Thrifty Recipes: Apple and Cinnamon Porridge

Now, Porridge has always been a very quick, healthy and economical breakfast. A pack of oats costs no more than a few bucks and it literally lasts forever. And for a light eater like me, a 1/4 cup of oats can keep me going until lunch time.

Myster always buys the coarse oats which don't microwave as well, but yesterday I found a recipe which uses a slow cooker instead.

You just put 1 part of oats to 3 parts of liquid into the slow cooker, plus any fruit or spices you may want and leave it on low heat over night.

The result is steaming hot & silky smooth porridge as soon as you wake up. I used sliced apple and cinnamon for this version, but the possibilities are endless: summer berries, bananas, chocolate power, poached mandarins, you name it...

Happy Sunday everyone!

Bargain Sydney: $6 Saladworks Lunch

When I first moved to London, I quickly became a bargain queen. I knew about all the good deals, sales events, promotions and coupons to be had. It was partly out of necessity - London can be expensive - but it was great fun as well. 

Westend Musicals were to be had for free and Michelin star meals would cost no more than 20 GBP. I bought my clothes at designer sample sales and would never pay full price for a hair cut. 

Over time however, I have become lazy and often, due to bad planning or convenience, I end up spending much more than I have to.

I have hence decided to revive my budgeting efforts to prove that lots can be had for very little money - even here in Sydney.

The first step was to give Groupon another chance. After many disappointing experiences in London I was determined to swear off Groupon for good, but I figure that in a relatively small, low-density country like Australia, it might be worth having another look.

 

The first voucher I purchased was "$6 Medium Salad, Large Soup or Wrap with a Drink ad Saladworks, CBD". 

Now this is a really good deal. If you work in the city, you will know that lunch will set you back at least $10. I chose a smoked salmon salad and it came with a bread roll and a can of coke. The salad was very yummy - with feta, olives, eggs, capers and a tangy lemon vinaigrette. It was so good actually that I bought 4 more vouchers on the same day. I will be saving these for my Friday lunches as an extra treat.

Melbourne

Someone once said that if Sydney were a person, it would be a blonde party girl in a short summer dress. I think this is a very accurate description. There's no doubt that looks and money count in this city. The girls wear high heels to work and the Ferraris flash up and down the CBD. Fake breasts are paraded up and down the harbour and people suntan on their shiny little yachts.

Staying within this allegory, Melbourne would be Sydney's geeky older sister. The one who dies her hair black and listens to alternative music. Not cool at first sight, but someone who you like to hang out with because they've got substance and an opinion and a purpose beyond the next cocktail or pair of shoes. 

People always say Melbourne is "European" - a slightly overused comparison, because nothing in the new world is really European. But what they mean is that Melbourne has got "culture" whereas apparently Sydney has not. It's probably because the weather is less temperate in Melbourne, so people have to turn to other things for entertainment than just beach and surfing.  

In any case, I like Melbourne. I like it because I can wear trainers and a hoodie without attracting pitiful looks. I like it because people don't live on salads and protein drinks. I like it because people sit in the parks and street cafes to have a chat, not to secretly judge other people. I like it because there are actual Turkish areas and Italian areas and it's not one big homogenous pot.

I'm heading down there again next Friday for a weekend by the Great Ocean Road. In the meantime, here are a few photos from my last visit to Melbourne.

Coogee to Bondai

Everyone who knows me knows I love the seaside. And I don't only mean hot and tropical beaches - I love anything coastal, whether it's a sandy lagoon, a pebbly bay or rocky cliffs. 

When I lived in England, I had to travel quite far to the nearest beach. Brighton and Eastbourne were about 1.5hrs away from the city. But often, we would journey for 6 or 7 hours to get to the more picturesque places in Cornwall or Wales. We would hike, picnic, take photos and simply enjoy the serenity of nature.

Here in Sydney, it's a much simpler task. Almost everything is in close proximity to either the bay or the coast. Our flat overlooks the Harbour Bay - my daily trip to work takes me across the water to Darling Harbour. Manly and Bondi are only a short ferry or bus ride away. 

The walk we did from Coogee to Bondi a few days back can easily rival any hike on the South Coast of England and Wales in terms of beauty and diversity. There were perfect little beaches between steep cliffs and open bush land. Birds, trees and flowers I had never seen before. Unfamiliar sounds of unfamiliar animals. I spent ages observing a pelican - which I had only known from television before. I still sometimes feel I've been dropped onto a different planet.

My BF often asks me whether I'm not bored by the coast yet. But to be honest, I can't see this happening anytime soon.

