Thursday, May 9, 2013

flux

perfectlunch

Things are a-changing round here. I feel like my life is undergoing a state of change - just a few interesting moments that are slowing shifting my life away from the norms of my everyday and into the new and exciting of the future. 

After years of fighting, annoying, and harassing each other under the same roof, all my siblings have finally moved out of home. I now see them when I want to see them, not when I'm pushing and shoving my way to get past them to the food on the dinner table. 
My beloved childhood cat died after 21 years of solid, loving and sometimes dribbly companionship. It felt like the end of an era.  He was the oldest thing I've ever owned. 
And now as we all suddenly start moving on from uni, all my friends are starting to get full time jobs and move out of home. It's so weird to think of us as fully fledged, functioning adults but I guess that's what we now are becoming. 

A few weeks ago my brother got married. It was the best day of my life to date - it was just filled with so much love and happiness as we, as a family, welcomed a lovely new person into our own world. But I felt a strange sadness as I realised my brother isn't solely mine anymore - he is starting his new life with his new family. We're growing up. The other month he mentioned having babies and I had to clutch the bookcase for support. 
And finally, finally, I'm in my last year of uni. It feels strange to say - I feel like I've been at uni a lifetime. Five years of being a perpetually poor, stressed and confused about just as much everything is finally coming to an end....Finally, finally! 

This week, mum, dad and I, the only kid left in the nest, are busy cleaning, tidying and de-cluttering. My parents are selling our family home, the place that holds most of my memories. They are downsizing their lives while I plan on moving out of home in a few months, and start afresh with a new canvas to build on. It's a strange feeling packing up your life and imagining a completely foreign family coming in and making new memories in my home. But it's exciting knowing I get to go somewhere new and do that on my own, this time. It's also verrrrry entertaining getting rid of the mounds of things I've accumulated over the years. Goodbye to the bottles and bottles of sparkling neon nail polish from my tweens, outdated high heels from my various school formals and crop tops that should never see the light of day ever again. 

So as you can see, things are moving fast and I'm busy busy busy. Life is going so quick at the moment that most weeks feel like little blinks I don't even notice.  
Don't get me wrong - I'm excited about change. Change is good. Change keeps things spicy. 
But with the crushing pressure of multiple uni assignments and all these things crowding my brain I haven't had much time to properly cook. However, this little dish is one of those things I can quickly whack in the oven and then take to eat for lunch the next day while I rush around. Little meals like this are great for keeping you going without feeling deprived of an actual meal (even though that's exactly what you are doing). 

I will most probably get bagged out for admitting this but I think brussel sprouts are adorable. They are pretty much just mini cabbages...come on, that's a bit cute, no? 
When you roast them they become so deliciously smokey and moorish. Add some lemon zest, crunchy walnuts and olive oil and it becomes a winning combo that makes the extra effort worthwhile. Chuck it through a salad, serve it with your roast chicken on a sunday or just eat it warm, straight from the oven, or pack it in your little lunchbox to shove down your throat when time is sparse as I do. Delish. 

Roasted Brussel Sprouts 

brussel sprouts
lemon juice and zest
fresh oregano and lemon thyme slash any herbs, really
walnuts
olive oil
salt and pepper

Cut brussel sprouts in half and place on a baking tray. Glug over some olive oil, salt and pepper and stir to coat along with the lemon zest and fresh herbs.
Bake in a moderate to high oven for 10 minutes, then turn down to a medium heat, add the walnuts to the roasting tray and bake for a further 10 minutes.  
Before serving add some extra lemon zest and a few squeezes of lemon juice. 

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