Quinoa with bacon, avocado and halloumi

I think we now agree that quinoa is a superfood. Pete watched me prepare it tonight, and was impressed at how much it expands, and interested in the part of the process where the germ separates and all the water is suddenly absorbed.

Quinoa has a much better flavour than cous cous, although cous cous does have a great texture. It is also much, much more expensive. So, it was mixed up in a bowl with bacon, grilled halloumi cheese, avocado, and sliced cherry tomatoes. Over it, we drizzled a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar and fennel seeds. It was delicious, the sort of meal that I want to eat all over again, as soon as it is finished. Sadly there were no leftovers.

Earlier on, Bernard had vomited up his entire bedtime feed, which at least answered my concern about how much milk he is getting. I reckon there was over half a pint, which came back in an Aira Force-esque gush, precipitating a full change of my nightwear, and a clean sleeping bag for the baby. I have no idea why. I hope it was just a random weirdness.

Aubergine Stuff

This is different to stuffed aubergine, which I also enjoy on occasion. The majority of what I cook is thrown together, and this definitely fits that description. It contained aubergine, red onion, lots of herbs, mushrooms, tomato, smoked sausage, and minty halloumi. I have never cooked with halloumi before, so that was my main point of interest.

We ate it with quinoa, which was another first. Pete said he didn't think he would call it a superfood, but still scoffed the lot with enthusiasm. I had seconds of aubergine, because I'm greedy. Pete is now making pancakes, and I am supposed to be helping.

Before adding the sausage and cheese, I took a portion out for Bernard to try tomorrow. His childminder and I are wondering if he is objecting to the lumpy texture of the food he has been offered lately, as we get crying, head-shaking, raspberries, and sleepy signs during the main course, but he usually perks up for pudding. This is the case even when the pudding is unsweetened natural yoghurt. Conversely, he eats jarfood, which is so smooth as to be textureless, with no protest whatsoever. So tonight he had smooth main course: tuna and potato mush, followed by yoghurt with melon bits. The melon was supposed to be more slushy, but the blender seemed to reduce it to chippings. Wrong sort of melon? Who knows. Anyway, he ate most of the tuna mush, and refused the melon.