Nerd alert: Turmeric Hummus

I promised I would post this turmeric hummus recipe nearly five months ago – oops! I first created it for Miss Marzipan’s Food of Thrones Challenge back in June (along with the fiery dragon eggs and hearty chicken casserole with sweet potato dumplings). Each week that Game of Thrones aired in 2016, Marisa set a theme for nerdy food bloggers like me to contribute to. This turmeric hummus was created for ‘landscapes of fire and ice’, as a tribute to to vasty sandy plains we frequently see in GoT; including the grassy ‘Dothraki Sea’, and the hot desert of Dorne.

So, this hummus really is a ‘turmeric’ hummus. Turmeric haters beware. I’ve developed quite a liking for turmeric over the last couple of years, and these days even smear turmeric paste on my toast now and again! I use this hummus as a dip and a spread. I’ve even been able to sneak it onto my 5 year old son’s mountain bread wraps for school, and he hasn’t complained, which is a good sign! Continue reading →

Frantic doggy-paddling… Plus, a chocolate olive oil cake, and turmeric buttons

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve tried out a couple of recipes by my fellow Instagrammer/blogger mates, which I’d love to share here. One of them is by Sarah (@redladybird3 on Instagram). Coincidentally, Sarah also happened to comment recently on an old post that I wrote nearly a year ago, about how it had then been a year since I ceased taking anti-depression medication for anxiety (and depression to a lesser extent). She commented, ‘…it just shows that graceful swan image, stunning pictures, articulate & kind comments you make, gliding along beautifully can be accompanied by frantic paddling beneath still waters sometimes’.

Well, it was very nice of her to think of me as a graceful swan (no one else does, I’m sure!). I replied that I’m more like a puppy doggy-paddling. I might be less anxious than I once was, but I’m still doggy-paddling. Occasionally, someone uses the word ‘super mum’, mainly in relation to the number of things I do (part-time work, part-time study, part-time stay at home mum, home-cook, part-time IQS helper, blogger, and, um, Netflix binger). Although I appreciate the sentiment, it honestly makes me balk. I’m not a super mum. What is a super mum? (I do think my own mum is pretty super.) I do too much. I don’t want to do so much, but I find it hard to give anything up. I get easily overwhelmed and stressed. I angst about why it’s so hard to find balance. While wanting to do less, I also feel guilty that I can’t do more. I battle against my introverted tendencies, and feel guilty about needing time away from people. Continue reading →

Recipe: “Golden” Spiced Hot Chocolate

A few days ago I felt like having a coffee, but I didn’t want an actual coffee. You know those times when a cup of watery tea won’t cut it? I wanted the sensation of drinking a warm cup of full-fat, steamed milk, but with more flavour. I was a bit bored with the plain hot cacao or hot cinnamon I usually make, and considered making a ‘golden milk’, but didn’t want something particularly turmeric-y. I didn’t really feel like going through the fuss of brewing and straining chai (although sometimes I do find this process quite relaxing).

I sound like a right fussy brat, don’t I!?

So I made this as a bit of an experiment – a hot chocolate with a little heat and spice, and enjoyed it even more than I guessed I would. The cacao mostly masks the turmeric, so it’s not too in your face, but it has more kick and complexity than a regular plain hot cacao. I feel a bit silly writing it up as a recipe, since it is SO simple and the proportions are really to taste, but thought I would as a few people have asked me lately about the ways I incorporate turmeric into my diet. Continue reading →