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January Favourites

Miscellaneous February 20, 2019 Comments: 2

What a memorable month it has been!

Those who follow me on Instagram would be aware that I was away on a family holiday to India last month to attend my little brother’s wedding. Well, not so little in the eyes of the world, but for me, he’s always going to be the little bro as there’s a good ten year age gap between us. So for me, it was not a sisterly affection but rather a maternal instinct that has always been the predominant emotion at the base of my relationship with him.

I remember being totally besotted with him when he was born, spending hours staring at his innocent face. He was such a happy baby and according to me, the most beautiful one I have laid eyes on. So to have that boy all grown up and getting ready to embark on the next chapter of his life has been quite a bit of an emotional one.

Emotions ofcourse ride high but a wedding also means lotsa shopping which is very enjoyable though hard on the pocket. So I did splurge a bit……after all, have to play the eldest sis role to perfection.

For the engagement, I chose to go Western in a full length couture gown from Jadore Australia, purchased from Demile boutique based in Brunswick. I had to research and spend a lot of time getting this outfit simply because I didn’t know where exactly to look.

For the initial part, I kept looking in shopping centres; while there were plenty of choices for wedding guest outfits, there weren’t many options for full length couture gowns. But after much searching, I realised that I was looking in all the wrong places. One of the best places to go wedding shopping in Melbourne is Sydney Road, Brunswick which has so many boutiques with all kinds of price points. Whether you are a bride, bridesmaid or a guest, there are so many options here. I particularly liked my experience at Demile, because of the customer service and the staff went out of their way to get me the size and colour I needed even when I had very little time.

The best thing about Jadore was the designs were beautiful, plenty to choose from and reasonable priced. If you are looking out for formal wear, then check out their website for designs and then find a stockist that’s nearest to your location as the brand does not sell directly to public.

For the wedding, I decided to go traditional and wore a saree after such a long long time. And also a shot with my boys in too….

It was the first time after so many years that my whole family came together for a holiday. Usually it’s difficult for my siblings and their families to take a holiday at the same time as us since we live in different countries and the vacations never match. But this time owing to the wedding, all of us were there with our kids in tow which made it one of the most memorable holidays ever.

Getting back to life here, I was down with a really bad bout of flu after reaching back which meant that my best laid work plans all went haywire. Finally after a hiatus of about 1.5 months, got back into the kitchen for the first proper homecooked meal of 2019. And I wanted to indulge in a comforting Indian meal…

Also on the menu for the week ahead is Baid Mutajjan – a Middle Eastern style of fried hard boiled eggs coated with sumac and sesame seeds. It’s a simple dish but works brilliantly as a side to most meals and also as an after school snack for Adi.

2019 is for experimenting and learning more about ancient grains. Starting with this Bajra Khichdi.

Kaima idli….breakfast, snack, lunch box or even a party starter!

A vegan one pot taco spaghetti….sounds unique and delicious.

Korean egg rolls; this is the humble omelette gone gourmet.

A veggie loaded butter chicken curry. Interesting!

I love couscous and forever looking for interesting ways to make it; this recipe definitely on my list.

Have you ever tried the Bohri style Dal Gosht (mutton with lentils)…it’s simply heavenly!

If you have a sweet tooth, then you must definitely check out my Pinterest board for loads of delicious inspiration and recipes.

Continuing on the sweet note, this raspberry pistachio chocolate is to die for….

Eco-friendly steel art for your home! I can’t wait to splurge on some of Lisa’s designs; do check out her IG account.

Time to go knitwear shopping!

Adieu 2018, Welcome 2019…..

Miscellaneous January 3, 2019 Leave a comment

“Rest when you are weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work” – Ralph Marston

This is my goal for 2019….

As I mentioned on my social media pages yesterday, I do not believe in resolutions but smaller goals that are motivating and achievable. And my biggest goal for 2019 is to listen more to my body, rest and refresh when necessary and then get back to work because I realised that I am not productive nor is my work any good when my physical or mental self is tired.

2018 was a great year for work with so many interesting and meaningful collaborations with brands. And I also got to develop some amazing recipes that so many of you have loved and tested out. Do you have a favourite recipe from my blog or did you try out any for the first time last year? I really would love to know….

