Banana Chia Muffins

Chia? Isn't it that weird pet thing that grows "hair"?

Why yes, yes it is.

It is also an amazing superfood packed full of antioxidants and omega-3s. And as a vegetarian, I don't eat fish and need to get omega-3s from somewhere. I do this with chia and flaxseed - both ground and in capsules. Among other things.

Dr Oz first brought this little seed to my attention, and if Dr Oz says it's true, then it must be gospel. I trust him implicitly. However, as all good, educated, informed people should, I read about it to see if the research stacked up. It did. So now I throw a spoonful of chia in soup, pasta, smoothies, sprinkle on cereal... it's small and tasteless and packs a nutritious punch. It can go anywhere!

If you don't have/don't want chia in your muffins of banana-y goodness, just leave it out... the recipe needs no adaptation.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon each flaxseed meal and chia seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 220C

2. Mash the banana. Add egg and butter.

3. Add the dry ingredients and mix.

4. Fill muffin cases three-quarters full and bake 15-20 minutes until risen and golden brown.

Jalapeno Bagels

Bagels. They just remind me of New York City. In my mind I'm sure people eat them during their morning commute with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. If this assumption is incorrect, I don't want to know!

Bagels aren't big in Australia... there is a perfunctory offering in supermarkets of either plain or cinnamon raisin, and they can be hard to find. Why? I've no idea. Bagels are amazing. Bagels are crunchy and chewy and delicious with cream cheese and should be delivered to my door in a variety of flavours on a regular basis.

The humble jalapeno bagel entered my stratosphere when we went to visit Veggie Dad's brother in Vancouver. The jalapeno bagel entered my mouth one morning and I did not want it to leave. I envied those that could easily purchase the gigantic bag that from the nearest Safeway and pop them into a toaster without a care in the world, ready for breakfast any time. 

When we stopped in New York on our whirlwind North American adventure, I ate bagels. I ate a lot of bagels.



I could have eaten them at the top of the Empire State Building.




I could have eaten them in Central Park.




I could have eaten them in Grand Central Station.




I could have eaten them in Times Square.




Me and Teddy Roosevelt could have eaten them at the American Museum of Natural History.



I could have eaten them while looking at the Statue of Liberty.



I could have eaten them at the New York Public Library. Would probably get thrown out though...




I could have eaten them on Broadway.



I could have eaten them on the Staten Island Ferry, looking at the New York City skyline.

When we got home, the first thing I did was make a batch of jalapeno bagels. And they go a little something like this. (And are way easier than I ever imagined!)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup lukewarm water

1/2 teaspoon dried yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

5 cups flour

1/3 cup jalapenos

Directions:

1. Mix water, yeast, salt and sugar. Add flour and jalapenos and mix into a ball.

2. Knead for 10 minutes. You may need to add more flour if necessary, until dough is stiff. I use jalapenos in a jar and they can be a bit damp, and need more flour. You could also press out the liquid with paper towels.

3. Let dough rest 10 minutes, then cut into 12 pieces.

4. Roll each into a sausage shape. Overlap the two ends and make sure they stick, turning them into little rings.

5. Cover with a damp towel and let rise 1 - 1.5 hours.

6. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Place bagels in boiling water until they float to the top - about 20 seconds.

7. Remove, draining all water and place on a greased tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Now I can eat jalapeno bagels in my own kitchen. And back yard. And dining room. And bedroom. And anywhere I damn well please! They also freeze well, but you might want to cut them in half first.

Australia Day - Pumpkin Scones

Fancy a scone, dear?

There are a number of recipes that people think are quintissentially "Australian"... quite a lot of which we inherited from the British when they colonised this country in 1788. Scones are one of them.

But nobody made scones like Queensland senator and wife of the most corrupt politician Australia has ever seen - Lady Flo Bjelke-Petersen. Famous for her homely sayings, pumpkin scone recipes and basically being a puppet for her husband, poor Flo once said she hoped people remembered her for being a senator that baked scones, not just the whole scone thing.

