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Monday, September 11, 2023

Creamy Vegitarian Pasta

 I have to make a meal for some vegitarians.

The back up plan is to make a potato bake and salad.

Preference is to make a mushroom sauce and pasta

RESEARCH

https://biancazapatka.com/en/vegan-mushroom-pasta-with-spinach/

Ingredients 14 oz (gluten-free) pasta of choice (400 g)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic minced 1
4 oz mushrooms (400 g) sliced 10,
5 oz baby spinach (300 g) fresh approx.
1/2 cup vegetable broth (or plant-based cream*)
1-2 tbsp soy sauce (optional) salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp lime juice (optional) parsley chopped (optional) 

Topping:
pinch of smoked paprika
5 tbsp pine nuts vegan parmesan (optional) 

Instructions Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions.
Toast the pine nuts in a small pan without additional oil.
Then remove from the pan and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet/ pan.
Add the mushrooms along with the onions and sauté for about 3 minutes until lightly browned.
Add the chopped garlic and cook for about 30 seconds longer.
Then deglaze with soy sauce and a bit of vegetable broth (or plant-based cream).
Reduce the heat and cook for about 1-2 minutes longer.
Add the spinach and cook for further 2-3 minutes until it has wilted.
Season with salt and pepper.
Optionally, add a splash of fresh lime juice, if you like.
Once the noodles are "al dente",
pour off the cooking water.
Put drained pasta to the mushrooms in the pan and toss to combine.
Add yeast flakes or vegan parmesan as desired and season with spices to taste again.
Serve the mushroom pasta with toasted pine nuts.
Bon appetit! 

Notes
Instead of vegetable broth you can add plant-based cream or coconut milk,
if you want to make a creamy mushroom pasta.
You can also make your own pasta with this recipe for Homemade Pasta.

You can find this recipe here: https://biancazapatka.com/en/vegan-mushroom-pasta-with-spinach/ .

Ingredients 14 oz (gluten-free) pasta of choice (400 g) 3 tbsp olive oil 1 onion chopped 3 cloves of garlic minced 14 oz mushrooms (400 g) sliced 10,5 oz baby spinach (300 g) fresh approx. 1/2 cup vegetable broth (or plant-based cream*) 1-2 tbsp soy sauce (optional) salt & pepper to taste 2 tsp lime juice (optional) parsley chopped (optional) Topping: pinch of smoked paprika 5 tbsp pine nuts vegan parmesan (optional) Instructions Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions. Toast the pine nuts in a small pan without additional oil. Then remove from the pan and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet/ pan. Add the mushrooms along with the onions and sauté for about 3 minutes until lightly browned. Add the chopped garlic and cook for about 30 seconds longer. Then deglaze with soy sauce and a bit of vegetable broth (or plant-based cream). Reduce the heat and cook for about 1-2 minutes longer. Add the spinach and cook for further 2-3 minutes until it has wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Optionally, add a splash of fresh lime juice, if you like. Once the noodles are "al dente", pour off the cooking water. Put drained pasta to the mushrooms in the pan and toss to combine. Add yeast flakes or vegan parmesan as desired and season with spices to taste again. Serve the mushroom pasta with toasted pine nuts. Bon appetit! Notes Instead of vegetable broth you can add plant-based cream or coconut milk, if you want to make a creamy mushroom pasta. You can also make your own pasta with this recipe for Homemade Pasta.

You can find this recipe here: https://biancazapatka.com/en/vegan-mushroom-pasta-with-spinach/ .

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https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/creamy-mushroom-spinach-pasta

 

Ingredients

Method

  • STEP 1

    Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion and mushrooms for 10 mins, or until softened and browned slightly. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions.

  • STEP 2

    Add the garlic to the pan with the mushrooms and cook for 2 mins more.
    Tip in the crème fraîche and parmesan,
    stir to combine,
    then add the baby spinach. Set aside.

  • STEP 3

    Remove the pasta from the heat and drain,
    reserving 25ml of the water.
    Toss the pasta in the creamy mushroom sauce,
    put back on the heat and cook over a low heat until the spinach wilts, about 5 mins.
    Pour in enough of the reserved water to loosen slightly.
    Season with black pepper and finish with a sprinkle of chilli flakes, if you like.

