! hehe

Beet root juice

I decided to go for something healthy and refreshing – Beet root, carrot, fennel & apple!

I really hope you enjoyed my eating journey around Surry Hills! Our bellies were definitely happy through the 3 days we had in Sydney. Just want to thank the Mr for planning the trip, Heather for helping with the accommodation and Cambridge Hotel for the comfortable stay we had for the 2 nights!

Have a great week ahead everyone! Remember to always cook and bake with love!

Till the next post, xx

New Found Gem : Mr. Brightside

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Mr. Brightside

Brunch. Something I truly truly adore and look forward to on weekends! It was the long weekend last week, and the Mr and I were looking for a place nearby to have brunch. We usually head to our usuals favourites in Bentleigh (Merchants Guild & Little Tommy Tucker), but we really wanted to find something different, and still close by!

Thank goodness for Eat Fresh Eat Local (twitter: @FreshBestLocal) l who introduced me to The Homemaker Report, I found a place that was just 10 minutes away from our place – Mr Brightside !

Mr Brightside

A cosy cafe tucked in the corner, it was just filled with locals who knew one another. We were greeted with warm smiles by the staff and as it was pretty packed, we sat outside. But no fear, there were heaters right above us to keep us warm and toasty!

Our usual drinks

We also ordered our usual drinks to keep our tummies warm! The mr had a latte, I had Calmer Sutra soy chai latte and Melissa had her favourite hot chocolate! I pretty much knew what I wanted to have when I saw the menu online before heading there, but I knew they had specials for the day too, and asked the Mr to help me check the board. One of the staff (wish I got his name!) joked with the Mr and said now we aren’t able to hear him say it in his special voice! haha Too funny! He came out shortly after to explain what the specials were. SO FRIENDLY! Seriously love the service at Mr. Brightside! Made brunch a lot more enjoyable!

Challah French Toast

I still decided on the challah french toes with maple syrup and mascarpone! There’s an option of adding bacon, and how could I not?? Maple syrup and bacon is the best combination! This was my kind of heaven. The challah toast was crispy on the outside and still soft in the middle. Together with the mascarpone, absolutely delish!!! If you want a good french toast, this is it!

Potato hash brown

Whenever there is a potato hash on the menu, the mr would definitely order it, and this was no different! He loves his hash, and this hash he absolutely loved! In fact, he said he might have found the best hash he’s had! Super golden and crispy, with a moist and tender centre! Can’t get better can it? It is served with beef brisket and he added a side of mushrooms!

Perfectly poached eggs

When the Mr cut into the poached egg, liquid gold was spilling out! I have to admit, poached egg is one thing I do miss to have for breakfast!

Big Breakfast

Melissa ordered the Big Breakfast and boy, they weren’t joking about it being big! 2 sausages, bacon, roasted tomatoes, scrambled eggs, potato hash and toasts! She could hardly finish it and was filled all the way till dinner!

Mr. Brightside

We were all so happy to find Mr. Brightside, with delicious food and super friendly staff, there’s no doubt that we will be back again and very very soon! I bet you want to head down for that plate of french toast now! hehe

Happy weekend everyone! x

Mr Brightside on Urbanspoon

Little Tommy Tucker

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It’s old news how much I adore having brunch. The one reason why I look forward to weekends and holidays! I get even more excited if we are checking out a new place, and it can only get better if the new place is near home! Little Tommy Tucker fits all criteria!

Interior of LTT

The moment you step through the doors, you are warmly welcomed by everyone, with wide smiles on their faces. Just feel so cosy and at ease, and you just know breakfast/brunch is going to be awesome. And indeed, it was. We went there through the recommendation of The Hums and decided to bring Jacky (our best man), Linda and the Ho Clan there for brunch!

Prana chai

What got me even more excited was that they served my favourite fresh chai! Prana chai! It’s the same type of deliciousness that Merchants Guild serves! YIPPEEE! Always the best way to start my morning. If you haven’t tried Prana Chai, I urge you to! You would love it! The only way to have chai latte is using fresh leaves and spices. In fact I’m gonna say, it should be the ONLY way cafes serve their chai!

hot chocolate

Melissa ordered her usual hot chocolate, and it was thick and chocolatey. I know it sounds funny, but there are some hot chocolates that are a little too milky, but this isn’t one of them. Mmmm!

latte

The Mr also had his usual latte. A good balance of sharpness and acidity! Although they didn’t have a large for dine-in, they suggested for the mr to have it in a take-away cup so he could get more of his caffeine fix!