Sorry Flo.

Her husband, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen was a highly-autocratic, shady, corrupt, paranoid politician that had Queensland Police in his back pocket, accepted bribes from all and sundry, actively discriminated against Aboriginals (and even tried to prevent them from being allowed to vote), had a hand in just about every development in the state, hated the media and worked actively to stop them reporting on or investigating his dealings, sued for defamation at will using taxpayer's money, blackmailed people, supported apartheid, created laws banning people from protesting his decisions, and when asked about his dealings, famously kept repeating "don't you worry about that".

Flo made scones.

Joh was our longest-serving state Premier, being in power from 1968 to 1987. His corruption was finally brought to light after the ABC aired an episode on Four Corners about some mighty shady dealings with brothels and bribes, and finally an inquiry was ordered into his alleged misconduct.

He was then tried for perjury over the evidence he presented to the Fitzgerald Inquiry, but the jury was deadlocked, thanks to the foreman being a Bjelke-Petersen sympathiser. Joh was announced "too old" for a retrial.

He then sued for $353 million compensation. He lost.

From Queensland's sordid history comes the iconic food that went right along with it - poor old Flo's scones. Which are actually quite delicious. So when you're baking this little piece of history, you now have some fabulous talking points to mull over while you put the kettle on and get out your best tea towel on Australia Day.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup cold mashed pumpkin 
2 cups self raising flour

Method:

1. Cream the butter, sugar and salt.
2. Add egg, then pumpkin and mix in flour lightly until dough comes together.

3. Turn onto a floured board and pat dough to about 1/2 inch thick.

4. Cut out rounds and put on a tray, quite close together.

5. Bake in a hot oven 223-250C for 15-20 minutes.

Image credit

Guest Post!!

Hello there dear readers!

I am pretty obsessed with recipes... my bookcases groan underneath the weight of a lifetime of collected recipebooks, I have files upon files upon folders upon USB sticks full of alphabetically-ordered internet-sourced recipes, tons of hand-written bits and pieces, and two A4 folders chock full of recipe printouts. A year's worth of Evernote notes, recipes emailed to myself and hundreds of starred Google Reader posts.

Obsessed, I tells ya.

Now what I'm looking for is your recipes... do you have a favourite? Something you want to share? Famous for making a killer _____________ that just happens to be accidentally vegetarian even though you normally are a happy carnivore? I want to know about it!

Leave a comment or email me at [email protected] and let's see if we can't feature some awesome home cooks.

Yours in foodbloglove,

VMx

Vintage Lane - Chocolate Mocha Cake from Gold Crest Recipes

Normal and Formal - for every occasion!

Vintage Lane is going to be a regular feature on Veggie Mama - to bring you up to speed, go here, or click the "Vintage Lane" tab.
Cute, right?

This book is part of a collection given to me by my sister, and it was once owned by her husband's grandma. She wrapped them up all pretty in a box and gave them to me for Christmas. Good sister!

The introduction tells us that there was "tremendous demand" for copies of Gold Crest's last recipe book, containing "inspiring and practical recipes to please every member of Queensland families".

I have to tell you, the cake I made did just that. Not much of a cake eater, I ate three cupcakes in a row, and I even received glowing reports from Veggie Dad.

The contents include recipes for cakes, puddings, pastry and biscuits, as well as "Special Meat Dishes" (goulash, salmon balls, casserole chops and more), fillings (not the dentist kind... though they might send you there), cookery hints, weights and measures and a list of equipment one should own when setting up their own kitchen.

The Faithful Rainbow Cake is presented in full colour, and we are told it has been reproduced by popular demand. Looks good to me!

Pretty in Pink

There's even an Oriental Cake (which only has cinnamon, cocoa and vanilla for flavouring, so I'm slightly confused... ), Rice Custard Pudding, Cornflake Tart, Cornish Pasties, Iced Vo-Vo Biscuits, and Monte Carlos, among others.

I can't tell when this cookbook was made, as a google search of just about every word combination I can think of comes up with nothing. It was obviously a time when offal was a regular feature in a cook's repertoire...

