Beans, beans & beans

And everything to make for the long weekend

Happy long weekend to my US friends. While Memorial Day is something I have never celebrated as an Australian (I must admit, I did need to google the dates and a quick explanation of what it actually is), I am one to celebrate a long weekend that is centred around delicious food. So with that being said, I have rounded up some of my most popular Summer recipes that are to be enjoyed in the sun.

If you follow me on social media, you may have realised that I have been sharing a lot of bean recipes. While they were something I used to make a lot in my 20s, they had sadly fallen off my recipe rotation for quite some time due to the fact that my fiance can’t stand them. But here we are, 7 years later, and my love affair for beans is stronger than ever. They are such a great substitute for meat and also an extremely affordable dinner option. I haven’t quite converted my fiance into the bean lover that I am but I am hopeful that a new recipe I am working on (beans alla vodka) will be the bean home run I am looking for!

There are some perks to being the internet’s olive oil girl and one of those would be the amazing trip I was taken on to explore the farm of Australia’s most loved olive oil’s, Cobram Estate. It’s such an honour to go on these tours (especially when they fly you out on on their own private plane) where I get to learn so much about the production of Australian olive oil. Did you know that most of Australia’s imported olive oil is not olive oil at all? This is why it’s important to always look out for the words “cold pressed extra virgin” and to buy local where possible. Excuse the hair net…

That’s it from me this week! Sometimes when I write these newsletters I quote the line in my head from my favourite movie, Julie and Julia; “is anyone out there reading… anyone?” So if you have read this newsletter please leave me a comment! I would love to say hi.

What’s cooking this week

Some people might call it a peasant food, but I just love beans. Cannelloni, chickpeas, kidney beans. Whatever the type, they’re so filling and nutritious and they take on other flavours so well. We’ve previously experimented with beans, including lemony beans with scallops and the breakfast-cum-lunch tomatoey beans. This time it’s back to basics, back to letting minimal ingredients shine: brothy beans and herbs.

This one isn’t tinned beans but it still falls into the category of beans. It’s my garlicky green beans. There’s something so satisfying about really nailing a side dish. Why is that? Is it because side dishes are far too often the afterthought? The drummer of the band, where people don’t remember their name? Well, not anymore. Garlicky green beans are the lead singer, the headliner. They’re that delicious that they’re coming to knock any roast off its perch.

Not a bean recipe, but I did share this garlic and potato soup to my YouTube channel. It has 40 cloves of garlic so vampires beware of this one!

Long Weekend

Here is everything I would be making this long weekend if I lived in the US and had the sun shining on my face. I am currently curled up in a big woollen jumper with a hot cup of tea sitting next to me while I write this newsletter.

Take all the delicious flavours of summer and make them into this tomato and burrata salad. This salad is sweet, sticky, rich and will be your new best salad friend

Snack foods for starters or parties can be a challenge. You need to make them delicious but not too filling. Well, that’s where peach and crispy prosciutto crostini is the perfect dish! 

Pasta salad is such a humble dish. It’s a go to dish for those who don’t love to cook to take to a barbeque or dinner. It can be easy to make but it’s also easy to make taste very delicious. I’ve taken my inspiration from everyone’s favourite starter – the antipasto platter! All these delicious Mediterranean flavours that make up the Rainbow Antipasto Pasta Salad means that no two bites taste the same (but every bite is delicious).

Last but not least, it’s not a long weekend without some devilled eggs! The perfect appetiser to bring to a party or to just munch on yourself.

Have a lovely long weekend to my US friends and keep warm to my Australian friends! Catch you all next week x