Oh Lordy, lardy me....the CRONUT craze...

Yes, I'm a sucker for the latest food fad, especially one that started in Manhattan and has made it's way here. Mention that people are queueing like crazy or it's a limited edition food I'm there. Or trying to get there as soon as possible, as long as it's just not too hard!

So I'd salivated read about the latest food obsession. Cronuts- a cross between croissants and donuts. Yes, you read that right- how can you make a donut or a croissant even more delish, even more satisfying? Cross them!

This Sunday's Sunday Age magazine listed them as the hottest new thing!!!

I'd forgotten all about it after my initial fatty infatuation...then I was walking past Cacao in Fitzroy St StKilda and I got a sign.. a sign advertising flaky donuts in chocolate brownie, passionfruit meringue or blueberry...a sign saying to get in quick as last Saturday they sold out!

I had no choice. I went in and wandered round casually, like I was making up my mind, like I was't already zoning in on the flaky donuts!

I sidled up to the cabinet full of these cronuts......nonchalantly  asked the temptation pushing helpful smiling sales assistant which flavour was best.

I restrainedly (more financial that calorie frugality-they were $5 each) purchased only one- though I did almost accidentally pick up some other lucky guys bag with three cronuts in it!

OMG. The crispy flaky layers, the hint of brownie icing/mousse in the middle and on top...probably more fried donut taste with all the additional surface area for oil uptake....willI go back...HELL YEAH I will...but maybe as a once a month treat for as long as they last!

Boo xox

Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meal Challenge

Grocery shopping and regular home cooking are my personal chores from hell.  It's so bo-ring.  I circle the supermarket aisles aimlessly, uninspired and walk out with toiletry items and dog food when I am supposed to be shopping for tonight's dinner.  Well no more!  I have finally taken the responsibility of menu planning for the week so that at the very least I can serve relatively balanced meals for the family.  No more stressing at 5pm as to what to cook.  No more take-away (well I shall limit that to once per week, baby steps)

Over the years, I get given by well meaning friends, cook books.  They never get used or referenced other than to ogle at Nigella (prreeetty laadeee).  I stumbled on Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meals and decided I shall pick six recipes from there for the week and shop accordingly.  So for the week ahead I have decided on conjuring:

Mighty mackerel, mixed tomato and quinoa salad
Chorizo and squid Greek style couscous salad
Sizzling chicken fajitas, salsa, grilled peppers, rice and beans
Mexican tomato soup, chili nachos, veggie and fetta sprinkles
Keralan veggie curry, poppadoms, rice and minty yoghurt
Pork marsala with porcini rice and spring greens

The verdict:

Cost for the grocery shop = $160 to procure the ingredients for the weekly menu.  Not to bad considering eating out for the week would cost more than that. 

Yumminess factor = 8/10.  Bubbachuck (child) was willing to try all the components of each meal.  Not much waste

Time efficiency factor = 8/10.  Although it claims to be 15 minute recipes, it generally took about 20 -25 minutes to prepare.  It may take Jamie 15 minutes but I'm no professional chef and have only a nodding acquaintance with my kitchen

I leave you to salivate (or not) over an image of my handiwork. 

Beaker Out

Pork marsala with porcini rice and spring greens

 



Daiso Stake-Out

I am late on the Daiso discovery trail but whoa, what a find!  In case you have been hibernating in cave like I have been, Daiso is a Japanese version of a $2 shop except it is $2.80 shop.  Every glorious thing is $2.80.  The stock anything and everything from personal care, household items, food, gadgets.  Apparently all their stock is from Japan with the usual quirky innovations you would expect from the Japanese. 

The Daiso I visited is in the basement on the corner of Swanston and Bourke St, Melbourne.  I was literally hyperventilating from excitement at the aisles and aisles of weird and wonderful stuff to finger.  Here are a couple of offerings for you:


 

 

A portable ashtray with distinguisher designed to sit in your pocket

An egg mould.  To mould your hard boiled eggs into heart and star shapes.  Because you can!

Nappies for dogs.  Complete with tail hole.

It's like modern art - a complete wall of false eyelashes

 

I spent 60 very enjoyable minutes, touching, touching everything.... and came out with the following purchases:

 





Newsprint gift wrapping - not quirky but needed some as have ran out
Eye brow pencil - was too scared to try their other cosmetic offerings on my actual skin as they were priced at $2.80 - so cheap it makes me apprehensive
Kombucha tea - otherwise known as kelp tea.  Salty. 
Silicone nose scrubber - weird and wonderful and will try tonight!
iphone protector film - boring but where else could I get this for $2.80?!

Operation Rapunzel!

I am in my late 30s and I'm thinning. 

Phew!  There.  I've said it. Very cathartic. 

It snuck up on me so insidiously.  For years, I've asked friends, "Do you reckon?  Could I possibly be?"  And my faithful friends have denied any sparseness upon my topness.  But I am confronting the God awful truth.  Playing trichologist, I believe decades of being on the pill, thyroid disease and just simply not taking time to care has contributed to the thinning which is more pronounced near my part and crown. 

I have come up with a plan of attack - Operation Rapunzel. 

My thyroid condition has been stable for a year or so now, so tis the right time to strike.  I have stopped the pill, so am a raging hormonal mess but I like to think I will eventually be a hormonal mess with a glossy mane. 

For the record, here is my parting and crown now (please don't gasp in horror as I did.  It's not often I have a bird's eye view of my issi-hue) :

 

 

 





After reviewing the literature on the internet, frankly I'm frightened of trying anything too chemically laden for fear I fry off my few precious strands.  So I'm going the organic / natural route. 

Part 1:
Spray and massage in Apivita Propoline Hair Loss Treatment for Women, twice daily

Part 2:
Coconut oil scalp mask once weekly. 

Part 3:
Apple cider vinegar dilution sprayed after each shampooing.  You can probably guess - I reek of fish and chips with a top note of apple. 

Operation Rapunzel will run for 3 months with a review thereafter.


Beaker out.