Om Nom Not:

Tasty: so subjective!

and now for the featured recipe... Chocolate Mocha Cake

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups Gold Crest self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons cocoa
5 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup cold milk
2 teaspoons coffee essence (I used two tablespoons espresso)

Mocha Frosting:
2 cups sifted icing sugar
pinch salt
2 tablespoons cocoa
3 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons coffee
1/2 teaspoon Gold Crest vanilla essence

Directions for cake:

Sift the flour, salt, soda, cinnamon and cocoa together twice. Add coffee essence to milk. Cream the butter, add sugar gradually. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sifted dry ingredients, alternately with liquid mixture, a little at a time. Beat very smooth. Bake in two greased and floured 7in sandwich tin in moderate oven 30 minutes.

Directions for frosting:

Sift the sugar, salt and cocoa together. Cream butter until soft. Add part of sugar mixture gradually, beating thoroughly. Add remaining sugar mixture alternately with warm coffee, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.


This made a very light cake, with a rich, buttery frosting - really delicious. The batter was so fluffy, and was interesting to see - the addition of cocoa only made it a very light brown, like the cakes I used to make when I was a kid (I only had one recipe book and it was sooo old), compared to the deeper browns of mudcakes and boxed cake mixes.

Verdict?





NOM!



Baked Cheese Ravioli with Broccoli and Spinach

It shouldn't be news to anybody that reads my blog regularly that I love baked anything with cheese. Sometimes I feel sorry for those on a diet or who are looking for low fat dishes ... I often don't have those! However, if some kind of pasta bake with veggies in it is what you're looking for, I have the answer.

Ingredients:
1 packet  frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 -3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
450g broccoli
salt and pepper to taste
1 package cheese ravioli (or whatever you desire)

Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup grated cheese

Directions:

1. Bring large stockpot of water to a boil.
2. Steam broccoli for about 5 minutes until bright green and slightly tender.
3. As water heats up to a boil, heat a large frying pan over medium heat.
4. Add olive oil and chopped garlic, and saute for about 1 minute.
5. Next, add drained spinach to the pan, along with the steamed broccoli.
6. Toss vegetable well with garlic oil to coat evenly.
7. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
8. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat into a bowl, and set aside.
9. For the sauce: In the same pan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour into the butter and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
10. Add stock, raise heat and bring mixture to a boil, whisking the entire time.
11. Slowly whisk in milk and parmesan, and let mixture bubble for about 2 more minutes until thickened.
12. Season sauce with nutmeg (if desired) and salt and pepper.
13. For the pasta: When pasta water is boiling add salt, stir, and add ravioli.
14. Cook according to package directions until slightly underdone.
15. Place a thin layer of the white sauce in an oven proof casserole dish.
16. Drain ravioli.
17. Layer ½ of the ravioli in the baking dish.
18. Next add ½ of the broccoli/spinach mixture Add a couple ladles of the sauce to cover this first layer, a little more than half of it.
19. Add the rest of the vegetable mixture, then the remaining half of the ravioli.
20. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top (a little less than half of it) and top with grated cheese of your choice.
21. Place casserole dish under the broiler or in oven about 8 or so inches from the element.
22. Broil about 5 minutes until cheese melts and is bubbly and starting to brown.

Original recipe here

Grilled Eggplant with Chilli and Garlic

I never once had eggplant growing up - as a girl from a small country town never really had the opportunity. I'm sure my mother never had it growing up, so she would never have cooked with it at home. In fact, I'm not even sure our supermarket had such a vegetable. We were a strictly meat-and-three-veg town, by gum, and the most exotic anybody got in their home kitchens was chow mein.

Oh and that tuna-boiled egg-curry powder concoction with th fancy name of "Indienne" which I'm sure nobody but my mother ever made in the history of the world. I should like to leave that memory behind (sorry mum).

So, back to eggplant. I cannot ever remember the first time I tried it, but I remember thinking it always just looked so weird. Like it couldn't possibly taste good. And didn't you have to salt it for like, half an hour before you even used it? Hm.