Flat white

Jacky ordered a flat white and I love how intense the colour contrast is between the shot of coffee and the milk. Always admired baristas who are able to make pretty latte art. hehe

Smoked salmon scramble

Both Melissa and Jacky ordered the smoked salmon scrambled eggs with creme fraiche and chives. How delicious does that look?? The eggs were so so creamy and rich, with the right amount of flavour from the smoked salmon.

green eggs and ham

I couldn’t resist ordering the green eggs and ham, with an additional side of butter thyme mushrooms! I have this thing for green eggs. Whenever it’s on the menu, I have an inclination to order them. haha Not sure if the Dr Seuss book had any influence but eating it reminds me of the book! haha “I do so like  green eggs and ham! Thank you! Thank you, Sam-I-am”

pulled pork roll

This caught the eye of the mr while browsing the menu : Pulled Otway pork roll with tomato relish and watercress topped with a sunny side up! How beautifully yellow is that egg yolk? Would love a little bit more sauce for the pulled pork though the pork was very tender and well seasoned!

chicken Schnitzel

This has got to be one of my favourites of the day! Please do note that it’s on the lunch menu, so head there after 12 if you wanna try this! It’s a huge piece of golden brown schnitzel that is so crunchy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside. It matched perfectly with the crunchy and refreshing fennel & apple slaw! Such a delicious combination! Definitely a must if you love your schnitzel!

Little Tommy Tucker

There is absolutely no doubt that I will be back again, in fact, I’ve already been back once since this first visit of ours and everything was still as good, or even better! So the next time you’re around the Bentleigh area, remember to drop by and give them a try! Till the next post, xx

Happy Hump Day everyone!

Little Tommy Tucker on Urbanspoon

Brunch Treat : Three Bags Full

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Three Bags Full

Good evening dear readers! I hope you had a good weekend! I sure did and I always wish it would last longer! Weekends are always really precious to me, especially when there are special events to attend. A couple of weeks back, I was lucky enough to win an instagram (follow me on @lianneelow) competition by Three Bags Full (@threebagsfullmelb) and won a free brunch for me and 3 friends! WHOOPEEDOO! I couldn’t quite believe it, in fact I didn’t know it until Ling P (@sixinchheel) texted me and told me I was one of the lucky winners!

Winning brunch at Three Bags FullI called up and booked a table for the approaching weekend and I knew who I would ask along. The Mr, without saying, and the Hum family! (: I had to see my munchkin at least once a week. haha I am obviously obsessed with that girl!

Paige and I

When we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by all the staff and Sam, the manager, told us to go crazy! haha The interior was really warm and welcoming and I absolutely loved the decor.

where the coffee / drinks magic happens

We couldn’t stop smiling and just wanted to have everything on the menu, cause everything looked and sounded delicious! While deciding, we ordered our drinks!

chai soy latte

I couldn’t go pass having my chai soy latte, as I was really craving for some warmth and comfort.

The boys, who loves their coffee, were recommended to have the hot aeropress coffee (kenya blend) and while waiting for it to be ready, they made some cold drip coffee (same kenya blend) for us to try!

cold drip coffee

How pretty is the bottle that the cold drip was served in?? I wanted to steal it home! Don’t worry, I was good and I didn’t, my left hand smacked my right. haha

Cold drip

Served on a cube of ice, we could taste notes of rhubarb and blackcurrant. I actually really liked it! I was a little hesitant at first cause I didn’t know if it would be too sharp, tart or bitter for me. But it was actually really fruity on the palette. I wanted more! hehe

aeropress & cold drip coffee

The aeropress was a little more acidic cause it was hot and the fruity notes weren’t as prominent! But it was still good and a great recommendation!

