Lake Ginninderra

Do you want some easy ideas to cook Australian Asparagus? Plus, a weekly round up!

Posted 2016-09-11 by Gary

This week I received a package from the Australian Asparagus Council via Vikki Leng

Vikki works on behalf of the Australian Asparagus Council. You can find out more about the AAC at its website www.a sparagus.com.au, on Facebook: facebook.com/asparaguscouncil and on Instagram: instagram.com/aussieasparagus

The AAC has a free cookbook at Download FREE e-cookbook

To get an idea of how bloggers have been using their Aussie Spears, on social media platforms search for #australianasparagus and #aussieasparagus

You can get to know Vikki at her website: www.vikkileng.com.au Facebook: facebook.com/vikkilengenterprises and Instagram: instagram.com/vibrant_vegetarian

So in this post I’m going to do a weekly wrap up and highlight when Australian asparagus is featured.

Sunday 4 September

Last weekend was pretty wet. I managed to get out for a walk around Lake Ginninderra and shoot some photographs.

The blossoms are looking good.

Blossoms on Lake Ginninderra Gary Lum — Blossoms on Lake Ginninderra

It was a bright and beautiful morning in Canberra and on the lake.

Lake Ginninderra HDR Gary Lum — Lake Ginninderra HDR

For dinner, I slowly roasted a shoulder of lamb with the bone in. I had it in the oven in a heavy casserole for four hours at 150 °C. It was so succulent.

Slowly roasted lamb shoulder with honey kale coleslaw and fried shallots Gary Lum — Slowly roasted lamb shoulder with honey kale coleslaw and fried shallots

Monday 5 September

Work was good. I have been working on a new matter which has engaged some areas of my brain that I haven’t used for a while.

You’ll also recall from last week’s post that one of my hospital colleagues gave me a book as a gift. It is a very special book and it helped me complete my collection of editions of the “Manual of Clinical Microbiology”.

Manuals of Clinical Microbiology Gary Lum — Manuals of Clinical Microbiology

For dinner, I had a simple meal after a big weekend of eating. A simple piece of salmon with some coleslaw.

Panfried salmon with kale coleslaw, fried shallots and caramelised onion Gary Lum — Pan-fried salmon with kale coleslaw, fried shallots and caramelised onion

Tuesday 6 September

My package of asparagus arrived via Australia Post. Vikki had arranged five bunches, one large bunch of luscious spears, two medium bunches, and two mini bunches. These were in a reusable bubble bag.

Australian Asparagus letter from Vikki Leng Gary Lum — Australian Asparagus letter from Vikki Leng

Vikki had also arranged for a Media Release and a fact sheet on the nutritional value of asparagus.

So on Tuesday night for tea I had a medium sized bunch of asparagus plus some salmon.

Honey soy pan fried salmon and asparagus with avocado and fried shallots Australian Asparagus Gary Lum — Honey soy pan fried salmon and asparagus with avocado and fried shallots

Wednesday 7 September

I had a busy day. I had some heavy reading and writing to do. I didn’t even record how I made my dinner.

Normally I have Chicken Maryland on Wednesday and Thursday evenings but when I was shopping the previous weekend there weren’t any single pieces so I bought a packet of Coles brand pork sausages (six sausages) and ate three snags with a medium sized bunch of asparagus.

Pork sausages with asparagus and cheesy fried shallots Australian Asparagus Gary Lum — Pork sausages with asparagus and cheesy fried shallots

Thursday 8 September

I received a nice surprise in the mail. It was a book celebrating “60 years of Aiming High”. My primary school, Stafford Heights State School, held a celebration last weekend in Brisbane. I didn’t attend but I bought a book. I had contributed to it with a couple of pages of memories. It’s been good reading some stories from friends and teachers.

60 years of "Aiming High" at SHSS Gary Lum — 60 years of “Aiming High” at SHSS

For dinner, I made curry pork sausages and asparagus using the large luscious bunch of asparagus.

Curry pork sausages and asparagus with potato, onion, chillies and fried shallots Australian Asparagus Gary Lum — Curry pork sausages and asparagus with potato, onion, chillies and fried shallots

Friday 9 September

For dinner, I had surf and turf (rump steak and prawns) from the Canberra Southern Cross Club Jamison.