New Delhi

My first visit to India earlier this year was very brief - just a short stint of a couple of days to meet my new team. It probably doesn't event count as a proper stay as my experience was limited to the hotel, the cab and the office.

This time around, I had three full weeks. Mondays to Fridays were mainly dictated by work, but we made the most of the evenings, weekends and bank holidays. 

In order to get a grasp of the country, you really need this time: first you need to get over the heat (44 degrees during the day, 30 at night), the chaos on the streets, the dirt, the dust, the poverty. Pretty much everyone gets sick at least once and ripped off by a taxi driver at least twice.

But slowly over time, India reveals its many layers: the richness in culture, the diversity in religion, the stunning landscapes ranging from snowy mountain tops to tropical beaches, the temples, palaces and forts, the colourful saris on the streets, the spices, the craftswork...

And then it hits you - the sudden realisation that the world is a big place, that there are more than 1 billion people in India alone. That their life couldn't be more different from yours. That you may have lived in a little bubble for a very long time. 

India is not a typical holiday destination. People don't tend to come home and tell their friends about the amazing cocktails they had by the beach or the great souvenirs they snapped up at the market (although all of this is to be had). 

They remember the shop owner, who only sees his family 3 times a year because he has to work in the city. The Sadhus or holy men, who walk hundreds of miles on their pilgrimage in search of enlightenment. The driver, who got sacked only because he accidentally dropped you off at the wrong place. The family by the street corner, who was so poor that the children were chewing on dry twigs. The mighty Ganges, which is used for recreation as well as cremation. The fact that cars would stop for cows, but not for people.

The experience runs very deep and in a way it reconnects people with what's essential in life - family, charity, gratitude, growth. 

Goa

I think there are two Goas in India. The Goa from the travel brochures and the Goa that we saw.

I had been very excited about our trip to Goa. In my mind, I had dreamt up the perfect tropical paradise - endless beaches, heritage architecture mixed with the right level of Indian exoticness. 

Hippies, sun-worshippers, soul-searchers and yoga-converts had been coming to this destination for decades and I was ready to experience it all. 

I had spent days researching the perfect place to stay: we finally chose a stunning refurbished Portuguese mansion turned award-winning boutique hotel. 

Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side. The monsoon had set in a week early and monsoon in India means violent rain, 24/7, non-stop for 3 months. With all outdoor activities out of question, we were limited to staying in the house, reading, resting and enjoying the local cuisine. 

We made it to the beach once for about 10 minutes, before the rain set in again. I was slightly disappointed by absence of tropical wow-ness and surprised by the number of free-roaming cows. We were assured by the locals that the other beaches, the ones not accessible by car, were much nicer and definitely worth seeing, but part of me is still doubtful.

Maybe having to slow down was a blessing in disguise. The recent months have been incredibly hectic and it feels as if I haven't had a quiet minute in a long time. To be able to read all day without feeling guilty about it was quite a revelation. We probably did find what many people are looking for when they come to Goa - peace, balance and inspiration.

Rishikesh

It was a very last minute decision of us to go to Rishikesh instead of Jaipur. The prospect of more sightseeing in Jaipur in 44 degrees had never been very appealing in the first place.

Rishikesh on the other hand, gateway to the mighty Himalayas, was promising a "cool" 30 degrees during the day and lots of fun in the form of hiking, yoga, kayaking and rafting.

We booked ourselves into a charming little outdoor adventure camp, 30 km north of Rishikesh, where the population was sparse and the river still fairly clean and enjoyed peace and tranquility for the first time since our arrival in India. 

It was the perfect retreat, with just the right amount of fellow travellers to get friendly with over dinner or by the pool. We were also pleased to see that we were the only tourists from abroad and that we had the chance to experience a weekend break as the locals would do.

"This looks like a lovely little village" my BF said to the guide, pointing at the dotted lights on the hill across the river. "Yes," the guide replied, "that village is great, because they have electricity. They had a big party when they got connected." And not for the first time during this trip we realised how lucky we were in the western world, not thinking twice about commodities like electricity and running water.

We visited one of the villages on a hike the next day and learned that the children had to walk 7km each way to go to school. Nevertheless the family seemed cheerful and they served us chai tea whilst they were chatting to the guide.

The rafting itself was fun - we went 25km downstream in sometimes calm and sometimes not so calm waters. After the bigger grade rapids, we all chimed into the equivalent of a high-five with paddles: OUR RAFT IS BOOM DYNAMITE - TACK TACK TACK TACK BOOM!