Recipe Roadtest: Chorizo and Spinach Muffins

Finding healthy savoury snacks has been something of a holy grail for me. My snack of choice: a pack of Kettle’s chilli chips (or really just about any chips!) is probably not something to be included in your daily intake, and with my wedding coming up, I’ve really been trying to clean up my diet. I stumbled upon David Lebovitz’s recipe for pistachio and chorizo cake which looked amazing, but as I was without a loaf tin, I decided to tweak the recipe and re-create it in muffin form.

Chorizo and spinach muffins

Recipe Roadtest: Spicy One-Pot Quinoa and Chorizo

We usually go out for dinner on the weekend, so I tend not to do much cooking on Saturday or Sunday. However, this particular Saturday night, my fiancé was invited to a corporate event at the footy, which meant that I had a rare night at home. I decided to use this chance to cook up something new; and flicking through the pages of a Christmas present – Donna Hay’s Simple Dinners – I found a recipe for one-pot chorizo and cous cous. Continuing my healthy eating attempts, I substituted quinoa for cous cous and added in mushrooms for extra nutrients – but don’t worry, it still tastes delicious!

Spicy One-Pot Quinoa and Chorizo

Kingston & Co., Chatswood

One of the newer restaurants to pop up at Westfield Chatswood is Kingston & Co., which offers quite an extensive range of food choices in a lovely garden bistro-like setting. The outdoor area was already packed by the time we arrived on a Friday night, so we settled for a comfortable booth inside and ordered a few starters to share, beginning with cheesy ham and potato balls. The creamy potato mash mixed with ham and cheese, encased in a crisp crumb is the very definition of comfort food.

Crispy ham & cheese potato melts, aioli

Mordeo Bistro and Bar, Sydney CBD

The Deutsche Bank building is one of the most striking office blocks in the city, with the glass elevators shooting up the interior of the heavy glassed walls, reminiscent of those found in the chocolate factory of Roald Dahl’s imagination. The food court located within is a cool haven from the bustling streets, a huge, airy space dominated by long, rectangular water features. I had first eaten at Mordeo Bistro and Bar during a work lunch and was so pleased with my meal, I dragged my boyfriend along at the next possible opportunity. I was fascinated by the jamon and pineapple cocktail (I’m a sucker for unusual combinations) and that impression was not lessened on the drink’s arrival.

Jamon & Chargrilled Pineapple Sazerac – Jamon Prosciutto & Pedro Ximenez Butter infused Hennessey V.S.O.P. Cognac, chargrilled pineapple syrup & a dash of bitters served with a Jamon & Sage Sugar Crisp