And even though it’s really hard, I would still like to pick out my Top Ten favourites from the year gone by;

This Khichdi photograph also made it to Indian Link’s Top Photographs of 2018. Especially pleased about this one because not only is it a dish so close to my heart, it is also a style of photography that I started practicing last year.

Your opinions, feedback and suggestions mean a lot to me; it has always helped me create content and also focus on improving this space. So do let me know your feedback and also what’s the kind of recipes/content that you would love to see here this year.

Finally it’s time for all my favourites for the month of Dec.

The most beautiful Pure linen French blue tea towels….

This Antique silver 5-piece cutlery set is on sale; I am getting one to add to my prop collection.

Totally investing in a Staub French Oven this year.

My big project for 2019 is to set up a home office.

Love greens and this is just another delicious way to eat it.

Chickpea and lentil taco salads; this would be perfect as a work day lunch.

Bookmarking this vegan soup for autumn and winter.

I have never used tahini in a noodles dish before. How interesting!

Roasted vegetable lasagna; I am definitely trying this out. How about you?

Are you a zoodle lover? Then this article is for you.

I am a huge fan of sheet pan dinner for weeknights, and this chicken recipe looks absolutely fabulous to try out this year.

November Favourites

Miscellaneous, Salads, Vegetarian December 3, 2018 Comments: 2

As I typed in the title, I realised that a year has sped by so fast. We have reached the end of 2018 and the next time I publish a favourites post, it’s most likely going to be 2019. Wow!

November is always a crazy month filled with lots of work as food is the most popular subject during this time of the year. Lots of preparations to welcome the festive month ahead leading up to our summer holidays.

And buying gifts….I think most of my energy is spent just deciding on that perfect gift for friends and family. I am not a huge gift buyer but in spite of that I put in so much effort in the whole gifting process since I don’t want to get carried away and buy stuff that has no value for money. Most of the stuff are just packaged beautifully (costs a fortune just for that reason) but absolutely not worth it. Instead I prefer to buy things that have a lasting value and mean a lot to the person who receives it.

Edible gifts are definitely high on my list especially for those who appreciate the quality and craftsmanship of the product. Spices, spice blends, fruits, wine, cheese, coffee beans, rare tea blends etc… are all high on my list of edible gifts.

Do you shop a lot during this season? What kind of gifts do you like to receive?

One of my top recommendations for edible gifts would be a box of premium Yarra Valley Cherries.

I was lucky to spend a beautiful afternoon at their boutique orchard in Seville. We picked and feasted on the most delicious, sweet, ripe red cherries followed by an epic lunch laid out in the orchard. Dedicated to top notch quality, Yarra Valley Cherries are able to guarantee the freshest, delicious cherries due to their unique advantage of growing, picking, grading and packing their cherries on their orchard in Seville making it available to us on the very same day.

A delicious gift to give yourself or anyone for Christmas. You could either place an online order or purchase directly from their Farmgate at Seville.

As part of my final collaborative project with ALDI for 2018, I threw an early Christmas party for friends and family last week. Took the whole roasted ham/turkey route this year with plenty of help from ALDI’s premium Christmas range.

On my Christmas table were;

Premium triple smoked leg ham portion (glazed with orange juice, maple syrup, honey, Dijon mustard, cinnamon, all spice and dried ginger.
Stuffed turkey breast roast (with cranberries and apple)
Pan fried scallops with herb butter (sprinkled with dukkah)
Potato and cauliflower mash
Roasted baby potatoes (with garlic and rosemary)
Grilled Asparagus (with garlic and chilli flakes)
Kale Slaw
Rocket, Spinach and Pear Salad (with feta and walnuts)
Cranberries in red wine sauce

There are lots of goodies in store this season so stock up early if you are going to be throwing a Christmas party at home.

The rocket, spinach and pear salad that I made for our Christmas feast was an excellent side especially for our warmer days and nights. It’s so quick to put together, really refreshing from the crunchy pear slices, creamy from the crumbled feta and to finish off, that nutty texture from the walnuts. A beautiful salad that you must definitely try out.

