Yum Kipper

Thought for the Day: If you are eating your last meal for the next 48 hours, and it happens to be Rice Bubbles and milk, don't put pineapple in there just to use it up cos it curdles the milk. Words to Live By. I am feeling slightly guilty about blogging instead of working - only slightly, mind. Not enough to have me open Word instead of MovableType. The force is strong in this one Obi Wan. You. Can't. Make. Me. Well okay, you can but I'll do some work after this. Firstly, I'd like to report no shin splints again this morning. I hope they never return. Though I know they will - just part of being a prime athlete I guess. *ahem* shut up. Secondly, tomorrow I get to go to Auckland Endoscopey for my annual (funny word, all things considered) endoscopy and colonoscopy. I really really hate going there and having those procedures* done - not the least of which because I woke up half way through the endoscopey last time and well let me confirm my gag refex is a very strong one in that situation. Naturally, I'm a little apprehensive. (A little? Michelle you've been dodging this Doctor's phone calls for 8.months. He only found you because one of your darling family members gave him your cellphone number and his receptionist is a pitbull terrier of a woman who wouldn't let you not make this appointment.) So from now until Thursday morning, I'm not allowed to eat. And tomorrow they find out what we all already know - I am perfectly fine! I was talking to Dave from tinyenvelope about how the mind plays funny tricks on a person. Or rather he was talking to me about it seeing as he was fasting. How when you're busy you can go all day without eating and it doesn't bother you, but knowing you can't have food and half an hour into your fast your stomach is growling to beat the band. Of course I was incredibly helpful by only being able to talk about food. Another cute trick had Phet needing to eat after seeing that photograph of the Rare Lamb Salad *score* I think I might try more of that and see what else I can get him to do. Food is really annoying. I've always wanted the future to include a meal-in-a-pill like the 1950s image of 2004 predicted. I get so sick of buying food and then storing it, then throwing it out three weeks later because I never used the damn stuff. I used to love cooking but I had that knocked out of me to the point of only ever having alcholic beverages in my refridgerator. I'm getting better again, finding easy meals to cook for one but I still don't find a hellovalot of joy in the process of fixing a meal. At least I don't obssess over it anymore. It's almost like a sideline annoyance - a bit like sleep actually. On saying that though, there're few things nicer than a) being satisfied after a nice meal and b) waking up in a snuggly warm bed. So if we could just bottle the "afters" that'd be great. Pop a pill with all the nutritional needs with the added comfort feeling of a full tummy; another pill to stimulate the mind and body into not needing sleep but giving you the smiley warm sheeted feeling; a pill that made your body feel like it's just run 10km and release all those delicious endorphins without ever lacing up a running shoe - that's all I want for Christmas, NASA. *not this Procedure **don't forget, you can vote in this year's Net Guide Awards until 5pm October 11th**
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Rare Lamb Salad

They're few and far between, but here's another Fast and Edible Meals for the Hungry. Lamb is an expensive meat here in New Zealand, so this one is a treat. A nice lamb steak, pan fried the way you like it - rare is best I think but you know what you like. Remove it from the pan and let it sit for a few minutes. While it rests, before you carve it, toss a couple of vine warm tomatoes and mushrooms into the pan with a splash of wine to deglaze the pan. While THAT'S going on, make a fast and easy dressing with good olive oil, your favourite vinegar, salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar and a dob of mustard whisked and then drizzled over a bed of mescelin. Slice your lamb into thin slices and lay over the dressed mescelin, then dollop the tomatoes and mushrooms over the top. It's really fast - it took longer to take the photo and get it online than it did to cook this meal. rare lamb mushroom and tomato salad
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