Canberra Southern Cross Club Surf and turf rump steak with prawns and chips Gary Lum — Canberra Southern Cross Club Surf and turf rump steak with prawns and chips

Saturday 10 September

For breakfast, I had a fried egg on a piece of fried bread with some smashed avocado.

Avocado on fried bread with a fried egg Gary Lum — Avocado on fried bread with a fried egg

For lunch, I had a bunch of mini asparagus with some crispy bacon and a fried egg.

Bacon and egg with Australian Asparagus Gary Lum — Bacon and egg with Australian Asparagus

In the afternoon I went for a walk and shot some photographs.

Lake Ginninderra Gary Lum — Lake Ginninderra

For dinner, I had some leftover lamb from last Sunday’s dinner plus some pearl barley couscous and the final bunch of asparagus (a mini bunch).

Leftover lamb shoulder with pearl barley couscous and roasted Australian asparagus Gary Lum — Leftover lamb shoulder with pearl barley couscous and roasted Australian asparagus

Australian asparagus is tops

You should try it. If you haven’t tried asparagus, it’s worth a go. It’s easy to cook and great to eat. Don’t forget you can get the AAC has a free cookbook at Download FREE e-cookbook.

Final words

I’m hoping I can get into a more regular blogging and vlogging rhythm soon. I’d really appreciate your visiting my YouTube channel, liking some videos and subscribing. The videos are short and I hope to make them more entertaining.

Thanks for visiting. Please check out the rest of Yummy Lummy. I’d love it if you shared this site with your friends.

If you’d like to see more please follow me on Twitter here and here, on Instagram here and here and on Facebook here and here.

Slowly roasted beef rump

Posted 2016-07-31 by Gary

Thanks for visiting. Please check out the rest of Yummy Lummy. I’d love it if you shared this site with your friends.

A fine Sunday

I awoke this morning from a crapulent sleep. I wish I could sleep better. My allergies are getting worse. If it wasn’t for the continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) machine next to my bed, I reckon I wouldn’t be able to function.

Unlike Saturday, there was no fog and the sky was a brilliant blue that is common for Canberra. As much as I detest the weather, the altitude and inland location make for the cleanest bluest skies that I’ve ever known. Canberra skies are quite brilliant.

I enjoyed a plate of chilli scrambled eggs on Rye toast with some Pialligo Estate smoked bacon for breakfast.

Chilli scrambled eggs on rye toast with Pialligo Estate smoked bacon

The pelicans are back on Lake Ginninderra

After breakfast I went for a walk around Lake Ginninderra and noticed a couple of pelicans near the boat ramp on the Western Foreshore.

I don’t know what it is about pelicans but I really like them. I was able to get quite close to a pair of them this morning. Fortunately, I had with me my 24–240 mm f/3.5–f/6.3 zoom lens. For a variable aperture zoom lens, it’s not too bad on my Sony α7 full frame body.

There was also another small black bird with the pelicans. I’ve been told it may be an Eurasian Coot.

Pelicans on Lake Ginninderra — Eurasian Coot on Lake Ginninderra

The following Instagram videos can be played by hovering your mouse over the image and clicking on the play triangle

Pelicans on #lakeginninderra #belconnen #cbr #canberra #igerscanberra #visitcanberra

A video posted by Gary Lum (@garydlum) on Jul 30, 2016 at 4:40pm PDT

Pelicans on #lakeginninderra #belconnen #cbr #canberra #igerscanberra #visitcanberra

A video posted by Gary Lum (@garydlum) on Jul 30, 2016 at 4:42pm PDT

Dinner preparation

Yesterday while grocery shopping I came across a nice looking piece of beef rump. I put together a plan in my mind to have a slowly roasted piece of beef rump with leftover beef for toasted sandwiches at work this week.

I’ve really come to like using Snapchat (my user name is garydlum if you want to be friends), especially the video feature because I can keep a copy and then share it on Instagram.