Well, try it I must have, because I'm hooked. And I cook a whole eggplant and eat it all by myself like it ain't no thang. I've baked it in coconut milk, palm sugar, lime juice and chili, I've made eggplant parmigiana (which is hilarious as I've never enjoyed parmigiana in any other capacity before), I've oven-roasted it, I've made crumbed versions... but the easiest and the quickest is always just to fry it with some garlic and drizzle it with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. And sometimes, that's all I want.

Ingredients:
olive oil
1 whole eggplant, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sambal oelek
Balsamic vinegar
Sprinkle of sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Put the eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Leave for half an hour then rinse and pat dry. Sometimes I don't even bother...

2. Heat olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Even better if you have a barbecue. Add the eggplant and cook for 2-3 minutes until starting to brown.

3. Add a slug more olive oil, the garlic and the sambal oelek. Cook until eggplant is soft and browned, about 8 minutes.

4. Remove to a bowl, drizzle with balsamic, sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper to taste and toss.

5. Put on a plate. Add a little extra balsamic. And olive oil. And more balsamic. Not obsessed at all.....

A Walk Down Vintage Lane - The Ladies Handbook

One of my favourite things to do besides cook is read. And the older the book, the better. My two loves often combine in antique or vintage cookbooks, which provide a lot of joy, but not a lot of recipes (beef tea, anyone?). I adore the old ads, the sensible advice, the ingenious use of staple ingredients, and just, well, the look of these books. So I decided this year to share some of my collection with you as sometimes they're not just pretty, but downright hilarious, too. It's sweet to look back at what mattered most back then - being an able housewife, a competent nursemaid to ill relatives, creating a warm and loving nest for your family, and 100 ways to make jellied salads. Boy did they love their aspic.

Being as I'm 32 weeks pregnant, I decided to begin with The Ladies Handbook, an all-round useful tome for women getting married, raising families, feeding the families, going through 'the change' and being always on the lookout for economical recipes. It's adorable and it has surprisingly useful advice on pregnancy and labour (they assumed you'd be doing it at home) and how to care for your bonny bairn.



This particular issue was printed in 1947, and it's full title is The Ladies' Handbook of Home Treatment: containing the best modern methods for treatment of women's and children's diseases, with a comprehensive index of symptoms.

Thorough.

Anyhoo, one of my favourite features is this cutting-edge-for-its-time "manikin" of the pregnant female body, showing what goes on inside.




Pretty cool, huh?

 

It also has some pretty graphic drawings of scabies and cancer of the breast, but in the interest of keeping your lunch down, we'll leave those to your imagination.



Ah so that's where those birds and bees stories started...



Now, before we go leaping straight for motherhood, everybody in 1947 knew you weren't doing it solo. So the first chapter helpfully describes how to go about getting yourself married to a respectable man who was going to look after you. We are informed that in choosing a partner for life, there were many things to be considered: one should choose a man of high ideals, noble character and a pure life; a man of sound constitution and good heredity. He should be of suitable age, of pleasing disposition, and one's equal, but not one's superior in social position. He should be a young man of proven worth, not flitting from one position to the other and making a success of none. He should have demonstrated his ability to earn a reasonable living and to provide for the necessities and comforts of a family.

Lucky for me I found such a gentleman before I had been informed of such requirements. Only nobody told me I'd also have to start watching rugby league, listen to punk music ad nauseam and be able to drink like a sailor. Added benefits, let's call them.

Only kidding Veggie Dad, you rule.

Once you've been sufficiently wooed and you've embroidered yourself a lifetime of tablecloths, it's time for the biblical sex-talk. You want babies, you understand how plants reproduce first. Then we'll use these euphemisms to describe what goes on between the starched sheets. Seeds, eggs, nests, a baby is really just like a newly-sprouted dahlia. After leading you in gently, it actually provides some legitimate and correctly-termed information about pregnancy and gestation.