Ingredients:

2 cups baby spinach
2 cups rocket
1 large green pear; sliced into wedges
50gms feta
A handful of walnuts
Salt, to season
Freshly crushed black pepper, to season
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey
1 tsp verjuice (or replace with vinegar of choice)

Method:

In a large bowl, add the spinach, rocket and pear slices.
To prepare the dressing, add olive oil, honey, verjuice, salt and pepper to a small container with a lid. Shake vigorously to make an emulsion.
Just before serving, add the dressing and toss the ingredients well.
Top with feta and crushed walnuts.

Other favourites for November:

These salad servers from Country Road with the brass finish are so chic.

Love serving ware with a matt finish and these graphite platter set from Aura Home are so understated yet beautiful.

Vintage Santa dinner plates! So nostalgic….

Lusting after this copper wine bucket!

I have a bit of an obsession with wooden crates and storage baskets.

Have you been to the Cellar Door in Ringwood?

These starry brown sugar cookies are so delicious.

This Japanese potato salad will be a fabulous replacement to mashed potatoes.

Chocolate and Cranberry Goat’s Cheese Truffles. Enough said.

How delicious are these meatballs!

Mozzarella and Jalapeno Croquettes – always a hit at my parties.

The best homemade chocolate fudge

This passion fruit and mint cooler is just perfect for our warm days.

October Favourites + a Review of Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery

Book Reviews, Competitions and Giveaways, Miscellaneous October 31, 2018 Comments: 4

Just two more months to bid goodbye to this year!!!

Where has time flown? But then that’s how I start every monthly favourite post of mine, isn’t it?

But sometimes it’s scary right when time rushes by so fast that you wish you had the power to hold it in your hands and keep it still…..shhh, just stay still till I have caught my breath.

Alas that never happens, and the only option seems to be to flow along with its tide….

At the same time, there is also the excitement and joy of the approaching festive season. While there is so much work to do during this time, both personal and professional, I love the energy, the joyous and festive spirit that’s in the air.

On the professional front, I am planning recipes more suited for the season so if any of you have special requests, do comment below and I will try my best to take that into consideration.

Reading is a very passionate hobby of mine, especially hard copies. I do not like digital books or tools for reading as I think it destroys the very joy of holding a book in your hands. While I do read a lot of books, I do not talk much about it on the blog except when it’s a book related to food.

This month, I got the opportunity to read Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery – a Guide to the truly good restaurants and food experiences of Australia, Edited by Jill Dupleix.

Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery - a Book Review - thespiceadventuress.com

The book is part of a series of the world’s first guides to restaurants and establishments serving truly exceptional, sustainable, organic and ethical food.

Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery has a simple yet elegant design and layout; the photographs are outstanding yet simple and real focusing on the food and nothing else. Published by Blackwell &Ruth, 5% of the publisher’s revenue from the sales of the book goes towards the National Indigenous Culinary Institute (NICI) which is absolutely fantastic.

Food guides like these have always been a part of my library and I actively seek out restaurants suggested – local, regional and international. The restaurants suggested in this book are not just about delicious food; that’s definitely a criteria but it’s more about the care and passion that goes into the sourcing of the ingredients, giving back to the farming community, the attention to detail while each ingredient is prepped and prepared to create the final harmony on a plate.

One of the first things I did on getting the book was going through the ‘Victoria’ section; a curiosity to know the recommendations and how many places I had dined at. To my surprise, there were just 2 restaurants that I had been to from the list – Higher Ground and IDES. Both of these serve exemplary food; while the former is a casual café style setting, the latter is a high end fine dining affair. But yes, the food was exceptional.

Barramundi with garlic and red wine - at IDES, Melbourne - thespiceadventuress.com

One of the spectacular dishes I had at IDES, Melbourne – Barramundi, red wine and garlic

I know for a fact that I will use Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery as a guide, ticking off restaurants and food experiences as I travel along through this country. And I would love to get my hands on the rest of the series that showcases establishments in other countries too. But if you are only interested in knowing about the place you live in, do grab a copy for your country from the series.

Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery is not a book that I will read back to back in a few sittings; it’s a guide that I will keep returning to whenever I want suggestions of an exemplary restaurant, a place where I want to dine at not just for delicious food but where I will be served a dish created out of passion, joy and purity.

There is an exciting giveaway happening on my FB and Insta page. You can win 1 x double pass (valued at $160) to Wine & Symphony 2018, Saturday 3^rd November, held at Mount Langi Ghiran.