The specials board

The Mr and I decided to order the specials of the day as they sounded absolutely mouth-watering! Plus I also had a sneak peek of how they looked that morning on instagram! haha So my mind was set even before I arrived!

braised white beans with porcini mushrooms

I was sold on the braised white beans with porcini mushrooms, grilled chorizo and poached eggs! Ever since I had braised white beans in Barcelona, I can’t get enough of them! These were mashed with porcini mushrooms and the flavours were just amazing! Everything went so well together, I just couldn’t stop eating and cleaned up the whole plate!

close up shot

The mr chose the other breakfast special : grilled barramundi with quinoa salad, sauce soubise, spinach puree and pickled chilli salsa! The salad was so refreshing and had so much bite to it! I was so inspired by the dish I actually went home to make my own version of it! The barramundi was grilled to golden brown, so fresh!

grilled barramundi and quinoa salad

The mr couldn’t help but order a side of istra bacon. The boy definitely needs his protein! hehe

Big breakfast

Paul & Peggy both ordered the big breakie that was like a breakfast platter of everything delicious! They love their hollandaise sauce so they decided to order a side of it. It was thick and luscious and one of the best hollandaise they’ve tasted! Ooh -la-la!

sweets corner

After the savouries, Sam was so generous to allow us to order some sweets as well! There were so many to choose from, but our eyes were set on the cupcakes : carrot cake and chocolate & salted caramel! How can it go wrong?

Carrot cake

Paul and Peggy are huge fans of carrot cake. This one was to-die-for! The cake was so moist and had just the right amount of spices, and the cream cheese frosting was rich and delish! After every fork-ful, Peggy and I just looked at each other and kept saying “Wow! So good!” haha

Chocolate & salted caramel

This, however, was AMAZEBALLS! Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate! And there was a surprise in the middle. Could you guess what?

liquid salted caramel middle

A liquidy salted caramel middle!! The moment you slide your fork through, you have liquid gold flowing out! So rich, so darn good! Definitely made me think of Miss D! The desserts were so good that we both bought each cupcake home to have again for dinner that night!

Thank you Three Bags Full!

Thank you Three Bags Full for the generous prize and the awesome hospitality! The food was delicious and we will definitely be back again for more!

Paige enjoying the food

Even little Paige enjoyed the food and had a great time! (:

Have a good rest of the week everyone! Can’t quite believe it’s September already, but so glad it’s Spring! Till the next post, remember to always bake and cook with love! xx

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Bayte : A Lebanese Feast !

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Brunch at Bayte

I know I’ve said numerous (countless) times, how much I love brunch. But I need to say it again. I LOVE brunch! Especially since there are so many different varieties of brunch we can get here in Melbourne. The first time I went to Bayte, I went with 3 beautiful ladies (Ashley, Lee & Sofia) and as it was my first time meeting them, I was a bit too nervous and didn’t get to snap photos with my camera! haha So it was due to head back and have brunch, this time with some of my favourite and closest friends.

Beautiful Paige

Yes. This my dear readers is my favourite girl who steals my heart every time I see her, Paige. hehe Isn’t she just gorgeous? hehe She was all smiles that afternoon and couldn’t stop playing with us and have short burst of laughters! Just absolutely adorable! hehe Such great company we had for brunch that day!

Story behind Bayte

The menu is a true reflection of what lebanese food is and should be. Full of robust flavours and worth celebrating about! Chef Julie Touma came up with the menu which was inspired by her grandmother’s recipes! Just reminds me of how much I miss both my mum’s and grandmother’s home cooking and how I am constantly inspired by them too! (Can you tell I’m a little home sick?) Bayte means home in Arabic, and you definitely feel welcomed the moment you step in. I couldn’t wait to have the food again and definitely couldn’t wait to have their freshly brewed chai!

Chai soy latte

Their freshly brewed chai was with Bonsoy (my favourite) and had flavours of cardamom and cinnamon. Definitely hit the right spots! hehe If you would like an extra kick and you’re a coffee lover, ask them for a shot of espresso in yours. The combination is DA BOMB! I recommended it to Peggy as she loves both chai and coffee, and she really enjoyed it! She even said it was nicer than the chai itself! But I do love my chai pure. hehe

baked eggs

I really wanted the baked eggs as it had everything I was craving for. Perfectly cooked eggs (which were still molten and gooey), with an okra and tomato spiced stew and shanklish cheese! OH-EM-GEE! It was love at first bite! The cheese was the right amount of richness and hit of salt and had a crumbly and soft texture. The okra was so soft and the stew had the right amount of spice to leave a warm and fuzzy feeling in your mouth and tummy after! A perfect winter warmer! I couldn’t be happier and more contented with my choice! (:

Poached eggs

Peggy had the zaatar spiced poached eggs with a pumpkin and pinenut kibbeh and hummus, with some freshly made flat bread. The zaatar had a nutty flavour to it and the eggs were perfectly poached! The bread was so delicious that even our youngest foodie enjoyed it!