Now, we are reminded that the need of maintenance after marriage of the fight against excessive sexual indulgence is incumbent upon all. (No I'm not making this up). It is a natural instinct, as is thirst and hunger, but as we can careen dangerously into gluttony and drunkenness, as can we dive headfirst into sexual gluttony, which we're told is utterly inescusable.

If you are chaste, clean, pure and morally upright, this shall be your reward:

One is advised to get plenty of fresh air and sunshine as a pregnant woman, and eat sensibly. In fact, we are warned against eating too much animal protein, and to focus on fresh fruits, vegetables, beans and grains, as meat was thought to be taxing on the kidneys. What follows is a helpful section on vitamins and minerals, recipes for laxative treatments and advice on what to wear. It's all much the same as what we are told now, except this interesting contraption: the abdominal belt.



Comfortable, yes?



For those who long for the support of the corset in the latter stages of pregnancy. No need to buy one ready-made, just wrap a towel around yourself, sew on some straps and safety pin yourself into abdominal comfort.

What comes next is the pointy end of the business - "the confinement". Again, much the same as what we're told now, except during the pushing stage, one is required to be bedridden, not getting up for any reason whatsoever. And there is a long list of things that need to be boiled and sterilised and that we'll be unconscious by the time baby arrives, thanks to the miracle of modern painkillers, of which we have no choice but to be given. Oh - and it's strict bed rest for two weeks post partum, eventually getting up here and there during the third week, with the baby only brought to you at feeding time, and no visitors.

I am firmly convinced that is is the reason my grandmother had eight children (Catholocism notwithstanding): she was hanging out for those three weeks where everyone would just leave her the hell alone.



um, cute!



We are instructed as to how to choose a nurse, and what sorts of qualifications and personality traits she should have. She should preferably look like this:



Nightmares? never heard of such nonsense.



Care, bathing, feeding (fried foods and pastry are not suitable for young children, here's a recipe for swede turnip juice) and keeping your child free from illness ensues. Puberty, middle age, and the menopause follows, and then is all neatly tied up with descriptions of just about every illness concievable, and some first aid tips. One hell of a comprehensive handbook for a lady indeed. Her and her family's physical and mental welfare are considered and advice helpfully given. Perhaps one of the coolest things in this book is the inscription at the start, a reminder to all:

THEY say that man is mighty,

He governs land and sea,

He wields a mighty sceptre

O'er lesser powers that be;

But a mightier power and stronger

Man from his throne has hurled,

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

-Wm. Ross Wallace.

Now try to stop thinking of Rebecca deMornay...

Tomato Chutney. Or Relish. Whatever.

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Whatever you want to call it, chutney or relish is delicious. Sure it's a bit "nanna", but I'm already one part nanna, one part pregnant 30-year-old, and three parts Betty Crocker anyway. It's a given.

I made this as gifts over the Christmas period, and kept a little over for myself. It's everything a good chutney should be - tangy yet sweet and full of tomatoes. And easy to make. Kept in a little jar with a frilly lid cover, and you've got yourself a one delicious nostalgic condiment. My mother even said it resembled my own nana's chutney and for an old-fashioned gal like me, that's high praise indeed.

I usually eat it on cheese sandwiches which reminds me terribly of Stephen Fry, as he was fond of a chutney and cheese himself. It's also delicious on crackers with cream cheese, as a dip for fries or veggies, as a sauce on just about anything, or even added to soups for a little boost. As far as condiments go, it's quite versatile.

This one is even made with canned tomatoes, which brings the costs down considerably, and the flavour is not compromised. Promise.

Ingredients:

2 large red onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 x 800g cans chopped tomatoes
2 cups white sugar
2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into a large pot over medium-low heat. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour until mixture thickens. Stir now and then.

3. Transfer into sterilised jars (I boil mine for 10 minutes), and seal.


There now, doesn't even just reading that make you want to don an apron?

Time to help

One of my favourite bloggers is suffering in the worst possible way, and it breaks my heart to hear about it.

