Morning.

Sunday.

 

    

It was my flatmate Nina's birthday in the weekend, and everyone was looking lovely in the sunlight. We ate and drank to beyond contentment and reveled in the beautiful weather. Thanks, Vienna, for looking lovely for us too.

Paris, je t'aime.

There is just something about Paris. Something unique and inexplicable. Maybe for me, it's that it was the first place in Europe I ever set eyes on as a wide eyed nineteen year old. Or maybe it's the perfect weather that's coincided with every visit I've paid there. Maybe it's the cute, bubbly sounding chatter, the fact that people drink wine at lunch, the incredible croissants so buttery they melt your tongue, the smartly dressed people of all ages, the rosy hue on the buildings and beautiful streets, the direct, friendly nature of the people, the stylish, feisty, attractive women. There is something about Paris that steals your heart, as it did mine all over again when I visited last week. Being a tourist in Paris reminds me of this hilarious, sad and lovely short film from Paris, je t'ame, which I think sums up the experience beautifully.

I took the photo above from the top floor of the Pompidou Centre.

Polenta breakfast

Polenta is another great whole grain food which I can't believe I had never cooked until recently. It's made from ground maize, and becomes a porridgey consistency when cooked. It's creamy, nutty, smooth and substantial, and is extremely easy to make, much easier and faster than almost any other grain food. The thing about polenta is that it's so tasty that you don't need to flavour it much. No pasta sauce or gravy necessary here. My favourite way to make polenta so far has been to cook it in vegetable stock and serve a ladleful of it next to roasted or grilled veggies. Simple. I would imagine it would be delicious served with sausages or a steak too.

Today I thought I'd cook polenta in milk for breakfast, and this was the result. This is how I made it:

1) Heat a little milk in a pot. I probably used about half a glassful.

2) When the milk is hot, pour in some polenta. I probably used about half the amount of milk. Stir continuously. You'll see it start to thicken. Add more if you'd like it thicker.

3) Serve in a bowl with toppings of choice. I threw on some sultanas, cranberries, sliced almonds, walnuts and flax seeds.

This whole process seriously took about three minutes. I'm all about super easy yet delicious and nutritious food. Highly recommended.