This week.

This week I have:

- tried to persuade DH to let me buy this lamp

- Ate yummy, healthy food

- Went walking around Ullswater in the Lakes

It's been a good week. 

Leftovers and comfort food.

I'm a big fan of using left over, using up what we have and making the best out of ingredients that we already have in, before buying any more. 

This lunch is an example of me using up leftovers:

This is roast chicken, with roast veg, both of which were left over from a meal, plus a pear from the cupboard. A very delicious, low cost lunch, made from left overs.

I'm also a bit in love with my new lunch box:

I love the divided sections of this box, which means I can do all sorts of combinations of foods, and don't have to worry about them touching! Watch this space about more ideas with the lunch box....

I was also treated to a hot chocolate from a chain this week - I went with one of their christmas editions - honeycomb hot chocolate:

Tasted a bit like the well known chocolate honeycomb bar with the golden wrapping - very nice!

I've also had porridge:

Cinnamon porridge with warmed blueberries and peanut butter

Banana porridge with warmed berries and peanut butter

It's been a good week.

N xxx

Long time no see.

I'll be honest, I did think about deleting this blog. I have nothing to write about - life is not particularly exciting. But then I thought about all the nice things I get to do, all of the things I get to see, all of the things I experience, and I thought to myself that I want to write about it, so I can look back on the good times I've had.

So, the most obvious thing to say is that I am obsessed with peanut butter on toast. 

With some red grapes on the side to add a bit more health to the plate:

And, clearly the best combination is this:

Peanut butter on toast with sliced banana on top is amazing. The peach on the side was just an added bonus...

The blueberries added a nice touch too.

So, to add a bit of variety to breakfast time, I did try another experiment which resulted in this.....:

This is cinnamon porridge, with warmed summer berries on top and a big spoonful of peanut butter. The cinnamon porridge was an amazing base by itself, the warmed berries added a certain sweetness and then the peanut butter melted into it all creating an amazing bowlful of goodness. I'm not gonna lie, I was sad when I finished it!

I have also tried a pumpkin spice latte:

and a salted caramel hot chocolate, which was very nice:

I have also stocked up on these:

as they're currently £1 in a well known supermarket with green writing ;) and as the use by dates aren't until June 2013, thought it was too good to miss! 

I have been reading:

and I've been walking here:

This blog is going to take a shift in direction soon, as I focus on the next stage of our life, so watch this space....

It won't be so long next time, promise!

N xxx

Rain, rain, go away.

I spoke too soon before about the sun shining - the weather has been awful here today! It's rained pretty much all day and it's been very dark and gloomy. Pffft. 

I've been thinking lately about what we eat (as always) but also how much processed food we eat. Over the coming months, I am going to try and cut down how much processed food we buy and therefore eat, and go back to more basic food stuffs. 

Another cheap-o tea here:

Spaghetti puttanesca, from the good food website but with some small changes (more capers and anchovies, no olives) and all food from the food cupboard again. It took less than 15 minutes from start to plate. 

N xxx

Simply does it.

I am loving the sunshine at the moment - finally feels a bit like summer!

I'm trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals into our diet, as it's healthier and also cheaper. 

This is what I made tonight:

Bean chilli with HM potato wedges. First time I've made either, and it was pretty tasty! The wedges look really pale in this picture, but they were cooked properly :) they were a nice change from rice with chilli. By using tinned harricot beans, kidney beans and chopped tomatoes, it made a pretty cheap meal for us both :) 

N x

Plain and simple.

It has turned into a lovely evening here, with the sun shining and just a couple of fluffy white clouds in the sky. 

I can't believe it's half way through June tomorrow, already! This year is going so fast - it'll soon be December by the look of things. 

Just a couple of pictures today, simple food and speedy to make - just what I like on a week night!

Yellow pepper, courgette, onion and button mushroom stir fry with sauce. 

Even easier pud - greek yogurt with honey, raspberries and strawberries.

N xxx

A new trend?

I've been trying to eat from our store cupboard lately, and to make meals out of things we already have in. This week I have used 2 onions, some couscous, many spices and other bits and bobs to make lovely meals with. 

Today, for me at least, was no exception.