Lori from Random Ramblings of a Stay at Home Mum has a wonderful husband, the father of her two small children, and he is currently in the Intensive Care Unit, fighting for his life.

She has also said the prognosis is not good.

It was awful to read of this late one night on her blog, her heartfelt plea for prayers and hope really hit me hard. I immediately thought of how earth-shatteringly devastated I would be if that happened to my husband. One minute life is is normal, the next your husband is gravely ill in emergency care. I couldn't begin to comprehend how I would spend a day without my husband, and Lori feels the same way.

So if you have a spare moment and some spare change, our blogging community has pulled together to show support and provide as much money as we can, and we're asking you to help.

If you have a blog, write a post and link it up with the others on Wanderlust. We've been told Lori reads these and the messages to her on Twitter when she needs support. There is also a widget on the blog for you to donate funds. Anything will help.

And to Lori, if you're reading this, stay strong. With so much love and good thoughts, positivity and prayers all focused in your husband's direction right now, you will get through this.

Supermarket Shenanigans

I used to love grocery shopping. I loved wandering the aisles, mulling over the products and musing about food. I would take my time, thinking up new ways to use produce and being inspired with new recipes.

Not any more.

Now I'm the ninja assassin of supermarket shopping. I have a detailed, itemised list. It is divided into sections and those sections are in the order of the aisles of my local supermarket. I am in, I'm slamming stuff into the trolley, and I am out. I go when it's quiet, I skip the aisles I don't need and above all, I stay calm.

I need to stay calm due to situations like these: The Aisle Block.




Look at me here waiting patiently while old ladies make a 14-point checklist of pros and cons between the homebrand glace fruit mix and the non.

 Now in no way am I blaming this dear, sweet old man, who was actually trying to get past himself, but was thwarted on all sides by the woman in front who left her trolley on one side of the aisle while conducting a deep search-and-retrieve mission on the other. His darling little socks and neatly brushed hair were killing me, and when I saw his trolley contained carefully-placed canned soup and shredded wheatmeal biscuits, I just about cried. In fact, I'm still on the verge! I'd blame pregnancy hormones, but let's face it, I'm a complete sook anyway.

No, my beef rests squarely with the inconsiderate shopper. They make what has already become an unpleasant chore into an exercise in extreme self-control and turn-the-other-cheekness. Why are you taking up the whole aisle? Why do you insist on almost ramming your trolley into the backs of my heels? Are you that ignorant of other people that we don't register on your radar from the second you walk through those automatic doors?

Praise be to thee who is always generally aware of his surroundings, and the fact that other people may also need to get to the Tim Tams. You see they may get lost in the moment of whether to get double-coat or caramel, or should they abandon the whole mission in favour of the Mint Slices, but something makes them look up and quickly swing their trolleys out of the way. You are safe from my wrath.

Then there's the two-abreasters. One has the trolley, the other I've no idea what you're doing there. Moral support, perhaps. Well, did you know you can provide such support from either behind or in front of your trolley-mate? That it isn't vitally necessary to walk directly next to said trolley-mate when other people are trying to get past? In fact, you'd be even closer to the shelved goods of which you're trying to purchase. And I wouldn't have to consistently make room for you, when you barely give me the time of day. This may or may not relate to the murderous rage I feel when walking down a footpath into an oncoming couple and I always am the one to get out of the way, lurching into the gutter, getting smacked in the face with tree branches, all because walking single-file momentarily to allow everyone a piece of cement to walk on is just too much to ask. I know it's fun to watch the pregnant woman attempt to engage her non-existent stomach muscles to wrestle her heavy trolley aside to avoid smacking you in the shins, but you're burden-free! Get out of my way for once!

I also believe if you're moving from an aisle into a main throroughfare, at least look before you barge out, unwieldy-metal-trolley-first into oncoming traffic. Sure my reflexes are such that I'll probably get out of your way, but where's the consideration? You ain't the only one in this supermarket, dollface.

So what do you think? - should a supermarket be every man for himself? Or should simple awareness of others and a bit of consideration be mandatory?