Anna Lisle is a Sydney based lifestyle journalist, passionate cook, maker of artisan granola and muesli and director of The Walcha Kitchen cooking school. For the last four years, Anna has held the position as Senior Editor of Best Restaurants and you may also recognise her from My Kitchen Rules. Today we couldn't be more chuffed to feature Anna and share what she eats on an average day...
7am
Wake up and the first thing I do is put on my joggers. I’m a morning person so I love to pack in as much as I can before I head to work. I do a loop around Centennial Park, which takes me about 30-40 mins, followed by a quick stretch at home. Jump in the shower and then I’m off to work. I try to drink a bottle of water straight after my run.
9am
At my desk, I have a generous scoop of The Walcha Kitchen quinoa and chia muesli, with a handful of berries and a dollop of Greek yoghurt. I get excited about breakfast, even though I basically have the same thing every day!
10.30am
I head to Single Origin, just around the corner from work, and get a takeaway soy piccolo. I love their coffee and it’s seriously a highlight of my day.
12.30pm
Today, I’m feeling quite energetic so I head to the gym for a 45 minute pilates class. I try to get to yoga or pilates 2-3 times a week – I’m a stress head so I really love a good yoga class. Otherwise, I try get outside to get a dose of Vitamin D with a stroll around Hyde Park!
2pm
I’m starving by now so it’s back to the office for lunch. I’m a creature of habit so I love a big kale salad with tuna, avocado, beetroot, mint, shaved raw broccoli and a red wine and cumin vinaigrette. I try to make a salad every morning, and whatever is leftover in the fridge usually gets chucked in (my favourite is leftover roasted veggies!)
3pm
I’ve just cut down to 1 coffee a day so, at the moment, it’s green tea time. I sometimes have another piccolo, depending on how I’m feeling.
4.30pm
I am actually obsessed with pears (weird, right?) so I have a really hard packam pear – I like them super crunchy and they’re delicious (and cheap) at the moment. Sometimes I have a handful of granola too, as I find having a little protein helps me get through to dinner.
8pm
If I’m out profiling a restaurant, I usually eat quite early but, dinner at home is later as I like to eat with my husband (and he often works late). Together with pears and coffee, I’m obsessed with salmon. I love baking in a paper bag so I make an Asian style broth with apple cider vinegar, tamari, garlic, ginger, chilli and a big handful of finely chopped shallots and pour it over the fish and bake in the paper bag for 10 minutes in the oven. Tonight, I’ve roasted a few wedges of pumpkin, sprinkled with chilli and Szechuan peppercorns to go with it. I would have this dish every night if my husband let me!
10pm
I’m recipe testing at the moment as my Mum and I have just launched a two new cooking classes so I whip up a yoghurt and raspberry swirl gelato – and, of course I have to try it, for work, right?
Recipe
Teriyaki salmon with fried egg and forbidden rice
Ingredients: Serves 4. GF
- 2 X 220 g salmon fillets, skin on
- 60 ml olive oil
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- 190 g (1 cup, 6.7 oz) uncooked black rice (or brown), soaked overnight
- 500 ml water
Teriyaki sauce
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1cm fresh ginger, grated
60 ml tamari
30 ml mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine) or dry sherry
15 ml apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp agave syrup (or maple syrup or sugar)
Method
- To prepare the black rice; you can either soak it overnight, or simply wash it well 2-3 times, and drain. Place rice in a saucepan with 2 cups water and a couple pinches of sea salt. Cover, bring to a boil and then, once boiling, reduce to a simmer. If you are using soaked rice, cook for 20 minutes, and drain any excess water. Otherwise, cook for 50-60 minutes. Taste to check if the rice is done – it should be soft, yet chewy (al dente).
- Using a sharp knife, slice salmon into even, 3 X 2cm pieces.
- Combine all teriyaki ingredients in large bowl. Add salmon pieces, cover with plastic film and set aside for 15-20 minutes.
- Heat heavy based saucepan to medium high and add half the olive oil. Cook eggs, either taking off the heat with the yolks still runny or cooked through. (I prefer my yolks runny as it acts as a sauce with the dish). Once cooked to your liking, remove and set aside.
- Using the same saucepan, add the rest of the olive oil and heat to medium high. Shake off excess marinade and cook salmon pieces until the centre is still pink but the outside is beautifully caramelised. Set aside remaining marinade to use at the end.
- Place a spoonful of rice in the bottom of the bowl and top with salmon and egg.
- Drizzle with remaining sauce and sprinkle with shallots and sesame seeds.