February Eats

Another month, another food round-up for you all! I enjoyed some home cooking this month and the small handful of meals I ate out were really lovely and a nice treat. I'm still yet to indulge in new cuisines as per my 2015 goals, but I did make Greek lemon potatoes once more so at least I'm working on that goal!

second attempt at Greek lemon potatoes
seared tuna at Red Door Corner Store, Northcote
Chicken Satay from Paul Louey's, Rye
Brioche French Toast with Peach and Orange Custard from Red Door Corner Store

Another attempt to perfect my Greek lemon potatoes was a success, less of a success was the chicken satay from Paul Louey's in Rye that I had on Valentine's Day. $18.50 for this plate seems a bit excessive and it wasn't anything special (the Thai restaurant in Rye serves much better satay!)

A much better meal was shared with my best friend Candice at Red Door Corner Store - I went for the Brioche French Toast (yet again!) while Candice had the Seared Tuna. I had my first try of seared tuna that day! I have a full review of RDCS coming up on the blog.

homemade chicken & feta bowl, with spinach, rice, capsicum and corn
my home spin on a SumoSalad - southwest chicken w honey mustard dressing
a long-time favourite treat - Dorito's with Salsa!
Marion's Kitchen Korma Curry

We didn't eat out very much in February, and I tried to stay away from food court lunches by making my own versions at home. I threw together the chicken and feta bowl using bits and bobs from the fridge and freezer, whereas the 'el Bovary sumosalad' was a more thought out idea - I threw together everything I usually eat in my SumoSalad together and it was a pretty damn good copy!

Doritos and salsa are a rare snack for us nowadays but Mister and I really love them - why so addictive, huh? Last but in no way least was the Marion's Kitchen Korma Curry which we made with chicken - her boxed meal kits are the bomb, do yourself a favour and try them on a lazy weeknight!


raspberry swirl muffins for Mister's work lunches
Dairy Milk Picnic
Rolled Oats with honey and brown sugar apples
Baking spree - raspberry coconut tarts, banana tart and coconut turnover

Muffins don't personally float my boat but Mister loves them for taking to work, so I whipped up some raspberry swirl flavoured ones for him to take in and share with the boys. I seem to get bitten by the baking bug more often nowadays and I love experimenting with flavours, but sometimes you can't go wrong with a classic! Speaking of classics...Dairy Milk Picnic Block - turning a non-choc lover into a choc-lover since 2014.

I love eating oats for breakfast and often have overnight oats as they're really filling and delicious, but I didn't prepare anything overnight so whipped up some honey brown sugar apples to spice up some plain cooked rolled oats.

A big baking spree happened! I made tarts for my nephews birthday and then the rest just happened. The coconut turnover was the best out of that bunch for me, juicy and sweet with awesome flaky puff pastry.

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A big month of baking, it seems! What is your favourite thing to bake or make at home? Do you ever copy a favourite take-out/food court recipe at home?
-Emma

January Eats

I'd like to welcome a new regular to the emmabovarybeauty line-up - the monthly eats post! I see 2015 taking a lifestyle lean for my little slice of the internet, and I want to start incorporating all of the things that I love into my writing - when I originally began this blog in 2010 I wanted it to be about 'all of the things in life that make it beautiful' and I feel like I'm getting back on track with that now. A lot has changed for me personally since the blogs birth, and I feel its only right to pop up food posts and home posts as I see fit, since it's what make my life wonderful! Wordy ramble over, now onto some of the food I enjoyed in January!

Birthday ice-cream at Trampoline
Birthday lunch at RMB - calamari w chips and salad
Disappointing soy and ginger chicken
New 'By George' range at Coles

I celebrated my birthday at the beginning of January, and on the day spent a few hours shopping at Doncaster with my sister and my niece. I followed my lunch with a sweet treat from Trampoline Gelato - a scoop of Hazelnut Roche (nutella-like goodness, my fave!) and a scoop of Coconut!

Another beautiful birthday celebration, technically in late December but I threw it in this post anyway. My best friend Candi drove down for the day and took me out for lunch at RMB Westfield Plenty Valley. We both ordered Calamari with chips and salad, with Candi getting hers grilled as she needs GF and dairy-free options. I love that they were happy to accommodate, both versions of the calamari were beautifully cooked and the aioli was spot on for the crunchy flat chips.

I bought a premade stir-fry marinade that was soy and ginger based and cooked it with chicken for this home-cooked dish. It looked and smelt so good as it cooked and I had high hopes, but it was super bland and had almost no flavour whatsoever. Sure did look tasty, though!

Spotted a cute new brand at Coles - By George! George is my Dad's name so I snapped this picture to send him for a laugh!

Green Curry at Bay Thai
Lunch at Hatch
Lindt gift from my sister-in-law
Betty Crocker Vanilla Cake on a coffee break

Some gorgeous friends of ours celebrated their engagement with a party down in Albert Park and beforehand Mister and I shared a Thai Green Curry at the newly opened Bay Thai restaurant. It was super spicy so the beers went down well, and the flavour was seriously delicious.

Another surprise birthday lunch, well done January! My sister-in-law and brother-in-law took me out for a bit to eat, but not before they sung happy birthday to me with a candle stuck into a muffin! Was so nice to chill and check out the new Hatch restaurant in Preston, and the food was pretty tasty, but some of the dishes weren't as good as they could have been. I'll definitely head back here to try more of their menu though.

The next shot is of a nice little Lindt surprise from my other sister-in-law (I landed pretty lucky with my in-laws, didn't I?)

I am quite obsessed with baking at the moment and whipped up a quick and easy Betty Crocker vanilla cake with the intent of filling Mister's work lunches with it. I had a few slices myself and damn that's a good vanilla cake - added bonus is the premade frosting which was delicious. I had a nice little coffee break with Lolita and cake, what more could you want?


Dr Pepper at The Reject Shop
Choc-coated Peanuts
Coffee at Mumma Bovary's
Moccona with a Hint of Caramel <3

Had to snap a picture of this Dr Pepper 12pack at The Reject Shop - it's the obsession I began when we hit up America last year!

I was inspired by Norlin to nab a pack of chocolate covered peanuts to take to the cinema with me - great idea, Norlin!

A nice relaxing coffee break at Mumma Bovary's, but I have to admit that I have stashed a jar of Moccona with a Hint of Caramel in her cupboards as her coffee is always woeful!

Moccona, have I told you lately that I love you? I really do - Hint of Hazelnut is my next purchase alongside you, but right now I'm sitting in front of a hot cup of you with a splash of milk and everything seems right in the world.

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So there you have it - my first monthly eats instalment! I hope you all enjoy the lifestyle related content that I'll be posting, the bulk of my passion lies in the beauty realm but I think writing about a wider range of things every now and again will really warm my soul and make me much happier overall!

-Emma