Slowly cooked roast rump for #dinner tonight #delicious #yummy #instafood #foodporn #iphone #snapchat

A video posted by Yummy Lummy Gary Lum Food Blog (@yummylummyblog) on Jul 30, 2016 at 10:31pm PDT

Beef rump with potato, sweet potato, pumpkin and onion

Beef rump with potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, onion, rice and quinoa

What you need to make this slowly roasted lump of rump

A lump of rump
Brown onions × 2 with the outer layer removed
Sweet potato—peeled and cut into large pieces
Potato—1 spud quartered
Kent pumpkin—1 generous wedge cut into 2 pieces
Red quinoa—2 tablespoons
White quinoa—2 tablespoons
Arborio rice—4 tablespoons
Bay leaves × 2
Water—1 cup
Red wine—1 cup

Putting it all together

In a large heavy casserole lay down a layer of rice, quinoa and then the vegetables
Lay the lump of rump over the top
Pour in the water and wine
Cover with a sheet of baking paper to stop the lid from getting dirty because I’m lazy and don’t like scrubbing
Cover with the casserole lid
Place into an oven warmed to 150 °C
Cook for 4 hours
Remove the casserole from the oven and allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes
Slice the meat and aliquot slices into containers for lunches
Plate up the meal

Sharing the meal on-line

Shoot a photograph
Eat the meal
Write the recipe
Make a nice picture in Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop
Blog (verb)
Vlog (verb)

How did it taste?

Bloody superb (it tasted really good)

The meat was pull apart tender and moist.

The vegetables were soft.

The juices were sublimely fatty and tasty.

Final words

If you like beef, you’ll love this.

If you like flavour, you’ll love this.

Please give it a go and let me know what you think.

Please send me a photograph and some comments.

Thanks for visiting. Please check out the rest of Yummy Lummy. I’d love it if you shared this site with your friends.

If you’d like to see more please follow me on Twitter here and here, on Instagram here and here and on Facebook here and here.

What I’ve eaten this week

Posted 2016-07-30 by Gary

Another week

It’s been a good week in food. While my predictability remains high, there has been some variation. I’ve also been trying to vary how I share what I’ve been eating. I’m using Snapchat more especially video which I share via Instagram. I’ve also been producing a few more YouTube videos to share how I have prepared food. I set up a page for them.

Split pea and ham soup

Last Sunday I made split pea and ham soup again in an attempt to get it to look more green. Instead of carrot I used potato. It wasn’t much greener.

Slow cooker split green pea and ham soup with Jalapeño peppers and chilli for kick

Salmon

I cooked salmon in paper one night and a quick pan fried version the following evening.

Pan fried salmon with pearl barley couscous and chickpeas

Chicken Maryland

On Wednesday night I made cheesy Chicken Maryland with leftover slow cooker oyster blade steak.

On Friday evening I wrapped my Chicken Maryland in Pialligo estate artisan bacon

Chicken schnitzel wrap

On Thursday at lunch time I had a chicken schnitzel with chips wrap with friends

Royal chicken schnitzel chip butty with pink lemonade

McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounder with a large vanilla thick shake

Thursday was a long day. I started with a 6 am teleconference and ended with a lecture at the ANU Medical School from 5.30 to 7.15 pm. I stopped at McDonalds on the way back to the apartment.

#dinner of champions from @mcdonaldsau #snapchat #iphone #instafood #foodporn #yummy

A video posted by Yummy Lummy Gary Lum Food Blog (@yummylummyblog) on Jul 28, 2016 at 3:33am PDT

Raisin toast after a 6 am teleconference #breakfast #yummy #delicious #instafood #foodporn #iphone #snapchat

A video posted by Yummy Lummy Gary Lum Food Blog (@yummylummyblog) on Jul 27, 2016 at 2:26pm PDT

Roast pork with crispy crackling and potatoes

On Friday while working at The Canberra Hospital I enjoyed a meal of roast pork with crispy crackling and potatoes

Roast pig with crispy crackling and spuds #lunch #yummy #delicious #instafood #foodporn #iphone #snapchat

A video posted by Yummy Lummy Gary Lum Food Blog (@yummylummyblog) on Jul 28, 2016 at 7:38pm PDT

Bacon and eggs

Saturday morning called for bacon and eggs

Garlo’s pie and sausage roll

Saturday lunch was a little extravagant with a pie and sausage roll

Garlo’s pie and sausage roll for #lunch #delicious #yummy #foodporn #instafood #iphone #snapchat

A video posted by Gary Lum (@garydlum) on Jul 29, 2016 at 7:55pm PDT

Garlo's beef and mushroom pie with Worcestershire sauce and a Garlo's sausage roll with barbecue sauce — Garlo’s beef and mushroom pie with Worcestershire sauce and a Garlo’s sausage roll with barbecue sauce

Fried noodles

Saturday night was ‘vegetarian’ fried noodles with vegetables

Pelicans on Lake Ginninderra

It’s a 3 pelican day on #lakeginninderra #belconnen #canberra #cbr #iphone #snapchat

