Tag Archives: Recipes

I’m a blender girl in a smoothie world

March 14, 2016 Virginie the Frenchie 2 Comments

Lately I became addicted to those trendy and colourful beverages called : SMOOTHIES! Not only they are delicious but they are supposed to be healthy as well : perfect combo then, I’m all in! This is the perfect excuse for me to indulge myself with some nice and fresh fruits ❤

It all started with the purchase of a magic kitchen device : Mr Blender! Mr Blender has many qualities :

He is POWERFUL : he can blend anything !
He is CHARMING : nothing can resist him
He is JOYFUL : with his little yellow hat on
He is EASY GOING : dishwasher safe, space saver

And this is the part where I started to buy and blend many fresh fruits but also frozen ones to make refreshing smoothie bowls. I also started to be more and more interested in green juices and I purchased Kale, spinach, cucumber etc… I tried many combinations, but I have a sweet tooth so I must confess that I am more a fruity girl than a veggie one!

I think it is a good way to start the day with a smile on your face. Besides I like to have a bit of fun with my smoothie bowls topping them with superaliments and cool stuffs such as : chia seeds, sunflower seeds, linseeds, grated coconut, goji, almond milk etc… I am having also fun decorating them with layers so it looks like a landscape. I think it is worth it spending a couple of minutes on the decoration because you eat also with your eyes, don’t you?

Anyway, I am quite happy about all my creations. I like the texture and I like the colour, my favourite being anything involving blueberries, strawberries and vanilla soy or coconut milk! I have also a sweet spot for banana, milk and safran (or matcha) shake. It is easy to find on internet many recipes ideas but generally I prefer to follow my intuitions and what I have actually in my fridge and kitchen cupboard. You can’t go wrong with smoothies so let your imagination lead!

So next time, you are looking for ideas to brighten your breakfast, have a colourful smoothie bowl : it will cheer you up for the rest of the day 🙂

australia, food

That sushi is a diva!

June 9, 2015 Virginie the Frenchie Leave a comment

If you happen to be a foodie of great diversity like me, you should definitely join our English cooking class at the North Adelaide Community Centre!

There is always something nice to taste, a new flavour to discover or a new technique to master while learning English!

Marjorie (from Colombia) mastering the sushi art

Today was a very special day because there was the famous South Australian Life magazine covering our international cuisine event! Actually they wanted our dishes to appear in their food and wine section…. wow… can you believe it, our dishes are making the news!!!

So we did our best to represent our countries with food we really love! I think we did a great job and we enjoyed plates from different part of the globe:

– Yosuke (from Japan) made delicious sushis for us! The tuna and the salmon came from Adelaide Central Market and it was very fresh and tasty! I think all the eyes were turned on this piece of art and we were all more than welcome to give it a try. It was not that easy and rolling a sushi is a real technique! Actually Marjorie (from Colombia) and Balbina (from Spain) were really good at it!

– Jessica (from Mexico) cooked amazing chicken tacos with a fabulous fresh guacamole: OMG it was divine! I love the colours of Mexican cuisine, it is so lively! It is like the party is already starting in your plate before it has even reached your mouth.

– Marjorie (from Colombia) prepared some vegetable roots with cheese and tomatoes/onions sauce. Somehow the sauce reminded me of the taste of one of our traditional dish from South of France called: ratatouille. What a lovely surprise I must say!

– Pegguy (from Taiwan) made a beautiful Taiwanese beef noodle soup, such a comforting dish! The beef was literally melting in my mouth and the flavour was absolutely lovely!

– and I (Virginie from France) cooked a “tarte au thon”. Basically it is a kind of quiche made with mustard, tuna, tomatoes, cheese and cream! It can be a starter or a main dish with a salad… depends on how hungry you are! I got the recipe from my grandmother and it is always a hit when I make this dish. My family and friends absolutely love it, and so do I ❤

English mixed with cooking class: a tasty concept!

