I resolve to be less rubbish…

Yes it’s been two months since my last post and yes I have been extremely rubbish in not writing a single thing in all that time – and for not actually making anything in that time! I didn’t even finish off my American road trip round up…I will get on to that this weekend…well try to.

My birthday was lovely, Christmas was relaxing, New Years a raucous blur etc etc etc. Fun was had but nothing got done!

The main issue at the moment is the number of things I seem to need to do and the amount of time that I have to them, my mind is willing but time and body conspire against me and I never get to do any of the things I intend to.

At the moment I am intending to

finish decorating our house (3 rooms down, 4 to go), make a stupendous amount of stuff for our wedding at the beginning of May, lose at least a stone by having only 1200 calories a day and finish some of the numerous quilting/sewing projects that I started last year.

Even typing that has worn me out! But my resolution, above and beyond all the other things I need to get done in the next 4 months is to be generally less rubbish, more proactive and GET THINGS DONE!

That is all.

 

Meat-free still? Well…sort of

Whilst I have been still maintaining my meat free outlook (avoiding ‘rubbish’ meat wherever possible), I did have some meat over the last week or so – strangely I didn’t really enjoy it though…?! I am proud that I had a veg curry when we went to a curry restaurant though – the fact that it nearly blew my head off is another story entirely. Note to self:  ’fairly hot’ means ‘sort of inedible’.

Anyway, this week I got a most awesome recipe card with my box so have followed two meat free recipes this week – delicious! The third one is coming tonight – Brocoli and Feta soup (though I may have to lie to Mr B and pretend it’s peas – he has some weird thing with brocoli…like him and Swindon really).

So, the recipes…

Spanish Potatoes with poached egg – essentially patatas bravas but easier (don’t bother peeling the potatoes).

Little Italian Courgette cakes – like carrot cake, odd sounding but strangely delicious and very low in fat.

Spanish potatoes with a poached egg

Little Italian Courgette Cakes

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Meat free week – Day six

Visiting my parents on Saturday didn’t result in me eating meat as I thought it would. I had a verge version of the fig, balsamic and pancetta starter – with brie – and then a very nice puttanesca a la delia. Delicious!

Grilled balsamic figs with brie, gran padano shavings and rocket salad

 

Spaghetti Puttanesca

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Meat free week – Day five

Black bean fajitas with tomato salsa and blackened onions

Recipe was my concoction and involved black turtle beans – let me know if you want the recipe!

Meat free week – Day four

We went to the lovely Tampopo last night for dinner – somewhere I would most definitely recommend – and both managed to remain on the meat free wagon…

I’m even quite looking forward to the bean burritos with guacamole that I have planned for this evening!

Pad Krapow with prawns and Hokkein noodles

Meat free week – Day three

The third day of meatlessness is going well…though I’ve been fantasising about salami

Asparagus, caramelised onion and pea spaghetti with herb salad and roasted corn on the cob

If you want the recipe, let me know!

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Meat free week – Day two

Seeing as I completely forgot to take a picture of the lentil and squash curry Mr B cooked me as I was too busy wolfing it down, I thought I’d share a little peek at some of the things I’ve been making for my shop…felt flower brooches with vintage button centers.

Not long now! (yes, I am obsessed with pixlr o' matic!)

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Meat free week – Day one

Having eaten a little too much meat over the weekend and having lots of veg in our box, I thought I’d share our week of meatless meals…

Butternut squash and chick pea curry with grilled pitta

 

Courtesy of eatlikeagirl. Delicious – sweet, coconutty and peppery.

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Recipe – Chorizo, cherry tomato and potato stew

So this is how it goes – I open the fridge, peek inside…nope nothing I fancy…sit back down on the sofa…stomach rumbles…open the fridge…must cook something! And the idea for this was born…with a little googling

Healthy, hearty and full of things I had in my cupboard/fridge…

Chorizo, cherry tomato and potato stew

Serves 4

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 red onion, diced
2 peppers, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (or 1 tsp garlic paste if you’re lazy like me!)
20cm length of chorizo sausage, skin removed and diced
4 small potatoes, finely diced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tin chopped tomatoes
Handful of roughly chopped fresh coriander

1. Heat some olive oil in a heavy based pan with a lid. Once the oil is thinning, add the cumin seeds.

Cumin seeds browning in the pan

2. Once the cumin seeds brown and start to smell roasted, add the onion, garlic and peppers. Fry for 5 minutes until softened.

Add the onions, garlic and peppers

3. Add the chorizo and fry for 2 minutes, stirring.

After adding the potato

4. Add the potatoes and stir to combine. Fry for 3 minutes until everything starts looking a little smushy – technical I know!

Add the cherry tomatoes

5. Add the cherry tomatoes, stir, then add the paprika and tinned tomatoes.

Add the tinned tomatoes and smoked paprika

6. Wack the heat up until it comes to boiling point and then reduce to a simmer. I simmered it for about an hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so but you can cook it for less time – just need to make sure that the potatoes are cooked!

7. Once it’s cooked, stir through the coriander and serve – bon appetit!

Yum yum yum

Low GI diet recipe – Spicy Beans with Sweet Potato Jackets

So we’re back on the diet, it’s only taken about 6 months, a house move, a lot of biscuits and some wailing over the scales but we’re back on it. A few days in and I am dreaming about butter but I have lost a pound already (I know I shouldn’t weigh myself that often) so it’s doing something.

We’re doing the GI diet again (well my version of it) as I don’t feel too restricted and it seemed to give me loads of energy last time. We shall see how it goes. So the quest for interesting meals begins, the first recipe on my repertoire as follows…

Spicy Beans with Sweet Potato Jackets

Serves 4

8 small sweet potatoes, washed and scrubbed
1 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 onion, finely chopped
1 chilli, finely chopped (I left the seeds in but it was HOT)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 rashers lean bacon, diced
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 350g tin cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
Handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
Grated cheese to serve (I used Cheddar)

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
2. Lightly wet the potatoes and prick all over. Put on a baking tray and season, rolling the potatoes around to catch all the salt and pepper.
3. Put the potatoes in the oven for 1-1 1/2 hours, till soft inside when poked with a fork and crispy on the outside.
4. Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a saucepan, once hot, add the onions and fry until softened.
5. Add the garlic and chilli and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Onions, chilli and garlic

6. Reduce the heat and add the vinegar and worcestershire sauce, cooking until the liquid has mostly gone.
7. Add the bacon and stir to combine, cook for 2 minutes.

Bacon added

7. Add the tomatoes, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Tomatoes added

8. Add the beans, stir to combine and cook through for 2-3 minutes until the beans are warm.

Beans added

9. Turn off the heat and add the coriander, stir to combine. Check for seasoning, I didn’t add any to be honest, but you might want to!
10. Slice the potatoes in half, two per person and top with a couple of spoonfuls of mixture.
11. Sprinkle a little cheese on top and you’re done (I didn’t have any cheese as I’m trying to be virtuous!)

Spicy beans with sweet potato jacket