The Sunday Table, Volume 5

Welcome to Volume 5 of The Sunday Table.

This week we’re keeping things simple: a homemade blueberry jam that takes barely any effort but makes breakfast feel a little bit more special, a nutrition reminder about why variety matters just as much as eating “healthy”, three songs for your Sunday playlist, and a new Redfern restaurant I’ve been loving.

So make yourself something warm, get comfortable, and let’s spend Sunday together.

I love jam, especially on a thick slice of sourdough with butter, but so many store-bought versions are absolutely packed with added sugar and ingredients you really don’t need. The good news is you can make your own version at home with just three simple ingredients, and it tastes just as delicious!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

• 2 tbsp chia seeds

• 1–2 tbsp honey, depending on how sweet you like it

Method:

1. Add the blueberries to a small saucepan over medium heat and cook for around 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and release their juices.

2. Use the back of a spoon or fork to gently mash the blueberries, leaving some whole if you like a little texture.

3. Remove from the heat and stir through the chia seeds and honey. Leave it to sit for around 10–15 minutes as the chia seeds absorb the liquid and the jam thickens.

4. Transfer to a jar and store in the fridge.

Why I’m trying to eat more variety, not just “healthy” foods

When we think about eating well, we tend to focus on whether individual foods are “healthy” or not, but something I think deserves more attention is how much variety we’re actually getting across the week.

It’s incredibly easy to find a handful of foods you love and eat them on repeat. The same berries with breakfast, spinach at lunch, broccoli with dinner. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with those foods, but different plant foods contain different types of fibre and naturally occurring plant compounds, which means eating a wider variety can help support a more diverse gut microbiome.

And variety doesn’t mean you suddenly need to buy 20 different vegetables every week. It can be as simple as swapping blueberries for kiwi fruit, rotating rice with quinoa or buckwheat, adding fresh herbs to meals, choosing a different type of nut or seed, or grabbing a vegetable you don’t normally buy at the farmer’s market.

Rather than trying to make every meal perfect, I like thinking about what I can add or rotate. Over the course of a week, those little changes can create a much more diverse diet without making eating well feel complicated.

Lo Presti’s, Redfern

A slightly more personal recommendation this week because Lo Presti’s, a new restaurant in Redfern was actually opened by one of my partner’s friends, Michael. I went with my best friend, her boyfriend and my boyfriend and it was honestly amazing! It’s a new Mediterranean restaurant designed around sharing — lots of beautiful vegetables, seafood, grilled meats and simple dishes done really well.

The space has such a great, relaxed vibe, the wine is great, and it’s the kind of place where you can order a bunch of dishes for the middle of the table, settle in with a bottle of wine and stay for hours. Everything we ate was delicious and the whole night just had such a good atmosphere. Definitely one to add to your list!

That’s everything from my table this week. Make the blueberry jam, buy something different at the markets, put on a good playlist and, if you’re looking for somewhere new for dinner, give Lo Presti’s a try.

See you next Sunday,
Claudia xx