{The Nest Cooks} Want some lunch inspo that isn’t a vegemite sanga?

BAM. Here are some rockin’ lunch ideas that aren’t a vegemite sanga -> 9 Easy Work Lunches That Aren’t Sandwiches

salad jar

Thanks Delicious.

Happy eating nesters x

{The Nest Travels} The ultimate bucket list for Melbourne Eats

Melbourne is one of my absolute most favourite places in the world. I love the shopping, the people, the food!

There just is no where like it.

The brilliant team at Delicious have put together the Ultimate Bucket List For Eating in Melbournemelbourne

I need to book a flight like yesterday!

Who wants to come with?

 

{The Nest Cooks} Tonight’s dinner = sorted! Quinoa, Roasted Tomato & Asparagus Goats Cheese Tart

One of our readers has submitted this BEAUTIFUL recipe to the nest (and we CANNOT wait to try it!)

She promises that it is healthy, not to difficult to make and very yummy! Her two little sons even approved!

Let me introduce you to Quinoa, Roasted Tomato & Asparagus Goats Cheese Tart. tart

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 Cup quinoa, rinsed, drained
  • 1 Tsp salt –reduced vegetable stock
  • 400g grape tomatoes
  • 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, halved
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup finely grated parmesan
  • 150g soft goat’s cheese
  • 150g low-fat ricotta
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh continental parsley
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh Chives
  • 2 Tsp finely grated lemon rind
  • Fresh basil leaves to serve

METHOD:

  1. Place quinoa in a small saucepan with the stock powder and 2 cups water. Stir to combine and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 12mins or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  2. Preheat oven to 180C. Toss tomatoes and asparagus in the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and place on a roasting tray, season with sea salt and cracked pepper and roast for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool.
  3. Place the cooled quinoa in a large bowl, add the eggs and grated parmesan and stir until well combined. Lightly oil a non stick tart tin with a removable base. Press the quinoa mixture evenly and firmly into the base and side of the tin to form a thick crust. Bake for 15mins or until light golden.
  4. Combine the goat’s cheese, ricotta, parsley, chives and lemon rind in a bowl and mix until smooth. Spread the cheese mixture over the quinoa base. Top with the roasted tomatoes and asparagus and bake for a further 5-10mins or until warmed through.
  5. To serve sprinkle with the basil leaves.

tart2

Yummo!

Thanks for sharing with the nest Kellie!

NESTERS: We always love hearing from you, so if you have a recipe that is a firm hit with your family we would love to hear from you! Just shoot us an email to centralwestnest@outlook.com

{The Nest Cooks} Sunday Bakeday

I am trying this new thing, basically to make life easier I am trying to bake on Sundays so that during the week for the hubby-bird’s lunches I have food already made so it is as simple as pulling from the freezer and chucking it into his bag.

Plus, I have snacks on standby the the little birdies when the dreaded hunger monster appears. I really enjoy knowing what ingredients are going into their little bellies.

This week we stumbled across a great recipe from the team at The Road To Loving My Thermo Mixer for Apple Crumble muffins.

They are delicious! Plus, they look WAY impressive (like, look tots harder to make than what they really are!)

You can find the recipe here -> Apple Crumble Muffins

apple crumble

Now, do not fear if you are yet to purchase a Thermomix (or similar) because the brilliant team at The Road To Loving My Thermo Mixer offer a non-Thermomix version as well!

Happy cooking Nesters!

{The Nest Cooks} Crisp. Hot. Deliciousness

Shut the back door.

I have located the BEST potato dish EVER!

I realise I am using A LOT of CAPITALS but they are THAT good!

Courtesy of the fantastically wonderful Donna Hay they are bloody delicious.

I made the Crunchy Roast Potatoes on Sunday and the hubby-bird and little-birds ate them all before the roast was even finished cooking!potatoes

Crisp. Hot. Deliciousness.

Plus, they are SUPER easy.

Happy cooking Nesters!

{Raising Little People} Don’t be rude to your food = the easiest of concepts

If you are a regular reader of the blog you will know how much I LOVE One Handed Cooks.

A little while ago I found this really interesting article on the idea of not being Rude to Food.

Baby-Eating-575x262

It is such a simple concept that works so bloody well.

Our toddler-bird is much happier now eating her vegies because it is a positive experience rather than something she dreads.

I just wish I found this earlier!

Happy eating Nesters!

{The Nest Can Cook} Steamed dot-dot cupcakes, just do it.

Cooking is for me, is what classical music is for smart people. Relaxing. Enjoyable. Escapism.

I really enjoy finding exciting, new ways to cook. Ways, that aren’t exactly the norm.

Steamed cupcakes – who-woulda-thunk-it?cupcakes

These little bad-boys look like little dreams I can’t wait to try out!

You can find the recipe here -> Steam cupcakes: Apam Dot Dot

cupcakes2

Enjoy cooking Nesters!

{This is life} Sweet & Sour Babies

Okay, so sometimes I am a terrible human being and find slightly inappropriate things funny. Like, take for example, babies eating lemons.

Look, quite simply, it is hilarious. Well, it was until my second baby-bird just happily ate lemons, that was way less exciting.

Amazingly enough, someone, somewhere in the world also finds babies eating lemons entertaining, so much so they went to actual effort to compose a video.

It is well worth the watch.

Here is a teaser of some of the little mites faces:

lemon

and…

lemon2

Enjoy Nesters!

{The Nest Can Cook} DIY Marinated Fetta

So, without naming names, someone very special to me LOVES fetta. She stumbled across some ‘marinated dukkah fetta’ recently when we went away and now can’t let it go. We can’t find it ANYWHERE so I am endeavouring to bombard her with recipes until she starts making her own!

fettA2

I have found a nice, easy recipe for marinated fetta from Minimally Invasive.

Okay, admittedly it nearly uses your body amount in oil and cheese but, hey, let’s go with it. We all know it is only a sometimes food!

fetta

We think this would be fabulous at your next barbecue, imagine being able to tell your guests that you actually MADE the antipasto platter (instead of buying it from the team at Woolies!)

Enjoy Nesters!

{The Nest Can Cook} How about some delicious Easter Bunny Bark?

Looking for something a little bit different this Easter? How about creating your very own Easter Bunny Bark?

Delicious, colourful and fun (and luckily because you are making it for Easter the calories don’t count right?!)

Easter Bunny Bark

You can find the recipe and how-to here -> Easter Bunny Bark

Happy Easter Nesters!