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this recipe without the bacon (because she thought there was some in the fridge and there wasn’t). Ingredients: Super-Easy Spaghetti
https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/recipes/super-easy-spaghetti
1 cup cooking cream
400g spaghetti 200g small mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tsp thyme leaves
3 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup parmesan, freshly grated (to serve)
3 rasher streaky bacon, sliced
1 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
I am actually planning to cook it again on Wednesday- easy & so tasty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, September 9, 2023

Brown snake and a dance

SATURDAY 9 SEPTEMBER
Rising around 4am and the cat had ascertained it was about to expire from starvation. Dog and cat fed.
 
First event was rowing in a race called the "Brown Snake Omnium". Now there's a word to keep to impress. On Friday, we'd abandoned our boats at Somerville. Saturday we launched there and rowed up just past Oxley Creek where we joined an armada sitting around waiting to start. It was a beautiful sunny day with cool air. Perfect for rowing. The race consists of four sub races with short breaks between. To me a great race as one gets a chance to recover but also put in some distance. Even though we won't break any records, it felt like a good row. The boat sat up reasonably and timing was pretty good and that sets the platform where one can actually put in the effort.
 
Next event was dancing. Bit like the brown snake in that one gets a break between dances. In the dance case it's for mental stress recovery as distinct to physical. Mind you it's getting a bit easier as the basic footwork is slowly being etched into my brain. Next I'll try to actually do it in time with the music. Thank you to Kelina and Belinda BeLeste Dance for partnering me.
 
One dance had randomised partners. They got every one up in two concentric circles then all the guys walked anti clockwise and the women clock wise. Walla random woman to get their toes and shinns attended to.
 
After my final dance, jumped in my car and high tailed it down to Jon Cafferky's birthday party. Recovered from both earlier stress makers with a couple of cold beers. Caught up with Jeff and Susie Clark .
 
Home. Dog was super pleased to see me. The cat reminded me of its impending demise. Dog and I walked for a bit to a food truck. 
 
Back home and crashed....
 

 
 

 

 

 
 

 

 
 

Wednesday, September 6, 2023

Roast Lamb V3 2.8kg

2.8kg roast lamb
And 2.1kg

9pm into slow cooker.
Plus 1cup water.
On high
2am LOW
inspected. The meat swells a bit. Cut off a bit that was pushing the lid up. Turned heat to Low. 

Went to bed
6am Jemma came over. Walked Magnus and Lucy then Jemma, Lucy and myself went for a run. Then coffee at the Oxley Cafe. 
Went to work
3pm left work. 
3:30 met Lewis and Clare at Glenrich st. 
Lewis pealed potatoes. 
4:00pm potatoes on at 150C (probably should be 180)
4:30 Added pumpkin and onion. 
Turned up to 180
5:00 turned everything. Temp down to 170
Made white sauce
GRAVY: 6 table spoons gravox. Small amount of tap water to make paste. Then 2 and a bit cups boiling water. Later a couple of minutes in the microwave. Stir every 30 seconds. 
Slow cooker to warm. 
Cauliflower in microwave for 5 minutes. 
Added Broccoli for a another couple of minutes. 
5:30 served. 

REVIEW
the two legs of lamb was just the right amount for 10 people. 
Whole cauliflower and one and a half broccoli 
5 potatoes and half a pumpkin 
6 small onions. Each cut in half. Probably could have done a bit more. 

Clare kindly set the table. I think this is the first time the table has ever had a table cloth. She also ventured into the garden and came back with flowers. 
2:00 am update
Awake 
Put on a load of washing
Packed clothes for Fri (remembering its the Trupp pub night) 
Packed rowing kit
And most importantly unloaded and reloaded the dish washer. 
Wiped benches. 
There's still another load to go. The last load is saucepans. 

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

TUE 5 SEP

Coached Mel & Graham. Took Phoebe for a ride in the tinnie.

Tesla wanted a form filled in and reminded me I needed 2 sets of keys. Cleaned out the Craptiva. Could not find either of the mechanical keys. Eventually phoned Dan who found one in my back pack.

Dan and Jemma came for tea. 

