Weeknight pasta salad with chorizo and summer veg

This was one of my spontaneous mixes, using what I had in the fridge..... Quantities are not exact.

For the pasta:
- Wholemeal Penne pasta
- Fresh basil leaves (or whatever herbs you have to hand)
- Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- Red capsicum
- Courgette
- Chorizo
- Spring onion

For the dressing:
- Anchovy or 2
- 1/4 c Extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 Tbs Red wine vinegar
- 1 Tspn Dijon mustard
- Fresh cracked pepper

Saute the chorizo (if it needs cooking). Then remove from pan. Saute red capsicum and courgettes. Boil the pasta until aldente. Whisk the dressing together. Combine everything together in one bowl.

Spelt Pancakes, and Topping Ideas

So, the last few weeks, we've been having pancakes on a Sunday. More recently I've been making them with spelt flour.... and what a difference that makes. 2 pancakes with white flour keeps me full for about 2 hours if I'm lucky, while 2 pancakes with spelt flour keeps me full until lunch....

Pancakes with white flour

Pancakes with spelt flour

Pancake Mix (makes about 5 small-medium pancakes)
- 1 C Wholemeal spelt flour (or wholemeal flour, or white flour)
- 1 C milk
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg, beaten
- Pinch salt
- (Optional) 1 Teaspoon cinnamon
It doesn't seem to matter how you put them together, just don't over mix.

Topping Ideas
- Banana, almond butter, cinnamon, raspberries, blueberries, fresh cream, and pecans.
- Banana, almond butter, cinnamon, cocoa nibs, pecans and/or hazelnuts, chia seeds, cream
- Refresh: grated apple, coarsely chopped almonds, cream, chia seeds.
- Watch this space for more toppings ideas.

About Me and My Blog

Who?
Hi, I'm Jo. I live in Wellington New Zealand, the most beautiful little capital in the world...  I'm a Data Analyst and Workflow Co-ordinator by day, and a food blogger and health enthusiast by night.... This is a picture from one of the meeting rooms in my office..... What a view huh.....

What?
The main purpose of this blog is to be a central repository for all my recipes. It replaces my old arch lever file of recipes, with the added bonus of being able to multi-categorise!

I am passionate about nutrition. I regularly read books about nutrition, attend seminars on health topics, and am beginning to study nutrition. My food philosophy is to eat food that is: Natural, wholesome, nutritious, fresh, seasonal, organic or local / wild. My food pyramid looks a bit like this.

I also strive for a balanced lifestyle, with moderate exercise, plenty of time in the outdoors, yoga, and relaxation.... In my view, moderation is key....

Why?
I'm not 100% sure why I'm so passionate about balance, moderation, and nutrition, but being an Analyst, and having probably over analysed it, it's possibly influenced by:
- My mother dying at the age of 37 from cancer
- Both grandmothers dying before their time
- A father who's always been disciplined about health and fitness
- My cousin also being passionate about nutrition ;-)
- Seeing the dangerous effects of stress on my body
 

I hope you enjoy my blog. If you have any questions, comments, or ideas, I'd love to hear from you.