Spend a beautiful spring afternoon in the spectacular grounds of Mt Langi Ghiran winery in the Grampians. Also treat yourself to wine tastings, a cheese feast, vineyard promenade and sun basking followed by 40 minutes of classical music performance by 4 ace musicians, with a glass of the renowned Langi Shiraz in your hand.

So why are you waiting….head over now to my FB or Insta page to enter. Good Luck!

Wine & Symphony 2018, Saturday 3rd November, held at Mount Langi Ghiran. - thespiceadventuress.com

Now it’s time for all the other favourites for the month;

I had the worst attack of flu and sinusitis this month; this tea was an absolute miracle.

One of my favourite vegetarian snacks using spinach.

I wouldn’t be able to stop at just one bowl of this soup

Absolutely love pumpkin soup; and this one is fantastic.

Another exciting vegetarian recipe; absolutely fingerlickin good!

Lentil and Egg Stew; I have never had anything like this before.

Absolutely stunning food photography!

She inspired me to start a monthly favourites column

How beautiful are these candle holders? Would be perfect for my Christmas table set up.

Need to upgrade my summer wedges

August Favourites

Miscellaneous August 30, 2018 1 Comment

What a month!

Most of you would have heard about the Kerala floods situation. While floods or natural disasters are not uncommon in the world we live in, you realize the scale of devastation and trail of destruction it leaves behind only when it strikes so close to home.

While my immediate family was spared the misery, there were plenty of friends and family who were affected badly. Communication with loved ones became the most difficult thing as many houses and regions were cut off due to the flooding.

There cannot be anything positive when disaster strikes, but the fact that the community came out to help each other was an encouraging one. A sheer testimony to the power of humanity in the face of adversity.

The worst is behind us now but the path of rehabilitation and progress is going to be a slow one for God’s own country.

Getting onto other topics, a lot of you had messaged me about this Khichdi recipe and how you have been enjoying it immensely. It’s one of my favourites too as it’s a hearty, delicious and super healthy one pot meal.

As September is almost here, the kiddo is getting excited about his term hols and we have already started planning activities, workshops, play dates and events to attend. One of the events that we are most looking forward to is the Jurassic Creatures.

It’s an interactive walk through event exploring the world of animatronic dinosaurs. With plenty of related activities, sand art, fossil displays, interactive set ups, this is going to be fun for the young and old alike. Jurassic Creatures will run at St Kilda Triangle (adjacent to Palais Theatre) from 15 September – 14 October 2018. So don’t forget to book your tickets soon.

Well, it’s time to bid adieu but not without sharing all my other favorites for the month. Enjoy reading!

Time for a Whiskey Sour. Cheers!

And if you are into cocktails, then check out these gorgeous glasses.

This Thai style rice soup sounds so hearty and comforting.

Not a big fan of the classic shrimp cocktail but I think infusing Mexican flavours is the secret.

Summer is gonna be here soon and I am saving up all the chicken wings recipes that come my way, starting with this one.

Clam toasts for breakfast! I could eat this everyday….

This is what a summer salad should look like

Speaking of summer, I need to invest in a couple of these dispensers.

This South Indian chicken curry has given me the drools.

Have you tried a beer can chicken before?

Planning any trips to Vietnam? Then you need to read this street food guide.

I love the idea of kitchen islands; adds so much character to the kitchen and can be customized to suit every space.

I can spend hours looking at rugs online; yet a bit crazy but I totally love this one. What do you think?

July Favourites

Miscellaneous July 31, 2018 Comments: 2

It’s been such a fabulous and rewarding month filled with such amazing opportunities on the work front. I am thoroughly drained but it has all been so worth it.

After a few months of discussions, brainstorming and testing, I was finally able to announce my collaboration with Feastively. It is a joy that I cannot put into words to finally see my recipes as a meal box. And of course the thought that it would be of immense help to busy families to put healthy, fresh and delicious meals in 15 minutes on the table.

I have already done a blog post announcing the collaboration so you can read it all here. And to purchase my fresh box, visit the Feastively website. If any of you have already cooked with it, I would love to hear your feedback.