As always, this class was good fund and a great success! It was a wonderful opportunity to taste some lovely dishes and bond with each other 🙂

food, france, School

Soupe à l’oignon au bleu d’Auvergne – Onion soup with blue cheese

May 24, 2015 Virginie the Frenchie 4 Comments

“A classic and comforting recipe from the French countryside that will please your palate during winter, especially after an outdoor walk in the biting cold.”

Ingredients:

For 4 people:

• 400 g onions

• 2 liters of chicken stock

• 70 g unsalted butter

• 150 g of Bleu d’Auvergne (blue cheese)

• 4 slices of country bread

• Salt

• Coarse salt

• Ground black pepper

Method:

• Peel and chop the onions.

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan add the onions and gently brown over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula.

• Then add the chicken stock, seasoned with a pinch of coarse salt.

• Stir and bring to a boil and allow to simmer about 1 hour over low heat. Stir from time to time during cooking.

• Meanwhile mash the Bleu d’Auvergne (blue cheese) in a bowl with a fork until you obtain a creamy texture.

• Lightly toast the slices of country bread and while still warm, spread the cheese on the top of them.

• Once the soup is cooked, remove half of the volume of onions with a skimmer or a slotted spoon. Let the mixture cool down and put it in the blender to obtain an onion puree.

• Then put the onion puree back into the saucepan, mix, adjust seasoning to taste adding salt and pepper and mix well again.

Presentation:

Serve this traditional dish in preheated soup plates. Place the toasted bread spread with bleu d’Auvergne on the side ready to be immersed in the soup.

Top tip:

A little trick to avoid ” crying ” while mincing onions: use a sharp knife! Actually a bad knife crushes the pulp of onion instead of slicing it – it spreads a fine mist of onion juice in the air followed by a river of tears!

If you can’t find Bleu d’Auvergne, you can use a local blue cheese as well, in that case choose a creamy and flavourful one.

Bon appétit 🙂

————————————————————————————-

Kellie, who is the North Adelaide Community Centre coordinator, asked me to take part to a good cause by writing a recipe from France. The idea was to create a “City Community – favourite soup recipes” book in order to raise money for the Welcome Centre of South Australia – http://www.welcometoaustralia.org.au/ – so they can replace a trailer which was recently stolen from them! The goal was to obtain a collection of recipes that reflect a little bit about our family and heritage. I really liked the initiative and I was happy I could help! I chose to translate this recipe into English because I originally come from Auvergne and I liked the idea that “Bleu d’Auvergne” (a typical blue cheese from this region) was part of this comforting dish. My favourites French cheese are: Bleu d’Auvergne, Fourme d’Ambert (another blue cheese), Cantal, Saint-Nectaire, Salers and Gaperon – all made in Auvergne haha! Luckily some of them can be found at the Adelaide Central Market which is good when I am missing French cheese.

australia, food

On the rocky road again

May 21, 2015 Virginie the Frenchie Leave a comment

Easter time is all about chocolate and you would think that now you can wait until christmas for your next chockie shot… but can you really get enough of those little treats?! I really doubt it!

Luckily for me, I live in Adelaide: Haigh’s chocolates paradise! Forget about Willy Wonka’s factory because here it’s not just a story, it is the real thing! They have just celebrated their 100 years anniversary and it is too bad they did not organise a chocolate lottery for this special occasion 😦 Anyway, I am in love with their chocolates but the one that drives me literally crazy is: Milk Rocky Road! I could eat it all day and then probably cry a river because my jeans don’t fit anymore. What can I say, it is my secret weakness, I must say they are absolutely delicious! Imagine cubes of light vanilla marshmallow mixed with cherries, sultanas and almonds, tossed in chocolate. The first time I tried them was in September 2014, only a couple of days after my arrival to Australia and I still remember the flavour on my palate ❤ what a delightful surprise when you think that I am not a big fan of marshmallows! I am not sure you can find “Rocky Road” in France, well I have never heard about them before. On the contrary, it seems to be easy to find those little treats in Australia, Great Britain or America (with slightly different variations).

