I was talking to my personal trainer the other day. “You know I’ve always dreamt about running…” If you have seen me training, you know that running is my least favourite thing to do. She looked at me so puzzlingly that I had to clarify “I don’t mean that I’ve actually aspired to run or hoped to run, I mean I’ve literally dreamt that I’ve been running along the street and then I wake up figuring that I’ve probably done my exercise for the day” I explained.
So I’ve been trying to do these running programs to get myself more familiar with the whole concept of running and enjoying it. I can’t say that I absolutely love it but I’m pursuing it because I think that if I start to like it, I can eat more food. Is that a twisted way to look at things? Perhaps. It’s really not in my nature to love exercise and I am the person that ordered one of those super fancy exercise bikes that was said to be able to burn an untold amount of calories and work lots of muscles. It was enormous and took up the better part of my bedroom. I climbed on top of it and reached out my short legs to the pedals that seemed to be designed for giants or daddy long legs, did about a good minute before realising that it was really hard work and called them to pick it up the next day.
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May 18th, 2013
by Not Quite Nigella
I used to work at a telephone market research company during university with a man that existed entirely on salads. No matter what meal I’d see him for whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner, he would be eating a salad of some sort. That’s not unusual in itself but he also used to steal toilet paper and decant liquid soap from the work bathroom and I recall seeing him sneaking out of the bathroom at the end of a shift bundling rolls into his bag. “Oh everyone does this!” he said to me laughing and waving goodbye.
Anyway, I sometimes think of him when I make salads. Does he still decant liquid soap? Does he still pilfer toilet rolls? Anyway, this salad is barely a recipe – it has so few ingredients that you may wonder if it is worth making. The answer is an unequivocal yes. It doesn’t necessarily sound appealing but this is the salad that I’ve eaten five times in a row for lunch every day this previous week. It’s the simplest mix inspired from a recent trip to the Yarra Valley at Hargreaves Hill Brewery. They served a slightly more complex version but being me, I just wanted to do it simply and easily.
I grew up with my father eating sunflower seeds in front of the television and I’ve never been a huge fan of them untoasted. However toasting them brings out all of their flavour and they become addictively nutty. The cheese seasons the leaves and the lighter version of mayonnaise means that the whole salad isn’t particularly calorific in count although it tastes so in flavour.
What I really like is its versatility though. You can use any sort of leaf in this-I’ve used baby spinach, cos and iceberg. You can use almost any type of hard cheese-pecorino, romano and reggiano are the ones that I’ve used and you can use any sort of creamy dressing-I’ve replaced the mayonnaise with a creamy Japanese sesame dressing. It’s hard to tip over and the killer combination of just a few ingredients is always delectable. It’s one of those salads that I’ve contemplated surviving on for weeks I enjoy eating it so much.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you think it is normal to pinch toilet rolls and decant liquid soap? I still haven’t encountered anyone else that does this!
Rocket, Romano & Sunflower Seed Salad
Serves 2
- 4 cups salad leaves (rocket, baby spinach, mixed leaf, cos or iceberg lettuce)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons natural yogurt
- 3 tablespoons grated romano cheese (or pecorino or reggiano)
- 2-3 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
- Salt if needed (depends on the cheese that you use, some are saltier than others)
To toast sunflower seeds, spread out onto a baking tray and baked at 180C/350F for 10-12 minutes.
1. Wash and dry the leaves well using a salad spinner if possible and place in a mixing bowl. Whisk the mayonnaise and yogurt together and drizzle on top of the leaves using two spoons to toss the salad. Sprinkle the cheese and sunflower seeds over and toss again to combine. Taste and add salt if necessary. Serve straight away, the only downfall of this recipe is that depending on the leaf used, the dressing does soak in. Rocket is best if you want to make this ahead of time.
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May 4th, 2013
by Not Quite Nigella
I’m not normally a fiery tempered person. Don’t mind Mr NQN laughing in the corner, but I promise that don’t lose my temper often but when I do, well, it’s not pretty. This usually happens when dealing long term with exasperating companies that give customers the run around along with poor service or when said companies try and bully customers. But mostly, I’m painfully polite unless repeatedly prodded.
A couple of years ago, Mr NQN had signed a two year contract with an electricity company and they were nothing short of awful. After two years they automatically rolled us over into another two year contract, unbeknownst to us until we received a letter knowing that we were locked in again. I tried calling them but was only met with scorn and attitude and was told “We won’t tell you anything because you didn’t sign the contract with us yourself” even though the property is in both of our names. I would hazard a guess that she wanted to say “ner-ner ner ner-ner” at the end of each sentence such was her sour attitude. And because Mr NQN works in an office and has barely enough time for lunch, we tried emailing them instead and were met with silence both times.
Having had enough we signed up to another supplier, slightly worried that we’d get hit with a “dishonour” fee for getting out of our new contract early as the scornful woman warned me about on the phone. Nevertheless, I forgot about it and last week I was on Hayman Island in the Whitsundays on a conference and feeling terribly relaxed. Swans had just glided past my room when my mobile phone rang.
I’m serious, swans really did glide past my room. You can’t make stuff like this up.
“Hello, it’s <some poor guy> from <terrible electricity provider>. I hear that you’re going to be leaving us. Can I ask why?”
I cocked my head and I thought about it. My relaxed state egged me on to release the demons. So I did.
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May 2nd, 2013
by Not Quite Nigella
I was recently chatting to travel writer and music historian Glenn A. Baker. The subject of Australian musicians came up and we got onto the topic of the band Men At Work who came up with the 80′s anthem Down Under-perhaps you remember that? They had had some success overseas and he told me that that the singer Colin Hay told him that there was a difference in attitude between Americans and Australians.
Colin used an example of getting in a queue outside a club as he had experienced it first hand. If you happen to be famous in America and join a night club queue, American queuers will tell you to go up to the front because you’re famous and you’ve earned it. But in Australia, if you try and jump the queue, I think most Aussies would know that you would probably get told off by more than one person for the same behaviour and someone would probably say something about you being up yourself. He had experienced this first hand apparently!
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April 26th, 2013
by Not Quite Nigella
When I was overseas recently, we stayed in a secluded eco-lodge a few hours away from the capital of Jordan. We were getting ready to leave the next day after a restful night in complete stillness and darkness, the candlelight affording us the only light we had and it was a surprise to see everything in the light of day. I was talking to one of the lodge managers as people filed into the lobby after breakfast and he asked where we were from. I answered that we were from Australia and his eyes lit up and he smiled broadly.
“Oh I love Australians!” he said genuinely and enthusiastically. “Yes you are always easy going and you’re always happy saying ‘No worries, f**king this and f**king that!” he said clapping his hands delightedly. Our jaws dropped and we burst out laughing and we wondered how the usual impressions of Australia had gone from kangaroos and koalas to someone that swore a lot and that somehow, that had become our signature move or most memorable gesture.
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April 16th, 2013
by Not Quite Nigella
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