Visit the Feastively website to purchase my special Beef Mince Curry with potatoes, peas and served with steamed rice.

The second highlight of the month was the opportunity to be one of the judges for an upcoming series called Zee TV Chef Diaries. Shot in Melbourne, it’s a cooking series for passionate home cooks to showcase their culinary talents. It was an incredible honour because judging someone else’s cooking is no easy task. But I was happy that I was able to do my best; an experience I will cherish forever.

And the third was being chosen as one of the Top 30 Indian Food Photographers, 2018. Again a huge honour especially being in the company of some of the photographers that I have admired and learned from since the beginning of my blogging journey.

There’s been a lot of recipe development that happened in July; it was a busy month again with lots of brand collaborations and the like. But one of my favourites was this simple Kerala platter with rice, parippu curry (Kerala style lentils); beetroot stir fry and mussels thoran (mussels stir fried with grated coconut and spices). It’s the taste of home!

And time now for all other favourites for the month of July:

Most parents are often made to feel guilty about having just one child. I hope this article will make you feel better about the decision.

I have a little boy or I would have shopped this entire site. But I do buy for my nieces.

An easy peasy chicken noodle dish.

This kofta biryani is perfect for our Sunday lunch. And a long siesta thereafter….

I love taro (arbi), one of my favourite root vegetables.

A Vegan Wellington! How interesting….

Enchilada and a casserole….what a great idea!

Love gazpacho especially in summer but never tried a tomatillo version.

The best chicken sandwich I have seen in a long time

Totally making this pork burger

June Favourites

Miscellaneous July 2, 2018 Comments: 2

School holidays are here, and it’s such a relief from the monotony of a routine.

We totally enjoy the school holiday period, especially because it means no need to wake up to the alarm clock. It’s such a relief folks because I love to sleep.

And I enjoy having Adi’s company too. He is quite happy to do his own things and do not disturb me unnecessarily which means I can still manage to get in a bit of my work done. I try not to take up too much work anyway so that I can spend time with him, take him to activities etc….

We are so looking forward to the Disney on Ice, 100 Years of Magic performance this week. It’s our first time and quite excited for it. Then there are a couple of playdates planned and a few other activities which should keep him engaged during the holiday period.

What’s your plan for the holidays? Any special activities planned?

Getting to food, it’s been a really interesting month. Tried out so many different recipes both for the blog and for clients, and it’s been a really amazing experience. There’s also a project that I have been working on for a while now and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. But a few more days before the big reveal. So excited!

Plus, I am taking part in the NEFF Kitchen 50 Best Home Cooks contest. If you live in Australia, I would be deeply grateful if you could take a minute and vote for me. Thanks so much folks…

The voting link can be found here.

And the dish that I have entered for the competition is the slow cooked Lamb Shanks with Srilankan curry powder.

One of my favourite recipes that I developed for a client this month was the Pan grilled Fish Skewers with Sambar Powder.

My love for sambar powder is common knowledge, especially among my blog readers. But for those who are new here, sambar powder is a spice blend that is predominantly used to make sambar, a lentil stew with vegetables that is a traditional South Indian dish, but now a highly popular dish worldwide. But apart from making sambar, I love using the spice blend to season many other dishes and these fish skewers are the latest.

A highly aromatic blend, the sambar powder works as a brilliant rub for grilling fish, meat or vegetables. It can be used to season curries or stews too, adding a nice depth of flavour. In this dish, I have used it along with yoghurt to make a marinade. The fish and veggies were added to this and coated well; finally the skewers were pan grilled to perfection. An excellent starter to any meal.

Now getting to other recipes and tidbits that became part of my June favourites…

A cocktail for the Campari lovers.

A delicious way to have broccoli. Yum!

This wedge salad is drop dead gorgeous.

Can’t wait to try out this linguine recipe.

Totally love mussels and this one is lipsmacking delicious.

Okra, my absolute favourite vegetable and a delicious recipe that I am going to make next week.

I have already started searching for burger recipes for Father’s Day. This one and this one are close competitors.

Have you seen the new Salt n’ Pepper Vegemite range?

This feather tray would sit beautifully on my coffee table.

My favourite winter aroma.