Moved the craptiva remote access circuit boards to the Chinese housings. Both the official Holden housings and the new Chinese ones are equally poor quality but in different ways and internally slightly different. 

Dan took the good Craptiva key and the two Chinese blanks to get Jai to cut them.



Monday, September 4, 2023

Zoom Audio Grief

 Zoom is giving me grief.  I have a paid subscription.

I set up to host a meeting and when I started the meeting it would not let anyone use their device audio. Wanted everyone to dial in. 

Closed the meeting and tried again. Same problem. 

Then closed the meeting and another person started a new meeting with their ID and that meeting had normal audio. This means that the devices audio is working fine.

Later I deleted the android app and reinstalled it - same problem.  I have also tried on my PC and same problem.

There must be some weird default associated with my account. 

How to fix this?

Screen shots in the community forum

https://community.zoom.com/t5/Meetings/Audio/td-p/137255

Solved with help from Zoom support.  SOLUTION below 



 

Next issue is that it seems that one can not use the live chat feature on the subscription level I have.

 

 

 

 

 

Zoom settings are for computer audio.


 

 

 

 

 Under windows privacy & security > Microphone, Permission is granted and Zoom has actually accessed it.




 SOLUTION

 


 



 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, September 3, 2023

Fathers Day

I think I call it FU day.

While running park run yesterday I mused how someone who's role it is to cheer runners on, influences my mood and drive to keep running. 

Fathers day, in my opinion, is a construct of the retail establishment to sell more stuff. So even more detached from my existence than the park run cheerier. BUT it does influence my emotions. Unfortunately. 

No "fathers day" for me. Marcus and Chris are a long way away and Megan has  Dan and Jemma far away. Not unlike what occurrs at Christmas. I end up second fiddle.

Fathers day is a reminder of how fucked society is. More than half of marriages fail. Way more than half the kids do not live with their natural parents.  It highlights selfish human nature and most importantly that there is no forgiveness in this world.

For me personality it also reminds me how over emotional I am. Aloneness and loneliness.  I was just the banker and the sperm donor. 

All in all its FU day. 


Saturday, September 2, 2023

Saturday 2-9-2023

 SATURDAY 2-9-2023

 

Lined up for park run in my new shoes. Cognisant that I'd done a training plod on Thursday morning that was not quite as dynamic as one would have liked. The main focus for me was to try to repeat last week's effort of not taking a walking break along the way.  Looked around for Nephew Peter but alas I think he'd slept in.
We were off and I noted that dogs seem to decide that after a good start they need to celebrate with a poo.  About the 1k mark, I was greeted with cheery "Hi" and young Peter whizzed by. No PB for him I reckon.

Plodded on. Past the Christians who I hoped were praying for me. Runner's coming the other way.  I try to put some spring in my step to make the running more efficient and focus on controlling my breathing. I know from rowing that if I don't control breathing then one ends up panting and I don't think that's efficient. I can hear the turn around and an effervescent young lady has music going and is clapping and smiling. It's interesting how that can spur one on even though this person does not know me.

 

Up ahead in the distance I see a shimmering sign.  This could be heaven but it feels like hell. Calves are aching and lungs are gasping. Peter joins me for the final straight. An interesting observation: I think, psychologically, the pacer should be beside you and just a couple of cm behind. If they get infront then it feels, for me anyway, like I'm defeated. Weird hay.

Not quite a PB at 37:45 compared to:
26 Aug 37:16 gold coast
19 Aug 39:07 rocks
29 JULY: Rocks riverside 00:38:20
Mid July: Coombs parkrun   00:40:44.

Then took a young friend of mine (Anthony) for a bit of learner driver practice and stopped on the corso for a coffee at the Somerville boat shed. There was a display highlighting the plight of the Palestinians. For me kind of topical atm as we lead up to the vote on the voice. A reminder that there are displaced and disempowered people all over the place and, in my view, we need to find ways to work together.


Took Magnus to Pet Barn at Jindalee for a nail trim $15 seemed good value to me.

Then over to visit Paul and Cybele.  Did some desensitisation with their dogs but Kept magnus on a short leash.

It's river fire tonight and fathers day tomorrow.  Need to be on guard emotionally as fathers day is FU day and saturday night has nothing planned.