January is a new beginning, so I’ve made some other resolutions as well. You know, the usual ones—lose weight (about 4kg), exercise more (3–4 times a week for 20–30 minutes), eat healthier (smaller portions, healthier choices)…

My general approach to these resolutions is “everything in moderation”. Words to live by and, for me, much easier to stick to than some crazy fasting diet or detox.

One part of “lose weight, eat healthier” means me starting fresh in 2014 by giving up alcohol for the entire month of January (five days in and feeling good!). I did it last year and was surprised at how amazing I felt after a couple of weeks. One or two glasses of wine slows me down the next day so it’s good for me to give my body a break, particularly after all the rich foods and excessiveness of the holiday season. Once February comes my resolution is changes to allow a couple of drinks on weekends but none during the week. Again, that’s something that I did last year and it really helped how mentally sharp I was during the working week.

In terms of eating healthier I’m taking a good hard look at my portion sizes and leaving more space on my plate when I serve up food. I know I’ve been eating too much, especially at night and this affects how well I sleep. Lack of sleep in turn makes me feel sluggish in the morning and more likely to make bad food choices during the day.

I’m also trying to eat lighter in general, meaning more salads and not many heavy things like potato, pasta, pastry and creamy/buttery things. Some of my meals since New Years’ and on the menu for this week are:

• lamb and haloumi skewers with a variation on a Greek salad—lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, capsicum; no olives or feta
• slow-roasted chicken with Ottolenghi: The Cookbook’s chargrilled cauliflower with tomato, dill and capers
• BBQ steak with artichoke and herb salad (an old favourite found in the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet Book 2
  )
• smoked salmon with lemon and garlic chive cream cheese (just a smidge!) on a slice of rye plus a simple salad—lettuce, tomato, radish, cucumber and carrot
• seared lamb with quinoa tabouli
• grilled sweet corn salad with black beans and almonds
• thai turkey salad
• Jamie’s 15-Minute Meals tuna, coconut rice and jiggy jiggy vegetables
• and another Jamie Oliver dish—Keralan veggie curry

I’ve also know that I don’t eat enough fruit. Sometimes I just forget about it for days at a time, I’ll admit I’m not a massive fan of fruit, much preferring to eat vegetables instead. So I’ve committed myself to 1–2 serves a day, which is the recommended daily intake.

What are your food resolutions for 2014?

Taste of Sydney is a great place to try signature dishes from some of Sydney’s best cafes and restaurants, not to mention Australian wines. There were also demonstration classes and chef’s tables where you could experience firsthand how these signature dishes are created, which is absolutely fascinating for motivated home cooks like us.

We only managed to squeeze in sample plates from five restaurants, but the offerings were incredible. If only we could have eaten more!

Here’s what we had…

Etch Dining

• Seared scallops with cauliflower puree, bhaji and curry

This was without a doubt our favourite of the day. The scallops were seared perfectly so that they were sweet and tender. The cauliflower puree was deliciously creamy, contrasting beautifully with the crunchy bhaji. The curry sauce was flavoursome but not overpowering—a tasty mix of sweet and savoury with just a hint of heat.

Restaurant Balzac

• Saddle of suckling pig with baby garden peas

The pork had obviously been slow-cooked for a very long time and any trace of fat had melted away. It literally fell apart in the mouth, so juicy and tender. The peas were sweet and minty, a refreshing cleanser after the richness of the meat. Fantastic!

Four in Hand

• 12-hour braised lamb shoulder with pea and feta salad

Minty peas seemed to be a common theme with the meat dishes. These peas were really yummy with feta melted through to make a sort of dressing. The lamb itself was amazing. So full of flavour, it reminded me of nana’s lamb roast—the one she’d cook slowly and lovingly for hours in her wood-fired oven. Divine!

Assiette & District Dining

• District Dining spicy free-range Lilydale chicken with lime aioli and coleslaw

So tasty! This dish was large pieces of tender chicken breast in a spicy, crispy batter. The coleslaw had lots of crunchy vegetables and a really light and zingy dressing. All served with lime aioli, which was creamy, with just the right amount of tang, and oh so more-ish. Think of it as a grown-up version of KFC’s crispy chicken strips…District Dining’s strips satisfy the kid within but are actually fresh and healthy.

Bilson’s & Number One Wine Bar

• Apple tarte tatin with calvados crème anglaise

You just don’t see enough calvados (a pear and/or apple brandy) on menus. So when we saw this dish on the tasting menu, we knew we had to have it. Soft, sweet apple, crisp pastry and rich cream—really, does it get any better than that? This was a lovely way to finish off the afternoon.

Taste of Sydney was a brilliant afternoon out. Being around others who love food and wine as much as we do, and chatting together about our experiences, it really heightened our excitement about food.

We’ll definitely be keeping 8–11 March 2012 free for the next festival.