May Favourites

Miscellaneous June 1, 2018 Leave a comment

Yet another glorious month has passed by, one that bought along plenty of joys and plenty of little moments to rejoice. It was not without its fair share of challenges, but looking back, I can feel only happiness and gratitude at the life I have been blessed with.

Technically autumn, but May was a crazy month when it came to weather. Plenty of rain and cold, gloomy days meant that we needed warm, delicious comforting food on our plates. And the best was this Risotto with Dried Mushrooms and Bacon Crumbs. Absolute yumminess!

Leftover rice is perhaps a very common ingredient in most households and there are quite a few quick recipes on the blog to use it, after all we don’t want to waste food right. All of these recipes are made frequently in my kitchen whenever I have leftover rice to create something delicious for the next day’s lunch box.

One such dish is the Stir fried rice with Salami, Sun dried Tomatoes, Bell Peppers and Herbs. Not a combination that’s common, but I promise it’s really delicious. It’s quick to make and Adi loves it in his lunch box with some cucumber sticks on the side.

Speaking of food, did you read my review about the new South Indian menu launched at The Rochey, Fitzroy? Absolutely chuffed that the cuisine of my hometown would make it to a mainstream modern Australian pub. It’s definitely a small world out there, especially when it comes to food.

Rochester Hotel aka ‘The Rochey’ (Fitzroy, Melbourne) - thespiceadventuress.com

Duck Hearts ( Chargrilled with Recheado and a sweet and sour spicy sauce) – One of the highlight dishes of the day for me. Absolutely loved the flavours, that perfect blend of sweet, sour, spicy; absolutely divine. And highly recommended.

Also, we got to meet Mickey Mouse!

Adi had the most exciting time at the launch of Disney on Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic. The spectacular show returns this year to Melbourne during the school holidays and we are so excited to watch it; it’s our first time.

If you have plans to go, then waste no time in booking the tickets…selling out like hot cakes.

Now getting to last month’s favourites; everything that inspired me be it food, drinks, lifestyle, travel, words or even beauty.

This sangria is different to any I have seen or tasted before. But I am going to try it only when summer returns to Down Under.

These drumettes are fingerlickin’ sexy!

I would say the same for this chicken dish too.

Crack, slurp, mix…..those words define it all.

I am not gonna miss the noodles in this one.

Totally love her Instagram handle; has the most delicious food with some stunning photography too.

A lesser known fact about me is that I binge watch beauty and fashion videos on YouTube. In fact, I hardly watch any cooking channels but I have all the info about the who’s who of the beauty blogging business. And one of the channels I am absolutely loving at the moment is this luxury blogger. She’s sassy, bold and one hell of a woman.

April Favourites

Miscellaneous May 1, 2018 Leave a comment

What a wonderful month it has been.

A happy month as I would like to call it because there were lots of great moments with family and friends. It was also the month of birthday parties which is always a nice occasion to catch up with friends.

It was school holidays at the beginning of the month so it was all about spending time with Adi, planning playdates and taking him for workshops and activities. One of our favourite places for creative workshops is at the Heide Museum of Modern Art. This time, Adi enrolled in the stop motion/animation class which was quite an exciting one for him. And after the workshop, we always make it a point to visit the ongoing exhibitions at the museum.

The museum has an extensive open space which is absolutely stunning and the perfect place to plan a picnic. But I equally love the café too, the food is just brilliant.

The best thing at the gallery is that they have interactive activities for the parent and child in relation to the ongoing exhibition which is a great way to engage a young child to appreciate the finer arts.

Heide museum of modern art - thespiceadventuress.com

When Adi was away, I relaxed inside this beautiful hut with a coffee and my favourite book. The best kind of relaxation!

The other highlight of the month was the Michael Jackson tribute show, The Legacy Tour by William Hall and his live band. We had gifted Adi the tickets to this show as his birthday gift. Though he had to wait for more than a month to enjoy his gift, he was absolutely ecstatic being a crazy MJ fan.

He even got the opportunity to go on stage and dance to one of MJ’s songs which I think he did full justice too. Many of you even wrote to me about his ‘moves’ after watching the video on my Instagram page.

Getting back to food, I finally have the recipe for this chickpea dish (Sundal) on my Facebook page. Lots of friends have been asking for it and since it’s a pretty common one, I decided to post the recipe on my page than dedicate a full blog post to it.

