olive toast

Black, green or both?

Most people I know think olives are pointless but you’ll always find them in my food cart/ cupboard. They’re quite moreish but who cares as they're a healthy snacking alternative anyway (the FSA says 30 olives may count as a portion of your 5-a-day!). I can finish a whole shop-bought jar in one sitting - two if I'm hungry, three if I'm starving. I prefer them plain or in brine but I don't mind them soaked in some herby/oil & garlic infusion either. Don’t really mind which colour but if I really githad to it’s got to be black ones over green, pitted over stuffed.

hammy and ollie brown

Ham & Pesto toastie

I don't know what got into me today but I woke up with a massive, massive craving for sliced ham. This is strange as I've always hated it and I've not touched the stuff since I was in pre-school. I remember being super stroppy everytime I'd get a packed ham (or hotdog) sandwich for recess and would either refuse to eat it at all or exchange it with a ham-obsessed classmate's peanut butter loot. Ollie Brown loved his ham. He'd have it with everything and would often cry if one of his two packed lunches didn't include ham (possibly twice a week or so). I even remember exchanging sarnies under the tables with him so that our yayas won't be too suspicious. I'd give him my ham-mayo sandwiches and he'd give me whatever he has, unless of course it had ham too.

So yes, I made myself a nice ham toastie earlier which is easy enough. I mean all you have to do is toast the bread, whack the ham, some cheddar and a dollop of pesto, grill for a bit and slip in a bit of leaves. Peasey. Ollie Brown could've done it himself when we were six.

Another easy peasy hammy thing: get some nice homey bread. I like sourdough or ciabatta. But when all else fails a baguette would do. Chopped ham, spring onions, gruyere on top then grill for 2-3 minutes, 200°C. Yum. Ollie Brown would approve.

Ah... Ollie Brown. I wonder where he is these days. I wonder if still eats as much ham. I still eat a lot of peanut butter.

let the beet control your body

Diced Beetroot

Save for the fact that it stains everything, I love everything about beets. I love the texture, fibrous but silky. I love the taste, strangely reminiscent of corn except it's a root vegetable. I love that they're nutritious and that they're good for the skin. I love how they remind me of summer. I love the colours; the plant is green, purple and a deep sultry red. I love how beets seriously remind me of a few favourite things. Perhaps in my previous life trillions of years ago I was a beetroot myself. Who knows.

Beets are actually very versatile. The roots can be boiled and eaten warm or cold, shredded raw for salad, puréed as a side or made into soup. Vegans use them to make chocolate cake, some people use them to make wine. Personally, I like beetroot best plain, or when pickled in oil and vinegar. Perfect for snacking and salads.

After the jump: a recipe for a nice beetroot salad, inspired by a similar salad prepared by my Uncle. Dead easy to prepare, I kid you not.