vegging in after popping out

I've been across the Tasman for a while. My mother was moved recently to a nursing home after a fall. Do you know how difficult it is, in a small city, to get care for someone with dementia who is not mobile? The good news is she's walking again, shuffling and sometimes falling but hopefully that means she can stay where she is. Anyway, long story short, I've not been cooking much of late. So excuse this little cheat, a post I've made elsewhere on the net, tweaked a little for you reading pleasure.



For many years my favourite part of waking up on a Monday was listening to Flip Shelton talk about food on RRR. I miss her vibrant recipes and triathalon updates. I loved her first cookbook Green (now sadly out of print) and have been waiting eagerly for her next publication.

Veg In: Simple Vegetarian Dishes from Around the World is a nifty book of easy to prepare “takeaways” made cheaply and healthily at home. She promises the recipes will save you money, calories and even time. From Greek dolmades to Japanese tempura, Flip sets out simple ways to recreate your favourite vegetarian dishes, as well as innovative baked potato and pizza toppings.

Veg In is a simple but effective cookbook. The recipes are uncomplicated, perfect for novices and under confident cooks. The recipes aren’t rocket science and won’t take all day to prepare. Being written by a Melburnian is an added bonus as all the ingredients are easy to source locally.

This cookbook is ideal for someone who’d like to extend their vegetarian repertoire, omnivores wanting to diversify their diet (or choosing to practice Meatless Mondays) and those newly “converted” to vegetarianism. The majority of dishes are vegan-friendly and many are also gluten-free.

My only criticism of the book is that it has no index, so you can't hunt by recipe or ingredient. I found this rather frustrating and hope if the book gets a second print run that this problem will be remedied. Veg In is probably not for the gourmet cook, for those more accomplished in the kitchen wanting to expand their vegetarian range my pick would be Feel Good Food

Veg In: Simple Vegetarian Dishes from Around the World by Flip Shelton (Wakefield Press, RRP $29.95)

See Lucy's review of Veg In and one of Flip's recipes.

National Porridge Day

I’ve just completed the first four steps of Flip Shelton’s advice on how to celebrate National Porridge day.

1. Start... slowly. Don't set the alarm.

2. Slip... into some woolly socks. (In this case a well worn woolly pair of ugg boots, bogan but toasty warm.)

3. Wander... into the kitchen and prepare a big bowl of Flip Shelton's fabulous new "five-grain porridge" with rolled oats, rye, barley, triticale and spelt.

4. Go... back to bed with your bowl of porridge or sit comfortably and eat slowly.

I managed to do all this without even consulting the website. How instinctive am I! But perhaps the 5th step which involves more activity (walking, pottering or generally communing with nature beyond the confines of the bedroom) will have to wait a while longer.

During the week a pack of the aforementioned “Five-grain Porridge” landed on my desk. My working life finds the odd freebie falling in my lap but rarely anything edible. As a longtime lover of porridge I was a little skeptical that this grainy, not overly processed, mix would require no cooking as it claimed. Simply a case of ‘just add (boiling) water’, cover, have your shower, then add your desired accompaniments and eat.

So I did.



The result. The grains were softened but still had a lot texture. The temperature was lukewarm after the addition of soy, a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkling of walnuts. Though certainly a more nutritious option than the popular instant varieties on the supermarket shelf, next time I will make it the traditional way.



But eating a bowl of porridge in bed is always a pleasant way to start the day.

If like me you are taking your time over step 4, the history of porridge makes an interesting read.