OOTD | Comfort in Check

Lace Top - thrifted via Uniting Church Thrift Shop / highwaisted check shorts - thrifted via Salvation Army / tote - handmade via Uniting Church Thrift Shop / loafers - second hand via Shag Vintage / bent spoon pendant - Noosa Antique Upcycle Artisan / sunglasses - Sportsgirl

If you're not in Brisbane, or Australia for that matter, let me inform you that it has been sweltering hot these last few weeks. Jess and I are rather big fans of iced black coffee, not only to keep cool but it's a bonus, and I wore this on our last coffee date. I found these shorts a week ago and am so obsessed with them. They are ridiculously comfortable, light weight and the perfect size. For $2, I would buy a pair for every day of the week if they  existed. I am contemplating investing in the creation of one or more duplicates; but we shall see. 

The rest of my oufit is just me attempting to stay as cool as possible. I love how this lace top lets the air through but isn't see-through and doesn't show too much skin. I found both the top and the tote bag in the same thrift shop many years ago and it remains my favourite store to this day; the location a secret to most of my op shopping friends. 

I hope you're all keeping cool and staying out of the sun. 

Happy Sunday! 

Erin xx

Recipe | Fried Polenta Garden Salad

Ingredients

1 cup cornmeal/polenta

160ml milk

2 cups water

salt

olive oil

mixed salad leaves 

cherry tomatoes, halved

cucumber

kalamata olives

Dressing

1tbsp aioli 

1tbsp natural unsweetened yoghurt

1tsp seeded mustard

juice of 1 lemon

Heat the milk and water over a medium heat in large sauce pan with a generous pinch of salt. Pour the polenta in a constant stream whilst stirring with a whisk. Continue to whisk the polenta for about 10-15 minutes until cooked and is a thick porridge like consistency. 

In a prepared tray, I used a cake tin for lack of anything else, pour in polenta and chill, covered, until set. 

Once set, remove polenta from pan (it should just ease out) and cut into bite-sized cubes. 

Heat olive oil, about a tablespoon, over a medium to high heat in a frypan. Place polenta cubes in the frypan leaving enough space between for your to turn them over. Turn and cook all sides of the cube until crispy like a chip. Once cooked, place km some paper towel to drain some of the oil off them. 

I didn't cook all of mine at once because they're very filling so I left them in the fridge and cooked them later. 

In a jar, shake all of the dressing ingredients together. Pour over tossed salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and fried polenta bites. Season with some salt, pepper and more olive oil. 

This is just a super simple use of delicious fried polenta but there are many more. I'm working a nice recipe for cheese based sauce but I'll let you know if I ever get there. 

Enjoy! 

Erin xx