The Sunday chicken curry used to be a very memorable tradition in most Indian households. And even though the novelty has worn off these days, I still try and continue with my version. Find the recipe on my Facebook page.

Also in love with these plates I picked up while I was on holiday in India; totally digging the wildlife theme. The salad spoons are from Nigeria that I bought on Ebay eons ago.

Other favourites:

I love savoury breakfasts, especially if it involves egg and bacon!

Homemade extracts! Now this is very informative….

This ravioli looks too pretty to eat.

This chicken tagine and this chicken piccata.

Pork stir fry and green beans. Not a combination I would generally try but this looks so yumm.

Mexican frozen hot chocolate……this is chocolate heaven, guys.

Mother’s day is almost here, so how about some interesting gift ideas?

Can’t beat this rather unique ‘sausage bouquet’! Definitely for a foodie mom….

If a quiet tea time is her thing, then this exquisite tea set collection is a must buy.

But I have been throwing hints about this one. Beautiful, isn’t it?

March Favourites + Win Five Double Passes to the Tesselaar KaBloom Flower Festival

Competitions and Giveaways, Miscellaneous, Travel and Lifestyle April 3, 2018 Comments: 12

It’s been such a fantastic month. With two birthdays in the house and the countdown to Easter, it’s been a month of blessings and celebrations in our home.

Our little boy turned nine, and we celebrated with a Hot Air Balloon Ride in Yarra Valley. I am sure most of you have seen the photographs or read my blog post by now. It was such a magical experience and another item ticked off our bucket list.

Up in the Air! (A Hot Air Ballooning Experience with Global Ballooning Australia) - thespiceadventuress.com

Courtesy – Global Ballooning Australia

My birthday celebrations are almost always revolved around food, and this time we celebrated with a fabulous dining experience at Grossi Florentino (Grill). A delicious Tuscan experience at an iconic Melbourne restaurant!

Easter celebrations were rather low key, just catching up with some friends over the long weekend. But we also had a fun time at the Tesselaar KaBloom flower festival in the Dandenong Ranges.

Everyone’s familiar with the annual Tesselaar Tulip Festival, but for the first time this year, the farm fields have been opened out to the public for more than just tulips. Imagine rows and rows of so many different types of colourful flowers in bloom. The festival is on only for a short period; March 30 – April 15, 2018.

A stunning display of colour and spectacular views abound with fields filled with blossoming Begonias, Petunias, Sunflowers, Hollyhocks, Dahlias, Snap Dragons, Delphiniums and many many more….

There’s plenty of activities lined up for the children, with each week taking on a different theme. We attended the Chocomania weekend, but there’s also the upcoming family fun days, music concert days, flower expo etc…..

Lots of great food options too which makes it a great space for a day trip with friends and family. And especially with the school holidays on, it’s perfect for a relaxing fun day with the kids.

The folks at Tesselaar have been very generous to giveaway 5 x double passes to 5 lucky readers. Isn’t that simply great!

To take part;

Subscribe to the blog using your email address
Comment below which is your favourite flower along with your email id (to get in touch with you if you win)

Terms and Conditions:

Competition open to all living in Victoria, Australia and 18+ years of age.
The competition will run from Apr 3^rd to Apr 4^th The winners will be notified by email and direct messaging and if I do not hear back within 24 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

Do share the competition details with your friends too. All the best!

Getting onto the other favourites now;

It’s also been a month of easy cooking and more packed lunch boxes. And two recipes that I cooked often and also shared on my social media was this delicious, tangy lemon rice and a spicy scrambled cottage cheese dish, fondly called paneer bhurji in India.

Some of the other recipes I intend to try out soon are these;

I am just a huge fan of devilled eggs!

We go to IKEA just to feast on these meatballs, and now I have a recipe to make it at home itself.

This garlic capsicum chicken is just perfect with my veggie fried rice

This risotto has my name written all over it.

And this pasta can be my alter ego.

I think I am more in love with the photograph than the actual cake.

These chocolate sprinkle cookies are just stunning.

The Spice Adventuress

Category Archives: Miscellaneous

January Favourites

Adieu 2018, Welcome 2019…..

November Favourites

October Favourites + a Review of Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery

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