I found a couple of days ago, in the fridge, a half eaten broccoli tree. Oh no! I must have forgotten about it during last week and it has sat and languished in the corner of my fruit and veg tray in the fridge. So, last night I had Moroccan style chicken stew with a side of broccoli and tonight I had this:

May I introduce to you broccoli bolognese? It's the healthier cousin of spaghetti bolognese, designed to use up the broccoli in the fridge, but also making the whole dish much more healthy. This is what I had for my tea tonight. My other half did himself a massive portion of spaghetti to have with his sauce, and was much amused when I sat down with half my plate filled with green trees. 

I said I thought I'd start a new trend.... 

He was rather sweet today though, and got me some beautiful flowers:

He's not all bad.... ;)

N xxx

Simple Suppers.

What I love most at the moment is finding quick things to have for tea when we get in from work, that are easy to make but still taste great.

Enter chicken fajitas. 

Have I mentioned my love for chicken fajitas? I. Love. Them. If I could, I'd have them every week, without fail. I think I may have mentioned this before. I love how easy they are to cook, how quickly a meal comes together and how simple ingredients turn into something amazing.

You start with these:

Sliced chicken breast, two small peppers and an onion. 

Healthy stuff

With a tablespoon of oil, fry everything in a pan, making sure everything is fully cooked through.

Add the fajita mix spices (I also add some spinach here too, try it in a fajita, it's a lovely addition!), then plonk some in a fresh wrap and then you get:

One GIANT fajita! My OH bought massive wraps so it equals one massive fajita. Nom nom nom....!

N xxx

Slow cooker round two.

I need to get better with this whole blogging thing (have I said that before?), I promise I will!

Today marks the second time I have used my slow cooker, in over the year and a half I have owned it. I don't really know why I don't use it, maybe it's because I have to start thinking about tea time food either 9PM the night before, or before work (which is never going to happen!). I always think it's going to be a faff too, but it wasn't, at all. 

So (not the best picture) here is our beef ghoulash:

It was still steaming when I took the picture, so couldn't avoid it! Oops. I served mine with two slices of bread, whilst OH had some rice and about 6 slices of bread! It's very yummy and low in fat too, and really simple to make! 

So, over the next few weeks I am going to investigate slow cooker recipes, watch this space...

N xxx

A new month...

Again, I have been lacking in the blogging department. I just feel like I never have anything to say! Plus I seem to always be busy doing wedding things, or packing seen as we're now moving house! In less than 2 weeks! Mad. 

However, my current obsession is this:

This is half a portion of porridge, made with half skimmed milk half water, with half a banana and 1 tablespoon peanut butter! It is so so so amazing, and very filling. The peanut butter/banana combination is divine, especially as the peanut butter melts slightly in the hot porridge. Served with green tea, of course ;)

I have had this for tea:

A sweet chili stir fry with noodles. Delish!

Now then, where's that cardboard box gone.....

N xxx

New Year's Resolutions.

So, one of my new year's resolutions was to post on here more - not done so well at that so far, oops! 

2012 is a very exciting year for me and my OH, we are getting married! 31st March to be exact, so not that long to go. Everything is pretty much sorted, just little bits and pieces left to get, like some sprinkles for the tables and that kind of thing. 

In the meantime, whilst counting down to the big day, we are still watching the pennies and trying to make things stretch as far as possible. I am now unemployed, but I'm hoping that that will change sooner rather than later. We are also moving house in February! So I've got to factor in all that as well. Busy busy busy. 

And, a photo to finish, my lunch today:

Tuna salad with a sliced pitta bread, with green tea. 

Another one of my resolutions is not to lose weight, but to try and stay as healthy as possible. I'm working really hard on that one....

N xx

Friday times.

I'm having one of those days today, where I feel totally fed up and down for no reason at all. Cue watching rubbish on the tv and generally not doing much. 

Picture of my lunch today; ham salad and a slightly naughty hot chocolate from a well know coffee chain. A little treat to myself :) 

Here's to the weekend. 

N xx

healthy steps and a freebie!

So, yesterday I had chicken soup for tea, which wasn't particularly exciting, so didn't take a pic of that. Today was slightly better, as all these ingredients went into our evening meal:

We had veg stir fry, which was served with some rice [not shown]. I was going to take a pic of the end result, but then forgot as was busy eating! =D

We were also lucky, as we got given some free veg yesterday in the form of a small courgette and some broad beans (in their pods):

The courgette was a nice addition to the stir fry, and I shall have the broad beans as a snack tomorrow, as OH doesn't like them! These were from a friend's garden, and were very much appreciated :) 

And, a walk on a lovely evening is good for blowing away the cobwebs :) 

N xxx