A video posted by Gary Lum (@garydlum) on Jul 29, 2016 at 11:16pm PDT

It’s been a fun week

Posted 2016-07-09 by Gary

School reunion

Well not quite. It’s been a fun week thinking about the primary school I attended, viz., Stafford Heights State School is celebrating 60 years of teaching primary school students this year. A reunion event is planned for September. Facebook is being used to share the love and information. It’s been really interesting seeing a lot of old photographs from school including sporting team photos and others. I’ve been added to a Facebook Messenger group for people who attended from 1971 to 1977. It’s been a lot of fun catching up with some people who I have not seen or spoken with for around 40 years.

I wrote a couple of pages of memories which got a few people chatting. One of the things I mentioned was the first girl I kissed and girls I had a crush on at school. Then there were my memories of playing hockey, cricket and rugby league. It’s not surprising as we all get older than some of us have a few medical complaints ranging from bad knees and shoulders, deafness and sight problems.

Stafford Heights State School Photographs

Snapchat

A friend at work revealed she’s on snapchat and she likes surreptitiously snapping butt cracks (aka coin slots) at shopping centres. We’ve become friends on snapchat so it’ll be interesting. If you want to connect on snapchat my user name is garydlum

Food

It’s been a ‘bad’ week in food. I’ve really overindulged in chocolate and junk food.

Fried egg with quinoa rice and vegetables

Cheesy baked chicken Maryland on sweet potato and brioche raisin toast with potato gems and vegetables

Baked cheesy chicken Maryland on a bed of crispy noodles with chilli chives and avocado

Italian meatball sub from Urban Bean Espresso Bar

Pan fried salmon fillet with diced avocado, chilli, spring onions and chives in a maple syrup dressing

Leftover KFC chilli quinoa congee in brioche raisin toasted sandwich

Surf and turf slowly cooked oyster blade steak with prawns and crunchy quinoa rice and vegetables

On Friday night I wanted something quick and simple. I even made a video.

Socks

A friend dared me to wear mismatched socks and see if anyone notices. No one did.

Lake Ginninderra

Saturday was cool but not cold and the air was still. The local wildlife was out and about.

Public art in the Woden wind tunnel

I really like the Canberra public art. It complements the street art nicely.

"The Fragment" with street art — “The Fragment” with street art

What I ate and did this week

Posted 2016-07-03 by Gary

Thanks for visiting. Please check out the rest of Yummy Lummy. I’d love it if you shared this site with your friends.

It’s been a good week. A busy week but a good week. Yesterday an election was held to determine the Australian government. Unlike the previous election when the conservative coalition (Liberal Party and National Party) won convincingly, we still do not know which party will govern and who our Prime Minister will be. Under our ‘caretaker’ conventions, a new government, the 45th government, will not be sworn in until the result is clear. Counting will resume on Tuesday so we will continue to wait. Last week I mentioned how I voted early to avoid crowds and queues. I had thought I may attend a polling venue or two to check out the sausage sizzles and cake stalls. It was interesting to read on Twitter how many people went for a #democracysausage Twitter was pretty cool in that when #ausvotes was used a little character of a sausage on a piece of white bread would appear in the tweet.

Yesterday a Facebook friend and I were discussing VLOGging so I had a go. I’m sorry about the volume changing midway. I’m not sure if I’ll do more, but it was pretty easy. My only problem is that the upload speeds I get with Telstra ADSL is pretty slow and it takes hours to upload a short video to YouTube.

Friday was a funny day (funny in a good way). I turned up to work (Fridays are my clinical duties day, I’m an Honorary Visiting Medical Officer in ACT Pathology at The Canberra Hospital) and noticed my laboratory coat was hooked over three hooks. I thought that was a little unusual. I continued to my work area and then I saw an old photograph from my Facebook profile on a whiteboard. It’s an old photograph that had been altered by a former work colleague in 2010. A mullet had been added and my head was put on another person’s neck. It looks pretty funny. As I continued I found copies in all sorts of unusual places, behind doors, on doors, in draws, under keyboards, on staplers, and you guessed it behind my laboratory coat. It’s nice to be considered by my work mates as someone worthy of having fun.

I don’t have a heap of food photographs from this week. I was a little unwell early in the week and didn’t feel like eating much or photographing my food.