Paige enjoying the flat bread

breakfast mezza for one

If you’re hungry and you would want to try a bit of everything from the menu, then the breakfast mezza for one (there is for two as well) is for you! That’s exactly what the boys went for! I mean, why wouldn’t they? It’s like the best of what the kitchen has to offer all on a plate. I have to say, the lamb skewer was delicious! Even for a person who doesn’t eat lamb! hehe

breakfast mezza for one

It even came with a spiced fried egg! A celebration of lebanese food, a party in their mouths!

sumac spiced eggs with kafta skewers and baba ganoush

Melissa decided to have the sumac spiced fried eggs with kafta lamb skewers and baba ghanoush. I could have ordered a whole plate of baba ghanoush to myself! Smooth and creamy mashed eggplant and went perfectly with the spiced lamb! Nomtastic!

So the next time you’re thinking of having something different for brunch, do head down to Bayte! You will definitely not regret it! Amazing food with friendly staff and great company! There’s no better way to spend the weekend, really! I do hope you all had a brilliant weekend too!

Have a great week ahead, and remember to always cook and bake with love! xx

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Gingery & Coconutty Granola

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Gingery & coconutty granola

You and I both know I absolutely love brunch. But during the week, it’s impossible to have brunch due to work and more often than not, I end up having a slice of toast with either peanut butter or vegemite and out of the door I went! But I really wanted to have something healthy and good in the morning to keep me full for most of the morning before lunch so I decided to make my own granola to go with yogurt! Mmmm (:

Granola with greek yogurt

I also wanted to try using something I’ve never used before, but has been on my mind for a while now – Molasses. A dark and viscous by-product of the refining of sugar cane. The health benefit of molasses is its high mineral content. It’s wheat, dairy, lactose, gluten and yeast free! It smells and tastes quite similar to gula melaka hehe I like it!

Molasses

It’s not as sweet as honey, but still makes the granola yummy! (: Had to take that risk, but so glad I did. hehe I tried baking a cake with it, but I think I probably used too much and the taste over took the whole cake, so I’m sticking to sugar for my cakes. haha Or honey! But for granola, it was perfect! hehe

IMG_6373-1

The best thing about this recipe? You could pretty much add what you love and it will still work! hehe I ransacked my whole pantry and took out everything I wanted and tossed it in the mix!  There were a few things I really wanted in my granola this time : toasted coconut and crystalised ginger! It was a combination I came across at the awesome Borough Market in London during my recent trip! hehe So here we go! (:

Gingery & Coconutty Granola (A Food Made With Love original recipe)

1 cup shredded coconut (toasted till brown, set aside)

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup roughly chopped walnuts

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/2 pistachios, roughly chopped

1/2 cup unsalted cashews, roughly chopped

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3 tbs olive oil

3 tbs molasses

1 cup raisins

1 cup goji berries

shredded coconut (before toasting)

Toasted shredded coconut

Steps :

1) Preheat the oven to 150 degrees celcius. In a large bowl, place the rolled oats, mixed nuts and cinnamon. Give it a good toss to so that they are well combined.

2) In a small pot, heat the olive oil and molasses on low heat till smooth. Drizzle over the oats mixture and mix till well combined.

3) Pour the mixture on a line tray and bake for about 35-40 mins, stirring every 10 minutes.

4) Remove from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Pour it back into the large bowl, and mix in the raisins and goji berries. Once the mixture is completely cooled, stir in the toasted coconut.

Gingery & coconutty granola

Enjoy on its own (it makes a great snack!) or with your favourite yogurt! (:

Food Made With Love Watermark 3 Black

PS: Did you notice the new logo for Food Made With Love? hehe Hope you guys like it and I just want to thank you for your continuous support and love for my posts! I won’t be here if not for you all, so thank you heaps! x

Have a great week ahead! Till the next post, remember to always cook and bake with love!