Inspired by Melbourne’s City Wine Shop – a bustling Italian bistro (and bottle shop) serving masterful dishes with a balanced selection of European and Australian wines – this pasta will have you feeling like you are dining in an alfresco trattoria in 10 minutes.
Spring means rhubarb. When cooked down, these long blush stalks turn into a delicious sweet and sour compote. Make a batch and have this on hand to dollop onto porridge, yoghurt or vanilla ice cream.
This versatile recipe is a family favourite – use it to ice everything from vanilla cupcakes to denser cakes like hummingbird or carrot cake.
“Looking at beauty in the world, is the first step of purifying the mind.” Amit Ray
Take more photos. This week try and take pictures of all the moments where you appreciate beauty and wonder in your daily life. Don’t overthink it – it could be the flowers growing in the park on your daily walk, an unusual looking vegetable in your grocery delivery, or the view from your window. This practice unlocks your creativity and reminds you of all the beautiful micro-memories we experience in daily life but quickly forget.
If you want to keep up the habit, consider starting a photo journal with Project 365.
Tangy and tropical passionfruit is such a joyous fruit – especially when paired with vanilla. Enjoy this creamy ice cream on a balmy summer’s day with crushed meringue.
Celebrating blood orange and fennel, this fresh side salad pairs well with pork or pasta dishes. It also makes a beautiful starter with pan-seared scallops.
This overnight recipe is great for getting a head start on the week. It will last in the fridge for a couple of days and can easily be scaled up or down depending on how many mouths you are feeding.
Variations:
Getting ready for the week ahead is empowering and will help you feel under control during the morning rush. While preparing the bircher muesli, play a song you find motivating to get you into a positive mood for the week ahead. Check out Spotify’s Monday Motivation playlist for inspiration.
This light, crisp salad makes a great side for a family roast. The sweetness from the corn balances the sharpness of the lemon dressing. Halve the quantity and add tuna (or another protein) for a healthy lunch-time salad.
Vegan kimchi fritters are easy to pull together on a weeknight, using cupboard ingredients. They make a satisfying meal with your favourite hot sauce and sliced avocado.
Welcome Spring-time with the fresh combination of pea and mint. This soup is perfect for freezing and is full of plant protein.
Variations:
Farnam Street recently shared a blog post that captures the Roman philosopher, Seneca’s point of view on the value of time. While the soup is simmering, take a few minutes to read Seneca on The Shortness of Time. It will inspire you to re-evaluate how you use your time to create an enriching life.
Antioxidant-rich asparagus is best in spring. You can try a mix of green and white asparagus for this tart; both work well with the sweet caramelised onions and orange notes from the olives.
Greek spinach pie (Spanakopita) is a family favourite, blending a refreshing combination of herbs – dill, mint, parsley – with salty fetta and delicate ricotta, this recipe is perfect all year round. Serve with chilli jam or chutney.
Full of healthy fats and potassium, smashed avocado on toast, is a nutritious and quick breakfast option. Pair it with Vegemite for a Vitamin B boost, or serve it with goat cheese, hummus, bacon, poached eggs or freshly chopped coriander! The possibilities are endless.
Breakfast is a great way to start the day. Taking some time in the morning to pause and reflect on what you want to achieve in the day ahead can be a powerful tool. Over your smashed avocado, define the top three priority tasks that you want to complete that day. In the evening, reflect on what you did. What went well? What could be improved? Over time, developing this curiosity will build a powerful feedback loop into your everyday life.