So if like me you are a chocolate lover and you want to know what Rocky Roads taste like, then here is an easy recipe from the famous Chef Jamie Oliver himself! In this recipe, he uses dark chocolate (healthier option) but I prefer the non diet friendly version with milk chocolate 😉

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/rocky-road-kill/#owepoyEMDyxbMiaw.97

My tip: should this not be easy for you to find golden syrup in your country, I think it is ok to use substitutes such as Agave syrup, Maple syrup or molasse. Careful with the dosage since you don’t want the result to be too sweet. Please feel free to let me feedbacks in the comments section as I am curious to know how it went, if you liked it and if you have any tips to share.

australia, food, lifestyle

You should drink more water!

April 16, 2015 Virginie the Frenchie Leave a comment

“No water, no life. No blue, no green” – Sylvia Earle

Forget about make-up, beauty creams, vitamins, miracle pills, fancy clothes, jewels to make you beautiful… because a girl’s best friend is closer that you think, it is actually: WATER!

Water has many virtues: it helps to digest, to regulate body temperature, to help with weight loss, to feel full of energy, to have a clearer skin, to stay fresh, to prevent headache, to beat colds, to think clearer! With all these benefits it should definitely be part of your beauty routine ❤

We are supposed to drink around 2-3 litres a day… which seems like a lot! But you can make it fun by adding cucumbers, lemons or fruits in your glass of water, to spice up things so it does not get boring! Here is a lovely article with 20 cool recipes and amazing pictures that will make you fall in love with your glass of water! http://www.diyncrafts.com/7075/health/20-delicious-detox-waters-cleanse-body-burn-fat

Water spiced up with mint, orange, lemon and cinnamon!

I personally adore tea so it is another disguised way to hydrate your body and feel splendid! My favorite time being in the afternoon while blogging and enjoying an homemade iced tea or a warm and comforting cup of my favorite blend.

Delicious mint and lemon iced tea at “E for Ethel” cafe

You can also make it trendy and healthy at home! In Adelaide we are lucky to live near Mount Lofty and its natural springs. You can enjoy pure and refreshing water for a really decent price and it is always nice to buy local! It is non polluted, it is natural, high quality and it tastes good! Here is my tip: buy a 10 liter Mount Lofty water pack (easy to find at Coles supermarket), it is convenient, cheaper and environment friendly! Then buy a beautiful bottle: I went for “Voss”, they have really stylish glass bottles but their water is so expensive because it comes from Norway springs! So now what I do, I fill my trendy “Voss” bottle with my “Mount Lofty natural spring water“, I place it in the fridge and I have always fresh and pure water to offer. I must say the bottle looks pretty cool on my table which is always a PLUS to feel good about yourself or when you have guests!

And now a funny story: I am going to reveal a little secret about Mount Lofty 10 litres pack that only Australian people know because they were born with it I assume. It seems that foreigners don’t know how to make the water flow from the box… My friend Nasim (from Iran) and I (from France) made exactly the same mistake, turning the plastic button from right to left and the other way around… we turned every part of it but nothing happened, not a single drop of water. One day Nasim’s neighbor (from Oz) paid a visit to her and Nasim asked her if she knew how to use the water pack! Her neighbor smiled and said, “Oh, it is easy, there is a little trick to know” and she showed her! Then it happened the same thing to me and I spotted that Nasim had a Mount Lofty water pack at home too, so I asked her to show me how to use it and she said, “it is easy, there is a little trick”… when thinking of it I feel stupid now haha… don’t turn the plastic bit, it won’t do anything! For god’s sake it is not a French wine barrel with a small pourer to turn on and off! So the technique is to lift the small plastic bit up or down like if you were switching a light on or off and the miracle will happen, you will have your own fountain of water springing in your home ❤ magic!

australia, food

3 typical dishes to eat in Adelaide – Australia!

February 20, 2015 Virginie the Frenchie Leave a comment

I find it always interesting to get to know a new culture and a new city through its cuisine! I really enjoy to explore new flavors and to discover dishes I have never heard about before!

