#bakedrice

Can’t believe a year has passed and I’m back home for the holidays already.  During my 25 long hours, YES 25 HOURS, journey home in the sky I was so bored that I did some personal reflection. They say time flies when you’re having fun but not sure how that applied to my year. Not to say I didn’t have fun during my first year in Sydney because it has been an incredible experience but also, an extremely challenging one. 

At the start of the year I was this soppy, hopeless person who had no self-confidence or self-respect. I cared too much about the opinions of others and let it affect me to a great extent. The most damaging was that I very stupidly thought my happiness was defined by someone else. It took a few lumps and bumps but I finally realised how very toxic it all was for me. And now, even though I’m so anxiously waiting to hear if I passed third year, I am content. I’ve learnt the importance of self-care and self-love. I have been reminded why I started medicine in the first place and I have found new inspirations and motivations. I also have reassurance that there is always hope. I am still a work in progress but I am getting there. 

I’m so grateful for the old friends that supported me through one of the toughest years of my life, who were brutally honest with me when I needed to hear it and laughed at me when I ugly cried. I appreciate and love you all oh so very dearly. I’m thankful for all the new friends I’ve made along the way, who judged me for being a single grandma and having a funny accent but helped me find my way again anyways.

It makes me proud to recognise the personal development and growth that I have made and how much happier I am in myself. It’s amazing how much can change in one year. I mean I do yoga now - go figure!

Baked Tomato Rice 

2 cups brown rice, large courgette, red pepper, chestnut mushrooms, half onion (diced), garlic, 400g tin tomatoes, fresh basil, vegetable stock 

In a large casserole skillet or dish heat up a generous amount of olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic and red pepper until browned and aromatic. Add the mushrooms (1.5 cups sliced) and courgette and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the rice and stir until it’s all coated in oil. Pour in the tin of tomatoes and about one cup of fresh basil, mix it all in. Using the empty tin measure out 2 tins of vegetable stock to add to the dish. Mix it all together, bring to boil then turn it down to a simmer until almost all liquid is gone. Season well with salt and pepper. 

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius for about 40 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the top is browned. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. 

This baked rice is such a treat! And it’s healthy, too, providing more than a ½ cup of fruit in each serving. 

Savory sausage, wholesome broccoli, fragrant garlic, and aromatic rosemary are baked with fluffy rice in this one-skillet recipe to create a hearty and flavorful supper.

Ingredients: 1 cup rice. 2 cups chicken broth. 1/2 lb sausage, sliced. 1 cup broccoli florets. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped. Salt and pepper to taste. 2 tbsp olive oil.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375F 190C. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage slices and cook until browned. Add minced garlic and chopped rosemary, saut until fragrant. Stir in rice and cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour in chicken broth, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add broccoli florets on top of the rice, cover, and transfer skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until rice is cooked and broccoli is tender. Remove from oven, fluff rice with a fork, and serve hot.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

It's my lunchtime 😋😋😋😋💫🎶💯 … AWESOME!! Title: "HANDS UP … SUNDAY FEELING GOOD"

Baked Rice bell pepper, onion, garlic, eggplant, chickpeas, rice, pancetta, black pudding, olive oil, beef broth, sweet paprika, tomato, saffron