Jervis Bay hmmm… where do i begin, the water is pristine, an oasis of serenity!

BLue Mountains

So we had been travelling for 7 hrs in extreme heat on our way to the blue mountains, finally reaching Glenbrook we stumbled upon the the jellybean watering hole. Amazing doesn’t cut it, what a little piece of paradise. Surrounded by beautiful boulders, bush and cockatoos chatting in the background. It was worth the drive.

How to get there: It is about 10kms outside of Penrith, drive through Glenbrook town centre and head to the Blue Mountains National Park. When you drive through the town, it takes you to the bottom of the road and turn left at the train station and this road will take you to this hidey-hole. The park is locked at 7pm so if you want to stay longer, park outside and walk down, otherwise you can pretty much drive right to it.

Roasted cauliflower salad

½ cauliflower broken into small bites
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 to 2 lemons depending on your zest level
100ml extra virgin olive oil
400 gm canned chickpeas drained
200 gm 1quinoa
A handful of torn flat leaf parsley and mint
3 spring onions
1tbsp sherry vinegar
Greek fetta or labne crumbled

1. Combine cauliflower, chick peas, garlic, lemon rind and oil on a large pan, roast for 15 -20mins (make sure the cauliflower still has crunch)
2. Meanwhile, wash quinoa and place in a saucepan just covered in water, bring to boil and simmer until water has absorbed 12-15 mins, and remove excess water and place on a dry tray to cool.
3. Combine parsley, mint, spring onion, sherry vinegar, lemon juice and the remaing oil in a large bowl, add cauliflower, chickpeas and quinoa, season to taste, crumble through fetta and serve warm

Staunch, Ginger Briggs

So the topic came up at work today about children who are abused, one lady saying they should be removed from their parents and never returned, she would happily house them. I thought to myself at this stage, is it better to be loved once, than never to be loved at all?? Anyway, as easy as it might be to say all of this, where do these kids go, who cares for them, who loves them? As ginger Briggs states, who wants a mother who is ‘cumbersome, impersonal, bureaucratic, twelve storeys high and has a letterhead.’ After reading this book i have come to the conclusion there is no easy answers to an issue that has been ongoing for decades.
Reality is shocking!

Staunch: Ward of the State:

Half a million Australian children have been raised in institutional care. Staunch is the story of one boy’s life a s a ward of the state. Given up at birth and ‘divorced’ from his adoptive parents at ten, Andy spent his adolescence in institutions and foster homes. It’s not until he meets Mez, a kind-hearted carer, that Andy finds a parent figure he can trust and a reason to hope. But can he escape the cycle of self-destruction set off by years of neglect? Staunch is a poignant portrayal of Andy and his friendship with Mez. It’s also testament to the many thousands who survived harrowing experiences as Forgotten Australians.

Chilli Jam

This is a gorgeous Jam; sweet in the beginning with a punch at the end.

700 gm red Capsicum flesh only
700 gm demerara sugar
700 gm vine ripe tomatoes
200 gm red chillies
250 ml red wine vinegar
6 garlic cloves

1. Roast or raw; scoop out the flesh of the capsicum. Place tomatoes in boiling water and wait for the skin to start coming off. Strain & dice. Chop up chillies removing some seeds and pith for less heat (optional) & garlic. Combine using a food processor.
2. Place into a deep pot on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.
3. Add Vinegar & sugar simmering for 1-2hrs depending on how sticky you would like your Jam.

Crater Cover

Another amazing spot hidden away in the Sydney Harbour National Park is Crater Cove. These huts were built in the 1920s and 30s during the depression. Squatters lived here in the huts in the 70s and 80s but eventually they were evicted. A little piece of Paradise!

Reef Beach

Reef beach is a beautiful gem within the Sydney Harbour National Park. You have to drive up to Tania Park off Bareena Drive and park at the top and walk 15mins within the national park.
It is so worth it!

Diggers Camp

This little gem of a place called Diggers camp is 5 hrs South of Brissy, near Wooli. So amazing, you can camp right next to the beach and there is only ever a few people there at a time. As it is a national park you need to bring all your supplies incl. water.

Tacos

If you can be bothered, honestly buy yourself a tortilla press and your Mexican experience just got a whole lot better.
I made these little delights when I was camping, we had breakfast tacos and rib eye steak tacos.

White corn tortillas
250gm (1 ¾ cups) white masa flour

Combine flour, 340 ml of hot water and a large pinch of salt in a bowl and mix with your hands until soft dough forms. Cover closely with plastic wrap and set aside to rest ( 15 mins). Divide dough into small balls; line the tortilla press with plastic, working with one ball at a time, press gently to form a thin disc. Cook in a hot cast iron fry pan. (Keep in a dry tea towel until ready to eat they will stay relatively warm.

Filling can be anything you like:

Breakfast tacos: bacon, eggs, tomato relish, lettuce and a little of my Caribbean salsa (posted earlier).

Steak Tacos: Rib eye steak, tomato salsa, lettuce, guacamole.

XO oysters

I made these little beauties when travelling down the east coast of Australia. Nothing better than the roaring ocean and fresh seafood.

Olive oil
2 shallots
2 bacon rashes
2 garlic gloves diced
¼ cup of panko crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs)
24 rock oysters, sucked
120 ml shaoxing wine
1 tbsp XO sauce or to taste
2 tbsp o light soy sauce
3 cm piece ginger thinly sliced

1. Heat oil in a pan, add bacon then shallots, stir until bacon is crispy. Then add garlic 1-2 mins. Add panko crumbs, stir until toasted. Set aside
2. In another pan add XO, soy, ginger and heat.
3. Now put the oysters in a steamer with the sauce from the other pan and steam for 1-2 mins until just warmed.
4. Place oysters on a plate and top with crumb mixture.
Perfection x