So forget for a moment about your home country… I mean I can have “blanquette de veau”, “ratatouille” and “raclette” everyday in France if I want do! Let’s try something new 😉 something you have never tasted before, something typical from here that you will remember for sure! Here’s my top 3:

1. Pavlova

A traditional and festive Australian dessert that people seem to particulary enjoy during summer time. Basically a beautiful meringue cake, crusty on the outside and smooth on the inside, topped with whipped cream and red fruits! It is very sweet and it tastes good. I don’t know if you can find those in a bakery/restaurant here… but you can definitely make one at home and buy everything you need at the Coles supermarket (here’s a good recipe from a previous article). If you are lucky and make friends with locals, I am sure if you ask they will bake one for you! Adelaideans are very friendly and generous people!

2. Pie floater

Again a very Australian dish, very common in Adelaide! It is a traditional meat pie floating or submerged in a sea of thick pea soup. It reminds me of the Titanic… It is usually covered with tomato sauce (ketchup) which was the weird part for me… but “when in Adelaide, do like the Adelaideans” so I ate it exactly the same way and it was ok. Australians enjoy it mostly as a late evening meal. I must say it tastes good and it is budget friendly (only $6) but it is pretty heavy on the belly especially on warm nights (and there are many here!). In my opinion the best place to enjoy this typical dish is the Bakery on O’Connell in North Adelaide.

3. Lamington

Another Australian dessert. It is a sponge cake coated with chocolate sauce and grated coconut. There is another version with a layer of cream and strawberry jam in the middle. It is quite nice to have it with tea or coffee. You can find those cakes at the supermarket or in a cafe/bakery. I personnaly like to have mine again at the Bakery on O’Connell in North Adelaide (I know I am repeating myself but this is a good address)! As for those who are not living in Australia and want to give it a try, here is a nice recipe http://allrecipes.com/recipe/lamingtons/

I hope you will enjoy this selection and that you will make sure you have ticked these 3 dishes on your list so you can feel you are becoming a perfect Australian 🙂 And as an Adelaidean don’t forget to pop by Haigh’s chocolates to indulge yourself, they are an icon here!

As for me, I am always glad to experiment new things when living abroad and I am really looking forward to it/eat. Speaking of that I have found a very interesting article called “100 things to eat in South Australia” http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/lifestyle/special-features/things-you-must-eat-in-sa-great-plates-1/story-fnmhkdr1-1226892366054 – this could be my next challenge by the way!

What are your favorites foods here? Do you have any typical Australian dishes you would like to recommend me? I would love to hear about it ❤

Bakery on O’Connell

Bakery – Cafe – Caterer – Open 24/7

44 O’Connell St,

North Adelaide

South Australia, 5006

Phone: (08) 8361 7377

http://www.bakeryonoconnell.com.au

https://www.facebook.com/bakeryonoconnell?pnref=story

australia, food

Pavlova, the ballet dessert!

February 2, 2015 Virginie the Frenchie Leave a comment

Pavlova seems to be a dessert the australians enjoy during summer time… A lot of people around me (natives essentially) have mentioned it many times saying that they had this dessert for christmas… I was really curious about it and I was wondering what it looks like, what it tastes like, what it feels like… Is it good? refreshing? Sweet?

Today, for the first time since I arrived in Australia, I had the chance to taste this popular dessert! Colleen our English teacher cooked one for us. I was thrilled to get to know more about my new country and its cuisine!

Actually Pavlova is a meringue cake, it has a crisp crust on the outside and it is soft like a cloud in the inside. It is topped with whipped cream and fruits such as strawberries, berries… Colleen has put bananas inside to add a special taste. She told to our class that it was quite easy to cook! I think the hardest part is to get the meringue right. You can buy ready made meringue but I think it does not feel the same.

This dessert is a traditional and festive dish that australians enjoy a lot. It is believed to have been created in honor of the beautiful and famous Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova when she visited Australia. The texture and the white colour is supposed to remind you of a beautiful and elegant ballet tutu. Poetic isn’t it?

It tasted very sweet and each bites were litterary melting in my mouth. I really liked it and I hope I will have other opportunities to savour this typical Aussie dessert 🙂

As for those who are not living in Australia and curious to taste a Pavlova, here is a recipe that will make you want to practise your arabesque!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/the-best-pavlova/